Sonoran Hotdog in Phoenix Az

The harmonious fusion of the American-Mexican flare of the state of Arizona is due to the close proximity of the state to the country. The Mexican cuisine and good eats has been an American favorite for decades. The tortilla, burrito, tacos, the chimichanga, fajita, chili and the margarita are just some of the loved Mexican cuisine imports.

There’s an Arizona take on the Mexican dish that has been causing a buzz – the Sonoran-style or Estilo Sonora Hotdog. Over the past decade, hundreds of stores, food stalls and carts serve this American-Mexican flare in Phoenix, AZ.

The Sonoran Hotdog is not your typical hotdog with ketchup and mustard. It takes the expression “a little bit of everything” and does exactly that. The hotdog is wrapped in bacon, a heap of beans, grilled and fresh onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, cream sauce, mustard and jalapeno salsa, some radishes, cucumbers, whole chilies and mushrooms, depends on your preference.

Take a bite into this “American take on a Mexican take of an American favorite.” Take a bite into Phoenix, Arizona.

A Mother's Day Treat at Scottsdale AZ

This Mother’s Day, surprise the most loved woman in your life with a new and exciting treat. Living in Scottsdale makes giving a treat easy because extravagant amenities and perks at reasonable prices abound. Other than the typical chocolates and flowers, why not surprise her with a relaxing spa day, a weekend getaway, a superb dining experience with the family or perhaps a whole day treat of shopping – all this in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With the numerous spas in and around Scottsdale AZ, one need not fret at fully booked or over crowded spas. Celebrate her day with rest and relaxation with full body massages, facial treatments, a mani pedi and more at the Spa at Camelback Inn, the Golden Door Spa at the Boulders or at the Eurasia Day Spa. These are just some of the many spas in Scottsdale. For more information on Spas in Scottsdale, visit http://blog.scottsdalecvb.com/category/spas/

Scottsdale is a fashionista’s delight with the largest shopping center in Southwest US. It’s right in the heart of the city of Scottsdale AZ, and known as the Scottsdale Fashion Square. Shop-till-you-drop with a wide variety of boutiques, accessory shops, retailers and art galleries. If the Scottsdale Fashion Square is not enough, head to Kierland Commons to satisfy the shopaholic in mom.

Send mom to a much needed day or two for herself with a weekend vacation. Choose from more than 70 hotels and resorts and 200 golf courses. Scottsdale offers many options. With all these first-class services and amenities, mom will surely enjoy the weekend.

If you’re in to giving her an all out blow out this Mother’s Day, how about a piece of Scottsdale real estate consisting of a beautiful home in Scottsdale. She would definitely love a place of her own, in the gorgeous city setting and the ambiance it provides. Let the Luxury Valley Homes team help you find mom that perfect house she can call home.

She deserves nothing but the best, all these and more in Scottsdale Arizona. 

Nationally, housing prices have bottomed and are on the rise. Asking prices on for-sale homes were 1.9% higher in April than one quarter ago. A 0.5% month-over-month rise in April, on top of month-over-month price increases in March and February, makes for three months in a row of rising asking prices, after adjusting for typical seasonal trends. In fact, prices have been stable or rising for the past eight months, except for a dip in December 2011. This marks a new milestone: asking prices were 0.2% higher in April than a year ago. Before April, prices were still falling year-over-year.

Not only are rising prices starting to look like a real trend: they’re also coming to a market near you — if they haven’t already. Asking prices increased year-over-year in 44 out of the 100 largest metropolitan areas, with Miami and Phoenix leading the charge.

Why these markets? One factor is job growth, which boosts housing demand. Miami, Phoenix, Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills (suburban Detroit) and Denver all saw strong employment gains in the past year. Another factor is the big price declines after the bubble, which attracted house hunters and investors searching for bargains to those markets. Most of the metros with the largest price increases in the last year had huge price declines during the bust, including Phoenix, Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills and the four Florida metros in the top ten. But among the metros with the largest price declines over the past year, only three–Sacramento, Las Vegas and Fresno–had huge overall price drops after the bubble burst.

Note: Rankings based on the year-over-year changes in asking price among the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas.

Seattleites, take heart: in the most recent quarter, most of the metros with year-over-over price declines have turned around. Prices rose quarter over quarter in 92 of the 100 largest metros, including in Seattle, Las Vegas and Atlanta.

What You Need In The Current Market

Keys To Qualify For A Home Purchase Loan: What You Need In The Current Market

With home prices having decreased significantly, rising rents and the lowest interest rates in a generation, home affordability has dramatically increased and once again makes more sense for many potential buyers.   

As a result we have seen a tremendous increase in the amount of new buyers ready to purchase a home now. However, the main question that many of them have is what do I need, in order to be able to purchase a home in the current market? This answer will vary slightly, but here are a few things that everyone will need to be able to qualify for a home purchase currently. This is a good starting point to gauge your ability to purchase now or you need to get a few things in line before you make the move. 

1)    DOCUMENTED INCOME: In the current marketplace you will need the ability to document your income. If you work a regular job where you receive hourly or salaried pay, one month’s pay stubs and your last 2 years W-2′s will suffice. If you are self-employed or receive commissions as part of your salary, then expect to have to provide your last 2 year’s full tax returns. The bottom line however is that in the current market lenders will want you to be able to document and fully prove any income you state you receive.

2)    620 Credit Score: While credit standards are still more lenient on programs such as FHA financing or VA financing for Veterans as opposed to conventional financing, the minimum is now a 620 credit score. This is a practice that many lenders have implemented and will soon be an across the board requirement. If you score is below this level, you will be best served to begin the process of evaluating and repairing your credit score, prior to being able to purchase a home.

3)    DOWN PAYMENT: While there are a select few programs that will allow for 100% financing (Veterans Administrations Loans, USDA Rural Housing), the majority of all purchase loans will now require a minimum of a 3.5% down payment for FHA financing or 5% for conventional financing. This number increases if the property is a second home or investment property. Therefore, down payment must be saved up for most buyers prior to purchasing a home, but there are many options that can help minimize that amount. 

With home buying on the rise, these are just some of the many items to consider when purchasing a home and qualifying for a home loan in the current market. 

Winfield Scottsdale Estates

It doesn’t seem to make a difference what month it is when you visit greater Phoenix area, there is always lots of activities to see and enjoy. Phoenix, Arizona is blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine so you can almost always count on great weather as you experience the many activities available in the Valley of the Sun. When you’re not looking for Phoenix real estate you can take time out and enjoy all the recreation and adventure activities. Of course there are the tours that can be taken by way of jeep, horseback, or even by boat. Probably the most adventurous way to see the sites is by hot-air balloon where you can glide silently and observe all that’s down below. One of the most popular destinations is golf at one of our 200 plus pristine golf courses.

If you’re looking for Phoenix real estate we would like to show you one of our favorites.

It’s a gorgeous home in the central Phoenix corridor! Almost a half acre lot, situated in a cul-de-sac with fantastic curb appeal. Extensive remodeling has been done, including an entertainer’s backyard dream. This includes a fire pit, pebble tec pool, built in barbeque, travertine pavers and a putting green. Most of the updates were completed in 2011. This home has a split floor plan, including Knotty Alder cabinets, plank wood and travertine floors, plantation shutters throughout and surround sound. The Master Suite has a private, flagstone patio, with a great walk in closet. This is in a fantastic location and close to everything. If you’re looking for a four bedroom, three bedroom home you’ll want to put this one on your list to see. Take a preview of the home now by watching the video below and thanks for stopping by to visit the Luxury Valley Homes Team.

33132 N 72nd PL Scottsdale AZ 85266 - Winfield

Located on the Northeast side of Scottsdale is the Winfield Estates Community that rests at the base of one of the most exquisite cactus and boulder-studded mountains in the southwest. Winfield offers both Scottsdale sophistication and Carefree charm.

Winfield Estates are located in the lush upper Sonoran landscape where the residents enjoy the natural wonders of the area. The boulder outcroppings are distinctive, look closely and you can see a formation that looks like a snowman and you don’t have to experience the cold weather to enjoy it. The natural wildlife is abundant with various species of colorful birds to the Arizona roadrunner that runs like a flash to get from one place to another. You’ll see the occasional coyote and other wildlife that are indigenous to the area. If you don’t see them you might hear them serenading one another at night.

Available now in Winfield is a barely lived in Sunchaser model Town Home. 

This Sunchaser floor plan boasts three full bedrooms, two bathrooms, an eat-in kitchen, breakfast bar and formal dining room. Meticously maintained home with private back yard and very low maintenance landscaping! Enjoy all the amenities that Winfield offers, with a heated community pool and spa, clubhouse with fitness center, Standing Rock cafe, walking trails and 8 lighted tennis courts. Shopping and local restaurants are close by. A video of the community and town home has been made available for your inspection.

For more information of this and other Winfield properties go to http://www.WinfieldRealEstateArizona.com

Winfield Real Estate Arizona

Located on the Northeast side of Scottsdale is the Winfield Estates Community that rests at the base of one of the most exquisite cactus and boulder-studded mountains in the southwest. Winfield offers both Scottsdale sophistication and Carefree charm.

It’s resort living in north Scottsdale at its very best! Here you’ll find a rare 3 bedroom, 2 bath Sunchaser Villa situated on great lot in the guard gated community of Winfield. Open floor plan with tile flooring throughout, and carpet in bedrooms. Eat-in kitchen with island breakfast bar, formal dining room, living and family room. The Master bedroom has a luxurious bathroom. Newly painted interior with warm, neutral colors! Covered patio with built in BBQ and fountain. Very lovely furnishings available separate bill of sale.

Winfield luxury real estate in Scottsdale Arizona has been specially designed with vast open space to allow homeowners the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the High Sonoran Desert and to preserve the natural environment of arroyos, desert trees, majestic saguaro cacti and other desert vegetation. It’s a beautiful example of what Scottsdale real estate can be and sets that standard for others to follow.

For those that are active outdoor enthusiasts you don’t have far to go for golf, hiking, biking, horse back riding, fishing and boating. It’s just a little bit of paradise where Winfield Estates are integrated into the area to appreciate the outdoor and amenities of the area. It’s a great place to live.

Reserved exclusively for Winfield luxury real estate homeowners is a 75-acre mountain that is a unique landmark and just one of the community’s first-class amenities. At its base, the Club at Winfield gracefully hugs the boulders in a contemporary style that accentuates both views and dramatic land forms.

Winfield Estates has over eight miles of trails that wind throughout the community allowing owners and guest to fully enjoy the splendor of this beautiful land.

With a backdrop of soaring glass windows and a reflecting pool is the clubs spacious lobby. This is your portal to the other amenities of the Club at Winfield. It’s the ultimate gathering area with a casual atmosphere and extraordinary views. Intimate gathering areas cluster around indoor and outdoor fireplaces. Open-air dining patios and terraces capture cool desert breezes, breathtaking sunsets, and the sparkle of distant city lights.

The private Clubhouse is approximately 13,500 square feet and was designed for people with an active-lifestyle or for those that just want a place to go and relax. In addition to the Clubhouse is another building used as an activity and tennis center.

The Winfield Estates Clubhouse offers the following amenities:

State of the art Fitness Center
Standing Rock Cafe
Sauna and steam room
Aerobic programs
Tennis pro
Private meeting rooms
Men’s and women’s locker rooms
Social programs
Heated Olympic-size pool with beach entry
8 lighted tennis courts featuring two clay courts
Media lounge & billiard room
Massage rooms
Whirlpool spa

Turn your speakers on and watch the video.

Animal Health Services for Happy Pets

Many of us animal lovers and pet enthusiasts love and care for our animal buddies so much that we look out for the welfare of our pets like we would look out for our family and loved ones. With that said, are they not already a part of the family?

Animal health care service centers are dedicated to ensuring the optimum health of every animal companion. Centers for preventative medicine, emergency, urgent care, surgery, diagnostics, reproductive services, oncology, orthopedics, dentistry, grooming, vaccinations, boarding and more exist around the Valley.

When immediate health concerns and emergency care are needed, there are a number of centers in and around Winfield in Scottsdale AZ that provide services and products for the well being of each pet. You’ll be amazed at the top notch services and facilities provided by centers such as Animal Health Services in Cave Creek AZ, Animal Care Hospital in Phoenix AZ and Animal Medical & Surgical Center in north Scottsdale AZ. These are a few of the centers around the Valley of the Sun that are within a stone’s throw away from your home.

Animal Health Services also cater to bereavement and grief counseling through their Pet Loss Support Group meetings for children and families that deal with the loss of their beloved pets.

Moving to Winfield in Scottsdale AZ with the whole family and animal buddies? Visit the Luxury Valley Homes website or call us at 480 595 6412 for more information on animal-friendly subdivisions and properties.

Where to Get an Animal Companion

Numerous studies over the past 25 years have shown that humans can derive health benefits from their relationships with their animal companions. Animals can reduce human stress, improve cardiovascular health, decrease loneliness and depression, and facilitate social interaction.

With all the genuine loyalty and companionship our pet pals give us, indeed we do everything we can to reciprocate the same kind of love. Let’s work hand in hand in putting an end to animal cruelty, inhumane treatment, substandard conditions that most backyard breeders and animal mills (puppy and kitty farms) operate under.

Find a trustworthy licensed kennel and make sure that the US Department of Agriculture routinely inspect the kennels. Better yet, find the nearest Animal Shelter or Animal Rescue Centers near you.

There is an estimated 5,000 community animal shelters in the United States. Shelter intakes are either from those surrendered by their owners or picked up by animal control. Around 6 million companion animals enter animal shelter every year on average with about 3.5 million of them are euthanized.

However, about 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet and about 20 to 30 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues (Source: APPA). You’ll be surprised how animals can reciprocate the kindness you give by rescuing them.

There are numerous Animal Shelter and Animal Rescue Centers in and around Winfield in Scottsdale, Arizona such as the Hooves & Paws Animal Rescue, Four Peaks Animal Rescue, Southwest German Shepherd Rescue, and Foothills Animal Rescue. These are no-kill rescue organizations dedicated to rescuing, adopting and attending to the special needs of abandoned, abused and unwanted animals.

There are so many means of taking part and helping out in the effort of raising awareness to humane treatment to animals, proper care and breeding of animals. Be informed and ask your local Animal Rescue Center how you can do your part.

Keep posted on our blogs for more articles on animal health care, grooming and boarding services, and hospice care.

Theodore Roosevelt Dam

Here’s a fun fact for everyone. The Theodore Roosevelt Dam, located northeast of Phoenix, Arizona is 357 feet high and impounds the Salt River creating Theodore Roosevelt Lake. It is the first major reclamation project in the West. Before the dam was built, settlers would often leave during a drought season.

Since its completion in 1911, the dam has provided a reservoir of life-preserving water for central and southern Arizona and continues to play an integral role in Arizona’s growth. Without it, most of the area would be just an arid desert.

Much of the beauty of Arizona, its dynamic cities and luxury estates is a result of the storage and distribution of water, giving and preserving life in the area. The dam also serves as a source of energy for the area, generating 36 megawatts by way of a hydroelectric generator.

Take a historic tour of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and explore this magnificent feat that is part of the making of what Central Arizona is now.

Did you know that the Valley of the Sun uses the natural Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers to store water underground that supplies groundwater to most of the population of Arizona? Look for more on this in another Luxury Valley Homes Team article.

Looking to find some gorgeous estates in the Valley? Visit the Luxury Valley Homes for more information or call us at 480 595 6412 with your real estate questions.