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whether the home sits in a good school district. Normally, if the surrounding schools are highly rated, the sellers will make it a selling point. But some may not know or care. Either way, you can get an idea by referencing websites like niche.com or greatschools.com.

issues, problems with the electrical and plumbing systems, and general property information such as utility providers and HOA fees. Under the same laws, however, there are some facts a seller does not have to disclose. While the seller is not allowed to make an intentional misrepresentation of the facts, they can respond that they are not legally required to answer the question. Luckily, some of those things can be easily found with a little bit of internet sleuthing. The first is whether the property is near the home of a sex offender. You can find this information by using the Arizona Department of Safety sex offender database. Another critical bit of information is whether a natural death, murder or any other kind of felony was committed at the property. There are state and federal websites where you can find a breakdown of crime. The Arizona Dept. of Safety and the FBI websites analyze statistics according to crime type and how it compares with state and national trends. Another good idea is to Google the address of the home you are looking to buy. Many news organizations print the house number and street where crimes happen simply as a point of clarity. Additionally, there are some questions you may have about topics not covered in the SPDS, like

Local homeowners complete Smartscape training at Global Water

M ORE THAN 115 MARICOPA HOME- owners and community members attended a residential Smartscape training in January taught by University of Arizona faculty at the Global Water Conference Center. This was the second residential Smartscape training offered in Maricopa, following the successful completion of the same training in October. Twenty-three of the attendees completed all three workshops totaling six hours of training and received Smartscape homeowner certifications of completion with one lucky winner receiving a gift card to a home and gardening store. All attendees received valuable education in water efficient landscaping at no cost, regardless of whether they were able to attend all three workshops. What is Smartscape? Smartscape is a comprehensive training program that provides research-based instruction to landscape and irrigation professionals and homeowners centered around the fundamentals of design, installation, irrigation and maintenance of desert-adapted landscapes. There are currently two types of Smartscape classes. Professional classes are intended to help build capacity within the landscape industry to design, install and maintain low-water use landscapes. Residential classes are designed to assist residents and homeowners association members with best practices for developing attractive and water-wise landscapes. Why is Smartscape so valuable? Unlike water used indoors, water applied to outdoor landscapes cannot be captured and used again. That is why it is so important to use it efficiently. In Arizona, about 70% of water is used outside. As water scarcity continues to increase in the desert, it is more important than ever to spread this water-saving education across all regions of the state. The residential Smartscape classes also help promote communication and education between homeowners and HOA boards and foster a stronger understanding of the existing challenges and potential solutions in this area. Where can I find Smartscape? Smartscape has provided training for thousands of landscape professionals and residents in the

Dayv Morgan is a Maricopa Realtor and owner of HomeSmart Premier.

I n previous articles, I’ve spoken at length about the importance of inspections. In addition to doing your own due diligence, the owner of the property is a great resource for helping you learn about any past or present problems. According to state law, a seller must disclose material facts about the property, even if not directly asked. To assist with this process, the seller should complete a form called the Seller Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS). Most of the questions focus on structural and environmental What a seller has to tell you – and doesn’t have to BY DAYV MORGAN

480-251-4231 DayvMorgan@gmail.com MaricopaHomeSmart.com

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EDUCATIONAL LINKS GreatSchools.org Niche.com/k12/Rankings CRIME LINKS Sex offender registry: AZDPS.gov/Services/Public-services-center/

Sex-offender-compliance Arizona Crime Statistics: AZCrimeStatistics.AZDPS.gov/Tops FBI Crime statistics: NIBRS.FBI.gov

Complete Hardscape Design & Installation

Homeowners in Maricopa gather outside the Global Water headquarters in Maricopa to celebrate completion of the Smartscape workshop Jan. 25.

Serving Maricopa for over 15 years!

collaboration with the University of Arizona Pinal County extension. Anne LeSenne from the U of A taught the program. She is a trained horticulturist and former landscape architect who is passionate about water-wise landscaping. Kallika Naylor, the water conservation specialist at Global Water, promoted the training program and hosted the class at the Global Water Conference Center in Maricopa. Global Water and U of A Cooperative extension hope to continue providing both types of Smartscape classes in Maricopa going forwards. We need your help to spread the word! Do you want to attend this training or bring Smartscape and water-wise landscaping to your community?

(520) 709-1847 MACHADOSHARDSCAPES@GMAIL.COM WWW.MACHADOSHARDSCAPES.COM TURF-PAVERS OUTDOOR KITCHEN • FIREPITS ALUMAWOOD PERGOLAS DRIVEWAYS • PATIOS WALKWAYS • POOL DECKS AND MORE!

Homeowners in Maricopa gather inside the Global Water Conference Room to learn water efficient landscaping from Anne LeSenne with the U of A Cooperative Extension.

Phoenix and Tucson areas for more than 25 years. In 2022, it was established in Pinal County and is still developing across communities in the county, with classes currently held in Maricopa and Casa Grande. Global Water Resources, the water utility for Maricopa, was excited to offer the residential training for the first time in Maricopa in

AnneLeSenne@Arizona.edu GWResources.com/Conservation- Education