As some of you know, the new NAR (National Association of Realtors) regulations surrounding broker/agent compensation went into effect this month. Rather than write an entire article trying to explain how these changes affect buyers and sellers, our Broker prefers that we use the following graphic produced by the NAR.
In the end, we really do not believe there will be any significant shift in the way Sellers offer compensation, but rather, just a lot more formal documentation to be done between Brokers/Agents and Buyers/Sellers. Of course, as with anything the government gets involved in, there are a number of new and revised forms required! Please feel free to reach out to any member of our team if you have questions about any of this. We are always here to help.
Buyer Broker Exclusive Employment Agreement
An MLS Participant “working with” a buyer will be required to enter into a written agreement with the buyer prior to touring a home, including both in-person and live virtual tours.
Written buyer agreements must:
- Specify and conspicuously disclose the amount or rate of any compensation the MLS Participant will receive from any source, or how this amount will be determined;
- The amount of compensation must be objectively ascertainable and may not be open-ended (e.g., “buyer broker compensation shall be whatever amount the seller is offering to the buyer”);
- Include a statement that MLS Participants may not receive compensation from any source that exceeds the amount or rate agreed to with the buyer;
- Disclose in conspicuous language that broker commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable; and
- Include any provisions required by law.
Congratulations to our August Pet of the Month, the one and only Oggie Von Doggie.
If you would like your pet to be featured in our Pet of The Month and win a Chewy gift card for your sweet family member, send a picture of your baby to info@thekolbteam.com and tell us why your fuzzy, furry, feathery, or leathery pet makes you happy! We look forward to seeing all of your awesome pet pics!
Recipe of the Month
Fast, Fresh, and Refreshing Summer Zucchini Salad
Zucchini Salad Ingredients:
- Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette (recipe below), plus 1/4 cup minced shallot or onion mixed in 3 small or medium zucchini
- 1/4 c toasted pine nuts
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Handful of fresh basil (1/2 tbsp dried will work if that’s what you’ve got)
- Parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp honey, or maple syrup, optional
- 1/4-1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fresh or dried thyme, optional
Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette Directions:
- In a small bowl, add the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey. Whisk together.
- Drizzle in the olive oil, continuously whisking, and keep whisking until dressing is emulsified. You could also just combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to mix.
- Taste the dressing, and if it’s too tart, you can add more olive oil, then mix or shake again.
- Add the thyme, then season to your liking.
- The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. To soften the hardened oil, remove the dressing from the fridge for a few minutes, then stir or shake again.
Zucchini Salad Directions/Assembly:
- Peel the zucchini into strips with a vegetable peeler or mandolin.
- Toss zucchini with dressing in a bowl. You can serve it like this or transfer the salad to a serving dish.
- Top with pine nuts, chives, basil, and Parmesan. Drizzle with a bit more dressing, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Searching for That Perfect Home?
When looking at pictures online, it can be tricky to figure out the layout of a home. We can help you with that! On our website, you can access the most popular floor plans in Sun Lakes, AZ. Just click the button below!
The Olympics Pool in Paris Is Hiding a Few Secrets
Built specifically for the XXXIII Olympiad, the Olympic Aquatic Center seats 5,000 and was the setting for diving, water polo, and artistic swimming. If you’ve ever dipped your toes into a pool and felt the chilly water, but decided to jump in anyway, you’ll appreciate one of the secrets we learned about Paris’s Olympic pool.
Swimming for exercise in a cold pool is not the most pleasant of workouts, and we imagine that competing for an Olympic medal in one wouldn’t be that comfortable either. Thankfully, the Olympic pool in Paris is heated to about 80° Fahrenheit, which makes it much easier for the athletes to perform in their chosen aquatic sports. The fact that the pool is heated may not come as much of a revelation, but the method used just might surprise you.
A nearby Artificial Intelligence (AI) data center, which produces an intense amount of heat, contributes to warming the water in the pool. With the help of French utility company Engie, excess heat is transferred from the data center to the Olympic Aquatic Center through pipes, which sends the water to a heat-exchange plate, essentially warming the water twice. Through this process, about 600 nearby homes and businesses are also heated. Equinix, the owner of the data center called PA10, benefits from this too, as the arrangement lowers cooling costs. Another use for the heat generated is to sustain a huge rooftop greenhouse sitting atop the data center. At more than 4,500-square-feet, the greenhouse has more than enough room for the fruits, vegetables, and other plants grown there. PA10 was planned and built with these and more sustainability efforts, as was the Olympic pool in Paris. Solar panels covering the 54,000-square-foot rooftop produce about 20% of the aquatic venue’s electricity requirements, while thousands of the seats inside are made of recycled plastic.
Servers in data centers emit a massive amount of heat – PA10 produces approximately 10,000 MWh annually, which, once captured, can comfortably heat 1,000 homes in the area. If ever there was an idea whose time has come, it’s this one. So-called waste heat from AI data centers has been used in the past as an alternative source for heating structures, including government buildings and university dormitories in Dublin; and homes and businesses in Norway’s Lyseparken, a town specifically designed to be an “energy-positive city”. These data centers are in high demand, and we hope the technology that utilizes their excess heat as energy continues to grow in popularity. Equinix’s Heat Export Lead, Noah Nkonge, posted on the company’s website that Paris’s PA10 "will transfer the surplus heat, free of charge for 15 years, to the Plaine Saulnier urban development zone", an area encompassing the facility’s neighborhood and the Olympics Aquatic Center.
Vendor of the Month:
State 48 Roofing is a locally owned and operated licensed, bonded & insured roofing repair and installation company operating out of Gilbert, Arizona and serves the surrounding communities. They are the #1 referred roofer in our state, and has proudly served both residential and commercial markets for well over a decade. For a free quote, call them at (480) 698-4828 or send a message through their contact us page.
Buyers of the Month
We have buyers who are ready, willing, and able to purchase and can’t find homes. If you or someone you know is thinking of selling and can accommodate, get in touch with us.
We have your buyer!
- Buyer looking for golf course home in Oakwood.
- Buyer looking for a home with a water view.
- Buyer looking for a home in Oakwood with 2 bedrooms plus a den. Wants remodeled and close to the clubhouse. Would prefer a formal dining area.
Recent Real Estate Sales in Sun Lakes
Wondering about your Neighbor’s Home Sales Price? Find out here to see what sold last month. The report is broken down by HOA, address, and floor plan (if the agent listed the model in MLS).
We Are Proud Supporters of Neighbors Who Care!
Neighbors Who Care strives to improve seniors' lives by promoting independence, dignity, and community.
Support for Neighbors Who Care is sourced mostly from individual donations from the community.
Consider joining our volunteer corps and meet some of the nicest people around who also are among the most appreciative people we know.
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Get Insider Information
We live, work, play, and volunteer in Sun Lakes and we know the ins and outs of this community.
As always, if you or someone you know is considering buying or selling a home,
we are here year-round and would love to help! Visit us online at
TheKolbTeam.com or call 480-809-5759.
