We have been made aware of real estate available locally through new road friends, Jo, Kevin and Noah as they took a month off to come and find a home here; hoping for a good deal in a beautiful location. Jo has informed me that the prices are unheard of, yet it's hard to get a good place as they are going fast. The word is out and people are taking advantage. They were competing with 6 other offers on a home they liked! Other homes have been sold faster than you have a chance to get out there and see them, let alone make a decision and an offer. So, looking for a good deal is a full-time job! Some of the homes have been purposefully damaged by disgruntled homeowners with appliances ripped out or partially destroyed. Our friend also discovered that costs for water are higher here for them as a lot of places purchase water privately. Water is a hot commodity in Arizona-being the desert and all! Furthermore, they have found the local schools less than appealing with poor track records and that there would be waiting lists to get into Charter schools in the area. However, those issues can be addressed and there are plenty of homes for sale to choose from. It's an interesting process to follow ... regardless, we wish them well on their search and hope they find what they are looking for in the end.
I am wondering where all of these displaced families are finding residence and how all of these empty homes will affect the broader economic picture; market values of surrounding areas, businesses, jobs and communities as a whole. In the meantime, perhaps we'll see more young families like us on the road. This isn't the first time we have met a family in an RV looking for an affordable home; an affordable lifestyle. Plus, even before this crisis was coming to a head, many families were voluntarily giving up their 'sticks and bricks' existence to find an alternate lifestyle, not being tied to home ownership in a fixed location. It can be done! Living on the road does teach you that there are many ways of living. Anyways, we shall see....I hope that President Obama's plan can help those struggling and turn things around. We will watch his address today and find out more!
