Come learn more about what it was like to live in Scottsdale and the surrounding area 1,500 years ago by visiting Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park. Located next to Sky Harbor International Airport, this archaeological site tells the story of the Hohokam culture who used to call this area home. Guests can walk along the accessible ? mile trail to stand in awe at a partially excavated platform mound, a ballcourt, and replicated prehistoric houses. In addition to viewing the dig sites, there are also three galleries located on site. The main gallery features artifacts found on this site and discusses the culture that once thrived here. A second gallery allows children who live in Scottsdale as well as the Phoenix metro area to learn more about archaeology through hands on activities. A third gallery features rotating exhibits that cover many subjects such as Arizona history, archaeology, and southwest culture.

See Ancient Artifacts from Scottsdale Property

All Scottsdale property owners are invited to visit seven days a week during the months of October through April. The museum is closed Sundays and Mondays May through September. Admission prices are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for children ages 6-17. Children ages 6 and under are free and all children ages 17 and under are free on Sundays. Also consider a membership to support this worthy cause and to be able to visit for free as often as you would like. Visit Pueblo Grande online to find out more information about this unique facility and to plan a visit.

Long considered the finest golf course on public Phoenix property, the Papago Golf Course was designed by renowned course designer William Francis (Billy) Bell. He and his father, William Park Bell, collaborated on many well known California golf courses, including Torrey Pines in San Diego. Golf enthusiasts who live in Phoenix are really fortunate to have Papago Golf Course so close and affordable. Since 1963, the course has been challenging local golfers. It was updated and restored in 2008. Many players have given the renewed course rave reviews and commented on the strategic bunkering and hazards.

All Golfers who Live in Phoenix Are Welcome at Papago

Phoenix property owners should look into the Phoenix Golf Card. For just $50 a year, Maricopa county residents can enjoy special member benefits at city courses, including Papago. Benefits include advanced tee time reservations, special discounts, and yearly discounted rates, to name a few. Papago is committed to giving its players a stellar game of golf and a sense of camaraderie. Players can join the men’s or women’s golf association and enjoy challenging golf events. Papago is also a host for First Tee Phoenix, which provides opportunities for young people to learn to play golf and cultivate life skills and lessons from the game. Papago also welcomes beginning golfers. Friendly and encouraging lessons are offered to beginners and more experienced golfers.

Learn more about Papago Golf Course and plan a tee time today!

Baseball fans living in Scottsdale homes should head over to Salt River Fields to see spring training games. Both the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks come to Salt River to get in shape before the season begins. Tickets are available to see these two teams face off against other major league teams, as they all gear up for the 2016 baseball season. Games are scheduled for almost every day of March through April 2nd, for a grand total of 33 spring training games. Spring training season tickets are available, so Scottsdale real estate owners can catch every game. There are also season passes available to just the Diamonbacks or just the Rockies games. Full season tickets start at $363 for lawn seating; Diamondbacks-only lawn seating passes start at $187, and Rockies-only passes start at $176 for lawn seats.

See Spring Training Baseball on Scottsdale Real Estate

Salt River Fields will also be hosting the sixth annual Larry Fitzgerald Celebrity Softball Game. Families from Scottsdale homes and the surrounding area are invited for an evening of celebrity softball, lots of games, and chances to meet Larry Fitzgerald and other celebrity athletes. Mark your calendars for April 23rd at 5:30 p.m.

Be sure to visit Salt River Fields to get more information and news about spring training, purchase tickets, and learn about other upcoming events.

Taking a look at the national statistics for real estate in January of this year, sales were up about 8% in comparison to 2015. For Arizona sales overall, sales were up almost 9% from January 2015 to 2016. Phoenix real estate, on the other hand, saw a nearly 15% increase in year over year sales, while Scottsdale home sales were down a little bit, by about 3%. When it comes to the median sold price, both cities are on the increase. In Phoenix, the median home price was $189,000, an increase of 5.59% from last year. The median price was $398,500, which is a 3.51% increase from 2015.

Phoenix real estate has also seen a marked increase in the average home price, which was $241,470 in January 2016, up 7.88% from the same time in 2015. In Scottsdale, the average home price was $547,037. This is an 11.78% increase year over year. Homes are selling more quickly as well. A Phoenix home sold in an average of 70 days, 18.6% fewer days than last year. Scottsdale homes sold in an average of 109 days, a decrease of 12.8% from 2015.

Experts are predicting that spring and summer home sales will be quite strong in 2016. If January’s trends continue, this seems entirely probable. Call our office to discuss the market in more detail if you’re considering enter the Arizona real estate market this year.

Valentines who live in Scottsdale can celebrate Valentine’s Day surrounded by music, laughter and love with Sunday A’Fair. For almost thirty years, Scottsdale property owners have had the opportunity to enjoy free musical concerts in the park with the Sunday A’Fair program. Spread out a comfy blanket on the grass, unpack a picnic lunch and absorb the spirit of the day.

Showcasing talents from surrounding areas, two musicians take the stage each Sunday. The first performer opens at 12 and plays until 1:30 p.m. Renowned artist Tanya Tiet’s soulful jazz music will fill the air with romantic sounds aiding Cupid’s cause.The Bob Shimizu Quartet will follow from 2 to 4 p.m. adding their own melodic sounds. Featured musicians include Bob Shimizu, Mario Mendivil, Loannis Goudelis and Todd Chuba.

An arts and crafts fair is onsite with handmade items for sale. Pick out a special piece of homemade jewelry or other whimsical trinket for your Valentine. At 3 p.m. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art docents offer complimentary tours around the sculptures adorning this Scottsdale property. Spending time with neighbors and friends is the perfect way to embrace Valentine’s Day and following Sundays. See Sunday A'Fair for a continuing lineup of artists taking part, and directions to the park.

All Phoenix real estate owners are invited to get in shape and participate in a Meet Me Downtown (MMDT) weekly social walk/run. This totally free weekly event brings people together downtown and allows for a social, safe, and fun way to exercise. Anyone interested in participating can meet and check in at “The Corner” at CityScape located at 50 West Jefferson between the hours of 5:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. This happens every Monday, rain or shine and even on holidays. Upon arrival, get a hand stamp and blinking light for safety. Please return the blinking light, and use your hand stamp to get discounts at many local restaurants. This can be a great tradition for Phoenix real estate owners to start with friends or coworkers. Get some exercise and then grab a bite to eat.

A route guide is provided and the course is 3.3 miles long with a 1.8 mile extension for the serious runners. Walk or run, stick to whatever pace you are most comfortable with. There is a closing ceremony at 7 p.m. that includes a free weekly raffle for gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses. Attendance is tracked and participants can earn incentive awards, which are presented at the closing ceremony. All who call Phoenix home are invited to visit Meet Me Downtown to learn more about this event, view the route guide, see a list of busisses that give discounts to participants, and view the incentives.

People in Phoenix homes who are interested in history and art will enjoy a visit to the Heard Museum of American Indian art and history. Experience the diversity and vibrancy of local Native American culture in 12 exhibits, showcasing the beautiful and distinctive artwork of different tribes and telling the story of the original inhabitants of Phoenix real estate. Temporary exhibits round out the museum’s permanent collection, with exhibits on home life among Native Americans, the artwork of Frida Kahlo, and art by contemporary artists, to name just a few.

Free public tours are offered daily at noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Docents will help visitors take a deeper look at the exhibits and explain specific artifacts. Private tours can be arranged for groups. Plan to eat lunch at the Courtyard Cafe. The posole there is famous around the country for good reason! If you don’t have time for a full meal, stop for a snack at the Coffee Cantina. Leave time to browse in the museum shop. The Heard Museum Shop deals directly with Native American artisans, which ensures that the items in the shop are authentic and ethically purchased. Phoenix homes can be decorated with exquisite pottery, baskets, and textiles.

The Heard is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy extended First Friday hours from 6 to 10 p.m. Admission for adults is $18 and $7.50 for children 6 to 17. Consider a membership to support the museum and enjoy free admission and other benefits. Find out more at the Heard Museum.

The December 2015 picture of the Arizona real estate market is overall a positive picture. There were 6,605 closed sales for the month, which is a jump of 27.07% from November 2015 and 3.27% from 2014. Of course, the picture changes when the focus is narrowed. Scottsdale real estate sales in December 2015 totalled 598. This is an increase of 26.7% increase from November but a drop of 4.5% from the same time a year ago. The median sold price fro Scottsdale real estate was $375,000 for December 2015. This was down 7.6% from November’s $407,000, but an increase 4.2% from December 2014.

Sales of Phoenix homes are very robust, both comparing December 2015 to November 2015 and December 2014. There were 1,631 closed homes sales in December 2015. This represents an increase of 28.6% from November 2015 and an increase of 5.1% from December 2014. The median sold price for homes in Phoenix for December 2015 was $201,900. This is a 2% increase from November’s median of $198,000 and a 12.2% increase from December 2014.

It’s a truism in real estate that the winter months have fewer sales than the summer. While it’s true that the December numbers are less than those of spring and summer, that doesn’t change the fact that the December real estate market in Arizona was surprisingly strong.

All owning Phoenix homes have the opportunity to give back to the community by volunteering over the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday weekend. This holiday has served as a national day of service since Congress recognized it as such in 1994. This weekend of service brings people together, makes the community stronger, gets important work done, and breaks down the barriers that often divide us. Thanks to HandsOn Greater Phoenix, there are many opportunity for those owning Phoenix homes to give back over the entire weekend from January 15-18, 2016.

Visit HandsOn Phoenix to see all opportunities to volunteer and to sign up. Some are already full, so sign up quickly. There is a sewing project with Hospice of the Valley on Friday, January 15th. Saturday, January 16th has many opportunities for volunteering including Kickball with Civilian House, Medical Sort and Pack at Project C.U.R.E., House Painting for Heroes, Prickly Pedal Prep with Maricopa Trails, and many more. Sunday, January 17th offers Garden Days at Growhouse, Senior Tech ‘N’ Teens, and Sunday Brunch at Mana House. Come on out Monday, January 18th for Medical Sort and Pack at Project C.U.R.E. There are many ways to give back this holiday weekend, and certainly something to peak the interest of every Phoenix real estate owner. Sign up with friends and family members to make a difference in the community.

Scottsdale real estate owners are invited to come learn more about the history of this area at Western Spirit: Scottsdale Museum of The West. Visit the museum to view art and see exhibits about the history and culture of the 19 states that make up the American West. There are many permanent exhibits such as Confluence of Cultures in the American West, which takes a look at friendship and conflict among different cultures and Courage and Crossroads: A Visual Journey through the Early American West. Also come out for special, rotating exhibitions such as Inspirational Journey: The Story of Lewis and Clark available until October 31, 2016, and Will James: Cowboy Artist and Author available until May 31, 2016.

The building is a unique piece of architecture and a gem of downtown Scottsdale. The grounds also boast The Christine and Ted Mollring Sculpture Courtyard, which is a lovely place to take a stroll or sit and relax and enjoy the plants and variety of sculptures on display. All Scottsdale real estate owners are also invited to come to the museum for one or more of the special events that occur throughout the year. Come on out to hear a lecture, view a film, or meet an author. There are many resources for educators, and history buffs who live in Scottsdale are invited to consider a membership to the museum. Visit Scottsdale Museum of the West to find directions, admission prices, hours, and more information.