Weekend Warrior | December 28-29, 2024

Happy (almost) New Year, Weekend Warriors!

The New Year is just around the corner, and we’re soaking up every last bit of the holiday magic! This week, our calendars are filling up with festive gatherings (and we’ve shared some of the best family-friendly options from East Valley Moms for you!), we’re reconnecting with clients who are gearing up for big moves after the holiday season, and we’re reflecting on all the incredible ways we’ve been able to give back to our community this year—thanks to YOU!

Through our nonprofit, Community on Purpose, we’ve been privileged to make a difference in so many lives this year. Whether it was delivering supplies, supporting local organizations, or rallying for important causes, it’s all because of our amazing clients and their unwavering support. We can’t wait to share our year in review with you—it’s truly a testament to the power of community.

For those of you dreaming about a fresh start in 2025, now is the perfect time to strategize! Whether you’re thinking of listing your home or getting prequalified for your next big move, we’re here to help. The weeks leading up to the New Year are a fantastic time to evaluate your home’s equity, explore upgrades, or just chat about your goals over a cup of hot cocoa (or maybe something a little bubbly). Grab a January appointment with us, and let’s make a game plan together—you’ll thank yourself later!

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to bring even MORE community events, business opportunities, and market insights to our friends and clients. We’re here to help you thrive, whether that’s finding the perfect neighborhood, sharing school recommendations, or just being your go-to resource for all things real estate. We've even got some fun events coming up for all of our local business owners, be sure to spread the word!

As always, your referrals and reviews mean everything to us—they’re what allow us to keep doing what we love and paying it forward in meaningful ways. If we’ve made a difference for you this year, please consider leaving us a review  - it’s the best holiday gift you could give us! Let’s wrap up this year with joy and intention and step into 2025 with open hearts and endless possibilities. Cheers to you and all the wonderful things ahead!

Closing Out 2024 with Gratitude and Purpose

As 2024 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on an extraordinary year of giving through Community on Purpose. Together with our East Valley community and the support of the Amy Jones Group, we’ve made a meaningful impact—dedicating hundreds of volunteer hours and tens of thousands of dollars to support women, families, and organizations in need.

🌟 Our 2024 Impact at a Glance:
✅ Volunteer Events: From sorting clothes at One Small Step AZ to staffing their pop-up shop for homeless families in Mesa, to hosting family carnivals and movie nights at ASA Now for foster families, we’ve been hands-on throughout the year. We also supported ICAN Arizona with Halloween fun and festivals, contributed to The Welcome to America Project, and shopped for holiday wish lists with Branching Out Family Services, just to name a few.

✅ Sponsorships: We’ve proudly sponsored programs for Positive Paths Women in Business, partnered with CABi Clothing for Love Local events, and supported the Gilbert Chamber Women Empowered Series. Our efforts also included donating hundreds of Confidence Kits to stock the Gilbert Public Schools Clothes Closets and spotlighting local nonprofits monthly on our social platforms.

✅ Direct Giving: Through your generosity, we’ve been able to help families in crisis, covering utility bills, supporting families dealing with cancer, and providing aid to parents navigating immense health challenges.

None of this would have been possible without YOU. Whether you volunteered your time, contributed financially, or cheered us on, you’ve been an integral part of this year’s success. Let’s make 2025 an even bigger year of impact, together. 💙

💻 Donate today at communityonpurpose.com/donate and ensure we can continue supporting critical programs and families in need.

Market Update: Signs of Positive Change

As we wrap up 2024, the real estate market is showing encouraging signs of improvement for sellers. While we remain cautious not to overstate the progress, the data suggests that this could be the beginning of a gradual upward trend as we move into 2025.

Here’s what we’re seeing:

• Over the past month, the Cromford® Market Index (CMI) has improved significantly, with more cities showing gains than declines. This week, the average CMI change is +6.2%, a notable improvement from the +2.9% recorded earlier in the month and far better than the 2.0% rise seen this time last year.
• Double-digit percentage gains have been observed in Tempe, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, and Gilbert, with Chandler and Scottsdale also seeing solid improvements.
• Currently, 9 cities are in seller’s markets, 3 are balanced, and 5 remain buyer’s markets.

However, much of this improvement can be attributed to seasonal factors, as December typically sees a reduction in supply with fewer new listings entering the market. This seasonal tightening can make the market more favorable for sellers, but the overall improvement in CMI readings compared to last year is a positive sign worth noting.

For buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines, it’s worth considering that affordability has remained relatively stable over the past couple of years. Sellers, on the other hand, have largely retained their equity despite the flat market. If these trends continue, 2025 could be the first year we see a return to positive growth after a period of stagnation.

What does this mean for you?
If you’ve been sitting out of the market, now might be the time to step back in. The signs of improvement are here, and waiting much longer could mean missing out on opportunities in the early stages of an upward trend.

Let’s make sure you’re ready for what’s next—whether that’s buying, selling, or simply understanding your options. Reach out to the Amy Jones Group for guidance as we head into a promising new year.

Noon Years Eve by Mesa Public Libraries

Each branch hosts their own party with a balloon drop, sparkling cider toast, crafts and a dance party. Some branch locations begin at 11 a.m., others at 11:30. Check their events calendar here for your branch details.

Noon Years Eve at The Playhouse

There will be a bounce house, backdrop with photo opportunities, snacks & drinks, and a goodie bag for each registered child! There will also be a a balloon drop at noon to officially ring in 2025!

Noon Years Eve in Downtown Mesa

Join us from 10am – 1pm on December 31, 2024 at Main & Macdonald in the heart of Downtown Mesa for a FREE morning of engaging crafts, games, live music and food trucks.  At 12 noon, Mayor Giles will lead a special countdown to ring in the New Year followed by a sparkling apple cider toast.

Noon Years Eve at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix

Ring in the New Year at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix at our joyous Happy Noon Year Celebration! Enjoy sparkling cider, music & dancing, noisemaker activity, and a festive balloon drop in our Atrium! Museum admission for this SPECIAL EVENT is $27 per non-member and $10 per member. Children under the age of 1 are free.

Check out "5 Quick Tips for Hosting Your Own Noon Year’s Eve!" with this handy Noon Year's Eve Guide!

This year we announced the launch of our Community Heroes Appreciation Program with a special gift of gratitude for military members, veterans, educators, medical professionals, first responders, and government/civil servants when buying or selling a home with us. 

In recognition of these invaluable contributions, we offer a $1,000 credit towards closing costs as a thank you for the service to our country and community. This program was originally founded to honor our military heroes, inspired by Amy Jones’ late father, Richard (Mac) McGarrigle, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and we’ve since expanded it to include all community heroes who make a difference every day.

Additionally, we partner with title companies, lenders and even moving companies who offer special programs designed to assist community heroes with their moving and community connection needs. These programs can help make homeownership more affordable by offering lower down payment requirements, reduced interest rates, and other financial assistance to ease the burden of a big move.

If you or someone you know would qualify for this program, please reach out so we can share details with you and share our gratitude for your role in our community. 

💼 Looking to Grow Your Business in 2025? 💼 

😲 In Case You Missed It!