“Love conquers hate” when it comes to tequila according to our guest this week Luann Lennox of Tequila Snobs. You might think that she’s got a dream job (of her own making). Luann hosts tequila tasting events, in your home and online, and it’s not the kind of tequila you remember from college…
Steve shares how to find an auto mechanic you can trust. Spoiler alert, they’re local and thrive on relationships. Matt shares his good neighbor news and Felecia not only talks about how real estate has changed in Arizona. She talks about how Arizona is changing its real estate.
Enjoy!
Episode Recap
Despite the holiday season, you won’t see Steve in green ever again. This past week, the Jets lost 40-3, ruining the color green for Steve.
How do you choose an auto repair shop?
While Steve would like you all to come to Friendly Auto, even if you don’t, he wants to make sure you’re making the right choice in a repair shop.
First, stay away from the big chains. They are so heavily incentivized to sell tires, brakes, and other highly profitable parts by the corporate office that they will never have your back and don’t have a desire to build customer loyalty. These also tend to be the most expensive. Independent garage owners like Steve and the other fantastic local shops are locals. They work in the area, spend money in the area, hire local people, and contribute to the community. Plus, they’ll typically offer better prices.
If you just moved into Mesa, for example, search for reviews. Then go to their website to see what the shop specializes in, such as a particular make of car. If you find a shop you like, go and ask for a tour. You’ll meet the mechanics who are experts in your make of car.
A good mechanic will also provide a written estimate. An estimate is genuinely an estimate – mechanics can’t call every few minutes when they uncover a small charge every $10 or $20. If you’re given an estimate of $200 and it costs $210, that doesn’t mean you were ripped off. An estimate is free, but a diagnosis is not. If you come in unsure of what’s causing noise in your car and a mechanic spends an hour uncovering what’s wrong, they should be paid for that time even if you don’t get it fixed at that shop.
Tequila Snobs with Luann Lenox
Why tequila when the whole world is doing wine and beer tastings? Luann was in the fitness field so she never drank anything. However, when she moved from Michigan to Arizona, she went to a Cinco de Mayo party with friends and was told she had to bring a bottle of tequila. She went to the store and bought the prettiest bottle she could find. In seeing all the different bottles at the party, she started researching and learning more and more, eventually running tastings herself.
All of the tequilas she brings to parties are things you can find yourself at the store so when you find something you like, you can get it yourself.
To avoid terrible hangovers, you need to get 100% agave tequila. If you put a glass of water between tequila shots, you won’t have a hangover in the morning. The problem people usually have is they end the night with tequila shots after a night of drinking beer and cocktails, yet they blame it on the tequila. And, unlike most alcohols which are depressants, Tequila is an anti-depressant.
What’s going on with the housing market
Banks are seeing an increase in forbearance with folks not able to make mortgage payments. But on the other hand, the demand for houses is sky-high. Barring an economic collapse, home prices are going to continue to go up in 2021. The increase rate will slow, but homes are expected to appreciate between 17 and 20 percent next year. So, Felecia recommends if you want to buy a house that you buy now because next year you’ll have equity. Since last year, supply is down 47 percent with the $300,000 to $400,000 market most impacted.
2020 also saw an increase in permits for multi-family housing in Arizona, mostly for rental units. However, there’s a problem in Tempe right now with a no-car complex with many studio apartments that are going for $1500 a month. But, a family cannot live in a studio apartment. A gig economy employee cannot afford $1500 a month. So where are these people going to live? The Valley is changing.
Phoenix is a good place to be in the long run, but it’s not the cheapest place on the block anymore like some people still expect.
Good Neighbor Moment
Every year we give what we can give, but this year it feels more special, and more people are stepping up. Today’s good neighbor segment is about all of us — give what you can this year. If you need an opportunity, the Gang will find a way to help.
