SCOTTSDALE

Nike Store Set to Open in Fall

As many know, Scottsdale has some of the best shopping around.  One of the newest places to shop is called The Scottsdale Quarter.  This beautiful knew shopping area is across from the well known Kierland Commons, also a lovely shopping experience.

The Scottsdale Quarter opened approximately a year ago and it is located on 28 acres in the heart of North Scottsdale, at the corner of  Scottsdale Road and the Greenway-Hayden Loop.  With stores like Williams Sonoma, H&M, the Apple Store, west elm and many others slated to open soon, it is definitely a destination spot.

The Nike Store has announced that they will be opening a two story, 18,000 square foot store in the Fall of 2010.  This is one of only 3 or four of these type of stores that they will be opening this year.  The store will have their apparel, footwear and a full line of their golf and running items.

SCOTTSDALE

Let Us Help You

If you are new to our website and are searching for your new home or investment property be sure to sign up to receive listings.  Once you have signed up, if you don’t contact one of the team members directly, one person from our knowledgeable team will contact you to find out specifically what you may be searching for.  Don’t feel pressured at this point, as we are just trying to make your search more beneficial.  We have a great multiple listing service that enables us to create searches tailored to your specifications and locations.  We can then set you up on an automatic email, where you will receive new listings or price changes on the properties that are in your range.

One really neat feature of this system is called a “portal”.  Once this has been created by us, for you, you can keep track of the properties that you have seen and rate them on a like or dislike basis.  It is a handy filing system for you and we are able to view it also.  Another feature that I like to tell people about is the “map” button at the top of the listing screen.  This shows where the property lays on the map and you can zoom in and change the view to satellite to see the actual property and it’s surroundings, right down to the landscape in your back yard.  Ahh, technology…

Remember, we’re here to make this search easy for you and it is our goal to help you find that perfect property.  Let us assist you, in a no pressure way!

SCOTTSDALE

The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale

Thank goodness I have not had to spend a lot of time in a hospital or doctor’s office so far in my life,  but when we moved to Scottsdale we were very excited to be able to join the Mayo Clinic for all of our health care needs.   After hearing so much about it, I had high expectations, and I have to say that they have been met.   When my son broke his wrist we were in and out of the emergency room in 1.5 hours with a cast.  Amazing.  When I visit them for a physical, all of my blood tests are done on the same day as the exam with the results waiting for the doctor when we meet.  It is a fast, efficient system that seems to work extremely well.  We have had family come stay with us just so they could use the services of the fine doctors that work there, and their results were also extremely positive.  The Mayo Clinic has a great website at www.mayoclinic.org that I encourage people to visit.  Among other things, you can view the different doctors and their stats, there is a “symptom checker”, and the tradition and history of the clinic is a very interesting article to read.   I know that there are a lot of fine medical facilities in Arizona, but I believe that the Mayo Clinic is a huge reason to look at Scottsdale and Arizona as a place to reside.

SCOTTSDALE

55th Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show

With Scottsdale just next door to Phoenix, you won’t want to miss the 55th Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show which will be running from February 11th through 21, 2010 at Westworld in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Total prize money that these magnificent animals and their owners will be competing for is over $1 million dollars and the prestigious title of “Scottsdale Champion”!

As a teenager, living just down the street from where the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show previously was held on Bell Road, I would ride my bike to the event just to see if I could just get a few peaks from outside.  If you love horses, this was THE show to be at and I can say it still is today!

The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, sponsored by the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona, began in 1955 with just 50 horses and has now grown to nearly 2000.  From horse competitions and classes to shopping & eating, there’s lots of fun to be had.

TICKET PRICING:
General Admission.……………$10/day
Seniors/Military…………………$7/day
Children 12 & under…………Free
Reserved Bleacher Seating (All Ages)…$15/day
Evening Performance – February 20, 2010:
General Admission…………………$10/evening
Reserved Bleacher Seating…………$15/evening

Family Night Friday , February 19, 2010 admission will be free for all family members after 3pm in the afternoon. Bring the whole family for a fun evening at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Have dinner, peruse the Shopping Expo and watch the beautiful Arabian horses compete for the coveted title of Scottsdale Champion.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate or through TicketMaster.  For more information visit www.scottsdaleshow.com.

Additional Tickets Types:
Eleven Day Button General Admission……. $50 (Can only be purchased at the gate ONLY, once show starts)
Box Seats for Entire Show………….……… $250 (Can only be purchased by calling AHAA at 480-515-1500)Have you considered moving to Scottsdale or looking for a second home?  Call Jamie at 480-451-1400 or email Jamie@TickledPinkHomes.com and let’s get started!

Jamie Sistek – REALTOR
“That Tickled Pink Girl”

Website: www.tickledpinkhomes.com
Email: Jamie@TickledPinkHomes.com
480-451-1400 – Direct
480-734-1971 – Cell

“Tickled Pink Is What You’ll be;
My Customer Service Is The Key”

SCOTTSDALE

BARRETT-JACKSON KICK OFF!

The Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale has officially begun!  The Barrett-Jackson Event runs from January 18th – 24th, 2010 at Westworld Of Scottsdale.  Each day is filled with exciting activites, and not just limited to cars.

Today, January 18th, the 39th Annual Scottsdale Car Auction is being held.  All Active, Reserve, and Veteran’s in Military Uniform and/or Military ID will have FREE ADMISSION at the gate to the event.  AND, children under 12 are FREE!  Today is also Ford Family Value Day benefiting Cox Charities.  Today, there are many family activities taking place including, Liberty Wildlife (see eagles, hawks & reptiles), Pokemon Gaming Tournament, Radio Disney Performance, Fashion Show & MORE!  Be sure to check out www.barrett-jackson.com for specific daily information, purchase tickets (week or daily), location, and more.

Whether you are a visitor or are currently living here, if you are thinking of buying or selling a home in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, give me a call.  I would love to talk you!  Jamie Sistek at 480-451-1400.

SCOTTSDALE

Villa Antigua Scottsdale Condo $169,900

This Villa Antigua Scottsdale condo is an absolutely gorgeous home, it looks like a model. This is luxury living at its best! It is very open and bright and is next to walking and running paths. It is nestled in a gated community with a fabulous clubhouse, two heated swimming pools, and a great tennis court. Also for your enjoyment there are barbecue and picnic areas, an exercise and fitness room and a business center.

Numerous upgrades have been completed throughout the home. Updated AC unit in 2004, laminated wood floors, ceiling fans, faux wood blinds throughout custom Venetian plaster, wireless alarmsystem, and energy efficient window treatments in front of home.

For more info and photos of this home please visit the Flex MLS link http://www.flexmls.com/link.html?rfq06yeiexi,12,1

This Villa Antigua home is located in the heart of Scottsdale. If your looking for golf your new home is located just minutes from numerous golf courses. Here are a list of just a few, and links (no pun intended) to the different clubs so you can arrange a tee time.

Continental Golf Course

http://www.continentalgc.com/layout9.asp?id=172&page=3239

Talking Stick Golf Club

http://www.talkingstickgolfclub.com/index.php

Camelback Country Club Golf Course http://www.camelbackinn.com/

The Orange Tree Golf Resort http://www.shellhospitality.com/hotels/orange_resort/?chebs=gl_otgr

McCormick Ranch Golf Club http://www.mccormichranchgolf.com

You say you prefer activities other than golf then check out the art galleries and art walk in Old Town Scottsdale. Villa Antigua is just minutes from fabulous art galleries along Marshall and 5th Ave.  Here are just a couple to preview, there are many more in the area.

The Legacy Gallery  http://www.legacygallery.com/index.html

Art One Gallery   http://www.artonegalleryinc.com/

Scottsdale is also rich with annual events such as the Barrett Jackson Classic Car Auction, The Annual Arabian Horse Show, the historic Parada Del Sol, and the Scottsdale Culinary Arts Festival. This Villa Antigua home puts you in the heart of luxury and culture. You can go for an energizing run or go out on the town in the evening for a fine meal.

For a tour of this home please give me a call.

Tim Broderick 602-741-0862 or email me at tim@phoenixpowersearch.com.

SCOTTSDALE

Are you an FHA buyer but still “on the fence” about buying?

There have been many rumors flying around regarding the expected adjustments to the FHA loans provided. Do you want to use FHA financing due to the lower down payment requirements, experiencing some credit issues and or wanting to ask the seller to contribute up to 6% concession? If you are and are counting on utilizing FHA loan products for the purchase of your new home, but aren’t quite ready to get off the fence…You may want to re-think your current position.
Per a recent article in the Chicago Tribune –
FHA-insured mortgages have become the loan of choice — realistically, the only option available since the private mortgage industry’s problems arose — for consumers who are eager to purchase a home but don’t have a significant down payment or stellar credit history. Currently, borrowers have to make at least a 3.5 percent down payment and have a minimum FICO credit score of 500, but most participating lenders require borrowers to have a score of 620 or higher.
Those lending requirements have meant a banner year for the FHA. It has insured almost 30 percent of home purchases — more than 75 percent of which are to first-time homebuyers — and 20 percent of mortgage refinancings. Just three years ago, the FHA’s share of the mortgage market was 3 percent.
Among the steps outlined by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan in congressional testimony Wednesday were plans to increase the down payment and FICO score required. The agency also may ask Congress for permission to increase either the upfront mortgage insurance premium, the monthly premium or both. Details of the plan are expected next month.
“We have made the decision to exercise our authority to increase the upfront cash that a borrower has to bring to the table in an FHA-backed loan — to make sure that FHA borrowers have more ’skin in the game’ and a stronger equity position in their loans,” Donovan said in written testimony submitted to the House Financial Services Committee.
One detail Donovan did provide is that sellers would be able to help buyers with only 3 percent, rather than the current 6 percent, of “concessions” that help fund closing and loan-related fees.
The moves are part of a plan by the FHA to lessen risks to its portfolio; an independent actuarial study found the agency’s insurance fund reserves have fallen far below the congressionally mandated minimum. The agency also plans to take steps to increase FHA capital and to hold lenders more accountable for the quality of loans they write.
This may be the time to get off the fence..
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I will be happy to assist you in the purchase of your new home. I can be reached at Julie@phoenixpowersearch.com or 480 628 2967
I look forward to hearing from you!
Chicago Tribune Article

SCOTTSDALE

Some think Arizona is just desert.

If you are considering moving out to the Phoenix metro area. I wanted to post some pictures of the area.  This should give you a better feel of what Phoenix has to offer.

Here is a map of the local area, showing you where the different cities are located.   Chandler is a southern city and to get up to Cave Creek it is about a 2 hour drive depending on traffic.  Sun City is about 1 north from Phoenix.  The most central location is Scottsdale or Tempe.  In Scottsdale, standard home prices are $300,000-$400,000 for a 3bedroom/2bath.  Now this depends on where you purchase and if it is a foreclosure or a short sale.

This photo is of the Four Season’s Resort.  This unique Resort has so much to offer and is a destination many find hard to leave.  

“The resort – which features individual casitas as well as three restaurants, two pool areas, several tennis courts and an award-winning spa-and-workout facility – is perfectly integrated into the Arizona desert environment. Consistently a recipient of AAA’s prestigious five-diamond award, the resort provides nothing short of top-notch service and luxury amenities.” San Francisco Examiner, June 7, 2009

Some think Arizona is only desert with no lush landscape at all.  Even I was surprised when I moved here how green it actually is.  Arizona, has mountains, lakes, rivers and much much more to offer. 

If you are searching for a home, and not sure what area you are interested in. Here is a helpful map with zip code designations.  Get set up on a search today and let me know the zip code you are most interested in.  There are other zip codes in Phoenix, these are the top searched codes.

 

 

I hope you found this blog useful and when you do decide to make the move out to Arizona, contact me.

Rachel Anderson 480-309-7968 or rachel@phoenixpowersearch.com

SCOTTSDALE

You have to ask yourself..Why?

Yesterday was one of those days you put off for a while… you know the ones I’m talking about…

Yesterday was the day my husband I were going to get up early and do “yard work”. When I say yard work, I don’t mean the fun kind, like planting flowers and harvesting the veggies from your garden. I am talking about pulling weeds, the scalping and dethatching of your lawn to prepare for winter grass and the scrubbing of the evidence of the apparent parties the birds have been having on my patio furniture… And while we were happy with our accomplishments by the end of our day of chores, we couldn’t help but complain about the “work”. 

I woke this morning to an email forwarded to me from a dear friend. In this email, he forwarded me a picture of his patio in Fremont, Nebraska.  I opened up the picture and couldn’t help but laugh the nervous laugh we all do when we aren’t sure how to react to something.  He was sending me a picture of SNOW on his patio.

 

My first reaction was to send him my sympathy. Then, after a minute, I decided to send him a picture of my patio this morning.

 

When you look at the two pictures, you can’t help but put everything in perspective. While I was out preparing my yard for the beautiful winter months we have coming our way, other people, in other parts of the country were preparing for the winter they have coming their way..  The difference being, they are dragging out the ladder to install the storm windows on the second story. They are locating the ever loved snow shovel that they had so gladly placed in the back of the shed, next to the ice scraper and tire chains.

So, as I sit here with a cup of coffee, sending my husband off for a day of golf, I reflect on the hours I spent yesterday, “working” on my yard…I can’t help but ask myself…WHY?  Why would you live anywhere else?

SCOTTSDALE

The Highest Offer Doesn’t Always “Win”

When the market was at it’s peak, I witnessed agents writing offers on the hoods of their cars for a newly-listed home I showed to my clients. The agents and their cars were lined up like a Nascar race along the street.  It was one of the craziest experiences I have ever seen in my career! It appeared as if a gun had fired, and the Realtors were in a race to the “write an offer as fast as you can” finish line.

My clients fell in love with this home and wanted to submit an offer. They were anxious that so many offers were being written right before their eyes on the driveway, but felt it was worth the competition to own this home. As the agents were scrambling for their pens and shuffling papers around, I was on the phone with the listing agent establishing rapport with her. I inquired and listened as she explained what was important to her seller’s in an offer.

“A solid offer from a solid buyer” was what she told me. What did they really mean? Hmmm…This is where your Realtor needs to accurately read between the lines.

We went ahead and offered full asking price (solid) because of the activity on the home, and I suggested a $10K earnest deposit (solid). I submitted a loan approval (solid), along with a letter introducing my clients character, their work background, and explaining their strong (solid) desire to buy the home.

You get the point…

Submitting the highest offer or going above asking price, doesn’t always equate to a “solid offer and solid buyer”. There are other ways to reflect your solidity as a buyer that have nothing to do with your checkbook. For example, taking the extra step in writing a letter on behalf of clients, can make or break a deal. I have done this in the mortgage business with letters written directly to the underwriters, and it has saved the loan approval. We all act on emotion and like doing business with people we like and feel a connection with. We want to see them succeed.  A letter of explanation or introduction is a simple, cost-free and effective way of adding a personal touch.

It turns out that we were one of 3 out of the original 14 submitted offers to receive a counter offer. Our counter read that the seller’s agreed to the purchase price of the home. That was it. There were no other terms stated.

Sign the counter offer and submit it, right? Wrong.

I called the listing agent to see if I could gain more insight into the seller’s true needs. She revealed new information: “The seller’s just placed an offer on a home and want to move as soon as possible.” Perfect.  I just discovered the seller’s new hot button: Time is of the essence. She also shared that several counter offers went out. Knowing we were not the only ones to receive a counter, it was crucial that I gain my clients a first place position and to accurately access how to accomplish that.

To make the deal firm, my clients said, “Let’s counter and increase our purchase price offer by $15K.”  That sounds logical, and my clients really love this home,  so why not pay a little more to entice the seller’s to sign our counter? Well, read on…

The seller’s agreed with our offer on the price of the home; otherwise they would have countered higher. The seller’s only concern now is that the buyer has the ability to perform on the contract in a timely fashion so they can move ahead with the closing of their new home.

I recommended that we counter with the $10K earnest deposit to go “hard” or non-refundable after the inspection period and to close escrow in 20 days, not 30.

We received the signed counter and my clients got their dream home!

After close of escrow, I called the listing agent to thank her for a smooth and successful transaction. The listing agent said, “Your offer wasn’t the highest, but it met my clients needs perfectly. Your clients demonstrated their ability to close escrow; which was by far the most appealing asset of all offers we received.” She also added that the phone calls and questions showed a genuine concern not only for my buyers, but also for her sellers. None of the other agents had even bothered to call and simply submitted the offers.

Presenting an offer isn’t rocket-science. But understanding what makes a seller “tick” and leveraging that information into successful negotiations, is why you should use a buyer specialist.

The moral of the story?  ”The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”

For exceptional negotiating on Arizona’s best homes, please call Stacey @ 480.747.2664 or drop me a note at stacey@scottsdaleparadise.com

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