July 2008

1.800.848.0475 Office 480.488.9974

Specializing in Desert Mountain Real Estate Sales and Resales Since 1996.

Fax 480.488.8332 7 Sundial Circle Suite 3 July 2008

PO Box 3664 Carefree, AZ 85377

FEATURED HOME OF THE MONTH: Desert Greens Lot 62 • $1,050,000

Scott F. Naumann, Designated Broker/Principal Desert Mountain Member sfnaumann@mdp.xohost.com 602.525.4452 Licensed in AZ, FL and CO. Glady Green, Sales Executive Desert Mountain Member glady@gladygreen.com 480.307.3272 Shaye Chandler, Sales Executive Desert Mountain Member shayechandler@msn.com 480.252.0700 Will Pearson, Sales Executive Desert Mountain Member willpaz@earthlink.net 480.363.4888

Craig McElroy, Sales Executive craig@mdp.xohost.com 480.747.3737

Shirley Arnold Sales Executive arnoldassoc@cox.net 602.625.3344

• Larkspur floor plan • 3350 sf indoor living area • On 8th fairway of Apache Course • Fairway and mountain views • South/southwest exposure • Heated Pebble Tec pool and spa • Pillowed limestone flooring

Residential Cochise Ridge 95 Cochise Ridge 42 Eagle Feather 443 Desert Hills 28 Sunrise 316

SALES FOR THE MONTH OF MAY $685,000 $832,500 $1,100,000 $1,200,000 $1,202,500

Residential Eagle Feather 353 $1,050,000 Cochise Ridge 88 $1,199,000 Desert Horizons 7 $1,395,000

Ray Arnold Sales Executive arnoldassoc@cox.net 602.625.3344

• Upgraded appliance package • Granite and travertine finishes • Surround sound • Natural gas fireplaces, BBQ and fire pit • Wet bar • All on one level

Saguaro Forest 296 $2,400,000 Saguaro Forest 263 $2,750,000 Lost Star 1 $2,875,000

PENDING SALES AT PUBLICATION Desert Horizons 21 $1,795,000 Apache Peak 112 $2,895,000

Summertime in America How We Celebrate

The Escrow Process

Homesites Eagle Feather 367 $245,000 Grey Fox 122 $250,000 Grey Fox 102 $390,000

Homesites Rose Quartz 38 $549,000 Saguaro Forest 236 $1,699,000

A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Summer Cuisine Perfected Wildfish’s Seared Ahi

COMMENTARY – When Hiring a Realtor

NEVER hire a Realtor who owns a boat or a whole ownership vacation home! They won’t be there for you…

Not Pictured: Dan Gallery (Desert Mountain Member), Brandon “Bear” June, Ed Johnson, Chris Kolacy, Steve Zook.

ALWAYS hire a Realtor who lives in your community. As a rule, they know the answers when it comes to membership, can get customers and other agent’s customers into the clubhouse(s) and onto the golf course(s) for a first-hand experience in testing the lifestyle enjoyed by the residents.

Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996

ISSN-1939-9588

Tamara J. Nezirevic Mortgage Consultant Tamara@cfs-mortgage.com 7 Sundial Circle, #5, Carefree BK #0905178

602.432.1611 Offering Preferred Rates & Service for Desert Mountain Members If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Desert Mountain’s

Hot Real Estate Listings

Get Them While They’re Red Hot! Of course, what is a baseball game without a hot dog? Each year, around 155 million hot dogs are consumed on this July 4th alone, which is probably why July became National Hot Dog Month. Most believe the hot dog of today had its roots in Germany, where sausages were a staple. In fact, the most popular legend of how the hot dog got its name features a German immigrant serving boiled “dachshund” dogs on a bun. This story takes place in 1902, when cartoonist T.A. “Tad” Dorgan, was coming up on a deadline and at a loss for ideas. He heard the vendors shouting, “They’re red hot! Get your dachshund sausages while they’re red hot!” So he drew a cartoon of a sausage with a tail, legs and head. He wasn’t sure how to spell “dachshund” so he wrote “hot dog” instead.

Featuring Wildfish Seafood Grille 7135 E. Camelback Rd. • Scottsdale 480.994.4040 or wildfishseafoodgrille.com

SEARED AHI TUNA Ingredients: 4 oz. sashimi-grade Ahi tuna salt and pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. white sesame seeds 1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds 3 oz. olive oil, divided 3 each shitake mushroom caps, julienned 1 each Roma tomato, diced 2 each scallions, sliced 2 oz. buckwheat soba noodles, cooked 2 oz. seafood broth 1 tsp. wasabi, prepared 1 tsp. pickled ginger 1 tsp. daikon radish sprouts Preparation: 1. Season tuna with salt and pepper, coat well with sesame seeds. 2. Heat 2 oz. oil in a sauté pan until very hot. Sear the tuna quickly on both sides. 3. In a separate pan, heat 1 oz. oil until very hot. Add shitake caps. 4. Sauté until caramelized, then add tomatoes, scallions and noodles. 5. Arrange stir-fry in center of a bowl. Pour broth over stir-fry. 6. Slice tuna into 1/4” slices. Fan sliced tuna around noodles and vegetables and garnish with wasabi, ginger, and sprouts.

Across the nation, Independence Day is one of the most popular days for celebrating all things American. So in addition to watching a fireworks display, the chances that you’ll be going to a baseball game, eating hot dogs and finishing up with some apple pie are pretty high. Take Me Out to the Ball Game In his book, God’s Country and Mine: A Declaration of Love Spiced with a Few Harsh Words, French philosopher Jacques Barzun wrote, “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball…” And many have taken this to heart. Indeed, baseball, although played in and enjoyed in other countries such as Cuba and Japan, has become known as America’s national pastime.

In 1866, Charles A. Peverelly wrote, “The game of baseball has now become, beyond question, the leading feature of the outdoor sports of the United States ... It is a game which is peculiarly suited to the American temperament and disposition; ... in short, the pastime suits the people, and the people suit the pastime.” The game is so popular that you can find a multitude of poems, songs, movies and literary works paying tribute to the sport. But, of course, the most well known is Jack Norworth’s 1908 classic, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Norworth wrote the lyrics on a scrap of paper while taking a train to Manhattan. Albert Von Tilzer composed the music.

“closes”, it means that all of the specified requirements by both parties have been met and the money and property can then exchange hands. What is Happening During the Escrow Process? An escrow agent assumes the role of neutral “stakeholder” and communications link between all parties in the transaction. Between the time escrow starts and ends, the agent performs several tasks:

When you hear people talking about buying or selling a house, the topic of escrow almost always comes up. But what is escrow anyway? As you know, the buying and selling of homes or land involves the transfer of large amounts of money and valuable property. To make sure that both the buyer and the seller are protected, a neutral third party comes in to handle the transaction fairly and without bias. What Is Escrow? “Very simply stated,” says Tom Diller of Guaranty Title Agency of Arizona, “the process of escrow is when, during a transaction between two or more parties, the written instrument, money or other items of value are transferred to a neutral third party.” This neutral party, the escrow agent, holds the money or valued items for disbursement upon the occurrence of the specific event or performance of a specified condition. An escrow agent impartially carries out the written instructions specified in the purchase contract by the principals. Thus, when escrow

• Prepares escrow instructions: The agent prepares all required documents in accordance to the terms of the sale. • Performs a preliminary title search: The agent researches the present condition of title to the property to determine if there are any deeds of trust, liens or judgments against it. In the case of loan assumption or subject-to-loan, the agent will also request a beneficiary’s statement or formal assumption package. • Works with lender: The agent works with the mortgage lender for the sale and makes sure that the transaction and all documents comply with the lender’s requirements. • Collects funds: The agent receives the purchase funds from the buyer and/or lender for the transaction. • Prepares documents: The agent secures and prepares the deed, as well as other documents related to the transaction.

As American as Apple Pie Apple pies were made well before America was born. In 1590, English dramatist and miscellaneous writer, Robert Greene included in his novel, Arcadia, the phrase, “Thy breath is like the steame of apple-pyes.” So what makes apple pie so American? Most likely it is how we’ve embraced it and made it our own. In 1620, The English Pilgrims brought with them to the New World apple seeds and incorporated the fruit into pie recipes they brought from the Old World. Later, the Pennsylvania Dutch perfected the deep-dish, double-crusted version that most people imagine when they think of American apple pie. So maybe apple pie is American because like this great nation, it is a fusion of cultures, taking ideas from the Old World and creating something new and unique of our own.

How to Dress a Hot Dog How do you make the perfect summer hot dog? Where do you put your condiments and in which order? The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) says that you should always dress the hot dog and not the bun. And, if you prefer all the fixings on your dog, they recommend you apply them in the following order: 1. Wet condiments, such as mustard 2. Chunky condiments, such as relish 3. Cheese 4. Spices According to an NHDSC survey, mustard is the condiment of choice for adults, while children prefer ketchup (unless their moms aren’t watching – then it’s chocolate sauce).

• Closes escrow: Once all instructions have been carried out and everything is in order, the agent will close escrow by preparing the final documents. • Disburses funds: As authorized by the instructions, the agent disburses funds to the seller and any other parties due monies from the sale, including paying off existing encumbrances.

Human and Animal Grossology Summer Camp Arizona Science Center, July 7th-25th 602.716.2000 or azscience.org Did you know scientists actually study rhinotillexomania, which is just a fancy word for nose picking? Your children will learn all about this and many more gross facts at the Grossology Summer Camp. Based on the Grossology and Animal Grossology exhibitions, this camp will investigate the grosser side of science. Kids will learn about the ickiest creatures on earth, as well as the “icky” side of human beings.

Josh Blue Tempe Improv, July 18th-20th 480.921.9877 or improv2.com When life gives you lemons you make lemonade! As the winner of The Last Comic Standing, Josh Blue has quickly become a fast-rising star turning his everyday challenges of living with cerebral palsy into his comedy routine. Since winning, Josh has appeared on Mind of Mencia and performed for sold-out crowds. Josh is really an inspiration! Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Chase Field, July 20th 602.514.8400 or arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com Three cheers for our home team as they battle it out against the Dodgers at Chase Field. Of course, what baseball game would be complete without peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Make sure to arrive a little early – the first 5,000 kids will receive a D-Backs rally cap.

• Records deeds and any other documents as instructed: The agent records all required documents for the sale with the County Recorder. • Requests issuance of the title insurance policy: The agent orders the title insurance policy, which protects the buyer against financial loss due to errors in title, liens or other matters.

Fourth of July Tempe Town Lake, July 4th 480.350.5189 or tempe4th.com With so many options for the Fourth of July, Tempe Town Lake really sticks out in a crowd. Each year they present many fun events for all ages. The Arizona Republic Family Splash Zone is great for the kids, and the food court and beer garden is directed toward adults. The fireworks are shot off of the Mill Ave. bridge and will be choreographed to patriotic and classical music.

Mighty Mud Mania Chaparral Park, July 18th 480.312.2771 or scottsdaleaz.gov/parks/mmm Do kids really need a “reason” to play in the mud? What started out as a promotional gimmick for a laundry pre-wash product, this mud extravaganza quickly turned into a fantastic yearly event for all ages. Featured events include sand castle building, swimming, water slides, the water canon and of course the Mighty Mud Mania obstacle course.

• Makes financial calculations: According to the instructions prepared earlier, the agent prorates taxes, interest and insurance that may need to be collected at the time of the sale. • Ensures that all conditions are met: For most sales, there are certain conditions, or contingencies, that must be met before the sale can be finalized. These may include a successful home inspection, obtaining acceptable financing, or meeting building codes. The escrow agent makes sure each condition is met and secures releases for each one.

JULY 2008

As you can see, an escrow agent needs to stay on top of a lot of activities to close a transaction properly and on time – coordinating documents, loans, title and inspections. In the state of Arizona, most escrow services are performed by title companies. Having a neutral third party keeping an “eagle eye” on the terms and conditions of the sale makes for a much smoother process than if the buyer and seller were to be responsible for all of those tasks themselves.

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band Dodge Theatre, July 31st 602.379.2888 or livenation.com Don’t miss living rock legend Ringo Starr and his 10th All Starr Band at Dodge Theatre. The ensemble will include returning All Starrs (in alphabetical order): Colin Hay, Billy Squier, Hamish Stuart, Edgar Winter, and first-timer Gary Wright, and on drums, Gregg Bissonette. With The Beatles, Ringo Starr has given us many songs we all know and love, including “With A Little Help From My Friends,” “Don’t Pass Me By,” “Octopus’ Garden,” and “Never Without You” to name a few.