As a homeowner and considering a short sale it is important you understand the process.  The following are some the most common mistakes agents and homeowners make when handling a short sale.

1.    Your Property is Priced Incorrectly

Pitfall:  Your Property is Priced Incorrectly

This is the most common mistake made with all properties, and the most common reason a property doesn’t sell.

Solution:    Agent Providing Understanding and Transparency

Your real estate agent will go through a detailed listing price strategy     with you, allowing you to see exactly where your property should be priced based on its current condition, sales in your area, and most importantly, how much time you have left to sell.

2.    Your Short Sale Proposal Is Incomplete

Pitfall:      Your Short Sale Proposal is Incomplete

This is one of the most frequently seen causes for the rejection of short sale proposals.  Most agents do not understand the short sale process and what your lender will be looking for.

Solution:         Understand All Aspects of the Process

Your agent should understand the short sale process in detail and be able to explain it clearly.  The agent should also be able to communicate effectively with both you and lenders to produce a complete and cohesive proposal.

3.    There Has Been Inadequate Follow-up and Communication

Pitfall:     There has been inadequate Follow-up and Communication

As your property goes through each stage of the short sale process, an agent can jeopardize the transaction by not properly communicating with everyone involved.  As the homeowner, you may not know that your file has been delayed, and that you again may run out of time to close and avoid foreclosure

Solution:     Select and Agent with Experience

The right agent knows exactly how to follow-up to ensure that your lender’s issues are addresses in a timely manner, and will make certain you do not have unnecessary delays.

4.    Not Enough Time

Pitfall:      There Isn’t Enough Time

It is critical that your agent understands the foreclosure laws in your area.  They should be able to show you an estimated timeline for the process, from start to closing.  In addition, they should know how to communicate with your lender.  Certain information can be provided to lenders to postpone your foreclosure for weeks or months in order to negotiate a sale.

Solution:         Provide Accurate and Useful Information

Make sure you provide your agent accurate information as to exactly how many payments your have missed and any correspondence you have received from your lender.  This will allow your agent to understand your situation and work to improve it.

5.    Your Deal is Not Submitted Properly

Pitfall:   Your Deal is Not Submitted Properly

If you do not follow the directions you receive for submission, then you are expecting an over-worked, under-staffed department to go out of their way to handle your file.  There is very little likelihood of this situation working out in your favor.

Solution:  Follow Instructions Closely

If you are instructed to fax your file, fax it and send a backup copy in the mail.  If you are instructed to mail two copies, mail tow copies.  When you reach the point of having a contract, all your information and a completed proposal, you do not want your deal to fall apart because no one sees it.

6.    The Buyer’s Offer is To Low

Pitfall:   The Buyer’s Offer is To Low

Many agents will encourage you to submit any offer that comes in.  The reality is that a short sale is not the same as a fire sale.  In order to have a legitimate chance of getting your deal approved, you must have an offer that is more attractive to the lender than a foreclosure.

Solution:          Proper Negotiation

The right agent will work with you to properly negotiate any offer that you receive to get “highest and best” from each potential buyer.  This ensures you are presenting the best possible solution to your lender.

7.    The Buyer’s Contract Is Not Strong Enough

Pitfall:    The Buyer’s Contract is Not Strong Enough

Especially in our current economic climate, willingness to make an offer on a property does not mean that a buyer is truly qualified to purchase.  The reality is that buyers need to be pre-approved for financing, closing funds must be verified, and their ability to buy needs to be confirmed.

Solution:   An Agent Familiar with Qualifying Buyers

Your agent should be familiar with what must be verified in order to qualify a buyer to submit an offer on your property.  Otherwise, these offers may have little chance of closing.  Don’t risk this process with an uneducated agent who does not appreciate this aspect of short sales.

While these pitfalls may seem troublesome, the right agent, an agent that has earned their Certified Distress Property Expert designation, someone like myself can help you navigate your way to a successful closing.  Please don’t endanger your financial future and the potential sale of your home to an agent who does not fully understand this process.

As a Certified Distress Property Expert, I have completed extensive training in the short sale process, and in assisting struggling homeowners who need real solutions.  I understand what you are going through, and I am here to serve and help save your family’s interests.  So if you are considering a short sale to avoid foreclosure, please give me a call anytime at 602-620-2168 or email me at alice@myhomeinscottsdale.com and we will do our best to guide through the entire short sale process.

Its A Good Life!

If you are like most people, you probably never purchased a foreclosure, but it is certainly worth considering.  Most people have heard about the traditional types of foreclosures, but the luxury home market has now been hit with this problem and it could be a great opportunity if you are in the market to purchase a home in Scottsdale.

Who wouldn’t want a vacation home or primary residence in Scottsdale? We are considered the most livable city in the West.  We have about 300 days of sunshine each year, world-class golf courses, 5 star resorts and restaurants, loads of parks and open spaces and our population does not exceed 200,000 people.  Visitors from all around the world flock her for the relaxed laidback atmosphere that we provide.  We are home to the Barrett-Jackson Car Show, FBR Golf Tournament, Arabian Horse Show, plus a whole lot more.

How Much You Can Save Buying a Foreclosure

Are you wondering how much you can save buying a foreclosure vs. traditional buying? Take a look at just a few of the foreclosures currently available.

A golf course house that is 2500 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, private pool, 3 car garage situated on an elevated golf course lot, previously sold at $660,000. is now on the market for $415,500.00

How about living at the Optima Camelview features over 1700 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, with mountain views and walking distance to Scottsdale Fashion Square previously sold at $1,100,000.00 it is now only $505,000.  What a deal.

How about a 1.1 acre lot to build your dream home on that was previously sold for $195,000. is now on the market for $19,900.00.  Can you believe that price!

With such a wide range of properties available, your biggest obstacle will be which property to choose. If you thought you couldn’t afford living on a golf course lot or water front property, it’s time to consider a Scottsdale foreclosure. You could be on your way to making Scottsdale your permanent home or favorite vacation home away from home.

So if you want to take advantage of this luxury housing opportunity in Scottsdale, please give us a call at 602-620-2168 anytime.  We would be happy to help you find a great foreclosure in Scottsdale.

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy.

“Sales are up.”  “Sales are down.”  “Prices are up.”  “Prices are down.”  So what is it?  Actually all of these statements are true.  One our favorite phrases “it depends” sums up what is going on in our current real estate market. Whether sales are up or down or whether prices are up or down, it just depends on what segment of the market you are looking at. The residential market in the Greater Phoenix area is a mixed market of homes.  Hopefully the following information will help bring some clarity to the confusing opening statements.

The number of residential sales for August was down to just above 8,000 homes sold in August for a decrease of 11.6% from July Sales.  Still this was the fifth consecutive month in a row with sales of homes over 8,000 with three of the five months having sales over 9,000 homes sold. 

Lender owned sales have dropped somewhat while on the other hand short sale transactions have increased.   This maybe due to the fact the lenders are willing to wait for a homeowner to try and sell their property versus foreclose on the property and take it back and then place it on the market for sale.  We are seeing this to more of the trend that banks are following.

In August 2008 there were 357 sales of homes between $50,000 to $99,9999 price range compared to 1,457 homes sold in August 2009 in the same price range.  Yes things are looking up.

The home sales median price went up $1,000 in August over July.  The median price of $126,000 (Greater Phoenix area) in August is up 9% or $9,000 over the median price of $116,000 in April of this year.  Have we already bottomed out?

On the other hand, the median price of $126,000 in August 2009 is down 30% or $59,000 when compared to August 2008 when it was $185,000.  So I am confused, are things getting better or getting worse? “It depends.”

Demand for lender owned properties has been hot and the supply for these homes has decreased on the other hand, short sale supply continues to increase.  The values of these properties however may decrease as well.  If this happens, short sale lenders may further drop the dollar amount they will take on a short sale to get their short sale properties sold.  If short sale prices fall far enough, buyers will perceive the purchase of a short sale as a great value and the competition for them will go up, just like it did on lender owned properties. 

Lender owned property sales has dropped as a percentage of the total number of monthly sales for the fifth month in a row (April thru August).  In March, 2 out of 3 sales were lender owned while in August 1 out of 2 sales was lender owned.  The number of short sales closings went up every month so far this year. 

So we are seeing inventory declining and sales going up in most cases but why is there still no relief in site?  Our guess is we appear to be stabilizing the market somewhat and by doing so, we should start to see some appreciation of values on recent sales.  If whatever goes up, must come down, hopefully we’ve been down long enough and its time to go up again.

Listing supplies are down because as stated above, buyers perceived the purchase of lender owned properties as a great value.  The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service shows residential sales for the last 6 months (March thru August) at 51,913 or 8,652 per month.  The home sales median price for this time period was $121,733.  The last 6 month period in which there were more sales was June 2005 thru November 2005 at the peak of our real estate frenzy which there were 54,286 or 9,048 sales per month.  The home sales median price at that time was $254,833.

So have things gotten better or worse, well again it depends.  If you purchased a home at the top of our market in 2005 you have probably seen a dramatic decline in its overall value because of the bank owned and short sales properties that have flooded the market.

The majority of sellers out there are people who must sell because of some sort of distress.  They lost their job; the value of their home has dropped; their mortgage exceeds the value of the home; their interest rates have climbed to an unaffordable payment and the list goes on as to the many reasons why most sellers have some form of distress going on and that is why they are trying to sell their home.

We have lived in the same community for the past 8 years and during the last 18 months the only homes that have sold are the distressed bank owned or short sales properties.  A normal seller, ones without any distress going on seem to not have a chance these days. Again, because buyers are looking for the perceived deals and they seem to only focus on short sale and bank owned properties.   Hopefully by years end or the first quarter of 2010 the shift will occur and sales will increase across the board within all price ranges and the stabilization we are seeing now will turn into a market increase and the world will be a better place to live in.  Okay, sometimes you have to dream. 

Until next post, have a good one,

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy.

FAQ’s - Frequently asked questions about purchasing real estate in Arizona.

We have seen a significant amount of Canadians buying real estate here in Scottsdale, Arizona and the entire valley of the sun.  If you’re thinking about buying a vacation home or investment property here in Arizona, then you have come to the right place.  From time to time we’ve been asked from our Canadian clients many different questions about the buying and selling of real estate here in Scottsdale, Arizona. So in order to better serve our friends from across the border, we thought we would provide some informational facts that would help in the decision making process. 

Well to begin with not everything you may have heard about our real estate market is true.  Yes, we have had a significant down turn in our market over the last few years and have seen record levels of foreclosed homes.  Have we hit bottom?  Well, depending upon whom you talk with we may have already started to rebound.

Are there still deals out there and can we find a home below market value? Yes you can and we’ve assisted many Canadian’s like yourself find outstanding deals here in Scottsdale and the surrounding communities.  

In order to better serve you, here are some facts you need to know when purchasing property in Arizona.

Where do we start? 

First off, we recommend finding an experienced real estate agent that you can trust and rely upon for valuable information and “we” want to apply for that job!  We can guide you through the process of buying real estate here in Arizona.  If you choose to purchase a vacation home or investment property, we have the resources to assist you from start to finish.  We can recommend lenders, inspectors, title companies, property management services and contractors to you.

Whatever you need let us know and we will do our best to help you with your Arizona real estate.

Are there any restrictions for Canadian buyers purchasing a home in Arizona?

There are no restrictions for foreign nationals buying property here in Arizona that we are aware of.

If I don’t want to pay cash can I obtain financing to buy in Arizona?

Yes, we have many lenders that we work with that can obtain a suitable mortgage when purchasing a home in Arizona.  If you want to obtain a mortgage in Arizona you will need the following information before a lender can assist you.

1.      Copies of passport and visa.

2.      Last two pay stubs.

3.      Last two bank statements.

4.      Last two years tax returns, if self employed a letter from an accountant stating how many years you’ve been in business, and business tax returns.

5.      Verification of two years of employment history.

6.      International credit report-lender will order.

7.      Set-up an American bank account to transfer funds.

8.      Down payment around 25% to 35% of total purchase price of home.

What costs are involved in purchasing a property in Arizona?

Most of the cost involved in purchasing a property will be fees that you pay to the lender, which is primarily done through a title company.  Arizona is a title bearing state and we do not use Attorney’s to process our real estate purchase and sale contracts.  This in itself will save you some money.

You will also most likely pay for a home inspection, termite inspection, an appraisal, the escrow (title) fees, title insurance, recording fees, property taxes and homeowner’s insurance.  A good rule of thumb is to figure your closing costs will be approximately 3% of the purchase price. This cost will be considerably less if you are paying cash.  It will be around 1% of the purchase price for cash buyers. 

Arizona does not have a real estate transfer tax and the Sellers pay for all real estate commissions.

What about property taxes in Arizona?

Good question.  You will be pleased to know how low our property taxes are.  Each city and county will vary slightly, but taxes are usually around .8 to 1.5% of the assessed value of the property.  Taxes are re-evaluated every 24 months in Maricopa County.

Are Canadian buyers subject to capital gains tax when their Arizona property is sold?

The foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) imposes a U.S. tax on income and gains from real estate owned by “non-resident aliens” at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons.  It is recommended you consult with an accountant or lawyer for more details. 

Can I lease my property out when not in use?

Yes.  Typically, our rentals are done either furnished for a short-term basis (1 to 4 months) or unfurnished (6 to 12 months) for a long-term basis.  If your property is located within a Home Owner Association Community, you will need to review your Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s) to determine the length of time you want to lease your property and assess any restrictions.

We have a very large seasonal rental pool here and have clients from around the world who visit sunny Arizona during the fall and winter seasons to enjoy our climate, golf, entertainment and recreational activities.

What is the best way to decide where to buy?

We suggest that you first consider what activities interest you, such as golfing, fine dining, shopping, hiking, tennis, arts or other entertainment venues.  Then, concentrate your search near where those activities are located.  For example, if golf is of the first priority, then North Scottsdale, Chandler or Gold Canyon maybe your first choice.  If art venues are your preference, then Old Town Scottsdale, Central Phoenix or Carefree maybe preferred.  We can assist you in locating the right residence for your tastes and budget.

Are HOA budgets and reserves readily available for my review?

Our real estate contracts are buyer friendly, meaning that you have an inspection period to not only review the condition of the property, but the HOA information before you move forward with the purchase of the home.  This protects you from buying into a community blindly and gives you a better state of mind that moving forward is a safe and secure investment.

Hopefully the above information has helped with some of the confusion you may have heard in the past about buying a home in Arizona.  We’ve been assisting our Canadian clients for more than 15 years successfully buy and sell real estate here in Arizona and are confident we can do the same for you.

Please feel free to give us a call anytime at 602-620-2168 or send us an email at office@myhomeinscottsdale.com and we would be happy to answer any of your questions and would be honored to assist you with your home purchase here in sunny Arizona.

The economy maybe showing some signs for recovery, but thousands of homeowners across Arizona moved closer to losing their homes last month.

Arizona had the third-highest foreclosure rate in the United States in July, with one in every 135 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing, according to the latest market report from RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosure properties.

Foreclosure filings - default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - were reported on 19,694 properties statewide, up 17 percent from June and 47.5 percent from July 2008.

There was some evidence that the rate of increase slowed a little in June, but that wasn’t the case last month, said Daren Blomquist, RealtyTrac spokesman.

“There was a short period where they weren’t increasing quite as quickly, but at least in July they’re back to pretty sharp increases on a year-over-year basis,” he said. “We’re hearing that home sales are up in Phoenix right now, and there are some signs that home prices might be stabilizing, which is good news. So Phoenix would be one of those markets that we might expect to see a turnaround in the foreclosure numbers. But we haven’t seen it yet.”

Scheduled auctions, the first public record in the Arizona foreclosure process, jumped 25 percent from the previous month, while bank repossessions stayed flat. Only Nevada and California had higher state foreclosure rates.

“We’re putting more into the foreclosure pipeline even as we’re still trying to deal with the large numbers that are already in the pipeline,” Blomquist said.

Among metropolitan areas, Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale had the ninth-highest foreclosure rate, with one in every 109 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing.

Nationally, foreclosure filings were reported on 360,149 properties, with one in every 355 U.S. housing units receiving a foreclosure notice. That’s up nearly 7 percent from June and 32 percent from July 2008.

There’s no evidence yet that national foreclosure prevention programs have affected foreclosure filings, Blomquist said.

“We don’t see a quick end to this anytime in the next few months,” he said. “We expect the numbers to continue to be high through at least the end of this year.”

The Government mortgage intervention has had little impact on the locale real estate market.  Yes, there has been a significant amount of sales thus far this year compared to last year’s sales, but we continue to see potential buyers only looking for the “deals” and they think deals are only with distressed properties either short sale, pre-foreclosure or bank owned properties. 

We have seen some improvement with the short sale process taking less time to get an answer from the banks.  Hopefully in the future the banks will try and move those transactions along at a quicker pace, thus clearing up inventory and reducing the amount of time a buyer must wait to get an answer.

There maybe light at the end of the tunnel for the overall economy, but we feel the housing market still has some significant challenges ahead.

As Certified Short Sale Negotiators, we can help you if you are behind with your mortgage payments and want to avoid the foreclosure process.  Give us a call or send us an email, we would be happy to discuss your situation.  We are here to help you.

Until next post, have a good one,

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy

Are You Getting Crushed Under Your Housing Debt?

We Can Solve It!

Knowledge is Power…….

……..Be Empowered.

As you are no doubt aware, many homes today are not worth the amount owned to a mortgage lender.  If you count yourself in this situation.

Take a Breath.   You’re Not Alone.

Do You Have Enough Information To Make The Best Decisions?

We are Stephen and Alice Proski, Realtor’s with RE/MAX All Stars and we work with people like you everyday to help them discover the unique opportunities tied with today’s ever changing market.

Unfortunately, we also see homes lost and families devastated because the owners didn’t take advantage of the many options available to them, and we are left to wonder.

Why Not Take Action and Solve The Problem?

These homeowners had the same options you do now, yet they failed to act.  Perhaps they didn’t have the information they needed to make an informed decision and therefore made no decision at all.  You do not have to let this happen to you.  You have the ability to take control of the situation through knowledge and understanding.

Whether we help you work with your lender, locate new financing or selling your property, resolving the issue to your satisfaction is always

our top priority.  You and only you have the ability to make the most of these trying times.

But You Must Take The First Step.

Check out the information provided below and if you like what you see, call us to arrange a no-obligation meeting.  We will review your personal situation and your goals with your property.  We can then begin working through the solutions, giving you all the information you need to make the smartest decisions.  The sooner we begin, the more success we will have.

You Don’t Have To Do This Alone  -  We Can Help!

The percentage of homeowners behind on their mortgages last year alone rose to the highest level in 10 years, as layoffs and a shrinking economy left more families in financial crisis.  More and more families face real problems in today’s worsening economy.  Many can’t recover from even minor setbacks and unexpected financial surprises.

We are a specialized team of professionals designed to provide homeowners with objective information, counseling and assistance on ALL their options in a mortgage debt situation.  We believe a short term problem should not cause you a long term financial disaster.  We have the people and resources available to help you fully understand and resolve your mortgage debt situation in a logical and systematic manner.

With so many stories in the paper and on the news, it can be hard to determine what you need to do.  We will work with you to identify qualifying programs that match your financial situation.

The President’s Plan.

1)                Working it out with Your Lender

All Lenders that accepted Government Bailout funds are required to adhere to specific Mortgage Modification guidelines under the Homeowner Affordability and Stabilization Plan. 

Lenders will complete the forfeitures on your property only if and when all other options have been exhausted.  Many more are required by their investors or insurers to assist homeowners who have fallen behind.

Your Lender’s ultimate goal is to resolve the delinquent payments.  The Government has now supplied the tools needed to help restructure your loan and resolve potential problems.  This can be don through loan modifications.  This is the most cost effective solution for you.  Our specialized Attorney’s understand your lender and are ready to get to work for your benefit.

2)                Third Party Assistance

There are multiple third party assistance programs, both public and private, that are designed to assist homeowners facing hardship. But, not all programs are for all people and time is one thing we can’t waste.  We can assist you in finding the people and agencies that may have funds and programs available for your special circumstances.

3)                New Financing

We work with lenders and mortgage brokers to help you locate the financing you need.  We can help you negotiate with your lender to resolve negative equity in your property and locate the best loan programs for you.

4)                Bankruptcy Protection

Bankruptcy protection for the right reasons makes sense for some people.  Perhaps your financial crisis is such that you need court ordered protection to get back on your feet.  If you think your financial situation cannot be resolved through the above approaches, our attorneys can meet with you free of charge to discuss your rights and obligations under a Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing.

     5)                Short Selling the Property

If you decide that keeping your property is not an option, we want to be your Real Estate Professionals.  We can provide you with world class service and will earn your trust through our Results driven system.  We work with specially trained negotiators that understand you and know how to optimize your position.  We will exceed your expectations and assure you a professional transaction when it matters so much.  This is no time for the mistakes or excuses of amateurs.  Call Stephen and Alice Proski today at 602-620-2168 the agents with answers.

Creating Trust Through Results

Our local real estate market has been heating up since the beginning of the year.  We are seeing multi buyers trying to obtain the same houses time and time again.   Inventory has been declining and prices seem to be holding firm.  The number of bank owned or foreclosed homes has declined significantly and in prices under $300,000.00 we are seeing more of a Sellers market versus a Buyers market.

Investors have returned to pick-up great deals and before you know it, we may have already recovered from a down real estate market.

Despite all the real estate rescue plans that have been implemented by the U.S. Government, the one demographic that seems to have been overlooked at this time has been the higher-priced loans.

First of all, the higher priced jumbo loans do not qualify for the mortgage loan modification programs that were implemented by President Obama. If homeowners try to refinance those loans they can’t get today’s low interest rates.  With newly cautious lenders warier about who they lend to, just to sell a home that costs $700,000.00 or more these days is a challenge.

Our luxury home inventory is steadily climbing because Buyers can not get the same loan programs from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  In many cases, finding a Buyer who can get financing takes far longer than the lower-priced homes, because banks want as much as 30% down with six months of mortgage payments in reserve.

The result is a housing market in which sales and purchases of higher priced homes have come almost to a standstill and it’s a predicament that could undermine the housing recovery throughout the United States.  Move up Buyers, (homeowners who want to buy larger, pricier homes) are getting locked out by lack of financing.  Too many unsold homes in the upper tier of the market also can push down prices for homes in the mid-price range.

To bring this into perspective, currently we have about a 1 month supply of inventory for homes that are priced under $200,000.00.On the other hand homes that are priced above $1,000,000.00 in the metro Phoenix area has about a 45 month supply.

Loans up to $417,000.00 are considered “conforming “ and can be sold to companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who also guarantee them when they resell those mortgages to investors.  But after that, the situation is more complex.

The National Association of Realtors continue to press Congress and the Obama administration to increase the jumbo loan limits that Fannie and Freddie will guarantee and make them permanent.   If this occurs, it would help the luxury home market start to rebound and provide opportunities for both home buyers and sellers in every area of the real estate market not just the lower priced range homes.

Unless you have cash to buy a luxury home, (not too many people these days has a truck load of money lying around), it is difficult trying to obtain jumbo loans to purchase a home, thus clogging up the market even further.

We know that this only affects a small percentage of the population when it comes to buying and selling real estate, but we feel that if our economy is going to recover soon, the luxury real estate market needs a jumpstart otherwise, things could begin to look worse instead of getter better.

Until next post, have a good one,

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy

Sorry that we’ve not posted any new articles during the past 2 weeks, but we were out of town on a family vacation.

Well it’s that time of the year when the valley heats up and people are running for cover…….yes, we are into those dog days of summer when the temperature exceeds 100 degrees and there is no relief in sight.  The backyard pools are even hot to swim in and unless you can fit under a rock, the desert is hot and dry and you know why you live in Arizona.  We live here because we like the heat….ha! ha!.  No we don’t like snow that is why we live in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona.

Which brings me to a favorite place of our entire family.  A few years ago we were looking for somewhere to go to escape the heat of the summer and not have to drive 300 miles to do so.  Well, we drove south of Tucson and fell into a hole.  Yes, a hole in ground that has been attracting tourists, locals and scientist from around the globe.

Now that we got your interest, we want to tell you about a very special place in the desert where you can get cooled off during the hottest days of summer without leaving the State and explore the wonders of nature.  We are talking about Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Kartchner Caverns was discovered in 1974 by two amateur cavers Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen.  After exploring the caves for more than 4 years, they informed the owners of the property James and Lois Kartchner of their find in 1978. Ten years later, the cave’s were purchased by the Arizona State Park Service and their existence was finally made public.  Since then Kartchner Caverns have been explored by thousands of visitors.

Kartchner Caverns is home to:

·       One of the world’s longest soda straw stalactites: 21 feet

2 inches tall

·       The tallest and most massive column in Arizona, Kubla

Kahn: 58 feet tall

·       The world’s most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk

·       The first reported occurrence of “turnip” shields

·       The first cave occurrence of “birdsnest” needle quartz

formations

Many of these formations have been continuously growing for tens of thousands of years.  To protect the continual growth of these unusual formations, you are not allowed to touch these living and growing structures.  You can only few the caves by approved tour guides.

To learn more about the Kartchner Caverns and schedule a tour of this fantastic discovery, please call the Arizona Park Service at 520-586-2283 or visit their website at http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA

After visiting the park several times over the past 5 years, we always enjoy going back down into the caves and discovering the beauty that lies beneath our feet!

Until next post, be safe and enjoy the summer.

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy

Well it’s that time of year again…..summer!  Kids are out of school and everyone is thinking about taking their annual vacation.  With the state of the economy, we decided to stay home this year and check out some of the local attractions that will keep us cool for the next three months.

Living in a desert a good number of people laugh when we tell them we are boating over the weekend.  You live in a desert, where is the water?

Just 30 minutes north of Phoenix is situated one of the largest lakes in our area, Lake Pleasant.  The lake features over 50 miles of shoreline with 10,000 acres of crystal clear water fed primarily from the Aqua Fria River.

The lake was originally created in the 1920’s with the building of the Carl Pleasant Dam, which was later renamed as Waddel Dam.  Lake Pleasant is a water lover’s and boating enthusiast’s dream that includes camping, boating, house boating , sailing, horse back riding, water skiing, jet skiing and fishing.

Anglers have experienced trophy-size catches at the lake with a wide variety of sport fish including largemouth bass, white crappie, white bass, channel catfish and talapia.  Several creeks and washes feed into the lake and the feeding points are considered hot fishing spots.

You don’t need a boat on the water to enjoy the lake’s beauty.  Camping and hiking opportunities are in abundance.  Campers are picnickers can find both day and overnight campgrounds able to accommodate large and small groups as well as tents and RV parking.  The Roadrunner Camp grounds has 72 RV sites with water and electricity hookups.  Covered picnic tables, barbeque grills along with restroom and shower areas are available.

If you don’t want to rough it, the Lake Pleasant Harbor and Marina boasts a 5 star RV Resort which features 254 full hook-up RV sites and 40 partial sites.  There is a heated pool and clubhouse for your enjoyment if you don’t want to swim with the fishes J.  The lake is open year round, but during the hot summer months, the lake can reach its capacity and visitors are turned away, so you need to arrive early if you don’t want to make a u-turn and go home L.

We hope to see your greased up sun tanned bodies out at the lake this summer.  Just look for us on our jet ski……you can’t miss us, we will be dressed in are cool blue suits and dark sun glasses!  For more information about Lake Pleasant, we suggest you check out: http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant/

Until next post, be safe and enjoy the summer.

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy

Alice and I have lived in the Phoenix area for more than 20 years and we continue to visit one of the most interesting and beautiful places on a regular basis when we feel the need to relax and unwind.  Where is this special place you ask?  It is the Phoenix Botanical Gardens. 

Nestled amid the red buttes of Papago Park, the Desert Botanical Garden hosts one of the world’s finest collections of desert plants. One of only 44 botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums, this one-of-a-kind museum showcases 50 acres of beautiful outdoor exhibits. Home to 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from around the world, the Garden offers interesting and inspiring experiences to more than 300,000 visitors each year.

We live in one of the best places in the Southwest and would guess that most people who make Phoenix their home have never visited this calm and tranquil garden park.  From the summer jazz series, walking tours, eco camps for kids, flash light event and many other cultural events that are hosted at the Phoenix Botanical Garden, this place can be appreciated and enjoyed by everyone. www.dbg.org

A charter member of the Museum Association of Arizona and National Center for Plant Conservation, the Garden is fully accredited with the American Association of Museums and American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. It continues to build on its 63-year legacy of environmental stewardship, and has become nationally and internationally renowned for its plant collections, research and educational programs.

We know times are hard these days and everyone is trying to save money, but this is the time of year when families take their summer vacations and we all look for things that will cool us down from the summer heat.  If you want to try something new and be amazed at the wonders of our Sonoran Desert, then take some time out this summer and spend a day or evening at the Phoenix Botanical Garden.  We know you will love it and come back time and time again like we have over the past 20 years.  We never get tired of enjoying the beauty of the desert and we don’t have to drive endlessly to find it.  Located only minutes away from your own backyard and if you have extra time and want to make a long day of it, stop by the Phoenix Zoo which is just around the corner for the Botanical Garden.  The Garden also has an outstanding cafe that features some wonderful tasty treats for all to enjoy!  Hope to see you there this summer?

Until next post, have a good one,

Life is Good!

Stephen and Alice

p.s. Don’t forget to head over and take a look at our home away from home:  www.myhomeinscottsdale.com website for anything you need related to buying or selling your home!  Enjoy