Carefree Fore More Market Update – February 2018

/in , /by

 

Carefree Fore More Market Update February 2018

Carefree AZ

 

As you are probably aware, the market is starting to change back to what is considered to be a “normal market” with short sales and foreclosure appear to be a thing of the past.  Throughout the valley we are seeing an increase in inventory as well as slower sales cycles for the homes that are on the market for the most part.

The average market time on market in Carefree Fore More is roughly 30 days according to MLS data.  In addition, we are also seeing an average price per square foot for properties that are currently on the market of $240, as well as an average of roughly $190 per sqft for homes that have recently sold. With only 3 active listings on the MLS (not including 4 Sale Buy Owners and/or lots) in Carefree Fore More now is the time to sell and it is  more than ever a Realtor that knows the Carefree market place so that your property will sell in a timely manner and for the right price.  Although there are one 3 houses for sale in your subdivision, Desert Mountain which is less than a mile away has over 190 active listings.

With housing inventory on the rise as well as the market showing signs of improvement now is the time to sell and/or consider an upgrade or move closer into central Scottsdale!  Below are a few examples of homes that have recently sold or that are currently on the market in Carefree Fore More for your review (only one sale in the past 6 months):

  • 8720 E. No More Rd 3170 sqft (Listed for $945k)
  • 8402 E. Careefree Dr 5880 sqft (Listed for $1,100,000)
  • 8433 E. Carefree Dr 5916 sqft (Listed for $1,195,000 and sold for $1,125,000)

For those of you who I have met while working the Carefree area, I look forward to speaking with you again soon.  For those of you who I have not met and/or were unable to stop by my listings over the past 17 years while working in the Carefree area here are a few good reasons to work with me and my team:

  • Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is one of the largest real estate companies in the country with over 290,000 transactions in 2016 and $29 Billion in gross income.
  • We have the web covered with multiple top rates websites as well as exclusive relationships with: Google, Yahoo, Zillow, RealtyTrac, Movoto, Redfin and HomeFinder
  • The Holm Group has closed over $120 million in transactions and counting
  • If you are looking at doing any home improvements give me a call as I have access to a variety of qualified contractors that can assist you in achieving top dollar for your home The Holm Group lives in and has represented buyers and sellers in Scottsdale Ranch
  • We have 6 full time licensed professionals to assist you with all of your real estate needs.

 

I look forward to earning your business not only for today, but in the years to come.

Take a look at our Carefree Fore More community page.

Andrew Holm, ABR

The Holm Group

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Office: 480-767-2738  Cell: 480-206-4265

Email: [email protected]

Looking To Purchase A Home in Carefree?

/in , , /by

Looking To Purchase A Home in Carefree, Arizona

Carefree, Arizona is a great place to live and raise your family, and you will be able to find plenty of great Carefree, Arizona real estate from which you can choose when you are ready to buy a home.

You have a wide variety of options that should fit most budgets. Many different types of homes for sale in Carefree, AZ are available today. If you are on your own, you may want to consider some of the condominiums for sale in the area. Townhouses are available as well. You will even be able to find some large, luxurious homes that are in the million-dollar range. Whatever you need, chances are you will be able to find it in Carefree.

An area located near Carefree is Cave Creek. This area also has a wide range of options for those who are looking for a home. Rather than limit your choices to Carefree, look further afield and see what Cave Creek, Arizona real estate opportunities are available to you as well.

You will be able to find a Carefree real estate agent at The Holm Group who will be able to help you find homes in either of these locations, as well as in other areas. Having an experienced agent helping you find all of the best properties in the area is the simplest way to find just what you need from a home!

If you are looking for a place to stay in the area while you are trying to decide on your new home, you might consider taking a trip to The Boulders in Carefree, AZ. This resort offers excellent golf, a spa, and a host of other amenities. Staying here is also a great way to get to know that area around Carefree, so you will be able to make a decision on your new house

AZ Central – Posh ‘Easy Street’ project in Carefree gets new life

/in , , /by

PNI SR carefree development 0220

Plans for a $90 million project with condominiums over retail shops in Carefree have been revived and negotiations are under way to anchor the development with a Phoenix Art Museum satellite location.

Town leaders have announced the revival of developer Ed Lewis’ “Easy Street” project. The development, which Carefree town leaders approved in 2006, was put on hold in 2009 because Lewis said the existing economic climate did not support it.

But now, the tide is turning, Lewis said.

“The luxury-condo market is coming back faster than other luxury markets,” Lewis, president of Scottsdale-based Butte Development, said. “It’s always best to try to get started in the early stages of recovery.”

Lewis, who was behind the Landmark urban luxury condominiums at Kierland, said the first phase of the project could break ground by the end of this year.

The project calls for two levels of million-dollar condos atop non-chain retail shops and boutiques on both sides of Easy Street, the main artery in the Northeast Valley town’s quaint downtown district.

It would include about 50,000 square feet of retail space with the hope of attracting chef-driven restaurants, a sidewalk cafe, art galleries, boutique clothing, custom jewelers and unique home accessories.

Town leaders are optimistic that the development of a Phoenix Art Museum satellite location could be the missing piece in creating a town with a villagelike atmosphere similar to Santa Fe, N.M., and Carmel, Calif. Lewis initiated talks with the museum.

An Urban Land Institute team earlier this month recommended that the town find buzz-worthy tenants to attract people to the town and to create an organization to move revitalization forward.

A revitalization committee, comprised of property owners and merchants, including some vocal critics of the town’s direction, has begun meeting to discuss boosting town activities and developing a consistent town look.

“It confirmed for us a lot of things we have been thinking,” Carefree Vice Mayor Les Peterson said of the Urban Land Institute’s recommendation.

“And now with the property owners and merchants hearing the same thing there’s a greater sense of community with this village concept. With Ed Lewis and the Phoenix Art Museum potential, there’s never been a better time to look at this area as a whole,” Peterson said.

Lewis and town officials are waiting to cement a deal with the Phoenix Art Museum before entering into a development agreement with Lewis.

Lewis owns the 41/2acres on which the development would be built. He’s asking the town to purchase from him the building that would house the museum at cost and lease it to the museum for a year for $1.

Phoenix Art Museum Director Jim Ballinger said the museum is conducting due diligence research to gauge financial and participation support. Tentative plans call for a 10,000-square-foot satellite museum that would include an exhibit schedule that rotates seven times a year.

The Heard Museum North announced in January that it would be vacating its location in north Scottsdale. Among the reasons was that it lacked foot traffic.

Ballinger said a key question is whether a satellite museum will draw enough support. He has been meeting this month with Northeast Valley non-profits and the philanthropic community and will continue to discuss the potential for annual museum memberships, continuing donations and participation as part of the assessment.

“Will people from Anthem come over, will people from DC Ranch come over? I don’t know that yet,” he said.

Town administrator Gary Neiss called the Phoenix Art Museum “a different animal” than the Heard Museum North and suggested the art museum would generate enough interest from Carefree and surrounding communities to make it viable.

“They have a very diverse portfolio, it’s very dynamic and it appeals to a broader body and we think it will be a lot more successful,” Neiss said.

Neiss added that the departure of the Heard location at the Summit at Scottsdale in April could be an opportunity to forge a partnership between the Heard and the Phoenix Art Museum.

The project gained initial Planning Commission approval in 2006. Town officials say the project now depends on negotiations with the museum, after which the Town Council could enter into a development agreement with Lewis.

Looking for a home while you are in town for Barrett Jackson?

/in , /by

How about checking out the Carefree area..

careFree2

Carefree—what a name, and a fitting name for a very laid back community. Carefree, Arizona is an upscale residential area in Maricopa County. The population is believed to be 3,799 people. The area was founded in the 1950s by businessmen K.T. Palmer and Tom Darlington. From its humble beginnings to its thriving real estate scene today, this town has always had a touch of diversity. No wonder its motto is “Home of Cowboys and Caviar, Where the Old West Meets the New.”

Carefree, Arizona real estate has a mostly rural population and about 1834 houses. The majority of these homes are owner occupied, though there are 170 renters. The housing density is 207 houses or condos per square mile. The median price for vacant houses and condos is about $322,408. The median contract rent is $934. However, houses can sell from anywhere between $400,000 and $1 million dollars. There are currently 716 mortgage homes in the area. The media house value is $844,703, which is a step up from its previous years, and in excess of the state of Arizona’s media of $229,200.

There are nearly 4,000 people living in this town. Over 98% of the population is white and most are between the ages of 45 to 64. The median age is 55 years. There are 1,389 households in the area. Carefree, Arizona is nearby notable schools such as schools within the Cave Creek Unified District, as well as Stepping Stones Academy, the Deer Valley Unified District, and Paradise Valley Unified District.

There is a great deal of entertainment here including The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa, which is a natural refuse with modern comforts and gaming activities. The town is home to the third largest sundial in the Western Hemisphere, it measuring 90 feet in diameter with a gnomon standing 35 feet high. There are numerous restaurants in town. There is also golfing activity and concerts in the Carefree Gardens. This town has also had a brush with Hollywood, as it was once the home of Southwestern Studios, which shot the Dick Van Dyke Show.

Whether you are interested in an apartment complex, luxury Carefree, Arizona properties, or a luxury condo, you can find it all in Carefree. There is a total area of 8.9 square miles, all land, which is more than enough to accommodate all of your needs. Contact The Holm Group at 480-206-4265 to help find custom Carefree, Arizona real estate that is right for you! Search the Carefree MLS listings here and fill out the form below for a personal consultation to find the perfect home for you.

AZ Central – Carefree and Cave Creek: A tale of 2 very different towns

/in , , , /by

Carefree and Cave Creek may share the same geographic area, but the Northeast Valley towns want you to know they are not the same.

Cave Creek vs. Carefree

They’re as different as cowboys and caviar. Or bull riding and tea time.

Or are they?

The Carefree Town Council recently employed a marketing firm to assure that the distinction is clear.

In fact, during a presentation to the council, the firm, Owens Harkey Advertising, made the comment that Carefree was a “cowboy town.”

The council bristled.

“We are not cowboy. That’s Cave Creek,” Carefree Councilman Glenn Miller said.

Two years ago, Cave Creek did the same, branding itself with the slogan “Perfectly Uncivilized.” The goal: to define the town’s Wild West culture and libations, as well as its fine dining, art galleries and retail shops that have contributed to Cave Creek’s eclectic landscape.

From the outside, the relationship between the neighboring towns may look adversarial, but Jo Gemmill, owner of Carefree’s English Rose Tea Room, assures that’s not the case. It’s about distinguishing the two communities to attract visitors from across the Valley to shop and dine in both towns.

“It keeps the potential tourist in the north end for longer,” Gemmill said. “If they thought (the towns) were the same, they would be in one and think, ‘been there, done that.’ So they can go to both and enjoy two completely different experiences.”

The perception of Cave Creek as a rough-and-tumble Western outpost to its more refined neighbor has long been a connective fabric binding the towns.

Bob Boze Bell, executive editor of True West magazine, said the divide comes from a real place — a time when hippies, drug runners and cowboys found refuge in Cave Creek, creating a class resentment that lingers today.

Harold’s Corral, which celebrated its 75th birthday two years ago, is a symbol of the town’s differences and attracted what some may say was an unsavory crowd decades ago.

The restaurant has expanded greatly since area miners and dam builders stopped in for a beer after a hard day’s work.

Cave Creek is more family-oriented now, but it was a rough place in the 1960s and earlier.

“Used to be you could do anything you wanted in Cave Creek. That attracted a sort of desert rat,” Bell said. “But in the 1970s, that changed. Now it’s more genteel on both sides.”

Larry Wendt, owner of the Cave Creek landmark Buffalo Chip Saloon, said the towns have grown more similar over the years, attracting an older and better-educated resident.

Last year’s median home values for Cave Creek and Carefree were 307,038 and 591,000, respectively, according to an Arizona Republic analysis.

Nonetheless, Wendt says, the cowboy is still alive and well in Cave Creek. The Buffalo Chip Saloon holds live bull-riding competitions every Friday night.

“Cave Creek is proud to be cowboy and we’ve always wanted less rules and loved the horse lifestyle,” he said. “But we’re also getting more people who wouldn’t have looked at Cave Creek as the paradise Carefree is. I think more people are looking at Cave Creek like that, but with a lively downtown area.”

Tom Augherton, who served as the first directly elected mayor of Cave Creek, said the towns have always relished in their differences, but looking past first perceptions uncovers that the neighboring residents have more in common than not.

The beauty of the upper Sonoran Desert is why residents on both sides of Black Mountain have chosen the Cave Creek/Carefree area, Augherton said.

“Yes, there are two separate identities chosen by the residents. But we share the same aquifer, the same road and the same mountain,” he said. “These are two separate communities joined by the common acknowledgment of what they value. The people who live here go a little farther to give themselves and their families a different lifestyle. But ironically, in the end, what they find is a sense of familiarity — the smell of the desert after a rain … and opportunity at an intimate relationship with the Arizona desert.

“Living here can change you.”