Scottsdale Lifestyle and Homes

Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Cafe Bink

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:15:33 -0700

I have been a fan of Binkley's in Cave Creek for many years and recently had the opportunity to visit its "little sister" restaurant in Carefree called Cafe Bink.

Cafe Bink is great in that you get to experience all of Chef Kevin Binkley and team's great food and flavors, but in a more casual and less expensive setting.

We were for lunch and had a great meal. Our server recommended the fries and said they were a favorite item among Cafe Bink diners. He was correct - the fries were outstanding. They were super crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. (My guess is that they were fried a few times to get that level of crispiness?) The fries come with three dipping sauces - truffle ketchup, a green herb sauce and an aioli. They were all tasty but the green herb sauce was my personal favorite.

We then each had a cup of the Wild Mushroom Soup which was made with clamshell mushrooms and leeks. It was delicious and satisfying. Finally, we split a Chopped Salad, that had a ton of ingredients mixed in including chives, feta, radicchio, egg, avocado, chicken, bacon and more. It was quite tasty and a perfect way to finish off our meal.

Other lunch offerings at Cafe Bink include many sandwich and burger options, different salad choices, as well as entrees like trout, pasta and steak frites.

Cafe Bink is open for lunch and dinner as well as Sunday Brunch. They also have happy hour specials every day from 3-5PM.

If you find yourself looking for a great lunch or dinner in North Scottsdale or Carefree, head over to Cafe Bink.

More Information: Cafe Bink
36889 N. Tom Darlington
Carefree, AZ 85337
(480) 488-9796
Website
- Located in the Carefree Marketplace
- Open Daily from 11-9 October through May.
- Closed Mondays during June -September

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

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Heather Tawes Nelson is an Associate Broker with Realty ONE Group in Scottsdale, AZ. For more information on Scottsdale AZ real estate and the surrounding areas, please visit www.ScottsdaleAgent.net.

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – April 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:17:56 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market Performance for April 2013 -

The Scottsdale luxury home market performed well in April. For the purposes of this analysis, I am considering a luxury home as one with an asking price of $1 million or above. Since there is a bit of variation in this segment, I have further separated the information into four luxury home price bands.

Each of these price bands will contain the following information:
Active - The number of homes for sale at the end of the month.
Pending - The number of pending home sales at the end of the month.
Sold - The number of homes that sold during the month.

- April 2013 -
Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 - $1,499,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory dropped in April, in part due to the large number of sales that took place. However, this figure is still ahead of the 12 month average of 182.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales slipped a little bit, but they were still the third highest we have seen in the past year.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Thirty-six homes sold in this price range in April. This is the highest I have seen this figure since I started tracking it in September of 2007. The next closest to this was 31 sales and that was in June of 2008 and April 2012.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 94.2% - This is the highest this ratio has been since October of 2012.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 - $1,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory in this category was also down at the end of the month. I would attribute it to the very large number of pending sales in the pipeline.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Twenty-six homes were pending at the end of April. This is up 62.5% over March and is double the 12 month average for this price point. Some of these were carryovers from March and others were new contracts.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Only seven homes sold in April despite decent pending inventory coming into the month. I expect to see this number jump back up in May.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 92.3% - This figure has been in the low 90% range for many months now.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $2,000,000 - $2,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was more or less flat between March and April. It is slightly ahead of the 12 month average of 109.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were healthy again at 10. This is almost double the twelve month average of 6.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales were up slightly to 7 in April.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 91.2% - This is pretty standard for this price point.

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was down 2.5% over March to 116 homes.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were also down slightly to two, which is on par with the 12 month average.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Three homes sold in April which is right on par with the average.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 85.6% - This figure is pretty common for this price point.

In summary, the Scottsdale luxury home market had a great month in April, particularly in the $1-$1.5 million range. Inventory is down or somewhat flat and there are some very encouraging pending numbers. Looking forward, May should be another strong month for this segment.

To see more detailed data behind this report, please visit my Scottsdale Luxury Home Market Reports page and click on the "Scottsdale Market Trends" downloadable report.

Search Scottsdale Luxury Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 5/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family luxury resale homes in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Single-Family Home Sales – April 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:14:14 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale and Home Sales in April 2013 -
Home sales activity in Scottsdale Arizona for April was excellent. At the end of the month, pending sales were up as well as home sales. Inventory was down again though, which could hamper upcoming sales activity.

SCOTTSDALE HOME SALES ACTIVITY FOR APRIL 2013
The chart below shows the past year of activity broken into inventory for sale, pending sales and actual home sales.

- Homes for sale are shown in red.*
- Pending sales are shown in green.*
- Completed Home Sales are are depicted in purple.

APRIL 2013 RESULTS

Active Scottsdale Homes for Sale: Inventory was down 5.6% at the end of the month to 1,528. This drop could hamper home sales going forward as sales have been brisk over the last couple of months.
Pending Homes Sales in Scottsdale: Pending sales were up again to 523. This is the highest we have seen them since this time lat year.
Scottsdale Homes Sold: Home sales saw another excellent month, coming in at 531. Again this is the highest we have seen sales since this time last year.

Below are two additional charts. The first one illustrates how the figures have changed on a month over month basis. For instance, pending sales were up 8.5% over March.

The second chart shows the final sales price compared to what the home had been listed for. It is a quick way to get a feel for how much the average discount off of asking price was. Since August of 2012, this ratio has been in the 95%'s, meaning the average discount buyers have been getting is between 4-5%. However, this can vary a bit as many of the lower priced homes are selling over asking price and some luxury homes are going for a larger discount.

In summary, April 2013 was a strong month for Scottsdale home sales activity. Pending sales and home sales were up again and posted strong numbers. On the other hand, inventory was down a bit, which means buyers may have a harder time locating the ideal home, therefore constraining sales going forward.

Search Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

* Homes for sale and pending home sales figures reflect the number of homes in that status at the end of the month. Data and information were pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 5/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and home sales in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represent5s the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Crudo

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:08:32 -0700

- Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Crudo -

I had been reading a lot of accolades about Crudo and finally had an opportunity to dine there. (Crudo is actually located in Phoenix's 85018 zip code, but it is a quick trip from Scottsdale.)

Crudo's menu is quite straightforward, but the flavors in the dishes themselves are complex and delicious. And while all items can be purchased a la carte, most diners opt to do one of the tasting menus that come with three, four or five course options.

The menu is divided into four sections:

Crudo - "Raw" preparations of various fish
Cotto - "Cooked" items, including pastas
Mozza - "Mozzarella" and other cheese selections
Griglia - "Grilled" which is where you will find the meats and seafood

There are also several side dishes that you can select from. One of the ones that kept coming up as a favorite among diners was the crispy pigs ears, but unfortunately, I am not brave enough to try them...

My dining companion and I both opted for the tasting menu and we are glad we did. We both thought the albacore crudo was outstanding. It comes with slices of albacore that are layered with truffle, black garlic and thinly sliced apples. I also tried the ahi tuna crudo that came with smoked olives, lemon and egg. It was another good choice.

From the mozza category, I tried the burrata which they paired with arugula and a light vinaigrette. It was excellent.

Moving onto cotto, we had two dishes. I opted for the mushroom dish which was mushrooms and truffle with mozzarella cheese and an egg on top. It was decadent and delicious, but not too heavy. My dining companion had the gnocchi with cauliflower and spicy tomatoes and really enjoyed it.

Overall, it was an excellent meal and the portions were just right. We were full, but not overly so.

On the drink side, they have a selection of creative cocktails as well as wine and beer offerings. And, there are Happy Hour specials from 5-7 PM daily.

Since Crudo focuses on only using fresh, seasonal ingredients, the menu will evolve over the course of the year. However, based on what we experienced, any other preparations are going to be just as good.

More Information:
Crudo
3603 East Indian School Suite B
Phoenix, AZ 85018
- Restaurant is located on the rear side of the Gaslight Shopping complex
(602) 358-8666

Dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Happy Hour from 5-7PM.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 Home Sales Q1 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:01:23 -0700

-2013 Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 Home Sales By Type-

Below are the sales numbers for the first quarter of 2013 in Scottsdale Arizona zip code 85255. The sales have been broken into sales type categories so that you can see the impact of distressed home sales on the numbers.

The 85255 zip code can be found in North Scottsdale and it is home to many top golf and luxury communities. It is at a higher elevation than central and south Scottsdale and many homes and lots enjoy beautiful mountain and city light views. Some of the top communities in 85255 include Troon Country Club, Desert Highlands, Grayhawk, DC Ranch, Silverleaf and Mc Dowell Mountain Ranch.

Definitions for the Real Estate Sales Types:

Non-Distressed Sales: These are "regular" or "typical" home sales. A homeowner sells to the homebuyer and no third party approval is required for the sale to complete.
Short Sales: This is one of the two "distressed" sale categories. In this case, the home will not sell for the amount the owner has out on it. In order to complete the sale, the third party or parties who hold liens against the property will need to approve the contract terms before the sale can go through.
Foreclosures: This is the other "distressed" category. As the names imply, these homes have been foreclosed upon and the homeowner no longer has possession. Other name for these homes are "lender owned" or "REO."

Overall Findings for the Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 Home Sales Market for Q1 2013 - Data as of April 1, 2013

Active Scottsdale 85255 Homes For Sale: Almost all of the homes for sale (98%) at the end of Q1 2013 were regular sales. There were only two foreclosure homes on the market.
85255 Pending Homes for Sale: When we look at pending sales, we see an increase in the representation of distressed properties, even though they are such a small part of the inventory now. This highlights the demand for distressed homes as buyers seek out "deals" on homes.
Q1 2013 Scottsdale 85255 Home Sales: 90% of all Q1 sales were on regular homes. Short sales and foreclosures made up the remaining 10%.
85255 Home Prices: Looking at average price per square foot on sales, the numbers come in as we would expect with regular sales having the highest number, followed by short sales and foreclosures. The larger average square footage of the foreclosures accounts for the higher average sold price over short sales.
Cumulative Days on Market: Again, the numbers are coming in where we would expect. Regular sales with the shortest days on market, followed by foreclosures then short sales.
Discounts Off of List Price: Buyers of non-distressed homes saw an average of 4.5% off of asking prices. What is interesting is that short sales on average came in above asking price. This is the first time I have seen this. Foreclosure buyers got a larger average discount than what we have been noting. Usually it comes in around a 2-3% discount.

Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 –2012 Sales Data

This last chart is a snapshot of sales activity by quarter and by sales type for the year of 2012.

You can see that over the year, the percentage of non-distressed home sales increased. It went from 67% in Q1 2012 to 78% in Q4. A lot of this gain came from the declining number of foreclosure homes that sold due to limited inventory.

If you would like to review this same information for all of Scottsdale in 2012, please visit the report below:

View Scottsdale Homes Sales by Type 2012

Search homes for sale in Scottsdale AZ Zip Code 85255

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Due to rounding issues, not all columns will add up to 100%. Data and information were pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and sales in Scottsdale AZ zip code 85255 for Q1 2013. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Searsucker

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Fri, 03 May 2013 07:56:09 -0700

- Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: Searsucker -

Last week, I had the opportunity to finally try Searsucker in downtown Scottsdale and I am glad we did.

If you follow TV shows like Top Chef, you may be familiar with Brian Malarkey from San Diego. Since the show, he has opened several restaurants in California and this is his first venture in Scottsdale.

Upon walking in, we were warmly greeted. The space itself is beautiful and well-designed. It is open, industrial and contemporary. Sliding curtains throughout allows the staff to create more intimate or more open spaces depending on what is going on. The large bar and lounge area is to the left and has a darker, sleek palette.

We were there for lunch, which has a different menu than dinner, but there are a few carryover items on both menus. The menu descriptions are creative if a little cryptic and our friendly server was happy to answer any and all questions.

We started with the recommended farm bird lollipops, which are a fun play on traditional hot wings. Chicken meatballs on skewers are basted with a sweet and not too spicy "snake bite" hot sauce. You can then dip the meatballs into a blue cheese fondue for a cooling effect.

For our main courses, we had two "crusts" (a.k.a. sandwiches) and one "main" (which includes salads and entrees.) The "Dip," a french dip sandwich looked delicious and filling. It was traditionally done and my dining companion really enjoyed it. I tried the "Drunken Chicken," which is a creative play on a chicken salad sandwich. It too, was quite good and another generous portion. Both our our sandwiches came with a simple and tasty green salad with vinaigrette. Our third companion tried the Cobb Salad. It was probably the most nicely composed Cobb salad I have seen. It was fresh and piled high with ingredients. Large pieces of bacon on top completed the presentation.

I had heard that the fries they serve with lunch were great so we ordered those as well as a side. They were quite good and got polished off quickly.

Another table had ordered the mussels + frites , which come with the fries I just mentioned, and it looked outstanding. I am planning to try that the next time I am in. I also want to come and try dinner as there are a lot of interesting looking dishes on the menu.

Searsucker is located adjacent to Scottsdale Fashion Square on Camelback and there is mall access from the building. Valet parking, which is complimentary at lunch, is very convenient. Or, you could always park at the mall and walk over.

More Information:
Searsucker Scottsdale
6900 East Camelback Road, Suite 110
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480.664.3777
Lunch, Happy Hour & Dinner Daily

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Scottsdale AZ Q1 2013 Home Sales - Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:03:18 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Q1 2013 Home Sales By Type - Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales -

Below are the first quarter 2013 sales figures for the single-family home market in Scottsdale Arizona.

The information is divided into three home sale categories and how these categories are defined is below:

- Non-Distressed Sales - These are "normal" or "traditional" home sales. In this case, the seller and buyer agree to the terms and the sale proceeds.
- Short Sales - A short sale is when a hoae is considered a "distress" sale.
- Foreclosures - Foreclosure is the other"distressed" category. As the name implies, these homes have been through the foreclosure process and the homeowner no longer owns the home. You may also hear these called "Lender-Owned","REO", and/or "Bank-Owned" homes.

Overall Findings for the Q1 2013 Scottsdale Single-Family Home Market - Data As of April 1, 2013

Scottsdale Homes for Sale: Almost all of the for sale inventory is "regular" sales at 96%. The distressed category only comprises the small 4% remaining and it is evenly split between short sales and foreclosures.
Scottsdale Pending Home Sales: When you look at pending sales, distressed inventory has a larger impact. Short sales make up 18% of the pending sales and foreclosures come in at 3%. Regular sales are still the majority though.
Q1 2013 Scottsdale Home Sales: In the first quarter of 2013, distressed sales were 15% of the market. Again, regular sales were the most dominant sales type.
Home Prices: As we would expect to see, non-distressed homes had the highest average sales price. Normally, you would see short sales come in as the next highest, but in Q1, foreclosures had the second highest average sales price. This same pattern holds when you look at average sales price per foot as well. Traditionally, foreclosures were the "most discounted" when compared to market price, but we have been seeing a shift lately in some areas where short sales are coming in with the lowest average prices.
Days on Market: Days on market for each of the sales types is what we generally see. Regular sales sell the quickest, followed by foreclosures and then short sales.
Discounts Off of List Price: Over the last several quarters, we have seen the average discount off of the asking price shrink as the market has improved. As of Q1 2013, buyers of non-distressed homes only saw an average of 4.6% off of asking price and short sale buyers only saw 0.6% on average.

Scottsdale AZ Home Sales 2012
To see how this first quarter stacks up to 2012's figures, you can refer to the chart below which shows 2012 home sales by type for Scottsdale broken out by quarters.

Already you can see that in 2013, regular sales have seen a large leap in percentage of total sales and short sales have seen a large drop. Foreclosures are still a small part of the sales figures, but they also continue to taper off.

If you are interested, you can browse through this previous report for Scottsdale home sales:
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2012

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Due to rounding issues, not all columns will add up to a perfect 100%. Data and information were pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and sales in Scottsdale AZ on a quarterly basis. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Desert Mountain Scottsdale AZ – Q1 2013 Real Estate Report

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:07:41 -0700

- Desert Mountain Scottsdale AZ – First Quarter 2013 Real Estate Report –
Desert Mountain is a well-known golf community in North Scottsdale. Spread over 7,000 acres, this luxury community is home to six Jack Nicklaus courses and six clubhouses. Housing options range from "lock and leave" casitas up to massive estates with sweeping valley views.

Besides golf, there is a very active social calendar, a fitness center and pools, a tennis complex with a variety of play surfaces, as well as miles of paved and unpaved trails.

DESERT MOUNTAIN HOMES FOR SALE AND PENDING SALES AS OF APRIL 15, 2013
As of today, there are 172 homes for sale in Desert Mountain. Asking prices range from $430,000 for a 2,045 square foot casita that went to foreclosure to $8,888,000 for a 11,800 square foot Tuscan estate with six bedrooms and ten bathrooms.

There are 16 homes pending sale as of this date. Prices on these homes range from $569,000 to $3,500,000.

Q1 2013 DESERT MOUNTAIN HOME SALES

Here is a snapshot of first quarter 2013 sales in Desert Mountain. For comparison's sake, I included the numbers from Q1 2012 as well.

The lowest priced home sale was a Sonoran Cottage that was being sold as a short sale. It had three bedrooms, three and one-half bathrooms and 2,490 square feet. The asking price had been $565,000 and it sold for cash for $535,000.

The most expensive home sale of the quarter was for a home with over 11,000 square feet with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms in the Saguaro Forest community. The asking price was $6,995,000 and it sold for $6,665,000.

Twenty-four homes sold over the first three months of the year in 2013, compared to 2012's twenty-one home sales. The average sales price is up quite a bit over 2012, coming in at over $1.5M.) Average price per square foot is also up year over year. (Note: The $6.6 million sale in Q1 2013 has an impact on these numbers.)

The average cumulative days on market was down significantly and on average, less of an average discount off of asking price was seen in Q1 2013.

Overall, Desert Mountain home sales look to be improving in 2013. It will be interesting to see how Q2 performance goes, since there is a healthy amount of homes currently in pending status.

Search Desert Mountain Scottsdale Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/15/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at residential home sales activity in Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – March 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:35:44 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market Performance for March 2013 -

Here are March 2013's figures for the Scottsdale luxury home market. I am defining the luxury home market as homes for sale in Scottsdale with list prices in excess of $1 million. This information has been broken into four price ranges to show additional detail.

Each price range contains the following information:
Active - How many homes were for sale at the end of the month.
Pending - How many pending sales there were at the end of the month.
Sold - How many homes sold during the month of March.

- March 2013 -
Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 - $1,499,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: The number of homes for sale at the end of March was up 4.7% over February. This is well ahead of the 12 month average of 181.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were the highest they have been since last Spring. At the end of the month, 31 homes were under contract in this price range.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: As with pending sales, home sales in March were the highest they have been since last Spring. Twenty-eight homes sold, ahead of the 12 month average of 22.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 92.9% - This is about where this figure has been for the last several months.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 - $1,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: The number of homes for sale was up in March, a 4.7% increase over February. This is the highest inventory has been in the past year.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Sixteen homes were pending at the end of the month. This is up one over February and is ahead of the 12 month average of thirteen.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Fourteen homes sold in March. This was less than February's fifteen sales, but is still ahead of the 12 month average of 10.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 94.6% - This is the highest we have seen this ratio in the last year.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $2,000,000 - $2,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was up to 116 at the end of the month, just surpassing the 12 month average of 112.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending home sales came in at 9, down one over February, but ahead of the 12 month average of 6.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: There were six home sales in March, sightly ahead of the 12 month average of five.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 91.3% - This is on par with what we have been seeing in this price point.

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was down by one in March to 119. This is still well ahead of the 12 month average of 96.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Three homes were pending sale at the end of the month.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: There were two home sales in March, which is on par with February and the 12 month average.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 83.2% - This is lower than we have been seeing over the last few months with sales. However, it was trending in the 80%'s for most to last year.

March 2013 was a decent month for luxury home activity in Scottsdale. Inventory was up in most of the price bands. But unlike the lower price points where inventory is constrained, there are still many months of inventory for sale when you get to the luxury segment. Pending sales were solid and should lead to another decent sales month in April.

To see more detailed data behind this report, please visit my Scottsdale Luxury Home Market Reports pageand click on the "Scottsdale Market Trends" downloadable report.

Search Scottsdale Luxury Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family luxury resale homes in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Sales – March 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:32:55 -0700

- Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Sales – March 2013 -

Here are the numbers for March for the Phoenix and Scottsdale luxury condo market. For the purposes of this analysis, I am defining this market as condos with asking prices of $1 million or more.

March was another somewhat quiet month for this segment. Below you will see a chart with sales activity during the month. The first column looks at summary data and then activity for each city is presented.

ACTIVE LISTINGS & PENDING LUXURY CONDO SALES IN SCOTTSDALE AND PHOENIX

The least expensive luxury condo for sale at the end of March was a 4th floor unit at The Landmark in the Kierland area. It is a three bedroom, two and one-half bathroom condo with 2,630 square feet. It is listed for $1,070,0000

The most expensive unit was the same as last month. This 10th floor unit is at Esplanade Place in the heart of Phoenix's Biltmore area. It is listed for $2,650,000 and has 4,286 square feet, three bedrooms and four bathrooms.

There was a single pending sale at the end of March. This is a unit that was under contract for several months last year and never closed. It was taken off of the market and is now back as pending. This is a very unique property as it is the entire top floor of the Camelback Tower. It has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and 7,254 square feet. It currently needs very extensive renovations and was priced at $2,499,000 at the time it went under contract.

MARCH 2013 LUXURY CONDO SALES IN SCOTTSDALE AND PHOENIX

There was a single sale in March. It was at the Fairway Lodge at the Biltmore. This top floor unit had two bedrooms, two and one-half bathrooms and 2,992 square feet. It had been listed for $1,150,000 and sold for $1,000,000.

March was a quiet month for the luxury condo market in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Hopefully, activity will pick up in April.

FIRST QUARTER 2013 RESULTS FOR THE SCOTTSDALE AND PHOENIX LUXURY CONDO MARKET

Here are the sales statistics for Q1 2013. As you can see, the lion's share of sales have occurred in Scottsdale and the average sales price is quite a bit higher. Ideally, we will see more activity in Phoenix as the year progresses.

Learn More About Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condos
Search Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condos for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix over the past 12 months. Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Single-Family Home Sales – March 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:08:45 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale and Home Sales in March 2013 -
Scottsdale Arizona home sales activity in March 2013 was brisk as the high selling season got underway. Below is an analysis that looks at homes for sale, pending sales and home sales over the previous twelve months.

SCOTTSDALE HOME SALES ACTIVITY FOR MARCH 2013
- Homes for sale are depicted in red.*
- Pending sales are depicted in green.*
- Completed Home Sales are are shown in purple.

MARCH 2013 RESULTS

Active Scottsdale Homes for Sale: Inventory increased again in March to 1,619, a 2.9% increase over February. This is good news as low supply is hampering a lot of potential buyers from purchasing a home.
Pending Homes Sales in Scottsdale: Pending sales slipped slightly to 482. Part of this can be attributed to inventory constraints.
Scottsdale Homes Sold: Home sales saw a very healthy jump in March to 503. This is 29% over February and what is interesting is that there were only 490 pending sales at the end of February. We generally do not see sales figures exceed the pending figure from the month prior. However, when there are cash purchases and quick closes, this can happen.

This next section includes two charts. The top chart indicates how things have changed on a month over month basis. Here you can see the almost 30% increase in home sales in March.

The second chart compares actual sales prices to the listed price. This ratio is a quick way to gauge how much the average discount off of asking price is. The Scottsdale single family home market has been trending in the 95%'s for a while now, meaning, on average, buyers received a 4-5% discount off of asking price.

March was an excellent month for home sales in Scottsdale, as we would expect from a seasonal standpoint. The increase in inventory is a positive thing since it has been running so low. It will be interesting to see if the number of sales in April again exceeds the pending figure from the end of March.

Search Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: * Homes for sale and pending home sales figures reflect the number of homes in that status at the end of the month. Data and information were pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and home sales in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Things to See in Scottsdale: The Soleri Bridge and Plaza

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:07:38 -0700

- Things to See in Scottsdale: The Soleri Bridge and Plaza-

If you are down at the Scottsdale Waterfront, you will certainly come across a beautifully crafted, but functional art installation called the Soleri Bridge and Plaza. The bridge connects downtown Scottsdale with Old Town Scottsdale.

The bridge and plaza were designed by Paolo Soleri, a well-known and award-winning Italian architect who settled in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley in the 1950's.

Paolo Soleri's background is fascinating and varied. He got his architectural education in Italy and then came to the United States to do a fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright. He returned to Italy where developed some of his trademark design items like bronze and ceramic windbells and siltcast structures. In the mid-1950's, he returned to Arizona and settled in Scottsdale.

One of his most significant contributions is his concept of "Arcology" which blends architecture and ecology. This concept what drove the development of the Arcosanti community. The construction of Arcosanti began in 1970 about 70 miles outside of Phoenix. The vision for Arcosanti was a town of 5,000 people that combined a dense population base sharing and maximizing resources while having plenty of access to the natural world. Building is still taking place at Arcosanti and many students and visitors come to stay and explore the fascinating, conceptual town.

In 2008, the design for the Soleri Bridge and Plaza was approved and it debuted in 2010, when Soleri was 91. What makes this bridge so special is that Soleri had been designing bridges for over 60 years and winning awards for those designs, but this is the first bridge of his that was actually constructed.

The bridge itself is a 130 foot long, cable stay bridge. Two 64 foot pylons anchor one end with two other shorter pylons in the plaza area. Soleri's aesthetic is represented by the fact that the bridge pylons act as a solar calendar. The 6 inch gap between them allows for a shaft of light to change with the time of day and virtually every day during the solar noon period, a shadow is cast. On the summer solstice, there is no shadow and on the winter solstice, you will find the longest shadow of the year.

The adjoining plaza is 22,000 square feet and features siltcast structures, such as the large carved decorated panels, each weighing 3,500 pounds. In addition to the panels, you will also see some of Soleri's iconic bells. The Goldwater Bell assembly, created in 1969, decorates the plaza area and highlights some of his best work.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

The Best Upscale Home Remodeling Projects to Do in 2013?

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:00:42 -0700

-Get the Most Value for Your Upscale Arizona Home Remodeling Project-

Every year, Remodeling puts out a Cost vs. Value report that takes a look at the cost of various remodeling projects and the resulting cost that is recouped at resale. The Remodeling 2012-13 Cost vs. Value Report (www.costvsvalue.com) report has been published and includes lots of great information for homeowners looking to get the most value out of home projects.

Remodeling has not only taken this data and segmented it by region and by city, but they have also broken out the information out by whether the project was a midrange one or an upscale one.

For the purposes of this post, I looked at the various upscale remodeling projects in the Mountain Region, (which includes Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Albuquerque and more,) to see where homeowners can expect the largest impact.

2012-2013 Highlights for Upscale Projects in the Mountain Region:

According to the Cost vs. Value Report, garage door replacement had one of the highest percentage of costs recouped at 68.3%
Another area where there were high recoup costs was window replacement. That came in in the 66.0% to 68.4% range depending on what types of windows were used.
By creating a "grand entrance," a homeowner could expect to recoup 58.1% of their costs.
It is well known that homebuyers are very interested in kitchens and bathrooms. According to the Cost vs. Value report, a major kitchen remodel (in excess of $100K) could expect to see 59.7% of costs recouped. And for bathrooms? A significant bathroom remodel (in excess of $48K) could expect costs recouped at 56.7%.

Overall, there is some really interesting information included in this report. It is a good guide for homeowners to consult as they consider any major and/or minor home remodeling projects.

Note: If you would like to see the data specifically for Phoenix, you will need to register with Remodeling here and then you be able to download the report.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Report Data: © 2012 Hanley Wood, LLC. Complete data from the Remodeling 2012–13 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Things to Do in Scottsdale: Good Morning America & Travelzoo's List

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:11:52 -0700

- Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ: Good Morning America and Travelzoo's List-

Last month, Good Morning America worked with Travelzoo on a feature about things to do and experience in Scottsdale, Arizona. The resulting list had a nice mix of popular things as well as some not quite as well-known suggestions.

Here are some of the highlights:

Explore the extensive and creative wine selections at the Terroir Wine Bar and Kazimierz.
See Scottsdale from on high, via a helicopter tour or hot air balloon ride.
Although these next ones were mentioned of for the younger set, I think they can apply to all ages. And, three of my favorite Scottsdale places made the list. The first is the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park, which is a magical and fun place for train aficionados both young and old. The second was the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, whose goal is to care for and rehabilitate desert wildlife. You can schedule a tour of the facilities and see these fascinating animals up close. The final recommendation was the McDowell Sonoran Nature Preserve with its miles of trails and educational opportunities for all levels.
North Phoenix's Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) made the list as well. This one of a kind complex features musical instruments from all over the world. You can learn about them, play some of them and there is a long list of performances you can attend.
For day trips, Sedona and Flagstaff made the list.
The next recommendation is one I have not tried yet, but am now planning to. Take the Apache Trail and explore the town of Tortilla Flat, the Lost Dutchman State Park and the Tonto National Monument.
The North Scottsdale gem of Greasewood Flat made the list. Greasewood Flat is tucked away, fun, affordable and promises a great afternoon or evening of casual fun while enjoying the outdoors.
The final tip was to visit Scottsdale in the summertime to take advantage of amazing hotel and resort rates as well as many of the other specials local businesses run during that time. Yes, it does get hot her during the summer, but generally, it is nothing a dip in the pool cannot take care of.

Click here to see Good Morning America's Travelzoo List

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Scottsdale Golf Communites - 2012 Real Estate Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:21:23 -0700

- Scottsdale Golf Communities - 2012 Real Estate Sales Report-

Below is a chart I put together that looks at sales performance by golf community in 2012. I selected a large number of North Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree communities and compared them on things like average sales price, average price per square foot and so on.

The most affordable communities to purchase homes in were both located in Cave Creek. They were Tatum Ranch and Dove Valley Ranch. The 2012 average sales price was in the $250-$290K range for these two. These communities also enjoyed the lowest average cumulative days on market as demand was high for these types of homes.

On the higher end, Estancia and Silverleaf both were standouts in 2012. Both came in with average sales prices in excess of $2 million. Estancia had the highest average price per square foot of all of the communities with $453.19. Silverleaf was next with $365.40 average price per square foot.

Other Items of Note:

In general, as the prices of the homes increase, so does the average cumulative days on market as there are fewer buyers for these types of properties.
Another thing is we tend to see more price flexibility in the communities with higher priced homes. However, regardless of price point, when a good home comes onto the market and is priced correctly, we see those homes sell more quickly.
Desert Highlands was home to the highest priced sale in 2012. An estate sold for $8,200,000.
The community of Grayhawk, which comes in somewhere around the middle in terms of average sales price, saw homes sell quite quickly in 2012. The average days on market was 82, illustrating what a desirable community it is.
Desert Mountain had the highest average days on market with 417. I would base this on the fact that Desert Mountain had quite a few trophy properties that ended up selling in 2012.

Search Scottsdale Golf Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: * Days on market is cumulative days on market. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 3/11/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale home sales in Scottsdale AZ in 2012.Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – February 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:20:14 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market Performance for February 2013 -

Below are the luxury home sales results for Scottsdale for the month of February 2013. This report looks at homes with asking prices of $1 million or more and has been divided in to four price bands to give additional detail at the various price points.

Each price band has the following information:
Active - The number of homes on the market at the end of the month.
Pending - The number of pending home sales at the end of the month.
Sold - How many homes sold during the month of February.

- February 2013 -
Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 - $1,499,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was level between January and February. Only one additional home came onto the marker. However, this figure is still quite a bit ahead of the 12 month average of 181 homes.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales saw another nice jump in February to 25. This is ahead of the 12 month average of 22 and indicates that the Spring selling season is underway.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Twenty homes sold in February, which was an improvement over January. And based on pending numbers, this should increase again in March.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 93.3% - This has been trending in the 93% range for the last few months.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 - $1,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory continues to increase in this price segment. At the end of February, there were 148 homes on the market, ahead of the 12 month average of 122.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: We saw another nice increase in pending sales in February to 15. This will ideally continue to increase.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: There were 15 home sales in February. This is the highest we have seen this figure in the last year.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 91.7% - This is pretty on par with what we have been seeing for this segment.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $2,000,000 - $2,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: We saw inventory increase about 3.7% over January to 112.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending home sales doubled over January to 10. This is well ahead of the 12 month average and the highest we have seen in the past 12 months.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Seven homes sold in February, over three times of what we saw in January.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 93.8% - This is the highest we have seen in several months.

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory is at the highest level we have seen in the last year.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: There were three pending home sales at the end of the month, putting it just ahead of the 12 month average.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Two homes sold in February.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 92.3% - This is the second highest we have seen this ratio in the last year.

The month of February 2013 was a good one for the luxury home market in Scottsdale. Pending and actual sales gained a lot of ground over a quieter January and show promise that March will be another good month.

To see more detailed data behind this report, please visit my Scottsdale Luxury Home Market Reports page and click on the "Scottsdale Market Trends" downloadable report.

Search Scottsdale Luxury Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 3/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family luxury resale homes in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Sales – February 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:18:27 -0700

- Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Sales – February 2013 -

February was a quiet month for the Phoenix and Scottsdale luxury condo market. For the purposes of this report, I consider the luxury condo market as condos listed for sale with prices in excess of $1 million.

The chart below looks at condo sales activity during the month of February. The first column looks at summary data and then activity for each city is presented.

ACTIVE LISTINGS & PENDING LUXURY CONDO SALES IN SCOTTSDALE AND PHOENIX

The least expensive luxury condo for sale at the end of February was a loft at the Hotel Valley Ho's Tower Residence in Scottsdale. This unit comes with all of the amenities of the Hotel Valley Ho and has two bedrooms and two and one-half bathrooms. The asking price was $1,029,000.

The most expensive unit was listed for $2,650,000 and could be found at Esplanade Place in the heart of Phoenix's Biltmore area. This 4,286 square foot condo has three bedrooms, four bathrooms and is on the 10th floor.

There were no pending sales of luxury condos at the end of February.

FEBRUARY 2013 LUXURY CONDO SALES IN SCOTTSDALE AND PHOENIX
Two luxury condos sold in February and they were both in Scottsdale.

The first sale was at Kierland Plaza Lofts. The unit had two bedrooms, two and one-half bathrooms and 2,047 square feet. It was located on the 7th floor. The list price was $1,145,000 and it sold for $1,132500.

The second sale was an incredible unit at the Scottsdale Waterfront Residences. It had been listed for $3,500,000 and sold for $3,200,000. This luxurious unit had two bedrooms, four bathrooms, 3,751 square feet and was only on the market for 75 days, which is impressive at this price point.

February was a slower month for the luxury condo market in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Inventory was up slightly, which is good news as there are not too many units on the market. The two sales were also positive. However, not having any pending sales in the pipeline at the end of the month could mean March sales will be low or none will occur.

Learn More About Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condos
Search Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condos for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 3/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix over the past 12 months. Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Single-Family Home Sales – February 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:59:27 -0700

- Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale and Home Sales in February 2013 -
These are the February 2013 results for Scottsdale Arizona home sales. This report also covers homes on the market as well as pending home sales.

SCOTTSDALE HOME SALES ACTIVITY FOR FEBRUARY 2013
There are three sales categories being tracked:
- Homes for sale at the end of February are shown in red.
- Pending sales are shown in green. Again, it depicts how many home sales were pending at the end of February.
- Home Sales for the month are are shown in purple.

FEBRUARY 2013 RESULTS

Active Scottsdale Homes for Sale: Inventory was up slightly (1.1%) in February to 1,574. This is where we were about this time last year.
Pending Homes Sales in Scottsdale: Pending home sales saw a nice jump to 490 by the end of the month. This is the highest we have seen it since last summer.
Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales were up in February due to increased pendings in January. 390 homes sold last month, which brings us back to about where we were before the dip in January.

This next chart has two components. The first part looks at how things have changed on a month over month basis. Of note, both pending sales and home sales both saw an increase of over 17% in February.

The second part is where we look at the average sales price of homes compared with the average listing price. This figure has been in the 95% range for many months now. What that means is that, on average, buyers received a discount of almost 5% off of the asking price.

In summary, February was a good month for Scottsdale home sales. As anticipated, things started to pick up on the pending and sales side. It was good to see inventory increase, but there is still a lot of demand out there that may be being held back by reduced inventory, especially at the lower price points.

Search Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 3/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and home sales in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Silverleaf Scottsdale AZ - 2012 Real Estate Report

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:33:51 -0800

- Silverleaf Scottsdale - 2012 Real Estate Report -

Silverleaf is one of Scottsdale's most elegant communities. Located in the greater community of DC Ranch, Silverleaf is a guard-gated enclave of smaller neighborhoods and expansive estates. Some of Scottsdale's most expensive real estate is found within Silverleaf, nestled into the rolling hills of the McDowell Mountains.

Silverleaf is also home to The Silverleaf Club, a top-of-the line golf club and spa. No detail has been overlooked at The Silverleaf Club and members enjoy the extensive amenities it has to offer, including a 50,000 square foot clubhouse and an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf golf course.

SILVERLEAF HOMES FOR SALE AS OF MARCH 1, 2013

At the beginning of March there were 46 homes for sale in Silverleaf.

The most expensive home on the market was a home with over 20,000 square feet. Listed for $24,500,000, this home has six bedrooms, fourteen bathrooms and spans two lots. It overlooks the course and has five indoor/outdoor cooking areas, eight garages, and expansive pool and much more.

The lowest priced home was $1,195,000 for an elegant townhome located adjacent to Ethel's Garden. This townhome has three bedrooms, three and one-half bathrooms and is 3,096 square feet.

2012 SILVERLEAF HOME SALES
Home sales in Silverleaf in 2012 were steady for three quarters and saw a huge spike in Q2. In fact, over half of Silverleaf's home sales in 2012 took place in Q2.

Although average sales price stayed pretty level and average price per square foot jumped around a bit, we did see that buyers, on average, received less of a discount off of asking price as the year progressed.

The highest priced home sale in 2012 in Silverleaf was a four bedroom, five and one-half bathroom with 8,417 square feet. It had wonderful views, a pool and overlooked the golf course. The list price was $4,890,000 and it sold for above asking at $4,900,000.

The lowest priced home sale in 2012 was for a townhome with 2,653 square feet. It had three bedrooms and three and one-half bathrooms. The asking price had been $925,000 and it sold for $910,000.

Search Silverleaf Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 3/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at residential single family home sales activity in Silverleaf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ: March 2013

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:38:51 -0800

- Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ: March 2013-

Now that the good weather's back up and running, minus our little snow storm last week, there are tons of events coming up in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas.

UPCOMING

March 8-10 is the Scottsdale Arts Festival. This weekend-long event will be held at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall and over 200 selected artists will be there. Food, entertainment and more will also be on hand.
The weekend of March 15-17 is the Sonoran Festival of Fine Art in downtown Carefree. Over 150 artists will be in attendance showing off their works including bronzes, jewelry and paintings. There will live music, Native American dance performances and plenty of good food and beverage to enjoy.
On March 19th Engelbert Humperdinck, (who looks like he has not aged a bit,) will be in town to perform some of his greatest hits. He'll be performing at the wild horse Pass Hotel and Casino down in Chandler.
On March 22-24th, Cave Creek will be holding its annual Fiesta Days Rodeo and Parade. If you've not had an opportunity to go up to Cave Creek, this is a great event to do so. Explore your inner cowboy or cowgirl and have a great time.
March 27th is the Historic Home Tour in Phoenix's Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood. Come enjoy the pre-World War II designs and learn about the history of the homes. There will also be a street fair with food and beverages, arts and crafts and more.
On April 7th, the 15th Annual Grand Tour of Gardens is taking place. It is sponsored by Phoenix Home and Garden and you'll get to tour some of the Valley's most amazing gardens. This event benefits the Desert Botanical Garden.

ONGOING

Spring training is here and it's going on through March 30. Come catch some of the action with your favorite professional teams around town as you enjoy the Arizona sun.
The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix always has some great things going on. Right now, you can experience "Breakfast with the Butterflies", the Spring series of "Music in the Garden" and the "Four Seasons" exhibition by Phillip Haas.
If you're looking to go back in time and have a unique day, head on down to the Renaissance Festival in Apache Junction. It is being held on Saturdays and Sundays through March 31. Experience over 2000 costumed characters, watch knights joust, shop over 200 stalls and, if you are up for it, eat an extremely large turkey leg.
Interested in some music and culture? The Musical Instrument Museum Museum has several concerts coming up.
The El Pedregal shopping center adjacent to The Boulders is home to Carefree Sundays through March 24th. Live music , food and wine and more.
In Downtown Scottsdale, you will find the Sunday A'Fair at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall through April 7th. Come and enjoy live music, an arts and crafts market and family activities. Bring a picnic basket and blanket or purchase food and drinks on site.

And even though this is a pretty long list, there are still a lot more things going on in and around Scottsdale. If you have any events that you like to or plan to attend, feel free to share them in the comments.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Desert Highlands Scottsdale AZ - 2012 Real Estate Report

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 08:20:49 -0800

- Desert Highlands Scottsdale AZ - 2012 Real Estate Report-

Desert Highlands is an established, private golf community in North Scottsdale. It was developed by Lyle Anderson and is home to an 18-hole Nicklaus golf course.

Desert Highlands can be found in the foothills just south of Pinnacle Peak. Many of the homes enjoy wonderful valley, mountain and city lights views. Home sizes vary from smaller homes, which are great for seasonal residences, up to expansive estates with outstanding views.

Homeowners at Desert Mountain are required to become members of the Desert Highlands Golf Club and they get to enjoy all of the amenities of this fine club. There is an understated clubhouse with dining options, a pro shop, tennis complex, fitness center with pool and so much more. Year-round activities are offered for the members as well.

DESERT HIGHLANDS HOMES FOR SALE AS OF FEBRUARY 25, 2013

At the end of February, there were 46 homes for sale in Desert Highlands.

Prices for homes ranged from $649,000 for a four bedroom, three and one-half bathroom short sale with 4,026 square feet to $6,795,000 for a stunning four bedroom, five bathroom home on three acres with a casita and over 10,000 square feet.

Currently, there are three pending sales in Desert Highlands.

2012 DESERT HIGHLANDS HOME SALES
Now we will take a look at home sales in Desert Highlands in 2012.

Sales volume jumped around a bit quarter by quarter, although we did see strong showings in Q2 and Q4, which is something we saw in other areas as well.

There weren't any really clear patterns in 2012 with regard to average sales price, or average price per square foot or even average days on market for Desert Highlands. In other communities, we saw things like average price per square foot increasing and days on market decreasing over the course of the year. However, we are dealing with smaller sales volumes in Desert Highlands, which means there is less sales data to average out and each sale will have more of an impact on the final figures.

The highest priced sale in Desert Highlands in 2012 was also the highest priced sale in all of Scottsdale in 2012. The home had four bedrooms, eight bathrooms, 7,698 square feet and was sold with two adjoining lots. The impeccably-finished home backs to Pinnacle Peak and enjoys amazing views. It had been listed for $9,995,000 and sold for $8,200,000.

The lowest priced sale in Desert Highlands in 2012 was for a four bedroom, four and one-half bathroom home with 4,582 square feet. It had been listed for $665,000 and sold for $625,000.

Search Desert Highlands Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 2/25/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at residential single family home sales activity in Desert Highlands Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

DC Ranch Scottsdale AZ - 2012 Real Estate Report

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:05:11 -0800

- DC Ranch Scottsdale AZ - 2012 Real Estate Report-

DC Ranch is one of Scottsdale's most popular communities. DC Ranch is a large, upscale planned community with a variety of housing options for its residents. They range from condos and townhomes located close to the restaurants and stores of Market Street, to single family homes that comprise the many sub-neighborhoods, to large estate homes within the gates of the The Country Club at DC Ranch.

DC Ranch offers residents a wide variety of amenities including two large community centers, miles of fitness trails, a K-8 School, two large shopping and dining districts, Market Street and DC Ranch Crossing, as well as a smaller one at Canyon Village.

The Country Club at DC Ranch is also an option for residents. It is home to an 18-hole course designed by Tom Lehman and John Fought. It has a wonderful elegant clubhouse with pro shop, a large swimming facility, a fitness center and excellent dining. The Country Club at DC Ranch also has a very active year-round social calendar for members.

DC RANCH HOMES FOR SALE AS OF FEBRUARY 22, 2013
As of this date, there are only 35 single-family homes on the market in DC Ranch, which is not a lot for a community of this size. This figure illustrates the demand for housing that the Scottsdale market is currently experiencing. Plus, since this is a very desirable community to live in, competition can be high.

Asking prices range from $535,000 for a three bedroom, two bathroom home with 2,265 square feet to $7,295,950 for a six bedroom, ten bathroom home with over 12,000 square feet in the country club.

Currently, eleven homes are pending sale in DC Ranch.

2012 DC RANCH HOME SALES
Below is a quarter by quarter look for 2012 home sales in DC Ranch.

Unlike the rest of Scottsdale which saw a spike in Q2, Q1 was the strongest sales quarter in DC Ranch. Sales throughout the rest of the year were pretty level. While average sales price saw a little bit of volatility, average price per square foot climbed over the course of the year as the market saw some recovery.

What is striking is the difference in average days on market for the homes. Over the course of the year, that number dropped sharply.

The highest priced sale in 2012 was a cash sale for $3,550,000. The home had been listed for $3,995,000 and had five bedrooms, seven and one-half bathrooms and 8,714 square feet.

The lowest priced home sale of 2012 was a short sale. This home had four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,935 square feet. It had been listed for $399,000 and closed for $385,000 in a cash transaction.

Search DC Ranch Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 2/22/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at residential single family home sales activity in DC Ranch Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale Plants: A Rare Crested Saguaro

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:07:17 -0800

- Scottsdale Arizona Plants and Cacti: A Rare Crested Saguaro-

Whether you are a full-time resident or seasonal visitor, it is hard to not admire the large, stunning saguaro cacti we are fortunate enough to enjoy all over Scottsdale.

Once in a while, you will see a saguaro like the one on the left. It is a rare condition called a crested saguaro or cristate saguaro. It is unknown how or why this happens, but some top theories include lightning damage, a genetic mutation or frost damage. Regardless of the cause, a crested saguaro is extremely rare. Experts estimate that this only happens in 1 to 100,000 to 200,000 saguaros.

This particular cactus is located outside the Apache Clubhouse at the Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale. What makes it even more unique is that arms continued to grow out of the crested area. Usually you just see the crest at the top of the cactus.

Some Quick Facts about Saguaro Cacti:

You will only find saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert.
Saguaro cacti take a very long time to grow. A new saguaro takes at least eight years to grow to a height of 1-1.5 inches.
They produce their first flowers at 35 years.
The first branches or arms do not come until the saguaro is 50-70 years old.
Saguaros are not considered adult cacti until they are 125 years old.
It is believed the typical lifespan for a saguaro is 150-175 years.
Saguaro have very shallow root bases. So, when you see a saguaro propped up with wooden beams, it is typically a newly planted one that needs time for the roots to get established.
A mature saguaro can have up to 25 arms.
Saguaros can reach heights in excess of 50 feet. It is the tallest of the cactus species.
The saguaro is mostly made up of water, which makes it a very heavy plant. For instance, a 50 foot saguaro could clock in at around 8 tons.
The Saguaro National Park is located down in Tucson and is truly a sight to see.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Estancia Scottsdale AZ - 2012 Real Estate Report

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:40:28 -0800

Estancia is one of Scottsdale's most luxurious private golf communities. It is nestled just to the north and the east of Pinnacle Peak and the elegant homes dot the rolling hills.

Estancia is comprised of 640 acres, including 233 home sites and 29 villa sites. At the heart of the guard-gated community is the Estancia Club, which is home to an 18-hole Fazio golf course, a clubhouse, pro shop, fitness center and pool. Residents of Estancia are not required to join the Estancia Club, but many of them opt to. Golf and social memberships are offered.

ESTANCIA HOMES FOR SALE AS OF FEBRUARY 18, 2013
Currently, there are thirty homes for sale in Estancia. They are a mix of the La Scala homes, which are centrally-located villas and form a little enclave within the community, and custom homes and estates.

Asking prices range from $1,250,000 for a La Scala home to $8,995,000 for a custom estate.

As of this date, there are no pending home sales in Estancia.

2012 ESTANCIA HOME SALES
Here are Estancia's real estate sales figures for 2012. There were a total of seven home sales in 2012 ranging from just under one million dollars to over five million dollars. Sales activity was up in Q2, as we saw in all of Scottsdale, and again in Q4 as many people purchased before year's end.

As you can see, Estancia buyers did get larger average percentages off asking in 2012. In fact, some home sales saw more than a 30% discount off of list price.

The highest priced sale in 2012 was a custom estate with five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and 7,000 square feet. This home with amazing views sold with an adjacent .85 acre lot. It had been listed for $6,595,000 and sold for $5,350,000 in 76 days, which is quite fast for a home in this price point.

The least expensive Estancia home sale in 2012 was a La Scala home, built in 1999. It had three bedrooms, three bathrooms and 3,450 square feet. It had been listed for $1,100,000 and ultimately sold for $935,000.

Search Estancia Scottsdale Homes for Sale

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 2/19/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at residential home sales activity in Estancia Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale Zip Code 85266 Home Sales Q4 2012 -Foreclosures Short Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson ABR, CLHMS - Scottsdale, AZ (Realty ONE Group) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:09:37 -0800

Here is the 2012 home sales overview for Scottsdale's 85266 zip code. Data from Q4 2012 as well as full-year data are included.

85266 is one of the most northern zip codes in Scottsdale. It is bordered by Scottsdale zip codes 85255 and 85262 as well as Cave Creek and Carefree. For the most part, 85266 is home to single-family homes on larger lots. There are some planned communities, but many of the homes are standalone. There are also many homes with horse facilities in 85266. The presence of the Sonoran Desert has been well-preserved in this area.

85266 is also home to three of Scottsdale's top golf communities. They include Whisper Rock, The Boulders and Terravita.

85266 HOME SALES INFORMATION
Below you will see the home sales data for Q4 2012 as well as the entire year. To get a better sense of what kinds of homes sold and what what prices, I have divided the information into three categories.

Here is how they are being defined:
- Non-Distressed Sales – These are "normal" or "regular" home sales that most people are used to. Because of this, they are called non-distressed.
- Short Sales –When homeowners can only sell the home for less than what is owed, they will need to do a short sale. In this case, third party approvals are needed in order for the home to sell since the lienholder(s) will be coming up 'short' in the transaction. A short sale is considered a type of distress sale.
- Foreclosures – The other type of distress sale is a foreclosure. These are homes where the homeowner has lost possession of the home and it has reverted back to the lienholder.

Overall Findings for the Scottsdale Zip Code 85266 Home Sales Market for Q4 2012 - Data as of January 1, 2013

Active Scottsdale 85266 Homes For Sale: Most of the homes for sale at the end of the year (97%) were regular sales. The rest was evenly split between the two distressed categories.
85266 Pending Homes for Sale: Short sales made up over one third of the pending inventory at the end of the year. Whereas, there were no foreclosure homes pending. The rest (63%) was comprised of regular sales.
Q4 2012 Scottsdale 85266 Home Sales: Foreclosures and short sales made up just under a quarter of all Q4 sales, even though they only represented a small portion of homes for sale.
85266 Home Prices: Usually, regular sales have the highest average sales price, but in Q4, we saw that with short sales instead. However, when you look at average price per square foot, you see regular sales with the highest amount.
Cumulative Days on Market: Regular sales and foreclosures had the shortest average time on the market and short sales came in with about an 8 month average.
Discounts Off of List Price: Interestingly enough, all of the home sales types came in with the same average discount off of asking price. Usually, you see more of a price discount on regular sales versus distressed sales.

Scottsdale Zip Code 85266 Home Sales for 2012

Here is the same data, but for the entire year of sales in 85266. The numbers came in as we would expect. Regular sales had the highest average sales price and average price per square foot, followed by short sales then foreclosures.

Here you can see the larger average discount off of list price for regular sales, with less of a discount for the other two sales types.

QUARTERLY SUMMARY - 2012 Scottsdale Home Sales in Zip Code 85266
As we saw all over the Valley, Q2 was the strongest quarter from a sales perspective. The other three quarters' sales were somewhat level.

Regular sales and short sales' share of home sales were more or less level throughout the year, with the exception of Q2. Foreclosures bounced around a little bit more.

To see this same information for the entire City of Scottsdale AZ, please visit these previous reports:
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2009

Search Homes for Sale in 85266

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Disclaimer: Due to rounding issues, not all columns will add up to 100%. Data and information were pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of and 1/1/2013 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and sales in Scottsdale AZ zip code 85266 for Q4 2012. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2013 Heather Tawes Nelson