February 2009

ENCOURAGING NEWS!!!! As of today there are 258 active home listings on the market in the Rio Verde Foothills area, according to the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. That is the least amount reported in many months. There are 11 homes under contract and 19 homes have sold since November 1st, 2008, which is higher than normal. These numbers are strong indications that Buyers seem to be understanding that prices can’t go much lower and are taking advantage of today’s market. Homes priced under $350,000 1288 sf..............3 bd/2 ba..........................$249,000 1727 sf..............3 bd/3 ba..........................$274,900 2340 sf..............3 bd/3.5 ba.......................$300,000 2150 sf..............3 bd/2 ba..........................$339,500 3200 sf..............3 bd/3 ba..........................$349,000 2308 sf..............3 bd/3 ba..........................$349,900 2127 sf..............3 bd/2.5 ba.......................$350,000 3463 sf..............4 bd/3.5 ba.......................$350,000 If you know of anyone who is not receiving this brochure and would like to, please have them call me and I will be happy to add them on the mailing list.

Bonnie Burke, PC ABR, CLHMS, CRS, E-PRO, GRI Integrity Based, Service Driven RE/MAX Excalibur 8510 E. Shea Blvd. #100 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 480.720.8001 Cell Bonnie@BonnieBurke.com www.BonnieBurke.com

FEATURED LISTING:

Outdoor enthusiasts’ dream...across the street from Tonto National Forest...Over 3 million acres of hiking, biking, horseback riding or star gazing just steps from your front door. Brand new, 4BR+Den, 3BA, 4030sf, with a massive family room/game room, fireplace and mountain views from the island kitchen. Travertine floors, granite counters, arched doorways, neutral colors and a huge master closet make this a great family home with designer touches. All on just over an acre. A smokin’ deal at $499,999. Address Sq. Ft. / Bed / Bath Days On Market List Price NEW LISTINGS SINCE LAST PUBLICATION: 30104 N. 168th St. 1,727 / 3 Bed / 3 Bath 15 $274,900 28629 N. 168th St. 2,150 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath 29 $339,500 17308 E. Pinnacle Vista Dr. 2,127 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 28 $350,000 29113 N. 144th St. 2,015 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 32 $379,900 16710 E. Lone Mountain Rd. 3,307 / 5 Bed / 4 Bath 34 $385,000 16515 E. Lone Mountain Rd. 1,921 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath 8 $399,900 16430 E. Rancho Rd. 1,783 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 15 $399,900 34220 N. 140th Way 4,417 / 5 Bed / 4 Bath 27 $410,000 28511 N. 144th St. 2,637 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath 7 $424,900 34218 N. 141st St. 3,472 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 15 $441,612 28012 N. 172nd Pl. 2,574 / 5 Bed / 3.5 Bath 11 $444,900 17107 E. Red Bird Rd. 3,190 / 4 Bed / 3.5 Bath 11 $449,900 29725 N. 143rd St. 2,619 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 10 $487,000 28216 N. 152nd Pl. 3,455 / 4 Bed / 3.5 Bath 20 $515,000 27614 N. 158th Way 3,406 / 4 Bed / 4 Bath 12 $539,900 28423 N. 148th St. 3,208 / 4 Bed / 2.5 Bath 30 $548,000 28825 N. 160th St. 4,280 / 4 Bed / 4.5 Bath 15 $585,000 14905 E. Roy Rogers Rd. 3,846 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 1 $599,000 16214 E. Pinnacle Vista Dr. 3,436 / 4 Bed / 3.5 Bath 28 $599,000 13807 E. Quail Track Rd. 3,868 / 5 Bed / 4.5 Bath 20 $650,000 31213 N. 152nd St. 3,820 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 26 $699,000 14220 E. Cavedale Dr. 4,103 / 5 Bed / 3 Bath 14 $899,000 31506 N. 141st Pl. 5,188 / 4 Bed / 4 Bath 27 $899,900 27306 N. 174th St. 4,268 / 4 Bed / 3.5 Bath 12 $990,000 27804 N. 152nd St. 2,800 / 4 Bed / 2 Bath 0 $1,200,000 26818 N. 144th St. 4,028 / 4 Bed / 2.5 Bath 21 $1,249,000 16323 E. Calle De Los Flores Dr. 4,850 / 5 Bed / 6 Bath 17 $1,425,000 30307 N. 144th St. 4,284 / 4 Bed / 4.5 Bath 18 $3,950,000 PENDING SALES SINCE LAST PUBLICATION: 30019 N. 163rd Pl. 1,520 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath 41 $219,900 14524 E. Balancing Rock Rd. 3,265 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 132 $245,000 29007 N. 144th St. 3,215 / 5 Bed / 4 Bath 12 $250,000 27024 N. 164th St. 2,373 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath 22 $265,000 14527 E. Gamble Ln. 4,427 / 4 Bed / 4 Bath 334 $424,000 30304 N. 154th Way 2,860 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 33 $440,000 33408 N. 140th Way 3,510 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath 219 $449,900 14703 E. Horned Owl Trl. 3,143 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 311 $449,900 15039 E. Desert Vista Ct. 4,139 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 179 $689,000 SOLD PRICE SOLD SINCE LAST PUBLICATION: DOM LIST PRICE 13807 E. Amber Sun Dr. 1,385 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath 54 $209,900 $215,000 33507 N. 139 Ter. 3,972 / 4 Bed / 4 Bath 46 $350,000 $275,000 16234 E. Gambit Trl. 3,256 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 75 $349,900 $350,000 28417 N. 146th Pl. 2,723 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath 87 $400,000 $385,000 14241 E. Bajada Rd. 3,100 / 5 Bed / 3 Bath 160 $450,000 $389,070 16529 E. Montgomery Rd. 2,873 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 202 $499,900 $400,000 13725 E. Monument Dr. 3,172 / 4 Bed / 3 Bath 12 $439,900 $439,900 28011 N. 156th St. 2,685 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath 54 $499,900 $463,125 15449 E. Lomas Verde Ln. 4,350 / 5 Bed / 3.5 Bath 10 $450,000 $465,000 14905 E. Roy Rogers Rd. 3,800 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 336 $485,000 $465,000 28640 N. 160th St. 3,899 / 5 Bed / 3.5 Bath 142 $499,900 $499,900 15044 E. Montgomery Rd. 3,400 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath 20 $575,000 $555,000 31817 N. 164th St. 4,301 / 5 Bed / 3.5 Bath 142 $650,000 $610,000 29906 N. Mirador Ct. 5,950 / 4 Bed / 5 Bath 184 $1,638,000 $1,150,000

Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996 Bonnie Burke, PC RE/MAX Excalibur 8510 E. Shea Blvd. #100 Scottsdale, AZ 85260

ISSN-1939-9421

Interior Design

Its Subconscious Emotional Impact

Property Taxes

Understanding Your Bill

Savory Seafood

Phantom Horse Grill’s Pan-Seared Salmon

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Rio Verde Foothills’

Hot Real Estate Listings If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Image Courtesy of Est, Est, Inc.

All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. The properties on this list have been listed/sold by various participants in the MLS.

February 2009

Image Courtesy of Est, Est, Inc.

Featuring Phantom Horse Grill at the Arizona Grand Resort 8000 S. Arizona Grand Pkwy. • Phoenix 602.438.9000 or arizonagrandresort.com

Just as the outdoors and weather can greatly affect our mood, indoor spaces also have an impact on our emotions, which is why we put so much effort into creating rooms that “feel right” for us. And whether we decorate our living spaces ourselves or work with an interior designer, what is often learned is that the art of interior design is far more complex than meets the eye. Yes, the selection and careful placement of furniture and decorative items are crucial; but the use of complementing or contrasting fabrics, textures, materials, finishes, color and lighting also come into play. These distinctive elements should all work together to not only create a room with functionality, but one that draws us in emotionally. A myriad of studies have been done researching the effect of our living spaces on our psyche. Environmental psychology studies have shown that what makes us feel comfortable and happy in our homes may be connected to survival instincts that we’ve carried within our DNA since the beginning of man. “The effectiveness and impact of interior spaces,” says Tony Sutton, designer and owner of Est, Est, Inc. in Scottsdale (who also designed the room in the accompanying photo and on the cover), “is determined by the physiological influence of the various finish materials and textures within a space. This is most effective when it has a subconscious impact

PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH ORANGE-SCENTED LOBSTER NAGE Ingredients: 4 each, 6 oz. salmon fillets 12 each, Manila clams 12 each, PEI mussels 6 assorted baby heirloom tomatoes, cut in half 1 cup Israeli cous cous 1 pinch saffron 2 cups lobster stock 1 orange, sliced 1 lemon, sliced 1 bulb fennel 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 stick cinnamon 2 pieces star anise 2 shallots, roughly chopped 1/4 cup pernod Procedure: Combine the last nine ingredients together and simmer over low heat until reduced to one cup. Strain and set aside. Toast the cous cous and saffron together over medium-high heat. Add the clams, mussels, tomatoes and then the reduced stock. Cover and simmer until the clams and mussels open. Over medium-high heat, sear the salmon on both sides and cook until desired doneness (about 3 minutes per side). Spoon the cous cous and shellfish into a large bowl and then top with salmon fillet. Serve warm and enjoy. Serves: 4

UNDERSTANDING AND PREPARING FOR

Most homeowners would agree – the joys of owning a home outweigh the headaches. However there are always responsibilities, such as property taxes, that can seem a lot less daunting when better understood. In Maricopa County, Keith Russell is the property tax assessor. He levies the county tax on the first Monday of the New Year. Property taxes are levied annually, but broken into two payments that are due twice a year by homeowners. (Although a homeowner can chose to pay for the entire year in one payment.) Property tax periods are January 1st - June 30th and July 31st - December 31st. Homeowners do not have to pay their bill for the first period until Oct 1st of that year, and for the second period, by March 1st of the following year. If the bill is unpaid by November 1st for the first period or May 1st the following year for the second period, there will be a 16% interest penalty per annum assessed until the balance is paid. The county is also the primary lien holder of your property, and can lien your property if property taxes go unpaid. As you can imagine, homeowners that do not pay their property taxes are often subject to losing their home to foreclosure. While some homeowners choose to pay their property

rather than a directly conscious one.” Psychological experiments suggest that humans possess strong preferences for mystery, the subtle promise of a new sight lying just around the corner. Sutton also says unexpected solutions can cause you to experience the full volume of the space, and unique details such as ceiling designs and ambient lighting can balance the room as well as the psyche. “As you enter a room,” Sutton explains, “you are emotionally affected by the architectural details and interior design elements. These can dictate whether the room is formal or casual, active or peaceful, warm or cool.” One’s mood is also greatly influenced by color, rough or smooth textures, the matching or mixing of patterns and solids and polished or dull finishes. Silky or plush fabrics in rich colors and intricate patterns can give an elegant and romantic feel, whereas rougher textures convey a casualness and earthiness. Color and lighting are both key to setting the stage and creating a mood. In fact, there’s a whole psychology regarding how color and lighting affect us – energizing or relaxing us and evoking a whole range of emotions. Accent hues are often used against a neutral base to create interest and give a pop of uplifting color. For the room in these photographs, Sutton chose an earthy, friendly palette of burgundy reds, golden

tax bill on their own, a property tax bill is often wrapped into a homeowner’s mortgage payment, in which case the homeowner indirectly pays the tax a little bit each month. This depends entirely on the specific mortgage note and sometimes it’s a requirement that the tax be wrapped up along with the mortgage payment. “There are 1.6 million properties in Maricopa County”, reports County Treasurer Charles Hoskins, and although all are sent a bill or notice that the mortgage company has paid the bill, 100,000 -150,000 tax notices are returned due to an error in the address. “This year,” Hoskins says, “we started advertising: ‘If you own property, you owe taxes, whether you get a tax bill or not.’” A homeowner’s property value is assessed in two different ways: 1.) Limited Property Value is a legislatively established value based on a budget formula for the maintenance and operation of state, cities, school districts and community colleges. 2.) Full Cash Value is the assessor’s estimate of true market value; taxes used to fund bonds, overrides and certain districts. The assessed value of each property is determined using percentages set by the state legislature. The assessed value divided by 100, multiplied by the tax rate (set in August of each year) determines property taxes billed in September. If a homeowner disagrees with the assessed amount, they can appeal the classification of their property or the assessed valuation, but not the tax itself. It may be confusing to some homeowners why their bill differs from a similar home in the same neighborhood, but assessment is based on many factors including livable square footage,

yellow and browns in the leather that incorporate solids and patterns of a different scale to make the room more of a family gathering place. “This room,” he says, “is definitely inviting. It beckons you to come in, sit down and relax.” The unusual form of the truss designs on the ceiling plays off the symmetry of the fireplace location and the sunken bar area allows for comfortable club chair seating within the room. Sutton’s use of walnut wood floors and area rugs add warmth, and the light patina finish on the game table balances the color of the chenille fabric on the leather chairs and the dining chairs on the far side. Custom lounge chairs with a custom nail head design add a touch of uniqueness. Sutton’s aim when he used beeswax Venetian plaster on the walls was to add texture and interest to a normally neutral background. He also created a hand-plaster detail above the hood in the kitchen, which gives softness to the work area. “When an interior space has an effective balance of elements,” Sutton explains, “whether you consciously recognize it or not, you are subconsciously being told how to react emotionally and functionally in that space. Living rooms can be made more livable, dining spaces are used more frequently and family rooms become multifunctional.”

FEBRUARY 2009 Glendale Chocolate Affair Downtown Glendale, Feb. 1st - 2nd 623.930.2000 or glendaleaz.com This delicious event is perfect for families, couples and of course, all you chocoholics. With over 40 purveyors featuring delectable choices such as chocolate covered waffles, chocolate egg rolls and goat-milk fudge; you won’t know where to begin! Arizona’s famous candy factory, Cerreta’s, is sponsoring this unique event and offering tours of their factory all weekend long. SMoCA’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Feb. 13th - 15th 480.874.4666 or smoca.org Celebrate the 10 years that SMoCA has been a part of our community. The weekend begins with the unveiling of two special exhibits, Seriously Funny and At the Crossroads of American Photography. Saturday, SMoCA is celebrating in style with a benefit dinner and after-party. To end the weekend with a bang, bring the family out for a Sunday Birthday Party at the Scottsdale Civic Center. Cavalia Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road, Feb. 14th - 22nd 866.999.8111 or cavalia.net Magical. Brilliant. Breathtaking. These truly are the only words to describe this unique performance. Cavalia explores the magical bond and history between humans and horse. Presented under the largest touring big top in North America, the show uses large panoramic projections, visual effects, music and dance in a dream-like virtual setting. Over seventy magnificent horses and performers work together to create a performance like nothing you have seen before! Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers US Airways Center, Feb. 17th 602.379.SUNS or nba.com/suns Cheer on Nash, Stoudemire and the rest of the Suns as they battle it out with the LA Clippers. The Suns have been a part of the Valley for 40 years now and still are going strong with many all star players. Along with all the excitement from the game, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla and the Suns Dancers are there for non-stop entertainment!

lot size and components. Although properties might look alike on the surface there may be subtle differences. Homeowners can appeal through the assessor’s office, county board of equalization, state tax appeal board and state superior court. Or, begin the appeals process by visiting www.maricopa.gov/assessor to download the necessary forms. Phone numbers for other questions are also printed on your property tax bill.

Galaxy Gala 2009 Arizona Biltmore Ballroom, Feb. 21st 602.716.2014 or azscience.org Motown is alive and kickin’ at this annual gala to benefit the Arizona Science Center and its many wonderful community programs. This lively evening includes cocktails, dinner and a whole lot of dancing! American Heart Walk Tempe Beach Park, Feb. 28th 602.414.5320 or phoenixheartwalk.org The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary organization working to prevent heart-related diseases. This great walk is not only a fantastic way to keep your heart healthy, but all participants are greatly encouraged to raise funds. There are many fantastic prizes for those who raise as little as $100.