Category Archives: News
Should I buy an existing home or build a new home?
Many times new home owners are caught between the question of should I buy an existing home or build a new home of my own? This is a great question, and it really comes down to the potential owner’s personal preferences in several different areas. To make it easier to decide, let’s break it down into the pros and cons of each.
Pros of buying an existing home:
- For an existing home, one of the main pros is convenience. You can move in immediately after closing and are instantly ready to begin your new life.
- You also have the potential of upgrades when buying an existing home. You can upgrade the house or the property in small ways — or major ways — in your own timeframe and whenever your budget allows.
- Another upside is that the cost of an existing home can be negotiated, unlike when building a home, where prices are fixed, and sometimes there are unexpected costs.
- With an existing home, most times, you are usually moving into an established neighborhood, which gives you the ability not only to socialize and entertain, but it usually means that stores, schools, and hospitals are nearby.
- Another benefit to buying an existing home that’s sometimes under-considered is the landscaping. If you move into an existing home, you’ll have mature landscaping and trees to work with and add to, as opposed to having to cultivate the bare lot of a newly built site.
Cons of buying an existing home:
- One of the cons of buying an existing home is somewhat of an obvious one — you will always be competing with other buyers for the home, whereas you’re less likely to have steep competition over a vacant lot.
- Another downside is the compromise on some of the existing features of the home. Unless you’re lucky enough to find your perfect dream home, it’s likely that you’ll have to settle on some of the aspects of the house and its floor plan.
- You may also end up needing to repair or restore certain aspects of the home, such as heating, cooling, or roofing, depending on its age and condition.
Now let’s look at some of the positives and negatives that come with building your own home.
Pros of building your own home:
- When building your own home, you can have it designed to fit your lifestyle and your preferences and get exactly what you want.
- You can also have custom details put in, things that make your house unique and intriguing.
- Should something go wrong with an aspect of your new home, large repairs are usually covered by a warranty.
- New homes are also more energy efficient and can cost you less in the long run.
- A new home is also less likely to contain toxic construction materials than an existing home, and you can take special measures to ensure the building materials you use are as eco-friendly as possible.
Cons of building your own home:
- When building your own home, the timeframe will be the main issue you face. You’ll have to budget a length of time in advance for the new house to be built, and sometimes, unforeseen things happen, pushing your timeframe out farther than expected.
- Building your own home can also be more expensive than outright buying an existing home; with a new home, there tend to be more upfront costs and not much room for negotiation on purchase prices or closing costs.
- There can also be extra costs you hadn’t budgeted for, either when choosing to upgrade certain aspects to your home, or paying for unexpected issues that weren’t budgeted for.
- If you’re building on an untouched lot, there can be extra time and money required for the lot itself, either to landscape the bare lot when the home is finished, or to shape the lot / remove trees to fit the new house.
- Lastly, there are impact fees to consider when building a new home, which is a tax usually imposed on new builders to cover the “impact” made on schools, roads, fire departments, etc.
When choosing an existing home or building a new one yourself, there are many pros and cons to both sides. In the end, it comes down to time, money, and what you’re looking for in your dream home.
Payson – 4th of July!
In Payson, Arizona, the 4th of July celebration is one of our biggest events of the year! All of the events and games center around Green Valley Park, where the day starts early, at 8AM with a patriotic ceremony to honor men and women, both past and present, who have fought for our freedom. At 11AM, the vendors will open, offering treats such as ice cream, snow cones, coffee, and more. From 1PM to 3PM, games will be hosted with prizes going to the winning teams of some classic favorites like a three-legged race, a water balloon toss, and even a pie eating contest. Then visitors can head over to the Ramada and enjoy live music from 6PM up until 9PM when the main event begins — the fireworks show! Payson is well known for one of the most spectacular fireworks shows in the state; you certainly don’t want to miss out!
Whether you’re a local, looking forward to spending the day at Green Valley Park with friends and family, or a weekend traveler searching for a fun way to spend your holiday, come on down to Green Valley Park and enjoy the fun. And make sure to arrive early to get the best seats for the fireworks show!
Happy 4th of July Birthday Rory! A real Yankee Doodle Dandy!
Firewise Your Home
It’s wildfire season here in the Rim Country of Northern Arizona, and we’ve already had our first major fire. Living in Payson, Arizona, or the surrounding communities, it’s important to know what it means to firewise your home in case of an out of control wildfire. If you’re unsure what the term firewising means, it refers to the preventative steps you take in order to ensure your home is at the lowest risk possible for fire.
Here are a few suggestions from firewise.org to keep your home safe:
- Store firewood away from the home
- Mow the lawn regularly
- Prune low-hanging tree branches
- Landscape with fire-resistant plants
- Create small fuel breaks with hardscaping features
Whether you have a permanent residence in the Rim Country or simply a summer cabin, it is important to be proactive with prevention measures during the hot summer months when wildfires are common.
Payson Farmers Market
The Payson Farmers Market is back for the summer, and all of the residents of Rim Country are excited to participate. The Payson Farmers Market is one of the biggest community events here in Northern Arizona, giving residents from miles around a place to gather and socialize, share food and produce, listen to good music, and just have an all-around great time. In short, the Payson Farmers Market has become Payson’s best outdoor community center.
Here are a few great things about the Payson Farmers Market, taken from paysonfarmersmarket.com:
- Fresh, local, organically grown food is available to the 20,000 Rim Country residents and the many visitors traveling through town.
- The Payson Farmers Market a USDA sponsored Farmers Market offering the SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), and WIC (Woman, Infants and Children) nutrition program certified, giving low income residents access to fresh, local grown produce.
- The Payson Farmers Market is a Locavore style market where all food comes from within 100 miles and sold directly from the farm or food maker to you.
- New farmers are joining the local food movement and turning their acreage into farms, and existing farmers are expanding the size of their farms.
The Payson Farmers Market can see anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 people on an average Saturday, with those numbers easily doubling on holiday weekends with the amount of tourists and weekenders passing through town.
The famers market runs every Saturday during the summer from May 25 to September 14, from 8 AM to noon, and features live music, games and activities for kids, and monthly contests hosted and sponsored by local businesses. Head on down and enjoy the fun!
Spring Cleaning
Spring in Payson, Arizona is the perfect time of year for an annual cleanup of your house and yard. The weather hasn’t yet turned hot, the ground is still soft from recent snow and rain (making weeding and raking easier) and it’s a good idea to get it out of the way earlier in the year before the summer holidays and events arrive.
Maintaining Clutter Inside
Taking time to manage the clutter inside your house is always a positive thing to do, especially when you’re able to take the clothes and items you’re getting rid of and donate them to one of the local thrift stores here in town — you’re doing something good for you, and for your community.
Yard Maintenance Outside
It’s also important to keep the outside of your house clean and clutter-free; this includes your attic, shed, or garage, as the less clutter you have, the less attraction you’ll have for mice and insects. A few simple ways you can do this are:
- keeping rain gutters clean
- raking leaves and branches in your yard
- sweeping your driveway and porch or deck area
- weeding
- trimming back trees or shrubs
By following a few simple tricks to maintaining your home and yard, it not only saves you time and money in the long run, but keeps your property looking fresh and inviting!
Summer Safety with Snakes
As the temperatures continue to rise here in Payson, Arizona, reptiles and snakes — including rattlesnakes — will begin to appear. This means that residents and visitors of the Rim Country need to take precaution when outside, especially when hiking or exploring trails and creeks.
Oftentimes, the snakes you will pass in the wild or find under or next to your house aren’t harmful. Even rattlesnakes, though extremely venomous, aren’t a direct threat against humans unless provoked.
If you’re walking on a trail or in your yard, and come across a snake, first and foremost, you want to give it space. A snake will not attack unless given reason, and if left alone, will continue sunbathing or simply move along in the direction it was heading.
If you can, it’s smart to do a search on Google to see what kind of snake you are dealing with, especially if it’s in your yard or happens to be on a trail that you frequent. It’s always easier to coexist with snakes when you know more about them, and understand their preferred living places and eating habits.
It’s never wise to kill a snake, because not only can it be dangerous for you, but killing a snake actually damages the delicate balance of life in the ecosystem around us. Sometimes it is necessary to have a snake removed, when it’s near your home or frequently appears on your property, especially if you have children or pets or livestock. If you need to remove the snake, it’s best to call the Arizona Department of Game and Fish, and not attempt to do it yourself, especially if it’s a rattlesnake.
5 tips for avoiding snakes:
- Research local species and be aware of their preferred habitats and their appearances. Know what to look for.
- Never step or reach into an area you can’t see. Most snake bites occur when the creature is startled accidentally.
- Be alert, not only with your eyes, but with your ears. Snakes have a very distinct sound when moving through underbrush and across beds of dead leaves. And of course, be aware of what the rattle of a rattlesnake sounds like.
- If you do happen to cross paths with a snake, leave it alone and allow it to have its space. Snakes will respect you if you respect them.
- Keep in mind that snakes enjoy dark, hidden areas, but they also enjoy the sun, especially in the spring. Snakes are not as likely to be seen during the high heat of the day when temperatures are most oppressive, but they can often be found out in the open when mornings are cool and there are plenty of patches of warm sunshine.
Part of the beauty of Arizona is our diverse wildlife, and while snakes aren’t the most favorable, they’re part of the environment just like other animals, and deserve to be treated with respect.
Warmer Weather & Welcomed Company
The weather is warming up here in the Rim Country, which always brings about subtle but steady changes, specifically for Payson, Arizona, and the surrounding communities. The ground is starting to come back to life again thanks to the warmer temperatures and the moisture leftover from the heavy rain and snowfall, and the elk and deer are beginning to reappear again, little by little. Photographers will find it easy to capture stunning pictures of wildlife and the surrounding landscape as the warmer seasons continue to approach.
Not only does the warmer weather of early spring bring change for the residents of the Rim Country, it also brings with it hosts of visitors from Phoenix and the Valley area, eager to escape the coming heat and be in the cool mountain air. This means businesses in Payson will start to flourish and experience an influx of activity, and the cabins and summer homes in the northern Rim Country area will begin to buzz with life and energy once again.
Whether you’re a local resident, enjoying the changing weather from the comfort of your back porch, or a tourist from Phoenix, visiting the mountains for a weekend of hiking and exploring, spring in the Rim Country brings excitement for everyone!
Welcome Houston Henry Huff!
Payson: The Special Event Capital of Arizona
The weather will be warming up soon, leading us into “Event Season” in the Rim Country. We offer the perfect escape from the high temperatures of the valley for many thousands of people each year… and we make things fun! You can visit the local Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning and go to the Summer Concert Series in the park that night. For outdoor recreation enthusiasts, Payson offers the fastest growing mud run in the state of Arizona in our “Mogollon Monster ®” as well as many trail runs.
Payson, Arizona is the host of the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo, attracting contestants and spectators from all over the country. The 4th of July is a massive party every year with an all-day event in beautiful Green Valley Park, capped off with a huge fireworks display over the lakes. In the same park, we hold one of Arizona’s largest rural Food Truck Festivals with a local beer garden for guaranteed family fun all day! There truly is no better place in Arizona to live and visit to enjoy endless family fun under the beautiful backdrop of the Mogollon Rim.
These are just a few of the amazing events happening in Payson, Arizona every year! For a full list, visit: https://www.paysonrimcountry.com/