The Scott's Sell Scottsdale

The greater Phoenix metro area encompasses several cities that are right next door to each other and extend over 80 miles from east to west and 40 miles from north to south . The area is in Maricopa County which is the fourth largest county in terms of population size and the 14th largest in the continental United States, covering over 9,220 square miles. The metro area has grown rapidly over the past several years offering a wide variety of affordable housing and desirable climate.

In this ever changing market, where are we today? The current real estate market inventory is 50,052 properties listed for sale, 11,308 properties in the escrow process and 4,376 have sold (closed escrow) thus far in February 2009. The number of sales continues to increase and the inventory is being reduced. At this time last year there was 56,000+ properties listed for sale.

There are some excellent ‘deals’ to be had in this market. Houses have become affordable again. FHA loans with only 3.5% down payment are a great way to get in to a home. New home buyers also now have access for up to $8,000 tax credit. Combined with the historically low interest rates, now is a good time to test the market to see if you qualify for your dream of home ownership.

Below is a snapshot of the Scottsdale, Phoenix, North Phoenix and the Southeast Valley Housing market —
February 27, 2009
Select a hyperlink below to search the local MLS for properties in the city selected.

The new $789 billion stimulus plan has added provisions designed to help promote energy-efficient investments in homes and tax Incentives to encourage energy savings and create green jobs.

Some of the benefits include:

• Providing $5 Billion for energy efficient improvements for more than one million modest-income homes through weatherization. Some estimate that this could help save an average of $350 a year on heating and air conditioning bills.   
• Extending and expand tax credits through 2010 for purchases such as new furnaces, energy-efficient windows and doors, or insulation.
• Provide more than $30 billion for energy initiatives
• Expanding tax credit for plug in hybrids
• Funding for Energy Star program offering tax credits to consumers purchasing new, efficient appliances.
• Provide $20 Billion over 10 years Tax Incentives to for energy Savings and Green Jobs by promoting energy-efficient investments.
  • permitting businesses that place new renewable energy facilities in service during 2009 and 2010 to claim either a 30 percent investment tax credit.
  • increasing clean renewable energy bonds for State and local governments.
  • Allotting $500 million for research, labor exchange and job training projects to prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

The just signed and sealed…a $787 Billion Stimulus Plan made up of tax cuts and spending programs aims at reviving the US economy! A first-time home buyer is one who has never owned a home or a person who has not owned a home in the three years prior to the qualifying purchase.

The new advantage for first-time home buyers who purchase homes from the start of the year until the end of November 2009 it that they may be eligible for the lower of an $8,000 or 10% of the value of the home tax credit! A tax credit is very different than a tax deduction – a tax credit is equivalent to money in your pocket, as opposed to a tax deduction which only reduces your taxable income. There are, however, some limitations: the tax credit starts phasing out for couples with incomes above $150,000 and single filers with incomes above $75,000. Buyers will have to repay the credit if they sell their homes within three years. The credit can be applied to purchases made from 1/01/09-12/01/09.

The stage is set. This tax credit incentive along with the large inventory of homes currently at 2004 bargain prices combined the historically low interest rates (The30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.04 percent this week, a drop from last week's 5.16 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year rate averaged 6.04 percent,) makes this a perfect time for first-time home buyers to get in to the real estate market and become home owners!

View the Scottsdale – Phoenix MLS for condos and townhomes

View the Scottsdale – Phoenix MLS for single family homes

The Scotts Sell Arizona

Toll free 866-464-2140

The desert is no place to be without water.........

So when the forecast calls for rain, we Phoenicians are ready to enjoy a cloudy rainy day.

With a high of 61 degrees seems cold to the ‘desert rats' who live here year round so we don our warmest coats and brave the weather. The average rainfall for the Phoenix / Scottsdale metro area is only 8.3 inches per year. Our local newscasters are always excited to be able to report rain as a deviation from our typical ‘bright and sunny' forecast.

The cloudy skies develop into sections of  cotton white clouds adjacent to the gray ones with precipitation.  The beauty is unending as the cloud formations continually change presenting an artistic masterpiece.  From some rainy downpours & light hail to bright rays of sunshine the Valley of the Sun was thankful to receive water from the heavens today. 

 Wow, this is the forecast for the week-"Another storm system brings another round of showers on Monday and Tuesday, with even cooler weather. Highs will only make it into the mid to upper 50s on Wednesday."  - better bundle up! 

 The beauty of winter in Scottsdale, Arizona  . . . .

Want a winter retreat or possibly ready to become a 'desert rat'?

• Search the Scottsdale/Phoenix MLS for properties

Gary and Claudia Scott - your Scottsdale Arizona Realtors

Our rescue dog Heidi has acclimated to our family quite nicely and now rules the roost. She is currently attending doggie training classes but also needs to be ‘socialized.   So we were off for our first trip to the dog park to learn some doggie etiquette.

At the main entrance to the off leash dog sections, there is a display board with K-9 activity fliers, park announcements, and listings for pet-sitting services. Each dog section entrance has two gates to prevent dogs from escaping without their leash. 

                

•  
  • Current Park Hours: Dawn - 10 pm - free admission
  • Location: 5401 N. Hayden Rd. (at the southeast corner of
    McDonald Drive and Hayden Road)
  • Features: Fenced, 4 acres, benches, shade, restroom,
    water, separate areas for large and small dogs.

After an hour or so of running and playing, Heidi was pretty exhausted. As a dog lover myself, I enjoyed petting the other friendly dogs who came up for attention as well as meeting several other dog owners. So we reluctantly put back on Heidi’s leash and headed for home. We will return often to play to this pet and pet lovers paradise!

The outdoor Scottsdale Civic Center Mall is situated in downtown Scottsdale adjacent to 'Old Town’. The mall is the home of the Scottsdale Historical Museum, the Scottsdale Center for the Performing arts, The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Civic Center Library, City Hall, a myriad of restaurants with both indoor and outdoor seating and an outdoor amphitheater. 

Scottsdale Civic Center Slide Show The free downtown trolley operates from 11 am to 9 pm daily stops right at the Brown Ave mall entrance. As you enter from Brown Avenue you are welcomed by a beautiful bronze of galloping horses. Continuing into the mall you are surrounded by lush landscaping, beautiful flowers and amazing fountains! It is a perfect place for a relaxing stroll or peaceful picnic lunch.

The photos in my slide show were taken in February 2000 - a perfect winter weather day with bright sunshine and temps in the low 80’s!

There are many activities many of which are free are scheduled throughout the year in the park. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art celebrating it’s 10 year anniversary has FREE admission every Thursday! (10am—8pm). A-Fair is a FREE event offering a variety of music from noon to 4 p.m. on selected Sundays beginning January 12, 2009 running through April 12, 2009 on the beautiful Scottsdale Mall. The Native Trails Cultural Program - is a free festival celebrates Native American traditions while focusing on the individual cultures of tribes who reside throughout the Southwest. Performances take place from 12 to 1:30 p.m. most Thursdays and Saturdays January 15 through April 11, 2009, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall. Performers present their tribal history, pottery, textiles and more to introduce attendees to the diverse lifestyles of the native people. One of the activities requiring paid admission include the Great Arizona Picnic where you can sample food from 50 restaurants, and enjoy cooking demonstrations from local and national chefs. There is live entertainment on two stages. This two-day is scheduled for Saturday & Sunday, April 14-19 and the cost is $10 per person. The Civic Center Mall is just one of the many attractions of ‘downtown Scottsdale’. The shops and artwork of Old Town, the upscale Fashion Square and the new Scottsdale Waterfront all offer locals and tourists world class shopping, dining and entertainment.

Thinking of purchasing a home, townhome, loft or condo in Scottsdale?
Search the Scottsdale MLS for properties

Lower level 2 bedroom / 2 bath condo in north central Scottsdale now available for lease!

 Contact Gary and Claudia Scott, REALTOR®, GRI

           Reach us toll free at     866-464-2140              
or e-mail at Garyandclaudia@cox.net 

Be sure to check out Gary and Claudia's
Blog:  http://claudiascott.activerain.com
Website www.AZ-real-estate-sales.com

Contact Gary or Claudia Scott for more information
toll free:   866-464-2140  
garyandclaudia@cox.net
http://www.az-real-estate-sales.com

Today we are all becoming concerned about saving energy, reducing water usage, creating better indoor air quality and reusing recycled building materials. All of these ‘green’ objectives not only are good for the homeowner but also for the environment and future generations.

New construction is not the only source to adopt green programs. We can all do our part by, at the very least, understanding the basics of what we can do to begin going green. First you can begin by determining what green features your home may already have.
If your home has:

• Double pane low E windows 
• Energy Star appliances
• 14 sear or higher AZ unit
• 38+ R-value insulation in the wall or attic
• A solar water heater
• Low fiber carpet or special paints approved by LEED

According to the 2008 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 87 percent of home buyers used the Internet to search for homes in the past year. That's up steadily from 84 percent in 2007, 80 percent in 2006.

There are some many pitfalls and oversights in the Internet searching that can make purchasing real estate a nightmare! The Internet is a great resource for shopping, but when it comes time to view homes and negotiate contracts, it is important to have a professional Realtor familiar with the local market working with you.

The Internet provides a wealth of resources and information. So much so, that one tends to go in to overload! When beginning your exploration for a new property, do not search for broad terms such as ‘real estate’ as the volume of results will be staggering. If you know the city you plan to relocate to start by learning about the area - the schools, crime stats, the shopping, medical facilities etc.

When searching for homes utilize preferred web sites such as Realtor.com or a local Realtor web site that has a link to the MLS.  Other popular web sites such as zillo or trulia only offer a subset of the total listings available.  For a property to be included on one of these sites, Realtors have to individually upload them.  Therefore the statistics on these sites are skewed because they do not have all the information available to create reliable statistics.

With the great resources available today you can become an ‘educated’ buyer. At any time during your 'shopping' process, a professional Realtor can assit you with a local MLS feed and also be an excellent resource to provide direction for your web search. The maps, photos, virtual tours, videos of a home give you a general idea of the home, but seeing the neighborhood and actually entering in to the home gives you the true ‘feeling’ of the home and surrounding community. Find a professional Realtor to assist you in your decision process. Realtors are familiar with the area, the homes and the recent sales statistics. He/she will be able to provide detailed comparables, tax records and sales history for the property(s) you are specifically interested in. Once you decide which property would be best, your Realtor will present your offer and negotiate to ensure you receive the best price. He/she will then open the escrow process, schedule for a home inspection, negotiate your home repair requests based upon the inspection report and follow your escrow process through all stages until the final closing.

Congratulations' you have a new home!

We specialize in Scottsdale real estate and the greater Phoenix metro area real estate.  We have assisted both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs.  Feel free to contact us with any of your real estate questions.  Our toll free number is 866-464-2140 and our email is garyandclaudia@cox.net