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

One Oct. 18, 2011, the new Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian bridge opened, connecting the north and south shores of Tempe Town Lake.  The bridge consists of 4 spans, each measuring 228 feet, weighing 165,000 lbs.  The bridge protects the bladders of the dam from the sun and contains a built-in sprinkler system to cool the bladders when needed.   This was the point of contention when one of the bladders failed on July 20, 2010, that the maintenance had been inadequate. The picture to the left was taken just days after the dam failed and sent over 750 million gallons of water down the Salt River.  The lake was dry for 3 months before the dam was repaired and the lake refilled in October 2010.

Tempe Town Lake serves walkers, joggers and cyclists

The bridge cost $5.1 million with the majority coming from federal funds.  It measures 12 feet wide and 34 feet high and is suspended by 32 cables.  Tempe Town Lake is one of the state’s most visited man-made attractions. When I visited the bridge, there were joggers, skateboarders, bicyclists, and pedestrians taking advantage of an evening walk.  The pedestrian bridge is another amenity that contributes to the Tempe Town Lake experience.

Satellite View of Tempe Town Lake Bridge

Tempe Town Lake Waterfront Condos

Edgewater Luxury Condos for Sale

Bridgeview Luxury Condos

Northshore Lakefront Condos

For anyone looking for  Tempe waterfront property that wants to receive available listings as they come on the market, click on receive waterfront listings.

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Tempe Town Lake Condos Lose Their Waterfront View – Temporarily

Tempe Has The Most Varied Options of Waterfront Property

Bridgeview Luxury Waterfront Condos at Hayden Lakeside Ferry

 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.

Pontoon Boats and Valley Lake Property

There are a variety of reasons why a waterfront property may not allow owners to have an electric pontoon boat or any kind of water craft.  One may be that even though the listing agent has designated the property as waterfront, a distant view of H2O on the golf course may qualify as waterfront in their mind but it just isn’t so.  There may also be a community sidewalk, walkway or common area that separates the property from the water, such as in Sun Lakes, Fulton Ranch, and Wellington Estates in Chandler.

Lake Communities that DO allow boating:

Tempe - The Lakes in Tempe, built in the mid-1970′s is said to be Arizona’s first man made lake community and features a community clubhouse and pool.   Tempe Town Lakes offers more contemporary  housing options.  While home owners do not have private waterfront access, there are public  and private boating options.  Tempe Town Lake is one of the major visitor attractions for the valley.  Condomiums such as Bridgeview, Edgewater, and Northshore provide fantastic views of Tempe Town Lake.

Ahwatukee /Phoenix  - Lakewood is located in the Ahwatukee foothills part of Phoenix.  One of the benefits of the location of this lake community is the Kyrene school district and the access to the I-10 freeway.

San Tan Valley & Buckeye The remaining waterski lakes are located in San Tan Valley and Buckeye.  Buchli Lake is the valley’s original lake community in the east valley.  There are two communities in the west valley; Lakeside Ski Village and Spring Mountain Ski Ranch.   Don’t hesitate to call me regarding homes or lots that may be for sale that are not listed on the MLS.

I found the following quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt, “There are as many opinions as there are experts.” Speculating on real estate trends is a favorite past time for anyone, especially as of late. It is easy to get caught up in the broad “one size fits all” real estate commentaries, so read on to see what’s really happening with Phoenix area real estate. To truly understand, it is always best to look at the data and identify trends.

Let first start with demand

The above chart  shows the single family sales per month for Gilbert for almost  2.5 years.  The pink line is for 2011.  Other cities and towns around the valley show a similar pattern.  Chandler sales are shown on the right for more than over 2 years.   In most cities, you have to go back to 2005 to find higher number of YTD sales.  Obviously, the significant drop in prices have spurred demand for lower cost and affordable housing, both from investors and owner occupants.

What’s happening to inventory

Within the last month, I’ve had clients comment that there aren’t as many listings showing up, especially if they’re looking for a niche property such as Phoenix waterfront property.   To the left is a graph for the Queen Creek area, which was hit particularly hard with foreclosures since many of the homes were built during the boom.   All three types of listings have decreased over the last year.  Understandably, buyers had come to expect a continual supply of rock bottom priced foreclosures, but the trend appears to suggest reduced supply for traditional sales, short sales and foreclosures, not just in Queen Creek but across the Phoenix valley.

There are many reasons why the  foreclosures have begun to decrease and should continue. Mortgage delinquency rates are down, bankruptcies have peaked and there is a sustained downward trend in the number of notices of trustee sales per day for Maricopa county.  Notices of trustee sales are issued when a homeowner becomes sufficiently delinquent that the lender notifies the owner that the house will be sold in 90 days at trustee auction, and the property is now in pre-foreclosure status. The number of notices of trustee sales peaked in April 2009 and has shown a sustained and welcome downward trend.  With fewer properties going into pre-foreclosure, fewer will become lender owned foreclosures, reducing downward pressure on prices. It is also worth mentioning that there is a distinct difference between the foreclosure process in “judicial” vs. “non-judicial” states. In states like Illinois with a judicial foreclosure, the process is much longer, even years, delaying the process for homes to return to the market.  Arizona, a non-judicial foreclosure state is based on deeds of trust with a power of sale clause which enables the trustee to initiate the foreclosure process without having to go to court.

Days of Supply of Inventory

A good way to compare demand to supply is to look at the available days of inventory. In other words, based on the current sales, the inventory will be gone in “X” days unless more inventory is added.  Above is a chart showing the days inventory supply for Tempe.  Other days of supply graph show similar trends.

The data shows positive trends for many aspects of Phoenix valley real estate.  Regardless of what many distant and removed commentators say about our real estate, we know real estate is local which is why is it important to focus on the leading indicators for those that affect Phoenix and the surrounding cities.  We should see price stabilization this year and some cities will even begin to see price appreciation.

To receive the current valuation of your home, click on home valuation. Or to receive listings feel free to describe the home you’re looking for and receive updated real estate listings. Or call or e-mail at your convenience.

Related Posts:

Who Really Loses on a Foreclosure

Lender Owned Waterfront Properties

Gilbert and Chandler Short Sale Information

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.

Charter schools provide an alternative to traditional public schools

One of the many, but very important items on the checklist of things to do for a family relocating to the Phoenix area is researching schools.  Which school is the best school in the area we want to live? Which district is the best? Do they have extra-curricular activities? And the questions go on and on.  These families will also have to add another question that they may not have considered previously, “What about charter schools?”

Quick Facts about Arizona Charter Schools

Charter schools are public, state funded schools that came into existence as a result of legislation that was passed in 1994, making Arizona the 10th state to pass a charter school law at that time.  It is also known as one of the ”strongest” charter laws in the nation allowing a high degree of autonomy from traditional public school regulations.   The term of a school’s charter is 15 years with reviews every 5 years by the sponsoring board.    Charter schools are funded by the state based on student attendance and cannot charge tuition.

The reason why families coming to Arizona may have not heard much about charter schools prior to coming arriving in Arizona is that of the 4,000 charters issued in the U.S., over 500 are in Arizona. Approximately 25% of the state’s public schools are charter schools, and 10% of public school students are enrolled in charter schools, the highest percentage of any state in the nation.

Many parents and students feel more comfortable with a smaller school setting and charter schools have received positive press. Websites that provide more information include the Arizona Charter Schools Association, and the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools.  Some charter schools are some of the state’s top performing schools.

To see a list of charter schools in Arizona, click on the state charter school list.  Once you click on the school name and go to the school page, you’ll find the school report card immediately below the school name at the top. You can also search for charter schools by name, city, zip code, sponsor name or county.

All four of our sons have attended charter schools at some point during their education. I asked my wife if she thought it gave them a better educational experience.  Her reply was, “that depends on what you’re looking for”.  Charter schools tend to be smaller in student population and therefore cannot offer some of the programs of larger schools such as sports, band,  and do not provide transportation.  At the same time,  charter schools tend to focus more on a curriculum philosophy or specialty. Like any choice, there are pros and cons to any decision.   My advice would be to talk to parents of students who attend a specific charter school.

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Schools near lake communities

For more information, click on Schools in Arizona.

Arizona is open for business with business property tax cuts and targeted incentives aimed at job creation.  That’s the purpose and strategy behind HB 2001 that was signed into law last month.  That’s what the sponsors want you to remember.   What they didn’t tell you is what will happen to residential property taxes.  Buried deep in the 214 page bill is a change to the tax treatment of residential property.  And in this bill what they didn’t tell you will cost you.  How so? Read on.

Are you a Class 3 or Class 4 Property Owner?

Class 3 properties include owner occupied primary residences and vacation/second homes.  The  picture above is my Property Notice of Valuation I received in February and shows the legal classification of my home.   If your property falls in the class 3 category, you are currently a recipient of a rebate from the State General Fund.  The State Aid Credit reduced my property tax bill by $273.74.  You can see  the value of this aid or credit in the detail of your tax bill.  To see how to see the detail of your tax bill including any credit for State Aid Credit, click on researching your tax bill.   Rental properties fall into the class 4 category which do not currently receive the State Aid Credit.

Under the new “Jobs Bill”, vacation and second homes will lose the rebate /credit resulting in increased property taxes.  Besides automatically disqualifying second/vacation homes from the credit, owner occupant homeowners will lose their credit or rebate unless they go through the process of signing and returning  an affidavit beginning in 2012 and then subsequent even-numbered years that they live in the home or if it is being leased to a relative.   The affidavit must be mailed along with the annual Notice of Full Cash Value which must be returned to the County Assessor within 60 days or the residential property will be reclassified as Class Four and owners will see their taxes increase by as much as $600 for the year.  Not being aware of this change and forgetting to return the signed affidavit beginning in 2012,  which is bound to happen to many homeowners,  will mistakenly and automatically increase property taxes for owner occupants who should receive the credit.  **Make sure that next February you read in detail any propert tax valuation notices you recieve and return the affidavit promptly so you don’t lose out on the tax credit you’ve been automatically receiving so far!**

Related Posts:

Making sense of Maricopa county taxes

Even though the Mesa Arts Center is located in Mesa, residents of the entire Phoenix valley can enjoy the most comprehensive and largest Arts Center in Arizona.  Located on a seven-acre campus, the  212,000 sq.ft. $95 million facility focuses on performing arts, contemporary arts, and arts education.  The Mesa Arts Center(MAC)  features 4 theatres that range in size from the smaller 98 seat Farnsworth Studio Theatre to the larger Ikeda Theatre that seats 1,600, along with five art galleries and 14 studios and classrooms.

The 2010 “Arts Organization of the Year”

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Phoenix named the Mesa Arts Center the 2010 Arts Organization of the Year. 

Satellite view of Mesa Arts Center

The goal of the Mesa Arts Center is to encourage visitors to learn about and appreciate, participate in, and experience the arts. 

 A wide range of live performances are offered in  4 theatres including the 98 seat Farnsworth Studio theatre, the Nesbitt/Elliot Playhouse, the Virginia G. Piper Repertory theatre, and the Ikeda Theatre. Patrons enjoy a variety of concerts, theatre, music, and dance in these world class facilities througout the year.  Award winning productions include Broadway, musicals, comedy, and family entertainment.

The Contemporary Arts are showcased  in 5 galleries.  Besides the exhibitions of emerging and internationally known artists, visitors can also enjoy lectures and art workshops by artists and art professionals. On the first Sunday of each month, Target sponsors “3 for Free” at the Mesa Contemporary Arts.  It begins with a musical performance in the courtyard at noon followed by free admission to the galleries at 1 pm.  This lasts until May 1, 2011.

For those who want to get involved, Mesa Arts Center excels at arts education by  offering classes such classes as glass blowing, photography, guitar, printmaking,  jewelry, sculpture, music, drama, dancing, ballet, engraving,ceramics, and many, many more in 14 different studios.

Nestled in historic downtown Mesa where many buildings were built half a century ago, the Mesa Arts Center is a world class facility that offers the most comprehensive and diverse art experience in the entire Phoenix valley.  Any east valley residents in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale or surrounding areas must put this on their list of places to visit.  There is definitely something for everyone.

Keep up with what is going on at the MAC by visiting the Mesa Arts Center blog or following them on twitter.

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Granite counter tops in Phoenix homes are always considered an upgrade and a distinguishing characteristic in any kitchen. The Arizona Regional MLS has recently made “granite countertops” a searchable field for those buyers where granite kitchen counter tops are a “must have”.  While buyers and sellers alike will attest to the natural beauty of granite, the facts behind this natural igneous upgrade are sometimes unknown. 

Igneous crystalline formation of Quartz, Feldspar and Mica   

I was lucky enough to find a Tracy Makowski, the Branch Manager  at Interceramic Marble Collection in Tempe who showed me around their warehouse showroom and allowed me to take the pictures featured in this post.

Granite slabs typically come in two thicknesses, 2 cm. and 3 cm., which translates into  3/4 and  1  1/4 inches  for those that are metrically challenged. A basic 62″ x 109″  two centimeter thick slab can weigh between 600 – 800 lbs. Granite is an igneous rock  formed from magma. The word granite comes from the Latin, granum, a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of this  crystalline rock. Granite is formed from magma as it cools far beneath the earth’s surface very slowly allowing the crystals to form.   Granite is comprised of quartz, feldspar, mica, and to some degree hornblende.  Granite kitchen counter tops are a standard among many Phoenix luxury waterfront community homes.

As I walked around the showroom it was interesting to see the country of origin of the granite slabs which included Brazil, India, Italy, Finland, Norway, Madagascar, Africa, and Argentina.

All installed granite slabs that I’ve seen have a polished finish.  And most of the slabs in the warehouse also had a polished finish. The other type of finish is a “leathered”, satin or antiqued style.  The leathered finish has a rougher texture and more of a matte finish.

Below is a YouTube view explaining the process starting with extraction from the quarry to installation in the kitchen.

If you would like to receive listings that have granite kitchen counter tops in the Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and any Phoenix area city, click on receive e-mails of homes with granite counter tops. 

Information for homeowners who need to sell but are underwater with their mortgage can go to Gilbert and Chandler Short Sale information.