Favorite Places to Cool Off in the Summer

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Musical Instrument MuseumWith Summer 2019 official here, we’re all looking for places to cool off! Here are five ideas to get you started having fun and keeping cool in the Valley of the Sun:

Museums
Summer is the perfect time to check out the Valley’s diverse museum scene. A few of our favorite’s include the Musical Instrument Museum (pictured), The Phoenix Art Museum and The Heard Museum. Spending a few hours strolling in an air conditioned museum is the perfect opportunity to escape the heat while enjoying a fun and educational activity. Be sure to check out the summer concert series at the Musical Instrument Museum near Desert Ridge!

Aquarium
The OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale is a massive 200,000 square foot facility which puts it at the largest aquarium in the Southwest. A visit to the aquarium is the perfect way to escape the heat for a few hours. While you’re there, don’t miss out on the enclosed escalator fish tank, the restroom shark fish tank which ranks amongst “the best bathrooms in the US”, and the Living Sea Carousel, a rotating exhibit which takes you past 4 exhibits including a massive shark and sea lion tank.

Waterparks
The Valley is home to several awesome waterparks; Hurricane Harbor in North Phoenix, Sun Splash in Mesa and Big Surf in Tempe. Waterparks are one of the best ways to enjoy a hot summer day while still being outside in the fresh air.

Local Resorts
Most 4 and 5-star luxury resorts offer their best deals during the summer months, because they cannot fill all the rooms since Valley tourism is always down June-August. The fantastic deals are a great way for locals to enjoy a fun and affordable staycation at an otherwise pricey resort. The Arizona Grand Resort is a family favorite with their on-site 7-acre water park. If you’re wanting a more relaxing staycation, spend a weekend at the Montelucia in Paradise Valley.

Ice Skating
When you really want to cool off, head on over to one of the Valley’s ice skating rinks where the inside temperature is always a cool 55 degrees! The Ice Den in North Scottsdale offers public skating times and lessons. They also offer special family deals on Friday and Saturday nights.

Looking for a new home with a pool to cool off all summer? Give us a call to find your new dream backyard pool! Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

Pros and Cons of Artificial Turf

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artificial turf

Since Arizona is primarily composed of desert land, with very little rainfall, you may have considered installing artificial grass instead of real grass in your front or backyard. One of the biggest reasons to install artificial turf is the lack of maintenance. Gone will be the mornings of mowing, weeding and trimming your grass. Instead, you’ll only need to occasionally rake off some leaves and debris. Additionally, with artificial grass, you won’t have to pay for fertilizer, watering or seeding, so the ongoing maintenance costs of real grass will be nixed. Another upside to artificial turf is its appearance. Your lawns will always be green, verdant, and lush-looking. The average life expectancy of artificial turf, depending on the product itself, is 15-25 years, so it likely will be something you won’t have to worry about with the entire time you live in your home. Finally, there are many more options of artificial grass nowadays, with many more realistic artificial turf choices out there, instead of the plastic-looking turf of the past.

Some of the cons of artificial turf to consider are first, the cost. Artificial grass averages around $7/square foot, so the initial expense can be considerable. This cost, of course, should be balanced against the maintenance and landscaping costs of real grass on an annual basis. Also, in Arizona at least, the temperature of artificial grass as opposed to real grass can be a real concern. The surface temperature of artificial grass can exceed 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes this surface a very real danger. Watering down the surface on hotter days can cool it down, but this may negate the fact that you’re trying to reduce water usage.

We’d be happy to discuss these pros and cons with you, especially with regard to listing or buying a home. Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

Tips for Buying a House on a Budget

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phoenix home for saleJust because you have a low budget doesn’t mean there isn’t a great home waiting for you to discover it. However, shopping for a home on a budget can be challenging. You may feel nervous telling your realtor or you may not know how to approach your bank about it, either. Just remember that there are plenty of people who buy houses on a budget, follow the tips below for great results!

Consider Foreclosures
Foreclosures are usually homes that were repossessed by a bank or lender because the owner could no longer make mortgage payments on the property. The bank is then trying to sell the property to get it off their hands and recoup the money they lost on financing the home in the first place. Because of this, however, another bank isn’t likely to finance this type of purchase, so you may not have the benefit of a loan to help you out. Also be aware that these homes are almost always left in disarray and poor conditions because the owners couldn’t afford to keep up with repairs – or, in some instances, were angry about the foreclosure and trashed the home before leaving.

Look for “As-Is” Homes
Once again, you may have trouble getting the bank to approve a loan for an “as-is” home, but if you’re in good standing with your bank you may be able to qualify for assistance with one of these properties. These homes may have only minor cosmetic damage, but in some cases, they could have serious structural or roof problems that will need to be repaired at your expense. If you plan to buy an “as-is” home, be prepared to spend a long time shopping around before you find a home that doesn’t need anything too significant in terms of repairs. Otherwise, in the long run you may end up going way over your budget.

Stay Up-To-Date on Neighborhood Changes
If you live in the city, think about neighborhoods that seem to be transitioning from low-quality to better-quality. While you may have to deal with more growing pains than you might prefer in these areas, at least for a few years, chances are good you can get a great home in a neighborhood many outsiders aren’t considering yet. In a little while, these neighborhoods will improve and you’ll be living in a great part of town. The same is true of suburbs surrounding cities that are expanding. Give it a few years, and you’ll be closer to town than you used to be.

Are you looking to buy a home? Get started with this custom home search. We are real estate experts who can help you find a home that meets your needs and lifestyle. Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

Phoenix/Scottsdale Real Estate Market June Update – May 2019 Stats

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Here is the Phoenix/Scottsdale area Monthly Real Estate Market Report for June 2019, which shows 10,485 homes sold in the month of May compared to 10,0097 homes in May 2018. This is a 3.8% increase in the number homes sold year over year, and an increase of 7.8% from last month! It is the most homes sold in a the last 5+ years, and the market remains strong with the average sale price is up 4.7% year over year. And the amount of listed homes is up by 2.4% to 16,628 from 16,245 in May 2018, but down from 17,724 in April.

Demand is still gaining strength into Summer and the market is expected to remain strong. Sales activity may still be constrained by the lower supply of listed homes but the number of listed homes has come down a bit again. The average days on market is down 4.7% from last month to just 60 days.

Click here to see the full April 2019 Market Report & Statistics

Give us a call or text us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 and let us know if you’re thinking about buying or selling a home this Spring/Summer, as the strong market continues to be good for both buyers and sellers, or if you have questions about this information. And don’t forget to explore our website AzDreamHomesScottsdale.com to see Scottsdale area homes and more helpful articles. – Chris & Cheryl Park

Scottsdale is #1 Profitable City for Airbnb

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Realtor.com has ranked Scottsdale as the #1 profitable city to own an Airbnb! This is no surprise to us since the City of Scottsdale has long been a popular destination for families and American corporate elites looking for a vacation getaway filled with golf, hiking and outdoor adventures.

With the growing popularity of short term rentals across the country, many cities have created tighter rules or banned Airbnb rentals altogether. Yet, Arizona has gone in the opposite direction. In 2016, Arizona signed a law that prevents cities from banning short-term rentals. Arizona’s legal protection combined with vacation rental demand, makes Scottsdale the perfect place for real estate rental investors.

Scottsdale Residential Real Estate-
Median list price: $685,100
Average daily rate: $301
Occupancy rate: 81%
Active rentals: 5,178

With our years of experience in Scottsdale real estate, we are prepared to find your next profitable investment property! Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

www.Realtor.com