Christmas time in lake communities takes on an added dimension.  In addtion to the he annual ritual of displaying holiday lights in the front yard,  waterfront lots can decorate the backyards which can be seen from quite a distance.   Some lake communities even schedule a boat parade to show off decorated boats. Some communities such as Val Vista Lakes and The Islands in Gilbert make the boat parade an annual event.

Holiday Christmas Decorations on waterfont homes

What could be more unique than to cruise through a man-made lake in Phoenix on a pontoon boat that is lit up like a Christmas tree?  Obviously, this form of entertainment can only take place on Phoenix area lake communities that allow boats.  And you need to have a good size battery on board for all those lights.

 Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes for Sale

The Islands Waterfront Homes

Scottsdale Waterfront Homes

Ocotillo Waterfront Homes

Avondale Waterfront Homes

Arrowhead Lakes Waterfront Homes

The bigger lakes that will be conducive to this Christmas holiday tradition can be found in Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale, Avondale, Sun City, Scottsdale,and Peoria.

If you’re looking for property in Mesa or other waterfront communities in Phoenix and want to receive available properties as they come on the market, click on receive waterfront listings.  Or do your own Advanced Waterfront Search.

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Pinelake Estates Lake Community in Chandler

The Islands in Gilbert

Arrowhead Ranch in Glendale

Phoenix Lake Communities where you can boat

 Waterfront Homes for Sale

The unique characteristic of this lake community is the high percentage of townhouses that have views of the water.  Over 75% of the properties have a view from the back patio and bedrooms of the small canals that run north and south through the community.  There is a combination of single and two story townhouses in The Landings.

Lakes or Water Features?

When compared to other lake communities the bodies of water in The Landings at Dobson Ranch are on the small side, but they do provide a welcome contrast to the typical desert landscaping.  So maybe they should be looked upon as large and attractive water features.    The Landings also has a community pool, besides the Dobson Ranch pools to which residents can enjoy.

Multiple HOA’s

This brings up an important issue regarding HOA’s.  In large master planned communities that have a variety of housing, ie. single family homes and townhouses, it is common for the residents in a townhoue/condo community to pay for two HOAs.  One for the master planned community such as Dobson Ranch and another for The Landings.   This is also the case for other townhouse communities such as Harbour Village at The Lakes in Tempe and Crescent Falls in Fulton Ranch.  Even if the listing does not indicate there are two HOA’s, it is wise to investiage this thoroughly before submitting an offer.

Townhouses for Sale in The Landings

Satellite View of The Landings

Townhouses in The Landings were built in the late ’70′s and range in square footage from 1,152 – 1, 787 with the single story units having the larger living area.

The Landings enjoys good access to the US60 freeway as well as the Dobson Ranch Golf Course. running paths along the canals, shopping and dining, and the Mesa Arts Center in Historic Downtown.

If you’re looking for property in The Landings or other waterfront communities and want to receive available properties as they come on the market, click on receive waterfront listings.  Or do your own Advanced Waterfront Search

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Lake Park Townhouses in Dobson Ranch

Dobson Ranch Lake Community and Homes

Other real estate information can be found at Mesa Real Estate.

If you’re looking for waterfront townhouses or condos in Mesa, and specifically Dobson Ranch, checking out Lake Park condos would be a good idea. There are 126 units built around a small lake, just over 1/2 acre, in the center.  The units on the outer ring overlook a small canal and the Dobson Ranch golf course.

Satellite View of Lake Park Condos in Dobson Ranch

The condos range in square footage from 1,556 to 1,963, with 2 – 3 bedrooms. The condos were built between 1980 – 1985.

Mesa Waterfront Townhouses in Dobson Ranch

Besides offering golf course views of the neighboring golf course, there is also a community pool. At the height of market in 2005 – 2007, condos in this development were selling for over $200,000.  Current  prices in 2011 are under  $100,000.

Lake Park Condos for Sale

Dobson Ranch is one of the oldest master planned communities in the Phoenix area.  The origins of Dobson Ranch reach back to the early history of the east valley when it began as a cattle ranch and farming operation.  Wilson Wesley Dobson emigrated from Canada to Arizona and began his cattle ranching and farming in 1886, which is 25 years before Roosevelt Dam was completed.

If you’re looking for waterfront communities and want to receive available properties as they come on the market, click on receive waterfront listings.  Or do your own Advanced Waterfront Search

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Dobson Ranch Lake Community and Homes

Mesa Arts Center in Historic Downtown

Dobson Ranch Townhouses at The Landings

More information can be found at Mesa Real Estate Information.

The Islands consists of three separate man made lakes that are boat friendly with over 400 single family home lakeside lots.  For those who enjoy the waterways, any three of the lakes provide over 1/2 mile of boating.  Many homes are located on lots where the opposite shore is over 200 feet.  The location of The Islands is equidistant between the US60, the 202, and the 101 freeways so getting around to any part of Phoenix is not a problem.  The Islands cover 2.5 square miles, so you’re bound to find a house that is just right.

The Islands Lake Community in Gilbert, Az.

Many differrent builders are represented in The Islands.  You’ll find homes built by Continental, UDC, Hunter, Superstition Homes, US Homes, Blandford in addition to the custom homes throughout the community.

The Island Lakefront Homes

Satellite View of The  Islands

Gilbert Waterfront Homes

Chandler Waterfront Homes

Waterfront property in The Islands can be found in subdivisions such as Catalina Bay, Key Harbor, Windhaven, Harbor Point, Coral Point, The Shores, Lake Mirage, Desert Shores, Sandcastle Village, and Tres Vistas.  Home sizes range from around 1,300 to over 4,000 sq.ft. on over-sized 1/4 lots.

For those  with school age children, it is important to know that homes in The Islands south of Warner Rd. are in the Chandler School District, while those north of Warner Rd. are in the Gilbert School District boundaries.

Close to Gilbert Amenities

Less than 1 mile north of The Islands is The McQueen Park and Activity Center. On the east side of the activity center, there are 2 basketball courts, 2 sand volleyball courts and 2 tennis courts with a picnic/barbeque area close by. To the south of the basketball and tennis courts are four softball diamonds.

To the east in the Historic District of Gilbet, you’ll find the Hale Centre Theatre and favorite restaurants such as Joe’s Real Barbeque, The Farmhouse,  Next to the McQueen Activity Center is one of the many jogging trails that run throughout the east valley. If you enjoy jogging or riding your bike, the trails will provide miles of enjoyment without having to worry about sharing the  road with  cars.  If you head so to the 202 freeway, a couple of minutes drive to the east will put you in the middle of the San Tan Village Outdoor Mall.

If you would like to receive updated listings of homes in The Islands, click on Receive The Islands Homes via e-mail.   To search for waterfront homes, go to  Advanced Waterfront Search.

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 Boating in Lake Communities in Phoenix

Things to do in Gilbert

Gilbert Scores High As a Safe Community

 Lakefront Homes for Sale in The Islands

For additional real estate information, go to Gilbert Real Estate.

 Within The Lakes master planned lake community are over 260 waterfront homes that include condos, townhouses, patio homes  and single family homes built around  a 50 acre man made lake in Tempe.  Residents enjoy a community pool and spa, tennis courts, basketball and sand volleyball court. The club facilities are open to residents for parties, receptions and host many of the community sponsored activities such as water aerobics, boxercise, Yoga classes, and The Lakes Women’s Club.  More information can be gathered at The Lakes Community website.

Lakeside living in Tempe at The Lakes

Waterfront ethusiasts can find condos at Sand Castle which has 44 condos built in 1975, and Runaway Point on the north part of The Lakes. Patio homes including waterfront property will be found at Village Landing at The Lakes.

Harbour Village and Lake Park Villas offer townhouses in The Lakes.  Lake Park Villas features 76  townhouses built in 1971 located on the southern part of The Lakes.   There are no waterfront townhouses in Lake Park Villas.  Harbour Village is located on the north end of the community.  The Lakes allows boating on the lake.

The Lakes Waterfront Property

The Lakes Condos, Townhouses and Patio  Homes

 Market update for 85283 and  The Lakes

The Lakes in Tempe master planned community benefits from a strong sense of community, great proximity to freeways and Sky Harbor Airport,  and many Tempe amenities.  As the market has stabilized, the number of listings in 85283 has decreased significantly.  On Feb, 1, 2011 the number of listings in 85283 was 130. Seven months later, on Sept. 1, 2011, the number of listings has dropped to 70!  Almost a 50% reduction.  This correlates with the month supply of inventory for 85283 which started at 5 months at the first of 2011 and 8 months later has dropped to 2 months supply.

If you’d like to be kept up to date on the waterfront and non-waterfront homes in The Lakes and receive up to date listings, click on Receive The Lakes listings.    

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Harbour Village at The Lakes in Tempe

The Lakes in Tempe Waterfront Community

Tempe Az. Waterfront Property -The most varied options

Tempe Lake Community – The Oasis at Anozira

 Distressed Tempe home owners can receive more information at Phoenix and Tempe short sale information.

To begin with, many thanks go to Laura Owens of Renewed Spaces for providing this post.  This kind of expertise is out of my universe.  However, it is valuable for someone who has just purchased a home and is looking for decorating  ideas.

Having a hard time picking a color scheme?  Look around. Anything can act as a color and design inspiration for your room.  A favorite paining (to the right), photo, note card, piece of pottery, a textile or piece of clothing can provide the color pallet for your room.  Anything that captures your attention and that you connect with on some visceral level can be your inspiration.

 Putting it all together

From your inspiration piece select two main colors, an accent and a neutral color for your pallet. If your inspiration piece only has two colors, then use variations of those colors and choose a neutral such as white, cream, tan, brown, grey or black to use with them. Using lighter and darker variations of the colors in your room will add life and pizzazz. If all the colors are the same shade and tone, the room can become stagnate and stiff feeling.  Notice in the picture to the left, that you can use the colors you choose in a bold, vibrant way or in a soft subtle manner.  Think about how you want the  room to feel, how you  want to feel when you’re in the room, what mood or emotions you  want to evoke and then choose accordingly.

An example of a color scheme pulled from the painting above is shades of blues and greens with brown as the neutral and yellow or orange as the accent.  You can also use blue and yellow as your primary colors with green as the accent.  The accent color is used the least in a room but should be spread through the space in at least three different areas.  It will be the color that adds “pop” and drama.  In either  scenario, brown(or tan) is the neutral. The neutral is used most often as flooring, wall color or in the largest furniture pieces in the room.  By keeping your main (and usually most expensive) pieces, such as the sofa, neutral, it will allow you to change the look, feel and colors of a room by simply changing out the accessories and artwork.  For example, in the picture of the living room, the sofa is the neutral with the throw pillows, accessories and artwork in blues and greens. It will be an inexpensive and easy change to switich up the room for the fall season by simply switching out the blue pillows, accessories and artwork for orange and golden toned ones that will warm up the green in the room.  In the bedroom picture to the right,  the throw on the bed and the curtain panels can be switched out to crisp white or a green and orange pring on a white background for an airy summer look.  Just with some simple and usually very affordable changes the room will take on a completely different attitude.

If you would like to contact Laura Owens at Renewed Spaces for help with decorating ideas, she can be contacted at (480) 593-3965. Her website is: www.renewedspacesdesign.com

Whenever you are able to search for homes, land or properties on a realtor website,  it is done through an IDX (Internet Data Exchange).  They all use the MLS listing as the source data.  However, they are not all presented or displayed in the same format. Each has its pros and cons.   After reviewing many IDX systems,  the search tool below is the best one I’ve seen.  The reasons and basic search procedures are listed below. Whether you’re looking for a waterfront home in Chandler or Gilbert, or a starter home in Mesa, this IDX property search will save you time and frustration.

One of the main reasons why this search tool  is so useful is it will filter out the short sale listings that are under contract.  I frequently get calls from buyers that will ask if a specific property is available. Unfortunately, the response is frequently “no”.  Then I hear, “Well on Realtor.com (or some other site) it shows as available!”  It is common practice to change a listing from Active to AWC (Active with Contingency) or Pending when a short sale offer is accepted.  Many websites do not differentiate between Active and AWC, so the property still appears as Active when it’s not.  Using the above search for active status listings will reflect properties that are indeed available.

Let’s get started on your waterfront home search

The search has already been set for waterfront lots in Maricopa and Pinal counties. If you decide later on that you also want to expand your search to non-waterfront properties, just click on the box or”Property Description” and it will open up a menu of other  types of properties, such as golf course lots, lots that border a common area, etc. and you can modify your search.

One of my favorite parts – Get rid of the AWC listings!

This part will save you countless hours of frustration.   Below the preset waterfront lot and Maricopa/Pinal county criteria there are various other criteria that can be used to refine your search.   Two of most important criteria are towards the bottom.  The third criteria from the bottom is “Status”.  This has been preset to Active which eliminates the AWC and Pending listings.  It is important this remains set as Active, unless you like to see other listings that are under contract.    If you’d like to eliminate shorts sale or only see lender owned foreclosure, go the “Special Listing Cond” line.  By clicking on the words, it will expand and you have even more control over the search of specific types of properties, such as short sales, lender owned, age restriced (retirement), pre-foreclosure, and previously approved  short sales. If you want to eliminate any specific type of sale, click on the “or” after the box and it will change to “not” thus filtering out that type of property listing.  One quick question; can you do all of this with Zillow, Trulia, or Realtor.com?

Now that you’ve become acquainted with some of the more powerfull features of this IDX search in a somewhat confined space, here’s the opportunity to see it in full screen.  Click on Advanced Waterfront Search to take advantage of the full width of your screen with this search tool.

Wait – There are more search tools to help you.

Once you pull up the full screen waterfront search , you’ll have a wider view of the map portion of the search tool.  At the bottom of the screen you’ll see a tool bar like the one to the right.   A handy tool is the one in the middle that looks like a turtle?, but if you put your mouse over it it says “measure”.  It’s great for measuring distances. Simply right click on the icon then place the crosshair over the beginning point and left click.  Then move the crosshair to the point you want to measure and left click again and it will show the distance between the two points.  You can continue adding and measuring segments and it will give you a cumulative distance in addition to the distance of each segment.

Another useful search tool on the bar are the three to the far right.  They are useful in defining the search area.  Let’s say you know the area you want but it includes parts of two cities but not the entire city  boundary. Or you want to search within a certain radius of your work.  The far right tool allows you to draw the area by left clicking the boundaries of the geographic search area.   To utilize the map tools you must be in the full screen display of the search.

As you  can see, this IDX search tool allows you to create the most refined and detailed search possible so that you can better identify potential properties.      If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me at 480-326-8571.    As always if you’d like me to do the search , click on Send me waterfront property.

Related Links:

Boating in Phoenix Lake Communities

What’s Happened Lately in the Phoenix Real Estate Market

Things to do in Gilbert

Keys to a successful short sale listing

This Mesa lake community is a hidden treasure among lake communities in the Phoenix area.  First of all, Mesa doesn’t have a lot of lake communities or waterfront communities, so potential buyers may not think to look in Mesa.   Secondly, it has less than  70 waterfront lot homes, so the community is not well known among lake communities. These lake subdivision homes, mostly single story, represent some of the most affordable and best values in waterfront property in the valley.

East valley lake community with lakeside walking path

A distinctive feature of this Superstition Spring subdivision is the community walking path that circles the lake.  If you are looking for a lakeside home with access to a boat in your backyard, this is NOT the place for you. Waterfront homes are separated from the lake by a view fence.  Community residents  can enjoy leisurely walks around any of the four lakes which equates to about a 1/4 mile stroll.

Superstition Lake Homes for Sale

Within 1/2 mile is an abundance of restaurants, the Superstition Springs Mall,  access to the US 60 freeway, and the Superstition Springs Golf Club.  For those interested in condos, a good alternative is Superstition Lakes Condominiums.

Satellite view of Superstition Lakes

If a waterfront home comes on the market, it would be wise to act quickly because these waterfront homes do not stay on the market long.  To be made aware of homes in this community, request automated Superstition Lakes listings.

If you’re looking for single story luxury homes in a gated lake subdivision, then Balboa Point, Catalina Shores, or Laguna Cove may be the right place to start. These TW Lewis homes are situated on lots that range in size from 9,000 to 10,000 sq.ft. for a standard lot. Balboa Point and Catalina Shores are almost exclusively single story homes while Laguna Shores is over 60% single story homes.  A private pool is almost a sure thing for prospective buyers since 70% – 85% of the homes have a pool depending on the subdivision.  If your timing is right you may even be able to find a basement home in Catalina Shores.

Ocotillo Waterfront Homes

For those looking for waterfront homes, Balboa point has 16 homes on waterfront lots with north facing back yards. Catalina shores offers 13 waterfront homes with mostly west facing back yards, while Laguna Cove has 19 waterfront lots with backyards that face the east.  Homes in these three TW Lewis subdivisions were built between 2002 and 2003.

Homes for Sale in Balboa Point, Catalina Shores or Laguna Cove

Satellite View of Balboa Point, Catalina Shores and Laguna Cove

The schools for these neighborhoods are part of the Chandler Unified School District. Basha Elementary, Bogle Jr. High and Hamilton High School are the corresponding schools.

Balboa Point, Catalina Shores and Laguna Cove are part of the Ocotillo Homeowners Association that includes 167 acres of lakes and over 17 miles of shoreline and one of the most desireable master planned communities in Phoenix.  The strategic location makes it convenient to downtown Chandler, Chandler Fashion Center, the Hamilton Aquatic Center, Ocotillo Golf Resort and extremely close to high tech employers such as Intel.

To keep informed of new properties that come on the market, click on receive new listings.  If you are interested in selling, find out what’s your home worth.  If your house is worth less than the combined loan balances but need to sell and would like to know your alternatives, schedule a free consultation.

Related Posts:

Chandler Waterfront Homes and Lake Communities

Chandler Waterfront Homes with a great view

Ocotillo Homes and Amenities

Homes for Sale Balboa Point, Catalina Shores and Laguna Cove

Waterfront Townhouses in The Lakes in Tempe, Az.

One of the many residential housing options offered in The Lakes  master planned lake community is Harbour Village, with spanish architecture and lush green landscaping. Not a large complex, Harbour Village consists of  40 units, 12 of which have waterfront views of the lake.   These waterfront townhouses have found favor with prospective buyers since they typically sell within 2 months of being offered for sale, and are strategically located to take advantage of the widest part of the the lake.

Lake Community Townhouses in Tempe at The Lakes

Harbour Village townhouses feature  2 and 3 bedroom floor plans that range in size from 1, 206 to 2,054 sq.ft. Built between 1985 and 1988, the mature lush green landscaping and spanish architecture provides a unique setting for a lake community.

Harbour Village Townhouses for Sale

Satellite View of Harbour Village

Homeowners in Habour Village do pay for two HOA’s.  One for Harbour Village itself and the other for being part of The Lakes which offers residents the benefit of the clubhouse and community pool. 

The Lakes in Tempe is also conveniently located close to the Ken McDonald Golf Course less than 2 miles away.  For evening enjoyment and dining, a visit to Mill Avenue near ASU will provide an invigorating experience.

For more information including receiving  the most updated townhouses, click on Harbour Village property for sale.

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The Lakes in Tempe Waterfront Community

Tempe has a variety of waterfront options

Harbour Village Lake Community Townhouses for Sale

Additional information can be found at Tempe Waterfront Homes.  For information on short sales, visit Tempe Short Sale Info.