Archive for Scottsdale Living
What’s Happening in Your Scottsdale Neighborhood?
Posted by: | CommentsEssential Information for Scottsdale Home Buyers – City of Scottsdale Provides Detailed Information and Maps about Scottsdale Neighborhoods
I frequently get calls from my clients who ask “what is being built on that vacant lot down the street” – or something of that nature. When I work with Home Buyers, I am able to provide them with more details about their future neighborhood than can be found from the Seller. My friend, the City of Scottsdale always makes me look good!
Check out this website hosted by the City of Scottsdale to see What’s Happening In Your Scottsdale Neighborhood. Search for the Scottsdale neighborhood or community by intersection (only one street is required). And voila – you will see a list of the following items of public interest for your little neck of the woods in Scottsdale:
- Active building permits
- Plan Reviews
- Encroachment Permits
- Crimes
- Public Hearings
- Code Enforcement Violations
- Capital Improvement Projects
- Road Construction Projects
The AutoDesk MapGuide Viewer is a required plug-in and will be downloaded to your computer the first time you access the website. Also, remember to enable pop-ups in your browser.
You can also visit the Digital Map Center which provides on-line access to Scottsdale GIS (Geographic Information System Maps and databases. After registering you will be able to see parcel maps, aerial photos, easements, environmental features and much more.
Snowbirds Continue to Buy Scottsdale Luxury Homes
Posted by: | CommentsWhy Scottsdale is One of The Greatest Places to Live.
Have you ever heard of an Arizona snowbird? The wikipedia describes the snowbird as people from Canada and the Northeastern or Midwestern United States who spend a large portion of the winter months in Arizona, Florida or other regions of the Sunbelt. Snowbirds typically come just for a few weeks or a month and before they realize what has happened, they become addicted. Addiction to Scottsdale results in spending their leisure days searching for the perfect winter home which is usually defined as a luxury home whether it is a condo or a single family residence. Snowbirds and winter visitors have been buying second homes in Scottsdale since before Scottsdale became a city in 1897 and I don’t see any change in this trend.After living in Arizona for 14 years, I can easily understand why Scottsdale is inundated with snowbirds every winter. Scottsdale is a wonderful place to live for many reasons. Apparently the majority consensus agrees with me as Scottsdale was just ranked 7th in the Money magazines list of top 100 places to live. Money magazine’s reasons are based on statistics but there are other reasons that are more subjective but just as true. Here are my reasons and those expressed by my clients over the years why Scottsdale is a great place to live.
- The weather is fantastic 75% of the year – Imagine eating outside in balmy dry weather with no bugs or an early morning bike ride along the Scottsdale green belt bike path with breakfast along the way.
- The color of the sky is incredibly blue.
- The horizon stretches forever.
- Sunsets are spectacular.
- Desert plants and animals are unique and lush in their own way
- Outdoor activities in abundance include golf, hiking, jeep rides, bicycling, hot air balloons, etc.
- Some of the best golfing in the world.
- An art mecca with more than 125 art galleries in Scottsdale alone.
- Numerous choices for fine dining – I guarantee you won’t get bored.
- Scottsdale real estate is still affordable. California hosts 23 of the top 25 places with the priciest homes, with median home sales prices ranging from $678,500 to $1,362,500. Scottsdale’s median home price is only $370,000 and you can still buy a 3 bedroom 2 bath home for $325,000. In fact some of these older areas will be not always be so affordable because of all the redevelopment happening in downtown Scottsdale.
- Good public schools and superb private schools.
- Fantastic shopping.
If you like living in Scottsdale, I’m sure you could add to my list. Email me with your suggestions and I’ll include them. Don’t forget to let me know if I can use your name.If you visited the Money magazine website you may have noted that several of the blog comments were negative. Let me state for the record that as a real estate consultant specializing in Scottsdale, I have met mostly wonderful people who I would love to have as my neighbors. In any city, especially one that offers a high standard of living, there will always be those people who are too materialistic and too full of themselves that no one wants living next door. But as one blogger said, “we need to make our own reality”. My reality says: People are people and every city has all kinds. Scottsdale is a wonderful place to call home and I think Scottsdale is fortunate to have a diverse population of very friendly and authentic individuals from all over the country and world. Life is what we make it, right?
| Median Family Income | $84,747 |
| State Income Tax (highest bracket) | 5.04% |
| Job Growth (2000-2006) | 8.75% |
| Median Home Price | $370,000 |
| Home Price Gain (2004-2005) | 25.4% |
| Personal Crime Risk (100 is national average) | 52 |
For more Money magazine statistics click here
Scottsdale Luxury Home in a Small Package
Posted by: | CommentsNorth Scottsdale’s Hidden Hills Community Offers Luxury Homes With Easy Maintenance
Many boomers are looking to downsize from their 4000 – 6000 square foot luxury home in order to simplify their lives and perhaps do some traveling. This usually creates a significant challenge because those homeowners are used to luxury amenities that are often hard to find in smaller homes.
Hidden Hills in the east Shea Corridor of North Scottsdale is one of the few communities of newer homes that is a perfect fit for those who are looking for quality built homes with luxury amenities.
The Hidden Hills community is nestled at the base of the McDowell Mountains and offers spectacular mountain and city light views from many of the homesites. Production homes were built between 2001 and 2005 by Golden Heritage and are of superior construction and offer some of the most innovative floor plans I’ve seen in the Scottsdale and Phoenix metro area. The most popular models have private interior courtyards, great rooms and ensuite bathrooms. (floorplans will be posted next week).
Several sections of the community are gated. There are also 3 gated custom home neighborhoods within Hidden Hills.
Hidden Hills is located about 12 minutes from the 101 Loop with close proximity to the Scottsdale Mayo Clinic, Desert Mountain High School, Basis Scottsdale School, and adjacent to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Here is a link to the hiking trails map. Sunrise Trail starts right in the community of Hidden Hills. In addition, Rio Montana Neighborhood Park is at the corner of 130th Street and Via Linda.
Homes in Hidden Hills range from $650,000 to $1,200,000. Custom Homes range up to $2,500,000. Click here to see homes for sale in Hidden Hills.
Scottsdale Basis School Opens at New North Scottsdale Location in August 2007
A new Scottsdale office condo complex, built adjacent to the highly desirable neighborhoods of Scottsdale Mountain and Hidden Hills, failed to attract any businesses. Instead, the attractive, but vacant building will soon become the new home for the highly acclaimed charter school, “Basis Scottsdale”.
The Basis charter school was founded by economists Michael and Olga Black in 1997 with a philosophy focusing on small classes, dedicated and talented teachers and an accelerated curriculum. High school students are required to take Honors and Advanced Placement courses in every core subject.
In May 2006, Newsweek rated Tuscon’s Basis high school as the 3rd best in the nation based on the fact that 100% of its students had at least one passing grade on an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test.
In addition, Craig Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Intel has contributed $450,000 towards teacher’s salaries at Basis.
Their first school was in Tucson in Tucson and has had rave reviews. Basis Scottsdale’s Middle School opened in 2003 and was a quick success. The new location at the corner of 136th Street and Via Linda in Scottsdale will allow the school to house a high school in addition to the middle school.
The presence of Basis Scottsdale in North East Scottsdale should be a huge befefit to families in the North Scottsdale area who want their children to have a rigorous, academic education at a public school. Click here to search for homes in close proximity to the new Basis Scottsdale school.