april 2008

Terravita’s

Hot Real Estate Listings

Love Your Ride? There’s An Auto Club Just For You!

The Sale Must Go On Professional Staging Improves Home Sales

Delicious Decadence Canal’s $30 Sandwich

April 2008

Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996

Count on Sherry’s 13+ years of living and selling the Terravita dream. Sherry knows Terravita like the back of her hand. She’s always attuned to what is on the market currently and the most recent sales that have occurred. Having been a social member as well as a golf member, Sherry appreciates and knows firsthand everything that Terravita has to offer. Sherry’s knowledge has entrusted over 100 clients in buying and selling Terravita homes.

Sherry LOVES Terravita so therefore it makes her job exciting to be a part of bringing in new residents. The best part of Sherry’s job is not just becoming your Realtor and trusted advisor, but enjoying a lasting relationship with you. She looks forward to guiding you effortlessly in buying or selling your next home.

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

SHERRY GAERTNER-TIBBETSYOUR TERRAVITA SPECIALIST!

Office: 480.970.8181Cell: 602.369.6600

[email protected]

SHERRY’S FEATURED PROPERTIES IN

6547 E. Whispering Mesquite Tr. 2,850 Sq. Ft. • 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath

Offered at $769,900

7130 E. Aloe Vera Dr.1,974 Sq. Ft. • 2 Bed / 3 Bath

Offered at $535,000

Looking to lease a home? Interested in renting your property?

Contact Dennis Laubenstein at 480.970.8181 for assistance. Our full-service rental agency will handle all the ins and outs of

renting property for you- furnished or unfurnished, short-term or long-term, leases, property management- we do it all!

www.TerravitaOnline.com

Address Sq. Ft. / Bed / Bath List PriceCURRENTLY FOR SALE: *7123 E. Sienna Bouquet Pl. 1670 / 2 Bed / 2 Bath $499,000*7106 E. Sienna Bouquet Pl. 1965 / 3 Bed / 3 Bath $500,000*7130 E. Aloe Vera Dr. 1974 / 2 Bed / 2 Bath $535,000*6981 E. Soaring Eagle Way 1930 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath $589,90032764 N. 68th Pl. 2320 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath $619,000*6996 E. Mighty Saguaro Way 2460 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $659,000*6987 E. Shooting Star Way 2459 / 2 Bed / 2.5 Bath $675,0006971 E. Thirsty Cactus Ln. 2457 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath $675,0006863 E. Thirsty Cactus Ln. 2515 / 2 Bed / 2.5 Bath $699,0006975 E. Eagle Feather Rd. 2515 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $729,0006658 E. Whispering Mesquite Tr. 3011 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $743,000*6547 E. Whispering Mesquite Tr. 2850 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath $769,9006383 E. Marioca Cir. 3011 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $794,90033535 N. 64th Pl. 2835 / 4 Bed / 3.5 Bath $799,5006531 E. Amber Sun Dr. 3011 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $800,00033535 N. 70th Way 2562 / 4 Bed / 3.5 Bath $829,0006466 E. Evening Glow Dr. 3131 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $839,9006671 E. Amber Sun Dr. 2762 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $849,000*7023 E. Shooting Star Way 2930 / 3 Bed / 3.5 Bath $869,00033962 N. 70th Way 3473 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $875,000PENDING: 6942 E. Bramble Berry Ln. 1409 / 2 Bed / 2 Bath $399,00033561 N. 64th Pl. 2750 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $849,000*33650 N. 69th St. 2750 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $869,00033431 N. 64th Pl. 3954 / 3 Bed / 2.5 Bath $999,900SOLD: 33553 N. 70th Way 1955 / 3 Bed / 2 Bath $529,000- List $499,000 Sold- 2/18/08*6880 E. Nightingale Star Cir. 1974 / 2 Bed / 2 Bath $549,900- List $540,000 Sold- 2/28/08*6990 E. Thirsty Cactus Ln. 2300 / 3 Bed / 3 Bath $600,000- List $600,000 Sold- 2/28/0834348 N. 62nd Pl. 3108 / 4 Bed / 4.5 Bath $925,000- List $895,000 Sold- 2/19/08

REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY IN TERRAVITA

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

MORE OF SHERRY’S ACTIVE LISTING’S AROUND N. SCOTTSDALELegend Trail • 9903 E. Western Sky Ln. • $1,375,000

Los Alisos • 5840 E. Night Glow Cir. • $749,000Winfield • 7456 E. Crested Saguaro Ln. • $525,000Carefree Casas • 37204 N. Tranquil Tr. • $349,900

Bellaire Country Club • 4458 W. Keating Cir. • $239,000To View Other Listings By Sherry, visit www.AZPP.com

Visit www.TerravitaOnline.com for more information on any of these properties. Call Sherry Gaertner-Tibbets for a private showing!

Phoenix Film FestivalHarkins Scottsdale 101, April 3rd-10th602.955.6444 or phoenixfilmfestival.orgThis annual international event celebrates independent film and filmmaking. This year, the festival will be held in its new venue, the Harkins Scottsdale 101 and Cine Capri Theatres in northeast Phoenix. MovieMaker Magazine recently named the Phoenix Film Festival one of the “Top 25 Film Festivals in the World” and the festival hosts the largest competition of low budget films in the world. It is the only film festival showcasing features made for $1 million and less and short films for $50,000 and under.

Celebrity Fight NightJW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa, April 5th602.956.1121 or celebrityfightnight.orgRecognized as one of the nation’s elite charity events, Celebrity Fight Night is a star-studded evening presented in honor of featured guest, Muhammad Ali, and raises funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute. Celebrities and professional athletes from all over the country participate in this night filled with incredible live auction items and live musical performances by many of today’s brightest stars.

Scottsdale Culinary FestivalVarious venues, April 8th-13th480.945.7193 or scottsdaleculinaryfestival.orgAs the longest running festival of its kind in the United States, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival draws more than 40,000 visitors looking to enjoy fabulous food, fun and festivities (not to mention idyllic weather!). This year’s festival will feature a host of events from cooking demonstrations by some of the nation’s top chefs to a one-of-a-kind James Beard dinner. No matter what kind of culinary experience you crave, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival has something for you.

Sweeny ToddGammage Auditorium, April 15th-20th480.965.3434 or asugammage.comThe legendary demon barber, hell-bent on revenge, takes up with his enterprising neighbor in a delicious plot to slice their way through London’s upper crust. Justice will be served – along with lush melody, audacious humor and bloody good thrills. Directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, this dazzling reinvention of a magnificent musical thriller is set to stun theatergoers as never before.

PANDA Fashion ShowArizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, April 21st 602.604.6640 or steelecenter.arizona.eduThis year’s PANDA Fashion Show features 65 “children helping children” from across the Valley dressed in spring fashions provided by Nordstrom, the fashion show’s underwriter for the eighth consecutive year. In keeping with the theme, the Phoenix Boys Choir will perform during the event to show their support of the Steele Center and the thousands of children it serves. This annual event raises funds for vital research and other needs at the Steele Center.

Walk Like MADD!Phoenix Zoo, April 26th602.240.6501 or www.walklikemadd.orgThe third annual 5K non-competitive walk for MADD features food, fun and prizes for participants. As this free event takes place at the Phoenix Zoo, all partakers will receive free admission for the day. Funds raised will go to MADD Arizona to support programs for victims of drunk driving, as well as programs to help prevent drunk driving and underage drinking.

APRIL 2008

It’s all over the news: homes are taking longer and longer to sell. There is a surplus of homes on the market, so what can you do to make your property stand out from the crowd? How do you make your home more desirable in the eyes of potential buyers? Try home staging. Staging uses furniture and décor to show off a home to its best advantage. Details such as a table set elegantly for dinner, or furniture that makes a room seem bigger, help potential buyers imagine living there. “Staging engages the emotional aspect of buying a house,” says Angela Vilinskis of Showcase Home Designs in Phoenix. “This is a huge part of buying a house.” A professional stager is an unbiased observer who can look at your home from a buyer’s perspective. Whether you are still living in the home you are selling or not, professional staging can help improve its salability. In an empty house, it can be hard for a potential buyer to imagine living there. In fact, only 10 percent of homebuyers are able to visualize the potential of a home. “Staging an empty home helps bridge this gap,” says Cindy Kenna of Staging Solutions in Phoenix. It helps give the property scale and depth, giving the buyer a frame of reference. “Scale is the most important thing,” says Diane Neslund of Distinctive Interiors & Design in Scottsdale. The right furniture

can make a room seem bigger than it is, so can the right colors and lighting. “Woods, fabrics, rugs, silks and other accessories add a lot of depth to a property.” These small details make the home seem warm and inviting. Eliciting the advice of a professional stager can save you money, as well. Investing as little as $100 to $500 for an initial consultation can help you prioritize where you allocate your funds for updating and sprucing up your home for sale. According to HomeGain, a leading real estate website, professional home staging can give you a greater than 300 percent return on investment when you consider both increased sale price and saved mortgage payments from a quicker sale. “If every home for sale was modeled perfectly, there wouldn’t be the surplus we have now,” says Neslund. Professional stagers know how to tailor design and décor for your property. They look at how the home appears in natural lighting, and what architectural finishings and stylings are present, before choosing the appropriate furniture and décor. That way, the staged home looks like a unique, lived-in property – not just a cookie-cutter, model home. If you will be showing your house before you move out, a professional stager can guide you on arranging what you have to best effect.

“Personal items can be distracting for a buyer,” says Kenna. “A buyer may be too busy looking at your belongings to really see the home. Staging brings your home to show-ready condition.” According to HomeGain, 91 percent of real estate agents recommend staging for their clients. A staged home photographs better and appeals to a broader range of buyers. So, when it comes time to sell your home, talk to your real estate agent about staging recommendations. Follow his or her advice and you’ll be able to win over even the toughest critics, thus selling your home more quickly and for top dollar.

30 DOLLAR SANDWICH

Featuring Canal7144 East Stetson Drive • Scottsdale

480.949.9000 • www.canalaz.com

Ingredients:5 oz. Lobster Tail and Claw (Steamed and sliced)2 oz. Mushroom Duxelle (Sautéed and chopped)1 oz. Watercress3 oz. Boursin Cheese2 slices Yellow Tomato (Halved and seasoned)1 each Demi Baguette (Toasted)1 oz. Corn Fritter Mix (To spread on bread)2 each Asparagus (Sautéed and chopped)

In 1909, Henry Ford introduced the Model T, and so began America’s love affair with the automobile. By the 1970s, driving your first car was a rite of passage into adulthood and the American car was a symbol of freedom and patriotism. But times have changed. With the advent of personal technology, popular culture expert Peter Latham of the University of Iowa suggests that cars are no longer the cultural icons they used to be. Today’s youth are more “like walking cyborgs with all these things (iPods, wireless cell phones) attached to them,” he says. “Cars have become functional. They are not statements anymore. Electronics are.” But there are still those who revere their ride, treating it with love and care like a family pet. For those who still relish automotive freedom -- from classic cars, like the Mustang, to luxury vehicles, such as the Mercedes Benz -- the call of the open road still beckons. So where do you find these like-minded enthusiasts? Auto clubs! Auto clubs tend to focus on a specific make or model of car, as the list of local auto clubs below illustrates. Membership in a specialty auto club opens the door to a whole new world of automotive culture, where you can gather with others who love their rides as much as you do to trade stories, share good times and possibly swap a wrench or two. Here is a short selection of automotive clubs available in Arizona:

ARIZONA HUMMER OWNERS GROUP azhog.orgThe Arizona Hummer Owners Group is a loose-knit group of Hummer owners that band together to provide a family-oriented, conservation-focused group that promotes the HummerTM lifestyle. The group organizes about four group outings — or runs — a year.

ARIZONA DELOREAN CLUBaz-d.orgThe philosophy of the Arizona DeLorean Club is that the DeLorean should be driven and enjoyed. Consisting of owners and devotees that live in and around the state of Arizona, the club plans events that bring the cars out into the public eye.

ARIZONA MUSTANG CAR CLUBarizonamustangcarclub.comThe Arizona Mustang Car Club (AZMCC) is an association of Ford Mustang lovers who willingly provide mutual assistance and fellowship to each other. Founded in 1998, the club celebrates 10 years of existence in the Valley of the Sun this year.

THE DESERT STARSdesertstars.orgThe Desert Stars is the Phoenix chapter of the Mercedes Benz Club of America (MBCA). Chartered in 1962, the chapter’s membership is predominantly from Central and Northern Arizona. Scheduled events include an annual blessing meeting, a putting session at Desert Highlands Country Club and a weekend road trip to Kitt Peak Observatory.

MODEL A RESTORERS CLUB OF ARIZONAmodelarestorersclubofarizona.comEstablished in 1957, the Model A Restorers Club of Arizona promotes restoration and preservation of the Model A Ford, which was recognized by one of the leading automobile journals as one of the world’s top 10 automobiles of all time.

JAGUAR CLUB OF CENTRAL ARIZONAjcca.us/index.htmlJaguar Clubs of Central Arizona, affiliated with Jaguar Clubs of North America (JCNA), gathers Jaguar owners and admirers to promote safe and skillful driving, as well as the preservation of Jaguar automobiles.

ARIZONA COBRAS CAR CLUBazcobras.comThe Arizona Cobras Car Club is dedicated to Cobra owners and enthusiasts who live in Arizona. They participate in several events a year, including the Knott’s Berry Farm Kit Car Show this month.

FERRARI CLUB OF AMERICA DESERT REGIONferrariaz.com/home.htmlFerrari approves only one official club in each country and the Ferrari Club of America is the selected club for the United States. The local club, known as the Desert Region, encompasses Arizona and Southern Nevada, and is more than 10 years old. The club, which is one of the most active chapters in the country, hosts a variety of socials, drives, garage tours and other activities.

Don’t see your favorite ride included above? There are thousands of auto clubs around the world, and many more right here in Arizona. To find one that suits you, visit these websites: Cruisin’ Arizona (cruisinarizona.com) provides a list of car clubs based in Arizona, many of which have links to their websites. Car Clubs World Wide (carclubs.com) provides a list of automobile makes and models, helping you narrow your search for clubs that way. You also have the option of searching by club, country, city or state. Motor Addicts (motoraddicts.com) provides a wealth of information for car lovers. Click into their Community section to find an auto club near you. Antique Automobile Club of America (aaca.org) focuses primarily on vehicles that are at least 25 years old. Their website includes a list of clubs throughout the United States, as well as a few other countries.

Preparation:1. Spread the corn fritter mix on the sliced bread and toast till golden brown.2. Spread toasted bread with Boursin cheese. 3. On bottom half, layer hot duxelle, asparagus, lobster, tomato and watercress and top with roll.

TAKE YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR RIDE TO THE NEXT LEVEL!