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Summertime at Forest Highlands in Flagstaff, Arizona

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Spotlight: The Recreation Department for Forest Highlands Kids

Forest Highlands Recreation Department Activity
Forest Highlands Recreation Department at Play

The Recreation Department under the guidance of Kurt Martin has again assembled a fabulous summer program for the kids at Forest Highlands.

Starting in May, the Forest Highlands Recreation Department is offering a Mini-Camp on Saturdays for those families going up to get their house ready for the summer.  Camp runs from 11 AM to 3 PM and is open to all those 4 years of age and above. Three year olds can attend as well if they are accompanied by a “Counselor in Training”.

A new twist to the Kids’ Nights is a rotation between crafts and games.  Kurt and his staff have worked all winter to come up with creative ideas on craft projects that the kids will enjoy. On May 8th they’ll do “Personalized Stationery”.  Maybe something for Mom on Mother’s Day? Game night is always fun and includes dodge ball, silent ball, Wii sports and more.  On top of fun and games, dinner is always included in the Kids’ Night festivities.

Forest Highlands, always known as a golfing mecca with the Canyon and Meadow Golf Courses, is equally known as a family retreat. Throughout the community you will find biking and walking trails, ponds and small lakes for fishing, a huge area with basketball, a volleyball court and a field for soccer and other games. In addition, golf and tennis for juniors is a large part of the summer fun with clinics, tournaments and access to two large practice areas.  Two swimming pools round out the activities within the community.

 

About Forest Highlands Homes for Sale:

Golf Hole at Forest Highlands
Forest Highlands Golf Cottage

Forest Highlands offers homes for sale ranging from two bedroom cottages to six bedroom lodges. All of the amenities are included when you purchase a home or lot in Forest Highlands.  For the folks in Scottsdale and Phoenix who don’t want to spend another summer in 100 plus degree temperatures, Forest Highlands is a convenient two hour drive away. View Forest Highlands Homes for Sale

Where to Shop in Scottsdale AZ – El Pedregal at The Boulders

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El Pedregal Boulders Scottsdale Located the corner of North Scottsdale Road and the Carefree Highway in Scottsdale, El Pedregal is a wonderful destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. El Pedregal has ties to the world-famous The Boulders Resort which is located just to the north.

Shopping at El Pedregal consists of several high-end purveyors, from elegant clothing to hand-crafted jewelry to beautiful home furnishings and decor. One of the highlights of El Pedregal is the art galleries that can be found on the various levels of the shopping center. Native American art is represented as well as contemporary art and African art.

El Pedregal Boulders CarefreeThere are several dining options at El Pedregal, ranging from the fun and casual Spotted Donkey Cantina to the breakfast and lunch fare at The Bakery Cafe. For a quick, cool treat, Ben & Jerry’s is there as well. For more formal dining, The Boulders Resort has wonderful options, including Latilla and Palo Verde.

One of the best parts of El Pedregal is its very active event calendar. Throughout the year, El Pedregal hosts concerts, festivals, charitable events and exhibitions in the large tiered, central courtyard. There is a great, ongoing Spring Wine & Jazz series and on May 1st, El Pedregal will be the site of the Cinco de Mayo 4th Annual Salsa Challenge. Salsa lovers can come and taste the competitors’ salsa entries, listen to mariachi music and watch a salsa dance exhibition.

If you have an afternoon to take an enjoyable stroll through some very nice shops and galleries or if you want to take in an evening of wine and jazz, I recommend visiting El Pedregal.

More Information:
El Pedregal at The Boulders
34505 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85266
https://www.theboulders.com/el-pedregal.html
Phone:(480) 488-1072
Monday-Saturday 10AM-5:30PM
Sunday Noon-5PM

Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ – Visit the Phoenix Zoo

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Squirrel Monkey at the Phoenix Zoo - Phoenix, ArizonaLooking for something to do in the Scottsdale Arizona area? Why not visit the Phoenix Zoo?

Springtime is in the air and the animals are enjoying Phoenix’s wonderful weather. A new baby zebra can be seen cavorting near its mother, baby ducklings follow their parents around and male peacocks can be seen strolling along the grounds with their feathers spread out in full force.

The Phoenix Zoo is a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon. Animals from all over the globe can be seen at the Phoenix Zoo. Upon entering, there is a large Savannah area where giraffe, watusi cattle and buzzards co-exist. Then, you can take a path in either direction to see more animals.

A fun activity is to visit Monkey Village where you enter into an enclosed area and see the squirrel monkeys frolic and play up close. Next to Monkey Village is a fun water play area for kids to cool off and run around. In another section of the zoo, there is a “farm” themed area where kids can play in the large playground, see farm animals and get hands-on at the Petting Zoo. Several times a day, some of the animal “actors” put on a performance.

Phoenix Zoo elephantThere are also plenty of interactive activities at the Phoenix Zoo available for an additional fee. There is a Safari Train that takes you on a ride through the zoo, educating you about the animals you are passing by. At certain times during the day, you have the opportunity to feed the giraffe. Stingray Bay is a seasonal exhibit where you can place your hands in the water and touch various kinds of stingrays as they swim by. If you are the adventurous type, you can even feed them. Another fun activity is to take a camel ride. In addition, the zoo has a carousel and offers many unique educational programs for children and adults that you can take part in.

The Phoenix Zoo has plenty of activities for people of all ages. While walking is the most popular option, you can also bring or rent a bike to see the zoo at a faster pace. If you have the chance, take some time to visit the Phoenix Zoo.

Information:
The Phoenix Zoo
455 North Galvin Parkway (Within Papago Park)
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Phone: (602) 273-1341
Fax: (602) 273-7078
www.phoenixzoo.org

Luxury Loft Living in Greater Phoenix – 2009 Performance

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The tough economy over the last couple of years really took a toll on the luxury loft market in Greater Phoenix. For the purposes of this analysis, I am defining luxury lofts as those with list prices in excess of $1 million. There are several luxury loft projects sprinkled throughout the Valley, including downtown Phoenix, downtown Scottsdale and Kierland.

In 2008, luxury loft sales were significantly stronger and included projects in Phoenix and Scottsdale. However, in 2009, all of the sales activity was concentrated in Scottsdale. Sales figures dropped off sharply due to reduced demand and decreases in list prices to below the $1 million mark, removing the units from this analysis. As you can see, price per square foot was much lower in 2009, while the average size of the loft purchased increased by almost 800 square feet.

Phoenix Loft Sales 2009

– Kierland Plaza Lofts – Scottsdale, AZ – Two of the three 2009 loft sales were in this development. The 2009 luxury loft sales in Scottsdale took place in two developments, Kierland Plaza Lofts and Third Avenue Lofts.

– Average Sales Price: $1,812,500
– Asking Price to List Price: 94%
– Average Square Footage: 3,144
– Average Price/Sq. Foot: $568.96

– Third Avenue Lofts- Scottsdale, AZ – The final 2009 loft sale was in this development.
– Average Sales Price: $1,210,000
– Asking Price to List Price: 100%
– Average Square Footage: 3,540
– Average Price/Sq. Foot: $341.81

At the end of the first quarter of 2010, there had been no luxury loft sales for 2010. A total of 8 luxury lofts were on the market. Half of the units for sale were located at the Kierland Lofts in Scottsdale. Three of the eight are located at the Hotel Valley Ho in downtown Scottsdale. The final luxury loft unit for sale was located in Phoenix at the Artisan Lofts complex.

Valleywide Units for Sale at the end of Q1 2010:   8
Average Asking Price: $1,605,188
Average Square Feet: 2,657
Average Asking Price/Sq. Foot: $644.52

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information are pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 1/1/2010 and 4/1/2010 and can change at any time. This blog represents the opinion of the author. No warranties implied or expressed.
Copyright © 2010 Heather Tawes Nelson

Things to Do in Scottsdale AZ – Visit the Phoenix Zoo

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Looking for something to do in the Scottsdale Arizona area? Why not visit the Phoenix Zoo?

Squirrel Monkey Phoenix ZooSpringtime is in the air and the animals are enjoying Phoenix’s wonderful weather. A new baby zebra can be seen cavorting near its mother, baby ducklings follow their parents around and male peacocks can be seen strolling along the grounds with their feathers spread out in full force.

The Phoenix Zoo is a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon. Animals from all over the globe can be seen at the Phoenix Zoo. Upon entering, there is a large Savannah area where giraffe, watusi cattle and buzzards co-exist. Then, you can take a path in either direction to see more animals.

A fun activity is to visit Monkey Village where you enter into an enclosed area and see the squirrel monkeys frolic and play up close. Next to Monkey Village is a fun water play area for kids to cool off and run around. In another section of the zoo, there is a “farm” themed area where kids can play in the large playground, see farm animals and get hands-on at the Petting Zoo. Several times a day, some of the animal “actors” put on a performance.

Zebra Phoenix ZooThere are also plenty of interactive activities at the Phoenix Zoo available for an additional fee. There is a Safari Train that takes you on a ride through the zoo, educating you about the animals you are passing by. At certain times during the day, you have the opportunity to feed the giraffe. Stingray Bay is a seasonal exhibit where you can place your hands in the water and touch various kinds of stingrays as they swim by. If you are the adventurous type, you can even feed them. Another fun activity is to take a camel ride. In addition, the zoo has a carousel and offers many unique educational programs for children and adults that you can take part in.

The Phoenix Zoo has plenty of activities for people of all ages. While walking is the most popular option, you can also bring or rent a bike to see the zoo at a faster pace. If you have the chance, take some time to visit the Phoenix Zoo.

Information:
The Phoenix Zoo
455 North Galvin Parkway (Within Papago Park)
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Phone: (602) 273-1341
Fax: (602) 273-7078
www.phoenixzoo.org

Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ Luxury Condo Market Sales- March 2010

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Here are March’s sales results for the luxury condo market in Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe. I define the luxury condo market as condos with list prices in excess of $1 million.

March was another decent month for luxury condo sales in Scottsdale and Phoenix, with three closed units and another two pending sales at the end of the month. At the end of March, there were 71 luxury condos on the market. The bulk of the offerings, 94% of them, were located in Phoenix and Scottsdale and the remaining 6% were located in Tempe.

There were three luxury condo sales in March, one in Scottsdale and the other two in Phoenix. The Scottsdale sale was a three bedroom, two and one-half bathroom, 2,389 square foot unit on the 6th floor at Optima Camelview. It sold for $1,150,000. The other two sales were at The Residences at 2211 Camelback and Esplanade Place. The 2211 Camelback sale was a  two bedroom, three and one-half bathroom, 3,650 square foot unit for $1,210,000. The Esplanade sale was a two bedroom, three bathroom, 3,000 square foot unit for $1,600,000.

Luxury Condo sales Scottsdale Phoenix March 2010

The two pending sales at the end of March were divided equally between Scottsdale and Phoenix. The Scottsdale pending sale is for a two bedroom, two bathroom unit at the Scottsdale Waterfront Residences and the Phoenix pending sale is at Esplanade Place and it is for a two bedroom, three bathroom unit.

Here is a quick overview of sales activity for these condos for the first quarter of 2010. There were no sales in Tempe.

 

Overall, luxury condo sales in Scottsdale and Phoenix performed well in March and over the first quarter of 2010. There were six sales by the end of March, which is twice what is was for Q1 2009 at three sales. The pending sales indicate that April should also be a decent month as well. Inventory was also down by a few units. Tempe continues to see little or no activity.

 

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2010 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at resale condos in Scottsdale, Tempe 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. This is the final month that Tempe will be included in this analysis. Going forward, only luxury condos in Scottsdale and Phoenix will be tracked.
Copyright © 2010 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Luxury Home Market – March 2010

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Here are the figures for March 2010’s luxury home sales in Scottsdale AZ. This analysis defines the luxury home market as single-family resale homes in Scottsdale priced at $1,000,000 and above and looks at a time period covering the last 12 months.


– March 2010 –
 
Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,000,000 – $1,499,999
– Actives: At the end of March, there were 384 active homes on the market in this price point. This number has been increasing since December when there were 341 homes on the market. This comes in just under the 12 month average of 388 homes for sale.
– Pendings: Pending sales were down from February to 24, although February’s 32 was the highest we have seen this number since August of 2009. This is trailing behind the 12 month average of 29 pending home sales in Scottsdale.
– Sold: Twenty-five homes sold in March, which was a strong performance. The last time we saw a figure this high was in September of 2009 when there were 29 home sales. This number is ahead of the 12 month average of 21 home sales.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 88.9% – This is pretty standard for this figure.

 

 

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between $1,500,000 – $1,999,999
– Actives: There were 237 homes for sale at the end of March, down slightly from February’s 240. The 12 month average is 246 homes for sale, so we are slightly under that.
– Pendings: Seventeen homes were pending at the end of the month, which is lower than the last four months. The 12 month average for pending sales in this price point is also 17.
– Sold: March was the best performance this segment has seen in the last 12 months. There were 16 home sales, a 166% increase over February’s 10 sales. The 12 month average for home sales is 10.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 88.6% – This is the highest this ratio has been this year.

 

 

Scottsdale Homes Priced Between  $2,000,000 – $2,999,999
– Actives: Active Scottsdale homes for sale in this segment continue to drop. This figure has been decreasing since November of 2009 and is now down to 207 active homes. The 12 month average is 248.
– Pendings: Only six homes were pending at the end of the month, which was a very poor performance. The last time we saw pending sales this low was August of 2009. The 12 month average for pending home sales in this segment is 9.
– Sold: Ten homes sold in March, which continues a three month trend of strong home sales numbers. It was down one sale from February’s 11 sales, but well ahead of the 12 month average of 6.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 87.9% – This is the highest this ratio has been this year.

 

 

Scottsdale Homes Priced $3,000,000+
– Actives: There were 134 homes for sale in Scottsdale in excess of $3 million at the end of the month. This figure has been decreasing since January and is well below the 12 month average of 163.
– Pendings: Four homes were pending at the end of the month, which is a major improvement over the zero pending sales at the end of February. The 12 month average is 3 pending sales.
– Sold: Two homes sold in March, which is excellent news as there were zero pending sales at the end of the prior month.  This is slightly behind the 12 month average of 3 home sales.
– Sales Price to Listed Price: 86.9% – This is a pretty good result for this ratio and is the highest it has been all year.

Overall, March was a decent month for the Scottsdale AZ luxury home market. For the most part, inventory is down and sales were strong. There are a few pending sales issues in some of the price segments which may be a concern for April home sales activity though.

 

Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) as of 4/1/2010 and can change at any time. The analysis looks at single-family resale homes in Scottsdale 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 © 2010 Heather Tawes Nelson

Scottsdale AZ Real Estate Market Sales Activity- First Quarter 2010- Includes Short Sales and Foreclosures

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Here are the results for the first three months of the year for Scottsdale AZ Real Estate Market Sales Activity, including Short Sales and Foreclosures. This analysis looks at Scottsdale home sales and breaks them out into regular sales and distress sales, which include short sales and foreclosures. I also looked specifically in two North Scottsdale zip codes, 85255 and 85262 to see how they performed by sales type as well. For comparison purposes, here is the link to the “2009 Scottsdale AZ Real Estate Market Sales Activity – Includes Short Sales and Foreclosures” post I did at the beginning of year.

Here are definitions of the three classifications:
– Non-Distressed Sales – These are your traditional, “regular” home sales.
– Short Sales – These are where the homeowners are trying to sell the home for less than is owed with their lender’s approval.
– Foreclosures – These are homes the lender has foreclosed upon and now owns. You will see them referenced as “Lender-Owned”. You may also hear them called “REO'” homes.

Overall Findings for Q1 2010 – Scottsdale Single-Family Home Market

Active Homes For Sale: The bulk of homes on the market (78%) were non-distressed or “regular” sales. Short sales came in a distant second at 15% and foreclosures at only 7%.
Pending Homes for Sale: Pending sales between non-distressed sales and distress sales were split almost equally at 48% and 52%.
Scottsdale Home Sales: Regular sales were over half of the market at 56%. And foreclosures, which represent only 7% of the active listings were 24% of the home sales, showing the demand for foreclosure homes.
Home Prices: As we have seen in previous analyses, non-distressed sales sold for the highest average price, followed by short sales and lender-owned homes.
Days on Market: It took the longest for short sales to sell, which is not surprising since short sales can take anywhere from 3-6 months or longer to negotiate and close. Foreclosures have the lowest days on market due to the demand for these homes and they often close relatively quickly once the lender has approved the terms of the sale.
Discount Off of List Price: The largest discounts were seen on regular sales at 91% or an average of 9% off of the asking price of the homes. Short sales were pretty similar at 92%. The least discount was seen on lender-owned homes (96%) since these homes are priced under market value already.

Scottsdale Home Sales Q1 2010 Short Sales Foreclosures

 

Q1 2010 Findings for Scottsdale Zip Codes 85255 and 85262 – Scottsdale Single-Family Home Market

85255 and 85262 Homes For Sale: In 85255, just over 60% of homes were non-distress sales, which is slightly higher than Scottsdale as a whole’s 56%. The remaining 39% were comprised of 85255 foreclosures and short sales. In 85262, only 45% of homes on the market were non-distress sales. 85262 foreclosures for sale were high at 35% of the market.
Days on Market: Again, short sales have the longest days on market figure. In 85255, regular sales and foreclosures were pretty close in days on market at 149 for regular sales and 146 for short sales.
Discounts Off of List Price: Interestingly, discounts on short sales in 85255 were very small in the first quarter, only 3%. In 85262, non-distressed sales saw a very large average discount of 15%.
Scottsdale 85255 85262 Home Sales Q1 2010 Short Sales Foreclosures

 
Disclaimer: Data and information was pulled from the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) on 4/1/2010 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 © 2010 Heather Tawes Nelson

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