On the north-eastern outer reaches of the Valley of the Sun lies Carefree, like neighboring Cave Creek, a hamlet nestled just to the north of Scottsdale. Principally known as a haven for retired folk, many of whom visit during the winter from colder climes and are known as "snowbirds", however, of late, many year-round residents are opting for the tranquility of Carefree, while commuting to their jobs in either Phoenix or Scottsdale. Consequently Carefree, much like Cave Creek and the surrounding environs has seen considerable growth in recent years. Spanish Village is a shopping center in the heart of Carefree with many eclectic stores and restaurants. It is also host to antique car shows, home shows, art shows and horticultural events during the course of a year, making it an extremel... 10/18/2007

Risks favor:  Floating Current Price of FNMA 6.0% Bond:  $100.19, -25bp   The Jobs Report hit the wires and has pressured bond prices lower this morning.         The Labor Department reported 110,000 new jobs created in September, which was above economists expectations of 100,000.  With many people looking for a downward miss on this report, the stronger than expected reading pushed Bond prices a bit lower.  The main reason for the selling pressure on Bonds was some huge revisions for the months of July and August - to the tune of 118,000 jobs.  August’s initial miserable report of a 4,000 loss in jobs was revised way higher by a stunning +93,000 for a net gain of 89,000 jobs!  Makes you wonder how the initial reports can be so wrong.  There was some inflation fears coming from the rep... 10/05/2007

If you happen to be in the area of Carefree Arizona you may want to plan a visit to the English Rose Tea Room. The English Rose Tea Room is open year-round in Carefree. The facility is a refined desert oasis where guests can sip tea in porcelain cups, nibble on sandwiches or bite into oven-hot sweet scones covered in Devonshire cream and strawberry preservatives. When you enter it's like stepping into another world where afternoon tea is an occasion. It's a great place for a "girl's afternoon get-away". They also have Etiquette Classes available for children 6-12. Perfect for Brownies, Scouts, or birthday events. To get there Getting there take Loop 101 to Scottsdale Road and turn north. Continue 9 miles to Carefree and turn right on Wampum Way. Enter the roundabout and exit onto Easy S... 08/26/2007

There were 3 homes sold in The Boulders for the month of April 2007.  The average list price of these homes was $781,000.00 and average sale price was $773,333.33.    As of April 30, there were 3 homes under contract.     The average list price of these pending homes was $1,019,333.33.    As of the end of the month, there were 27 active listings in The Boulders.    The average list price of these homes was $1,571,000.00. For more information about The Boulders or other fine communities in Carefree, please view my website at http://www.donrichhomes.com/.    05/10/2007

A new restaurant opened in Carefree that's close to the world largest Sundial per the Carefree chamber of commerce.  There is lots of shops and eateries around the town square the helps make the ambiance of the area.  The buildings are new and old.The first thing that struck me was that this was new inside and it reminded me of the lofts in downtown Phoenix only here it was on the ground floor.  There is tables and chairs and gathering places of four depicted by the large easy chairs and small wine table.The owner of the restaurant is a retired airline pilot, and hence the name Blue Sky.  There was some airline memorabilia scattered around for visual enjoymentWe walked to the counter where we were greeting by a pleasant painted young man with the biggest, brightest ear rings I have ever... 03/30/2007

The Las Torres home owners association (HOA) held their annual meeting last night and one of the topics was exploring the current age of 55 or over age restriction policy of Las Torres.  The CC&R's were changed in 2003 because the thought was that the community would be quiet and the lifestyle would be improved.Children still come to the community to visit grandma and grandpa, they still play in the courtyards and splash in the pool and yes, Marco Polo is one of the games of choice played in the community swimming pool.  The change simply did not keep all of the children away, but did it affect property values?A study of the property values in the Carefree area shows that this age restricted community is getting less for their investments than over like communities that are not age rest... 03/14/2007

I just finished a post by   Steve Crossland entitled Does a Politically Incorrect Street Name Affect Home Value in Austin TX?It is interesting to see what can really stir the mind of a buyer.  It's not just whether a name is PC, weird or overly soothing.  Some are entertaining, some cute, some are the type where you could say " I wish I thought of that."  I grew up in Pennsylvania with town names like Intercourse and Blue Ball (DON'T censor me - they are really town names you will find on a map).  So how can you not have a sense of humor about these things?Regarding PC, we have a mountain and a freeway here in Phoenix that was named Squaw Peak (a very popular climbing and hiking spot - the mountain, not the freeway).  There were attempts to change it a few times as the name is considere... 02/28/2007

Housing Market Report for Carefree, AZ 85377As of 12/21/2006Number Sold in the Previous 4 Weeks6Median Price of Houses Sold in Previous 4 Weeks$583,700Compared to 12/21/2005Number Sold in the Previous 4 Weeks15Median Price of Houses Sold in Previous 4 Weeks$650,0002006 over 2005Increase (Decrease) in Houses Sold(9)-60.00%Increase (Decrease) in Median Price($66,300)-10.20%Market Data for Carefree, AZ shows significant drop in number of sales, however, sample size is too small to be a solid reference for the change in median price.  01/13/2007

  The home page for the Carefree and Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce is: http://www.carefree-cavecreek.com/Click on Business Directory on the bottom of the screento reach Quick Links to:Employment Education Things to See and Do Health Care Services Child Care Services Utilities Religion Regional Facts and Figures Lodging DiningAnother useful site is:http://www.visitphoenix.com/Click on the Visitor Info tab on the top menu bar, then click on Map to reach interactive maps to:Arizona Metro Phoenix Downtown Phoenix Civic PlazaClick on Request a Guide to select from 5 complimentary printed guides that can be mailed at no charge:Greater Phoenix Explorer/Visitors Guide Greater Phoenix Dining Guide Relocation Guide (96 pages) Official Arizona Golf Guide & Directory Best of Arizona Golf Map We ho... 11/04/2006