Payson, much like the rest of our country, has taken a hit. Fortunately, we are a resilient, supportive community that takes care of each other. Now that the shutdown has been lifted, our local restaurants are back open for business.   They have been surviving on take-out and curbside services for the past couple of months. This means it is time to get out there and push them forward, together! Try to tip a little extra if you can as well.

Alongside our food industry, our local Sawmill Theater is back up and running. They are showcasing some older movies, such as Jurassic Park, as well as some more recent movies that were premiering when the shutdown started. The Sawmill Theater is ensuring a setup that allows moviegoers to remain socially distanced while enjoying themselves.

Let the community fun commence! The Payson Farmer’s Market is in full swing every Saturday morning from 8 am-Noon with an all-star lineup of local, Arizona foods. Summer Concert Series in Green Valley Park is set to commence each Saturday starting June 6th, and annual events such as the Mogollon Monster Mudda and 4th of July Hometown Celebration are approved and on schedule.

Note: There will be no food or beverage vendors at these events, so please grab some take-out from our local restaurants and enjoy!

Payson is open for business and it’s time, more than ever, to shop local and enjoy our local events. Invite a friend or two from out of town to join you and let’s make 2020 a banner year for our town!

There is no mincing of words, we have been through the ringer these past couple of months. But the sun is still shining, the light is there to be enjoyed, and the dark days are slowly becoming brighter. There is so much to look forward to here in Payson in the months ahead after such a bleak season of restriction. The warm and gorgeous weather is here and ready to be enjoyed! Until the economy blossoms fully back to life, here is an overview of fun to be had while we wait in limbo between the open and closed status of our state that is before us now.

Digital or drive up services at local churches: The governor’s Stay Healthy, Stay Active initiative for the health of our state did not infringe upon our right to worship. Seeing the danger that traditional services could pose to their congregations, church leaders saw the need to innovate quickly and rose to the call. Many local churches can now be “visited” either virtually, or by attending service by drive-up. Give a call to whichever church denomination you practice, but a few we have learned of are (please note that this list is by no means exhaustive of what is available locally, but merely what we have been able to research and share):

• Expedition Church (Christian): weekly online streaming services at
• Woodland Church (Christian): weekly online video sermons at 4:30pm on Sundays
• LDS church: There are local worship services being held. Also, you can refer to BYU TV on your local streaming service. Contact your geographic local ward or branch for more specific meeting information.
• Rock of Ages Church (Lutheran): Sundays 9am on the radio 91.1FM
• Church of the Nations (Christian): drive-in service.
• Mountain Bible Church
• Baptist
• Catholic
• Unity
• Jehovah’s witness: According to a source, there is a live broadcast for members. There is no further information.

‘Let there be Light’ tribute to the Payson High School senior class: Every night at 8pm the high school is honoring its 2020 graduating seniors by lighting the bright football field stadium lights. This would be a great opportunity for a drive by homage to pay respect to this year’s graduates, or to take pictures with your 2020 graduates in front of the “Friday Night Lights” for posterity. In either event, it is a touching tribute to the graduates this year who have worked hard for twelve years and now have been deprived of the glory of several dozen events comprising their final quarter of high school that culminates in a celebratory graduation ceremony.

Pop up Farmer’s Markets: It seems that every Saturday, at least one of our faithful Payson Farmers Market summer vendors is available in the usual place at the Sawmill Theater parking lot to offer locals their fresh food! Check local Payson Farmers Market Facebook page for up to date vendors on any given Saturday for times and offerings.  Payson Farmers Market will be opening May 23^rd!!

Also don’t forget to shop locally! Our neighbors and friends in the local food service business community need your help more than ever. Local restaurants are offering take out and even delivery where they might not have previously done, rethinking their whole operation entirely to serve YOU and, of course, to keep their doors open in the long run. How we collectively spend now during these critical months will have a large part in how our town looks when everything opens again. Think of your favorite handful of local small businesses and make a concerted intentional effort to spend money with them in the next days and weeks. Your spending dollars are your very real vote for which businesses get to stay open, and which must tragically close forever. Please be mindful to take that responsibility seriously!

Our local restaurant scene is changing daily, so please contact your favorite restaurant directly to see who is open, and for what services! It is a delicious, and for our local restaurants, very helpful way to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?”

The whole world is adapting in these new and unfamiliar times, and the real estate market is among the many forced to change to meet needs in innovative ways. Technology has become key in the task of keeping the industry moving. Utilizing emerging tools like video phone conferencing for virtual consultations, online home searches, virtual tours for house hunters, electronic document signing for home closings. Today, we focus on virtual home showings and how they benefit both the buyer and the seller.

Sellers

Virtual home tours give sellers a terrific edge in the real estate market, all while maintaining physical distance between the seller’s home and the dozens of potential buyers who wish to see it. This has become increasingly important in this new era of COVID-19 restrictions on public meetings and concerns over public health. In addition to added hygiene benefits, sellers also have the advantage of showing their home in peak condition just a single time while the filming/photography process occurs. After that, their schedules aren’t impeded with scheduled showings, and their time isn’t spent with continuous cleaning, locking away pets, and leaving the home again and again to allow showings to take place. Sellers enjoy every benefit of physical showings, with fewer of the disruptions and hassles that go along with the more traditional method.

Buyers

For the buyer, virtual home showings allow the convenience of viewing potential homes from the comfort and safety of your own home, and on your own schedule, day or night. In addition to the detailed, many times 360 panning details of both the interior and exterior of a home, a buyer can also see views of the neighborhood surrounding a property. This streamlined process is efficient and enables a buyer to cover much more ground virtually than was previously feasible when physically visiting homes individually. As such, buyers can customize their searches, view, and narrow down options in a fraction of the time ever before possible.

Virtual home tours began as a novelty and convenience but have grown to become a staple in the home buying process. Below, we have two amazing properties virtual tours linked. If you are buying or selling, we hope you call us with any questions you have on virtual property tours and how they can help you with your home buying or selling strategy.

http://tour.corelistingmachine.com/tour/titan/?id=6125886&_seoAddress=42-N-Morris-Road-Payson-AZ-82216#.Xo5FIPlKjIU

http://tour.corelistingmachine.com/tour/titan/?id=6051228&_seoAddress=10889-N-Houston-Mesa-Road-Payson-AZ-81983#.XpnNQl5Kjcs

This is a time very different than most have ever experienced before. We have been asked by our President and by our governor to remain home, leaving only for essential functions. It has left many questions about what is essential, what is allowed, and what resources are available to figure it all out? We will use this post to try to give practical information to help the community answer some of these questions regarding local food establishments. Please be advised that this is a constantly changing situation, and information that may be true one moment, can change completely the next. If in doubt, be sure to give the business a call before heading out.

Grocery

Food is an essential service, and all local grocery stores remain open, although most have altered their hours of operation while the COVID-19 restrictions are in place. All stores have limits on highly sought after items such as paper goods, bottled water, and sanitizing products.

Bashas: (928) 474-7039.   As of 3/15/20, adjusted hours are daily from 6am-9pm.

Specialty services: Senior citizen (65+) shopping hour, Wednesdays 5am-6am.

Healthcare and first responder shopping hours: Tuesday & Thurs mornings,  30 minutes before normal           opening time.

Safeway: (928) 472-8208.  Store hours 6am-9pm.

Specialty services: Seniors, expectant mothers, immune compromised individual shopping hours,  Tuesday and           Thursday 6am-9am.

Pharmacy is offering FREE home medicine delivery through May 1^st.

Walmart: (928) 474-0029. Adjusted store hours are 7am-8:30.

Specialty services:  Senior citizen shopping hour, Tuesday 6am-7am.

Back to Basics: (928) 474-8935.  Store hours Mon-Thursday, 8am-5:30pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm, Closed Sunday.

Specialty services: Free rapid curbside pickup and free delivery available.

Restaurants

The presence of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 has been found in all 15 counties in Arizona. Because of this, the entire state is now subject to Governor Ducey’s restrictions on restaurant services. All food establishments are closed to dine-in sit-down services. Restaurants may, however, offer pick-up, delivery, or drive-through services. Many local eateries are continuing to provide food services this way. Some establishments have chosen to close for business entirely for the duration of the restricted period. Here we have listed the restaurants NOT operating at this time.

Be sure to check local restaurants’ social media pages, websites, or contact them by phone for information on menus and service options. Quite a few of Payson’s restaurants may be closed for in-house dining but are still operating Delivery and Pick-Up.

Restaurants that are operating at this time may be offering delivery, even if their business model usually does not under normal circumstances. Additionally, local food delivery service Cruisin’ Delights serves several local restaurants and can be reached by downloading their phone app in the Apple or Google Play stores, or online at www.crusindelights.com.

This is it: your dream home! You found the place, made your bid, haggled out the specifics, struck a deal, and got through the financing paperwork mountain. Now it is time to close. What does that mean? Let us break down the closing process and put your mind at ease, to let you sail through these final few steps to home ownership.

The home closing is the final step in the long process to home ownership. Closing is completed when the deed and title is transferred from the seller to the buyer. Copies of financing documentation and proof of insurance are then transmitted to the county recorder as well.

Typical buyer costs: As can be expected, the closing process does involve some significant fees. Lenders are required to give an estimate of closing costs within three days of your applications, according to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. In some cases, the lender’s fees are negotiable, and sometimes the seller will pay some of the closing costs. The fee scales for lenders and realtors also vary, so there is never one set price. Attorneys and third-party escrow holders are professionals that charge for their services as well. The general rule of thumb advises to anticipate 2-5% of the home purchase price for closing cost fees. With this model as a guide, for example, using 2019’s median home price of $315,000, the low end of average closing costs would likely be about $6,300 (2%).  Fees vary depending on the price of the home and the lender fees applied. Comparing different lenders can help to minimize fees in the closing process.

What is included in closing costs?

• Origination fee or broker fee (0-1% of loan amount) — Typically includes all the small fees charged by your lender or broker to set up the loan
• Mortgage points or “discount fee” (0-1% of loan amount) — Optional upfront fees paid to lower your mortgage rate
• Title insurance ($300-$2,500+) — Fees paid to check historical records and make sure the property can be legally transferred to you
• Escrow fees ($350-$1,000+) — Fees paid to a third-party “escrow company” that handles funds and facilitates the home sale
• Home appraisal ($500-$1,000+) — Fee to evaluate the home’s fair sale price or refinance value
• Prepaid taxes and insurance ($1,000-$4,500+) — Generally you pay six months to a year of property taxes and homeowners insurance in advance when you close

Agent representation during closing Agents are required by law to represent you as the buyer, and to place your interests above their own. This principle is known as “fiduciary duty.” An agent can help navigate the complex closing process and help handle anything that may be confusing with the escrow officer. Being a professional who consistently deals with homes closing, your real estate agent has the experience needed to navigate the process and advocate for you. Your agent will be able to be present with you during your final walk through, note any unresolved issues, spot and correct any errors in closing paperwork, and assure that all terms and conditions of the contract have been satisfied before the deal finalizes and the deed transfers ownership.

What do I need to bring with me?

•  Photo Identification for all signers
• (Cashier’s check, checkbook, or information for wire transfer transaction)
• Proof of Homeowner’s Insurance
• Any documentation from any point in the purchase process, from contract to close (for you to reference)

When do I get my keys? It is a common misconception that at the end of this long and complicated process, you will be handed your keys.  The reality is that in Arizona, home buyers rarely see keys to their new purchase at the closing.  It takes between 24-48 hours for lender monies to fund the loan, assuming no problems arise. Once this is done, the new deed must be recorded with the county. After that official confirmation is in hand, your agent will at last arrive to present you with your keys.