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.
Tempe Waterfront Homes and Lake CommunitiesWhen it comes to Phoenix Az waterfront property, certain bragging rights can be claimed by each city or town depending on the lake communities within their city limits. For example, Chandler has more lake communities than any other city. And Gilbert has 3 of the 6 water ski communities in the Phoenix valley. Scottsdale Waterfront Residences often claims the most expensive waterfront listing in the valley. When you consider Tempe lake communities, it could easily be distinguished as having the most diverse selection of Phoenix waterfront property.
Welcome to Arizona’s first man made lake community which offers a combination of desireable waterfront single family, patio homes, and condo’s for total of over 200 waterfront properties. The majority of the homes were built between 1972 and 1977 providing very mature and lush green landscaping throughout this Tempe Az lakefront community. The proximity of this Tempe lake community to the US60 and downtown Phoenix is a significant advantage when considering commute times.
The motivation for this article comes from all the recent news about taxes, and some buyers who say interesting things like “The property values have gone down, so the taxes better be lower!” With that I thought it was the right time to dig in and get to the bottom of this sensitive topic. I’m glad I did because there are some interesting facts of which I was unaware. Read on and find out what is myth, what is reality, and discover some unknown facts.
Regatta Pointe condominiums located right across the street from Tempe Town Lake were built in 2002. While they cannot be considered waterfront property, some of the condominiums have fantastic views of Tempe Town lake. This Tempe lakeview condominium development has 136 units; 116 single level units and 20 larger two story units. A heated community pool and spa are at the center of the community. The location features proximity to an endless list of amenities such as parks, the light rail, Mill Avenue restaurants and entertainment, and a cultural center. Recent sales of distressed properties such as short sales or bank owned units have sold for 60% of their highs in 2005 – 2006.
At 9:45 pm on Tuesday, July 20th, one section of the inflatable dam at Tempe Town Lake burst releasing 750 million gallons into the Salt River. Since it occured at night nobody was on the lake and one visitor at the west end of the lake was able to capture the release on video. The day after the failure, the Town of Tempe and Bridgestone, the manufacturer of the inflatable bladders, squared off and each offered explanations of why the other party was at fault. Obviously, something went wrong somewhere because according to the Town of Tempe website, “The bladders have special ozone and ultraviolet ray protection from the southwestern climate and have been tested extensively for durability.” Bridgestone contends improper maintenance since the bladders need to be kept moist and cool through the use of a sprinkler system that was not being used at the time of the failure, while the Town of Tempe Mayor counters that the poor design of the dam made it difficult to use the sprinklers effectively.
Gated Lake Subdivisions and Waterfront PropertyWhen looking for Phoenix area waterfront homes, your dream home could be hiding behind one of the gated lake communities featuring waterfront homes. These unique gated subdivisions are spread throughout the valley in cities and towns such as Chandler, Mesa, Maricopa, Scottsdale, Tempe and Gilbert among others.
2009 was a transition year for the Bridgeview urban luxury condominiums. Denver-based Condo Capital Solutions stepped in to purchased the 64 unsold units for $20.3 million in August 2009. Sales in early 2009 were virtually non-existent and only 40 of the total 104 condominiums had sold. Revised pricing has re-ignited interest in this luxury waterfront project. Originally, sales of $591K for 1,283 sq.ft, or $923K or 1,921 sq.ft. were the norm. Now prices are 50 – 60% of original 2008 offering prices. Over 20 units have sold in the first quarter 0f 2010.
Edgewater Waterfront Condos at Hayden Ferry LakesideThe first Hayden Ferry Lakeside waterfront condo tower was Edgewater with 40 units that sold out in 2006. It was rare to see a sale price less than$500K. Now a sale price over $500K would be equally surprising. Sold near the height of the real estate peak, prices are resetting through foreclosures and short sales, or the rare instance where the owner has enough equity and is willing to list at market value. A good example is a recently listed 1,650 sq.ft. 3rd floor bank owned condo that originally sold for $625,000 in June of 2006. It is now listed at $282,900, or 45% of the orginal sales price.
Local charity run in honor of Pat Tillman draws record crowdLast Saturday, over 28,000 participants were at the stating line at 7 a.m. to participate in the sixth annual Pat’s Run to raise money for educational scholarships. Pat Tillman, was a former ASU and Arizona Cardinal football player and Army Ranger. After Sept. 11, 2001, Pat and his younger brother joined the military. In so doing, Pat turned down a $3.6 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals to serve his country. On April 22, 2004, Pat was killed by friendly fire while serving in eastern Afghanistan.
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