For 15 years, Art Gastelo hasn’t lived in the home he owns in Flagstaff’s Plaza Vieja neighborhood. He’s rented it for some of that time, and on several occasions, he’s tried to sell it. He’s finally found a buyer, after dropping his asking price from $150,000 to $110,000. As for profits, “I’ll be lucky if I get five grand,” Gastelo lamented. He blames his bum luck on an abandoned house next door. “I’ve had two buyers. They went through the entire process. Then they said, ‘We need to look … [Read more...] about How the Proposed PMO Could Affect Home Values
Region Embracing Renewables
In many ways, Northern Arizona – and Coconino County in particular – is poised to harvest great benefits from renewable energy potential that outpaces the potential in much of the rest of the country. But the first wave of utility-scale projects has met with some resistance – and it has sent local land use planners to the drawing board. Coconino County has a draft of its new renewable energy guidelines out for review in a document called “Energy Element,” available on the web. County planners … [Read more...] about Region Embracing Renewables
Searching for the Greenest Stock
Is it possible for an environmentally or socially conscious person to make money in the stock market? Several local investors say it is – but people hoping to do so should proceed with caution. Jim Schmelzle, financial advisor at Arizona State Credit Union, says a small subset of clients feel it is important to invest in environmentally and ethically responsible companies, but the definition is variable. “Typically, it’s environmental stewardship, or social responsibility,” he said. “For … [Read more...] about Searching for the Greenest Stock
Fighting the Current of Consumer Spending and Debt
It appears the economic woes of recent years haven’t led to a whole lot of belt-tightening at home. According to the Federal Reserve’s latest statistics, Americans carry $2.4 trillion in unsecured debt. That includes credit cards and personal loans. By itself, the average credit card debt per cardholder is hovering around $6,000. The numbers might not mean much, until you focus on a single, typical household that’s participating in the nation’s indebtedness. Mom and dad are unlikely to be … [Read more...] about Fighting the Current of Consumer Spending and Debt
Customers Seeking Relief From Bank Fees
As news of new and steeper banking fees has swept the nation, so has speculation that there will be a mass exodus to credit unions, which, because of their unique missions, are more likely to hold off on such charges. So far, the movement of customers from banks to credit unions in Northern Arizona is more of a gentle swell than a tsunami, but it has begun. “We're not really seeing a jump in new accounts, but I am seeing a big jump in traffic on our website,” said David Kexel, vice … [Read more...] about Customers Seeking Relief From Bank Fees
Maintaining Internet Security at the Office
When Internet safety matters at local businesses, Internet Technology teams are the first stop: they can work diligently to maintain server-wide protections like firewalls and virus detection programs. Those technologies can go a long way. They block spyware and intercept emails with links that, when clicked, unleash malicious code meant to corrupt or co-opt individual computers. With appropriate firewalls and virus-catching programs, “the percentage of legitimate email verses the amount … [Read more...] about Maintaining Internet Security at the Office
Maintaining Internet Security at the Office
When Internet safety matters at local businesses, Internet Technology teams are the first stop: they can work diligently to maintain server-wide protections like firewalls and virus detection programs. Those technologies can go a long way. They block spyware and intercept emails with links that, when clicked, unleash malicious code meant to corrupt or co-opt individual computers. With appropriate firewalls and virus-catching programs, “the percentage of legitimate email verses the amount … [Read more...] about Maintaining Internet Security at the Office
Several Factors Contributing to Mixed Tourism Figures
Tourism seems to be picking up across the country and in the state of Arizona, following a 2009 crash related to the economy. But some aspects of Flagstaff’s tourism appear a bit slower to catch up. Nationally, according to the Arizona Office of Tourism, hotels are doing a little better than they did last year. Occupancy went up about five percent across the country. Those numbers held true regionally, statewide and for the Phoenix metro area. But in Flagstaff, occupancy rates went down a … [Read more...] about Several Factors Contributing to Mixed Tourism Figures
