The Lavine Team has access to the 3 homes that are in videos below that are not currently listed for sale on the MLS but likely will be listed by us very shortly.

The first video is a home within the Rancho Bella Vista subdivision of San Tan Valley, just east of Johnson Ranch in the SE part of the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area. It is an 1875 sq ft single level home backing on to green space and will likely be priced under $115000.

The second home is a 1572 sq ft single level home in the subdivision of Palm Valley at Goodyear within a smaller gated portion that has it’s own community pool out in the west valley of the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area just north of the I-10 freeway. It comes complete with furniture, stainless steel appliances and backs on to the golf course for $139000.

The third home is a fully furnished 2023 sq ft single level home in Canyon Trails at Goodyear on a corner lot backing south with a large covered patio. It is 3 minutes south of the I-10 freeway within 20 minutes of NHL Hockey & NFL Football at Westgate City Center. Close to shopping,dining, the airport and more, it will be offered at $149000 and is move-in ready.

With the extreme shortage of inventory under $150000 and with prices starting to recover due to the incredibly high demand and low inventory, these 3 homes are nice options that are available to you before the general public has access to them through the MLS.

We have also been very active showing and selling new homes in Greater Phoenix for those that are budgeting $140000 and up so please do check in with us as to what we can locate for you…..

The Lavine Team has experience with both all-ages communities and Active Adult areas in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area. Sun City Grand was developer Del Webb’s third Sun City age restricted area that was built between 1996 and 2005  in the NW valley in Surprise. With the lush appearance and upscale modern homes, the area became the crown jewel for Del Webb developments. This renowned area consists of 9550 homes and 252 condos on nearly 4000 acres of land with approximately 16,000 residents. Click here to learn about most major Phoenix Active Adult areas.

Sun City Grand is primarily for those 55+ but they do allow other residents in the home to be younger as long as they are 19 years of age or older. Additionally, 15% of the primary resident population can be between 45-54 years of age. The current HOA assessment annually is $1082.

There are 4 golf courses that offer breathtaking views, lush surroundings and different kinds of personal challenges for both novices and seasoned players. Recreational facilities are abundant at the 2 recreational centers that are in the area. The central complex is called the Village Center and has indoor & outdoor pools, a full fitness center, indoor walking track, workshop & crafts studios, a grand ballroom in a huge social center and much more.

The Cimarron Center is the second recreational complex and is on the community’s west side of the Loop 303 via overpass.It has an awesome spa facility that will paper you as well as the 4th golf course, another gym and more pools. The recreational variety in Sun City Grand is truly world class…..you’ll never want to leave the area…..but you probably will to take in the numerous valley offerings.

Surprise Ball Park is close for MLB spring training in the month of March. Also the Peoria Sports Complex is not that far  for other MLB cactus league teams which is also close to great shopping at the Arrowhead Mall. There are dozens and dozens of restaurants and strip malls for shopping close by and Westgate City Center, home of NHL Phoenix Coyotes and NFL Arizona Cardinals, is only 25 minutes away.

Homes in the area vary in style among 50 different floor plans over the years from condos to single family between 805 to 3000 square feet. The homes in this area are at a price premium in comparison to Sun City or Sun City West due to the more modern plans and upscale more desirable finishes. The prices currently range from the mid $100000s up to over $400000 dependent on size, age, location and finishing.

Call The Lavine Team to view this lovely community or any other area in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area…….

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Part 3 of the Global TV News series called Home away from Home features a conversation with a Lavine Team client Gina Hommy speaking of her positive buying experience and of her perceived value in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area.

Even though the equivalent home continued to diminish a wee bit in value after she purchased she was happy with the bargain basement priced deal that she struck on her great vacation home in Goodyear. In the last several months, values have been recovering around the valley due to high demand and shortage of inventory to the degree that a property similar in size to hers is worth a little more than what it was worth in 2009. Many experts are predicting that trend to continue.

Other important considerations to Canadians are tax implications should you rent out your home, sell your home or in the event of an untimely demise so it is a great idea to be aware of these issues and to plan accordingly.  The Lavine Team can guide you to get the education about taxation so that you can make a confident and excited decision to have that little piece of desert paradise! There are some good publications for Canadians considering a purchase or conducting business here available to read as well….click here to learn about them

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Part 2 of the Home away from Home series by Reid Feist of Global TV Calgary News features a sampling of homes that are available to Canadians to purchase as vacation homes in Greater Phoenix.

Part 1 showcased a condo community that has 1-2 bedrooms and townhouse style condos in Surprise up in the NW Valley from $90000 and up where Tony & Larissa purchased through The Lavine Team. Part 2 features homes that are in the mid $100′s to the low 300′s that range in caliber from starter type family homes with pools up to luxury homes in upscale neighborhoods that are 1/3 of what they would cost in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada at a minimum.

Reid also gets an opinion from respected and trusted Mike Orr, whom is the Director of Real Estate Practice & Theory at the WP Carey School of Business at ASU…Arizona State University.

A candid interview with Rita & Ted McCreary from Vegreville touches on the affordability aspect of purchasing a home in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area. They purchased an 1829 sq ft home in Goodyear from the Lavine Team 2 years ago before they retired from being an RCMP officer and a provincial social worker in Alberta. This was their first entire winter here and they absolutely love it!

We sell many homes to people that are in their 20′s, 30′s and 40′s ( in addition to those in their 50′s) that are mostly cashing in on Canadian home equity to complete a purchase. They want a place for family & friends to enjoy a week here and two weeks there until such time that they can spend more time down here like the McCrearys. By the time they are ready to retire they will have paid out their lines of credit and can then downsize out of their Canadian residence to split their time between home and at their home away from home.

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Global TV News from Calgary were here last week filming The Lavine Team with current and recent clients throughout the Greater Phoenix Real Estate Area. Global TV Anchor/Reporter Reid Fiest and Camera Man extraordinaire Dani Lantela were down from Calgary and  together with their production crew back home they put together a wonderful series on Canadians buying properties in Arizona.

In Part1 the crew accompanied us with our clients Calgary Firefighter Tony & Cruise Line Manager Larissa on their trek to find the right little piece of desert paradise that they have been dreaming about for some time.

Tony & Larissa had been to Greater Phoenix before and familiarized themselves with various communities throughout the valley looking at houses and condos. After weighing the pros and cons to the often common question: “should I buy a house or a condo?” they settled in on a resort atmosphere condo in Surprise that is in the NW corner of the valley and very popular with Canadians and locals alike. We had sold several condos in this complex before……our clients that chose their vacation home in there all loved their condo, the community and everything that it offered. Click here for a tour of the community.

The offer was written by us and it was accepted by the Canadian owner of this condo community while the news crew were here.We negotiated blinds, ceiling fans, complete appliance package and a few other goodies to be included in the purchase. They can’t wait to come back to their new ‘home away from home’ and start shopping for furniture and accessories which by the way are a lot more affordable here than back home.

Click here to view the condo that Tony & Larissa purchased

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Well it’s March again and there are plenty of events, sports, festivals and other happenings around the valley.

Nascar is on Mar. 2-4th at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale for the 2nd race of the Nascar season after last week’s Daytona 500 in Florida. The circuit will return in November for it’s usual 2nd last race of the year that together with this weekend’s races makes Phoenix a very important city on the Nascar circuit.

Campers have been on the grounds for most of the week and tailgaters are numerous as all enjoy the races, the midway, the displays, bands and food once again!

Major League Baseball Spring Training officially started today with 15 teams in the Cactus League training and playing exhibition games in 10 ball parks around the valley. The whole valley is abuzz with locals & visitors alike for this fan favourite that lasts the whole month of March.

There are ballparks in Surprise, Peoria, Glendale, Goodyear, 2 in Phoenix, 2 in Scottsdale, Mesa and Tempe. The California Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinatti Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers all play ball!

The Phoenix Coyotes NHL hockey club are looking to finish the season strong and are currently in 1st place in the Pacific Division ahead of the San Jose Sharks by 2 slim points. They skate at Jobing.com Arena which is in our favourite entertainment district called Westgate City Center.

There is almost always a good turnout to watch strong visiting teams like Detroit & Boston in addition to the Canadian teams that frequent the valley to play. Many thousands of us are hoping that a new owner is found that will keep the team in Phoenix as the NHL currently owns this team. Rumour has it that Jeremy Roenick, a former Coyote, has formed a group of investors that are making a proposal for ownership to the league.

It is time for the 24th Annual Ostrich Festival in Chandler. It is a more recent history event that honours the history of Ostrich farms in Chandler back in the 1920s when ostrich feathers were a fashion accessory. It also honours the memory of the founder of Chandler who was among the first to have ostrich ranches….Dr AJ Chandler. He was a Canadian that was born and raised in Quebec and graduate of McGill University who pioneered the area back in the first decade of the 20th century as Arizona’s first veterinary general.

The festival starts with a parade on March 3rd and then from Mar 9-11th are the regular hilarious ostrich races with human jockeys, petting zoo, reptile exhibits, bands and food that promises to be a fun-filled event.

The Arizona Renaissance Festival is one of the most interactive entertainment shows ever created with wonderful amusements and antics on going all around you!  Enjoy non-stop entertainment presented on 12 stages every event day.  There is comedy, music, dancing, circus performers, jousting knights on horseback, and much more!  Sit back and relax or become a part of the action as you are surrounded by over 500 costumed characters roaming the festival village.

It runs every Saturday and Sunday from Feb11-April 1st in the Gold Canyon area out in the east valley just east Of Apache Junction along the US 60.

Of course there is Phoenix Suns NBA Basketball, over 200 golf courses, shopping, the World Wildlife Zoo the Arizona Beer Festival at Tempe Beach Park on this weekend as well as a gazillion other things to do in the Valley of the Sun. With 25 cities and towns that make up the Greater Phoenix area there is always something happening every day and every weekend somewhere!! Check out www.showup.com for all the scheduled events in the area aside from sports.

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Many Canadians feel that they would like to have a pool in the back yard of their vacation home. Traveling down from colder climates, many want their home to be their own personal resort and yearn for warmer temps in the sun enjoying the pool atmosphere. The hunt for homes with pools is ongoing and the Lavine Team is constantly searching for pool homes within many price ranges throughout the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area.

Is having a pool a necessity for all? No…..it’s not for all…..many seeking warmer winter climate are here for just that and it’s not really very warm to get out of a pool that is heated to 30 Celsius to air that is 20 in December & January. To many the golfing is more important and/or going to NHL Hockey & NFL Football at Westgate City Center. To many, just being able to hang around outside chatting, dining and entertaining with an outdoor TV or stereo or perhaps around an outdoor fireplace or in a hot tub is plenty of enjoyment. There are so many awesome day trips for scenery, interesting activities, festivals, events, etc that is part of the Phoenix lifestyle making time spent here in milder winter climate so enjoyable.

Most homes here don’t have pools ( 70% +/-) and out of the ones that do, how many are available at any given time? Not a huge selection at the best of times…. and add to that the challenge of finding the right floor plan in the right location and with a pool? Also, would the pool be the right size and in the right part of the yard for you and finished in materials of preference such as plaster finish vs longer lasting pebble-tech or pebble-sheen finish? Are they equipped as you would want such as energy efficient pumps, salt-water equipped for eye/skin comfort & easier maintenance or in-ground pop-up cleaners vs the long hose scrubber like what you see in the picture above?

We think that it’s a good strategy to consider all homes….with and without pools. If you do that, you will have a much better selection to choose from, be less likely in a multiple offer situation and then you can add exactly the pool that you would want and where you would want to put it. This is what we are doing (in stages) and also several of our clients have done this. We assisted them to get great value based on our referring power.

There are many reputable pool builders that we can refer you to that can install a pool reasonably including all permits & the fence down-fence up as well (for excavation access) and get it done in 2 months time. You can get a basic pool for about $20000 and if you want to equip it with a heater, in-ground cleaners and the best finishing & pumps as well as an abundance of concrete deck with acrylic coating surrounding for lounger chairs & tables, then you can spend around $30000 to accomplish that. On a resale home you won’t pay that much for a pool (as the property appraiser doesn’t value a used pool for that much) but at least you’ll get what you want, where you want it and have the availability of life-time warranties on the equipment and workmanship. You can get a pool guy to come once a week to service & check on your pool for about $75-85 a month.

Should you heat your pool?  These are the months that most Canadians are traveling down for a vacation however heating a pool can be somewhat expensive and that is what would deter the locals from heating their pool. Most existing pools are not heated here due to the expense and the locals use their pools primarily between May- October to refresh themselves from heat. Thus, when we find a suitable pool home in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area, about 9 times out of 10 you’ll have to add a heater. The main exception to this is when there is a spa that is attached to the pool which is heated and then the pool would be as well but these are not very common.

Heater installation can cost around $5000+/- dependent on how long the trench is from the gas and/or electrical source and whether you install a gas heater or an electric heater. When you’re buying a house for a fraction of what you would pay for one back home this investment isn’t likely to break the bank however it’s the added heating bills that cost the most in the long run. We know of home owners that will come down for a week or two, crank up the heater to 85-90 Fahrenheit and then turn it off before leaving heading back subsequently receiving an energy bill of $300-700. Alternatively, we have friends that turned their pool on in November and left it on till April averaging about $260 a month gas bill last winter. To some that would be worth it but to others it may be an unnecessary expense or better invested in golf, entertainment, sports, day trip expenses, etc.

Still wanting the pool? That’s great! We can certainly understand the desire but perhaps let’s consider some alternatives? How about buying a home in an area that has a community pool? For some this can make more economic expense especially for those that don’t plan on using a pool that frequently and don’t want the utilities & maintenance expense. Or buy in a community pool area so that you have a pool that you can use while you are saving or budgeting for a pool project? Or how about considering a hot tub instead? This can save you a bundle on heating expense and there are many sizable ones that you can relax in to enjoy milder day or night time air. Or how about installing a pool with an attached spa but only heat the spa when you come down? The spa adds about $5000-6000 to the pool installation expense but you can heat the spa in 30 minutes and then turn it off when not in use which will save you a bundle in energy costs for the long run. The water in the pool right beside the spa would be a little warmer as the spa overflows in to the pool. You still have the pool atmosphere and resort appearance in your yard. Condos are another alternatives as many of the apartment style and some townhouse style have heated pools and/or spas where everyone contributes to the expense through their HOA fees.

The Lavine Team has your best interests at top of mind and at heart. We are always thinking of possibilities that exist for you in your quest for just the right little piece of desert paradise. We pledge to work hard and diligently for you……

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Here is a beautiful feature area called Verrado which is located in the west valley 30 minutes from the airport. It is a master planned community and one of the finest in the Greater Phoenix Real estate area.

It was designed with a small village theme that has a central commercial core and then residential streets that radiate out from the core. Much of this development is walking distance to the town site or a short bicycle or golf cart ride away. There are 50 parks of all shapes and sizes with 15 miles (25 km) of hiking & walking paths. Schools are top rated which of course attracts good families to the area. There is a true sense of community in this charming and picturesque village!

In addition to the many shops & dining that line Main Street there are amenities for the residents to enjoy. The Village Sports Club has a community pool & a lap pool open year round plus a huge gym is onsite and available for all to join. Down the street from the shops is the entrance to the Raven Golf Club which is a public course offering breathtaking scenery, a great round of golf and excellent dining at the Verrado Grill. It meanders through the residential area so many of the houses and condos have great views of both golf course and mountains.

Many events happen here throughout the year….festivals, jazz in the park, clubs,exhibits, activities of all kinds planned and attended by many who love where they live. Many Canadians have been attracted to the beauty and social aspect of this fine community.

Homes are quite varied and range in size & price from the mid-$100s to over two million with entry level, mid-ranged,luxury homes and condos as well……so there’s something for everyone here!

It is located remote enough to get a secure feeling away from the big city yet close enough that you’re 30 minutes to the airport,15 minutes to an abundance of additional shopping & dining, less than 30 minutes from NHL Hockey, NFL Football, MLB spring training facilities, close to the World Wildlife Zoo and less than 30 minutes to Downtown Phoenix. Of course being at the base of the White Tank Mountains, you can take advantage of the mountain trails and the entrance to the White Tank Regional Park is close by.

We would be delighted to show you new homes and resale homes in the area as well as tour you around all of the attractions there….

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Here is another new home that the Lavine Team has sold in Greater Phoenix. It is located in Estrella Mountain Ranch….now simply renamed Estrella….which is a master planned community snuggled in to the foothills of the Sierra Estrella Mountains in Goodyear out in the west valley of the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area.

In addition to our extensive experience with resale homes, we have many years of expertise at marketing new homes. I started my Real Estate career back in 1997 as a licensed Realtor in the show home  (or model homes as they call it here) and have never stopped offering this viable option to buyers in Alberta and in Phoenix when we know that the price parameter for our buyers search will open new home doors.

Builders have continued to offer more value to narrow the gap between new and resale by purchasing raw land at reduced cost and by negotiating with trades & suppliers to offer competitive pricing as a result. With resale inventory being at very low levels coupled with heavy demand from local buyers and international buyers, this is a market segment that should definitely be explored as an integral part of your search for that right little piece of desert paradise!!

Sure you will have to do your own landscaping in the back yard but it costs a fraction of what it would cost in any Canadian location…..cost will be hundreds and not thousands really and then you can create your own paradise instead of fixing what someone else has done.You get a full warranty…everything is new and smells new…..whether you build from scratch or buy a spec inventory home.

And for those that want a pool you can put the pool where you want it, finish it with your choice of equipment & materials and you’re likely going to be adding a heater anyways as the locals don’t equip their pools with those 9 times out of 10….it is us Canadians, not the locals, that want our home to be like our resort when coming down in the winter months to enjoy milder temperatures than back home.

The locations of new subdivisions sometimes are a wee bit further out and sometimes they are within a completed area that had a couple of empty pockets left to develop. In either case, there are many choices to consider that can potentially work for you and to be a great alternative to buying an existing resale home. You’re less likely to be in a multiple offer situation and not having to spend money on cosmetic improvements as will likely be the case with buying an existing home.

We have to make contact first with the builder in order for us to give you the representation that you deserve. Even if you were thinking of looking at builder’s sites online, we must register you first or by the local rules we will not be able to assist. You will benefit from our experience and will likely pay less to have us working for you. The builder factors in Realtor commissions to every house that they sell so you might as well have us working exclusively for you and not someone from the showhome exclusively for the builder!

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There are an abundance of age restricted areas in the Greater Phoenix Real Estate area. They are commonly called 55+ communities or active adult areas and they typically offer amenities such as pools, recreational facilities, golf courses and many to most are gated. They are mostly situated throughout suburban fringe parts of the valley.

The most widely known developers are the Del Webb communities in the various Sun City subdivisions and  the Trilogy developments in Peoria & Gilbert. There are numerous other developments which are desirable that I will skim the surface of in this article and can expand on the details of those if you contact us to explore these possibilities.

The average age required for almost all of these areas are that at least one member has to be at least 55 while a spousal partner can be lower and with several requiring that to be at least 40+. There are rules governing how long friends & family that are younger can stay in the household with the average being 90 days. Most new communities also have what is called an 80/20 rule that permits the age of a brand new home purchaser to be 40+  and not 55+ providing that they are within a maximum of 20% of the total population of the area and this would generally be subject to board approval.

The original Sun City was developed in the 1960s & 1970s and is located in the northwest valley adjacent to Peoria. Product types include small attached patio homes currently in the $40000′s and ranging up to the mid-$200000′s with many single family detached choices of under $100000. Sun City West just a little west in the Surprise area came next in the late 1970s and was completely built out in 1998 with over 22000 homes. It has 7 golf courses and numerous recreational facilities and also has patio homes & single family ranging from the $50000′s up to $500000 with an average price of around $170000 that includes choices of small single family homes for under $150000. Sun City Grand is immediately west and was developed next with over 9500 homes, 4 golf courses, 5 pools and 3 recreational facilities. Patio homes & single family homes ranging from $100000 up to $800000 with an average price of $292000 that includes choices of  small single family homes for under $200000. About 10 minutes west of Surprise’s western extremity is the beautiful newer community called Sun City Festival and has a golf course, huge recreational facilities complete with pools, fitness center, etc and has new homes ranging from $150000+ with a handful of resale homes from the low $100000′s and up. It is the most remote of the Sun City developments and is about an hour from the airport.

In the NW corner and the southeast corner of the valley there are two wonderful upscale Trilogy communities which have golf courses and an abundance of recreation for the active adult. They are Trilogy at Vistancia and Trilogy at Power Ranch. These are outstanding developments that if you’re looking for an active adult area with a little lower average age than many that tend to be predominantly for seniors then one of these could be a great choice for you.

On the western fringe there is a lush Robson Community called Pebble Creek with 2 golf courses and choices from $160000 and up with an average of around $300000. In the southwestern fringe snuggled in to the Estrella Foothills there is a newer area called Canta Mia that is $200000 and up with outstanding recreational facilities. It is within a family neighborhood of 3500+ homes called Estrella that is reknowned for being a quality master planned community with lakes, trails and a Jack Nicklaus golf course.

The east valley has it’s share of facilities including Leisure World in Mesa developed in the 1970s & 1980s. It has patio homes and single family homes from $80000-400000 averaging about $175000. Not far from Leisure World are many other smaller active adult areas in Mesa. South of Mesa’s east end is the Trilogy at Power Ranch that I mentioned earlier. Fountain Hills, Sun Lakes and Chandler have wonderful choices!

Satellite communities at the outside edges of Greater Phoenix such as in the town of Maricopa have active adult areas within namely Province, which is in the heart of town and offers a small town feel and yet only 40 minutes from Sky Harbour Airport. Also Gold Canyon and Apache Junction have choices as well.

In order for us to be able to represent you at new communities, all initial contact must be made by us including first visits and online contact. Some of these communities actually allows you to stay there for a few days to ‘test drive’ the community which potentially could be a great way for you to decide if an area is right for you. We would need to pre-register you at these communities and we’d be delighted to do that.

The Lavine Team will assist you exploring all of your many options and will help you to zero in on the community that would be the best fit for you based on your needs and desires. Just give us a call or send us an email to get started…..

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