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Halloween Events in Scottsdale – 2016

September 28, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– 2016 Halloween Events In and Around Scottsdale –

It is that time of year again… Halloween and Fall Festivals are coming to Scottsdale and the surrounding areas.

Here are some events going on around the Valley:

MacDonald’s Ranch Annual Pumpkin Festival – October 1st-31st – It is back! This is one of my favorite Halloween/Fall events in Scottsdale. Head over to MacDonald’s Ranch and hop on a hayride and head out to pick your pumpkins. While you are there, grab a bite to eat, visit the petting zoo, run through the hay bale maze and so much more. (Closed Tuesdays)
Pumpkin and Chili Festival at Schnepf Farms – October 1st – 30th – Weekends – Schnepf Farms will be hosting its annual event. Attendees can attempt the corn maze or hay bale maze, ride on many attractions, hop on a hayride, take in a show and more.
Carefree’s Enchanted Pumpkin Garden – October 17th-31st – Come see the amazing and whimsical pumpkin carvings of Ray Villafane and his team. There are several events planned over the course of the exhibition, including watching Ray carve live and food and beverages are available for purchase from local vendors. This free event is not to be missed.
The Great Pumpkin Festival at the Desert Botanical Garden – October 21st -23rd – Kids 12 and under can take a hayride and pick out a pumpkin. Other activities include games and pumpkin decorating and there will be multiple live music performances.
Howl-O-Ween at the Phoenix Zoo – October 28th-29th – The Phoenix Zoo is going all out again for Halloween. These family-friendly evenings will feature a dance party, trick or treating, magic shows, character visits, a jack-o-lantern path and so much more.
City of Scottsdale’s Fall Festival – October 29th – The event will take place at Eldorado Park on the evening of the 29th. There will be bounce houses, game booths, live entertainment and trick or treating.
Cave Creek Wicked – October 29th – Downtown Cave Creek will be the site of an all-day Halloween celebration. From 11AM to 4PM, there will be several family-friendly events and as they day turns into the evening, there are pub crawls and bar crawls for the grown-ups.
Nightmare on Princess Drive: Quarantined at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess– October 29th – This 21 and over event will feature a DJ and a lively costume contest.

And for those of you with strong constitutions who love to be frightened and scream your way through the season, here is a website that lists all of the haunted houses, zombie events and more: Arizona Haunted Houses

This is just a partial list, so if you have any events to add, please feel free to do so in the comment section.

Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Event dates, times and pricing subject to change.

Casting for Real Estate Home Transformation Show – Looking for Local Applicants

September 23, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

You May Be the Perfect Family for a Lifestyle TV Show About Home Transformations

We were recently contacted by Leftfield Entertainment, a production company that is looking to produce a new show about families in transition and home transformations. The show will feature families from all over the United States, but they are hoping to identify some candidates in the Scottsdale area and they asked us to spread the word.

They are looking for extended families where one of the children is moving back into their childhood home and the parents are moving out to a new place to start the next chapter of their lives.

The general gist is that the child moving back into the home they grew up in will be renovating it to suit their personal tastes. And, at the same time, the show will follow the parents as they search for their new home. The parents can be downsizing, moving into an active adult community and so on.

One of the requirements is that there is a child between ten and sixteen years old living full-time with the family. And if there are other children, either younger or older than this, that is fine.

As mentioned above, the show is being produced by Leftfield Entertainment, which focuses on lifestyle programming and has produced several well-recognized shows that have appeared on major cable networks such as The History Channel, Discovery and A&E. “Tiny House Nation” is one of their newer shows and “Pawn Stars” has been a huge hit.

For more information, please click on the flyer image. It has more detail on what they are looking for and what you need to do to apply. Your casting contact person is Desiree Kmiecik and her contact information is included on the flyer as well.

Good luck if this sounds like your family and you apply. It would be fun to see a local family featured on the show!

Things to Do in Scottsdale – October 2016

September 20, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– Scottsdale Events October 2016 –

It is hard to believe October is upon us! And with the cooler temperatures come lots of events and festivals.

October 1 – Chile Pepper Festival – Delight in all things chile at this Roosevelt Row event. Enjoy foods made with chiles, live music, cooking demonstrations, margaritas and more.
Ocotber 1 – 31 : MacDonald’s Ranch Pumpkin Festival : Mac Donald’s Ranch is back with its annual festival! Open everyday, except for Tuesdays, visitors can pick their pumpkins, take a hayride, go through the hay maze, visit the petting zoo, eat some BBQ and more.
October 5 – Best of Phoenix A’Fare: The Phoenix New Times is hosting the Best of Phoenix A’Fare at the Westin Kierland. Enjoy food and drinks from 40 top local restaurants and live entertainment. And, proceeds will go toward The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
October 5 – Twyla Tharp 50th Anniversary – An exciting evening will be had at the Mesa Arts Center as 50 years of Twyla Tharp’s dances and dancers hit the stage.
October 6-10 – Scottsdale International Film Festival – The 16th Annual Film Festival is back with screenings at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Harkins Shea 14 Theater. See the website for a list of all of the films.
October 8 – Oktoberfest for Parkinson’s – Head over to High Street in Phoenix to enjoy beer, food, music and friends at this annual event.
October 8-9 – Uncommon Markets – This art festival features works from fine art to original works with a fun twist. The event will take place at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick monthly after the October opening event.
October 14 – Taste of the Town – Another great food event is coming to Scottsdale Quarter and this one benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association,, Enjoy food and wine as well as a silent auction and raffle.
October 15-16 – Arizona Taco Festival -The 7th Annual Taco Festival is back and will be taking place at Scottsdale’s Salt River Fields. Come sample the best tacos from all over the Valley and enjoy live music, taco competitions and so much more.
October 15 – 16 – Willie Nelson & Family – Willie Nelson will be playing at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix for two nights.
October 18-23 – The Sound of Music – One of the most popular musicals of all time is coming to ASU Gammage.
October 21 – Empty Bowls – This wonderful event at Harold’s in Cave Creek benefits the Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center. Participants select a hand-crafted bowl and fill it with pasta. Once they have enjoyed their lunch, the bowl is theirs to keep.

As always, this is just a small list of things going on in and around Scottsdale in October. Please feel free to add any others into the comments section.

Quick Video Update of the Scottsdale Real Estate Market – August 2016

September 16, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– August 2016 Scottsdale Housing Market Video –

August 2016 – Video

Here is a one minute video overview of the Scottsdale, Arizona real estate market for the month of August.

Active Listings

This first image shows Scottsdale’s housing inventory at the end of August.

As you can see, it was down 8% when compared to the end of July. This is in line with seasonal patterns.

When you compare August 2016 to August 2015 (the first column), inventory was down 1%.

Median Listing Price

This second image shows the median list price for homes in Scottsdale. If you are not familiar with it, the median is the exact middle point. So half of the homes are priced higher and half of them are priced lower.

In August, the median list price came in just under $790K. This is quite a bit higher than August 2015’s $715K.

Days on Market

Days on Market (DOM) is a measure to see how quickly homes are selling in a given market. Low days on market indicate a fast-selling market, (demand high), and high days on market, (demand low), means homes are sitting longer before selling.

Days on Market came in at 112 for August 2016. This is up 7% from August 2015’s 105 days,

Median Sales Price for Scottsdale Homes

Here are median sales prices for Scottsdale homes. Similar to median listing prices, half of homes sold for a higher amount and half of homes sold for a lower amount.

August 2016’s median sales price was a little over $460K.

This is coming in lower than August 2015’s $465K and July 2016’s $510K.

Number of Homes Sold

These final two images look at the home sales that took place in Scottsdale. The top one is comparing 2015 to 2016 and the lower one is comparing July and August 2016.

Sales in August 2016 were up 17% over August 2015. This is a big jump, especially in a quieter time of year.

And month over month, we saw an 18% increase, another excellent performance.

We hope that you found this video and commentary helpful as you gather more information to make smart informed real estate decisions.

For more Scottsdale real estate information or if you have any questions about the local area, feel free to contact Joyce at (480) 209-7843 or Joyce@LiveBetterinScottsdale.com.

Click to watch other videos on our Live Better in Scottsdale YouTube Channel

Disclaimer: Data deemed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed.

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – August 2016

September 13, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market Performance for August 2016 –

August was a decent month for the under $2 million market, but the $2-$3 million market saw a drop in sales.

This monthly report takes a look at the real estate market activity of homes in Scottsdale priced over $1 million. To show how each segment of the market is performing, I have broken the information into four price bands:

Active – The number of homes for sale at the end of the month.
Pending – The number of pending sales at the end of the month.
Sold – The number of homes that sold during the month.

– AUGUST 2016 –

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 – $1,499,999

– Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory was down slightly at the end of the month to 273. This is in line with seasonal trends.
– Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales came in at 20, less than the 12 month average of 24.
– Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales saw a nice rebound after a drop off in July. 33 homes sold in August, well ahead of the 12 month average of 26.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 93.6% – On average, buyers saw a discount off of list price of 6.4%.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 – $1,999,999

– Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory continued its seasonal decline to 153 by the end of August.
– Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were up over the past two months to 10.
– Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales were up over the previous month to 10, just behind the 12 month average of 12.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 93.3% – On average, buyers saw a discount off of list price of 6.7%.

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $2,000,000 – $2,999,999

– Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: Inventory actually increased in this price range in August. However, it is still well below the 12 month average of 175.
– Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales were up by one to seven.
– Scottsdale Homes Sold: Sales saw a big drop in August, coming off of a very strong July. Only three homes sold, well below the 12 month average of 8.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 89.8% – On average, buyers saw a discount off of list price of 10.2%.

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+

– Active Scottsdale Homes on the Market: The number of homes for sale dropped slightly in August to 108.
– Pending Scottsdale Home Sales: Pending sales came in strong at 8, ahead of the 12 month average.
– Scottsdale Homes Sold: Three homes sold, which is solid for this price point.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 91.1% – On average, buyers saw a discount off of list price of 8.9%.

August was a decent month for the luxury home segment, in lieu of the fact that this is the slower time of year for activity.

If you would like additional detail on home sales activity, please visit our Scottsdale Luxury Home Market Reports page and click on the downloadable “Scottsdale Market Trends” report.

Search Scottsdale Luxury Homes for Sale

Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 9/1/2016 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.

Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Sales – August 2016

September 10, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– Luxury Condo Sales in Scottsdale and Phoenix – August 2016 –

August was a very quiet month for the luxury condo market in Scottsdale and Phoenix. However, this is a lull we see on a seasonal basis, versus a turn in the market.

In this analysis, I am looking at the sales activity of condos with list prices of $1 million or more.

ACTIVE LISTINGS AT THE END OF AUGUST

Inventory at the end of August was the same as it was at the end of July. Of the 35 units for sale, 24 were located in Scottsdale and 11 were located in Phoenix,

The highest priced condo on the market has held this spot for a couple of months now. Priced at just under $5 million, the Scottsdale Waterfront Residences penthouse has 3,940 square feet, three bedrooms and three and one-half bathrooms. As to be expected, the views of downtown Scottsdale and he surrounding valley are astounding.

And, the lowest priced luxury condo, coming in at $1,000,600, it also a carryover. Located in Portland on the Park, it comes with 1,940 square feet, three bedroom and three bathrooms.

PENDING LUXURY CONDO SALES IN SCOTTSDALE AND PHOENIX

There were seven condos in pending status at the end of August and all of them have been in this status for many months as they are awaiting completion of construction.

Scottsdale Pending Sales

Envy Residences is home to the single pending sale in Scottsdale. This unit is listed for $1,100,000 and has two bedrooms, two and one-half bathrooms with 1,764 square feet.

Phoenix Pending Sales

Two Biltmore Estates had four pending sales of its three and four bedroom units. The square footage for these ranged between 3,950 to 4,877 and prices ranged from $2,148,000 to $3,178,000.
Portland on the Park also had the same two pending sales. The first was a two bedroom, three bathroom, 2,105 square foot unit priced at $1,031,500. The second was a three bedroom, three bathroom, 2,486 square foot unit priced at $1,235,500.

LUXURY CONDO SALES FOR AUGUST 2016

There was a single sale in August. One of the units at Envy that had been pending for a very long time finally closed. It was a two bedroom, two and one-half bathroom condo with 1,764 square feet. It had been on the market for $1,100,000 and closed for $999,900.

Learn More About Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condos

Search Phoenix and Scottsdale Luxury Condos for Sale

Disclaimer: Days on market figures are cumulative days on market. Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 9/1/2016 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix over the past 12 months. Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new condo inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2016 Heather Tawes Nelson | Joyce Tawes

Buying a Scottsdale Area Home: What are County Islands?

September 7, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– County Islands – What and Where Are They? –

Last week, the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) published a blog post that talks about county islands and what that means for homeowners who purchase property in one of them.

I had always had a general idea of what they were, but this post does a great job of quickly outlining what they are and the pros and cons of living in one. It also includes a link to an interactive map that shows you were the county islands are located.

One example of a county island is located near Scottsdale is Rio Verde. Rio Verde is located to the east of Scottsdale and is commonly accessed by taking Dynamite Road, which then turns into Rio Verde Drive. Another example to the northwest is New River.

Want to learn about county islands? Here is the link to the ARMLS post.

Search Homes for Sale in Rio Verde

Below is a selection of some of the homes for sale in Rio Verde.

Or, click here to see All Homes for Sale in Rio Verde

Disclaimer: Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Scottsdale AZ Single Family Home Sales – August 2016

September 4, 2016 By Heather Tawes Nelson

– August 2016 Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Home Sales –

August was an interesting month for Scottsdale home sales. We saw the number of homes on the market and pending sales dip, which are both seasonal occurrences. However, sales saw a very healthy jump, even though pendings from the previous month were not that high.

SCOTTSDALE HOME SALES ACTIVITY – AUGUST 2016

Below is a chart mapping the past 12 months of sales activity for the Scottsdale housing market.

– Single-family homes for sale are depicted by the red line.*
– Pending home sales are depicted by the green line.*
– Home Sales are depicted by the purple line.

AUGUST 2016 RESULTS

Scottsdale Homes for Sale: The inventory of homes for sale dropped 5.8% over the end of July to come in at 1,824.
Pending Homes Sales in Scottsdale: Pending sales also saw a seasonal drop to under 300. This implies we will most likely see a slow sales month in September.
Scottsdale Home Sales: Sales had an unexpected and impressive rebound in August. 446 homes sold, an 18% improvement over July. This was interesting as we headed into the month with only 317 pending sales.

This next set of information has two components.

The top numbers are how active, pending and sold homes performed relative to the previous month. So, for example, pending sales were down 9.1% between the end of July and the end of August.

The lower section is a measure called sales price to list price. Here, what homes sold for compared to what they were on the market for is being measured. In August, homes sold on average for 95.6% of their asking price. Or, looking at it another way, buyers on average saw a 4.4% discount off of asking prices.

Search Scottsdale AZ Homes for Sale

*Figures for active homes for sale and pending sales are based on the numbers at the end of the month.

Disclaimer: Data and information were pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 9/1/2016 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes for sale and home sales in Scottsdale AZ over the last 12 months. Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. There may be new home inventory in these figures if the developer is using the MLS to market its homes. This post represents the opinion of the author. No warranties express or implied.
Copyright © 2016 Heather Tawes Nelson | Joyce Tawes