Phoenix Arizona Waterfront Homes
The best blog for waterfront and lakefront homes and communities for the Phoenix Arizona area
Arizona consistently ranks high for states that receive many new residents relocating from other states. I relocated almost 25 years ago and suddenly finding myself in one of the largest metropolitan cities in the US, There was a lot to get use to. Here are some things that those moving to Phoenix should know.
Mention the word “monsoon” to a Phoenix resident, and memories of heavy localized rain, wind gusts, power outages, flash floods and dust storms quickly come to mind. While most residents primarily think of a thunder storm, the monsoon season is more tied to wind shift rather than precipitation. The term “monsoon” comes from the Arabic “mausim” which means “season” or “wind shift.” During the summer wind shift which brings increased moisture and low pressure in the valley, you have essential ingredients of the monsoon season.
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?” Continue reading “Charter Schools in Arizona”
Important considerations when buying in ArizonaAs home prices have declined in Arizona, the goal of many Canadian citizens of owning a home in the U.S. has become a reality. Instead of shoveling snow and battling freezing temperatures, Canadian second home owners can be dealing with other issues such as which golf course should I play today, or how early do I want to get up to go hiking or jogging, and where should we go for dinner. I’ve also noticed that many Canadian homeowners who live on a lake in Canada have a desire to duplicate that scenic landscape and have inquired about lakefront homes in Phoenix. When a buyer from Canada decides to pursue owning property in Arizona, there are some considerations they should be aware of.
Continue reading “What Canadians buying in Arizona should know”
Gilbert – A popular east valley communityGilbert is known for many things. A safe community with a family friendly atmosphere. A great place to raise children with a high quality of life. A growing community with highly rated schools. Good freeway access to Phoenix and surrounding areas. Affordable homes including waterfront and lake communities and award winning hospitals. All in all, Gilbert is one of the most desireable towns in the Phoenix valley. For a sample of some of the things that make Gilbert such a popluar community, read on.
According to CQ Press, an independent publisher, Gilbert is among the safest cities in the United States, 24th among cities with over 75,000. For municipalities in Arizona, Gilbert ranks as the safest community. The analysis used crime and population data as reported to the FBI by local law enforcement agencies for 2008.
This is great news for lovers of Gilbert waterfront homes, lake communities, water ski lake homes and wakeboard aficionados that are looking at homes or property in such subdivisions as The Islands, Val Vista Lakes, Playa del Rey Estates, Crystal Point, Santan Lakeside Estates, Stonebridge Lakes, Wind Drift and Lago Estancia.
In your quest for Phoenix lake communities that have waterfront homes, any search would be incomplete if you didn’t consider the eight waterfront communities in Gilbert. I’m not counting subdivisions that have a community lake at the entrance or near the clubhouse. These are communities in which some of the homes are on waterfront lots. Specifically, these Gilbert waterfront lake communities are Val Vista Lakes, The Islands, Crystal Point, Santan Lakeside Estates, Playa del Rey, Lago Estancia, Stonebridge Estates, and Wind Drift.
Continue reading “Gilbert waterfront homes and lake communities”
The next time you turn on the faucet or take a shower, take time to realize that you live in a desert where the average rainfall in the Phoenix valley is less than 9 inches/year but the average person uses 150 gallons of water PER day. So how do we satisfy our “thirst” for water that exceeds our natural supply in the valley? Continue reading “Water in the Desert – Phoenix water supply”
Are there basement homes in the Phoenix area?As of this writing there are 635 listings for homes with basements in the Phoenix metro area, out of a total of 25,941 listings for single family homes. Less than 2.5% of the total homes available for sale have basements. Those that have moved here from other states, which is about everyone, always ask why the scarcity of basement homes. You’ll certainly get a variety of answers. Read on for the real reasons!
Continue reading “Basement homes in Phoenix, Gilbert, Chandler, and Scottsdale”
The media continues to publish at every chance the woes of the housing industry; mortgage meltdown, rising foreclosures, negative equity and short sales, builders declaring bankruptcy, rising unemployment, etc. These are valid concerns and I see them taking their toll everyday. But somedays, it doesn’t feel like it. Especially when there multiple offers on short sale after just three days! Or competing with 9 other offers for a lender owned property that has been on the market for a week. It feels like 2005 again. But the typical buyer response is “But it’s a buyers market.” Or ” I just read that home prices are still going down!” I believe that the Phoenix metropolitan area median price will continue to trend downward this year, but remember it is the median calculation for an extremely large market covering many sub-markets and price ranges. Real estate is local and cannot be lumped into one all inclusive headline as the media loves to do. So let’s break it down by price range and cities.