Phoenix By Area

AMC Esplanade 14 movie theater will re-open as posh Fork & Screen

In The News

Biltmore-area movie-goers have undoubtedly noticed that the  AMC Esplanade 14 movie theater at 2512 E Camelback Road has been closed down this summer.  In August, the Esplanade will reopen as the latest site of AMC’s newest concept, the upscale Fork & Screen. With this renovation, AMC is trying to attract the posh “dinner and a [...]

23 July 2011 Read the full article →

Hiking tips for Phoenix, Scottsdale visitors

Lifestyle

It’s gonna be a hot one today, folks! The metro Phoenix area is slated to see 98 degrees Farenheit today. If you’re visiting the metro Phoenix-Scottsdale area and you’re considering hiking some of our beautiful mountain trails today, take note…  it’s hotter than you think, and the trails are steeper than you think. Remember that [...]

1 April 2011 Read the full article →

Chateaux on Central has new owner

Phoenix By Area

Depending on your viewpoint, the red brick McMansions on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix known as the Chateaux on Central are either an eyesore or a diamond in the rough. Back in the boom years, the Chateaux was built at an estimated cost of about $40 million with an additional $47 million provided by Mortgages [...]

13 December 2010 Read the full article →

Fabulous, but too far out. . .

Phoenix By Area

Recently a client and I exchanged emails about her housing options that reminded me of one of most enduring metro Phoenix’s real estate truisms:  fabulous is often also too far out (geographically speaking). Since metro Phoenix has always had room to grow, geographically, it generally follows that the newer, fancier, nicer houses that many 20-something, [...]

26 July 2010 Read the full article →

Don’t leave your house naked

Phoenix By Area

Just me popping in with a little tip for home sellers. We’ve all heard of “curb appeal”. The home above has none of it. The home below, on the other hand. . . . . . .  now that’s curb appeal! These two homes are approximately the same floor plan in the same neighborhood. Neither [...]

15 July 2010 Read the full article →

REOs Rule, But Not Everywhere

Foreclosures

Image courtesy of Stock Exchange user svilen001 Just a little blurb from one of our favorite title/escrow officers, Maggie Clark of Equity Title. This gives a good picture of just how much the REO (“real estate owned”, i.e. bank owned foreclosure) properties are driving the market lately. Southwest Valley – REO active listings represent 16% [...]

21 September 2009 Read the full article →

The Highs and the Lows 2

Foreclosures

Wherein I periodically post about the highest and lowest priced homes in the local MLS. Properties must be: single family, detached homes bank owned currently Active in the ARMLS (AZ Regional Multiple Listing Service) located in the general metro Phoenix region (Wickenburg, Florence, Coolidge, etc are excluded but Surprise, Buckeye, Queen Creek, etc are included) [...]

8 September 2009 Read the full article →

Head West, LAD Follow Up

Phoenix By Area

A few days back, Chris wrote a great post called Head West, LAD. He explained the local meme that helps us all remember that Lanes, Avenues and Drives are always on the West side of Phoenix. But he admitted there’s no localalism for remembering where Circle, Court and Terrace are located. Off the top of [...]

22 August 2009 Read the full article →

Navigating Phoenix – Head West, LAD.

Phoenix By Area

We all know Phoenix is a big grid, with Named streets running east-west and Numbered streets running north-south.  And we know that street numbers start at Central Avenue, and run progressively larger to the east (streets) and west (avenues). Click here for a humorous look at driving in Greater Phoenix But things are never as [...]

5 August 2009 Read the full article →

maybe the WORST LISTING EVER!

Foreclosures

Last week I came across a home – listed for sale in MLS – that might take the cake as the worst listing ever.  Fortunately I had my camera with me.  I’m not going to count things outside the sellers’ control against them, such as the run-down neighborhood, the functional obsolescence, or the busy street [...]

28 July 2009 Read the full article →

Getting Smart About Short Sales

Listings

Are home buyers getting smart about short sales in metro Phoenix? The tale of this particular home seems to indicate yes. Read on…. Cute home, no? Three bedroom, two bath, 1500 square feet. Nice neighborhood, good schools, newer homes. In winter 2005 it sold for $242,000. This house was listed as a short sale for just [...]

2 July 2009 Read the full article →