Wendy Kirtland Aug. 10

Finally Some Positive Real Estate News!

Arizona Homeowner August / 2010

The Phoenix Business Journal reports that Phoenix area home prices rose an estimated 1 percent from April 2009 compared to April 2010.

This is according to the Arizona State University-Repeat Sales Index which measures the changes in home prices from year to year.

This new data from ASU backs up a national report that came out on May 26, 2010.

According to Karl Guntermann, the author of the new report, “Prices for lower-end houses and the foreclosure segment of the market, which turned positive in March, continued to increase on an annual basis.”

Guntermann says higher-priced homes still didn’t show a significant slowdown in the rate of price declines until this April. They remain just out of positive territory, with an estimated 3 percent drop from April 2009 to April 2010.

The condo/townhouse market remains rough. Preliminary numbers for March and April anticipate 19 percent annual decline.

The ASU-RSI is produced through the Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice at the W.P. Carey School of Business.

Featured Properties

cool & refreshing

Residential Misting Systems

Wendy is a full-time Realtor who pours her heart and soul into serving her clients’ best interest. Whether listing and selling your home for the best price in the shortest amount of time or finding the perfect home to suit your needs, she is tireless in her efforts.

When not working with clients she spends time furthering her real estate education. In 2009 she completed courses to become an “Accredited Buyer’s Representative,” a “Certified Distressed Property Expert,” a “Certified Negotiation Expert,” a “Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource,” and other additional courses.

Homeowner Tip of the Month

Effective January 1, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Clean Air Act, will no longer allow air conditioning equipment that uses the refrigerant R-22 (commonly known by the brand name Freon®) to be manufactured. This new mandate is designed to protect the environment from ozone depleting hydrochlorofluorocabons (HCFCs) that can be released through leaks and improper disposal. A new refrigerant, 410A, (commonly known by the brand name Puron®) is available and is less harmful to the ozone and environment if it leaks from an air conditioning system.

R-22 systems will be able to be repaired as long as parts are available, but after this time these units will need to be modified or replaced. This can be a costly expense to the homeowner. Now may be the time to consider purchasing a home warranty for your home with a company that provides modification or replacement coverage for these units. If you already have a home warranty in place check with your provider to see how they will handle the R-22 phase out.

I will be happy to give you a list of Home Warranty Companies that have already announced their coverage for this phase out. Call me with any questions you may have 480.215.0959.

24350 N. Whispering Ridge Way | Troon Village 2582 Sq. Ft. | 2 Bed | 2 Bath • $575,000 Edmunds-built home boasts breathtaking city light and Troon Mountain views.

Upgrades galore! Never leave home with your resort-style backyard and patio!

26252 N. 40th Place | Tatum Highlands 1582 Sq. Ft. | 3 Bed | 2 Bath • $245,000 Wonderful single-level family home in excellent neighborhood. Fenced PebbleTec pool. Home backs to open space for privacy and great sunset views!

perfect summer fare

WENDY KIRTLAND RE/MAX Fine Properties 21000 N. Pima Rd., Suite 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 eFax: 480.355.9514 WKirtland@FineProp.com If you know of anyone who may be interested in receiving this newsletter, please send me an email or give me a call. I am always happy to add more subscribers to the list.

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Tommy Bahama’s Ahi Tuna Salad 11080 N. 109th St. | Emerald Scottsdale 1008 Sq. Ft. | 2 Bed | 2 Bath • $169,000 Patio home with private courtyard, open floor plan, fireplace and stainless steel kitchen appliances. The community features a pool, spa, tennis courts, walking paths and well-kept open spaces.

Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996 • www.DesertLifestyle.net

vacation photography Take Better Pictures!

Event Calendar

With just a few weeks left until the start of another school year, many families are squeezing in one last summer getaway.

Use these very basic tips to turn your vacation photographs from the mundane to “mantel worthy.”

Movies at the Museum Phoenix Art Museum, Aug. 1st, 15th, 18th, 29th 602.257.1222 or phxart.org There may not be any popcorn or Red Vines, but movies at the museum are just as enjoyable. The films are followed by a group discussion as each film pertains to current exhibitions and collections. This month’s movies incorporate a wide variety of genres including Funny Girl and a documentary entitled Women without Men. Summer ROQ Concert Series Intercontinental Montelucia, Aug. 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th 480.627.3200 or icmontelucia.com What better way to cool off and enjoy some great live tunes than with the Montelucia’s summer concert series. Some of your favorite local bands will be rocking out poolside including Chris Parker Project and Daisy Train. Concerts are free to guests and the public.

Scottsdale ArtWalk Downtown Scottsdale, Aug. 13th scottsdalegalleries.com Check out over 100 art galleries in Downtown Scottsdale during these Thursday events. Whether you are an art connoisseur or just out for people watching, come find out why locals and visitors alike love the ArtWalk. Enjoy meeting local artists and fraternizing with gallery owners.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Houston Texans University of Phoenix Stadium, Aug. 14th 623.433.7100 or azcardinals.com Football season already? Get a sneak peak at the 2010-2011 team during this pre-season game. Check out the newcomers and the veterans and see if they have what it takes to make it all the way to the Super Bowl again! Go Cards!

John Mayer Cricket Wireless Pavilion, Aug. 18th 602.254.7200 or livenation.com John Mayer brings you his acoustic rock and bluesy sounds on this tour promoting his most recent album Battle Studies.

As a Grammy-award winner for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Mayer has many hits under his belt to keep the crowd happy. Joining Mayer on tour is Owl City, best known for their ever-popular hit Fireflies.

Siduri Wine Dinner BLT Steak, Aug. 19th 480.905.7979 or camelbackinn.com Join winemaker Adam Lee at BLT Steak for a spectacular evening. Mix, mingle and learn everything you wanted to know about wine. Later, get a chance to pair up a Siduri Pinot Noir with the fabulous five-course dinner prepared by Chef de Cuisine Marc Hennessy. Make sure to reserve your spot ahead, seating is limited.

Valley residents are accustomed to spending a lot of time outdoors. With terrific weather for most of the year, we’ve created outdoor living spaces that are used quite often. Some of us have courtyards perfect for morning coffee and backyards used for everyday leisure as well as entertaining. The only problem arises when the hot summer months make it unbearable to enjoy being outside - even in the evenings.

Enter residential misting systems. Misting systems are nothing new or innovative necessarily. We’ve all dined at restaurants or meandered through shopping centers that use a mist system to cool the air. But have you considered installing a misting system for your own home?

Jonathan Marsh of MistAMERICA Corporation in Scottsdale explains the benefits of a misting system. “Used for many years to cool outdoor spaces such as patios, pool areas and walkways, mist is an ultra-fine spray produced by forcing water at high pressure through specialized nozzles. As the mist evaporates, heat is absorbed. Newly-created cool air is heavier than warm air so it floats down to the ground, reducing the air temperature by 20 to 40 degrees.”

The high-pressure misting systems by MistAMERICA utilize a pump that expels water at 1000 to 4000 pounds per square inch. At such high pressure, the water is atomized into droplets of about one tenth the diameter of a human hair. Because the mist is so fine, you can sit under it without getting wet.

You can have a misting system installed along the perimeter of your patio. You’ll find that the mist creates a wall, or barrier, of cool air and will cool the entire patio even though you may not be sitting directly underneath the misters. In fact on a dry evening with little breeze, the misters can cool your entire backyard up to 100’ away from the misting system. Imagine dining outdoors again or hosting a pool party where your non-swimming guests aren’t downright miserable in the heat!

MistAMERICA also installs misting systems that create a dramatic fog effect for pools, landscaping and fountains- any area you want to bathe in billowing clouds of luxurious fog. Not only are those areas visually dramatic, but of course will also be cool and comfortable. MistAMERICA has even created a system that forms a thick wall of fog where movies can be projected onto like an outdoor movie screen!

Many homes under construction are built with the misting systems in place. The system tubing is installed at the framing stage and buried under the stucco so that all that is seen are the nozzles. To retro-fit an existing structure, MistAMERICA will design stainless-steel tubing that is powder-coated and painted the exact color of your home. The tubing is then installed and blended along the existing architectural lines.

Water usage is always a concern here in the Valley and most of us are conscious of wasting this very precious desert resource. Should the water used in a misting system be a concern? Jonathan explains, “Although it may appear that a large amount of water is expelled, the amount of water used in an entire year of average use is about 1/3 the amount of water that simply evaporates from your pool each year.”

A ballpark cost of a typical system for an average-sized patio is approximately $3,000-$5,000. With multiple cooling areas, pool fog and an elaborate automation system, your costs can rise to $10,000 plus.

A misting system can be the final touch on your desert environment. You’ll be able to enjoy the outdoors all through the year and it creates value to your home when it’s time for resale.

For more information about misting systems, contact MistAMERICA at 602.255.0500 or www.mistamerica.com.

Your Home

Photographing People When you’re arranging several people together for a photo, keep good composition in mind. Avoid lining everyone up like an elementary class photo. Instead, arrange your subjects in staggered positions: some sitting, some kneeling, maybe even lounging about on the ground. It provides more of a visual interest and shows your subjects in a more relaxed state.

When photographing people, you may find that the candid shots turn out to be your favorites. Capturing a child’s pure joy as the cotton candy is handed over to them or Mom’s serene expression as she gazes at the ocean will tell the true story of your memorable vacation.

One of the most important guidelines for capturing the best shot of people is to always shoot at their eye level. So squat down if you need to and avoid the uncomplimentary view of looking down at or perhaps peering up at someone.

You’ll also find that your best people pictures are those where the focus is solely on the individual(s). So take extra care to position your subjects against a plain, non-distracting background and get in close so your subject fills most of the frame.

Lastly, many people don’t realize that the use of flash in daytime, outdoor shots is usually called for. Use your fill-flash on bright and sunny days to avoid dark shadows on faces. On cloudy and overcast days, a flash will lend an extra light source to better illuminate your subjects against their surroundings.

Beach Vacations When shooting ocean scenes, place the horizon line either high or low. Avoid

Amusement Parks Theme parks are bursting with photo opportunities full of vibrant colors and action. Try your hand at a bit of photojournalism and take a series of photos that tell a story. Begin your story with a posed shot at the park’s grand entrance and end with a candid of tired, dirty kids dragging themselves back to the hotel room.

Nighttime provides more opportunities for terrific photos. To capture the beauty of a theme park at night, turn your flash off and hold steady! A slow shutter speed will create that desirable “blur” of lights on moving rides. Photographing fireworks can be tricky. Use a tripod if you can - you’ll always get your best results when you do. Find a good spot where you’ll avoid obstructions such as trees or light poles and take note of which way the wind might be blowing to avoid photographs filled with gray smoke. Turn your flash off when

shooting fireworks and set your camera to infinity or landscape mode.

National Parks Most national parks have a distinguishing special feature such as a geyser or monument. It may seem cliché, but your photo album wouldn’t be complete without some photographs dedicated to just that.

When shooting a landmark, it may be effective to position your family members near it to show scale. A photo of a fallen sequoia tree suddenly has more impact when shown how it towers over people.

When photographing a landscape, the

best photographs are composed with a visual interest in the foreground. For instance, a photo of far-away mountains can be beautiful. But shot with bright wildflowers dotting the foreground looks even better.

Use the rule of thirds in your pictures.

Centering a monument or lighthouse in the photo looks choppy and unattractive.

Rather, move it off center. It gives your photo that dynamic visual appeal and brings your picture to life. Most auto-focus cameras will focus on the center of the frame, so remember to lock your focus on your subject before shooting.

Tahitian Tuna Salad

Local Flavor!

August 2010

centering it in the photograph. Placing it low gives the emphasis on the sky and is an excellent format for sunsets. Placing it high gives more importance to the beach and is nice when you want to highlight sand castles or sun bathers.

Non-traditional beach shots are important too. Taking photos of the boardwalk, the snack hut or a group of surfers waxing their boards tells a complete story of where you were and what you experienced. Get down low and take close-up photos of sea shells, the foamy tide as it retreats from the sand or your toddler’s hands filling a sand bucket.

Schedule at least one evening for a group shot at sunset. Typically, the 10 minutes right after the sun sinks below the horizon gives the best lighting. The skies are raked with pink, orange and blue and the lighting is soft and pretty. Plan to dress in coordinating clothing. White and khaki always look great on a beach and be sure to be barefoot!

4 1 3 3 1 1 2

oz. Ahi Tuna Tbs. Pepper Mary’s Blackening Spice Tbs. Olive Oil (separated) oz. Spinach Leaves oz. Fresh Ginger, sliced oz. Micro Greens each Egg Roll Wrappers

Place blackening spice on a tray. Take Ahi tuna portion and roll in spice, covering all sides except the two outside sides on each end. (This will enable you to judge which way to slice the tuna.)

Once all tuna has been rolled in blackening spice, it’s time to sear. In a smoking hot sauté pan, add 1 Tbs. olive oil and sear tuna on four sides for 10 seconds each – total of 40 seconds. Chill tuna in cooler before slicing.

In a shallow pan, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil. Fry egg roll wrappers to a light golden brown. Set aside and drain on a paper towel.

Featuring Tommy Bahama 15205 N. Kierland Blvd. • Scottsdale 480.607.3388 • www.tommybahama.com

Arrange spinach leaves on plate. Top with egg roll wrappers. Arrange seared and cooled tuna and top with ginger and micro greens. Serve with a dressing on the side or drizzle it along the plate.

Serves one.

Event Calendar

With just a few weeks left until the start of another school year, many families are squeezing in one last summer getaway.

Use these very basic tips to turn your vacation photographs from the mundane to “mantel worthy.”

Movies at the Museum Phoenix Art Museum, Aug. 1st, 15th, 18th, 29th 602.257.1222 or phxart.org There may not be any popcorn or Red Vines, but movies at the museum are just as enjoyable. The films are followed by a group discussion as each film pertains to current exhibitions and collections. This month’s movies incorporate a wide variety of genres including Funny Girl and a documentary entitled Women without Men. Summer ROQ Concert Series Intercontinental Montelucia, Aug. 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th 480.627.3200 or icmontelucia.com What better way to cool off and enjoy some great live tunes than with the Montelucia’s summer concert series. Some of your favorite local bands will be rocking out poolside including Chris Parker Project and Daisy Train. Concerts are free to guests and the public.

Scottsdale ArtWalk Downtown Scottsdale, Aug. 13th scottsdalegalleries.com Check out over 100 art galleries in Downtown Scottsdale during these Thursday events. Whether you are an art connoisseur or just out for people watching, come find out why locals and visitors alike love the ArtWalk. Enjoy meeting local artists and fraternizing with gallery owners.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Houston Texans University of Phoenix Stadium, Aug. 14th 623.433.7100 or azcardinals.com Football season already? Get a sneak peak at the 2010-2011 team during this pre-season game. Check out the newcomers and the veterans and see if they have what it takes to make it all the way to the Super Bowl again! Go Cards!

John Mayer Cricket Wireless Pavilion, Aug. 18th 602.254.7200 or livenation.com John Mayer brings you his acoustic rock and bluesy sounds on this tour promoting his most recent album Battle Studies.

As a Grammy-award winner for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Mayer has many hits under his belt to keep the crowd happy. Joining Mayer on tour is Owl City, best known for their ever-popular hit Fireflies.

Siduri Wine Dinner BLT Steak, Aug. 19th 480.905.7979 or camelbackinn.com Join winemaker Adam Lee at BLT Steak for a spectacular evening. Mix, mingle and learn everything you wanted to know about wine. Later, get a chance to pair up a Siduri Pinot Noir with the fabulous five-course dinner prepared by Chef de Cuisine Marc Hennessy. Make sure to reserve your spot ahead, seating is limited.

Valley residents are accustomed to spending a lot of time outdoors. With terrific weather for most of the year, we’ve created outdoor living spaces that are used quite often. Some of us have courtyards perfect for morning coffee and backyards used for everyday leisure as well as entertaining. The only problem arises when the hot summer months make it unbearable to enjoy being outside - even in the evenings.

Enter residential misting systems. Misting systems are nothing new or innovative necessarily. We’ve all dined at restaurants or meandered through shopping centers that use a mist system to cool the air. But have you considered installing a misting system for your own home?

Jonathan Marsh of MistAMERICA Corporation in Scottsdale explains the benefits of a misting system. “Used for many years to cool outdoor spaces such as patios, pool areas and walkways, mist is an ultra-fine spray produced by forcing water at high pressure through specialized nozzles. As the mist evaporates, heat is absorbed. Newly-created cool air is heavier than warm air so it floats down to the ground, reducing the air temperature by 20 to 40 degrees.”

The high-pressure misting systems by MistAMERICA utilize a pump that expels water at 1000 to 4000 pounds per square inch. At such high pressure, the water is atomized into droplets of about one tenth the diameter of a human hair. Because the mist is so fine, you can sit under it without getting wet.

You can have a misting system installed along the perimeter of your patio. You’ll find that the mist creates a wall, or barrier, of cool air and will cool the entire patio even though you may not be sitting directly underneath the misters. In fact on a dry evening with little breeze, the misters can cool your entire backyard up to 100’ away from the misting system. Imagine dining outdoors again or hosting a pool party where your non-swimming guests aren’t downright miserable in the heat!

MistAMERICA also installs misting systems that create a dramatic fog effect for pools, landscaping and fountains- any area you want to bathe in billowing clouds of luxurious fog. Not only are those areas visually dramatic, but of course will also be cool and comfortable. MistAMERICA has even created a system that forms a thick wall of fog where movies can be projected onto like an outdoor movie screen!

Many homes under construction are built with the misting systems in place. The system tubing is installed at the framing stage and buried under the stucco so that all that is seen are the nozzles. To retro-fit an existing structure, MistAMERICA will design stainless-steel tubing that is powder-coated and painted the exact color of your home. The tubing is then installed and blended along the existing architectural lines.

Water usage is always a concern here in the Valley and most of us are conscious of wasting this very precious desert resource. Should the water used in a misting system be a concern? Jonathan explains, “Although it may appear that a large amount of water is expelled, the amount of water used in an entire year of average use is about 1/3 the amount of water that simply evaporates from your pool each year.”

A ballpark cost of a typical system for an average-sized patio is approximately $3,000-$5,000. With multiple cooling areas, pool fog and an elaborate automation system, your costs can rise to $10,000 plus.

A misting system can be the final touch on your desert environment. You’ll be able to enjoy the outdoors all through the year and it creates value to your home when it’s time for resale.

For more information about misting systems, contact MistAMERICA at 602.255.0500 or www.mistamerica.com.

Your Home

Photographing People When you’re arranging several people together for a photo, keep good composition in mind. Avoid lining everyone up like an elementary class photo. Instead, arrange your subjects in staggered positions: some sitting, some kneeling, maybe even lounging about on the ground. It provides more of a visual interest and shows your subjects in a more relaxed state.

When photographing people, you may find that the candid shots turn out to be your favorites. Capturing a child’s pure joy as the cotton candy is handed over to them or Mom’s serene expression as she gazes at the ocean will tell the true story of your memorable vacation.

One of the most important guidelines for capturing the best shot of people is to always shoot at their eye level. So squat down if you need to and avoid the uncomplimentary view of looking down at or perhaps peering up at someone.

You’ll also find that your best people pictures are those where the focus is solely on the individual(s). So take extra care to position your subjects against a plain, non-distracting background and get in close so your subject fills most of the frame.

Lastly, many people don’t realize that the use of flash in daytime, outdoor shots is usually called for. Use your fill-flash on bright and sunny days to avoid dark shadows on faces. On cloudy and overcast days, a flash will lend an extra light source to better illuminate your subjects against their surroundings.

Beach Vacations When shooting ocean scenes, place the horizon line either high or low. Avoid

Amusement Parks Theme parks are bursting with photo opportunities full of vibrant colors and action. Try your hand at a bit of photojournalism and take a series of photos that tell a story. Begin your story with a posed shot at the park’s grand entrance and end with a candid of tired, dirty kids dragging themselves back to the hotel room.

Nighttime provides more opportunities for terrific photos. To capture the beauty of a theme park at night, turn your flash off and hold steady! A slow shutter speed will create that desirable “blur” of lights on moving rides. Photographing fireworks can be tricky. Use a tripod if you can - you’ll always get your best results when you do. Find a good spot where you’ll avoid obstructions such as trees or light poles and take note of which way the wind might be blowing to avoid photographs filled with gray smoke. Turn your flash off when

shooting fireworks and set your camera to infinity or landscape mode.

National Parks Most national parks have a distinguishing special feature such as a geyser or monument. It may seem cliché, but your photo album wouldn’t be complete without some photographs dedicated to just that.

When shooting a landmark, it may be effective to position your family members near it to show scale. A photo of a fallen sequoia tree suddenly has more impact when shown how it towers over people.

When photographing a landscape, the

best photographs are composed with a visual interest in the foreground. For instance, a photo of far-away mountains can be beautiful. But shot with bright wildflowers dotting the foreground looks even better.

Use the rule of thirds in your pictures.

Centering a monument or lighthouse in the photo looks choppy and unattractive.

Rather, move it off center. It gives your photo that dynamic visual appeal and brings your picture to life. Most auto-focus cameras will focus on the center of the frame, so remember to lock your focus on your subject before shooting.

Tahitian Tuna Salad

Local Flavor!

August 2010

centering it in the photograph. Placing it low gives the emphasis on the sky and is an excellent format for sunsets. Placing it high gives more importance to the beach and is nice when you want to highlight sand castles or sun bathers.

Non-traditional beach shots are important too. Taking photos of the boardwalk, the snack hut or a group of surfers waxing their boards tells a complete story of where you were and what you experienced. Get down low and take close-up photos of sea shells, the foamy tide as it retreats from the sand or your toddler’s hands filling a sand bucket.

Schedule at least one evening for a group shot at sunset. Typically, the 10 minutes right after the sun sinks below the horizon gives the best lighting. The skies are raked with pink, orange and blue and the lighting is soft and pretty. Plan to dress in coordinating clothing. White and khaki always look great on a beach and be sure to be barefoot!

4 1 3 3 1 1 2

oz. Ahi Tuna Tbs. Pepper Mary’s Blackening Spice Tbs. Olive Oil (separated) oz. Spinach Leaves oz. Fresh Ginger, sliced oz. Micro Greens each Egg Roll Wrappers

Place blackening spice on a tray. Take Ahi tuna portion and roll in spice, covering all sides except the two outside sides on each end. (This will enable you to judge which way to slice the tuna.)

Once all tuna has been rolled in blackening spice, it’s time to sear. In a smoking hot sauté pan, add 1 Tbs. olive oil and sear tuna on four sides for 10 seconds each – total of 40 seconds. Chill tuna in cooler before slicing.

In a shallow pan, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil. Fry egg roll wrappers to a light golden brown. Set aside and drain on a paper towel.

Featuring Tommy Bahama 15205 N. Kierland Blvd. • Scottsdale 480.607.3388 • www.tommybahama.com

Arrange spinach leaves on plate. Top with egg roll wrappers. Arrange seared and cooled tuna and top with ginger and micro greens. Serve with a dressing on the side or drizzle it along the plate.

Serves one.

Wendy Kirtland Wendy is a full-time Realtor who pours her heart and soul into serving her clients’ best interest. Whether it be listing and selling your home for the best price in the shortest amount of time possible or finding the perfect home to suit your needs, she is tireless in her efforts.

When she is not working with clients

Wendy Kirtland Cell: 480.215.0959 eFax: 480.355.9514 WKirtland@FineProp.com RE/MAX Fine Properties 21000 N. Pima Rd., Suite 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

she spends time furthering her real estate education. In 2009 she completed courses to become an “Accredited Buyer’s Representative,” a “Certified Distressed Property Expert,” a “Certified Negotiation Expert,” a “Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource,” and other additional courses. Not a day goes by that she is not learning something new.

WKirtland@FineProp.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996 • www.DesertLifestyle.net