🇺🇸 Happy 4th of July 💥

Happy Independence Day!! I hope you have something fun planned for the holiday weekend, and are taking a break to enjoy yourself as we celebrate 250 years of our great country.

Have fun & be safe out in the heat and around fireworks. 🙏

In this newsletter:

Have a great weekend!

Not sure when & where to see a fireworks show this weekend? Check out this guide put together by AZCentral.com. It has info on every show from Anthem to Maricopa, and all corners of the Valley.

🥇 Peoria All-American Festival - Peoria Sports Complex

One of the West Valley's biggest Independence Day celebrations, featuring live music, food vendors, family activities, and a spectacular fireworks show. A great all-around choice for families and anyone looking for a classic Fourth of July celebration.

🥈 Fabulous Phoenix 4th - Steele Indian School Park

The Valley's signature Fourth of July event with one of the largest fireworks displays in the Southwest. Enjoy live entertainment, food vendors, a kids' zone, and a high-energy atmosphere before the fireworks light up the sky.

🥉 Westgate Firework Fest - Westgate Entertainment District, Glendale

Perfect for adults, couples, and groups looking to combine dinner, drinks, shopping, and live entertainment before enjoying a fireworks show after dark.

🇺🇸 Surprise Independence Day Celebration - Surprise Community Park

A family-friendly evening with live entertainment, food vendors, games, and a fantastic fireworks display. It's one of the easiest major celebrations to navigate, with additional viewing available nearby at Mark Coronado Park.

🎇 Tempe 4th - Tempe Town Lake

A festival atmosphere featuring live music, food trucks, water activities, a beer garden, and a spectacular fireworks show over Tempe Town Lake. Great for those looking to make a full evening out of the holiday.

One of the most common things I hear from buyers is, "We're going to wait until interest rates come down."

It sounds like a smart plan. After all, lower rates usually mean lower monthly payments. But interest rates are only one part of the equation.

In many cases, today's higher rates are actually creating better buying opportunities.

Higher mortgage rates have caused many buyers to pause their home search. That has created a more balanced market where buyers often have advantages they didn't have just a few years ago.

Today's buyers may find:

These benefits can save thousands of dollars and make the buying process much less stressful.

If mortgage rates fall, many of those buyers waiting on the sidelines are likely to jump back into the market.

The problem is that the number of homes for sale won't suddenly increase. More buyers competing for the same inventory often leads to bidding wars, fewer concessions, and rising home prices.

A lower interest rate is great, but paying $20,000 or $30,000 more for the same home may erase much of that benefit.

One thing many buyers overlook is that mortgage rates can change after you buy.

If rates decline in the future, refinancing may allow you to lower your monthly payment. What you cannot refinance is the price you paid for the home.

Buying at a lower purchase price today could put you in a stronger financial position than waiting for lower rates and paying significantly more later.

No one knows exactly where mortgage rates or home prices are headed. Trying to perfectly time the market is difficult.

Instead of focusing only on today's interest rate, look at the complete picture. Consider the purchase price, the amount of competition, seller concessions, and your long-term plans.

For many buyers, today's market may offer an opportunity that disappears when interest rates finally come down.

Rates headed higher this past week, but only by a little bit.

Curious what your rate would be in today’s market? Reach out to my lending partner, Aaron Alvarez with West American Mortgage, at (602) 705-9835.

6903 W. Kimberly Way, Glendale, AZ 85308. This home is under contract and we just received the appraisal back, and it is good to go towards closing!

Listed at $775,000 and we had interest from multiple buyers. 6903kimberly.com

My friend Jason owns Streak Free AZ Window Cleaning here in Arrowhead Ranch, and he’s offering a summer special. You can get 10% off an exterior cleaning of your windows, or if you want the interior done as well, you’ll get 20% off!!

Jason is available Valley wide, and does amazing work. I just had him out to my dad’s house in Sun City West.

Locally owned. Professional service. Crystal-clear results. Call (602) 554-2804 to schedule your cleaning. Or visit StreakFreeAZ.com

Referrals are the backbone of any realtors business, and mine is no different. Many of you have sent your friends & family my way over the years, and it is always fun to get that call ‘they said you’re the best, so I’m calling to get your help!’

If you know anyone thinking of buying or selling in 2026, I’d love the opportunity to connect with them and see how I can help.

Want to watch the 4th of July fireworks show from your own home? This condo in Tempe will have a front row seat in the recliner on the balcony.

Located within Edgewater at Tempe Town Lake, this iconic building offers a full suite of resort style amenities. Residents enjoy a gated garage, a front desk attendant with on site security, a pool and jacuzzi, fitness center, and a private community lawn with lounge areas and grills. Additional shared spaces include a clubhouse with kitchen, television lounge and a pool table room. Direct access to Tempe Town Lake's dock, as well as immediate connection to the lake's walking and biking paths, places the outdoors at your doorstep.

See all of the details & photos here.

Property listed by Jon Mark Estes with RETSY

I’ve officially reached the point in the summer where I want to turn off my phone & escape to a place like this. Only accessed by boat, this camp in Maine feels like the perfect spot to avoid a Phoenix summer.

Held by the same family for 50 years, this boat-access camp in Big W Twp represents the kind of Moosehead Lake property that is becoming harder to find: simple, private, and shaped by decades of summer use. This is not a polished lake house trying to recreate camp life. It is the real thing -- a place where the value is found in the setting, the history, the quiet, and the connection to the water. Accessed by boat, the property offers the separation and sense of arrival that have always made remote Moosehead camps special. Days here are measured by weather, water, projects, meals on the porch, and time spent outside. The camp carries the character of a property that has been used, cared for, and returned to summer after summer. After five decades of ownership, the sellers are ready for the next owner to take it from here. For someone looking for an honest Moosehead Lake camp with privacy, tradition, and room to make it their own, this is the kind of property that does not come along often.

See all the pics & info here.