Saguaro Highlands Lifestyle

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

YOUR SAGUARO HIGHLANDS REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST

Many thanks go out to the neighbors of Saguaro Highlands for making our 10th annual neighborhood BBQ a success!

Featured Cover Home Sold In 30 Days LD

Mid November Are you ready to do a little fall cleaning before the holiday company arrives?

If so call me at 480.203.6949 to participate!

SO

NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE

SAGUARO HIGHLANDS

THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE

6609 E Oberlin Way | 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 3,570 SQFT | $850,000

A Time For Thanks

Your New Home Loan Is Only A Phone Call Away JUMBO PURCHASE • Up to 90% LTV *Excludes Nevada • Competitive Rates • 1/0 products available • Non-occupying co-borrowers allowed • Up to 40 year term

JUMBO REFINANCE • 90% financing *Excludes Nevada • No mortgage insurance required • Interest only • Cash out

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY OWNER OCCUPIED, NON-OWNER OCCUPIED, AND SECOND HOME LOAN PACKAGES For additional lender information contact Lesley today.

RECENT REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY Address SQFT Bed Bath List Price Sold Price

List / Sold Price Per SQFT

COE

Currently for Sale in Saguaro Highlands and Saguaro Estates 6678 E Running Deer Tail 3,342 27515 N 65th St 3,569 6990 E Blue Sky Dr 3,927 6562 E Bent Tree Dr 4,283 6513 E Running Deer Trail 4,599 6473 E Greythorn Dr 3,968 6885 E Oberlin Way 4,792 27551 N 70th St 4,768 27503 N 70th Way 7,549 7036 E Ironwood Dr 7,287

Lesley McGee Cell: 480.203.6949

lesley.mcgee@bhhsaz.com

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

3 4 3 4 4 3 4 5 6 5

2.5 3.5 3.5 4.5 4.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6 6.5

$749,000 $859,000 $922,995 $949,950 $1,099,000 $1,150,000 $1,335,000 $1,499,000 $1,995,000 $2,400,000

$224.12 $240.68 $235.04 $221.80 $238.96 $289.82 $278.59 $314.39 $264.27 $329.35

Recently Sold in Saguaro Highlands and Saguaro Estates 6609 E Oberlin Way 6818 E Blue Sky Dr

3,730 3 6,627 6

2.5 $860,000 $850,000 $230.56/$227.88 10/02/14 4.5 $1,199,000 $1,040,000 $180.82/$156.93 10/18/14

Call Lesley for the most effective marketing to get your Saguaro Highlands home sold at

480.203.6949

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

Home Sweet Home Remodel Should You ‘Love It’ Or ‘List It’?

Bounty Of Bliss

Coup Des Tartes’ Pumpkin Mousse Cake

First Class Home Sold

By Lesley McGee

Event Calendar

In Good Taste Coup Des Tartes 602.212.1082 | NiceTartes.com

PUMPKIN MOUSSE CAKE INGREDIENTS GRAHAM CRACKER CAKE 2 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs 1/2 c cake flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 c unsalted butter, softened 1 c packed light brown sugar 3 egg yolks, room temperature 2 tsp vanilla extracts 1 c milk, lukewarm 3 egg whites, room temperature SPICED PUMPKIN MOUSSE 1 envelope gelatin 2 tbsp cold water 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 1 can condensed milk 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp nutmeg and cloves 1 2/3 c whipping cream GANACHE 1 c heavy whipping cream 1/3 c light corn syrup 18 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 tbsp butter

UP D O

F

ro

TARTES

re

Photo Credit: Kimberly Haugen-Little Knoll Photography

ES

C

GRAHAM CRACKER CAKE DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two 9 inch round pans.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and the light brown sugar until fluffy. Slowly beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.

n c h B ist

s the weather turns cooler and we set our dining room table for a Thanksgiving feast, we are given the opportunity to pause and reflect on all we can be grateful for. The tradition of Thanksgiving, of course, is not a new idea, nor one that truly began at Plymouth with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Cultures around the world have celebrated their harvest annually when the fields were full and ripe for picking. The word harvest is actually from the Old English word hærfest, meaning autumn and the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon. At harvest festivals, ancient cultures took respite from the labor of the fields and gave thanks for their bountiful harvest by preparing large feasts to share and enjoy. Then, it was time to prepare for the long winter ahead when the fields lay barren for many long months.

Today’s Thanksgiving shares common threads with the harvest rituals of yore.

We still enjoy taking a break from work to celebrate our good fortune and give thanks for all we have by gathering to feast with family and friends. And we can thank President Abraham Lincoln for making the day official, as he declared the final Thursday in November a national

Stir in the vanilla. Alternately add the milk and the crumb mixture while beating on low.

Beat the egg whites in a bowl until foamy. Add the sugar slowly, and beat to soft peaks.

Fold into the crumb batter, and pour into the pans.

Bake for 25 minutes, then cool.

SPICED PUMKIN MOUSE DIRECTIONS In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water, stir and allow to soften. In a saucepan heat condensed milk, salt and pumpkin puree together until warmed through. Add softened gelatin and stir to combine until gelatin melts, stir in spices. Allow to cool to room temperature. Beat whipping cream in a mixer until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to your pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined. Gently fold in the remaining 2/3 of cream taking care not to stir or fold too, which will cause deflation.

GANACHE DIRECTIONS Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened. Place cake on rack set in large rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Chill cake 1 hour. Scrape up excess ganache and rewarm in small saucepan over low heat just until lukewarm, whisking often.

Pour ganache over cold cake, smoothing over any uncovered areas. Chill until ganache is set.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE Remove cooled cakes from pans. Use the smoothest cake for your top layer. Place cake layer on tart bottom or cardboard round. Scoop half of mousse on top of first layer, and gently place second layer on top. Scoop remaining mousse on top and smooth. Allow to chill for two hours before topping with ganache.

N OVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

A MODERN

day of Thanksgiving. Congress made it an official day off from work in 1941 when turkey day became a true national holiday. An interesting side note: Congress also moved Thanksgiving back a week, in hopes of giving more oomph to the holiday shopping season. And would you believe shopping and our day of thanks are still inexplicably tied together?

Modern-day Thanksgiving is linked with Black Friday, the day after feast day, and the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. This year, some stores are even staying open on Thanksgiving.

Though most of us no longer work in the fields, we do live in a hectic, fast-paced digital world. Perhaps it’s now even more important to take the time to pause and remember to give thanks for our good fortune. This year, why not instill some new traditions at your Thanksgiving table? Perhaps ask each family member to tell what he or she is most grateful for before feasting on turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Or volunteer to work at a food bank on Thanksgiving to help others in need.

After all, Thanksgiving should be centered on gratitude and giving rather than on football and bargain shopping.

HOME SWEET HOME REMODEL

A popular HGTV show, Love It or List It, is themed around homeowners who have shortcomings with their current home. Two experts are called in to help. One expert, a designer, comes up with a design and remodels the home in order to address the current issues so that the homeowners will

“love” the home again. The other expert, a real estate agent, shows the homeowners other properties in order to persuade them to “list” their current home and move to one of the other properties. The premise is straight-forward, but how many times does the remodel win over moving to another property? According to Wikipedia, the percentage of homeowners who chose to “love it” is an overwhelming 59% (averaged over the first seven seasons of the show).

Maybe a popular TV show does not

mimic real life exactly, but why do so many homeowners decide to fix up areas in their home or remodel it because they want to put their home on the market and sell it? They have already decided to “list it” and move, rather than remodel and “love it.”

A home remodel should concentrate on both the value of the remodel to your lifestyle as well as the value of the remodel to selling the home sometime down the road. If you plan on staying in the home for a long time, the remodeling project should address what matters most to you. Just like the frustrated homeowners on the TV show, you can probably list the top five shortcomings or issues with your current home. Make a list and then consider both the immediate value to your lifestyle and the return on investment in terms of resale value of the home in the future.

According to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2014, the top five renovations that yield the greatest percentage return on investment are: • Entry door replacement: 96.6% • Wood deck addition: 87.4% • Attic bedroom: 84.3% • Garage door replacement: 83.7% • Minor kitchen remodel: 82.7% For example, a minor kitchen remodel is defined as updating a functional but dated kitchen with modern yet mid-priced finishes such as raised panel cabinet door fronts and upgraded countertops.

The bottom-line is that a home remodeling project should give you, the homeowner, the biggest “bang for the buck” so that you will love your home, whether it be for many years to come or until it’s time to sell.

Goodguys 17th Southwest Nationals WestWorld of Scottsdale | November 14-16 925.838.9876 | Good-Guys.com Long considered a “Can’t Miss” event, Goodguys turns North Scottsdale into Hot Rod Mecca when the country’s finest top hot rods, customs, muscle cars and tricked-out trucks gather.

This highly anticipated weekend in the “Valley of the Sun” will feature a giant outdoor Show & Shine showcasing over 3,000 pre-1972 hot rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks on display including the “Goodguys Top 12 Cars of the Year” in the Street Rod Headquarters Champions Arena.

Ornament Marketplace at the Heard Museum Heard Museum | November 28-30 602.252.8840 | Heard.org Decorate your home for the holidays with wonderful Nativethemed ornaments hand-crafted by American Indian artists from the Heard Museum Shops during this annual event!

Choose from hundreds of ornaments in a variety of art forms for yourself or for unique holiday gifts. More than 20 talented Native artists have crafted ornaments featuring carved wood, miniature baskets, pottery and beads just for this event.

Decorated wreaths, books and gifts made by Native artists will also be available for purchase. This year’s signature ornament is by Navajo silversmith Alex Sanchez. Sanchez’s work reflects his Southwestern heritage, crafting beautiful contemporary and traditional-style jewelry with petroglyph designs. His work often incorporates the horseshoe shape, which has become his hallmark.

Holiday Pops Symphony Hall | December 5-7 602.495.1999 | PhoenixSymphony.org “O’ Come, All Ye Faithful” to the Valley’s most beloved holiday tradition, Holiday Pops, as Guest Conductor Stuart Chafetz returns to lead The Phoenix Symphony and The Phoenix Symphony Chorus in this festive concert of seasonal favorites and the ever-popular Holiday sing-a-long. This year the tradition soars to new and angelic heights as the Desert Bells Bell Choir and The Phoenix Girls Chorus take their place among over 200 artists in a performance guaranteed to deliver the holiday spirit.

Holiday Prelude XXIX Phoenician Resort | December 5th 623.937.2521 | JCFaris@cox.net Fashion through the ages… then and now. Fashion by Robert Black and Galina Couture. Holiday Prelude is sponsored by Phoenix Art Museum League, Phoenix Youth Symphony, and Phoenix Theatre Guild.

The Nutcracker Symphony Hall | December 12-28 602.381.1096 | BalletAZ.org The magic of The Nutcracker illuminates the stage with more than 150 performers, hundreds of costumes and the beauty and athleticism of Ballet Arizona’s nationally recognized dancers. A timeless holiday tradition for all ages.

Choreography by artistic director Ib Andersen danced to Tchaikovsky’s famous score.

Event Calendar

In Good Taste Coup Des Tartes 602.212.1082 | NiceTartes.com

PUMPKIN MOUSSE CAKE INGREDIENTS GRAHAM CRACKER CAKE 2 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs 1/2 c cake flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 c unsalted butter, softened 1 c packed light brown sugar 3 egg yolks, room temperature 2 tsp vanilla extracts 1 c milk, lukewarm 3 egg whites, room temperature SPICED PUMPKIN MOUSSE 1 envelope gelatin 2 tbsp cold water 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 1 can condensed milk 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp nutmeg and cloves 1 2/3 c whipping cream GANACHE 1 c heavy whipping cream 1/3 c light corn syrup 18 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 tbsp butter

UP D O

F

ro

TARTES

re

Photo Credit: Kimberly Haugen-Little Knoll Photography

ES

C

GRAHAM CRACKER CAKE DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two 9 inch round pans.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and the light brown sugar until fluffy. Slowly beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.

n c h B ist

s the weather turns cooler and we set our dining room table for a Thanksgiving feast, we are given the opportunity to pause and reflect on all we can be grateful for. The tradition of Thanksgiving, of course, is not a new idea, nor one that truly began at Plymouth with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Cultures around the world have celebrated their harvest annually when the fields were full and ripe for picking. The word harvest is actually from the Old English word hærfest, meaning autumn and the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon. At harvest festivals, ancient cultures took respite from the labor of the fields and gave thanks for their bountiful harvest by preparing large feasts to share and enjoy. Then, it was time to prepare for the long winter ahead when the fields lay barren for many long months.

Today’s Thanksgiving shares common threads with the harvest rituals of yore.

We still enjoy taking a break from work to celebrate our good fortune and give thanks for all we have by gathering to feast with family and friends. And we can thank President Abraham Lincoln for making the day official, as he declared the final Thursday in November a national

Stir in the vanilla. Alternately add the milk and the crumb mixture while beating on low.

Beat the egg whites in a bowl until foamy. Add the sugar slowly, and beat to soft peaks.

Fold into the crumb batter, and pour into the pans.

Bake for 25 minutes, then cool.

SPICED PUMKIN MOUSE DIRECTIONS In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water, stir and allow to soften. In a saucepan heat condensed milk, salt and pumpkin puree together until warmed through. Add softened gelatin and stir to combine until gelatin melts, stir in spices. Allow to cool to room temperature. Beat whipping cream in a mixer until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to your pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined. Gently fold in the remaining 2/3 of cream taking care not to stir or fold too, which will cause deflation.

GANACHE DIRECTIONS Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened. Place cake on rack set in large rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Chill cake 1 hour. Scrape up excess ganache and rewarm in small saucepan over low heat just until lukewarm, whisking often.

Pour ganache over cold cake, smoothing over any uncovered areas. Chill until ganache is set.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE Remove cooled cakes from pans. Use the smoothest cake for your top layer. Place cake layer on tart bottom or cardboard round. Scoop half of mousse on top of first layer, and gently place second layer on top. Scoop remaining mousse on top and smooth. Allow to chill for two hours before topping with ganache.

N OVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

A MODERN

day of Thanksgiving. Congress made it an official day off from work in 1941 when turkey day became a true national holiday. An interesting side note: Congress also moved Thanksgiving back a week, in hopes of giving more oomph to the holiday shopping season. And would you believe shopping and our day of thanks are still inexplicably tied together?

Modern-day Thanksgiving is linked with Black Friday, the day after feast day, and the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. This year, some stores are even staying open on Thanksgiving.

Though most of us no longer work in the fields, we do live in a hectic, fast-paced digital world. Perhaps it’s now even more important to take the time to pause and remember to give thanks for our good fortune. This year, why not instill some new traditions at your Thanksgiving table? Perhaps ask each family member to tell what he or she is most grateful for before feasting on turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Or volunteer to work at a food bank on Thanksgiving to help others in need.

After all, Thanksgiving should be centered on gratitude and giving rather than on football and bargain shopping.

HOME SWEET HOME REMODEL

A popular HGTV show, Love It or List It, is themed around homeowners who have shortcomings with their current home. Two experts are called in to help. One expert, a designer, comes up with a design and remodels the home in order to address the current issues so that the homeowners will

“love” the home again. The other expert, a real estate agent, shows the homeowners other properties in order to persuade them to “list” their current home and move to one of the other properties. The premise is straight-forward, but how many times does the remodel win over moving to another property? According to Wikipedia, the percentage of homeowners who chose to “love it” is an overwhelming 59% (averaged over the first seven seasons of the show).

Maybe a popular TV show does not

mimic real life exactly, but why do so many homeowners decide to fix up areas in their home or remodel it because they want to put their home on the market and sell it? They have already decided to “list it” and move, rather than remodel and “love it.”

A home remodel should concentrate on both the value of the remodel to your lifestyle as well as the value of the remodel to selling the home sometime down the road. If you plan on staying in the home for a long time, the remodeling project should address what matters most to you. Just like the frustrated homeowners on the TV show, you can probably list the top five shortcomings or issues with your current home. Make a list and then consider both the immediate value to your lifestyle and the return on investment in terms of resale value of the home in the future.

According to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2014, the top five renovations that yield the greatest percentage return on investment are: • Entry door replacement: 96.6% • Wood deck addition: 87.4% • Attic bedroom: 84.3% • Garage door replacement: 83.7% • Minor kitchen remodel: 82.7% For example, a minor kitchen remodel is defined as updating a functional but dated kitchen with modern yet mid-priced finishes such as raised panel cabinet door fronts and upgraded countertops.

The bottom-line is that a home remodeling project should give you, the homeowner, the biggest “bang for the buck” so that you will love your home, whether it be for many years to come or until it’s time to sell.

Goodguys 17th Southwest Nationals WestWorld of Scottsdale | November 14-16 925.838.9876 | Good-Guys.com Long considered a “Can’t Miss” event, Goodguys turns North Scottsdale into Hot Rod Mecca when the country’s finest top hot rods, customs, muscle cars and tricked-out trucks gather.

This highly anticipated weekend in the “Valley of the Sun” will feature a giant outdoor Show & Shine showcasing over 3,000 pre-1972 hot rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks on display including the “Goodguys Top 12 Cars of the Year” in the Street Rod Headquarters Champions Arena.

Ornament Marketplace at the Heard Museum Heard Museum | November 28-30 602.252.8840 | Heard.org Decorate your home for the holidays with wonderful Nativethemed ornaments hand-crafted by American Indian artists from the Heard Museum Shops during this annual event!

Choose from hundreds of ornaments in a variety of art forms for yourself or for unique holiday gifts. More than 20 talented Native artists have crafted ornaments featuring carved wood, miniature baskets, pottery and beads just for this event.

Decorated wreaths, books and gifts made by Native artists will also be available for purchase. This year’s signature ornament is by Navajo silversmith Alex Sanchez. Sanchez’s work reflects his Southwestern heritage, crafting beautiful contemporary and traditional-style jewelry with petroglyph designs. His work often incorporates the horseshoe shape, which has become his hallmark.

Holiday Pops Symphony Hall | December 5-7 602.495.1999 | PhoenixSymphony.org “O’ Come, All Ye Faithful” to the Valley’s most beloved holiday tradition, Holiday Pops, as Guest Conductor Stuart Chafetz returns to lead The Phoenix Symphony and The Phoenix Symphony Chorus in this festive concert of seasonal favorites and the ever-popular Holiday sing-a-long. This year the tradition soars to new and angelic heights as the Desert Bells Bell Choir and The Phoenix Girls Chorus take their place among over 200 artists in a performance guaranteed to deliver the holiday spirit.

Holiday Prelude XXIX Phoenician Resort | December 5th 623.937.2521 | JCFaris@cox.net Fashion through the ages… then and now. Fashion by Robert Black and Galina Couture. Holiday Prelude is sponsored by Phoenix Art Museum League, Phoenix Youth Symphony, and Phoenix Theatre Guild.

The Nutcracker Symphony Hall | December 12-28 602.381.1096 | BalletAZ.org The magic of The Nutcracker illuminates the stage with more than 150 performers, hundreds of costumes and the beauty and athleticism of Ballet Arizona’s nationally recognized dancers. A timeless holiday tradition for all ages.

Choreography by artistic director Ib Andersen danced to Tchaikovsky’s famous score.

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

YOUR SAGUARO HIGHLANDS REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST

Many thanks go out to the neighbors of Saguaro Highlands for making our 10th annual neighborhood BBQ a success!

Featured Cover Home Sold In 30 Days LD

Mid November Are you ready to do a little fall cleaning before the holiday company arrives?

If so call me at 480.203.6949 to participate!

SO

NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE

SAGUARO HIGHLANDS

THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE

6609 E Oberlin Way | 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 3,570 SQFT | $850,000

A Time For Thanks

Your New Home Loan Is Only A Phone Call Away JUMBO PURCHASE • Up to 90% LTV *Excludes Nevada • Competitive Rates • 1/0 products available • Non-occupying co-borrowers allowed • Up to 40 year term

JUMBO REFINANCE • 90% financing *Excludes Nevada • No mortgage insurance required • Interest only • Cash out

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY OWNER OCCUPIED, NON-OWNER OCCUPIED, AND SECOND HOME LOAN PACKAGES For additional lender information contact Lesley today.

RECENT REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY Address SQFT Bed Bath List Price Sold Price

List / Sold Price Per SQFT

COE

Currently for Sale in Saguaro Highlands and Saguaro Estates 6678 E Running Deer Tail 3,342 27515 N 65th St 3,569 6990 E Blue Sky Dr 3,927 6562 E Bent Tree Dr 4,283 6513 E Running Deer Trail 4,599 6473 E Greythorn Dr 3,968 6885 E Oberlin Way 4,792 27551 N 70th St 4,768 27503 N 70th Way 7,549 7036 E Ironwood Dr 7,287

Lesley McGee Cell: 480.203.6949

lesley.mcgee@bhhsaz.com

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

3 4 3 4 4 3 4 5 6 5

2.5 3.5 3.5 4.5 4.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6 6.5

$749,000 $859,000 $922,995 $949,950 $1,099,000 $1,150,000 $1,335,000 $1,499,000 $1,995,000 $2,400,000

$224.12 $240.68 $235.04 $221.80 $238.96 $289.82 $278.59 $314.39 $264.27 $329.35

Recently Sold in Saguaro Highlands and Saguaro Estates 6609 E Oberlin Way 6818 E Blue Sky Dr

3,730 3 6,627 6

2.5 $860,000 $850,000 $230.56/$227.88 10/02/14 4.5 $1,199,000 $1,040,000 $180.82/$156.93 10/18/14

Call Lesley for the most effective marketing to get your Saguaro Highlands home sold at

480.203.6949

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

Home Sweet Home Remodel Should You ‘Love It’ Or ‘List It’?

Bounty Of Bliss

Coup Des Tartes’ Pumpkin Mousse Cake

First Class Home Sold

By Lesley McGee