spotlight on perfect day for an egg huntterm, $250,000 loan amount with a minimum fico score of 740...

Inside 2-3 Odds & Ends

4-5 Our Featured Businesses

8-9 McDowell Mountain

Conservancy: Heavy rains

brought spectacular flowers

11-14 Helene & Christine’s

Team Pullout Section

Brett’s Perspective

Scottsdale Drops Plan From Bond Vote to Use MMR Fields for Parking

When I originally started writing this column, I was ready to take

the City of Scottsdale to task over its plan to use

the soccer fields behind Desert Canyon Middle

and Elementary schools as parking lots during

large events such as the Barrett-Jackson Auto

Auction and the Waste Management Open. But

the city is off the hook — for now — because the

$5 million project has been removed from the

Nov. 5th capital bond ballot. Kroy Ekblaw, the Brett Levy

info@

writethrumedia.com

480-889-8710

MAY-JUNE 2019 | VOL. XXII, NO 3

(Continued on page 20)

Celebrating 22 Years Serving the MMR Community!

McDowell Mountain Ranch youngsters pick up eggs at the Pancake Breakfast and Egg Hunt. Several hundred

residents attended the packed event for food, prizes and just a chance to meet each other. Details, 8

McDowell Mountain Ranch’s Board

of Directors may consider asking

residents to vote on a proposal that

would set limits on homes being

used for short-term rentals via

Airbnb and VRBO. If approved by

residents, the change in bylaws

would set a minimum stay at

homes and condominiums in the

Ranch to 30 days. The idea is to

protect residents’ rights to rent out

their properties for longer stays but

to ban short-term rentals that some

residents in McDowell Mountain

Ranch have found disruptive.

While it’s unclear how many home-

owners use their properties for

short-term rentals, a check of

Airbnb.com reveals roughly 30-40

properties ranging in price from as

low as $50 a night to a whopping

$800 a night. Some properties,

such as a $650-a-night rental, are

only available during the busy win-

ter visitor months of December

through March. We found even

more rentals on VRBO, but there

may be some overlap with the

Airbnb listings.

One of the complications of having

temporary rentals is that guests

have access to our community

pools and parks, though we’re also

aware that the rentals provide funds

to homeowners who need addition-

al cash. Another area of concern is

that house rentals can wind up with

Spotlight on the Community


Perfect Day for an Egg Hunt HOA May Ask Residents to Vote on Rental Limits

2 McDowell Mountain Ranch Real Estate News | May-June 2019

ODDS & ENDS


We Live in Ninth Happiest City Who knew that the key to happiness is

parks? Well, apparently WalletHub does be-

cause in large part parks can be credited with

Scottsdale being ranked the ninth happiest

city in the nation. When it comes to

“Community & Environment Rank,” Scotts-

dale is the second best place in the nation,

according to Wallet Hub. Scottsdale places

13th in the nation when it comes to “Income

& Employment.” The next closest Arizona

city was Gilbert, in 21st place. The top four

cities in the nation were Plano, TX; Irvine, CA;

Madison, WI; and Fremont, CA.

Entertainment Complex Planned A 50,000-square-foot entertainment complex

will open at the end of this year at the Pavil-

ions at Talking Stick. Dubbed Mavrix, the fa-

cility will offer 24 lanes of upscale bowling,

85 arcade games, state-of-the-art laser tag,

pool tables, 1,500 square feet of meeting and

event space, a 5,000-square-foot restaurant

and bar, and a large outdoor games patio.

Mavrix is being developed by Octane Enter-

tainment, which will be built adjacent to Oc-

tane Raceway, a premium kart racing facility.

New Scottsdale Flag Dumped In perhaps the biggest case of buyer’s re-

morse in recent memory, the Scottsdale City

Council voted 5-2 to reject a new city flag that

it adopted on Feb. 19th and instead keep the

image of a cowboy riding a bronco as our

flag. Vice Mayor Linda Milhaven and Virginia

Korte voted to keep the newer flag, which

triggered debate over whether Scottsdale

should fight to keep its motto of “West’s

Most Western Town” or if the city should

now consider itself a “sophisticated center of

Effective Rate as of May 6, 2019.

Rates are subject to change without notice.

Certain restrictions may apply. Rates are based on a 15-year

term, $250,000 loan amount with a minimum Fico score of 740

80% LTV Owner occupied primary dwelling

$1756.67 P&I Plus tax and insurance escrows

commerce and quality of life.” It’s kind of

funny how something like a flag can cause so

much debate, but we think that this will put

to rest an issue that was sparked innocently

3.25% INTEREST

3.29% APR

enough by a high school sophomore sug-

gesting that the city’s flag was “pitiful”

and “horribly uncreative.”

While The Whining Pig has a large selec-

tion of wines and about 125 craft beers,

the only items that are on the menu are

fancy grilled cheese sandwiches and

mixed meat and cheese plates. The

wine/beer bar owners explain that The

Whining Pig is more of a community wa-

tering hole than restaurant.

We haven’t had a chance to visit the Ban-

field Pet Hospital, which opened more

recently, but we’ve already received a

coupon in the mail for a free pet checkup.

Other businesses that have moved into

The Art are 9Round Fitness and Rehab

Plus.

Whining Pig, Banfield Pet Hospital Open in Just-Sold Art Shopping Center

The Banfield Pet

Hospital and the

Whining Pig

have recently

opened up in

The Art shop-

ping center near

the Bashas’ in

the McDowell

Mountain Mar-

ketplace.

At about the same time two new stores

opened up in the newly built, 14,280-square

-foot Art Shopping Center, the building at

Thompson Peak Parkway and Bell Road

was sold to an unnamed buyer for $6.15

million, according to developer ORION In-

vestment Real Estate. That just leaves one

unit to be rented out.

Of the two newest businesses, we’ve no-

ticed that the Whining Pig Beer and Wine

Bar, which has been open for several

weeks, is already packed on some eve-

nings. The wine/beer bar already has six

stores open around the Phoenix area, but

ours is the first in Scottsdale.


ODDS & ENDS (CONTINUED)

Tide Surfs Into Delia’s Cleaners Did you get a post card in the mail last month

announcing “Tide Dry Cleaners Now Open?”

If you did, you were as surprised as we were.

Apparently, Tide Cleaners just took over the

spot held by Delia’s Cleaners in the Bashas’

Shopping Center. Another Tide Cleaners

opened up in the Safeway Center at Frank

Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Thompson Peak

Parkway. Particularly notable are the drop-box

lockers that are installed outside the store,

which is part of Procter & Gamble’s expand-

ing chain that is expected to reach 2,000 loca-

tions by 2020.

Arizona OK on Gambling With at least three Indian gambling casinos in

close proximity to Scottsdale, and plenty

more spread out around the state, you might

think we all had a gambling addiction prob-

lem. Not so, according to WalletHub. In fact,

Arizona comes in 45th place – darned near

the bottom – when it comes to gambling

problems. According to the rankings, the

state is not particularly gambling friendly and

has a relatively good gambling problem/

treatment rank. The worst state, not surpris-

ingly, is our neighbor to the north, Nevada.

Things to Do MMR Events Bulk Garbage Pickup. Week of May 12th.

Please create separate piles for plant de-

bris and bulk garbage.

Board of Directors Meeting. 7-8 p.m. May

28th at the McDowell Center.

Bulk Garbage Pickup. Week of June 16th.



Board of Directors Meeting 7-8 p.m. June

25th at the McDowell Center.

Bulk Garbage Pickup. Week of July 21st.



Board of Directors Meeting 7-8 p.m. July

23rd at the McDowell Center. Meeting will

only take place if needed.

Weekly Art Classes. Regular art classes are held

on Wednesdays & advanced classes on

Thursdays at the McDowell Center. Email:

ShoeBoxStudiosArtInfo@gmail.

Pickleball Club. Open play begins at 8 a.m.

on Tuesdays, 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and

7 a.m. on Saturdays. Competitive play

begins at 7 p.m. on Mondays.

Facebook.com/mmrpbc

Conservancy Events McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Board

Meeting. 3:30-5:30 p.m. May 16. McDow-

ell Center. https://bit.ly/2SrpyFC

WestWorld Events AzRHA MOTHER'S DAY SLIDE. May 14-

19. Arizona Reining Horse Association

hosts its annual competition.

azrha.com/mothers-day-slide

Hot Import Nights. 5 p.m. June 8. Modi-

fied car show includes music, models &

customized cars in a nightclub-like atmos-

phere. bit.ly/2DzGsgw

Scottsdale 4th of July Celebration. 4-9:30

p.m. July 4. This year’s annual event in-

cludes Fortnite

4th, DJ dance

party, Ferris

wheel, stunt dog

show, obstacle

course, bull riding

rodeo and fire-

works beginning outdoors at 9 p.m. Buy

tickets in advance for best prices.

scottsdale4thV.com

NOTE: bit.ly & tinyurl at the end of some

posts, are shortened URLs, which are easier

to type in than full web addresses.

Dates and event specifics are subject to

change because of our two-month produc-

tion cycle. If you have a local event that you

would like to promote, send us an email at

[email protected].

(Continued from page 2)

Scottsdale Events Gridiron Golf Classic. 12:30 p.m. May 18 at

McDowell Mountain Golf club. Help raise

funds for Desert Mountain High School.

winwolves.com

Bad Company. 8-ll p.m. May 24. You’ll be

in good company watching rock band Bad

Company at one of only 12 concerts this

year at Talking Stick. bit.ly/2UHvdsh

The Clairvoyants. 8 p.m. June 1. Famous

America's Got Talent magicians come to

Talking Stick. bit.ly/2IMaYIb

Wash Away Library Fines. June 1-7. If you

have library fines but haven’t gotten around

to paying them off, you can shave off 50

cents for every bottle of water donated to

any Scottsdale Library. The donations are

good for up to $24.99 off your fines.

Foreigner. 8 p.m. June 7. We’re not sure

which song is more appropriate for the

desert, “Cold as Ice” or “Hot Blooded,”

but 40+-year-old band Foreigner will be

performing poolside at Talking Stick Resort.

bit.ly/2J8L29l

Mighty Mud Mania. June 8. 7 a.m. to noon.

The big, messy, free event, which includes

obstacle courses through mud and goop,

returns to Chaparral Park. bit.ly/2PwTksu

Sunset Swim at McDowell Mountain

Ranch

Aquatic

Center. 5-9

p.m. June

21. Enjoy

sunset

views while

escaping

the sum-

mer heat at the Aquatic Center.

Sunset Swim at McDowell Mountain

Ranch Aquatic Center. 5-9 p.m. July 19.

Enjoy sunset views while escaping the

summer heat at the Aquatic Center.

tinyurl.com/y46ake4n


Brandon Croft had a suspicion since August

2018 that Stages Music, where he and

several other musicians taught a range of

instruments, was in danger of closing. Rather

than spreading to the wind by joining a new

music school, Brandon decided it would be

better to have a plan for himself and the other

seven teachers.

So, he got to work looking for a space just in

case. When Stages Music, which was both a

store and a school, shut down, Brandon

OUR FEATURED BUSINESS

McDowell Mountain

Music Lessons Brandon Croft

mcdowellmountainmusiclessons.com (website is still under development)

[email protected]

10405 E McDowell Mt Ranch Rd #150 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

(480) 458-7470

New Music School Brings Teachers From Stages to McDowell Mountain Ranch

quickly sealed a deal with Whitestone REIT

for a spot in the Desert Canyon Center on

McDowell Mountain Ranch Road. McDowell

Mountain Music Lessons opened soon after.

In fact, McDowell Mountain Music opened

so quickly — literally the day after Stages

McDowell Mountain Music Lessons regularly

has its students perform in live concerts such as

this one in late April.

closed — that we here at the newsletter

were caught totally by surprise. We only

learned about the store when the request

for their new sign was approved at the

March Homeowner’s Association meeting.

Still, Brandon was understandably worried

about whether the music students would

follow him and the teachers to a new

location. The fear proved unfounded. In fact,


Brandon Croft plays on an acoustic guitar in the

new lobby of McDowell Mountain Music Lessons.


OUR FEATURED BUSINESS (CONTINUED)


the students and parents were thrilled over

the new location, which is located in the old

Hi-Tone space, because the facility turned out

much nicer than their old locale. Plus,

Whitestone graciously sound-proofed the

shared wall with the newly relocated Steven

Terry Allstate Insurance office.

While McDowell Mountain Music Lessons

does not offer full stores like Stages, which

were based in Grayhawk Plaza and near

Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard, they do

offer Milano instrument rentals.

One of the cool things about McDowell

Mountain Music Lessons is that they

encourage students to play music they want

to play, not what the teachers want. To

encourage the students to practice, Brandon

says students are expected to perform at live

concerts around north Scottsdale, including

one coming up from 7-9 p.m. on May 29th at

the outdoor Desert Ridge stage. The concert

theme is basically school is out for summer.

It’s not easy to start a business, but Brandon

seems up to the task even though his wife is

expecting their second child in May.

And unlike past music schools that have been

located in the Desert Canyon Center, the

McDowell Mountain Music teachers have

years of experience and a dedicated student

base.

Although McDowell Mountain Music — we

like the nickname M&M&Ms — brought all of

its students to the new location, they are still

looking for new students. After all, each year

students graduate from high school and

move on to far-away colleges. The teachers

offer a wide variety of classes, which

include the following:

Guitar

Ukulele

Bass

Drums

Piano

Voice

Saxophone

Band coaching

Flute

Author Brett Levy is the Editor and Publisher

of McDowell Mountain Real Estate News.

The new sign is up at McDowell Mountain Music Lessons.


COMMUNITY NEWS

Scottsdale Home to Franchises For years we’ve noticed that Scottsdale is

sort of the franchise capital of the world.

Okay, we don’t have any hard evidence of

that, but there certainly seems to be a large

number of franchise headquarters based

here. In fact, the Arizona Republic recently

profiled Matt Hale, the co-founder of Modern

Acupuncture, which is based at 14362 N.

Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., just a few blocks

east of Thompson Peak Parkway. The

franchiser employs only 12 people at the

location, but oversees an $8-million-a-year

empire of 43 locations around the nation with

six of them in the Valley. Other franchise

headquarters in Scottsdale include:

Massage Envy at 8698 E. Raintree Drive

The Joint Corp at 16767 N. Perimeter Drive

Discount Tire at 20225 N. Scottsdale Road

HomeSmart Corporate at 8388 E. Hartford

Drive

Blimpie at 9311 East Via De Ventura

Boulevard

Cold Stone Creamery at 9311 E. Via de

Ventura Scottsdale

preview.tinyurl.com/y5h5lrbr

Air Conditioning Sale With the monsoon season about to hit in

just a few weeks, our advertiser Reliance

Heating and Air Conditioning is offering a

free surge protector with a new unit

purchase. We’ll add that it’s a lot better to

replace a dying unit now than have it die in

the middle of July or August.

Protect Home While Away If you’re thinking about getting away this

summer, you really should have someone

watch your house while you’re gone. Our

advertiser, HomeWatch

Neighbor, is offering

the first month free if

you sign up for three

months of service.

HomeWatch includes

an app that gives you

real-time updates as

every major point of possible failure in your

home is monitored. Call Jeff Stack at 602

739-4354 for details on this special deal for

our readers or visit their page at

homewatchneighbor.com.

Scottsdale’s McCormick-Stillman Railroad

Park beat out Amerson River Park in Ma-

con-Bibb County, Georgia, to be chosen as

America’s best overall park. The Railroad

Park won the “Engaging Local Government

Leaders Knope Award” after Americans

were asked to cast multiple ballots for their

The locomotive at Scottsdale’s McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is decorated for the Christmas holidays.

favorites. The award was named after

Leslie Knope, who is a fictional character

from the TV comedy Parks and Recrea-

tion. The story we link to sums up all the

news regarding the city’s big win and

includes a drone video of the park at

elgl.org/railroadpark

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Voted Best in U.S.


Although the Federal Aviation Administration

made it clear at three open houses held in

April that it has no immediate plans to

change flight paths over McDowell Mountain

Ranch or Scottsdale, the federal agency is

listening to concerns expressed by residents,

according to an FAA Powerpoint created for

the meetings.

The FAA discussed two conceptual

modifications to flight paths that might

reduce noise levels over the northeast valley,

as well as The Ranch. For departures, the

FAA could create an additional route that

would push some planes over mostly

unpopulated terrain. That would reduce the

noise level for some, though the original

routes would remain in service.

The second concept would create two new

flight paths for planes arriving from the east

to Sky Harbor International Airport. The

realigned route would move planes south of

MMR instead of them flying overhead.

We need to emphasize that the FAA has not

committed to making these changes, and

even the review process will be formidable.

The noise complaints began after the FAA

implemented new routing technology

designed to make air travel more efficient.

The FAA was forced to return to the older

flight paths after the City of Phoenix won a

lawsuit against the FAA. Despite reverting

back to older flight paths, complaints have

persisted.

An advocacy group called Scottsdale

Coalition for Airplane Noise Abatement

(SCANA), which is based in the Bashas’

shopping center, has also been fighting to

TRANSPORTATION

FAA Discusses Possible Route Changes to Lessen Noise

persuade officials from the Federal Aviation

Administration to alter flight paths so fewer

planes fly over McDowell Mountain Ranch.

SCANA, which operates the website

airplanenoise.org, has posted on its website

that the proposals are a step forward but that

there remains a long way to go before the

FAA will take any action. The next steps for

SCANA is to get residents to leave their

comments in support of the proposed plans

on the FAA website, which you can find at

this link: tinyurl.com/y2zfxjah

At left: The FAA is proposing that some outbound planes

from Sky Harbor International Airport could fly further

east of McDowell Mountain Ranch, indicated by the red

arrow, though it would leave the existing route intact with

reduced traffic. For now though, the FAA is not pursuing

this option unless enough residents weigh in on the idea.

Above: For inbound flights, the FAA says it might be able

to move planes further south of McDowell Mountain Ranch,

indicated by the red arrow, but again the FAA is not pursu-

ing this option unless enough residents weigh in on the

concept.


MCDOWELL SONORAN CONSERVANCY

By Lori Calhoun

Seven plus inches of snow in northern

Scottsdale? We couldn’t believe it either!

However, that’s what happened in late

February of this year. The record-setting

snowfall had long-time residents cutting work

and skipping class to enjoy the once in a

lifetime experience of snow-covered

saguaros. The sight was breathtaking.

Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, the

City of Scottsdale had to close most of the

northern Preserve for several days while the

trails dried out.

The moisture brought anticipation for what

would surely be an abundant wildflower

season. Mother nature did not disappoint.

Long time Scottsdale resident and author of

the Flora Photo ID Guide for the McDowell

Sonoran Preserve, Marianne Skov Jensen

said, “Our record rainfall has brought us

multiples of plants we rarely see like Desert

Rose Mallow, Rock Live-forever and Mariposa

Lilies,” which are pictured at right and below.

While the wildflowers and overly green plant

life are beautiful now, the unfortunate truth is,

come summer time, it will all be an extreme

fire hazard.

The City of Scottsdale and the Conservancy

have taken several precautions in hopes of

preventing dangerous wildfires in the

Preserve.

The Conservancy heads an annual Fourth of

July wildfire watch. Several of our stewards

will be trained and posted throughout the

preserve during the holiday, keeping a

February Showers Bring March & April Wildflowers

A Rose Mallow, also known as Hibiscus biseptus,

blooms in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Photo by Marianne Skov Jensen

At left: Mari-

posa Lillies

mostly grow

in the Sonor-

an and Mo-

have deserts.

Below left: A

Nuttals

Snapdragons

are native to

western

states.

Below right:

Rare Dud-

leyas are

succulent

perennials.

Photos by

Marianne

Skov Jensen

watchful eye for any signs of wildfire

danger.

We hope you will join us in our efforts in

keeping the Preserve safe this summer. If

you are interested in becoming a steward or

wish to make a contribution to the

C o n s e r v a n c y p l e a s e v i s i t

www.mcdowellsonoran.org for more

information.

You can also purchase Marianne’s Flora

Photo ID Guide for the McDowell Sonoran

Preserve, with all the proceeds going

directly to the Conservancy. You can find

her book by visiting the Conservancy office.

For more information, please call 480-998-

7971, Extension 100.

Lori Calhoun is the Program Coordinator for

the McDowell Sonoran Preserve


MCDOWELL SONORAN CONSERVANCY (CONTINUED)

sdfsdfs

Photo by Brett Levy

We found globe Chamomile growing wild in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve this spring.

Globe Chamomile Poses Fire Risk to Preserve If you hike in the McDowell Sonor-

an Preserve, you may have noticed

a new yellow flower in the shape

of a globe that is growing low to

the ground along the trails. It turns

out that those flowers, called globe

chamomile, are an invasive plant

with flammable flowers that origi-

nated in South Africa. This is not

good, of course, so the state of

Arizona may declare it an invasive

weed, according to the Arizona

Republic. And despite having the

word “chamomile” in its name, we

don’t recommend making tea out

of this stuff because its other

name is “stinknet.” By the way,

each yellow globe is actually about

400 flowers crammed into a tiny

space and a single plant can hold

up to 4,000 balls, which we calcu-

late adds up to about 1.6 million

seeds on just one bush. Yikes!

City Council Approves Plan Seeking 3,600 Acres for Preserve Scottsdale City Councilwoman Solange Whit-

head helped push the City of Scottsdale to

adopting a Strategic Plan that calls for acquir-

ing 3,600 more acres of Sonoran Desert al-

ready located within the McDowell Sonoran

Preserve’s boundaries. Solange’s motion

called on the city to “Prioritize remaining

acres within Preserve boundary and develop

an acquisition plan based on projected

funds.” The Councilwoman also asked that

the city accept the Organization Strategic

Plan. Although Vice Mayor Linda Milhaven

opposed the motion, it passed 6-1.

Do you need help

with a writing or

editing project?

WriteThru Media

may be able to

help. Contact us at

[email protected] with

your project specifications and

we’ll respond ASAP.


RESALE ACTIVITY AT THE RANCH

OUR STUFF - Although the listings and transactions shown in this publication

involve a variety of organizations and agents, you’ll note that all of our Team’s list-

ings and sales are printed in BOLD BLUE TYPE and UNDERLINED.

HOMES CURRENTLY FOR SALE

Address Subdivision Model Price Sq ft Br Gar Pool

10220 E Caribbean Ln Discovery Canyon Sunrise $425,000 1451 3 2 N

10204 E Caribbean Ln Discovery Canyon Catalina $450,000 1504 3 2 Y

10346 E Texas Sage Ln The Preserve Avalon $495,000 1702 3 2 Y

10524 E Firewheel Dr The Overlook Mesquite $499,900 1972 3 3 N

10475 E Karen Dr The Preserve Brisas $499,900 2132 3+Den 2 N

10345 E Texas Sage Ln The Preserve Brisas $519,900 2132 4 2 Y

16614 N 105th Wy Arizona Highlands Pinnacle $527,000 1821 3 3 N

10255 E Acacia Dr Montecito San Miguel $540,000 2212 3+Den 3 Y

10284 E Hillery Dr Discovery Canyon Clearview $549,000 1552 3 2 N

10854 E Le Marche Dr Castle Chase Windsor $550,000 1845 2+Den 2 N

15360 N 102nd St Discovery Canyon Sunset $559,000 1622 3+Den 2 Y

10429 E Acoma Dr Sunset Point #2787 $584,500 2797 3+Den 3 N

10614 E Meadowhill Dr Sonoran Fairways Mesquite $585,000 1994 3 2 N

11012 E Betony Dr 100 Hills La Jolla $585,000 2285 3 2 N

16589 N 109th St Vermillion Cliffs #923 $634,000 2835 3+Den 3 Y

15976 N 111th Pl 100 Hills Valencia $650,000 2458 3 2 N

10775 E Caribbean Ln Cimarron Hills Valencia $689,000 2402 3 2 N

11171 E Beck Ln Cimarron Hills Laredo $689,000 2787 4 3 Y

10446 E Meadowhill Dr Sonoran Fairways Cholla $698,000 3466 4+Loft 3 Y

10442 E Saltillo Dr Arizona Highlands Catalina $699,000 2677 3+Den 3 Y

10959 E Kora Ln Cimarron Hills Laredo $699,900 2787 4 3 Y

16614 N 104th Wy The Summit Molokai $725,000 2924 4+Den 2 Y

10579 E Conieson Rd Sonoran Fairways Cholla $725,000 3466 5 3 Y

11457 E Blanche Dr Cimarron Ridge Cantabria $749,000 2806 4 3 Y

10766 E Palm Ridge Dr Sienna Canyon La Palma $749,000 2936 4 3 Y

16558 N 109th St Vermillion Cliffs #932-5 $779,000 3248 4+Den 3 Y

10950 E Greenway Rd Cimarron Hills Laredo $784,000 2787 3+Den 3 Y

10674 E Butherus Dr Desert Cliffs #6090 $789,900 3924 5+Loft 3 Y

10707 E Raintree Dr Desert Cliffs #6090 $798,500 3924 5+Loft 3 Y

10947 E Lillian Ln Trovas Lido $820,000 4065 4 3 Y

10861 E Raintree Dr Desert Ciffs #6090 $834,900 3924 5+Loft 3 Y

11115 E Winchcomb Dr Sienna Canyon La Palma $885,000 3156 4+Den 2 Y

11022 E Evans Rd Sienna Canyon Talavera $889,000 3801 6+Loft 3 Y

15413 N 110th St Cimarron Hills Escalante $935,000 3455 4+Den 3 Y

11440 E Autumn Sage Dr Cimarron Ridge Escalante $975,000 3375 4+Den 3 Y

11387 E Caribbean Ln Cimarron Ridge Montilla $1,019,000 3949 4+Den 3 Y

16334 N 110th St 100 Hills Montilla $1,100,000 3907 4+Den 3 Y

11135 E Mirasol Cir 100 Hills Andorra $1,145,000 3737 3+Den 4 Y

11464 E Winchcomb Dr Sonoran Estates Santana $1,295,000 3623 4+Den 3 Y

10958 E Meadowhill Dr Sonoran Estates Sabino $1,300,000 3559 4 3 Y



REAL ESTATE PULL-OUT SECTION


Properties section and allow your cursor to

hover over a property card, the card will

rotate and a Google map will appear show-

REAL ESTATE PULLOUT SECTION

Our New Website! It’s finally here! The formal design and

development process took over a year but

we’re pleased to announce that it’s now

ready for prime time. Whether or not

you’re in the market for a new home,

please take a moment to visit our new site

at www.MMRHomes.com. We believe

you’ll find many items of significant value.

In truth, some regular visitors will find the

new format quite the contrast, but rest

assured that we’ve maintained the wealth

of information that we’ve always had.

As you can see from the introductory page

shown below, we’ve opted for a clean,

fresh look that, in effect, mirrors our popu-

lar Facebook page and, in fact, we now

have both a direct link to that page and a

live feed to the newsfeed portion of our

Facebook page via the social media option.

If you’re not already familiar with the site’s

content, here are some key features that

might interest you. The “Our Neighbor-

hoods” section has introductions to each

of the communities at The Ranch as well

as sparkling new floor plans for each of

the models. We’re really proud of them, in

part because we spent much of last year

having them professionally redone but also

because they now include furniture place-

ment, which we’re hoping will make it easier

for buyers to visualize the space. The exam-

ple we’ve provided is the Laredo model from

Cimarron Hills.

And, of course, you’ll find extensive facts and

photos that should make the communities

and homes come alive for potential buyers.

Beyond that, the section also offers both in-

formation on current prices and even provides

an idea of what the homes in the community

cost when they were initially offered for sale.

That’s a fact I always find entertaining but

which also serves as a reminder that what

might look expensive today will one day

seem like an absolute bargain.

As you might expect, the site has videos

spotlighting our listings. However, it also fea-

tures a new Community Video Series that’s

hosted by our own Christine Espinoza and

offers interviews with local businesses. We’ll

soon be adding something else that I think

will be of great value to the whole community

— videos of the amazing features that MMR

has to offer, like the parks, pools, walking

trails, etc, to both residents and potential buy-

ers.

One of the coolest features of our new web-

site is the mapping tool for our listings. If you

just scroll down the home page to the Our

MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES

Conforming* Loans

30 Year…….3.875%

15 Year …...3.375%

5 Year ARM.…3.625%

7 Year ARM…3.750%

10 Year ARM.….4.125%

Jumbo* Loans

30 Year…….4.000%

15 Year …...3.500%

5 Year ARM……3.625%

7 Year ARM……3.375%

10 Year ARM….3.500%

Rates effective 4/26/2019

Fees vary by lender

All loans have Zero Points

*In Scottsdale, Conforming refers to loans

up to $484,350 and Jumbo to larger amounts

Call Your Lender for Current

Quotes!

Call Us Today for a Confidential Consultation

Regarding Your Housing Needs.

(480) 563-3333

Check out our new website at www.MMRHomes!



A Few of Our Team’s Recent Transactions…...

And Some of Our Current Listings….

Villages North

15380 N 100th St #2095

2BR+DEN/2BA 1,500 SF

Remodeled w/Wood & Tile Floors

T/O, Gourmet Kitchen w/Granite,

Stainless Appls and Wine-Fridge!

$290,000

Aviara

10067 E Gray Road

3BR/2BA 1,763 SF

Remodeled Great Room Plan with

Plank Tile Floors, Quartz Counters,

Stainless Appls & New Cabinetry!

$440,000

Vista Del Rincon

9622 E Friess Drive

4BR/2.5BA 2,096 SF

Located on Private C-D-S Lot with

Bamboo and Travertine Flooring,

Stainless Appls & Sparkling Pool!

$480,000

Arizona Highlands

10474 E Saltillo Drive


Split Floor Plan Backs to Wash w/

Mountain Views, Grassy Area and

Sparkling Pool w/Rock Waterfall!

$570,000

The Summit

16370 N 106th Way

5BR/3BA 2,682 SF

Backs to a Wash with Mountain,

City Light Views and Pool & Spa!

Slate Tile Flooring & Gas Range!

$662,000

Montecito

10272 E Acacia Drive

4BR+DEN/2.5BA 2,772 SF

Remodeled Kitchen w/White Cabi-

nets & Built-In Wine Fridge! Trav-

ertine Flrs & Pebble Tec Pool! 3G!

$699,000

Cimarron Ridge

11508 E Caribbean Lane

3BR+DEN/2.5BR 3,749 SF

Guard Gated and Backs to a Pre-

serve with Mountain and City Light

Views! Pebble Tec Pool and 3CG!

$1,200,000

Ladera Vista

9555 E Raintree Dr #2014

2BR/2BA 1,298 SF

Gated Community! Split Plan with

Stainless Appls & Travertine Back-

splash! Community Pool and 1CG!

$1,500/Month

Sunset Point

10370 E Acoma Drive


Great Room Plan w/Tile Flrs, Plan-

tation Shutters & Stainless Appls.

Pebble Finish Pool & Firepit. 2CG!

$2,650/Month

Cimarron Hills

10959 E Kora Lane

4BR/2.5BA 2,787 SF

Guard Gated Split Plan with Gour-

met Kitchen and Heated Pool &

Spa! Saltillo Covered Patio & 3CG!

$699,900

Sonoran Fairways

10579 E Conieson Road

5BR/3.5BA 3,466 SF

Gated & Backs to Golf Course with

Mountain Views! Heated Pool &

Spa, Putting Green & Built-In BBQ!

$725,000

The Overlook

10548 E Tierra Buena Lane

3BR/2BA 1,679 SF

Great Room Floor Plan with Moun-

tain Views! Gas Fireplace, Tile Flrs

T/O & Stainless Steel Appls! 2CG!

$475,000

http://www.mmr-homes.com/homelistings_details.asp?id=2672












Featured Home


ing the exact location. From there you can-

zoom in, get a satellite view or drag the little

orange guy onto the map to get a street view.

Of course residents and potential buyers will

continue to have access to our newsletters,

past and present and the access to the MLS

is, quite frankly, greatly improved. We’ve

even set up a search specifically for proper-

ties in McDowell Mountain Ranch.

For those who prefer human interaction, our

on line “chat” feature will still be available.

Our many thanks go to Brett Levy, the site’s

developer and, coincidentally enough, the

editor and publisher of our McDowell Moun-

tain Ranch Real Estate News newsletter.

By the way, the old site is going to remain

active until we’re certain everything is work-

ing perfectly. However, it can only be ac-

cessed using the address McDowellMoun-

tainRanchHomes.com.

We’ve Done it Again! The RE/MAX Fine Properties Annual Awards

Banquet was held in March at the Grayhawk

Golf Club and we placed 4th in production

out of over 220 agents! Individually, our team

earned membership in the 100 Percent Club,

the Platinum Club and the Chairman’s Club,

all of which reward different levels of produc-

tion. In addition, Christine won the Technolo-

gy award, for being the most innovative per-

son in the office in that category.

Speaking of our office, for the second year in

a row, RE/MAX Fine Properties closed over

$1 billion in sales. Equally outstanding was

the $5.6 billion in sales generated collectively

by the RE/MAX offices in Arizona.

This feels like it might be a good time to toot

our own horn a bit. Did you know that during

the 22 years we’ve spent servicing the MMR

community we have participated in almost

800 transactions in McDowell Mountain

Ranch alone! (Continued on page 14)


There’s a reason for that. We have a tried

and true marketing program for Sellers that

we feel is second to none and, of course,

there’s also our access to a pool of buyers

Guard Gated! One Hundred Hills

15976 N 111th Place 3BR/2BA 2,458 SF

This Beautiful Split Floor Plan is

Situated on a C-D-S & Backs to

a Wash with Privacy and Moun-

tain Views! Inside You’ll Find Tile

and Wood-Like Flooring in the

Main Living Areas and a Gas

Fireplace. The Kitchen Boasts

Stainless Appliances, a Smooth

Cooktop and a Large Center Is-

land adjacent to the Family

Room w/Built-In Entertainment

Niches! The Backyard Features

a Flagstone Covered Patio with a

Built-In BBQ and Mini Fridge,

Perfect for Entertaining! Plus 2

Brand New HVAC Units! Call Me

at 480-563-3333 to See this Love-

ly Home!

$650,000

From Left: Diane Scheid, Marketing Coordinator: Terry Krausert, Transaction Coordinator; Helene Cass,

Scott Reid, Christine Espinoza and Lea Ann Hervey.



hovering on the fringe of the market who are

just waiting for that perfect home. For Buy-

ers, we provide the distinct advantage of of-

ten knowing what is coming on the market

before it actually hits. And if we don’t have

what you’re looking for, we’ll go out and find

it for you! Just call us at 480-563-3333.

On a national level, The 2019 Real Trends 500

Hundred survey, one of the most widely fol-

lowed reports in the real estate industry,

ranked 1,757 of the largest brokerages side

by side and found that the most productive

agents are with RE/MAX. Out of the Top 100

brokerages ranked this way, 87 of them are

RE/MAX firms. RE/MAX agents at participat-

ing brokerages outsold competing agents on

average by more than 2-to-1.

The Spring Market A number of things signify Spring, including

wildflowers, allergies (my poor husband),

beautiful weather and, when it comes to real

estate, a significant increase in inventory.

However, that is not the case this year. The

number of homes on the market has re-

mained low for months now. In fact, there

are only 46 homes for sale right now or 20%

fewer than were available last year.

Unfortunately, sales in MMR are also down

fairly significantly. However, this decline in

sales actually seems to be part of a nation-

wide phenomenon. According to the data

released in March by the National Association

of Realtors (it’s the most recent available),

national sales were down 5.4% year over

year. Sales in the West fell 6.0% in March

and are down 10.7% over the last year.

What makes this situation so difficult to un-

derstand is that the economy is performing

well and mortgage interest rates are still very

low. In fact, as of this writing, we found

some rates quoted at just under 4%. Moreo-

ver, there’s really no reason to anticipate any

dramatic change on the horizon.

In fact, the Federal Reserve has recognized

the situation and halted their plans to raise

rates for the balance of this year. You may

recall that their original intent was to raise

rates three times this year. Instead, the next

scheduled rate increase will now occur some-

time in 2020. That news was so well received

in the marketplace that mortgage rates actu-

ally fell even further.

(Continued from page 13) Another confusing part of the stagnant mar-

ket puzzle is the fact that Maricopa County is

the fastest growing county in the U.S. for

the second year in a row. According to the

Arizona Republic, we’re the fourth most pop-

ulous county in the country with over 4.4

million residents. Moreover, the Phoenix-

Mesa-Scottsdale metropolitan area was

ranked second highest in numeric growth

among metropolitan areas with almost

100,000 people moving into the area.

Interestingly, a 2018 survey by United Van

Lines, declared Arizona as the third most

popular destination for retirees. New Mexico

and Florida topped the list.

In addition, they found that while 36.69%

were relocating here to retire, there were

other lures as well. They included job related

moves (29.38%), lifestyle changes (22.08%),

family (20.29%) and health (9.58%). Not

surprisingly, 40.96% of the inbound popula-

tion is 65 and older. However, the good

news is that a significant portion of those

moving here, 30.65%, have incomes of over

$150,000.

The survey also produced a bit of information

that may be of interest only to me. It seems

that regardless of their destination, there are

more people moving out of my home state of

New Jersey than any other state. I

guess I was ahead of my time.

Despite the population influx and all the

other positive factors present in the market-

place, our prices are not moving up as fast as

they normally do. Based on our closed sales

thus far, we’ve seen just over 3% apprecia-

tion since Jan. 1st. Last year we experienced

a rate increase of almost 8% for the first four

months of 2018. This is particularly disturbing

because appreciation is usually highest during

the first part of the year and then gradually

flattens out as the year moves on. It will be

interesting to see what the rest of the year

has in store for us.

SF = square feet

$/SF = Average sales price per square foot

DOM = Days on Market

% Change = the change in the value per square

foot since 12/31/2018

THE KEY

Sales By Community (January-April 2019 )

Community # Sold Avg Price Avg SF DOM $/SF %

Change

The Preserve 9 $463,067 1866 35 $248.22 -4.30%

Arizona Vintage 7 $424,179 1729 51 $245.39 -11.98%

Cimarron Hills 6 $738,333 2795 58 $264.19 4.32%

Trovas 5 $871,200 3063 113 $284.39 5.34%

The Summit 5 $579,400 2353 93 $246.20 -10.64%

100 Hills 4 $1,470,000 4368 65 $336.54 1.12%

Sonoran Fairways 4 $564,875 2164 62 $261.06 11.43%

Sienna Canyon 4 $777,500 3103 109 $250.58 5.92%

Cachet 4 $321,725 1499 38 $214.70 4.16%

Arizona Highlands 4 $535,000 2561 22 $208.88 -10.62%

Sonoran Estates 3 $1,363,000 3780 38 $360.55 20.64%

Sunrise Point 3 $530,025 1890 198 $280.49 5.50%

Cimarron Ridge 2 $955,000 3021 61 $316.12 11.44%

Mirador 2 $1,024,500 3435 47 $298.30 6.77%

Armonico 2 $702,500 2704 89 $259.85 9.41%

Panorama Point 2 $467,000 2130 113 $219.30 -10.19%

Eagle Ridge 2 $627,500 2967 176 $211.49 -11.32%

Discovery Trails 1 $425,000 1622 16 $262.02 7.62%

Castle Chase 1 $389,900 1489 22 $261.85 -4.94%

Discovery Canyon 1 $397,700 1622 252 $245.19 2.22%

Sunset Point 1 $475,000 2159 17 $220.01 5.50%

Montecito 1 $779,000 3642 88 $213.89 0.51%

Desert Cliffs 0

There have been no closed sales yet

this year in these 4 communities

The Overlook 0

The Ridge 0

Vermillion Cliffs 0

The Ranch 73 $673,903 2,515 73 $267.98 3.37%


RESALE ACTIVITY AT THE RANCH (CONTINUED)

*UNDER CONTRACT-ACCEPTING BACKUPS (UCB) Indicates that

there’s an accepted contract on the property, but the sellers have request-

ed that the home continue to be marketed in hopes of getting backup of-

fers. As a practical matter, these listings receive little, if any, attention with-

in the real estate community. However, when inventory grows very scarce

(as it is now), there’s a possibility that they might draw some interest.

CLOSED SALES IN MARCH & APRIL


16420 N TPP #2126 Cachet Heritage $284,900 1338 2 1 N

16420 N TPP #2101 Cachet Heritage $290,000 1338 2 1 N

15217 N 104th Wy The Preserve Sontera $365,000 1222 3 2 N

10316 E Star of Desert Arizona Vintage Bordeaux $384,900 1347 3 2 N

10315 E Caribbean Ln Discovery Canyon Sunset $397,700 1622 3 2 N

10220 E Betony Dr Arizona Vintage Bordeaux $412,000 1478 3 2 N

10488 E Penstamin Dr Discovery Trails Sabino $425,000 1622 3 2 N

16339 N 105th Wy Arizona Highlands Estrella $435,000 2024 3 3 Y

14883 N 103rd Pl The Preserve Avalon $445,000 1702 3 2 Y

14884 N 103rd Pl The Preserve Avalon $446,600 1702 3 2 Y

10392 E Pine Valley Dr Sunset Point #2162 $475,000 2159 4 3 N

14731 N 103rd St The Preserve Brisas $495,000 2132 3+Den 2 N

11584 E Raintree Dr Sunrise Point Mesquite $500,000 1535 2 2 N

10354 E Raintree Dr The Preserve Brisas $508,000 2132 4 2 Y

10546 E Bahia Dr The Summit Samoa $510,000 1854 3 3 N

10432 E Meadowhill Dr Sonoran Fairways Palo Verde $512,500 2284 4 2 Y

10251 E Mallow Cir The Preserve Brisas $520,000 2132 4 2 Y

10482 E Bahia Dr The Summit Samoa $540,000 1854 3 3 N

14101 N 106th Pl Sonoran Fairways Palo Verde $565,000 2294 3+Den 2 N

16766 N 106th Wy The Summit Molokai $565,000 2689 4+Den 2 N

10572 E Meadowhill Dr Sonoran Fairways Cottonwood $570,000 2077 4 3 N

10474 E Saltillo Dr Arizona Highlands Picacho $570,000 2605 4+Den 2 Y

10547 E Bahia Dr The Summit Molokai $620,000 2688 5 3 Y

10626 E Blanche Dr Cimarron Hills Sevilla $620,000 2996 3+Den 3 N

10358 E Bahia Dr Eagle Ridge #3355 $625,000 3001 5 3 Y

HOMES CURRENTLY FOR SALE


15987 N 114th Wy 100 Hills Medina $1,399,000 4111 3+Den 3 Y

10888 E Acoma Dr Mirador Sereno $1,450,000 3424 4+Den 3 Y

10931 E Bahia Dr Vermillion Cliffs Custom $1,475,000 5745 7+Den 3 Y

11397 E Betony Dr 100 Hills Cardona $1,600,000 5266 4+Den 3 Y

16046 N 113th Wy 100 Hills Malaga $1,625,000 4751 3+Den 4 Y

11230 E Paradise Ln 100 Hills Custom $1,999,950 6406 5 6 Y

LET HELENE & CHRISTINE’S TEAM HELP YOU: We’re the #1 agents in

McDowell Mountain Ranch and have been for the past 22 years! Call us at 480

563-3333 for all of your real estate needs.



** CCBS The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing System has

created a new sub-status of “Active” called CCBS (Contract

Contingent on Buyer Sale). Like the UCB status, CCBS indicates

that there is an accepted contract on the property, but the sellers wish to

obtain backup offers. However, it also explicitly indicates that the contract they

have accepted is contingent on the buyer selling their current property.

PENDING, UCB * & CBBS** TRANSACTIONS


16420 TPP Pkwy #2041 Cachet Heritage $298,000 1338 2 1 N

16600 TPP Pkwy #2056 The Ridge Heritage $347,000 1298 2 1 N

10441 E Pine Valley Dr Sunset Point #1650 $459,000 1646 3 2 N

10870 E Salt Bush Dr Castle Chase Carlisle $469,900 1489 3 2 N

10368 E Penstamin Dr Discovery Trails Highline $489,900 2197 4+Loft 2 Y

10603 E Firewheel Dr The Overlook Mesquite $500,000 1972 4 3 N

11377 E Raintree Dr Sunrise Point Acacia $570,000 1886 3+Den 2 N

16556 N 104th St Eagle Ridge #3344 $570,100 2367 4 3 Y

16681 N 105th Wy Arizona Highlands Picacho $610,000 2650 4+Den 3 Y

10535 E Tierra Buena Ln The Overlook Ironwood $610,000 2818 4+Den 2 Y

11329 E Raintree Dr Sunrise Point Acacia $629,000 1886 3 2 N

10556 E Firewheel Dr The Overlook Ironwood $649,000 2820 5 2 Y

10335 E Acacia Dr Montecito San Miguel $699,000 2396 4+Den 2 Y

10272 E Acacia Dr Montecito Santa Barbara $699,900 2772 4+Den 3 Y

10668 E Acacia Dr Arizona Highlands Catalina $725,000 2677 3+Den 3 N

10766 E Palm Ridge Dr Sienna Canyon La Palma $749,000 2936 4 3 Y

11509 E Beck Ln Cimarron Ridge Sevilla $767,500 2660 3+Den 2 N

11463 E Beck Ln Cimarron Ridge Sevilla $825,000 2805 3+Den 3 Y

10940 E Cosmos Cir Trovas Medici $949,500 4150 4+Den 3 Y

11075 E Acacia Dr Trovas Dante $1,148,000 3415 3+Den 3 Y

14146 N 106th Wy Sonoran Estates Santana $1,595,000 4100 4+Den 3 Y

16265 N 112th Wy 100 Hills Custom $1,749,900 4519 3+Den 3 Y

CLOSED SALES IN MARCH & APRIL


16370 N106th Wy The Summit Molokai $662,000 2682 5 3 Y

10838 E Jasmine Dr Armonico Tierra $680,000 2413 4 3 N

16656 N 111th St Trovas Sorrento $700,000 2600 3 2 N

11453 E Blanche Dr Cimarron Ridge La Jolla $710,000 2293 3 2 Y

16024 N 111th Pl 100 Hills La Jolla $730,000 2285 3 2 N

10745 E Gelding Dr Sienna Canyon La Palma $735,000 2936 4+Den 3 Y

10774 E Gelding Dr Sienna Canyon La Palma $745,000 2936 4 3 Y

15279 N 105th Wy Cimarron Hills Sevilla $752,500 2678 3+Den 2 Y

14405 N 110th Pl Sienna Canyon Catalina $765,000 2738 4 3 Y

11111 E Beck Ln Cimarron Hills Laredo $765,000 2788 4+Den 3 Y

16323 N 109th Wy Trovas Dante $834,000 3297 3+Den 3 Y

10928 E Lillian Ln Trovas Verona $855,000 2826 3+Den 3 Y

10999 E Evans Rd Sienna Canyon Talavera $865,000 3801 6+Loft 3 Y

16746 N 111th St Trovas Dante $867,000 3297 3+Den 3 Y

11066 E Verbena Ln Trovas Dante $1,100,000 3297 3+Den 3 Y

11508 E Caribbean Ln Cimarron Ridge Montillo $1,200,000 3749 3+Den 3 Y

11554 E Winchcomb Dr Sonoran Estates Sabino $1,200,000 3785 4 3 Y

11399 E Winchcomb Dr Sonoran Estates Santana $1,400,000 3623 4+Den 3 Y

11002 E Meadowhill Dr Sonoran Estates Sabino $1,489,000 3933 4+Den 5 Y

11405 E Paradise Ln 100 Hills Custom $1,550,000 4613 3+Den 3 Y

16070 N 113th Wy 100 Hills Custom $1,900,000 4853 5+Den 4 Y



AVAILABLE RENTALS


10491 E Raintree Dr The Preserve Montana $2,100 1504 3 2 N

15344 N 102nd St Discovery Canyon Catalina $2,195 1504 3 2 N

16614 N 105th Wy Arizona Highlands Pinnacle $2,395 1821 3 3 N

10370 E Acoma Dr Sunset Point #1912 $2,650 2114 3+Den 2 Y

PENDING RENTALS AS OF APRIL


10607 E Autumn Sage Dr Castle Chase Nottingham $2,550 1881 3 2 N

10310 E Le Marche Dr Arizona Vintage Chablis $2,900 2504 5+Loft 2 Y

We all know that Scottsdale is HOT in the

summer. It’s a great time to go somewhere

cooler, such as northern Arizona or the beach-

es, while the children are out of school.

For those of us who are staying local, it’s a

great time to take advantage of all the smok-

ing deals that our amazing resorts have to

offer during their “slow” season. Check out

some of my favorite staycation spots:

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

(www.ScottsdalePrincess.com)

Four Sesasons Resort at Troon North

(www.FourSeasons.com/Scottsdale)

Boulders Resort & Spa (www.theboulders.com)

Hermosa Inn (www.HermosaInn.com)

Hotel Valley Ho (www.HotelValleyHo.com)

JW Marriot Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (www.CamelbackInn.com)

Mountain Shadows (www.MountainShadows.com)

Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia (www.OmniMontelucia.com)

Royal Palms Resort & Spa (www.RoyalPalmsHotel.com)

The Phoenician (www.thePhoenician.com)

If you go to one of these resorts this summer, send us a mes-

sage on our McDowell Mountain Ranch Homes Facebook Page

and give us your review!

Christine Espinoza is a partner of Helene and Christine's Team

and can be reached at (602) 989-7492.

Christine’s

Corner

It’s Time to Plan Your Staycation Address Subdivision Model Price Sq ft Br Gar Pool

16420 N TPP #1057 Cachet Legacy $1,950 1737 2+Den 2 N

10360 E Penstamin Dr Discovery Trails Catalina $2,100 1509 3 2 N

15675 N 103rd Wy Panorama Point Mesquite $2,100 1548 3 2 N

10238 E Blanche Dr Discovery Canyon Scenic $2,150 1837 4 2 N

10476 E Hillery Dr Panorama Point Brisas $2,150 2132 3+Den 2 N

10111 E Tierra Buena Ln Arizona Vintage Bordeaux $2,200 1478 3 2 N

15685 N 102nd Wy Panorama Point Primrose $2,395 1874 3 2 Y

10242 E Karen Dr Discovery Canyon Skyview $2,600 2364 5+Den 2 Y

10646 E Betony Dr The Overlook Mesquite $2,750 2075 4+Den 2 Y

11113 E Betony Dr 100 Hills Sevilla $3,350 2629 4 2 N

10473 E Raintree Dr The Preserve Brisas $3,500 2132 4 2 N

10968 E Kora Ln Cimarron Hills Laredo $3,500 2788 4 3 Y

11135 E Greenway Rd Cimarron Ridge Escalante $3,750 3375 4+Den 3 Y

10374 E Bahia Eagle Ridge #3375 $3,750 3462 5+Den 3 Y

10705 E Acoma Dr Mirador Tierra $4,000 3392 4+Den 3 Y

11528 E Mirasol Ci 100 Hills Custom $6,990 5553 6+Den 4 Y

CLOSED RENTALS IN MARCH & APRIL


PANCAKE BREAKFAST & EGG HUNT

Pancake Breakfast Winners During the MMR Pancake Breakfast and

Egg Hunt in April, Helene & Christine’s

Team had two big raffle winners.

Above: An MMR resident collects eggs that

could be redeemed for a giant bag of candy

at the McDowell Mountain Ranch Pancake

Breakfast and Egg Hunt.

At right: Helene & Christine’s Team poured

Mimosas and other drinks for impressively

thirsty residents. In fact, the team served

roughly 300 mimosas. From left are Lea

Ann Hervey, Scott Reid and

Christine Espinoza.

Pancake Breakfast Is Huge Success The McDowell Mountain Ranch Pancake

Breakfast and Egg Hunt attracted as many as

600 residents — and a few folk from neigh-

boring communities — according the Home-

owner’s Association. An estimated 2,800

By the look on his face, we’re guessing MMR

resident Eli Goldberg was pretty happy about

winning the giant Teddy Bear.

Carla Schroff won our big gift basket pre-

pared especially for the Pancake Breakfast.

pancakes, 500 sausages, 11 cantaloupes

and four watermelons were also served.

Actually a ton of other food was consumed,

but there was more than we can list here.

You will also be glad to know that Helene &

Christine’s Team not only served roughly

300 Mimosas using 20 bottles of Cham-

pagne, but apparently 10 gallons of plain

strawberry lemonade, orange juice and

mango juice. What a thirsty crowd!


EDUCATION

The majority of kindergartners attending

schools near McDowell Mountain Ranch are

immunized against Measles, Mumps and

Rubella, according to an Arizona Republic

database. At Desert Canyon Elementary

School, 94.4% of students have been vac-

cinated while 91.1% of Copper Ridge stu-

dents have received the vaccinations. Just

over 87% of students at Archway Classical

Academy have been immunized while 93.8%

of kindergartners from BASIS Scottsdale Pri-

mary have been inoculated. Vaccination rates

vary wildly around the state.

BASIS Ranked No. 3 in Nation After adding 14,545 high schools to its rank-

ing system and despite a complete revamp-

ing of how those scores are determined, BA-

SIS Scottsdale placed third overall on U.S.

News & World Report’s 2019 annual rank-

ings. The school was also the nation’s No. 1

charter school and the nation’s second best

STEM school. The next best Scottsdale

schools were Chaparral High School, which

placed 19th in the state and No. 1,336th in

the nation, and Desert Mountain High School,

which placed 21st in the state and 1,441st in

the nation. Other results:

Cactus Shadows High School: No. 45 state;

No. 2,961 nationally

Horizon High School: No. 60 state; No.

3,603 nationally

Scottsdale Preparatory Academy (Great

Hearts): No. 62 state; No. 3,703 nationally

Arcadia High School: No. 69 in state; No.

3,967 nationally

Report: 94.4% DCES Students Vaccinated for Measles

Saguaro High School: No. 78 in state; No.

4,487 nationally

Foothills Academy: No. 98 in state; No.

5,702 nationally

Coronado High School: No. 207 in state; No.

10,105 nationally

Sign Up for Summer School Scottsdale high school students still have sev-

eral weeks to sign up for summer school,

which begins on June 10th for the first ses-

sion. Go to this URL for additional details:

tinyurl.com/y3o9ush2

Graduation Event Is May 30 Desert Mountain and other Scottsdale Unified

School District high schools will be holding

the Class of 2019 graduation on May 30th this

year. SUSD reports in its Showcase Magazine

that its high school students have a 90%

graduation rate, one Flinn scholar, one Dor-

rance scholar, four military academy appoint-

ments, nine National Merit Scholarship final-

ists and 43 Commended students.

Golf Classic Raises Funds for DMHS Football Team Help raise funds for the Desert

Mountain High School football team by

participating in the “Gridiron Golf

Classic,” a fundraiser at the McDowell

Mountain Golf Club. The event, which

will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday,

May 18th, costs $150 per golfer or

$50 for just dinner. The event includes

prizes, contests and raffles. Contact

[email protected] for sponsorship

opportunities. www.winwolves.com


SPOTLIGHT (CONTINUED)

(Spotlight: Continued from page 1)

a higher occupancy rate than would normally

be found in long-term rentals. For example,

one three-bedroom house lists up to eight

guests allowed, while one four-bedroom

house allows for up to 12 guests.

Because Arizona state law now prohibits

cities from setting restrictions on short-term

rentals, many HOAs around the city and

state have turned to their difficult-to-change

bylaws to set some limitations. To make the

change to MMR’s bylaws, the board is ex-

pected to consider the wording of the pro-

posal at its 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 28th, meet-

ing, though it’s possible that a decision will

not be reached at that time.

If the HOA Board of Directors give the okay

for an election, it will be an uphill fight be-

cause it may take up to 75% – or 3,072 – of

MMR homeowners to approve the bylaw

changes. While that’s a fairly difficult thresh-

old to meet, considering that many residents

often do not vote in the elections for the

Board of Directors, the HOA can solicit bal-

lots for an extended period of time.

Further complicating the matter, a large

block of the votes is held by the owners of

Kota Apartments, which is part of McDowell

Mountain Ranch and owned by Avenue5

Residential. The proposed changes to the

MMR HOA bylaws actually include other

modifications that focus on updating rules

and policies that have become dated as

state laws have evolved over the last 20 or

so years.

MMR Storage Facility OK’d The Scottsdale City Council approved, by a 7

-0 margin, a zoning change that will help

pave the way for developers wanting to

build the 665-unit McDowell Mountain Com-

munity Storage facility behind the Shell Gas

station. Following letters from nearby resi-

dents opposed to a variance that would al-

low The Bell Group to build the facility closer

to McDowell Mountain Ranch Road than city

ordinance normally allows, the developers

rescinded the request. The City Council deci-

sion stipulates that the building must be set

a minimum of 40 feet from the property line

at McDowell Mountain Ranch Road.

The rezoning also allows The Bell Group to

build the project with a 64% reduction in

parking spaces. The original project plan

called for 39 parking spaces but under the

approved zoning change, the storage facility

will only need 14 spaces.

The 4.72-acre project will be situated on a

6.14-acre parcel, but the Verde Canal is to be

left in its natural state as required under

A map search on Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO.com) reveals many homes and condominiums are

available for short-term rentals in McDowell Mountain Ranch.

Scottsdale code. The city is also imposing

strict rules on how drainage is to be set up

on the property, because part of it captures

rainwater that would otherwise flood the

general area.

Resealing Planned for 6 Areas Six McDowell Mountain Ranch special use

communities will be getting their roads re-

sealed following the Homeowner Associa-

tion’s late April decision to OK a $169,000

contract with Sunland Asphalt & Construc-

tion Company. Because temperatures are

already getting too high for the work, resur-

facing at Sonoran Estates 1 & 2, Trovas,

Desert Cliffs, Mirador and Sonoran Fairways

won’t begin until the fall.

MMR Gets New Pool Furniture If you haven’t been to the pools on 105th

Street or at the Community Center in recent

weeks, you might be in for a surprise the

next time you visit. That’s because the old

pool furniture has been replaced with

much nicer stuff — no more vinyl

strap patterns etched into your skin!

Another big improvement is a much nicer,

less balky gate at the Community Center

pool. But don’t worry, the pool gate at 105th

Street will also be replaced soon.

HOA OKs T-Mobile Upgrade McDowell Mountain Ranch will soon be

getting an updated T-Mobile transmission

tower — aka the chimney that’s not a chim-

ney — atop the McDowell Center. The tow-

The pool furniture at McDowell Mountain Ranch

has been replaced with updated designs.



SPOTLIGHT (CONTINUED)

At left are

six of the

new colors

approved

for McDow-

ell Moun-

tain Ranch

home exte-

riors. Keep

in mind that

the colors

printed here

may not

match actu-

al colors.

It’s best to

get paint

samples

from the

HOA offices

in the

McDowell

Center.

The proposed Ryan Senior Living Facility, which would be located on McDowell Mountain Road

and 99th Street, would be three stories tall under current plans.

A developer wants to build a Ryan Senior

Living facility near McDowell Mountain

Ranch. The facility would be built on 5

vacant acres behind the Shell Gas Station

and the proposed McDowell Mountain

Community Storage facility, according to

an email from Development Consultant

Michael Leary. The exact location would

be the southwest corner of McDowell

Mountain Ranch Road and 99th Place.

Because of our print deadlines, we can’t

report on a planned open house to explain

a required zoning change, so be sure to

Senior Living Facility Near MMR Proposed

er upgrade, which was approved by the

Homeowner’s Association at its March

meeting, will remain well disguised even as

all new equipment will be installed. In fact,

all residents will benefit from the project,

which will be entirely paid for by T-Mobile,

because the HOA negotiated a higher fee

for using the space. No word if the new

equipment will improve reception for resi-

dents who have spotty service, but we re-

main hopeful.

HOA Seeks Lifestyle Director The McDowell Mountain Ranch Homeown-

er’s Association is looking for a new Life-

style Director to replace Debbie Boyle, who

left her job in late April. Position responsibili-

ties include event and social planning as

well as community communications. While

the Community Center is not staffed, it will

remain open for clubs and activities. It’s

possible the position will be filled by the

time you get this newsletter.

New Lighting to Be Installed The MMR HOA approved a $70,000 project

to update the sports lighting to match the

system installed for the new pickleball

courts. Because the new lighting will use

LEDs, the HOA expects to save about 30%

on electricity compared with the old lights.

New House Colors Approved The McDowell Mountain Ranch Homeown-

er’s Association approved a new, 30-color

paint palette for home exteriors at its April

meeting. The colors were chosen by the

HOA to offer residents fresh new options.

While you can always repaint your house

the same colors as they are currently — just

be sure to check with Ranch staff — the

HOA is encouraging residents to use the

new palette.

Although the colors can be viewed on the

Dunn-Edwards Paints website, keep in mind

that what you see there and on the screen-

grab at right may not represent their real-

world appearance. For that reason, the HOA

keeps paint chips that you can check out at

the McDowell Center. By the way, Dunn-

Edwards offers McDowell Mountain Ranch

homeowners a 37% discount on the paint.

Also, if you live on a corner lot with a com-

mon wall that you are required to take care

of, the HOA asks that residents use the

color titled “MMRCA Potato Skin,” which is

available at the Dunn Edwards store located

at 8686 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.

Here is a short link you can use to find the

new colors: bit.ly/2DH6vT9

visit facebook.com/mmrhomes for up-

dates. The project needs the zoning

change approved before it can move for-

ward in the development process.

Because the independent/assisted living

and memory care project would not be a

medical facility, it is not expected to gen-

erate a lot of emergency vehicles or am-

bulances, the email states. This property

falls outside the purview of McDowell

Mountain Ranch’s Homeowner’s Associa-

tion, so the approval process will take

place entirely with the City of Scottsdale.

(Spotlight: Continued from page 1)


LOOKING BACK... Just Five Years Ago*

May 2014 — The completion of WestWorld’s

Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center and the

adjacent North Hall exhibition space allowed

for scheduling of new events and the instal-

lation of a 20-foot horse sculpture. … The DC

Ranch Community Garden opened. … About

350 attended the Pancake Breakfast and 150

attended Wine With Friends. … Former

Mayor Sam Campana was hired to be project

manager of the Desert Discovery Center,

which was voted down in 2018. … Cream

City Café, which is now Café Au Plait,

opened its doors.

Only 10 Years Ago*

May 2009 — Grand Opening Ceremonies

were held for the McDowell Sonoran Pre-

serve Gateway. … The one upside to the

Great Recession was the opportunity to buy

rental property, and it created a solid cash-

flow source. … Long-gone MusiKids, located

in the Desert Canyon Center, was the Busi-

ness of the Month.

About 15 Years Ago*

May 2004 — Funding for the McDowell Son-

oran Preserve Initiative was passed with

strong support from MMR residents. …

About 6,500 fans attended the first McDowell

Mountain Music Festival at WestWorld. …

Helene’s Team launched a major website

upgrade.

Holy, Cow 20 Years Ago*

May 1999 — The Loop 101 Freeway was

completed as far north as 90th Street. … The

Sanctuary Golf Course was planning on a

November opening. … Mortgage rates were

hovering at about 7% and the community

was averaging just eight “re-sales” per

month while new construction sales were

still literally “outta sight.”

*As reported in this newsletter.

PERSPECTIVE (CONTINUED)

The City of Scottsdale had been considering up-

grading the MMR soccer fields, circled in red, to

double as event parking.

city’s executive assistant for strategic pro-

jects, tells us that for the moment there are

“no formal plans to pursue it.”

What Was Originally Proposed? The original bond plan called for using the

MMR soccer fields for volunteers, employees

and vendors who would be supporting events

like the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction and the

golf open. That would have meant 1,800 cars

would have been jamming up tiny 102nd Way

twice a day via Thompson Peak Parkway or

McDowell Mountain Ranch Road. This would

have made traveling into the school and

Aquatic Center a nightmare.

Why Was Idea Even Proposed? The City of Scottsdale has a problem. Much

of the land that it has used for parking lots

during the big winter events were large, va-

cant properties owned by the state. That has

all changed in the past couple of years as the

Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) has

been selling the parcels to raise money for

education. Some of those properties are al-

ready being developed into apartments.

So, the city came up with the idea of building

two sets of multipurpose soccer fields west

of Thompson Peak Parkway that would dou-

ble as parking during the winter events.

We’re fine with that idea, though we do think

the $40 million price tag seems a bit steep.

We should point out that the possibility of the

MMR soccer fields being used is not com-

pletely off the table, but it would not be fund-

ed by the bonds on the Nov. 5th ballot, nor is

it likely the city will pursue the idea. Kroy

explained that such a project is now very low

on the city’s priority list.

What’s Still on the Table? How the $40 million requested for parking

solutions would be used if the bond ballot

was approved is open-ended, but high on the

city’s list is its desire to build multiuse sports

fields west of Thompson Peak Parkway.

Kroy told us that there is a lot of pent-up

demand for additional fields.

Possible locations include an 80-acre city-

owned parcel north of Bell Road on either

side of 94th Street or perhaps purchasing

roughly 5 to 7 acres of ASLD property be-

tween the Shell Gas Station and West-

World. Another possibility would be to pur-

sue land where the Senior Living facility has

been proposed.

The Other Bond Issues The overall bond package is fairly complex.

The Scottsdale City Council voted 7-0 in

April to ask voters to authorize up to $319

million in bonds that will be used for capital

projects around the city. Instead of just one

package, voters will be asked to consider

three separate constellations of projects:

Question 1: 14 parks, recreation and senior

services projects totaling $112.6 million;

Perspective: Continued from page 1)

Scottsdale staff

explain various

projects at an

open house in

early March. The

pictured Reata

Wash Flood Con-

trol Project was

pulled from the

bond election list,

however , be-

cause the city

decided to look

for other ways to

fund it.



PERSPECTIVE (CONTINUED)

WriteThru Media:

10115 E. Bell Road, Suite 107-457

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

We can be reached at

[email protected]

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

Neither articles nor advertisements should be construed as

endorsements of any product, person, company or service.

EDITOR & PUBLISHER

Brett Levy, [email protected]

NEWSLETTER FOUNDERS

Helene & Peter Cass, 1997

WEB POSTSCRIPT

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ble on our website. Visit www.MMRHomes.com, click on the “my

newsletter” selection on the menu bar and scroll down the news-

letter home page. You’ll find PDF files for review.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MMRhomes for the

most timely community information. Much of the information

reported there is posted virtually as it happens.

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to bit.ly/2u5dAcU, then click on link below “Current Edition.”

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[email protected] Printed on Recycled Paper

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UPDATED ADS

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Page 3.

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Meet Our Advertisers

The Scottsdale

City Council

has had diffi-

culty getting

bonds passed

in the past six

years, accord-

ing to the

city’s own

report.

Question 2: 20 community spaces and infra-

structure projects totaling $112.3 million;

Question 3: 24 public safety and technology

projects totaling $94.1 million.

Residents could adopt any combination of

the three bond packages or they could reject

them all.

The biggest projects on Question 1 are the

remaining parking lot solutions for major

events, rebuilding the Cactus pool, as well

as others we’ll discuss in our next edition.

The other two questions on the ballot will

also impact the MMR area.

Question 2: The biggest item that would

impact our neck of the woods is the $6.3

million proposal to build the other half of the

Thompson Peak Parkway Bridge over Reata

Wash in DC Ranch. This question also

would make $10.9 million available for im-

provements to WestWorld, including 94th

Street.

Question 3: Most of these budget items call

for improvements behind the scenes, partic-

ularly for Scottsdale’s City and Police depart-

ments. One project, for example, would

update obsolete 911 equipment. Another

would take pressure off nearby fire stations

by building a new one at Hayden Road and

Loop 101 for $10.4 million.

No Reata Wash Fix for Now One project that was notably removed from

the ballot question was a proposal to spend

$27.3 million to reduce the 100-year flood

risk in the Reata Wash area, which includes

DC Ranch, WestWorld, Windgate Ranch and

the businesses and condos south of Bell

Perspective: Continued from page 22)

Road. Fortunately, The Ranch is not in the

floodplain and is not at risk. The actual pro-

ject would have cost twice the price tag

above, but matching funds would have paid

for the other half of the bill. The city is look-

ing for an alternative way to pay for this pro-

ject. Why? My guess is that putting this

$27.3 million plan on the ballot would risk

the Capital bond vote, because it is ex-

pected to draw a lot of opposition from a

variety of interested parties.

Where do We Go From Here? One of the problems with bond requests is

that the ways money is actually spent can

vary from the original bond wording. In a lot

of ways, this makes sense, because a lot

can change from the time a bond is pro-

posed until it is approved and implemented.

One of the problems is that voters have not

been in the mindset to approve bond pro-

jects since the Great Recession.

If you doubt that, take a look at the city’s

chart at the top of this page. The city has

done a poor job in the recent past of getting

voters to approve projects. This can be prob-

lematic as the city is at least a decade be-

hind on needed projects.

If residents do approve the bonds, it’s im-

perative that they monitor and offer input

on the individual projects as they work their

way through the city approval process. It

puts the onus on the Scottsdale residents,

but it’s the only way citizens can ensure that

the right projects get built for the right price.

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