The Scottsdale Real Estate Files: January 2008

Despite an uneasy Real Estate market at large, the mass exodus from other parts of the country to sunny Scottsdale, Arizona continues unabated. Having swapped the title of fastest growing population back and forth with Nevada over the last several years, Arizona welcomed a net gain of 173,066 residents from July 1, 2006 - July 1, 2007.  While lagging Nevada's rate of growth by .1% for this period (2.8 versus 2.9%), Arizona added over 100,000 more total residents than its northern neighbor.  *

Scottsdale's population has grown from 202,705 in 2000 (US Census) to an estimated 240,410 in 2007.

So what exactly is it that keeps the one-way conveyor belt full? What intrinsic value of the Arizona lifestyle keeps folks coming in droves to the Valley of the Sun? Why does the city still nostalgically known as "The West's Most Western Town" continue to add labels such as the nation‘s "Most Livable City" and be amongst the "Top 100 Cities for Young People?"

Young people? In Arizona? Bet you didn't see that coming!

Let's examine why Scottsdale might appeal to people of all walks of life.

Is it the 330 days of crystal blue skies and sunshine? The sky so open that the occasional passing cloud is quickly chased away like tumbleweed through the desert? The average high temperatures of 85 degrees, and mere 7 & a half inches of annual rainfall?

Possibly.

Is it the Scottsdale Unified School District which routinely ranks atop the state in performance and outpaces local and national averages by a wide margin in critical categories such as SAT and ACT scoring? Which boasts an off the charts percentage of schools categorized as "excelling?"

Possibly.

Is it the vibrant nightlife and fine dining that boasts an inordinate amount of upscale eating establishments, wine bars and the like? Where you can't fall down without landing on the finest Fillet Mignon or Prickly Pear Margarita you have ever tasted? The more than 125 art galleries which make Scottsdale a bastion of high culture? Is it Taliesin West, the former winter home and school of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright which now serves as a popular tourist attraction?

Possibly.

Is it the golf? The more than 40 courses which can be found within Scottsdale‘s city limits alone? From Par 3 executive courses to PGA venues, there is something for every skill level. You are moving to Scottsdale, Arizona. It has to be for the golf, right?

Possibly.

Is it the strong local economy? The one with the ultra low unemployment figures and strong median income levels (median family income of $95,361 per 2006 estimates)? The one powered by tourism (39% of city workforce), convention revenue, 2^ndhome buyers, strong aviation industry presence centered around the Scottsdale Airpark, medical field stalwarts such as the Mayo Clinic, etc? Notable businesses include the Fortune 500 company, Allied Waste, as well as Rural Metro (private fire protection), Go Daddy, Cold Stone Creamery and TASER International. Is it the strong job market and sought after Real Estate?   **

Possibly.

Is it the shopping? The spender's paradise which boasts Kierland Commons, Fashion Square Mall, The Promenade, Old Town, Gainey Village, The Borgata, just to name a few? Where you will find that perfect something that you can't live without in every shop?

Possibly.

Is it the unbelievable location and access to the rest of the Valley? Minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport, Scottsdale is connected to the rest of the greater Phoenix area by freeway. Bisected by the Loop 101, previously distant reaches of the Valley such as Chandler/Mesa/Gilbert to the south and Glendale/Peoria to the west are now readily accessible. Could the prime central location be the reason for Scottsdale's popularity?

Possibly.

Is it the resorts? After all, being a resort town is what put Scottsdale on the map in the first place. With over 70 resorts and hotels, half of the Valley's resorts are located in Scottsdale. Might the lure of an afternoon at the Hyatt Regency's pool or the Westin Kierland's spa be the source of enticement? Is it afternoon tea and relaxation at The Phoenician? Reaching out to touch the mountains at The Four Seasons in Troon?

Possibly.

Is it the immediate access to escape from the daily grind? The ability to trade the heat of a July day for an afternoon in the high mountains with only an hour and a half's drive north as payment? Or to dip toes in the Pacific Ocean by making the 6 hour drive to San Diego? Heck, less distance than that puts a traveler on a lazy beach in Rocky Point, Mexico. Is it these convenient getaways that attract all of these new Scottsdale residents?

Possibly.

These are all very strong possibilities, but I think it boils down to something far more simple. Most people move to Scottsdale, Arizona for the very reasons that I have never left. Those reasons are hard to describe in words.  Here is why this native son continues to call Scottsdale home after 33 years.

* Phoenix Business Journal

** Wikipedia

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Considering relocating to Scottsdale, Paradise Valley or Phoenix, Arizona?  I would love to be of assistance.  As a Valley native and 2nd generation Scottsdale Real Estate Agent, there is nothing I enjoy more than showing off the land that I love.  For more information regarding any facet of your move, please feel free to visit my site, send me an email or call me today! 

Paul Slaybaugh: proudly serving Scottsdale, Phoenix and Paradise Valley home buyers and sellers since 1999.

Hey Scottsdale, come see 5 stunning view lot properties in Troon Village (Whispering Ridge) Sunday, 1/27 between 1-4 PM.  Offering stunning city light and mountain views, prices range from $739,000 to $1,198,000.

Take Happy Valley Rd East from Pima, past Alma School to Whispering Ridge and follow the signs for the following participating brokerages:  Realty Executives, Century 21 Arizona Foothills, Russ Lyon Realty, Dominion Real Estate, Sterling Fine Properties and Equitable Realty.

* Photos taken from back yard of one of the participating listings.  24350 N. Whispering Ridge Way 48, Scottsdale, AZ 85255.

He comes every Tuesday.

The engine's low growl and the frequent squeal of overmatched brakes audible long before he rounds the corner.  My son jumping up and down at the front door alerting me to the approaching Twuck! Twuck!

Stepping outside in pajama pants and robe, I make my way to my usual vantage point on the porch sipping my second cup of coffee. Kenyan this morning. Jack has already shot across the front lawn and is standing on the lower horizontal rung of the picket fence. Peering over the wickets, silently urging the big, yellow truck to round the bend already, he bounces in unrestrained glee. Have I ever been so free?

To delighted peals of laughter, the garbage truck makes the turn onto our street. It stops at the neighbor's house, collects its haul, returns the black can to the sidewalk and moves on. At Randy's house. Now at Steve's.

All that stands between us now is AJ's place.

Here he comes. Chuffing the horn and waiving to Jack, the garbage man rumbles past the fence enroute to the can on the other side of the driveway.

As the mechanical arm effortlessly hoists the full can which I pulled to the curb the night before with such difficulty, I am as mesmerized as my son. Another week's worth of clutter and debris whisked away.

We both stand rooted in place as the truck makes its way down the street. To Marcy's. Now the neighbor beyond whom we have never met. The nice couple with the young children. The odd family with the anti-abortion stickers on their cars, religious idols in the yard and recumbent bicycles in the garage. The kindly, older bachelor with the little pug and FSBO sign in the yard. The retired couple with the fake flowers on the front walk and Green Bay Packer paraphernalia which reminds them of home.

The street's burden relieved, the garbage man makes a right turn at the stop sign and disappears.

Only now does Jack climb down from the fence and dash back across the grass into Daddy's arms. Scooping him up, I linger for the briefest moment before sauntering back across the threshold to my day. The faint echoes of the truck's passage gone, the air feels cool and clean. Possibilities endless.

Brought to by the little hand which tugs at my own, I ruffle his hair and head inside.

Time to get started on this week's mess.

The McCormick Ranch Real Estate Market in Scottsdale, Arizona maintained a fairly consistent level of performance through the late stages of 2007. 

Looking back at the last three months, we can get an idea of the average rate of sale, list prices, days on the market, etc.  Comparing the current crop of active listings to those that have actually sold is useful for extrapolating the length of time it will take to sell the existing supply by the current rate of sale.

Please take the data with a grain of salt.  Trends do not necessarily reflect how your home will perform on the open market.  Not all properties are priced properly, staged for the market properly or exposed properly.  Others may have intrinsic factors, such as poor locations (ie on a busy street) or unusual floorplans, which negatively impact both the ability to sell and ultimate value.

Looking back to November 1st, here is quick snapshot of McCormick Ranch Real Estate activity.

• There are currently 119 Active Listings for Single-Family Homes in McCormick Ranch.
• These properties average a list price of $734,881, 2523 Square Feet ($291 per foot) and 136 Days on the Market.
• There are currently 17 Pending Sales for Single-Family Homes in McCormick Ranch.
• These properties average a list price of $709,700, 2564 Square Feet ($277 per foot) and 87 Days on the Market. 
• There have been 21 Closed Sales for Single-Family Homes in McCormick Ranch since 11/1/07.
• These properties averaged a sale price of $553,904, 2366 Square Feet ($234 per foot) and 115 Days on the Market.
• Additionally, the difference between average final list price and ultimate sale price was $41,296 (6.9%).

With an average of approximately 7 closed sales per month, it would take approximately 17 months to sell off the existing supply at the current rate of sale. 

It is important to note, however, that this snapshot reflects what is typically a slow time in our market.  I fully expect the rate of sale to increase drastically as we get approach our high season.  With interest rates dipping even lower and foreign currency very strong against the Dollar, it should make for an active spring.

Ray and Paul Slaybaugh are your sources for McCormick Ranch Real Estate.  An Arizona native, Paul grew up in on the Ranch, and has specialized in the sale of these properties since 1999.  Ray has been a licensed Realtor in Scottsdale since 1974.  An original resident of McCormick Ranch, he continues to specialize in the community he has lived in and sold since 1979.  When you think McCormick Ranch, think Ray & Paul!

As part of my continuing series of things to do in and around Scottsdale, Phoenix and Paradise Valley, Arizona, today's edition is devoted to the Phoenix Mountain Preserve.

As the Valley has been beset by rapid expansion and development, political forces have been at odds over the preservation of our native land.  Victories for conservationists have produced a series of preserved mountain areas within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.  Encompassing approximately 23,500 acres (non-continuous) in total, and open to the public for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, the preserves offer an amazing opportunity to experience raw Arizona without leaving the confines of the city.

There are seven primary mountain preserve areas in Phoenix:  Lookout Mountain, Shadow Mountain, North Mountain/Shaw Butte, Stoney Mountain, Stoney Mountain South, Piestewa Peak (formerly Squaw Peak) and South Mountain.

This past Sunday, I took the family to the Piestewa Peak preserve area.  Instead of accessing the preserve from the South where there is a direct route up the peak, we decided to stomp around the open area to the North.  Not quite ready for mountain climbing, the boys were much better suited to scampering along the relatively flat trails.  On this day, the desert was surprisingly green and vibrant with undergrowth.  With sunshine on our faces and just the slightest nip in the air, it could not have been a better morning for communing with mother nature.

Look, there goes a group of middle-aged mountain bikers.  Up ahead is a gaggle of high school girls chattering away about nothing and everything.  To my left is a couple with three exceedingly happy Labrador Retrievers.  In the distance to the right, I can even see the silhouette of a man on horseback. 

Yet, despite the traffic, I do not feel imposed upon.  The preserve so open and expansive, the mountain vistas so spectacular, that it never feels crowded.  Quite the contrary, we trade genuine smiles with each person we encounter.  Eager for the chance to express feelings of contentment with fellow revelers.  Every eye sparkles.

While fruitlessly trying to teach my toddler to identify a "mountain" and "cactus," I can only laugh as he instead opts to inspect every single rock at his feet.  Trust me when I say that is a lot of rocks.

An hour later, tired but refreshed, we found our way back to the parking area.  The paved parking lot which I should note was not paved the last time I utilized this point of entry.  In fact there were no restrooms when I was here last either.  What does this tell me?  That it has been far too long.

When you need to step away from the rat race, don't forget this haven is only minutes away. 

For access to this part of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, go West on Shea Boulevard from Tatum.  Follow 40th Street South from Shea until it terminates in the public parking area.  Leave your worries with your car, and enjoy an enchanting day in the mountains.

For more information, please visit the Phoenix Mountain Preserve.

Paul Slaybaugh is your source for Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale Real Estate.  A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, Paul has been selling the land that he loves since 1999.