Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 425

IN YOUR COMMUNITY 2 SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2002 Tiie Arizona Republic 14 Potential home buyers should research HOA HOA In addition, some association documents (that is, bylaws, etc.) allow an association to charge a transfer fee every time a property transfers from one homeowner to another. I suggest that you review your association's documents and obtain clarification from your title company as to the nature and amount of this fee. company obtain a copy of the association's documents prior to making an offer. These suggestions may help potential buyers make an educated decision whether or not living in an association is the right choice for them. I am selling my home, and I live in an association.

My homeowners association is trying to charge a fee to me at the close of escrow. Can my association charge a fee to transfer this property? Gina Ladick Phoenix I need more information to answer this question. However, under Arizona law, if your association has 50 unitslots or more, your association can charge a reasonable fee to compensate the association for the costs incurred in preparing a disclosure statement pursuant to A.R.S. Sections 33-1806 or bilities of association members. This information would be extremely beneficial to a potential purchaser.

The institute also provides classes for homeowners, board members, real-estate agents, potential homeowners and developers. Topics include documents that govern associations, financial responsibilities of associations, how to conduct board meetings, transitioning from developer to homeowner control, enforcing and building a sense of community. Attending these classes would also be an excellent place to learn more about associations. Finally, I suggest that the potential buyer review the disclosure statement that is provided shortly after escrow opens but before the sale of the lotunit takes place. The disclosure statement is required to enclose copies of the association's bylaws, rules and regulations, current operating budget, recent financial report and the most recent reserve study, if there is one.

In addition, the disclosure statement will outline what the regular assessment rate is, if there are any pending special assessments, the type of insurance the association carries, the amount of money the association holds as reserves and any pending litigation involving the lot or unit. The potential buyer should examine all of these documents and this information carefully prior to proceeding with the purchase. If the potential buyer would like to find out information on an association prior to making an offer on a lotunit, I suggest that he request that his agent or a title QUESTION: I am a board member in a homeowners association. We have a homeowner who is selling his lot because he is very dissatisfied with our association and the decisions of the board of directors. While some members in the association are relieved that this homeowner is moving, I feel that this entire situation is unfortunate.

To prevent this from happening in the future, what type of research should a buyer conduct before buying a lot or unit in an association? Earl Hansen Sun City West ANSWER: An excellent question. On many occasions, owners of lotsunits in community associations have told me that they did not understand community associations and the benefits and responsibilities of living in a community as- MALL Indeed, in Chandler Fashion Center 87 I 1 i CKANDiER 1 1 5 1 -J i r. a --a. Old-fashioned medicine CIGNA HealthCare members Russell and Judy Baubie understand how comforting a rocking chair can be to a sick child. The Ahwatukee Foothills couple recently won a raffle benefiting the March of Dimes in which the prize was a rocking chair donated in their name to the new Phoenix -Children's Hospital Newborn Follow-up Clinic.

Judy Baubie said that 32 years ago when their infant son was hospitalized she found rocking him comforting to herself, as well. BETH MULCAHY Special for The Republic sociation when they purchased their lotsunits. I have several suggestions for potential purchasers who are considering buying in an association. First, I suggest that potential purchasers obtain a copy of a brochure titled Homeowners Associations What Are They? from the Neighborhood Learning Institute. You can reach the institute at (602) 957-5289 or visit its Web site, www.nlicentral.com.

The brochure defines associations, explains their governing documents and outlines the rights and responsi i i J.J CIGNA Healthcare How to help The Centers for Habilitation is at 215 W. Lodge Road in Tempe. If you would like to volunteer at TCH, contact development coordinator Melia Dunn at (480) 838-8111 or that has left her a total invalid. Alicia has virtually no control of her body, and Gallagher and others must use a mechanical lift to move her from a bed to a chair for lunch. Gallagher asked me if I wanted to put polish on Alicia's nail's my first-ever attempt at a manicure.

Gallagher also had me work with Kevin on something she called "tactile response," in which I sat on a mat with Kevin, rubbed his back and shoulders and presented him with various toys, each a different shape and texture. Kevin also suffers from cerebral palsy and severe mental retardation, a disease so advanced he could not speak or move much at all. Kevin responded with a smile and a loud groan when I shook a ball filled with sand or some substance that made a sound similar to rain. I spent the last part of my visit at TCH feeding Kevin his lunch. After just a few hours volunteering at TCH, I fully understood what Reed meant when she told me the personal rewards of this type of work took time.

This type of volunteering is not for everyone, but if you have the patience and the motivation the rewards may indeed be miraculous. Len Gutman is a freelance writer and president of Open Door Communications, a strategic communications and public relations firm. He can be reached at HELP Volunteers get 'miraculous' rewards From Page 1 general. After Chandler Fashion Center opened Oct. 19, traffic fell 18 percent at Mesa's Fiesta Mall and is still down 10 percent, compared with the same period last year, said Sheila Hunter, Fiesta's marketing manager.

"It's partially due to the (Chandler) mall," Hunter said. "Any time someone builds a million plus shopping center base, people are going to at least go see it." Mesa sales tax revenues from Fiesta Mall fell percent in the October through February period, compared with the previous year. But sales tax revenues also fell 18 percent at Superstition Springs Center in east Mesa during the same period. Don Ayres, Mesa's tax and licensing director, suspects the drops are not because of the new mall but a general spending slow down. Restaurant sales also are down, he said.

Scottsdale also had a 14. percent drop in sales taxes from Scottsdale Fashion Square in the same period. Diana Bowman, a Gilbert mother of three, said that while Superstition Springs is closer, teens she knows prefer to go to Chandler Fashion Center because of stores like Nordstrom. "I like the mall because it has a lot more upscale shops in it, which is kind of nice," Bowman said. "I know some mothers who have to drive their kids to Chandler for Ab-ercrombie Fitch." Kadion Duff, who lives in Mesa's Dobson Ranch area, said that although the Chandler mall is easy to get to, her family still planned to go to Fiesta, which Kadion said she considers "homey" and Scottsdale, which she calls "stylish." Her husband, Arnold, added, "You have to build up a familiar feeling for a mall." Amy Ramdani, 38, a Chandler homemaker, used to go to Scottsdale and now is spending more of her shopping time at the Chandler mall.

But she still plans to go to Scottsdale Fashion Square. "I miss Crate Barrel. I wish it was over here," said Ramdani, referring to the home furnishings store at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Ramdani also pointed out that Scottsdale has covered parking, unlike Chandler Fashion Center. "I'd like to see covered parking here (Chandler).

It's going to be very hot." Brown, the Chandler mall's general manager, said it's still undetermined whether the center will get covered parking. Mall experts say Chandler Fashion Center is doing especially well because it's sur- Have a question about something done by your HOA? Send questions to se.newsarizonarepublic.com, You must include your name and city. It is not possible to answer all inquiries. Beth Mulcahy is the founding lawyer and partner of the Mulcahy Law Firm in Phoenix. She is licensed to practice in Arizona and Wisconsin and represents numerous HOAs.

This column is not intended to offer specific legal advice. Please consult with a lawyer to answer a specific legal question. PUBLIC PULSE Robert Rosales, 38, of Chandler "I like the diversity of everything. There's something for everybody to do. There's different types of restaurants and stuff for kids and stuff for teenagers." Alicia Groth, 29, Tempe nurse "It has a lot of great shops.

I like the look of it. It seems to look really elegant because of how bright it is." Una Britt, 21, Mesa secretary "I like it. It's a brand new mall, and everything looks nice. We would come back." Manny Archie, 41, chemical plant worker from Houston "The living rooms are very unique. It's a great place for men to sit in an anti-static position, and let the women do what they want." Juan Terrazas, 34, Phoenix data base analyst "You got to remember where you park.

You could spend your whole lunch hour looking for your car." BUSINESSLIFESTYLES Betty Beard: (602) 444-7982 Peter Ortiz: (602) 444-7726 ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR FOR COMMUNITY Paul Schatt: (602) 444-7718 PHOTO COORDINATOR Elizabeth Tompkins: (602) 444-7992 ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Tom Blodgett: (602) 444-7727 ARIZONA REPUBLIC CORRECTIONS POLICY The Arizona Republic will correct errors fully and promptly To report an error in the news columnSi call Paul Maryniak, Southeast Valley bureau chief. To report an error on the Opinion page, call Assistant Editorial Page Editor Paul Schatt. Mr The mall and nearby power centers are mall and fTT ti xv I Hi More on the way Westcor Partners, which developed Chandler Fashion Center, also operates two power centers north of Chandler Boulevard. Both have more stores and restaurants on the' way: Chandler Festival Einstein Bagels In-N-Out Burger NYPD Pizza Redfish (this summer) Souper Salad T.G.I. Fridays (April 29) Chandler Gateway Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy Baja Fresh.

Circuit City Glass Table Hall of Frames Olive Garden (April 22) Paddy O'Furniture Red Robin Sleep America Stonecreek Furnishings rounded by affluent, well-educated residents. "It's kind of in the silicon desert part of the metro area because of Intel, Motorola and Microchip," Brown said. Within a 10-mile radius, the average household income is $60,000, just under Scottsdale Fashion Square, which has $62,000, he said. "There are more younger people and families around the Chandler mall. Families are definitely in their accumulating years," said Judi Butter-worth, a first vice president with CB Richard Ellis real estate and retail analyst.

One of the busiest areas at Chandler Fashion Center is a play area for children with big plastic fruits and vegetables. Chien-Huei Wu, 33, a Chandler homemaker, said that even though she isn't a mall shopper, she often goes to the play area with her 3-year-old son. She said he calls it the "place with the apple." In addition to the complaint I UT v. -id 1 .1 1 iif Miles 3 fashion now almost completly leased- 1 fVSLOr 1 (( ff Ty PINAL CGUrllY .1. Jeanne HernandezThe Ai irons Republic about the lack of covered parking, some shoppers had a few more complaints.

Alicia Groth, 29, a Tempe nurse, said that while she liked the variety of stores and elegant and bright atmosphere, she found the unusual layout confusing. "I get lost. It's very spread out," Groth said. Unlike most malls, which are laid out in a circular or straight pattern, Chandler Fashion Center has "streets" for children, teens, home products and other themes. Also, its main entrance is near the food court, facing south instead of where most people probably enter from the north off Chandler Boulevard or Loop 101 (Price Freeway).

Juan Terrazas, 34, a data base analyst who works for Cox Communications in Chandler, said there aren't enough men's clothing stores. Bowman said some people have found the mall hard to find because of all the restaurants and stores between it and Chandler Boulevard. "They drive right by and then they come back," she said. But the mall has apparently become known throughout the state because it has the state's second Nordstrom store as well as some firsts for the state, such as Eddie Bauer Home, Apple Computer and Pottery Barn Kids. Pat Montani, assistant manager at the concierge's desk, said she gets four to 10 calls a week from people in Tucson, Nogales, Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott and Cave Creek asking how to get to the mall.

"Even after six months, I'm still getting a steady amount of people who have never been here," said Jeff Freeman, manager of the Eddie Bauer Home store. "We're getting them from Tucson, because we're the first major mall on Interstate 10." Reach the reporter at betty.beardarizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-7982. ASSISTANT CITY EDITORS Jim Fickess (business, education): (602) 444-7738 Julie Morris (city government): (602) 444-7934 Rose Tring (public safety, Scene): (602) 444-7996 REPORTERS Claudia I. Provencio: (602) 444-7975 (local government) Chris Fiscus: (602) 444-7942 (development) Cadonna Peyton: (602) 444-7723 (schools, neighborhoods) PUBLIC SAFETY Patricia Biggs: (602) 444-7961 Jim Walsh: (602) 444-7984 Senta Scarborough: (602) 444-7937 From Pae 1 his hand and I was leading it along the page, trying my best to stay within the lines. Although my hand is do- ing all the work, Ernie let loose a huge toothy grin that made me realize he couldn't care less about how his picture turned out.

Later, I rubbed lotion into Ernie's hands and arms, this time bringing forth not only a grin but a loud moan of appreciation as well. Wpnrlv RppH is mnnjiopr nf II IV. HU 1J I UUJ LI Vlll I IUI II pi gram at TCH, where she oversees classes that include music, skill building, communication development, socialization and even cooking. TCH also has programs for children and seniors. Reed said it's no secret that volunteering at TCH can be difficult.

You're likely to witness an adult seizure, and that can be an overwhelming thing to see, she said. But, she added, "It sometimes can take a while to see tne truits ot your labor, hut trip rpwarns src niiun- right miracles." TCH has been working with the disabled in the Valley since 1967. The center offers a variety of work for volunteers. Perhaps the most unique amenity at the center is Grandpa Charlie's Garden, a l2-acre working garden built in 1997 that provides passive and active garden therapy. Grandpa Charlie's Garden, named for a longtime friend of TCH, Charles Sweet, includes a greenhouse, raised growing beds, a rose arbor, a children's garden, a sensory herb garden, wide pathways to accommodate disabled visitors and a meandering pond.

Back in the classroom, I spent time working with other disabled adults, including Alicia and Kevin. Alicia has a rare disease BTUKEE FOOTHILLS Classified advertising: (602) 444-7355 Subscribe: (602) 444-1000 All e-mail addresses are firstname. lastnamearizonarepublic.com rk' rnrrnn Community Edition 106 E. Baseline Road Mesa AZ 85210 Online: www.azcentral.com Fax: (602) 444-7978 or (602) 444-7977 E-mail: mes3ariz0narepublic.com Display advertising: (602) 444-7917 vi 1 1 un vn Venita James: (602) 444-7716 EAST VALLEY BUREAU CHIEF Paul Maryniak: (602) 444-7716.