A surprise blanket of snow greeted residents of Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona this morning.
Frost Delay at Desert Mountain Scottsdale Today?
Things To Do in Scottsdale AZ – March and April 2011
As the weather warms up and we head into Spring, there are plenty of upcoming things to do in Scottsdale, Arizona. This post will focus on a few of the many events on tap for March and April 2011 in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas.
- Enjoy pre-season baseball with Spring Training games. Spend the afternoon watching teams like the World Champion San Francisco Giants, the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks play. Even better, Scottsdale is debuting a brand new stadium this year just off of the 101 Freeway.
- It is the season of the outdoor art show and there are two excellent, large shows going on in Scottsdale right now. The first is the Arizona Fine Art Expo at Mac Donald’s Ranch at Jomax and Scottsdale Road (through April 3rd) and the other is the Celebration of Fine Art event at Scottsdale and Mayo Roads (through March 27th).
- Don’t miss the Parada del Sol Rodeo going on from March 4 through March 6th. Watch bull and bronco riding first hand and enjoy the barrel racing and the clowns antics during this event at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
- Looking to cool off a little and have some fun? On March 5, the Great Arizona Beer Festival will take place at the Tempe Beach Park in Tempe. Over 200 beers will be available to sample and there will be live music. Even better, the proceeds go to support a local charity called Sun Sounds of Arizona.
- On March 5th and 6th, head down to the 53rd Annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market at the Heard Museum in Downtown Phoenix. There will be over 700 artists in attendance, live performances, food and music.
- If musical theater is of interest, the Fiddler on the Roof will be at the ASU Gammage Theater from March 29th through April 3rd. This musical is a favorite of many and is sure to entertain.
- Looking to mix a good cause with some celebrity sightings? On March 19th, the Celebrity Fight Night will take place at the Desert Ridge Marriott in North Phoenix. Proceeds will benefit the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute.
- Travel back in time with the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Taking place on weekends through April 3rd in Apache Junction, the Arizona Renaissance Festival features hundreds of artisans and shopping booths as well as great entertainment and tons of dining options.
- Visit one of the many Farmer’s Markets that go on all over the Valley virtually every day of the week. One of my favorites is the Old Town Scottsdale Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings. There is also a Friday Farmer’s Market in downtown Carefree at the Sundial from 9AM-1PM.
These events are only a small fraction of things going on this season in Scottsdale. Please feel free to share any events to the comment area of this post.
Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Please check directly with event organizers for more details.
Scottsdale AZ Home Sales By Type – Includes Foreclosures & Short Sales – Q4 2010
– Q4 2010 Scottsdale Home Sales –
At the end of Q4 2010, I researched Scottsdale AZ home sales and looked at how homes on the market and sales activity broke out into the different types of sales we are seeing so frequently these days. I also took a look at this same data for the North Scottsdale zip codes of 85255, 85266 and 85262.
The three categories of home sales and how I am defining them are as follows:
– Non-Distressed Sales – These are the “traditional” or “regular” home sales.
– Short Sales – These sales are where homeowners are trying to sell the home for less than is owed. These transactions require their lender’s approval.
– Foreclosures – These are homes where the lender has conducted a foreclosure and now owns the home. You will see them referenced as “Lender-Owned”. You may also hear them called “REO‘” homes or “Bank-Owned” homes.
Overall Findings for Q4 2010 – Scottsdale Single-Family Home Market – As of January 1, 2011
- Active Scottsdale Homes For Sale: The majority of active homes were regular sales at 73%. Short sales were next followed by lender-owned at only 10% of the inventory.
- Pending Homes for Sale: Pending home sales at the end of Q4 in Scottsdale were more evenly distributed. However, you can see the popularity of the distressed inventory. While only 17% of the active listings were short sales, they accounted for 35% of the pending sales. Similarly, foreclosures were only 10% of the for sale market, but accounted for 25% of home sales.
- Q4 2010 Scottsdale Home Sales: Over half of Q4’s home sales were regular homes sales. Foreclosure homes came in second with 29% of home sales and then there were short sales with 20%.
- Home Prices: If you look at the average square feet of sold homes in Q4, all three categories were very similar with about 2,900 square feet. As is to be expected, the average price of sold homes in Q4 was highest with regular Scottsdale home sales. And, short sales prices and foreclosure prices also came in as we would expect. Short sale’s average sales price was about $100K below the non-distressed home price and the lowest average sales price and about $125K off of the average home price of regular sales as the foreclosure average price.
- Days on Market: As we would expect, short sales had the longest average cumulative days on market at a little over 6 months. Regular sales and lender-owned homes were pretty close at around 4.5 months on the market on average.
- Discounts Off of List Price: As we have seen all year, the largest discounts off of asking price have been with regular sales The average discount was about 8% off of list price. In these cases, buyers are negotiating directly with the seller versus having to get approval from a third party or corporate entity. For short sales and lender-owned properties, the average discount was smaller at about 6% off of list price.
Here is the same information broken out by three of North Scottsdale’s top zip codes – 85255, 85266 ad 85262.
While general trends for each of these zip codes are similar to what we are seeing in Scottsdale as a whole, it is interesting to see the variations between the three zip codes.
SCOTTSDALE ZIP CODE 85255
SCOTTSDALE ZIP CODE 85266
SCOTTSDALE ZIP CODE 85262
Previous Reports
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for Q3 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for Q2 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for Q1 2010
View Scottsdale Home Sales by Type for 2009
Disclaimer: Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 1/1/2011 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and 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. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Copyright © 2011 Heather Tawes Nelson
Whisper Rock in Scottsdale AZ – 2010 Home Sales Results
Whisper Rock is an elegant golf community in North Scottsdale, Arizona. Homes and homesites in Whisper Rock wind between the two private golf courses designed by Tom Fazio and Phil Mickelson. Since Whisper Rock is nestled into the foothills, many homes enjoy wonderful valley views, city light views and Black Mountain views.
Here are the results for 2010 home sales in Scottsdale’s Whisper Rock. This first chart breaks home sales activity down by each quarter and then has a 2010 summary.
As you can see, with the exception of Q3, Whisper Rock home sales were pretty even throughout the year at about 4 per quarter. Average sales price dipped over the course of the year, but rebounded somewhat in Q4, but that could also correspond to the average square footage of the homes being sold. As the year progressed, buyers were able to negotiate larger average discounts off of asking price, with an overall average discount of 13% .
This second chart looks at current homes for sale in Whisper Rock. As of the date the information was pulled, there were no pending home sales.
About Scottsdale Arizona’s Whisper Rock Golf Community
Whisper Rock is an luxury golf community spread over 800 acres in North Scottsdale. Large lot sizes allow homeowners to enjoy privacy and beautiful desert landscaping. The design and variety of custom homes are truly elegant and you know you are visiting a special community. Whisper Rock amenities include a fitness center with pool and spa, miles of trails, tennis and basketball courts and so much more.
Golf membership at the Whisper Rock Golf Clubis by invitation only. Memberships are capped at 329 and golf members enjoy the challenging Upper and Lower courses designed by Fazio and Mickelson.
Search Whisper Rock Homes for Sale
Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2010, 7/1/2010, 10/1/2010, 1/1/2011 and 2/21/2011 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at home sale activity in the golf community of Whisper Rock in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2011 Heather Tawes Nelson
Estancia Golf Community in Scottsdale AZ- 2010 Home Sales Results
– 201o Home Sales in Estancia –
Estancia is an exclusive golf community spread over 640 acres in North Scottsdale. It is guard-gated, is home to an award-winning private golf course and enjoys spectacular mountain and city light views.
Below are the results for Estancia Scottsdale home sales in 2010. The information is broken into each quarter and then summarized in full-year data.
As you can see, Estancia home sales were very brisk at the beginning of the year with half of the sales coming in in the first quarter of 2010. They tapered off mid-year and then picked up again in the last quarter. Interestingly enough, the highest average sales price was in Q4. Throughout the year, many of the homes in Estancia sold for a significant discount off of asking price, with buyers averaging a 23% discount.
This next chart shows the current number of homes for sale at Estancia as well as pending home sales in Estancia as of February 2011.
About Estancia Golf Community in Scottsdale, Arizona
Estancia is an amazing golf community in the Troon area of North Scottsdale. Homes at Estancia are known for their elegance, impeccable construction and design, and many of the homes have outstanding valley and Pinnacle Peak views.
Estancia homeowners are not required to become members of the Estancia Golf Club, however many residents do choose to join the excellent club. The Estancia golf course was designed by Tom Fazio and has earned a number of awards. To preserve the intimacy of the club, memberships are capped at 325. The expansive, yet comfortable clubhouse is elegantly appointed. It has formal and casual dining areas, a pro shop, men’s and ladies’ locker rooms, a fitness center, swimming pool and much more.
Search for Estancia Homes for Sale
Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 1/1/2100 and 2/18/2011 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at home sale activity in the golf community of Estancia in Scottsdale, Arizona. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2010 Heather Tawes Nelson
Scottsdale Waterfront Residences
This is Scottsdale Waterfront Residences, a luxury condo community in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale.
What Will $1 Million Dollars Buy in a Scottsdale Home?
The lead headline today on the homepage of my web browser was all about how far your real estate dollar will go in today’s market. It inspired me to pull together a post about what kind of home a million dollars would buy in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Million dollar homes can be found all over Scottsdale. Whether it is a luxury condo in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale, an elegant townhome in Silverleaf or a lovely custom golf home in one of many private golf communities of North Scottsdale, there are lots of options to choose from when considering million dollar Scottsdale homes.
If you are curious, here is a link to search Million Dollar Homes in Scottsdale. This link will take you to a list of homes with asking prices of $950,000 to $1,050,000 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Southwestern Sidewalk in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ
A charming Southwestern-themed sidewalk in Old Town Scottsdale. There are lots of great mom and pop stores all over Old Town.
