by Paul Slaybaugh | Jun 17, 2010 | Scottsdale Neighborhoods, Scottsdale Real Estate
One of the more locally revered addresses in all of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley Farms is a subdivision that often escapes the notice of buyers from out of area. Buffeted by the well-known planned community meccas of McCormick Ranch and Gainey Ranch, as well as the actual Town of Paradise Valley which sits directly across Scottsdale Road, Paradise Valley Farms is a small niche of acre parcels with grandfathered horse privileges. Despite the rampant redevelopment that has seen massive new Tuscan style homes replace many of the older ranch style properties, horse set-ups and equestrian trails are still abundant in this community that sits just South of where the actual working Gainey Ranch once stood (North of Eastwood, where the Shops at Gainey Village and the Gainey Village subdivision now sit). I am still taken aback when I drive by the newer construction that now stands in place of the barbed wire enclosed cattle ranch that I knew as a youth, but I digress.
While luxury home buyers primarily think in terms of Paradise Valley, DC Ranch, Silverleaf, Ancala and other buzz name communities, few neighborhoods can rival the charm of Paradise Valley Farms. Boasting gorgeous tree-lined streets (rare outside of the Arcadia and central corridor areas) and a pleasing mix of architectural styles amongst the custom homes, a taste of a bygone era blends seamlessly with modern convenience and styling. And the location … is simply perfect. Central to virtually everything (shopping, schools, lakes, golf, resorts, etc), but tucked away from the major streets, Paradise Valley Farms is the end destination to which Scottsdale home buyers aspire. Not a move up or make do home, but that special place where they will plant roots that run as deep as the cypress and eucalyptus that guard the hidden paradise from interlopers.
A home in Paradise Valley Farms signifies your arrival, just without all of the guard-gated country club pretentiousness that some associate with high end Scottsdale housing. Neighbors don’t hide in their houses or retreat to their backyards. This is a neighborhood of walkers and wavers.
Given the radical difference from one property to the next, it almost seems disingenuous to roll out the subdivision statistics and averages. Nevertheless, here they are:
- Amongst the 56 homes in Paradise Valley Farms, the construction dates range from 1968 to 2007.
- The average home size is approximately 4125 square feet; the smallest being 2373 square feet, and the largest being 7374 square feet. The latter number will be unceremoniously trounced when the property at 8217 N 75th St turns over, however. Framed for approximately 14,000 livable square feet (no, that is not a typo!), the project was abandoned by the previous owner. It is currently on the market and awaiting an intrepid soul to finish Scottsdale’s version of the Taj Mahal.
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- All 56 properties are single-level, and 48 (86%) include private swimming pools.
- Zoned R-43 for residential lots with 43,000 square foot (1 acre) minimum lot sizes
- Cochise Elementary, Cocopah Middle and Chaparral High School Districts
- No HOA
- Horse Privileges
- Neighborhood Bridle Paths
Ready to start your Paradise Valley Farms Home Search?
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Or Visit the Paradise Valley Farms Home Search Page
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Whether you are buying or selling, contact Ray & Paul Slaybaugh for all of your Scottsdale Real Estate needs. Put nearly 50 combined years of Scottsdale home sales to work for you! Contact us today for more information about the little piece of Sonoran paradise known as Paradise Valley Farms.
(480) 220-2337 | paul@scottsdalepropertyshop.com
by Paul Slaybaugh | Jun 17, 2010 | McCormick Ranch Subdivisions
One of the most well-known patio home communities in all of Scottsdale, Santa Fe in McCormick Ranch has come to symbolize low maintenance living in central Scottsdale. Located just NE of the Hayden & McCormick Parkway intersection, this community of 366 homes (cumulatively between its two phases) has become a favorite amongst seasonal vacation home owners as well as with full time residents who simply prefer the lesser hassle living. With a Western boundary that abuts the famous Camelback Walk multi-use path that stretches throughout McCormick Ranch, homes that back up to it boast gorgeous views of the McCormick Ranch Golf Club’s Palm Course.
Primarily constructed by Ballard, the original Santa Fe subdivision consisted of 125 homes. Averaging 1979 square feet, 106 of these were single-level, with the remaining 15 two-stories. Built in 1978 with block construction, none of these patio homes featured private swimming pools. The subdivision includes a mix of flat and tile roofing, with 2 car garages being the norm.
Legally classified as townhomes (share common walls, ownership of the land on the individual lot as well as indivisible interest in the common areas), this phase of Santa Fe is zoned R-4R by the city of Scottsdale (Resort or residential medium density). Lot sizes average between 4000-5000 square feet.
Santa Fe Unit 2 (2nd phase) is comprised of 241 properties. Built between 1979-1984 (primarily by Ballard and the Santa Fe Construction Co.), 210 are single-level, with the remaining 31 two-stories. With an average home size of 1972 square feet, 7 (3%) feature private swimming pools. Like phase 1, homes in Santa Fe Unit 2 were primarily constructed with block, feature both tile and flat roofing, and 2 car garages. The zoning is likewise R-4R, with 4000-5000 square foot lot averages.
View McCormick Ranch Home Floor Plans
In addition to the immediate access to Camelback Walk, use of the community pools and spas, clubhouse/rec room, front yard maintenance, exterior maintenance of the units, blanket insurance policies on the structure and common area maintenance is included in the monthly fee. There is also an annual planned community fee for McCormick Ranch.
McCormick Ranch Golf Club
Located directly across Hayden Road from the Paseo Village shopping plaza, Santa Fe residents are within easy walking distance of breakfast favorite Lox, Stock and Bagel, Starbuck’s, LA Fitness, The Vig and other local businesses. To the North, at the Hayden / Via De Ventura intersection, lie The Village and Mercado Del Lago centers that feature The Melting Pot (dining), Royal Barge (Thai), Zipps Sports Grill, The Village Roastery (coffee shop), and more.
Buster’s On the Lake
Following McCormick Parkway to the immediate West, residents can stroll down the most attractive street (in this agent’s humble opinion) in all of Scottsdale. With the McCormick Ranch Golf Club’s Pine Course to the South and Palm Course on the North, pedestrians or drivers are further treated to Camelback Mountain Views beyond the lake at the Millennium Resort. Tucked away on the North, amongst the Meridian at McCormick Ranch and Spanish Oaks communities is the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center. And, of course, who can forget about the renowned McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park as a favorite local attraction?
The Santa Fe subdivision falls within the Kiva Elementary, Mohave Middle and Saguaro High School districts.
Learn More About McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale AZ
Ready to launch your Santa Fe home Search in McCormick Ranch?
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Homes for Sale (or lease) in the Santa Fe subdivision(s) in McCormick Ranch
The Railroad Park in McCormick Ranch
Buying or Selling a Home in McCormick Ranch? Look on further than the Ranch Experts for all of your McCormick Ranch Real Estate needs. With over half century of combined specialized experience in the McCormick Ranch market, no one knows the Ranch like Ray and Paul. No one.
(480) 220-2337 | paul@scottsdalepropertyshop.com
by Paul Slaybaugh | Jun 16, 2010 | McCormick Ranch Subdivisions
With 255 homes, Suggs Rancho McCormick is one of the largest subdivisions in all of McCormick Ranch. Ranging from the initial development of the aptly named Suggs construction company in the late ’70s to the infill completed in the late 1980s by Key West (spin off of Camelot / Hancock Homes), the homes are as diverse as they are numerous.
Located just NE of the Hayden / Royal Palm intersection (across from the Mercado Del Lago plaza and Lake Margherite), Suggs Rancho McCormick is unique in that it boasts some of the more affordable single family homes in McCormick Ranch in addition to higher end properties. The homes built by Suggs (who likewise developed much of the Paseo Village subdivision in the South Ranch) are about the most cost effective option one will find for the northern portion of McCormick Ranch (using Via De Ventura as the dividing line). Primarily built with exposed slump-block exteriors and asphalt shingle / flat roofs, most range from 1700-2300 square feet. With low ceilings that reflect the vintage, the lack of architectural drama is less important than the added energy efficiency to those who chose to purchase one of these homes. The more utilitarian style of these homes makes them an excellent value, given the more expensive housing in the immediate vicinity. These properties are found along the Southern edge of the subdivision (Royal Palm). Moving North, the homes become slightly newer (mid 80s). Homes from this era may feature a tile roof and vaulted ceilings, while those along San Ardo, San Bruno and San Alfredo tend to be of the older variety.
Suggs Home Key West Home
The Key West properties, as well as a couple of smaller builders who purchased and developed a handful of lots, are located at the North end of the subdivision. The properties on San Jacinto, San Lucas and that line the South side of San Lorenzo are prime examples. Boasting the soaring vaulted ceilings and full tile roofs that made the brand famous, Key West homes were ahead of their time. Including floor plans with kitchens that opened to the family room (a renovation owners of other McCormick Ranch homes often have to make themselves), Key West also had a 3 bedroom + den option (most builders were still doing strict 3 or 4 bedroom plans) in addition to one plan with a master bedroom split. These homes are much more in keeping with the more expensive neighborhoods to the West of Hayden Road, notably the Camelot subdivisions of Vista De La Tierra and Palo Viento 2.
View Key West Floor Plans at the McCormick Ranch Home Floor Plans Page
In all, the 255 homes of Suggs Rancho McCormick include 254 single-level properties. The lone 2-story was created when a homeowner added the second level to a house that backs up to Hayden Rd on 85th St. 173 (68%) of the homes feature private swimming pools. The average home size is 2156 square feet. The Suggs properties were primarily block constructed, while the Key Wests and assorted minor builders of the mid to late ’80s primarily utilized frame wood. 2 car garages are the norm, but the neighborhood does include 3 car garages as well.
In addition to the aforementioned proximity to Lake Margherite (largest of the McCormick Ranch lakes), Suggs Rancho McCormick is within walkable distance of the greenbelt / multi-use path system known as Camelback Walk. Mercado Del Lago and The Village plazas on the opposite side of Hayden Road are home to The Melting Pot, Chipotle, Royal Barge (Thai), Zipps Sports Bar and Grill, TCBY, The Village Roastery (coffee shop) and more. Just beyond these plazas and Lake Margherite (where Camelback Walk crosses under Via De Ventura) lies the first of the McCormick Ranch golf courses (Palm & Pine).
Suggs Rancho McCormick falls within the highly coveted Cochise Elementary / Cocopah Middle / Chaparral High School districts.
Read More About These Schools on our Scottsdale Unified School District Page
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Homes Currently For Sale in Suggs Rancho McCormick
(Updated Daily)
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When the time comes to buy or sell a home in McCormick Ranch, call the Ranch Experts. With nearly half a century of combined experience, no one knows McCormick Ranch Real Estate like Ray & Paul. No one.
(480) 220-2337 | paul@scottsdalepropertyshop.com
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by Paul Slaybaugh | Jun 16, 2010 | Home Selling, Scottsdale Real Estate
Among the interesting turnabouts that abound in the Scottsdale Real Estate market as of late, the rental market has demonstrated surprising new strength. Where there was formerly a preponderance of housing options for prospective tenants over the last couple of years, what with all the struggling homeowners out there eager to find someone else to pay their mortgage while they shacked up in less costly digs, a noticeable contraction in available properties for lease is occurring. With more and more people walking away from their upside down homes, whether by necessity or by choice, the credit and financial hits they take in the process renders them radioactive to the purchasing option for years to come (though, some have perfected the “buy and bail” strategy of purchasing a new home before abandoning the current residence). As such, the rental market has become inundated with demand.
With this surge in demand and a subsequent decrease in supply, rental values have not only held firm, but have noticeably increased in the markets I work. From a purely anecdotal standpoint, I have been shocked by the level of competition for not only the properties I have had listed for lease recently, but for the tenants I have worked with to secure rental properties as well. Mind you, I am not simply referring to the low end pricing (sub $1000/month) where heightened competition is always to be expected, but in more expensive price ranges to boot. In particular, I am seeing a LOT of interest in properties that are renting in the $1400-1800 per month range.
Checking the latest statistics to see if what I have noticed is playing out on a larger scale, I see active Scottsdale rental listings are down to roughly 1800 units (as of ARMLS’s May figures). This marks a steady decline from an inventory that reached a high point of 2568 in November of 2008 and did not dip under the 2000 unit threshold until January 2010. The 5.19 months of rental housing supply (as determined by the current rate of absorption) is at its lowest point in years. Interestingly, the overall average rental rate has not shown a noticeable jump, despite my recent personal observations. Given the decrease in total inventory and increase in absorption (units leasing per month), however, I fully anticipate next month’s numbers to reflect a higher baseline average.
This shift in the rental market tells me two things:
1) Before deciding to walk away from a house that appears irretrievably underwater in terms of negative equity, homeowners (and potential future renters) really need to study their options carefully. If I had a nickel for every misguided homeowner who erroneously believed there was an unmitigated plethora of housing options, at bargain basement prices, waiting for them once they pulled the plug on the Bank of Extortion … er, I mean “America” … I could comfortably retire to my literary tinkerings. The assumption that lower selling prices go arm in arm with lower rental rates is patently false. Further, with all of the newfound competition for rental housing, your chewed up credit report will be scrutinized a bit more by potential landlords than most would expect. Sure, a human landlord may be more understanding of the recent economic woes than some faceless underwriter, but as in any free market, it always comes back to options. If there are renters out there with fewer credit issues and deeper pockets, you are going to get aced out. Please consider where your escape pod is heading before abandoning ship and scuttling that home turned financial Death Star. If there is no soft landing, how have you benefitted?
2. Our market may have reached (or is close to reaching) that sweet spot in which it makes sense for the homeowner with designs on a move-up purchase to revisit the rental potential of his/her existing home. While the notion of renting an existing house out (to offset the mortgage) to free oneself up to take advantage of the market conditions and purchase a considerably larger home for a fraction of its prior value is nothing new, the increasing strength in the rental market makes the strategy more feasible at present. The biggest hurdle to this play, other than deciding whether one is really cut out to become a landlord, remains the qualification process. Unless you are one of the fortunate few who maintain at least 25% equity in your home, you will essentially have to qualify to carry both loans (the existing house as well as the new one you would purchase). Even if you secure a tenant whose rent will cover the payment, you will be qualified for the new loan as if you were qualifying for both properties. If you have the means to do so, the time could be right to finally leverage the conditions that seemingly everybody and their brother’s mail carrier have already managed to exploit.
Whatever your goals for the Scottsdale Real Estate market, drop us an email or give us a call with your specific needs / questions. You might not be as trapped as you think.
(480) 220-2337 | paul@scottsdalepropertyshop.com
by Paul Slaybaugh | Jun 14, 2010 | McCormick Ranch Subdivisions
Country Horizons in McCormick Ranch features unique architecture that cannot be found elsewhere in Scottsdale’s first master planned community. Developed by Jaeger (only neighborhood in the Ranch where this builder was active), Country Horizons is a small enclave of homes just South of Mountain View Rd and directly East of Mountain View Park. The homes on 87th St abut the Mountain View Park soccer fields. San Victor (Southern boundary) backs up to the greenbelt (Camelback Walk), and the Rancho Antigua Condominiums (conversion) lie just on the other side of Country Horizon’s Eastern edge (87th Way).
Built primarily between 1982-1989 (though 13 properties were constructed in the ’90s), Country Horizons features architecture and styling that is a bit more modern than can be found most anywhere else in the Ranch (with the notable exception of the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Mountain View East subdivision). Jaeger’s aesthetics were definitely designed to streamline living spaces and add an angular, geometric aspect to the prototypical McCormick Ranch home. Unlike the sterile front elevations that many modern style homes feature, houses in Country Horizons still bear the warm exteriors (stucco and clay tile) that epitomize Southwestern living. Call it “Spanish Modern,” if you will. Whatever the moniker, Country Horizons is very appealing given the limited quantity of such homes.
VIEW HOME FLOOR PLANS FOR COUNTRY HORIZONS (JAEGER) IN MCCORMICK RANCH
Featuring 67 total houses, Country Horizons is zoned R-7 for 7000 square foot lot minimums. A bit on the smaller side for single family homes in McCormick Ranch, the neighborhood caters to those in the market for the privacy of a detached residence, but lesser maintenance concerns than those developments whose lots can range between 1/3 acre – 1 acre. The homes are of primarily frame-wood construction with a mix of full tile and partial roofs. All 67 are single-level properties, and 48 (72%) include private pools. Averaging 2630 square feet, the homes in Country Horizons reach range from 2025 – 3309 square feet. The rare jewel of McCormick Ranch that is the 3 car garage can be found with a greater deal of frequency in Country Horizons (particularly in the newer models) than in most other Ranch subdivisions.
One of the few single-family subdivisions in which the HOA maintains the front yard landscaping, Country Horizons also includes an (approximately) 850 square foot recreation center for use by the residents.
Click to Zoom and View Image Descriptions
Within walking distance of Cochise Elementary School (just on the other side of Mountain View Park), Country Horizons also falls with the Cocopah Middle School and Chaparral High School districts.
In addition to immediate access to the Camelback Walk greenbelt & paths which take an intrepid jogger/cyclist/etc to all reaches of McCormick Ranch (lakes, restaurants, golf and shops to the West; restaurants, shops, Mustang Library and Scottsdale Healthcare to the East), Country Horizons residents also lie within close proximity of the 90th St corridor (Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, Fry’s grocery store, etc) and the business plaza at the SE corner of Hayden and Mountain View (Ranch Pharmacy, Joyful Chinese Dining, Leccabaffi (Italian cuisine), etc).
Homes currently for sale in Country Horizons
Learn more about McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale AZ
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If you are buying or selling a home in McCormick Ranch, call Ray & Paul. We have over 50 combined years of McCormick Ranch Real Estate expertise to put to work for you. Besides, we’re just all around neat guys.
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