• Why Live in Sedona?
• Buyers & Sellers
• Feature Subdivision
• Lender Update
• Recipe

#124 - Schnebly Hill Tour

Schnebly Hill Road is a famous scenic drive in Sedona. The view from the top of the drive is a sight that no one would ever want to miss! One of our favorite tours around Sedona would have to be Schnebly Hill! This view is definitely a reason to live in Sedona. Take a moment and breathe it in!

Schnebly Hill, another route from Sedona to the neighboring town of Flagstaff, is a popular route for the Pink Jeep Tours to take. The Pink Jeep Tours take Sedona tourists on rides all around Sedona. They off-road through the red rocks and 4wheel in the areas that the majority of people would never dare to go...

Click for full article: Schnebly Hill Tour.

#94 - Canned Food Drives: Thanksgiving for All!

In an atmosphere of thanks we feel grateful for our community here in Sedona. Local charities collect canned foods every year in hopes of providing a warm and hopeful Thanksgiving Dinner for those who cannot provide for themselves.

If you would like to join Sedona’s efforts to contribute to a well fed Verde Valley, America and World you can donate canned or packaged food to the Sedona Food Bank at 680 Sunset Drive in Sedona Arizona 86336 on Mon-Wed from 8:30 to noon.

With a community that thrives on supporting...

Click for full article: Canned Food Drives: Thanksgiving for All!.

Buyers

Avoid Homebuyer’s Remorse

When thinking about our buyer’s tip for this month’s Sedona Property Newsletter, we decided to touch upon the potential for homebuyer’s remorse. How to purchase a piece of Sedona Real Estate without ending up with that pit in your stomach! As Sedona Realtors, our overall advice is to be patient and to avoid settling. Please take a look at the following categories in which you should consider further:

Location

Location, location, location. When determining where you will purchase your new Sedona Property, keep in mind not only the physical features of the home, but also its location. Consider the home's location in proximity to views, school, work, activities, and your neighbors. These factors are all equally important aspects to keep in mind.

Views are an important part of not only viewing pleasure while in Sedona, but a significant feature for resale. When looking at the views of a particular property keep in mind your neighbors. Is there a vacant lot that could potentially block your views once developed?

Speaking of neighbors, how comfortable are you with new neighbors? Our clients vary greatly when it comes to condos/townhomes vs residential homes. Some prefer the convenience of “lock n’ leave” properties with minimal landscaping and neighbors close by to keep an eye on their property while out of town, whereas others prefer space and privacy.

Now, think about your new life – will you golf on a regular basis? Which grocery store will you frequent? Which school will your children attend? Be sure to keep your lifestyle in mind when choosing which area of Sedona you will live.

Home Size

Be careful to not settle on fewer bedrooms or bathrooms than you need. You don't want to move into a Sedona Home that you've already outgrown. During your inspection period or home shopping, make sure you have enough room to retrofit or remodel the home to fit your needs and wants. From our construction days, a saying we remember well was "measure twice, cut once." Don't assume everything will just work out. Take the time to make sure you will be content for years to come.

Don’t Cave

Although the best spousal relationships are based on compromise, purchasing a home is not the time to cave in on criteria that is important to you. Know what items are non-negotiable and do not give in. This is even more important when unsolicited advice comes from family and friends. What is important to some may not be important to you – remember this when you get the urge to “keep up with the Jones”.

Don’t Get Emotional

When educating Sedona home buyers this is often our hardest piece of advice to relay. Yes you are purchasing a home. However, as your Realtor, it is important that you purchase a sound investment. Don’t overpay. Don’t overlook large issues that the inspector uncovers – unless the Seller is willing to pitch in. Don’t purchase a home in the wrong area of Sedona because it appeals to your style. Emotional buyers purchase homes outside their budget, overpay for homes that will not sell for similar money, justify their purchase irrationally. This is one of the largest financial decisions of your life. Please don’t get emotional and make a rash decision that will be difficult to undue if your situation changes unexpectedly.

Take Your Time

In most scenarios there is ample time to make an informed purchase. If you are relocating to Sedona and your time schedule does not allow for adequate research, there are options to move to Sedona and to utilize a furnished vacation rental for a month or two. Then you will be able to better research your purchase.

If you are tight on time and do not wish to explore that option, please rely on your Sedona Realtors. Trust us to honestly explain your needs/wants and lifestyle. Having been in Sedona 30+ years and working in the Real Estate industry for nearly that long, we can assess which areas of town and what type of properties best fit with your family. How we best serve our clients is by knowing their situation and being able to educate them on the Sedona area & Real Estate.

In conclusion, don’t settle when it comes to location, other people’s opinions, size of home/lot, or purchasing a “good deal”. When in doubt, ask your Sedona Realtor their advice and LISTEN! We have your best interests in mind. Contact Us at 928.821.3508 with any questions regarding Sedona Real Estate.

For more home buying tips, click for our Sedona Home Buying Guide.

Sellers

Market Your Kitchen

When preparing to list your Sedona home for sale begin with the heart of the home – the kitchen. Yes, it’s that important! Many buyers, whether cooks or not, go straight for the kitchen when touring Sedona Property for sale. Keep in mind the following kitchen trends homebuyer’s are searching for.

Open Living

When remodeling their Sedona Home we always encourage our sellers to appeal to the masses. Most buyers look for open floor plans, especially in the kitchen area. If there is an opportunity to remove a wall or portion of wall in your kitchen area (without compromising storage needs) we recommend considering taking that action.

Storage

If your budget allows for some remodeling (either time or financial), adding the replacement of your cabinetry to the schedule may be an option worth considering. If space is limited, you may want to research unique drawers and pull-outs such as toe kick drawers or 6-inch spice racks. These features can utilize space otherwise wasted below cabinets and beside doors. You can also maximize the space around the refrigerator.

On a smaller budget, organize & de-clutter your space. Nothing makes a space feel larger than precise organization. Remove everything from the counters and don’t forget to organize in drawers, cabinets and the pantry. A good rule of thumb is to have each space half empty and specifically organized to best show the storage.

Neutral Colors

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders! When repainting your kitchen and living areas choose a neutral color scheme – something along the lines of beige, taupe or gray should work nicely. Using neutral colors allows for buyers to imagine themselves beginning their new life in the home. We have noticed that if a home is painted an accent color such as green or red, buyers have a hard time looking past the paint and cannot visualize a neutral color.

Clean, Clean, Clean

If it is not within your budget to replace cabinetry and countertops, at a bare minimum, you can replace hardware & give the kitchen a good cleaning. Focus on removing all of the clutter from the counters and deep clean the nooks and crannies that are normally neglected. Another quick fix (but sometimes expensive) would be to replace the appliances.

Take note: Black Friday is approaching. There may be some specials for appliances that could give your kitchen a fresh look. It may also be a good time to explore more energy efficient models that help save on electricity and usage costs.

Although we do believe these ideas can improve the value of your home, please keep in mind that most remodels typically do not produce a dollar for dollar return. However, our professional opinion is that the most impact and improvement of value happens when the kitchen is updated (within reason). If you have any questions about the current value of your Sedona home and the impact a remodel would have, please give us a call at 928-821-3508. We look forward to helping you sell your Sedona home!

For more Selling Tips, or ideas to Stage Your Home, visit the Sedona Property Selling Tips on our website.

Mystic Hills Video Tour

Mystic Hills is located between West Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek within the Little Horse Park Area (Chapel Area) of Sedona AZ. This luxury Sedona Subdivision backs up to Elephant Rock and has gorgeous views of other Red Rock Formations such as Cathedral Rock.

For more information about Palisades Property for sale or Subdivision Details please don’t hesitate to Contact Us at 928.821.3508 or 928.282.4166 ext 253.

Mystic Hills Property Listings

Featured Properties

Ingredients

First Layer

• 1 can refried beans or refried black beans

Second Layer

• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 pkg taco seasoning

Third Layer

• 2 avocados, mashed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise

Fourth Layer

• 1 cup salsa

Fifth Layer

• 1 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped

Directions

• In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and taco seasoning. In another small bowl, mix the mashed avocados, minced garlic, and mayonnaise.
• In a small Pyrex dish or pie plate, layer the beans, sour cream mixture, avocado mixture, and salsa. Sprinkle the scallions on top.
• Chill at least an hour, or until ready to serve. (The dip can be made a day ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.)
• To make the tombstones and tree, cut the shapes you want out of 2 large tortillas. Place the cut-out shapes on a parchment paper lined cookie tray and bake at 350 degrees until the tortillas are nice and brown. You can add text to the tombstones with a black food safe marker. Put the tombstones and tree in the dip just before serving.

Please Help Us Improve

Service Reviews have become a hot commodity on the web. We can tell future clients how hard we will work for them, but it always comes better from a third party. If you haven't had a chance, please take a moment and let us know how we did. For those of you that have already helped out, thank you once again.

If you have any difficulty, let us know and we can walk you through the process. Thanks again for your time!