Scottsdale Real Estate News & Lifestyle

My Favorite Things to Eat in Scottsdale - Part 3

Heather Tawes Nelson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:45:00 GMT

This is the third post in a series about some of my favorite things to eat in Scottsdale, Arizona. Scottsdale and the surrounding areas have some amazing restaurants and local artisans and I love finding new places and things to try.

Postino's White Bean Bruschetta - If you never have been, Postino is a charming place tucked into the Arcadia area of Phoenix. (There is a newer location on Central, but I have yet visit.) One of the great options they serve is a bruschetta sampler. You choose four of the many types offered and the bruschetta come delivered to you on a platter for sharing. They are all quite good, but my favorite overall is the white bean and chopped tomato. I have to have it every time I am there.

Pure Sushi in North Scottsdale serves a very unique sushi roll that is not really a roll. It is called "Box Sushi" and it is one of our family's favorites. To make the Box Sushi, no seaweed is used. Instead, they compress the rice, roe and fish into a box. Once it has formed into a triangle, it is then cut up into several pieces. The fish is tuna and salmon and the bottom layer of rice has a little roe mixed in for color and a little crunch.

The third item on this list is the Duck Carnitas Empanada at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale. Playing with the more traditional preparation that is made with pork, The Mission uses duck meat instead. This delicious, rich, cheese and duck-filled fried dough is topped with an orange habanero sauce that is sweet with a bit of spice.

The Caprese Salad at Sassi in North Scottsdale is not to be missed. Sassi has the Buffalo Mozzarella imported directly from Italy and it is a very generous, not to mention delicious, portion. The cheese comes intact on a plate of lovely heirloom tomatoes and basil drizzled with olive oil. You can slice the mozzarella to the size you desire, add it to the tomato and basil and enjoy.

That is it for this post, but there will be more to come. Feel free to share any of your favorite bites or places to dine in the comments.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Scottsdale Zip Code 85266 Home Sales By Type Q4 2011 - Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:09:00 GMT

Below are the year-end home sales results for Scottsdale Arizona's 85266 zip code.

85266 is a newer North Scottsdale zip code and covers the northwest part of the city. It is bordered by Cave Creek and Phoenix to the west and Carefree to the north. 85266 does enjoy a higher elevation than Downtown and Central Scottsdale, and while it may not experience the lower temperatures like the northernmost areas of 85262, many of the homes and lots do have incredible valley and city lights views. It is also home to three of the top area golf communities including Whisper Rock, The Boulders and Terravita.

The following analysis covers Q4 2011 home sales for zip code 85266. The data was divided into three categories that I explain below:
- Non-Distressed Sales – These are "normal" or "traditional" home sales. Here the seller and buyer come to an agreement on the price and terms of the home sale and then work together to conclude the deal and pass ownership on to the buyer.
- Short Sales – Short sales are when a distressed homeowner needs to sell their home for less than is what is owed on the home - i.e. they are "short" on the total amount. In this case, approval from the lender or lenders is required for a transaction to take place.
- Foreclosures – These are homes where the homeowner has been foreclosed upon and no longer owns the home. Foreclosures are also known as "Lender-Owned" homes, "REO'" homes or "Bank-Owned" homes.

Overall Findings for the Scottsdale Zip Code 85266 Home Sales Market for Q4 2011 - Data as of January 1, 2012

Active Scottsdale 85266 Homes For Sale: Over 90% of the homes on the market at the end of December were regular sales. Short sales came in next at 8% and foreclosures were barely represented at 2%
85266 Pending Homes for Sale: Although almost all of the homes on the market were regular sales at the end of the year, they only represented 50% of the pending sale inventory. The other half of the pending sales were split evenly between short sales and foreclosures.
Q4 2011 Scottsdale 85266 Home Sales: Regular sales again made up the majority of the home sales in Q4 2011 with 72% of all sales. Again, short sales and foreclosures were almost evenly split to make up the rest of the sales.
85266 Home Prices: Interestingly enough, short sales had the highest average sales price in Q4, but as we would expect, were much lower when you look at average price per square foot sold. As to be expected, foreclosures came in with the lowest average sales price and average price per square foot.
Discounts Off of List Price: This zip code had the lowest average discount off of sales price. Regular sales sold at only an average of 5% off asking. Short sales only saw an average 2% and foreclosures sold at list price.

2011 Scottsdale Home Sales in Zip Code 85266
Here are 85266's home sales broken out by quarter and by home sale type.

In 2011, over two thirds of sales in 85266 were regular sales and the balance was almost evenly split by short sales (17%) and foreclosures (15%.)

If you would like to see this information for the City of Scottsdale AZ, please see these previous reports:

View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q3 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q2 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q1 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2009

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 4/1/2011, 7/1/2011, 10/1/2011 and 1/1/2012 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 2011. 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.
Copyright © 2011 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 Home Sales By Type Q4 2011 - Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:25:00 GMT

Here are the final numbers for 2011 home sales in the Scottsdale Arizona zip code of 85255.

85255 is a larger zip code and can be found in North Scottsdale, just north of the top of Loop 101. It is home to many luxury communities including some of the top golf communities in the area, namely Troon Country Club, Desert Highlands, Grayhawk, DC Ranch and Silverleaf. There is a very broad range of homes and home types to choose from including "lock and leave" condos and townhomes, gated and non-gated subdivisions as well as custom homes and large estates. One of the other things unique to Scottsdale's 85255 is Pinnacle Peak, which is beautiful to look at and fun to hike.

You will find 85255's home sale activity for Q4 2011 below. The information was broken down into the three types of sales most frequently seen right now:

The three categories are defined as follows:
- Non-Distressed Sales - These are the "regular", "normal" or "traditional" home sales. Here, the seller and home buyer are the two principals in the transaction and agree on terms and price to result in a successful sale.
- Short Sales – You will see a short sale when an "underwater" homeowner plans to sell the home for less than the loan amount(s) owed on it. In many cases, there is more than one loan involved. In this case, the company or companies who loaned the money to purchase the home have to give the approval on the terms of the contract since they will be getting less than what is owed.
- Foreclosures - Foreclosures are just like what they sound like. They are homes that have been foreclosed upon and are now back with the lender. These are also called "Lender-Owned" homes, "REO'" homes or "Bank-Owned" homes.

Overall Findings for the Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 Home Sales Market for Q4 2011 - Data as of January 1, 2012

Active Scottsdale 85255 Homes For Sale: Almost the entire inventory of homes for sale at the end of Q4 in 85255 were regular sales. Short sales (6%) and foreclosures (3%) made up the small remainder.
85255 Pending Homes for Sale: Regular homes dropped down a bit proportionally when looking at pending sales at the end of December. They came in at 60%. Conversely, we saw an increase in distressed homes in pending status. Short sales comprised 29% of the market and foreclosures came in at 11%.
Q4 2011 Scottsdale 85255 Home Sales: The majority of homes sold in Q4 were regular sales (65%.) Short sale representation stayed strong with 20% of closed sales and foreclosures also picked up 15% of the market.
85255 Home Prices: For the first time since I have been tracking this information, lender-owned homes had the highest average sales price in comparison to the other two categories. And, for the first time average price per square foot for foreclosures was higher than short sales. As would be expected, regular sales had the highest average price per square foot.
Cumulative Days on Market: We typically see the shortest average days on market with foreclosures as they tend to go under contract quickly. However, in Q4, regular sales had the shortest time on the market. As to be expected, short sales had the longest time on market at 241 days.
Discounts Off of List Price: The average 5% discount off of distressed property prices is what we have been historically seeing. Buyers who purchased regular homes saw an average discount of 7%. This was closer to 10% previously, but has been creeping up.

Scottsdale Zip Code 85255 - Sales Data By Quarter for 2011
Here is a quarter by quarter 2011 snapshot for home sales by type in the 85255 zip code. If you compare Q4 to the entire year, you will see that the ratios have remained more or less static throughout with regular sales capturing about 60% of the market, short sales capturing about 25% of the market and foreclosures capturing about 15%.

If you would like to review this data for the City of Scottsdale AZ versus a single zip code, please visit these previous reports:

View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q3 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q2 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q1 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2009

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 4/1/2011, 7/1/2011, 10/1/2011 and 1/1/2012 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 Q4 2011 and for the year of 2011. 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.
Copyright © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condo Market - 2011 Results

Heather Tawes Nelson — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:43:00 GMT

Here are the 2011 results for the Scottsdale and Phoenix luxury condo market. The total number of luxury condo sales in 2011 was up to 20, which was up from 16 in 2010 and 11 in 2009.

Scottsdale and Phoenix Luxury Condo Market Statistics - 2011
Here are the combined sales results for these luxury condos. Sales were somewhat level throughout the year. Q1 was the strongest quarter with 6 sales and Q4 was the weakest with 4. Of note is that average discounts off of list price shrunk quarter after quarter. In Q1, buyers enjoyed an average of 17% off of asking price. By Q4, that discount was only 6%. Also, we saw a large drop in days on market for the last half of the year.

Scottsdale Luxury Condo Market Statistics - 2011
Here is the same analysis as above, but this one only includes Scottsdale luxury condo sales. As you can see, Q1 was the best performance for Scottsdale luxury condos, double the activity of the other three quarters. Q1 also saw the lowest average sales price and price per square foot coupled with the largest discount off of asking price.

The majority of luxury condo sales in Scottsdale for 2011 took place at Optima Camelview and Scottsdale Waterfront Residences. However, we did see some different communities making some strides including The Landmark in the Kierland area and the newly re-opened Safari Drive.

Phoenix Luxury Condo Market Statistics - 2011
Here is the recap for the Phoenix luxury condo market. As you can see, there were no sales in Q1 for Phoenix. The middle two quarters enjoyed some activity and then we closed out Q4 with a single sale. Average sales price and price per square foot dropped over the course of the year, but the average discount off of asking stayed pretty level.

There were three communities in the Biltmore area represented in the 2011 condo sales. Esplanade Place had two sales as did 2 Biltmore Estates. The third community was The Residences at 2211 Camelback.

Year Over Year Comparison of Sales - 2009 through 2011
Here are the sales figures for the last three years including number of sales and average sales price. Scottsdale luxury condos have seen a lot of sales growth over the last couple of years, but have also seen average sales price decrease. Sales figures for Phoenix luxury condos have stayed somewhat flat, but we are also seeing price declines over time.

Overall, the luxury condo market had a decent 2011. Sales were up over 2010 and activity was somewhat level from a macro level. However, looking a little more closely, Scottsdale started off very strong in Q1 2011 and then dropped down and stayed there. Whereas, Phoenix had no sales in Q1 and then saw level sales activity for the remaining three quarters.

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 4/1/2011, 7/1/2011 and 10/1/2011 and 1/1/2012 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix 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. Some rounding in the percentage figures may result in figures not adding to 100%.
Copyright © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale Zip Code 85262 Home Sales By Type Q4 2011 - Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:54:00 GMT

Here are the 2011 year-end results for home sales in the 85262 zip code in North Scottsdale.

You can find the 85262 zip code in the most northern part of Scottsdale. Many of the most well-known, luxury golf communities can be found there, including Desert Mountain, Mirabel, Troon North, Legend Trail and Estancia.

Because 85262 is located so far north, it is at a higher elevation and can be a few degrees cooler in the warm summer months. This also means that a large number of homes and lots enjoy some amazing city light and mountain views.

This market report goes over the fourth quarter activity for home sales in 85262. The information has been divided into three categories and their definitions are below.

- Non-Distressed Sales - I call these "regular" home sales. These are traditional home sales where the seller and the homebuyer work together to determine the price and terms of the sale. They are the two stakeholders in the scenario. At the end, the ownership of the home is transferred to the buyer.
- Short Sales – Short sales occur when a seller is trying to sell the home for less than what is owed on it. In this scenario and all leinholders (or "lenders") will need to approve the terms of the sale. Frequently, there is more than one lienholder involved.
- Foreclosures - Foreclosures are homes that have been foreclosed upon and are now back with the lienholder who initiated the foreclosure process. You may also hear these called "Lender-Owned" homes, "REO'" homes or "Bank-Owned" homes.

Overall Findings for the Scottsdale Zip Code 85262 Home Sales Market for Q4 2011 - Data as of January 1, 2012

Active Scottsdale 85262 Homes For Sale: At the end of December 2011, almost all of the for sale homes were regular sales (95%.) The distressed inventory only made up a small portion of the homes on the market.
85262 Pending Homes for Sale: By contrast, when you look at the pending home sales at the end of 2011, short sales (19%) and foreclosures (19%) made up 38% of the inventory. Regular sales still had 61% of the market though.
Q4 2011 Scottsdale 85262 Home Sales: The breakout of actual home sales stayed pretty similar to the pending sales distribution. 64% of all Q4 sales were regular sales. Short sales made up a quarter of the sales and foreclosures came in last with 11% of the home sales.
85262 Home Prices: As we would expect, regular home sales had the highest average sales price and average price per square foot. Short sales were next, followed by foreclosures. Usually the spread between foreclosures and short sales is a little more pronounced, but we have been seeing these figures converge.
Discounts Off of List Price: As we saw throughout 2011, buyers of regular homes enjoyed about a 10% off of asking price. Short sale buyers saw about a 6% discount and foreclosures saw a 7% discount off of list price. These are larger discounts that we saw in Scottsdale overall which came in in the 2-3% range.

Scottsdale Zip Code 85262 - 2011 Home Sales

Here is the home sales information for Scottsdale zip code 85262 on a quarterly basis for 2011. A majority of the sales (57%) were regular sales and short sales and foreclosures more or less split the difference for the remaining home sales.

To see this same information for the entire City of Scottsdale AZ, please visit these previous reports:

View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q3 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q2 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q1 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2009

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 1/1/2012 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and sales in Scottsdale AZ zip code 85262 for Q4 2011. 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.
Copyright © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Q4 2011 Home Sales By Type - Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales

Heather Tawes Nelson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:46:00 GMT

Here is the final quarterly summary for the Scottsdale Arizona single-family home market in 2011. This Q4 2011 data has been broken into three categories based on sales type so that you can see how the different segments are performing.

Here are the three categories of home sales and how I have defined them:

- Non-Distressed Sales - I call these sales "regular" or "traditional" sales. This is the common scenario in which the buyer and seller agree upon the terms of the sale and work together to transfer the ownership of the home from the seller to the buyer.
- Short Sales - A short sale transaction occurs when the seller plans to sell the home for less than what is owed on it. In this scenario, the buyer and seller still agree to a contract, but the terms of the sale must be approved by the lender as the lender will be "short" on what is owed. Frequently, there is more than one lender on a home, so approvals from all of the lenders are required.
- Foreclosures - Foreclosures are homes that have been through the foreclosure process and ownership has now reverted back to the lender or other stakeholder. These homes also may be called "Lender-Owned" homes, "REO" homes or "Bank-Owned" homes.

Overall Findings for the Q4 2011 Scottsdale Single-Family Home Market - Data As of January 1, 2012

Scottsdale Homes for Sale: Regular home sales comprised the bulk of the for sale inventory at the end of 2011 with 87%. Short sales (8%) only slightly edged out foreclosures (5%) to round out the rest.
Scottsdale Pending Home Sales: We see a large shift when we look at the pending sales at the end of December. In this case, short sales now make up a much larger share with 33%, while regular sales only accounted for 49%. Foreclosures also saw a larger jump in representation to 17% of pending home sales.
Q4 2011 Scottsdale Home Sales: When we look at homes sold in Q4 2011, regular home sales regained some ground and came in with 61% of home sales. Short sales had about a quarter for the sales at 24% and foreclosures made up 15%.
Home Prices: As we would expect, regular home sales had the highest average sales price and highest average price per square foot. Short sales and foreclosure pricing seems to be a lot closer than it has been historically. Normally, there is a wider spread with foreclosures selling for quite a bit less than the other two segments.
Days on Market: As expected, regular sales and foreclosures had the shortest days on market, coming in at around 4 months. Short sales take longer and the average time on market was about 6 months.
Discounts Off of List Price: In Q4, we are seeing a much smaller discount off of asking price. Traditionally, we were seeing about a 10% discount on regular sales. In Q4, it was only 6%. This could be that home prices are closer to market values or that sellers are less willing to negotiate on pricing. Short sales and foreclosures are only selling at a 3-4% discount now, versus the 5-6% we saw earlier in the year.

Scottsdale AZ Home Sales 2011
Here is a summary of 2011 home sales in Scottsdale. Again, the information has been broken into the three categories for comparison. The average representation by segment was pretty level throughout the year, with some small variations.

If you are interested, you can browse through the previous reports for Scottsdale home sales:
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type Q3 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for Q2 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for Q1 2011
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2010

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 1/1/2012 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.
Copyright © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

My Favorite Things to Eat in Scottsdale AZ - Part 2

Heather Tawes Nelson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:20:00 GMT

Here is the second post in a series of my favorite foods in Scottsdale, Arizona and the surrounding areas. (Click here to see the first post on Favorite Scottsdale AZ Bites.)

There are actually two items from Roka Akor in Scottsdale that are "must orders" every time we go. The first is the Butterfish Tataki with White Asparagus and Yuzu. The fish just melts in your mouth. The other item is Sweet Corn with Garlic Butter and Soy. These small pieces of corn on the cob are cooked over the robata grill and come out with a slight bit of char. The garlic butter and soy add the perfect amount of flavor while letting the corn stand on its own.

Cowboy Ciao in Scottsdale is known for many great things, but one of its standouts is the Stetson Chopped Salad. It is so good that I have seen imitations of it at other restaurants around town. It is a combination of arugula, dried corn, pepita seeds, smoked salmon, tomatoes. Israeli couscous, currants and asiago cheese. These components are then mixed tableside and blended with the delicious pesto/garlic/buttermilk dressing. The first time I heard what it was made with, I was a skeptic. However, once I tasted it, I was a die-hard convert.

Wow is the first thing that comes to mind when you are presented with the popovers at BLT Steak at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale. They come to the table piping hot and they are enormous - not to mention delicious. The best part is that BLT Steak provides you with the recipe when they are served in case you want to try and replicate them at home.

If you have a sweet tooth, look to Julia Baker Confections to treat yourself. I have not had the opportunity to try one of her chocoloate bars, but I am a huge fan of her truffles. My favorite is the French Caramel Truffle. It is a milk chocolate truffle with delicious caramel inside. To finish it off, the outside is coated with toffee. It is simply heaven in a single bite. You can visit the Julia Baker store at the Montelucia in Paradise Valley or you can purchase her confections at AJ's and other Valley locations. And, even better, if you are not in Arizona, you can have them mailed to you.

I hope you enjoyed this quick list of some of my favorite things to eat in Scottsdale. Feel free to share your favorite bites in the comments.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – December 2011

Heather Tawes Nelson — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:49:00 GMT

Here are December 2011's results for the Scottsdale AZ luxury home market. For the purposes of this report, I am classifying the luxury home market as homes for sale with asking prices of $1 million or above. The data in this report has been broken into three categories including Scottsdale single-family luxury homes for sale, pending home sales and Scottsdale luxury homes sales over the previous 12 months.

- December 2011 -

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 - $1,499,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory dropped down again at the end of December to 190, which puts us back to September 2011 levels. This is below the 12 month average of 214.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were up slightly over November to 13. However, this was the second worst performance in 2011 and is still well below the 12 month average of 23 sales.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Eighteen home sold in December. This is the same as sales in November.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 94.4% - This is a solid ratio for this price point. Buyers in December got an average discount off of asking of a little over 5%.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 - $1,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory saw a slight drop over November's numbers to 136. This is just under the 12 month average of 142.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales saw a healthy uptick in December to 13. This was the best performance since September 2011 and is on par with the 12 month average.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales were up slightly to 5 in December. This was up one over November, but was also one of the weakest performing months.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 88.9% - This is a pretty typical figure for this price point.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $2,000,000 - $2,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: As we have seen with the other price points, inventory was down at the end of December. Here, homes were down slightly, but it was still above the 12 month average of 132.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were up by one at the end of the month to 3. This is more or less what we have been seeing for the last several months, but is still below the 12 month average of 5.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Only two homes sold in this price point in December. This is the second lowest sales month of 2011 and is well behind the 12 month average of 5.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 92.0% - This is the highest we have seen this ratio in 2011. On average, buyers were able to get an 8% discount off of asking.

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory decreased to 89 at the end of December. This puts us back to August 2011 levels.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: There was only one pending sale in this price point at the end of the month.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: A total of 4 homes were sold in December, which is the highest we have seen since June 2011.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 86.1% - This ratio bounces around a bit, but December was pretty typical.

Overall, December 2011 was a decent month for the luxury home market. Inventory was down, but that could be attributed to listing agreements that were set to expire on December 31st. Pending and actual home sales were mixed, but we did see some interesting glimmers here and there. We also saw the $3 million and above market have a great sales month.

To see the detailed data behind this report, please visit my Scottsdale luxury real estate market reports page and click on the "Scottsdale Market Trends" report.

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 1/1/2012 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 © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Sales – December 2011

Heather Tawes Nelson — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:18:00 GMT

Here are the results for the final month of 2011 for the Scottsdale and Phoenix luxury condo market. The end of the year was decent for the luxury condo segment. For the purposes of this analysis, I am considering the luxury condo market as condominiums for sale with list prices of over $1 million.

Pending Luxury Condo Sales - At the end of the year, there were two pending condo sales in the luxury price point. Both of the pending sales were in Scottsdale. The first was a unit at Safari Drive in Downtown Scottsdale. It was a three bedroom, three and one-half bathroom unit with 2,610 square feet. The list price was $1,050,000. The second pending sale was at Landmark Condos in the Kierland area of Scottsdale. This one was a large unit with 4,065 square feet and four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The asking price was $2,541,000.

December 2011 Luxury Condo Sales – There was a single luxury condo sale in December 2011. This unit was at Optima Camelview in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale. This condo had three bathrooms, two bedrooms and 2,190 square feet. The asking price was $1,328,000 and the final sales price was $1,175,000.

December 2011 was decent month for the performance of Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condo sales. At the end of the year, we found ourselves with a luxury condo sale as well as two pending luxury condo sales. Based on these figures, we should see a decent sales month in January of 2012.

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 1/1/2012 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix over the past 12 months. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes.
Copyright © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Single-Family Homes for Sale – December 2011

Heather Tawes Nelson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:58:00 GMT

Here are the results from the final month of 2011 for Scottsdale AZ real estate. This analysis is an overview of 2011 single-family Scottsdale home sales as well as homes currently for sale in Scottsdale. The data is broken into monthly increments and covers the last 12 months.

The homes are broken into three categories of information. The categories include Scottsdale homes currently on the market, pending home sales in Scottsdale and home sales that closed in December.

December 2011 Highlights for Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale:

Active Scottsdale Homes for Sale: Inventory took a dip at the end of the month to 1,682. This is a positive sign, but could be attributed to listing expiration dates at the end of the year versus inventory absorption.
Pending Homes Sales in Scottsdale: Pending sales were down to their lowest level in 2011. A lot of this can be based on seasonality in that potential buyers are holding off until the new year.
Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales saw a nice jump up in December to 395, a 21.5% increase over November. This was a nice way to end the year as sales were the highest they have been since August of 2011.
Sales Price to List Price: 94.5% - This is a pretty solid figure. It has been tracking in the 94% range for the last three months.

Overall, December 2011 was a decent month to end 2011 Scottsdale AZ real estate sales. Inventory figures headed back down and sales had a very healthy uptick. The one dark note is that pending sales were the lowest they have been in a year, which does not bode well for January Scottsdale home sales.

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 1/1/2012 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. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes.
Copyright © 2012 Heather Tawes Nelson

Dawn in Scottsdale Arizona - Photo

Heather Tawes Nelson — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:19:00 GMT

Here is a photo I took the other morning from our backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona. The sun was just coming up over the mountains and I could see Pinnacle Peak in the distance.

The sky was just turning from dark blue to a serious of gorgeous reds, pinks and yellows mixed into the clouds. The saguaro cactus was highlighted beautifully as the desert was just starting to wake up.

The lifestyle in Scottsdale, Arizona is hard to beat and it is morning views like this that only make me realize how truly fortunate I am to live here.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

My Favorite Things to Eat in Scottsdale AZ - Part 1

Heather Tawes Nelson — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:32:00 GMT

If you do a quick review of my previous posts, you can see that I really enjoy dining at local restaurants. I thought for today, I could present a short list of five of my favorite things to eat in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas.

Here they are in no particular order.

1) When you eat at Bourbon Steak at the Scottsdale Princess resort, you are served some of the most delicious sampler of Duck Fat Fries. The fries are cooked in duck fat and are prepared three ways with three different dipping sauces. The first preparation is paprika fries with BBQ dipping sauce. The second is herb fries with an onion-enhanced ketchup. The final preparation is my personal favorite. It is truffle fries with a truffle aioli.

2) Zinc Bistro in Kierland Commons serves one of my all-time favorite sandwiches for lunch. Called the Basiled Chicken and Brie Sandwich, is a chicken *** with brie, basil and mushrooms on deliciously crunchy bread. It is heavenly and feel free to order a side of pommes frites to complete your meal. Update: As of my last visit, they had updated this sandwich a little. Rather than mushroom and basil, they are now using tomatoes and arugula. It was also quite tasty.

3) On the super decadent and rarely offered side, Binkley's in Cave Creek serves a White Truffle Risotto that is out of this world. It is only offered for a limited amount of time based on the season for white truffles. It is not an inexpensive dish, but it is something you have to try at least once.

4) The Scones at the English Rose Tea Room in Carefree, Arizona. They are so simple, yet so delicious. Our favorite thing to order is the Cream Tea. With that, you get a pot of tea, two enormous scones, Devon cream and strawberry preserves.

5) Yogurtology Frozen Yogurt. There are several of these stores all over Scottsdale and this is one of my favorite places to stop by and get my "sweet fix" without feeling guilty. They consistently offer a large variety of creative flavors and change them up quite often. Some of my favorites are the Oatmeal Cookie, Tiramisu and Mint Chocolate. They also have flavors to tie in with the season. For instance, the last time I was in, they had a gingerbread yogurt offering.

So this was just Part 1 of some of my favorite things to eat in Scottsdale. Please feel free to add any of your favorite "bites" to the comments. It is always fun to discover new things to try in Scottsdale and beyond.

Originally posted on Live Better in Scottsdale

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – November 2011

Heather Tawes Nelson — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:49:00 GMT

Here are the results for Scottsdale AZ luxury home sales in November 2011. This report is considers the luxury home market as homes for sale with asking prices in excess of $1 million. The categories in this report include Scottsdale single-family luxury homes for sale, pending home sales and luxury homes sales in Scottsdale over the previous 12 months.

- November 2011 -

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 - $1,499,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was up again for the fourth month in a row to 203 homes on the market. It was only up slightly though and is still behind the 12 month average of 221.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales dropped significantly to 11. This is the lowest they have been in the last 12 months. The 12 month average is 23.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Eighteen homes sold in November in this price range. This is the highest it has been in the last 4 months, but is still just below the 12 month average of 20.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 95.2% - In November, this ratio was 95.2%. This is the quite a bit higher than it has been in the last 12 months.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 - $1,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: The number of homes on the market in this price range in November increased to 140. This figure has been increasing for the past 5 months, but is still below the 12 month average of 145.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were up in November to 9. This is positive news, but it is still behind the 12 month average of 12.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Only 4 homes sold in November in this price point. This is the lowest it has been in the past year and is one half of the 12 month average of 8.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 87.2% - This figure came in at 87.2%, which is pretty standard for this price range.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $2,000,000 - $2,999,999
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was up in this category as well to 141. This is the highest it has been since April 2011. And, this number now exceeds the 12 month average of 133.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were down by 1 after four months of the same figure. This is the lowest it has been in the last year.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales were up in November for this price point to 4. This is considerably better than October's single sale, but it still trails the 2 month average of 6 sales.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 86.6% - This is pretty normal for this price range.

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+
- Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was down to 93 at the end of November. This figure is still below the 12 month average of 100.
- Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending home sales stayed the same as October at 2. This is just below the 12 month average of 3.
- Scottsdale Homes Sold: There were two home sales in excess of $3 million in November. This is just below the 12 month average of 3 sales.
- Sales Price to Listed Price: 89.7% - This is the highest this ratio has been in the last 12 months.

November 2011 was not the best for the Scottsdale AZ luxury home market. The number of homes on the market continued to creep up, but for the majority of price segments, they were still below the 12 month average. Pending sales were off significantly in the $1 to $1.5 million range. However, in the $1.5 to $2 million range, they were up a bit. Home sales in November were average. Pending sales activity would indicate that December sales will more or less be lower.

To see the detailed data behind this report, please visit my Scottsdale luxury real estate market reports page and click on the "Scottsdale Market Trends" report.

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 12/1/2011 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 © 2011 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale and Phoenix Luxury Condo Market - November 2011

Heather Tawes Nelson — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:29:00 GMT

Here are the luxury condo sales results for November 2011 for the Phoenix and Scottsdale market. This was a much better month for the luxury condo market in these two cities. I am defining the luxury condo market as condos with list prices above $1 million dollars.

Pending Luxury Condo Sales - At the end of November, there was one pending luxury condo sale. The unit is located at Optima Camelview in Scottsdale and has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and is 2,190 square feet. The asking price was $1,328,000.

November 2011 Luxury Condo Sales – After coming off of an October without any sales, it was refreshing to see two sales in November. Both sales took place in the Kierland area, which is also home to the newer Scottsdale Quarter shopping and dining venue. The first sale was at the Kierland Lofts. This condo had two bedrooms, two and one-half bathrooms and was 2,090 square feet. It sold for list price at $1,295,000. The second sale was across the way at The Landmark Condominiums. This sale was for a three bedroom, three and one-half bathroom, 3,604 square foot unit. The sales price was $1,660,000, just off of the asking price of $1,695,000.

November 2011 was a non-eventful month for Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condo sales. We do have one pending sale that ideally will close in December, getting sales activity on the books again.

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 12/1/2010 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix over the past 12 months. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes.
Copyright © 2011 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Single-Family Homes for Sale – November 2011

Heather Tawes Nelson — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:48:00 GMT

Here are November 2011's results for the Scottsdale AZ real estate market. This analysis looks at single-family Scottsdale homes for sale as well as home sales in Scottsdale on a monthly basis for the past 12 months.

There are three categories of information in this report. They include Scottsdale homes currently on the market, pending home sales in Scottsdale and home sales that closed in November.

November 2011 Highlights for Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale:

Active Scottsdale Homes for Sale: The number of homes on the market was up slightly by 6 homes to 1,782. This is the third month in a row inventory has increased, but it is still below the 12 month average of 2,020.
Pending Homes Sales in Scottsdale: Pending sales were up 8.2% over October to 449. This is below the 12 month average of 522.
Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales were down in November, which was to be expected from the lower pending sales figure we saw in October. 325 homes sold in Scottsdale in November, trailing the 12 month average of 416.
Sales Price to List Price: 94.7% - This is the highest this has been in the last 12 months, indicating buyers are getting less of a discount off of asking price. This is also the second month in a row where this was in the 94% range.

November 2011 was an average month for Scottsdale AZ home sales. Inventory was more or less flat. Pending sales were up a little, which was nice to see as this should translate into better home sales figures for December.

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 12/1/2011 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. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes.
Copyright © 2011 Heather Tawes Nelson