Scottsdale Real Estate Blog

What do Historically Low Interest Rates Mean for Scottsdale Real Estate?

When I purchased my first house at the age of 22, we didn't bat an eye at the 10.5% interest rate for my first mortgage.  We were also required to put down 20% and it was only a 10-year mortgage (not our choice).  That house also only cost $18,300, and our monthly payment was around $210.00 total (including taxes).

I didn't think I'd ever see rates this low. And I'm talking about 6%, 5%, 4%, and 3%.  So I never expected less than 3%, but that's what happened in July of 2020.

Did you know that in 1971 the average mortgage rate was 7.31%?  I was a few years out from owning my own home, and interest rates were higher when I bought, but in my 37+ years in the real estate business, 7% was a good rate.  In fact, at one point in time, around 2012,…

543 Views, 0 Comments

5 Reasons Winter is a Great Time to Buy or Sell Scottsdsale Real Estate

There is a common misconception that you should put your house on the market in winter.  But that's not necessarily true.  There are some advantages for both buyers and sellers of Scottdale area real estate to buy and sell in the fall and winter months.

There are people who need to buy and sell throughout the year.  Sometimes, people planned to do it during the summer but for whatever reason, things got pushed back.

I remember when we bought a Scottsdale townhouse, our first property in Arizona, I figured the real estate market would be the opposite of our prior state of IL.  I thought more people would buy a home in Scottsdale during the winter because the weather was usually nicer then.  Our agent, who also hailed from IL, said that wasn't the…

551 Views, 0 Comments

Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale, AZ

We visited the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale, AZ, for the 2nd time.  A woman that was there said she's lived in Arizona for 42 years and this was her first visit because she didn't know it existed.  We'd love to spread the word.

The first time we went, it was just Jimmy and me.  This time we took our son and our granddaughter.  I missed the available reservation for 2:00 on Christmas Eve so we went the day after Christmas at 10:00.

You have to set an appointment as you are taken into groups with a guide.  Although she had a mask on this time because of the pandemic, I think it was the same guide that took us through the first time a few years ago.

This is a true animal conservation center and sanctuary

Although I…

973 Views, 0 Comments

Share the Spirit of the Holidays - Starting at Home

2020 Has Been a Rough Year

Holidays just aren't the same this year.  My son and my grandsons were going to visit us for Christmas but they can't now because my son's employer won't allow out-of-state travel.  Some people are asking why he told them where he was going.  They have the right to ask, and they did.  He has a great job and didn't want to risk losing it.

That was the final word.  But it was a roller coaster of yes, he could go, then no, he can't go, back and forth.  Just before the final "No", he was told he could go as long as he had a clear Covid test prior to returning.  I was so excited, but now that's not happening.

It's Hard to Keep the Spirit this Year 

I'm sitting at home, which is now sparsely decorated since we're still…

405 Views, 0 Comments

How to Keep Your Home Safe for the Holidays

There are so many dangers when we're out and about, especially during the continuing Coronavirus outbreak, which is spiking once again. We want and need to feel safe in our own homes.

Although this post is made during the holiday season, these tips are not only to help you keep your visitors to stay safe (if you have visitors this year), but to keep you and your family safe throughout the year.  Here are 12 tips to keep your home healthy this holiday season and all year long:

1.  Home Lighting

This is something I'm guilty of.  We have plenty of lights in our house, but as a night owl, I'm up late and tend to walk around in the dark.  Since I've broken my hip (not because of the dark), I always tell myself not to trip over anything.

Make sure…

439 Views, 0 Comments

What You Need to Know About Virtual Home Tours

Although virtual tours have been used for many years for foreign and out-of-state buyers, they have become more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic.  During the pandemic, some buyers want and need to make a home purchase, but they don't want to take the risk of going into multiple strangers' homes.

Many home sellers took their properties off the market because of the pandemic.  This is why Scottsdale real estate, including Cave Creek, Carefree, North Phoenix, and Paradise Valley, plus many areas in the United States, have such low inventory.

Agents have suggested that sellers allow the listing agent to take a virtual tour that can be sent to potential buyers and their agents, or the sellers can just allow the selling agents to go through their…

445 Views, 0 Comments

The New Normal: A Strong Housing Market Expected to Continue into 2021

2020 has given us a gut punch like no other that most of us have ever experienced. The housing bubble bursting was bad for real estate, but I was able to survive it like I've survived several recessions in my long history as a licensed real estate agent. The strong really do survive!

I received a phone call this past Spring when Covid was getting widespread publicity and government mandates were starting. It was a woman wanting to see a house for sale that was either my listing or something that showed up on my website.

She questioned the price and stated that because of the pandemic and a pending recession, home prices will be going down. I tried to explain to her that the only time (in our lifetime) that prices went down was during the Great…

422 Views, 0 Comments

Frank Lloyd Wright's Norman Lykes House is on the Market

I was introduced to Frank Lloyd Wright in my teens or early 20's after watching a PBS documentary.  It showed his Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture and the compound.  I was mesmerized by it and was never really attracted to architecture before.

It was decades later that I actually visited Taliesin West and I keep going back.  The funny thing is, I really don't care for the small rooms and his furniture, but I was drawn to his building into and with the earth, trying to blend in as much as possible.  I'm still delighted by the acoustics in his very red Music Pavilion.

Although I was first attracted to Taliesin West, I learned to have an interest in the man himself.  He certainly lived a colorful life.  I was sad to learn that the…

1112 Views, 0 Comments

Avoiding Damages on Moving Day: This Is What You Need To Know

Everyone is nervous about something bad happening on moving day. The majority of the mishaps one might hear and read about are, fortunately, very preventable. Supplies and know-how make the packing process a breeze, and turn moving day from a stressful trial to little more than a usual chore. Adding a few extra items to a pre-move checklist and learning a few tricks of the trade helps anyone prevent damages during their move, no matter how far their items will travel.

Avoiding Damage to Your Items

The packing process for fragile items is mainly uniform. First, the items should be coated with some sort of protection. We recommend wrapping items in bubble wrap or packing paper. The added layer of protection helps absorb any shocks caused in motion…

614 Views, 0 Comments

Black Bear Diner Opens in Scottsdale, AZ

We were introduced to the Black Bear Diner in Gilroy, CA, where my Mom lived until her passing last year. My brothers and their families weren't as enamored with it as Mom was, and we also became fans.

This is not fine dining. It is an affordable family restaurant that prides itself on homemade food. I didn't think of taking a picture of Jimmy's chicken pot pie - it looked fantastic!

The menu is also a bit different than the Gilroy restaurant. The Arizona restaurant doesn't have the wonderful garlic fries that Gilroy has and it was one of the first things I checked. Gilroy is the Garlic Capital of the World so I can understand why they have them and Scottsdale doesn't. They also didn't have my favorite turkey sandwich with cranberries.

Like…

1443 Views, 0 Comments