Cheryl Westwood

With the average median price of a Lake Havasu City home falling to $166,750 in October (down almost $40,000 from the same time last year) and interest rates on the decline, many people are taking advantage of the huge buyers' market in Lake Havasu. First time buyers are realizing that, sometimes, it is cheaper to own a home than to rent one. The lower prices have created a lower sales total (from $21 million in home sales in September to $20 million in October), but the total units sold jumped from 70 in October 2007 to 94 in October 2008, continuing to keep local Realtors busy. Approximately 75% of the homes sold so far this year have been foreclosures. It's important for buyers to keep in mind that they shouldn't hesitate to scoop up the bargains while they can. These prices may not be this low next year. And sellers need to remember to keep an eye on the competition. If your home isn't priced competetively to sell within the first 60 days, you may be forced to reduce your asking price. So, before you put your Lake Havasu real estate on the market, make sure to get a realistic picture of what buyers are willing to pay for your property.

With its expanding population and low precipitation levels, Lake Havasu City has experienced a bit of a water shortage. The city has used effluent water (also known as grey water) to help curb water usage for its landscaping needs. The effluent water is recovered from toilet and bathtub water. With almost 3 million gallons of effluent water created a day and 40-79% of that water being used again for irrigation, the use of effluent water for the upkeep of city property is a great way to help ease water usage. Rotary Park, London Bridge Resort, Lake Havasu Memorial Gardens Cemetary, Crazy Horse Campgrounds, London Bridge Golf Course and Island Ball Field all use varying amounts of effluent water for their landscaping needs. The new landscaping along State Route 95 is expected to use effluent water as well. The City of Lake Havasu hopes to encourage new residential developments to install effluent lines to their homes so that residential use of effluent water can take effect as well, further curbing water usage in the city.

Schools, banks and government offices in Lake Havasu will be closed this Monday, November 11th, for Veteran's Day. It's a great opportunity to take some time this weekend to enjoy time with the family. Grace Arts Live (2146 McCulloch Blvd) is performing a musical adaptation of Charles Schultz' "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday and Saturday's performances are at 7:30pm and Sunday's performance is a 2pm matinee. Also on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Desert Hawks RC Club will be sponsoring the 22nd Annual London Bridge Seaplane Classic at Lake Havasu State Park Windsor #4. This is a fun fly of remote controlled airplanes. The 39th Annual Gem and Mineral Show takes place at the Aquatic Community Center on Saturday and Sunday. Fishing enthusiasts can participate in either one of two tournaments this weekend: the US Angler's Choice Fishing Tournament or the Won Bass Team Fishing Tournament at Windsor Beach. And, finally, the 3rd Annual Veteran's Day Car Show will take place on Saturday at the Anderson Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership (3920 N Hwy 95) from 9am-3pm. There is no end to what fun you can have with your family this weekend in Lake Havasu City.

No matter what your political affiliation, it is important for you to get out there next Tuesday, November 4th, and exercise one of your most precious rights as an American citizen...VOTE! Here is a list of your local polling places in Lake Havasu City:

Precinct #7 (Desert Hills) Desert Hills Fire Station - 3983 London Bridge Road

Precinct #33 (Industrial) Lake Havasu Baptist Church - 2101 N Palo Verde Blvd

Precinct #34 (Palo Verde) Hampton Inn (Old Holiday Inn) - 245 London Bridge Rd

Precinct #35 (London Bridge) Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church - 1975 Daytona Dr

Precinct #36 (SARA) Our Saviours Luthern Church - 3163 Maricopa Ave

Precinct #43 (Smoketree) Mohave County Library - 1770 McCulloch Blvd

Precinct #44 (Starline) Hilltop Community Church - 3180 McCulloch Blvd

Precinct #52 (Crossman) Abundant Grace Church - 3516 McCulloch Blvd

Precinct #53 (Lakeview) St Michael's Methodist Church - 2895 Jamaica Blvd South

Precinct #54 (Oro Grande) Community Presbyterian Church - 3450 Chemehuevi Blvd

Precinct #57 (Rainbow) Mount Olive Lutheran Church - 2170 Havasupai Blvd

Precinct #63 (Thunderbolt) Our Saviour Lutheran Church - 3163 Maricopa Ave

Precinct #64 (Avalon) Mt View Property Owners Association - 2635 Anita Ave

Precinct #67 (Daytona) Aquatic Community Center - 100 Park Ave

Precinct #68 (Chesapeake) Stone Bridge Christian Fellowship - 2700 Jamaica Blvd

Precinct #69 (El Dorado) KNLB Radio/Advance Ministries - 510 N Acoma Blvd

Precinct #70 (Roadrunner) Lamb of God Lutheran Church - 2791 Inca Dr

Precinct #71 (Quail Run) Bethany Bible Church - 1200 Park Terrace Ave

Precinct #72 (Fiesta) Church of the Nazarene - 2700 Rainbow Ave

Precinct #73 (Jamaica) Grace Episcopal Church - 111 Bunker Dr

IMPORTANT: Your current address on your ID must match the current address you have on file with the Voter's Registration office. Use blue or black ink (not pencil) to mark your ballot. If you make a mistake on your ballot, request a new one. Lined out items or anything marked outside of the bubble on the ballot will be discounted. You must go to your appointed polling place, present your ID and give the poll workers your name in order to be allowed to vote. If your ID doesn't have your current address on it, you must present some form of identification to show your place of residency. Call 928-753-0767 to find out what your precinct number is. By following these rules, we can all make sure to get our votes counted and our voices heard.

It appears that the Lake Havasu real estate market is beginning to stabilize and may even be experiencing a turnaround. Home sales have been up since January of this year. They have leveled off in the last four months, but have remained consistent. Lake Havasu listings are down 20% since September 2007. This reduction in inventory means that more homes are selling. Median home prices have also stayed consistently around or under $200,000 throughout 2008. The median home price in September 2007 was $218,750. This means that more people are able to afford to buy a home. Even though home prices are lower, total sales are up by 64% from September 2007. Typically, January is a high volume month for Lake Havasu home sales due to the increase of residents moving back to Lake Havasu for the winter. Instead of renting a winter home, many people are looking to buy a winter home in Lake Havasu City. What this boils down to is that now is definitely the time to purchase that home you've had your eye on.