So You're Thinking About Trading Chicago Winters for Scottsdale Sunshine?

A photo comparing a snowy winter day in Chicago compared to a man golfing in sunny Scottsdale

Let's be real for a second. If you've ever stood on a Chicago street corner in February, wind ripping through your coat like it has a personal grudge against you, and thought "there has to be a better way," you're not alone. Thousands of Chicagoans make the move to Scottsdale, Arizona every single year, and most of them will tell you the same thing: they wish they'd done it sooner. Illinois is among the top 10 states from which residents move to Arizona.

But moving from one of America's biggest cities to a desert resort town is a big deal. It's not just a change of address. It's a completely different way of living. So before you start packing boxes and Googling "how to…

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Should You Wait for Housing Prices to Drop? Here's What the Numbers Actually Say

A skeleton sitting on the couch waiting for the Scottsdale real estate prices to get better

A lot of people are doing the same thing right now: sitting tight, watching the housing market, and hoping prices will eventually come down enough to make buying feel reasonable again. It's an understandable impulse. Nobody wants to overpay for the biggest purchase of their life. But here's the thing—Oxford Economics, one of the most respected economic research firms on the planet, just crunched the numbers on how long that wait might actually take.

Their answer? Seven years.

That's not a casual estimate or a wild guess. Oxford Economics does economic modeling for governments and major financial institutions worldwide. When they say housing affordability won't…

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A pool with a bunch of summer toys and flipflops next to a pool in a home in Scottsdale

Summer will officially be here this month, and Scottsdale is heating up in all the best ways. This month, I'm tackling what it really takes to thrive during the sizzle, exploring some great escapes to beat the heat, and taking a closer look at the exciting luxury rental development shaping our community.

We're also diving into another cautionary tale that affects us all - how to protect yourself and your loved ones in an increasingly digital world - plus all the latest happenings around town.

Let's jump in!

Here's the June lineup:

  • Are You Ready for the Scottsdale Sizzle?
  • June Jaunts
  • Avala - An Upcoming Scottsdale Luxury Rental Project
  • The Scottsdale Scoop
  • Your Home Could Be the Next Target: What AI Romance Scams Are Doing…

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What’s In and Out for Homes in 2026, According to Buyer Behavior

A picture of a living room with What's in and what's out in 2026

Some of my highest-read blog posts have been my home decorating posts. That tells me that home decor is a subject many people are interested in. I think it's more curiosity than a blueprint for what a person should immediately follow to make sure their place is decorated in the current style. It's like fashion, designers create new looks for the current year, and it's fun to watch and see, but most of it doesn't fit with the average person's lifestyle.

However, home decor is something people can pick and choose when considering an update or a remodel. So these decorating posts are what today's interior designers are telling us is in or out of home decor fashion. It's up to us…

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Why Your Backyard Matters More Than You Think (And How to Upgrade It Without Breaking the Bank)

A backyard for family living

Think about the moments that matter most when you're home. You're sitting outside with your coffee while the morning's still quiet. You're stretched out on a chair with nothing to do. Your family's gathered around a firepit, and nobody's checking their phone. Those moments happen in backyards.

And here's what's interesting: a lot of homeowners are finally treating their backyards like they matter. Not as some distant fantasy project or a "someday when we have money" thing, but as actual outdoor rooms where life happens.

The shift isn't about expensive renovations or designer landscaping. It's much simpler than that. People want spaces they'll…

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A Scottsdale home roof inspection done by Core Roofing

Of all the things that can quietly wreck a home purchase in Arizona, the roof is at the top of the list. It is also the part of the home that most buyers spend the least time thinking about during a showing.

That makes sense. You walk in the front door, you look at the kitchen, you check the backyard, you imagine your furniture in the living room. You do not climb a ladder. You do not crawl into the attic. And the listing photos rarely tell you anything useful about what is happening above your head.

But in Scottsdale, the roof is doing more work than almost any other part of the house. Triple-digit summers, intense UV exposure, and monsoon storms wear roofing materials down faster here than in nearly any other market in the country. A roof that…

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A small notebook with May written on it with a list of this newsletter's articles, surrounded by colorful roses

May is shaping up to be one of those months where there’s a little bit of everything going on—and we’re here for it.  From the growing influence of women in today’s housing market to a packed calendar of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, there’s no shortage of energy around Scottsdale right now. We’re also diving into big local developments like The Parque project, catching up on headlines in The Scottsdale Scoop, and taking a look at a fascinating (and slightly eerie) conversation around AI’s expanding role in our lives.

The Rise of Women Homeowners

I grew up with my family in a single-family home. My parents purchased their first house for $8,000, and they lived with my Mom’s parents to save up the cash.

I was 23 when my husband and I…

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10 Scottsdale home maintenance tasks to save thousands

Most homeowners feel pretty good about keeping up with the obvious stuff. The grass gets mowed, the walls get a fresh coat of paint every few years, and the house stays reasonably clean. But here's the thing about homeownership that nobody really warns you about: the tasks that matter most are often the ones you never think to look for.

The numbers are honestly a little surprising. Research shows that around 60% of homeowners have put off maintenance or repairs they knew needed attention, and nearly half have ended up paying for a major fix that could have been prevented entirely with a little routine care. That's not a knock on anyone. Life gets busy, and it's genuinely hard to prioritize something you can't see deteriorating in front of you.

…

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No Partner, No Problem: Single Women Are Buying Homes at Record Rates

Beyonce and all the single women

The face of today's typical homebuyer might surprise you. For a long time, the idea of buying a house was wrapped up in this very specific picture: a couple, probably married, pooling two incomes together to afford a down payment and split a mortgage. That image has been plastered across real estate ads and financial advice columns for generations. But real life in 2024 looks a lot different, and the actual data on who's buying homes right now tells a story that almost nobody saw coming.

I have to go back to around 1985. I was getting divorced and wanted to get my own place. I was told by multiple people (all men) that no one would give a mortgage to a single woman. I proved…

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Before You Build: What Homeowners Need to Know Before They Spend Real Money | WL3 Designs

WL3 Designs | Homeowner Guest Article

Before You Build: What Homeowners Need to Know Before They Spend Real Money

Most residential projects do not go sideways because the homeowner had a bad dream. They go sideways because someone moved too fast, priced too early, skipped feasibility, trusted incomplete drawings, or assumed permitting would somehow sort itself out later. That is how small decisions quietly become very expensive problems.

Written for homeowners, buyers, and investors By William Leipart | WL3 Designs Residential focus: additions, garages, pools, ADUs, custom homes

Over the years, I have watched homeowners lose time,…

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