Real Estate

Real Estate Interested in a Long-Term Investment? Consider Real Estate.

By Shelley Sakala

Iam not a financial advisor – but I do know how to spot trends, and I’d like to think I’m wise enough to follow them. The people at Gallup have been studying long-term investment trends over the past decade, and the results have been interesting: 41% of Americans view real estate as the best long-term investment.

Here’s a breakdown of the responses received by a recent Gallup poll:

THE BEST LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS Real Estate:

Stocks/Mutual Funds:

41%

26%

18%

Bank Savings Real Estate

Investment: Savings Account $500,000 house

Your

investment $100,000 $100,000 (down payment)

amount:

ROI: 5% (x $100,000) 5% (x $500,000) Your profit: $5,000 $25,000

In a savings account, your profit is based on the money you invest. But in a house, your profit is based on the total value of your home.

Savings Accounts/CDs: Bonds:

9%

3%

As for the reasons Americans are choosing real estate, some are obvious. The huge jump in home prices demonstrates how quickly a real estate investment can grow (Phoenix home prices grew more than 30% last year). Of all the investment options listed above, real estate is the only investment you can live in. Profitable as they may be, you can’t live inside bars of gold, barrels of oil, or pork belly futures. Plus, with real estate you can make money from your investment before it’s paid in full. That’s the benefit of having a mortgage—although you’ve only partially paid for your home, you can make profits from the entire home’s value. Suppose you had $100,000 to invest, and you were deciding between a savings account or real estate. To keep things apples-toapples, we’ll say that each investment gave you the same 5% ROI (Return on Investment). Here’s how that would look in each situation:

To repeat the first line of the article: I am not a financial advisor. The best advice I can give you is to consult with one when planning your investment strategy. No investment is risk-free, and real estate will certainly have its ups and downs over the course of time. But I have no problem sharing information about the power of real estate as a long-term investment. It’s something worth considering as you plan your financial future.

Shelley Sakala is a local realtor and owner of The Sakala Group Real Estate. Learn more at shelleysakala.com.

Cover Story

By Michelle Talsma Everson Growing up, North Phoenix resident Tamra Wyman worked for her parents’ small business— and she loved it. When she began her first official job outside of her family’s business, it was working a plumbing supply store. “Little did I know I’d WYMAN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL marry a plumber and own a plumbing company,” she says with a laugh. In 2016, she and her husband Doug Wyman opened Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical (WPM) and since then their locally-owned, small family business has continued to grow—providing quality service and plumbing and repair expertise to homes and businesses across North Phoenix and beyond. “I worked for my parents’ online retail business and missed running a business,” Tamra shares. “Then, with Doug being a plumber for over 20 years, we realized that we had the opportunity to start our own business. At Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical, I manage the office and business logistics, and because of his expertise, Doug is the service manager. When we opened our business, we had to think big and give it 100%. We hit the ground running hard and with confidence, because for us, there’s no other way to do it.”

PHOTO BY TAWN SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

NORTH PHOENIX’S GO-TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PLUMBING AND APPLIANCE REPAIR EXPERTS

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD PLUMBING AND APPLIANCE REPAIR EXPERTS Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical’s plumbers and appliance repair team proudly serve residential and commercial neighbors across the North Valley and beyond. They are a state-licensed, bonded, and insured plumbing service and appliance repair company.

“From our office team to the service technicians, we all live in the same community and have the ambition to serve our fellow neighbors with excellence,” according to WPM. “As a local tight-knit team, our plumbers and appliance repairmen provide honest, reliable services that stand head-and-shoulders above the rest.”

Tamra shares that some of the things that sets Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical apart is their high-quality customer service and being able to quote potential customers over the phone.

“When we moved here from Colorado, I noticed that many plumbing and appliance repair shops wouldn’t do quotes over the phone and charged customers to come out,” she says. “But for customers’ convenience, we can quote the majority of jobs over the phone.”

She also notes that customer service is a top priority, and she encourages her staff to, “Leave a job site cleaner then they found it.”

Tamra and Doug both share that Wyman Plumbing technicians are detailed, courteous and knowledgeable. “We are equipped with all the tools needed to get your

task done efficiently, quickly and neatly,” according to WPM. “Our experienced team will show up in service vehicles that are fully equipped with the latest technology in plumbing or appliance repair…We are confident you will not find better qualified, down-toearth plumbers in all of Arizona.”

“All of our service technicians wear booties and, of course, clean up after themselves,” Tamra says. “It’s all about leaving local customers with that ‘wow’ factor.” She adds that the company replies quickly to customers’ needs, including plumbing emergencies.

Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical’s available services include: the installation and repair of water heaters, water softeners, reverse osmosis, garbage disposals, gas lines, and faucet, toilet, and pressure reducing valves (PRV). Other services include fixing drain issues, drain cleans, toilet problems, water main repairs, broken pipes, septic/sewer lines, leak detection, re-pipes, plumbing camera inspection, rooter services, and more commercial or residential plumbing offerings.

New to their line-up is their appliance repair services. Tamra explains that offering these services came as a natural extension of their already established plumbing and repair services. “We’d get calls asking us to install washers, dryers, dishwashers, you name it,” she says. “So, knowing there’s the demand, we now have appliance installation experts on staff who take these calls. It’s often best to have us do them anyways, because they hook up to your plumbing system, and we have expertise in both appliance repair and plumbing.”

COMMUNITY MATTERS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL In addition to offering quality service at fair prices to their neighbors, Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical is also invested in the community.

“We very much love giving back to our customers and those who have supported us,” Tamra shares. “Some of our customers’ causes that we have donated to include North Valley Christian Academy, a variety of teams and clubs at Boulder Creek High School, and Youth for Troops. One of our plumbing technicians is very passionate about IMCA Hobby Stock Racing and we recently sponsored his team, Cheetah Racing.”

Added to running a business together, Doug and Tamra are busy parents with four children, ranging in ages from 19 to 5. Their eldest, Eric, works for the family business as a plumbing technician. As the owner of a local, family-run business, Doug emphasizes that supporting local businesses strengthens the community and economy. “We urge residents to stay local with the small business owners and the licensed contractors who spent the time acquiring experience and expanding knowledge in their trade,” he says. “The state of Arizona requires licensed contractors to meet experience and examination requirements. Each licensed contractor is also required by the state of Arizona to maintain a bond and insurance coverage to protect homeowners from unnecessary liability.”

Looking to the future, Tamra and Doug share that they plan to work hard on continued success and growth.

“We will continue to grow new divisions based on customer demand, like we did with the appliance repair services,” Tamra says. “Now that we repair appliances too in addition to plumbing and mechanical, we are truly your one-stop shop. We’d like to thank the community for their support, and we will continue to grow and give back as we do. There’s nothing more important than supporting our local community and being able to make it a better place.”

Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical’s office is located at 2103 W. Parkside Lane, Ste. #101, in Phoenix, but the company services clients across the North Valley and beyond. To learn more, visit wyman-services.com or call 623-551-6688.

This content is sponsored by Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical.

MARCH APPLIANCE REPAIR DEALS

This month, in celebration of launching their appliance repair department, WPM is offering an Annual Reverse Osmosis Filter Change Package for $150. This includes changing of standard R.O. system filters, re-pressurizing of R.O. tank, R.O. membrane test, overall R.O. system check, standard tank water heater flush, a water pressure check on the house, toilet leak detection tests, and water softener check with water hardness test.

And, for those looking to install a new water heater, WPM is offering a Navien Tankless Water Heater with Installation for $4,295 (normally $4,795). This includes all parts, materials and labor for standard installation and removal/ disposal of old unit. Features include: a built-in recirculation pump for hot water on demand, endless hot water with ComfortFlow technology, eco-friendly pre-mixed burners reducing emissions, incredible efficiency with secondary heat exchanger, and tremendous durability with stainless steel construction.