Archive for July, 2008
Central and North Central Phoenix Real Estate Market
July 24th, 2008 categories: Phoenix real estate
Below is a graph with the home sales in Central Phoenix, North Central Phoenix and the Biltmore area for the last 30 days.
If you look at the pending sales which hopefully will be future sales the number is increasing. So despite the meager sales in June the sales in July shoud be higher. Still overall the supply is quite large and this is well indicated by the very long time on the market. The average for the valley is 97 days while it varies from 90 days to 217 days in Central Phoenix.
None the less prices are holding quite steady but the wave of foreclosures that started in the outer cities is quickly moving in.
If you would like to see the resale data for greater phoenix please visit Phoenix Market Trends to see current graphs and historic numbers of the Phoenix real estate market.
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“Concentrated Wisdom” just a click away :)
July 21st, 2008 categories: Edits, Responsible Living
Another of Brian Johnson’s brilliant ideas has been recently realized in a form of : “PhilosophersNotes”.
Perhaps you see “free time” as luxury, but your main focus is always to move FORWARD in all areas of your life. Looking at a long shelve with self-development books, you just know, it will take too long to read all books you crave.
Brian thought of people like you:
“In less than 15 minutes a week, we’ll get you thru the Big Ideas of 25 of the best self-development books ever written—you’ll get a 6-page PDF and ~20-minute MP3 for each title so you can decide if you’d prefer to read over a cup of tea or listen on your way to work, on a hike, at the gym, doing errands or whatever’s best for you!”
And he continues:
“We’ll gain mastery in spiritual economics (we MUST learn how to integrate our spirituality/self-actualizing with our bank accounts, no?), health and fitness (how can we possibly live at our highest potential if we have a hard time getting out of bed?), and relationship skills (love, love, love!!). We’ll learn a bunch of ways to discover our purpose/dharma, how to follow our bliss, how to feel the fear… and do it anyway and how to live the 7 habits of highly effective people. And, we’ll study the science of getting rich and the magic of thinking big. And all kinds of other goodness.”
I have to say: I do like it.
In some cases- before you finish a second cup of morning coffee (or green tea : ) you read one Summary, (sometimes it takes longer) you mood is set, you are energized - that is how Brian writes, and you just learned something very practical that you will be able to apply immediately to many situations throughout the day.
Click on the icon here in the post, and start reading and enjoying!
(What I have read this morning: a Summary of ” Self -Actualizing People” A. Maslow)
Get a 6-page PDF and >< 20-Minute Mp3 for each title. Click on the icon or here.
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What Do Lending Changes Mean for You?
July 17th, 2008 categories: Market Trends
It appears we can expect home loans to be back to Full Doc only by late 2009. See the changes approved by the Federal Reserve
This is like it was in the old days 20 years ago. There may some versions of Limited Documentation but the good old Stated Income Loans may be difficult to find by late 2009.
This maybe a good time to get off the fence if you’re Self Employed/Stated Income type buyers?
Start looking for homes in Phoenix.
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Quick Facts About Downtown Scottsdale
July 14th, 2008 categories: Downtown Scottsdale
As one of the most acclaimed tourist areas in the state of Arizona, Downtown Scottsdale provides an eclectic mix of southwestern and contemporary art galleries, specialty retail, upscale dining, action nightlife and cultural attractions for residents and visitors alike. This notoriety was recently reinforced by the New York Times, who ranked Downtown Scottsdale No. 9 in its top 31 Places to Go This Summer. The top billing was based on Scottsdale’s luxury hotels, nightlife and summer resort packages.
DOWNTOWN SCOTTSDALE BY THE NUMBERS:
> 786 acres
> Free trolley service - 7 days/week, 12 months/year
> Year-round Thursday Art Walk events, 7-9 p.m.
> Signature events including Fashion Week, Savor Scottsdale, and Via Colori
> Free downtown parking
> 2,500 residential units
> 3,300+ hotel rooms in 20+ hotels
> 100+ art galleries
> 50+ lounges, bars and nightclubs
> 85+ restaurants
> More than 50 public artworks
> 30,000+ visitors on any given weekend night, year-round
(from Downtown Scottsdale enewsletter)
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View new listings in Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown in style with BIG photos.
July 14th, 2008 categories: Homes For Sale, Phoenix real estate
RealEstateConfluence will now feature the newest listings to the Central Phoenix market with BIG photos. How big are they? Up to 6 inches wide. You won’t find photos that big in many places. One of the few other ones is at PhoenixMarketTrends.com which listing in places like Paradise Valley, the Biltmore Area, Arcadia and The Phoenix Mountain Preserve. The listing are updated every few hours with the newest ones on top. Look below and click on any of the area you have an interest in to see these properties for sale. After that if you see one that you like just select the address and you’ll see the property on a map with more photos and full details.
Uptown Phoenix
Central Corridor Condos / Townhomes
North Central Phoenix Condos / Townhomes
Midtown Phoenix
Phoenix Midtown Condos / Townhomes
Downtown Phoenix
Phoenix Downtown Condos and Lofts
Do a more extensive Phoenix home search by map.
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Contemporary Home close to Phoenix Mountain Preserve
July 11th, 2008 categories: Architecture, Contemporary Homes, Homes Worth Buying
Humane scale, lots of light and ongoing interaction with the outdoors, thanks to walls of glass on the first level. Every room offers something exciting. Upon entering we see an open space that can serve as a family room, dining room. Kitchen in the background. I am thinking: Paul Rudolph’s Casey Key home in Florida. And I don’t think this association is too far.
The builder’s representative, Cortney Smith, answered a couple of questions for us:
J: Cortney, Can you tell me about the builder, how did it happen that the company started to build contemporary homes?
C: Identity Construction designs and builds residential contemporary and modern architecture. Our architectural background allows us to collaborate with field conditions in order to achieve the finest design. We manage the entire project with respect to finishes, specialty consultants, budget and schedule. Through this collaboration we strive to produce architecture that is unique and a final product that is beyond expectations of the client.
J: Who orders the homes and where else are located those, that have been built?
C: Though the company as been incorporated since 2004, only a few select contemporary homes have been successful built. There locations include Phoenix, Rio Verde, Scottsdale and Fountain Hills. Most of the business is generated through word of mouth, as their philosophy is the greatest recognition is a successful project. Jason Smith has a background in various building styles, contemporary and modern being his favorite. Clientele ranges, most of them want them to be unique and want their home to be like an original piece of art.
J: What are the most unique features and solutions that you think are the most important about this home?
C: The project on 27th Street was designed around a floating living box set upon a central living that is anchored by concrete mass. The u-shaped masses spoon private places while the store font glazing flood the living with natural light. The cantilevered upper portions of the structure provide protection from the sun in the living area’s as well as insulating the 1600 sq ft. The upper steel portion of the home holds the three bedrooms and was juxtaposed with minimal glazing and increased insulation to buffer the lower section.
_________
Large lot with lap pool, spa and inground tampoline. A garage -located in a separate building has a garage door on both sides, which allows to drive in to the backyard, if needed. Three bedrooms plus a den/office. Wood floors and tile throughout. Large master bath.
This exceptional home can be yours. It is offered for sale at $799,000 ” Get more information about it, including more pictures and full details.
Related Links:
See more about this neighborhood and search for homes there.
Search for homes by Map in Greater Phoenix.
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Home Sales Trends 85020 | East Sunnyslope
July 9th, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Sunnyslope Neighborhood
The Sunnyslope area has not been spared the decreasing prices and is not beyond the trend in the valley. That trend being increased home sales, steady days on the market and lower median home prices. In 85020 which is East Sunnyslope and part North Central Phoenix the median price was $162,750.
Days on the market increased as well after a drop in May.
The distribution of sales between starter homes, move up homes and luxury homes is not much different then the valley but unlike the valley as a whole luxury home sales increased. Its the move up homes which have seen a large decrease in sales. The increase in starter home sales in a very good sign of things to come. It is this market where loans have been more difficult to obtain, so more home selling means that at lease to some extent there is financing out there.
Despite the move up homes still being below the Jumbo loan limits the sales decreased. That limit is $417,000; any loan over $417,000 is a jumbo loan and is subject to higher interest rates.
Below are two graphs for homes built from 1999 onwards in 85020 and grid M34. This is the area associated with the newer home developments near the Phoenix Mountains. The list to sales price ratio has been on a downward trend until March 2008. Since then that ratio has increased but only slightly. I have noticed that prices have come down. This would be a good explanation of higher ratio.
Most of the newer homes in this area are in the luxury home bracket and upper move-up bracket. Since the turnover has not been high enough due to lack of supply the graph below is not a fair representation of the sales.
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Who will watch your recycling bins?
July 8th, 2008 categories: Responsible Living
Allied Waste Industries, Inc. will!
Previously we could implant chips in our dogs, now we can chip the recycling bins. But not for the purpose of tracking them, if they get lost (what happened yesterday to the greatest astonishment of my clients in Palm Valley) but to monitor weight of the recycled items.
Allied Waste and RecycleBank are launching a program that will encourage people to recycle.
“Participating customers in communities served by Allied Waste will have radio frequency identification codes imbedded in their recycling bins. RecycleBank Points are then awarded to the community for each pound of recyclable material, with the total amount evenly divided among participating customers.
Households can redeem RecycleBank points for gift cards and discounts to more than 400 brand name national and local retailers. Recipients also can convert rewards into donations for select charitable organizations. ” Source: Phoenix Business Journal, July 8th, 2008
The program will start in 2008 in just 3 metropolies and will expand in 2009.
Isn’t it nice to be rewarded for something that.. we should do anyway?
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McKinley Condominiums in Downtown Phoenix
July 7th, 2008 categories: Phoenix Condos, Phoenix Downtown
There is something to like about the Condominiums at 215 E. McKinley in Downtown Phoenix at least the architecture, design and location. The McKinley Condos are part of a forthcoming Evans Churchill Project which at least on paper and the visualizations looks very exciting and transforming for the area. If it turns out like expected this will be a ver
y nice, exciting and vibrant place to live.
215 E. McKinley is a first in a line of many such buildings to come. Visually the building is very appealing, tall, contemporary yet grounded and in a great location. It’s more then condos. It’s condos, lofts and studios priced from $200,000 up; there are some commercial spaces as well. 14 units ranging from the 564 sf. studios, to the 1,474 sf. lofts comprise the building.
Currently the building is lonely, sitting there on the vanguard of the downtown building explosion, much of which, has been put on hold while the economy takes a few breaths before moving ahead again, which it will soon.
When your cross streets are 3rd Street and Roosevelt you know you’re in the midst of downtown Phoenix close to most of the top places to visit and work. You may not need a car living here especially once the light rail gets going; although something small like a scooter or maybe a smart would expand your boundaries.
Like I mentioned, I do like the McKinley Condos but they could be better. A little more 
thought and care in execution would have made these condos/lofts much more desirable without necessarily increasing the price. The finishes, on the interior in some units, are bland and a little boring and don’t distinguish the place much from just your regular stucco condos. In addition the execution should be better; the grout could be cleaner in finish, the carpet stretched and a few other minor things. Please don’t get me wrong, these are very minor things that would not cost too much to repair or replace, but these little things may turn some people away, especially since they are advertised as “luxurious”.
They are not luxurious; they are upper end and the location is great, the architecture is appealing and overall 215 E. McKinley is a very nice project.
There are several units for sale so please call Joanna at 602.358.1392 to see them yourselves or to find other condos or lofts in Downtown Phoenix.
Other articles of interest:
Search for Lofts and Condos in Downtown Phoenix by Map.
Portland 2 Townhomes in Downtown Phoenix.
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Phoenix Uptown | North Central Phoenix Home Sales News
July 7th, 2008 categories: Central Corridor, Market Trends, Phoenix Uptown
After a long 5 month downward trend in median price in North Central Phoenix or Uptown Phoenix, the point has come when the median price has come back up above $200,000 from its low of $196,000 in May 2008.
A total of 44 homes sold in June 2008 in zip codes 85012, 85013, 85014 or North Central Phoenix. in the Central Corridor itself 6 home sold with the average price of $340,284. Note also that the homes that did sell in the Central Corridor were on the market an average of over 280 days while the average for North Central Phoenix was 135 days.
On other important fact to note is that 12 of the 44 homes on the market sold at 100% of their asking price. This is important but in no way does it give any insight into the details of the market. Many of these homes could have been originally listed for more. Still the average list to sales ratio is 96.8%. That’s not too bad.
If you would like a more detailed analysis of your neighborhood in preparation for a sale or purchase please contact at 602.358.1392 or by our contact form.
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