Orange Tree Insider

Orange Tree

The #1 Agent

May | June 2014

FOR ORANGE TREE EQUESTRIAN MANOR WITH OVER 55 TRANSACTIONS!

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• Phoenix Business Journal ranks Kelly #11 in The Phoenix Business Journal Book of Lists out of more than 20,000 Real Estate Agents. • Graduate of Arizona State University 1983

Kelly McLain Realtor

602.625.4653

mclainjk@aol.com www.kellymclain.com

A Very Special Thank You As many of you are aware, WJ Bradley is a proud sponsor of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital here in Arizona. For each transaction I close, proceeds are given directly to the hospital to help with future funding needs. Last year my team was able to contribute over $15,000 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital so a huge Thank You to everyone. To view a recent video please go my website www.wjbonline. com and click on the giving back page.

Orange Tree is going to see new For Sale signs. I am so proud to announce that our company Prudential has made the decision to change the brand name we operate under from Prudential to Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. This change is a true defining moment for our company, as well as, our industry. Berkshire Hathaway is a new kind of franchise built on unmatched leadership, quality, and strength within one of the most successful and respected companies in the world. “Berkshire Hathaway is the No. 1 company in Barron’s annual ranking of the world’s 100 most respected companies; it ranks as No. 8 in Fortune magazine’s 50 Most Admired Companies survey; and is No. 18 in Harris Interactive’s reputation study of the 60 Most Visible Companies in the world.”

Summer Solstice

The Prudential brand served us well and now it is time to advance to the next level. We have prided ourselves on finding clear points of difference compared to our competition and now we have been afforded a point of difference unrivaled by any in our industry. Never before has a real estate franchise been able to offer their buyers or sellers the incredible depth of success that Berkshire Hathaway Home Services brings to the table. As one of the most visible companies in the world that operates in hundreds of industries and employs hundreds of thousands throughout the world, this is truly an opportunity beyond all opportunities. As always, with any opportunity, it is what we choose to do with it that makes all the difference. We have a reputation of success, incredible culture, and great execution and now we have an unparalleled advantage over our competition. I promise you we intend to take full advantage of this spectacular gift we have been afforded.

Celebrate A Fresh Start

~ Kelly McLain

WJ BRADLEY MORTGAGE CAPITAL

Mike Tompkins,Mortgage Lender

NMLS #217645 9237 E. Via De Ventura #100 Scottsdale, AZ 85258

480.421.1151 Direct Office mike@wjbonline.com www.wjbonline.com

(c) 2011 W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital Corp., 201 Columbine Street Suite 300, Denver, CO 80206. Phone #303-825-5670. NMLS ID 3233. Trade/service marks are the property of W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital Corp. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. All rights reserved. Some products may not be available in all states. WJB is not acting on behalf of or at the direction of HUD/FHA or the federal government. AZ License # BK-0903998. NMLS consumer access: www.nmlsconsumeraccess. org/EntityDetails.aspx/COMPANY/3233.

ADDRESS

SQFT BED BATH LIST PRICE LIST PER SQFT / NEIGHBORHOOD

Currently For Sale 11420 N Century Ln 12202 N 59th St 12602 N 60th St 12419 N 58th St 5712 E Aster Dr 12836 N 59th St 6015 E Larkspur Dr 6026 E Larkspur Dr 12601 N 59th Pl 12212 N 58th Pl 11646 N Oakhurst Way 10821 N Aberdeen Rd 11414 N 54th Pl 6232 E Shangri La RD 12012 N Oakhurst Way 5444 E Shea Blvd

1,728 2,377 2,311 1,963 2,460 2,295 2,848 2,225 3,292 3,442 2,142 2,949 3,536 4,333 3,708 4,956

2 3 4 3 4 4 5 3 4 4 3 4 4 5 3 4

2 2 2 2 2.5 2 2.75 2.5 2.5 3 2 3 3.5 4 3 4

$264,900 $330,000 $349,900 $375,000 $399,000 $409,000 $459,900 $469,900 $539,500 $579,000 $650,000 $689,000 $799,900 $840,000 $1,149,000 $1,379,000

$153.30 / Century Place $138.83 / Avant $151.41 / Avant $191.03 / Century North $162.20 / Century North $178.21 / Avant $161.48 / Avant $211.19 / Avant $163.88 / Avant $168.22 / Avant $303.45 / Century Club Estates $233.64 / Century Club Estates $226.22 / Orangetree Estates $193.86 / Orangetree Manor Estates $309.87 / Century Club $278.25 / Orange Tree Estates

Call Kelly McLain for the most effective marketing tobutget yourTheproperty 602.625.4653. All information is deemed reliable not guaranteed. properties on this listsold have beenat listed/sold by various members of the MLS. If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996 • www.DesertLifestyle.net

Luxury Market Solid Performance With Jumbo Loans & Stock Market Strength

Cool Down With Modern Margarita’s Watermelon Honey Mix & Cilantro Vinaigrette

Orange Tree’s

Beautiful Mark Candelaria Design located on the 16th Hole Offered at $1,150,000

In Good Taste Modern Margarita 602.795.8111 | ModernMargarita.com

CILANTRO LIME VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS: 1/4 c Agave nectar 2 limes zested 1 c lime juice 2 Serrano peppers roasted

1 c vegetable oil 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a sauté pan heat the Agave nectar over medium heat. Once the Agave begins to simmer add the zest of the 2 limes. At this point the Agave nectar is beginning to caramelize, carefully add the 1 cup of lime juice and reduce by half. Once it has reduced by half the original volume, remove and cool.

Mark your calendars! June 21st marks the summer solstice, or the longest day of the year. Not only does this day mean the most hours of sunshine all year (hurray!), but throughout time it has symbolized a period of renewal and rebirth. At the start of summer, plants are beginning to grow and mature, bees are busy pollinating, and you too may feel more energetic and filled with a desire to get things done. In today’s world, it’s a perfect time to reconnect with nature and make plans and goals for the year ahead. The summer solstice occurs when the earth’s tilt toward the sun is at a maximum. At this time, the sun is at its

Meanwhile char the Serrano peppers on an open flame or in a toaster oven, once charred set aside to cool. Once everything has cooled to room temperature place the Agave/lime liquid in the blender puree add the Serranos with their charred skins (seeds can be removed for a milder dressing). Stream in the oil, then finish the dressing with the rough chopped cilantro. Blend for a couple seconds but leave the cilantro fairly coarse. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chef recommends this dressing drizzled over a shrimp salad with goat cheese or a light salad with mixed greens and seasonal fruits.

northernmost point in the sky. In fact, the sun’s position at noon changes very little for a few days before and after the summer solstice. The word solstice comes from the Latin solstitium or sol (the sun) and –stit or -stes (standing). It’s a time of celebration after many months of colder temperatures and long, dark days. In many cultures, the summer solstice is still celebrated today. In Sweden, people dance around the maypole at festivals; in Britain, many still travel to the rocks of Stonehenge, where the ancient ruins align with the summer solstice and present magnificent viewing; and right here in the United States, people mark the day with festivals, running races, and distinct rituals. In fact, right in Sedona, the Hopi and Navajo peoples have always celebrated the mystical summer solstice and today certain groups offer retreats to teach of the day’s spiritual significance. Bonfires are another ancient ritual associated with the summer solstice. The fire is believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune for the year ahead. No matter

WATERMELON HONEY MARGARITA INGREDIENTS: 3 oz tequila (ArteNOM Blanco Tequila recommended) 2 oz watermelon water 1 oz honey syrup 1 oz strained fresh lime juice Take a watermelon and cut out all the fruit. Use a juicer or blender and pulverize into a puree. Pass the puree through a fine strainer or cheese cloth, the resulting fluid is watermelon water. Next, fill a sauce pan with water and put the bottle of honey in the pot and heat it up. Once the water is hot, remove the bottle and bring the water to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and measure out equal parts hot water to honey. Dissolve the honey completely in the water and transfer syrup to a bottle and chill in the refrigerator before using. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice in a margarita glass. Garnish with a watermelon rind peel.

Luxury Market Update

by Mike Orr – Director of Real Estate Studies at ASU’s WP Carey School of Business and Principal of The Cromford Report The luxury home market in Maricopa County had an excellent year in 2013, easily its best in the last seven years. We saw almost $5 billion in sales of homes over $500,000 during 2013 at an average price of $223 per square foot. This was an increase of 37% over 2012’s total of $3.6 billion in sales. The annual average sales price per square foot for homes over $500,000 gained 6% between 2012 and 2013. In addition to the general recovery in the local housing market, two changes fueled this additional success in luxury homes. Firstly, jumbo loans have become very popular with lenders since 2012 and they are competing with each other to offer attractive loan terms to well-qualified borrowers. Contrary to the usual situation, the larger the loan amount, the lower the interest rates on offer, and this has helped boost activity at the very top end of the luxury market. The second factor was the strength in the US stock market in 2013 which has increased the wealth of those invested in it. Advances in the stock market tend to have a strong correlation with demand for luxury homes. Another encouraging sign is that the average number of days on market is down 5% for sales and down 14% for active listings over the last twelve months. Distressed homes are also having a negligible impact on the luxury market. When counting homes over $500,000, we see that lender

owned homes are less than 0.6% of active listings and short sales and pre-foreclosures are down from 3.8% at the start of March 2013 to just 1.5% this year. However the success during 2013 has brought many more sellers into the market in 2014. At the beginning of March 2014 we had 51% more active listings of homes for sale over $500,000 than we had a year earlier. This means sellers have a lot more competition in 2014 and buyers have more choice and something of an edge in negotiations. Mitigating the increased supply, demand has held up much better than in the rest of the market and luxury home sales increased 3% by unit and 7% by revenue when we compare the first two months of 2014 with the same period in 2013. The greatest improvement was among homes over $2 million which were up 79% in the first two months of 2014 compared with the same period in 2013. As long as the stock market continues to perform well and the Phoenix economy continues to improve, the luxury home market is likely to outperform the more general housing market in 2014.

your beliefs, it’s a fun way to celebrate the change in seasons and get outdoors to reconnect with nature and the rhythm and cycle of life, which we often are disconnected from in today’s modern computerized world. Much in the way modern day people think of New Year’s Day as a day to make positive changes and resolutions, throughout time people have considered the summer solstice as a time of growth, and a time to improve their lives and make positive changes. After all, with more daylight you probably feel more energized to get more done than you do in the cooler, darker days of winter. So whether you’re looking to make a career move, get your dream home once and for all, or find your soul mate, make June 21st a day to get outdoors and celebrate the start of something new, fresh, and full of possibilities. Maybe even light a bonfire … you never know what good fortune could be coming your way!

Event Calendar MAY | JUNE 2014 Rock-N Glow 5K Westgate Entertainment District | May 18 872.216.4569 | RocknGlow5k.com Rock-N-Glow 5K fun run/walk is energized by continuous bursts of music along the course with participants covered in glow-in-the-dark swag. Come light the night for a great cause. Add your own creative glow by dressing up in costumes that rock and glow! Carnival of Illusion: An Evening of Old-World Magic Arizona Biltmore Resort | May 24 480.359.7469 | CarnivalOfIllusion.com Step right up and get ready to laugh, have fun, and celebrate a magical night out with Carnival of Illusion! This top-rated attraction is “Revitalizing Magic” by blending their international travel theme with all the charms of a Vaudeville-inspired roadshow. Carnival of Illusion is a night of magic, mystery and oooh la la! Les Misérables Phoenix Theatre | Now through May 25 602.254.2151 | PhoenixTheatre.com Les Misérables has thrilled audiences all over the world; now, the timeless classic returns for Phoenix Theatre’s 93rd season. Experiencing this musical on stage will touch your heart and soul in a way no film can. The tale of Jean Valjean’s unjust imprisonment and quest for redemption is set against the highly volatile political backdrop of a revolutionary period in France. The stunning score features beautiful orchestrations and instantly recognizable melodies including On My Own, Bring Him Home and I Dreamed a Dream. This sweeping epic of love, loss, rebellion and rebirth is delivered with heartbreaking poignancy. At Phoenix Theatre, you’ll be closer to the barricade than ever before! The 99th Annual Southwestern Amateur Cochise Course at the Desert Mountain Club | June 4-7 480.595.4090 | SWGA.net As the highest-ranked amateur golf tournament in the Southwest, the championship attracts the world’s best amateur golfers. This 7,019-yard course which Jack Nicklaus has called “one of the most picturesque golf courses in the world” will provide the players with a true test of their skills. With origins dating back as early as 1908, the tournament was formally organized into a regional competition in 1915. Since then the championship has grown to many more players and a stepping stone for many great future PGA Tour stars. Hollywood Costume Phoenix Art Museum | Now through July 6 602.257.1222 | PHXArt.org A ground breaking exhibition that celebrates and explores costume design as a key component of cinema storytelling. Arriving in Phoenix from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, this major multimedia exhibition explores the essentials of costume design and illuminates the costume designer’s creative process, bringing together more than 100 of the world’s most iconic costumes from a century of filmmaking.