TheTucsonFoothills

what do you get for $700,000 in the Tucson Foothills

Well it depends on what you want, on the location, the lot, the views and the condition, style and amenities of the house. And more. But what you always get are choices.

A recent sale in Pinnacle Ridge went for exactly $700,00, $157/sf, for a 2001 built 4,446 sf house on just under half an acre. With a pool/spa, 4 Bedrooms/3.5 Baths and a 4 car garage.

It was listed by CNN Realty Services, LLC.

Just a couple of miles southeast of Pinnacle, 5230 N Salida Del Sol Drive sold recently for $681,500, $209/sf, for a 1998 built, 3268 sf house on 1.56 acres. With a pool, 3 Bedrooms/2.5 Baths and a 3 car garage.

Listed by Long Realty

And almost dead-center between the two, in Skyline CC, 7077 N Mission Hill Lane sold for $705,000, $160/sf, for a 1981 built, 4413 sf house on 5.88 acres. With a pool/spa, 4 Bedroom/3 Baths and a 3 car garage – smack dab at the top of Skyline CC and rubbing elbows with the Coronado National Forest.  

Listed by Long Realty

There are many ways to spend $700,000 in the foothills. Choose carefully, and choose well.

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Foothills home

is it finally, actually, really, honestly, truly, no kidding, time to buy a house, is it

Over at SmartMoney.com , WSJ.com & Forbes they seem to think so,

SmartMoney By Quentin Fottrell
Time for Home Buyers to Go Long
Though real estate prices are barely budging, experts say this may be a good time to buy a house. But only for those willing to stay put.

WSJ.com By JACK HOUGH
It's Time to Buy That House

U.S. house prices have plunged by nearly a third since 2006, and homeownership rates are falling at the fastest pace since the Great Depression.

The good news? Two key measures now suggest it's an excellent time to buy a house, either to live in for the long term or for investment income (but not for a quick flip).

Forbes.com By John E. Girouard
Buy That Dream House Now Or Wait Until Prices Fall Further?
Is it time to buy that house we always wanted, or should we wait until prices fall further?

As a financial planner, I’m often asked that question and it frustrates me to hear otherwise rational people talking about home ownership the way a speculator might talk about the price of gold. Nobody needs gold, but everyone needs a place to live.

 What do you think,

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

Campbell Cliffs

Designed by renowned architect Les Wallach of Line and Space and completed in 2004 after seven years in development,

Campbell Cliffs is a magnificent 25,000 sf home on 20 acres of lush high Sonoran desert adjacent to the Coronado National Forest in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson Arizona.

Some of its key features,

with 7 Bedrooms

7 Baths + 4 half Baths,
 

6 Car garage, 2 elevators, pool, staff quarters,

 

spa, weight room/aerobics room, steam room, sauna, tennis court,

 

gun/archery range, wine cellar, entertainment center,

 

hobby room, workshop, basketball court, as featured in Integrated Practice in Architecture , The New 100 Houses x 100 Architects , 21st Century House , Contemporary Villas
and many more publications dedicated to design and architecture.

Campbell Cliffs is offered at $15,900,000.
See it all -

The listing,
7474 N Catalina Ridge Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty) 

The web site,
Campbell Cliffs.com

And now The movie,

 

I had a leisurely tour of Campbell Cliffs last week and it is simply an amazing home in a magical setting. It goes way beyond what can be conveyed in words and pictures. And the price, I don’t believe it could be put together and built today for twice its offered price.

Please contact me for further information regarding Campbell Cliffs
John Schneider
johnschneiders@gmail.com
520 271-4164

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

back soon

Hi, I'm out of town for a few days and will return early next week. JS

right now in the Tucson Foothills there are 9 homes in contract listed at a $$$million+

and 5 of them are in Pima Canyon.
Why is that, why so many in PC and so few, or none at all, in all the other luxury gated communities in the Foothills.  (the other 4 in contract are in; 1 in Cat 10, 1 at the Summit, 1 in Finisterra and 1 in the Canyons)

Two years ago - when it looked as if the worst of the economic collapse was behind us and Pima Canyon sales were also beating the pants off every other Foothills community,  I asked the same question, Why Pima Canyon, and tried to answer it.  see > Why Pima Canyon < and if anything, I think it’s even more true today.

and looking back to the early days of PC > Pima Canyon gave Tucson a boost

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

mountain lion encounter

I received the following email from a trusted resident of the old foothills area;

There was a mountain lion encounter off of Calle Del Cielo and Calle La Cima.
A small dog was attacked. Please take all precautions when letting small pets and children outside. Do not leave them unattended. If walking, either pick them up or keep them close as possible. Make loud noises, make yourself look big and move slowly towards a safe area.

UPDATE – FALSE ALARM,  ADDITIONAL SIGHTINGS NOW INDICATE THAT THE MOUNTAIN LION IS ACTUALLY A BOBCAT.

A RARELY SEEN MID CENTURY MODERN

just listed at 4820 E Salida Del Sol Place,
$995,000($220/sf)/4513 sf/1.83 acres/4 Beds-4 Baths/2 Car

See it here> 4820 E Salida Del Sol Place Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

yet another scam to watch out for

The following email, warning of this latest scam, comes courtesy of a Shadow Hills resident;

We received an unusual message on our answering machine yesterday from "Michael Turner from UPS delivery".  He said that UPS had a package to deliver to us, but we needed to call an 800 number and provide some information to UPS before it could be delivered.  When my husband called the number (1-876-429-4727) Turner was insistent he provide him with ID before they would deliver the package.  Naturally, he did not get any ID information.  Instead we called the sheriff's office who confirmed that this is a scam.  A call to the 800 number, which is in Jamaica, results in all kinds of charges on your phone bill.  Our phone company agreed to remove the charges.

The rest of the story...this morning Michael Turner called again my husband hung up on him.  He immediately called again and when I answered he insisted he had to talk to my husband, that there was a package to deliver, blah, blah blah.  I told him the call was a scam and that we would call the police and hung up.  He immediately called a third time and angrily said he had to talk to my husband.  I told him we had called the police and hung up.  He has not called again.

After the fact, I googled the phone number and found that it is from Jamaica.  I will remember to do that in the future for suspicious numbers.

So beware of "Michael Turner from UPS delivery".

a little bobcat nap between showings

this guy was snoring away on the window sill of a house in Pima Canyon I was showing

 

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

still looking for a few good Joeslers

A couple of weeks ago I posted an announcement about the Arizona Opera
League’s 2012 Home Tour >  looking for a few good Joeslers

Well, the truth is, we’re still looking. So if you meant to respond, but didn’t get around to it, here’s the information again to help you get started. Thank you

__________________________________________________________________

Announcing the Arizona Opera League’s 38th Annual Home Tour 
                              Featuring Historic Homes of Josias Joesler

The state of Arizona is celebrating its centennial year in 2012 and in celebration
The Opera League will be offering the historic homes of Josias Joesler on this year’s tour.
Featuring four homes on each Saturday.

Dates: Saturday, March 17, 2012
             Saturday, March 24, 2012
_________________________________________________________________

So we’re looking for Joesler owners who would like to participate.
And while March may seem like a long way off, there’s much to be done before then.
Tucson Lifestyle covers the event in the March edition with an article and beautiful photographs of the featured homes. And given the lead time required, the homes must be selected by October in order to be photographed in November, in preparation for the March edition. So there’s not a moment to waste.

If you own a Joesler and would like to participate, and please do,

Please contact;
John Schneider- johnschneiders@gmail.com/520 271-4164
or
Vikie Hariton- Chair Home Tour – vhariton@earthlink.net
or
Jean Cooper- President Arizona Opera League – jeansaralee@msn.com

Having done this many times before, the AZ Opera League is very accomplished at producing this event. They are professionals, and if you participate, you and your property will be treated with the utmost respect, care and consideration. It will also be a lot of fun.
_________________________________________________________________

Along with the tour and magazine coverage there will be a cocktail get together and dinner along with a silent auction at one of the Joesler homes.

A brochure listing the homes, sponsors and general information is sent to about 3000 homes.

Posters are placed in businesses throughout Tucson

The Arizona Daily Star will run an article in the  Home Section the weekend before

And more,

We  look forward to your participation. Thank you.
The Arizona Opera League of Tucson

www.azopera.org

(almost) half off

Up in Skyline Country Club 4910 E Oakmont Drive, an early David Tyson design,
sold for $750,000 in 05 and is now available  for $399,000. And with some haggling, who knows, you may get it for half off. And apparently it’s not a short sale or a foreclosure – someone is just biting the bullet, and biting hard.

(this shot, as well as the one below, is from the 2005 listing)

and here’s the current listing, with the current pictures, enjoy.
4910 E Oakmont Drive , Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

update; OOPS! it’s already in contract

thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

idle hands …

since there’s nothing much happening in real estate, and I’ve been spending more time on the internet than I am working, here are a few articles I came across that you may enjoy,

Why Software Is Eating The World
Six decades into the computer revolution, four decades since the invention of the microprocessor, and two decades into the rise of the modern Internet, all of the technology required to transform industries through software finally works and can be widely delivered at global scale.

Forget the Market. Buy a House
With the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 400 points today, and many market experts predicting more volatility ahead, some advisers are recommending their clients put some of their cash to another use: To buy that house or summer home at the shore.

Linkage in Income, Home Prices Shifts
Home prices in some of the nation's hardest-hit metro areas have fallen far below pre-bubble levels, stirring concerns that properties in those markets are undervalued.

In a recent analysis, real-estate firm Zillow Inc. studied the correlation between home prices and annual incomes over the 15-year period that ended in 2000, before home prices began to surge.

Merrill Lynch Wants To Foreclose On Burt Reynolds' $9 Million Florida Home
Sad news for Burt Reynolds: the legendary actor is facing a foreclosure action on his Florida home after failing to make mortgage payments for more than a year, according to the Telegraph

American Idiots: How Washington is destroying the economy
The root of our current problem is that there are no grownups in positions of serious power in Washington. I've never felt this way before -- and I've written business stories for more than 40 years, and about national finances for more than 20.

Woman Loses Long Foreclosure Fight
Patsy Campbell, a Florida woman who had drawn out the battle to save her house from foreclosure for more than 25 years, has finally lost her home.

Banks Ease Stance on Short Sales
These days it is even starting to dawn on long-reluctant banks that there is value in short sales, which promise higher returns than foreclosures (not to mention the benefit of keeping a house from abandonment).

Wealthy Chinese Buyers Are Snapping Up Luxury Apartments In Manhattan
Much like Americans look to China for the toys in their Happy Meals, Chinese businesspeople are looking more and more to the U.S., and specifically New York, for their luxury real estate purchases, according to The New York Times.

This Guy Is Making Tons Of Money Selling New York City Trash

Cubes! Get yer garbage cubes here! Filled with 100% authentic New York City rubbish, freshly picked from the streets.

thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

looking for a few good Joeslers

                      Announcing the Arizona Opera League’s 38th Annual Home Tour 
                              Featuring Historic Homes of Josias Joesler

The state of Arizona is celebrating its centennial year in 2012 and in celebration
The Opera League will be offering the historic homes of Josias Joesler on this year’s tour. Featuring four homes on each Saturday.

Dates: Saturday, March 17, 2012
            Saturday, March 24, 2012
_________________________________________________________________

So we’re looking for Joesler owners who would like to participate.
And while March may seem like a long way off, there’s much to be done before then. Tucson Lifestyle covers the event in the March edition with an article and beautiful photographs of the featured homes. And given the lead time required, the homes must be selected by October in order to be photographed in November, in preparation for the March edition. So there’s not a moment to waste.

If you own a Joesler and would like to participate,

Please contact;
John Schneider- johnschneiders@gmail.com/520 271-4164
Vikie Hariton- Chair Home Tour – vhariton@earthlink.net
Jean Cooper- President Arizona Opera League – jeansaralee@msn.com

Having done this 37 times before, the Opera League is very accomplished at producing this event. They are professionals, and if you participate, you and your property will be treated with the utmost respect, care and consideration.
It will also be a lot of fun.
_________________________________________________________________

Along with the tour and magazine coverage there will be a cocktail get together and dinner along with a silent auction at one of the Joesler homes.

A brochure listing the homes, sponsors and general information is sent to about 3000 homes.

Posters are placed in businesses throughout Tucson

The Arizona Daily Star will run an article in the  Home Section the weekend before

And more,

We  look forward to your participation. Thank you.
The Arizona Opera League of Tucson

www.azopera.org

keeping it cool

If you live in Tucson you have to have a really good AC guy. It’s a must. I’ve been through four or five different heating/air conditioning companies in the ten years I’ve been here and I was never satisfied with any of them - if it wasn’t one thing it was another.  Finding someone you can depend on to show up on schedule, to do good work and to not rip you off by overcharging or fixing things that aren’t broken is apparently, based on my experience anyway, a pretty tall order.

But I finally found someone. Last year a builder I know recommended Marcos Air.
He said he’d been using them for years for new installations as well as for repairs and maintenance, and he heartily recommended them. And now I’ve been using Marcos for about 18 months and they’ve been terrific. And the other day they installed a new 16 seer AC/furnace system for me. And they did a great job, and they did it on time, on schedule and at a price that was way below the competition. And best of all they really care about doing a great job for their customers.
And I heartily recommend them.

Marcos Air- 520 889-2407

thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

not even Joesler can escape the grim realities of the market

A 1950 built Joesler at 4320 N Alvernon Way is now down to $1,000,000 ($236/sf)

That’s after starting out in December 08 at $1,495,000 and being on and off the market, but mostly on, ever since. The last line in the listing agents description says it all-  ‘More character than words can describe’

4320 N Alvernon Way Tucson, AZ 85718 (4223 sf on 3.36 acres)
(listed by Long Realty) 

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

is this the rainiest monsoon ever, or what

 

monsoon season

Yesterday’s big storm blew out the electricity to a lot of homes all over Tucson.
I had a home inspection scheduled for this morning at a house in the foothills and it was one of the victims of the storm. No electric.

And as I driving over there I was thinking, who knows, maybe TEP’ll get the electric up and running in time. But then as I got closer I saw an electric pole that had been fried from what looked like a direct hit from lightning. And the crews were there working on it but I didn’t hold out much hope.

But about two hours later the electricity came back on and we were able to get it all done. And now as I look out the window it looks like another storm is headed our way.

improve your odds

there’s a new listing at 2290 E Placita Sin Muerte – (street without death)
(listed by Keller Williams Southern Ariz)

looks like a helluva good fixer upper

6954 N Gleneagles Place in Skyline CC sold today for $520,000 ($144/sf) off a $595,000 list price. That’s for 3611 sf, single story – no steps, burnt adobe construction on 1 acre high up in Skyline- good bones/terrific location/needs updating -  with drop dead views

6954 N Gleneagles Place Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

Foothills' Gallery Row faces foreclosure

From the Arizona Star
By Dale Quinn 

Gallery Row, a prominent Tucson shopping center that features arts, crafts and a locally owned restaurant, is facing foreclosure.

Borrower Gallery Row LP, which owns the property on East Skyline Drive near North Campbell Avenue, received notice that it was delinquent on a $5.9 million loan recorded in September 2006.

An auction has been scheduled for Aug. 18 at the Pima County Courthouse, 110 W. Congress St., according to documents filed with the Pima County Recorder's Office.

Read all about it > Foothills' Gallery Row faces foreclosure

(DEAN KNUTH / ARIZONA DAILY STAR)

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

a classic burnt adobe goes to contract

Up in Cat 9 - 6856 N Solaz Cuarto, on the market since October and listed at $899,000 ($252/sf) went to contract today.

It was purchased in 2004 for $679,000 and remodeled throughout, including a pretty spectacular new high end kitchen.

 

I have no idea what it went for, but if you’re looking for a beautifully updated classic burnt adobe, well located and with views, they are few and far between. So they don’t come cheap.

6856 N Solaz Cuarto Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by long Realty)

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Tucson Foothills home

the changing face of Camino Escuela

Built in 2006 as a spec home, 4907 N Camino Escuela sold for $1,371,150 in 06, then for $1,250,000 in 2008 and it was listed yesterday for $1,149,000.

That’s it under construction with the new black roof,

The street, Camino Escuela, is home to some of the oldest estates, some of them Joesler estates, in the foothills. And many of them are, or were, on larger tracts of land-  5, 10 and more acres. Cmo Escuela is also one of the few remaining dirt roads in the Foothills. The long time residents like it that way, original old foothills style, and it keeps the looky lous away.

And even though this home is on more than an acre, it was built to be pretty cozy with its three neighbors, going so far as sharing a common driveway.  
And had the real estate market not crapped out I’m sure that more homes would have been built up along Escuela.

4907 N Camino Escuela Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

looking for a recommendation

I wonder if anyone has a recommendation for a company that does state of the art electronic home automation, including audio/video & home theatre

I appreciate it, thank you
JS

uh oh

From the Arizona Daily Star;

The Catalina Foothills, an area synonymous with growth and prestige for the past 70 years, is losing residents.

It was one of just three Pima County communities to show population declines in the 2010 census, along with the southeast-side neighborhood of Littletown and the old mining town of Ajo.

The Foothills, where household income approaches twice the norm in Pima County, lost nearly 3,000 people from 2010 to a population of 50,796, U.S. census figures show. It is the first time since the area was developed in the 1930s that it lost population, said David Taylor, a retired planner and longtime demographer who happens to live in the Foothills.

For as long as anyone can remember, the Foothills has been considered one of the most desirable places in Pima County to live. The average sales price for a home there runs about $375,000 today.

First developed in the 1930s by pioneer developer John Murphey, the Foothills has long proven attractive in part simply because it lies literally in the shadow of the Catalina Mountains, right next to the Coronado National Forest. It's also drawn many people because of its own rolling hills and ridges and because of the many large-lot subdivisions, particularly in older areas, that left plenty of natural open space.

Will Pew, a lifelong Foothills resident and president of a neighborhood association there, said he wasn't troubled at the reported population decline in the Catalina Foothills.

"Having grown up here, I don't necessarily think more people is a good thing. In the past, it felt like there was more wide open space here, and I'm not against people moving in, but it has not necessarily improved the quality of life here," said Pew, who is president of the Catalina Foothills Association, which was founded in 1956 to represent an area that was developed by pioneer builder Murphey.

____________________________________________________________________

I’m a former city kid – I grew up in NYC, lived in LA for a while and for 20+ years in Chicago – and have only been in the Foothills for 10 years now and, despite being a Realtor, I’m with Will Pew on this one. From what I’ve seen I also don’t think more people has necessarily improved the quality of life here in the Foothills. Amongst other things it has of course led to more development, and a fair amount of that development has changed the character of the old Foothills, and not for the better. With homes squeezed in on marginal lots, often by the side of the road, and has led to the breakup and subsequent over-development of many of the original Joesler estates. The 5 and 10 acre estates that lent breathing room to the old foothills. And gave it the feeling of openness, space, character and charm that Joesler and Murphey had the foresight to create.

On a more positive note I am very appreciative, and I think many residents are, that retail development in the Foothills has not been allowed to run rampant. And has been largely limited to the corners of Kolb & Sunrise, Swan & Sunrise, Campbell & Skyline and Campbell & River.

But read all about it> Foothills area sees 1st drop in population

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Foothills home

the best laid plans

5527 N Camino Real was designed and built by renowned architect David Tyson to be his own home in the foothills. But it didn’t work out that way. Instead, it ended up going to foreclosure along with two adjacent spec homes he built in 2007 along the north end of Camino Real. And very sadly, it was also his last hurrah. David Tyson died in October 2008 while all three homes, his last three, were still for sale and slipping into mr lenders grubby hands.  

Meanwhile 5527 ended up selling as foreclosure in June 09 for the bargain price of $895,000. And if you’re a Tyson fan, or just looking for something more stylish & contemporary than your average southwestern,  you’re in luck. Because 5527 is now for sale again, this time for $935,000 ($198/sf) - as a result of a corporate relocation, I’m told.

5527 N Camino Real Tucson, AZ 85718

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Foothills home

Pinnacle Ridge is waking up

A few weeks ago I mentioned that 4 optimistic home owners had recently listed their homes for sale in Pinnacle Ridge – bringing the total to 6 for sale. And they’d done so despite the fact that there were no homes in contract at the time and that it had been almost 5 months since the last sale. (more to choose from or more competition)

But since then two homes have gone to contract and 3 more have been listed.
So there are 7 for sale  - 2 in contract – and 3 sales in the last 6

Pinnacle Ridge today

Before the bust Pinnacle Ridge was wildly popular, and for good reason.
Great foothills location, great foothills location, gated, family friendly, all newer homes built since 2001, and did I mention great foothills location. And at a price, until things got out of hand, that many upper middle class families could handle.
And that’s all still true today, and so I don’t doubt that Pinnacle Ridge will soon be wildly popular again.

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Foothills home

conveniently located on Craycroft Rd

If you head north on Craycroft from Sunrise, on the east side of the street just north of Cimarron there’s that stretch of road where those mini cul-de-sacs were developed a few years ago. You know the ones I mean, they’re just below Pinchot Rd - see the map below where I’ve marked them off in red with yellow arrows at each cul-de-sac.

I’ve passed there countless times during and after the development and wondered ‘what could they possibly be doing’. I couldn’t believe that that land, that fronts directly onto Craycroft, was being developed as residential building sites. No way, couldn’t be. Well yes, could be and is. That is exactly what’s been done - 10 or 11 building lots fronting Craycroft Rd.

This plan must have been hatched during the boom and then put on hold during the bust. But when the dust settles and builders start swinging their hammers again, are we going to see houses sprouting up along that strip of Craycroft.

I’d have thought builders and investors, having lost their shirts on houses they built by the side of the road, had learned their lesson. But maybe not. Over the last few years I’ve written often about the homes, usually specs, that were built by the side of the road  – I call them road kill – and how absolutely miserably they fared in the marketplace. No one wanted them. Why, because people don’t want to live by the side of a busy road. duh (for more of my posts re; road kill, plug road kill into the search box on the upper right)

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Foothills home

let it snow

No surprise, but Lowes, Ace & Home Depot were sold out of pipe insulation by the time I got there. So I used some of those floaty pool tubes that I had laying around.
Works just as well. I hope.

I got off easy just having to wait til about 1 o’clock to get my water back. And with no burst pipes. Others weren’t so lucky.

do you have water this morning, I don’t

Statement issued from Tucson Water on outages

TUCSON - Tucson Water has issued a statement about overnight water outages.
Overnight temperatures are affecting water service throughout the Tucson Water service area. According to Fernando Molina, Public Information Officer for Tucson Water, the extreme cold has caused electronic control instrumentation at various reservoir and booster sites to malfunction, automatically shutting down pumps. Over 1000 businesses and residences have been impacted throughout the early morning hours, as work crews are being sent out to reset electronic control systems to re-establish water service to affected areas. Areas affected as of 4:30 a.m. include Corona de Tucson, Diamond Bell Ranch.

Molina stated that the outages have kept crews busy all night, but so far none of the incidents have been the result of frozen water pipes at any Tucson Water facilities. While freezing temperatures have not frozen any Tucson Water pipes, it is possible that home plumbing may be affected by frozen or burst water lines. Customers can call 791-4133 to report water outages. However, this emergency phone number will not be fully staffed until 6:00 a.m. when regular shift employees arrive at work.”
_____________________________________________________________________

I’m in the old foothills and my water is out. How about you?

___________________________________________________________________

UPDATE;
Both the Long Realty office at Sunrise & Hacienda del Sol and the 900 E River Rd office are without water.

the way it used to be in the Tucson Foothills

About two weeks ago I listed a very special and unique property here in the foothills. Now I know you hear that all the time, special and unique, yeah sure, but this one really is. It’s a 1941 Joesler that sits on 14.7 acres in the old Tucson foothills.

The Joesler is a 2600 sf burnt adobe that’s in vintage 1941 condition, with a very nice walled in yard and pool, and 14.7 acres of beautiful, untouched natural desert.  And thanks to a conservation easement written into the deed, none of those 14.7 acres can be split or developed. Ever.

And from 1941 to today it's been just a two owner home. The first owners had it built by Joesler in 41 and used it as a vacation home until they sold it in 1951 to the family that still owns it.

 

As you might guess, when I took the listing I was concerned about finding that very special buyer who would not only appreciate this property for what it is, but also be willing to maintain it as it is, with no hope of ever profiting from it by developing or splitting the land.

But, and this is really a coincidence, at the same time I was also working with a couple from Europe who were looking for a Joesler here in the foothills. But this one is smaller than what they wanted, and aside from whether or not the house and setting would work for them, with the tight restrictions imposed by the easement, it was easy to imagine that they might take a pass.

But after talking to them about it and putting up a bunch of pictures and aerial maps, etc., one of them flew in to spend the day with me. And we walked the land and examined the house pretty carefully and also scrutinized the easement and everything else I could get my hands on that had to do with the property.  And after a lot of looking and weighing and talking, we wrote an offer. And the offer was accepted.

So happily for all, this little corner of the foothills will continue to be the way it used to be, thanks to the people who truly appreciate it for what it is.

see thefoothillsToday.com
to find your Foothills home

pitch in on a Tucson Foothills issue

I may be a little late with this, and I apologize for that, but I’ve been crazy busy,

From Will Pew,
District 16 resident and parent
President - Catalina Foothills Association
www.CatalinaFoothillsAssociation.org

Dear neighbor,

Please go to http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cfsdbus/ and sign the petition asking the CFSD school board to remove the maintenance facility from the proposed new bus bus depot and to address ingress/egress in a manner which is not dependent upon an easement from the Junior League. 

Nowhere in the 2009 bond which voters approved for improvements to the bus facility was a maintenance facility mentioned.  This use is inconsistent with the surrounding properties and does not conform to Pima County Zoning or Pima County's Comprehensive Plan.  If it were any entity other than a school district this use would not be allowed at that site.  It is without question that the drivers deserve more adequate facilities and that is what we, the voters, approved. 

Please take one or two minutes to sign the petition and, as important, forward it to your friends and neighbors (especially those living in district 16) asking them to sign the petition as well (district 16 runs all the way to Sabino Canyon, and is north of River Rd.).  Please note that the website we used to host this petition will ask for a donation after you sign it, your signature will count whether you donate or not, feel free to x-out after signing. 

I sincerely appreciate your time and support.  The school board will be discussing this tomorrow evening (December 14th) at 6:30 pm at CFSD High School.

Thank you!

Will Pew

a recommendation

I first saw Luis Alvarado’s cabinetry work in a home that was for sale in Skyline Country Club – much of the house had been renovated and, though I didn’t know him at the time, Luis had done all the cabinetry work. He built new cabinets for the kitchen,  baths, the master bedroom closet, the laundry room and the bookcases too. I remember being very impressed with the beautiful high quality of his cabinetry. 
(the house sold this summer for $1,175,000) Here’s a link to the listing with more pictures -
6640 N Los Leones Drive

And then, coincidentally, I met Luis recently and saw more of his great work and also found him to be a terrific guy. Someone who takes pride in his work and is dedicated to doing a great job for his customers. So I want to recommend him to you, my readers.

From his web site  www.alvaradocabinetry.com

Alvarado Cabinetry is a small shop specializing in custom high-end woodworking. Our area of expertise includes kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, entertainment centers, bookcases, closets, wall beds, custom furniture, fireplace mantels and interior doors.

Luis Alvarado Alvarado Cabinetry, Inc. 1027 S. Tyndall Ave Tucson, AZ 85719 License# ROC188393 Bonded & Insured

Tel: (520) 623-2211 Fax: (520) 623-9920 email: luis@alvaradocabinetry.com

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coming full circle

5535 N Calle La Cima, one the early spec homes in the old foothills that was built on land split off from an older estate, is back in play.

La Cima, listed for sale in 2007 for $1,500,000 – eventually sold in October 08 for $783,500 as a short sale – is back on the market today for $1,050,000. (Listed by Long Realty)

You can’t miss it, it’s a two story in a one story neighborhood.

It’s in the original Catalina Foothills estates, where the CC&R’s have expired, allowing for lot splits and two story homes and who knows what else. From its beginning in the 1930’s, and until just a few years ago, this was an area where the homes were designed and built to blend in and live in harmony with the desert.

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Lightning strikes

a reader was kind enough to send me these amazing shots of the Sunday night storm and allow me to post them. This is what it looked 
like from La Paloma Dr, location, location.

is this what they mean by earthshaking

this is the one that fried my internet service, I just know it,

badda boom

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here kitty kitty

thanks to a reader of this blog for a few shots of a recent visitor to his house,

for you New Yorkers, that there’s a bobcat.

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rub-a-dub-dub

a king snake in the tub

 

This guy was bathing in my fountain this morning, and he could care less that I stood there watching him. No modesty, those king snakes.

And I also find that king snakes, which are harmless, are quite friendly. They’ll come slithering along and as long as you don’t bother them they’ll just go on about their business.

And they’re clean too.

a cozy fit

6174 E Avenida De Chaparron was withdrawn today. De Chaparron is in Alta Vista and was first listed in 08 for $1,595,000 and left the market today at $1,085,000, with no sale. (listed by
Keller Williams Southern Arizo 478306)

And it’s a big house built in 2005. 5277 sf, and with covered patios and a driveway and garages, it probably comes to 10,000 sf, easy. Then there’s a pool, a spa and some grass. So, what, 12,000sf.
Have a look,

Roomy, spacious and comfortable inside and out. Wouldn’t you say. But De Chaparron sits on a lot that is about 1/3 of an acre or about 15,000 sf – which makes for a very cozy fit. 
 

In the boom years this little corner of Alta Vista (28 lots) must have been re-zoned to permit single family homes on these much smaller lots. And when I saw the spec homes going up, I thought someone had lost their marbles, no way. They’ll never sell, I thought. But they did. And they sold like crazy. But that was then and this in now.

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in full bloom

For you non-desert rats, those stalks are the blooms of the agave plants which bloom just once in a lifetime, and then they die. 

They’ve been in full bloom for a few weeks now in front of Antigua de Mexico, about 2 dozen full-grown agaves that will soon have to be replaced. 

Antigua de Mexico is going strong though. And if you haven’t been, it’s one of the best stores around for Colonial furniture from Mexico and Latin America and much more. Stop by. http://www.antiguademexico.us/

an uneventful day for tucson foothills real estate

a few new listings, from $179,000 to $325,000, not much there to get excited about
one contract on a $455,000 Shadow Hills house
and another one in Shadow Hills expired at $449,000
so 2 down for Shadow Hills,
five unremarkable price cuts on houses from $285,000 to $745,000
two homes sold, one at $155,000, the other at $640,000. ho-hum

which leads me to believe that it may have been a ho-hum weekend. I know it was for me. realestate-wise anyway

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in La Paloma

Contracts for lower to lower-mid priced homes in La Paloma are moving along very nicely. Since April 1st 6 homes, priced $275,000 to $674,000, have gone to contract in La P.

And since Jan 1st, 14 homes have sold – $265,000 to $700,000 -then 1 at $1,100,000. And interesting, all 14 sold in March and April, with not 1 single sale in Jan or Feb.

And there were no sales in the estates section of La Paloma –
where there are 4 for sale priced $810,000 to $2,495,000 – and where just 2 homes sold in 2009. But one was a biggie at $3,250,000.

Many of the homes that have gone to contract and sold in La Paloma are destined to be 2nd or 3rd homes. Vacation homes. So it’s nice to see that someone still has the bucks for a substantial discretionary purchase.

Shopping for a home in La Paloma, click> La Paloma and see them all.
There are currently 32 for sale, $250,000 - $2,495,000.

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a price cut you can sink your teeth into

The owners of 4525 N Hacienda Del Sol Rd, listed just 9 days ago for $885,000, today dropped the price to $698,000, shedding $187 thou in one swing. (Listed by Long Realty)

This is a 1960 built house on a 4+ acre hilltop lot off Hacienda del Sol.

3085 sf/4 Beds/2.5 Baths/masonry built/mission tile roof/north–south orientation/pool/ + horse facilities/and did I mention 4+ acres/

and views too

more info, more pictures > 4525 N Hacienda Del Sol Rd

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VIEWS! VIEWS! VIEWS!

if you got ‘em flaunt ‘em.

Panoramic mountain & city views from every window & the two patios/ boasting the finest city and mountain views that Tucson has to offer/Incredible vistas all the way to Mexico! Sunsets, MTN & City lights views from this fabulous …/w/amazing views encompassing all the sparkling city lights and the mountains/… unobstructed 180 degree ''See to Mexico'' views/Dazzling views of Ventana Canyon rock outcroppings greet you …/… w/ superlative city & mountain views/
… high above the city w/SEE FOREVER VIEWS

We know all about views here in the Tucson Foothills. They can make or break a sale and add immensely to the value of property.

And according to an article on WSJ.com the first priority of wealthy 2nd home and vacation home buyers is the view.
… the fact that “view” ranked above climate, reputation, price and size for vacation homes bears considering. What the wealthy want from a vacation home is to get away from it all. A giant window overlooking the waves or sunset or white-capped mountain tops can help wipe away a lot of stress.

Read all about it>
Rich Just Want a Room (or 20) with a View

By the way, in my experience, everyone wants a view, not just the wealthy.

(if you’re unable to read the entire article on WSJ from this link, that is, you get a ‘must subscribe’ message' - just Google the title – Rich Just Want … and the link from Google will enable you to read the entire article)

ever get that sudden urge to visit an open house

Me neither. But if you do, just cruise down Campbell from Skyline and you’re sure to find a welcoming open house at Camino Miraval just east of Campbell. 
It’s open almost everyday of the week and has been for longer than I can remember. It is now, awaiting certification, a Campbell Ave landmark.

Homes in the most pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods generally command higher prices than those elsewhere, a study finds.

From NYTimes.com

REAL estate agents often chant the mantra “location, location, location,” which essentially means “find a home in a well-kept neighborhood with good schools and a low crime rate.”

Some may cite a fourth factor, “walkability,” a concept supported by self-styled “new urbanists” who advocate denser cities designed for the pedestrian and mass transit as much as for the car. In their ideal neighborhood, you could walk to a bookstore and then to an ice cream shop, and your children could walk to school, probably unescorted. (It sounds like so many movie depictions of America in the 1950s.)

Pedestrian-friendly generally does not apply here in the Foothills – just about everyone has to drive at least a little to get just about anywhere.

But, and I’ve made this point before, I believe that for us, proximity to shops, services, restaurants, galleries, etc, in an area where we can leisurely stroll around, is the best we can hope for and our equivalent of “walkability”. And the successful development of the 4 corners at Campbell & Skyline, anchored by La Encantada offers, by far, the largest & most diverse selection of shopping, dining and walkability in the Foothills. And because of it, the desirability & popularity of this side of the Foothills, and homes on this side of the Foothills, has grown.

And if you don’t buy that, at least read the article, it, I promise, is interesting,

Street Corners vs. Cul de Sacs

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and now this

Recession Cuts Migration to Sun Belt, New Figures Show

From The New York Times

MIAMI — The Sun Belt states that grew like fertilized weeds during the real estate boom are now experiencing sharp declines in population growth, the Census Bureau said Wednesday.

But in yet another sign of the recession’s power to reshape established demographic trends, the new figures show that as of July, growth has slowed to a trickle in Arizona, while in Florida, Nevada and California, more Americans moved out than in.

Arizona dropped to eighth in overall growth rate, from first three years ago.
___________________________________________________________

It’s no secret that much of the Foothills home market - high, low and middle end – has become dependent on a steady stream of
well-heeled retirement and second home buyers. But if we build it and they don’t come, what’s Plan B.

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getting back to where it needs to be

On the market for 2+ years and listed for $1,075,000, $995,000 and $799,000, 6347 N Pinnacle Ridge Dr failed to sell.

Then it stumbled into foreclosure and was listed for $690,000 on 11/02/09, and went to contract on 11/17/09 and closed escrow on 12/08/09 for $635,000 ($179/sf). A quick cash sale and a very good deal for the buyer. 

6347 N Pinnacle Ridge Dr is in the Pinnacle Ridge subdivision, aka Paloma Canyon, where there are 4 other homes for sale – priced from $675,000 ($235/sf) to $895,950 ($253/sf) – and 3 of the 4 have been on the market for nearly a year or more. And 3 of the 4 have been reduced- reduced-reduced, but still no sale.

In the last 6 months just one other home has sold and it went for $850,000 ($240/sf), reduced, over time, from $1,075,000 ($304/sf).

Back in the day, when credit was free and easy, homes in Pinnacle Ridge sold like hot dogs at a ball game. And prices skyrocketed.

Because Pinnacle Ridge has a lot going for it. A super convenient central foothills location, it’s a newer gated community built in 2001 to 2004 or so with nicely built AF Sterling homes, district 16 schools and one of those rare places in the foothills where kids are out riding bikes and playing at the end of cul-de-sacs. It’s very popular with families with school age kids. Or it was anyway, until prices rose to the point where young families, the core market, were priced out. And now, when you have to actually qualify for a loan, forget about it.

But this sale, at $635,000 $179/sf, is going to put a big dent in the comps in Pinnacle Ridge and may help pave the way to a return to more affordable prices.  PS- this house last sold in July 2002 for $640,000.

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turkey day

We had dinner at our friends Lillian and Volker’s - and a great time and a wonderful meal was had by all.

That’s Volker wielding the knife, which he does almost as well as he does selecting and pouring the vino.

But they’ve got a leg up because they own Roma Imports,
"Tucson's Best Loved Italian Grocery and Deli" - Tucson Weekly

if you haven’t been, you’re missing out> RomaImports.com

a real foothills charmer

5810  N Vista Valverde in the old foothills/$535,000/$235/sf/ built 1969/masonry stucco/2272 sf/3 Beds/2 Baths/2 car/pool/1.3 acres/very private with some mountain views/very nicely updated – kitchen, baths, stained concrete floors, nice solid wood doors, double pane windows…

It’s been on the market for 31 days. Not a long time as things go, but a few years ago, buyers would’ve been fighting tooth and nail over this house. And for good reason, it’s special and they’re few and far between. 

If this sounds like you, check it out. It’s better in person than in the pictures

the listing> Vista Valverde

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big house, small lot

In 2001 when I first saw the size of the houses being built on the small lots in this section of Alta Vista, I thought, no way, they’ll never sell.

But they did. And they still do. 
And they’re not cheap either, so there must be some very friendly people out there who just enjoy having neighbors close by. 

In this little neck of Alta Vista the zoning is CR-4 which means you can plunk a single family home on a lot as small as 7000sf. These, thank goodness, on Avenida de Chaparron and Avenida de Kira, are about 14,000 sf. But as you can see, the houses still pretty much take up the whole lot. The setbacks are only 20’ in front and 10’ on the side and rear. So if plan on moving here it might be a good idea to spend some time making sure you and your future neighbors are compatible. 

Looking at the houses that’ve sold over the years on those two streets, they run from 4000 to 4500 sf. That’s living space – heated/cooled. Add a 3 car garage, a driveway, patios, a pool and there’s not much left. On the other hand, there’s not much landscape maintenance either. And if you have small kids, hopefully they'll have friends here too, so a lot less schlepping for you.

The one marked is for sale right now, and at 5277 sf it may be the biggest of the bunch. It’s at 6174 E Avenida De Chaparron and was just reduced to $1,190,000 from $1,325,000, from $1,375,000, from $1,549,000, from $1,595,000. Built in 2005, 5 Beds/4.5 Bths/pool/spa/3 car/14,520 sf lot. Cozy.

FYI- Typical lots in the rest of Alta Vista run about an acre – 43,560 sf, or at least 36,000 sf which is the minimum for CR-1 zoning, which is what most of Alta Vista is.

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aren’t you glad you waited on this one

4905 E Mission Hill Dr first hit the market in April 06 for $1,390,000.

And today, reduced yet again, it's at $795,000.  
And I don’t know, but I’d bet the owners are now on the short end of this stick. (no it’s NOT a short sale and NOT a foreclosure, that’s not what I meant) But they paid $640,000 in 05 and then did a very nice renovation. New kitchen with good stuff, renovated baths, travertine floors and other nice things. And now they’ll take $795,00, maybe even less. Do the math.

And it’s in Skyline CC and has wonderful mountain views,

So other than being priced in the stratosphere while there was still a chance to sell it for a good, but reasonable, price, what’s missing here. Well, the backyard. There’s really no backyard.

It has this cute little patio off the kitchen that would be just smashing in NYC or London, but here you want more space.

And there’s plenty of it and a perfectly good spot to make a beautiful backyard- wall it in, put in a pool, plant posies. But the sellers didn’t do it, and I think that’s what’s held this back, that is, once the price got down to earth. 

I’ve shown this house 3 or 4 times and buyers like it, heck, I like it, but everyone wrestles with the backyard thing.

The details>1 acre/3379sf/4 Beds/4 Bths/originally built 1969/4 car garage, including space for an RV/$795/$235/sf/in Skyline CC

if you like it and you can handle the back yard thing, it may be time to stop waiting and start moving on this one. 

See it here> 4905 E Mission Hill Dr

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