Nancy Basinger

Troon is a great master-planned community. While it's quite a bit north and east of McDowell Mountain Ranch, you probably would be able to take advantage of more house, and often more land, for your money. The homes are generally listed between $600-700K. This link will take you to information on the current available properties: http://armlslistings.marketlinx.com/SearchDetail/Scripts/Prt…

You might want to look in other subdivisions of Troon and Troon North. Many of these neighborhoods have high-priced homes, but there are pockets of more reasonable properties, particularly in the current market. I live in this area and enjoy the spacious feeling, and the mountain views are tremendous.

If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,
Nancy Basinger
Realty Executives
480.948.9450 http://www.yourscottsdalehomesource.com - Sat May 31 2008, 09:20

In my opinion, one of the best Italian restaurants around is actually a chain - Carrabba's. There's one at the northeast corner of Scottsdale Road & Frank Lloyd Wright/Bell. Everyone I've ever taken to Carrabba's has been very happy with the food and casual ambiance. It's one of my family's favorites, and we've been there many, many times. One suggestion if you go: assume that the dishes are all well seasoned (don't ask for extra garlic, as my sister did on her first visit).

Mangia bene!
Nancy - Wed May 28 2008, 16:54

Hi, Shane -
It's interesting that your question talks about Phoenix markets, plural. There are a number of way to view the Phoenix market. In fact, what we're seeing in the lower-priced home market (under $200K) is a small sales increase, with stabilizing prices. Another market that has stayed somewhat stable is the high-end market; homes in the multi-millions. There of course were price corrections, but the values haven't dropped precipitously at the high end. Interestingly, some zipcodes in the greater Phoenix area have actually increased in value. For instance, the median home price in three Scottsdale zipcodes appreciated in value by 3.9% - 6.9% in the period between 2006 & 2007. Bottom line, while some segments of the market continue to have price reductions, a few are continuing to go up. Will prices continue to go down? Homes prices that were inflated over the past couple years probably still have some room to drop, but because more inventory is selling, the price reductions will likely slow. If I can answer any other questions, or help in any way, please let me know.
Regards from paradise,
Nancy - Mon Apr 7 2008, 16:17

Home buyers are picky, and they certainly have a right to be, given the amount of their investment. Even more important, most buyers don't have the vision to forsee themselves in a home. Sellers assume that buyers will look beyond the style (or lack thereof) of the home, that they won't notice little imperfections, and that they will ignore clutter. Nothing could be further from the truth. That's why it's critical to keep things simple and uncluttered, make sure walls and decor tend to the neutral, and set each room to be viewed at its best. Most homeowners aren't able to be dispassionate about their home's first impression. A professional staging consultant can make all this happen and improve the chances for a sale.. - Mon Mar 31 2008, 17:04

Hi, Frances -

As others have mentioned, $250K does not buy as much square footage in Scottsdale as it does in many parts of Texas. However, your daughter can certainly purchase a comfortable place in a good location for that amount. I recently helped a few young people move to Scottsdale for jobs, and two of the most important factors are where your daughter will be working and what kind of lifestyle she prefers. Moving to a new town, particularly when you don't know anyone, can be socially challenging. To meet people requires effort, through taking a class, joining clubs, volunteering, etc. One of the best ways for your daughter to feel at home quickly would be to move into an area that includes her age group, and then get involved locally. Scottsdale is quite large, and geographically long and narrow. I would definitely suggest that your daughter focus her search in the mid to southern regions of the city. If she is open to surrounding areas, she may get more bang for her buck in the 85254 zipcode, which is Scottsdale mailing address but Phoenix taxes/services.

I would be very happy to talk with your daughter more about her needs at any time. Scottsdale is a great town, easy to get acclimated to, with very friendly people. I'd love to show her around my town. - Thu Mar 13 2008, 09:22