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Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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Catherine Uretsky Publisher & Editor
Christie Giannetto Associate Editor
Al Uretsky Publisher & Sales Exec
Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338. Additional copies and article reproductions can be obtained for a fee by contacting info@EstrellaPublishing.com Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor 623.594.9283 info@EstrellaPublishing.com Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.594.9283 info@EstrellaPublishing.com All contents © 2010-present day Estrella Publishing LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission from Estrella Publishing LLC is prohibited. Estrella Publishing accepts freelance contributions, there is no guarantee that materials will be used or returned. Some content is provided by Brandpointe. Estrella Publishing is not responsible for the views of contributing writers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Advertisers. Estrella Publishing reserves the right to restrict all advertisement to their proper classification and to edit or reject any copy at its sole discretion. Neither this publication nor Estrella Publishing is an agent of or in any way affiliated with the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association, or any of their respective affiliates. This publication has not been approved by, sponsored by, or endorsed by the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association in any way.
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Welcome to your July edition! Can you believe 2021 is half over? It sure feels great to be getting back to normal, and especially to be able to travel again. The hottest months of the year are a logical time to get away, whether it be a quick weekend getaway to Northern Arizona, an out-of-state excursion, or even a visit to another country. We are looking forward to visiting my home state of Michigan for a few days this month. There are also some great local day trips that offer refreshing ways to cool off. Lake Pleasant is just minutes away, is a great place to swim, and offers reasonably priced kayak rentals. Fossil Creek is just a 2.5-hour drive northeast and is an amazing hidden gem in the desert with crystal clear, cool, spring-fed waters. Tubing on the Salt
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Open every night from 5 pm to 1 am Every child seen by a pediatrician Faster than the emergency room Online registration to get into queue or register for telehealth visit Telehealth visits from anywhere in AZ AHCCCS and most major insurance accepted, cash pay rates available Easy access off 101 and I-10 Rapid COVID testing available
River is another fun get-away that can be done as a day trip. We usually go on a Saturday in August – reach out if you would like to join us! If you have traveled lately, locally or out of state, we would love to hear about it. Share your story by emailing it to me at Christie@AZLifestyleTeam. com. It may by printed in our Travel Bug section and you might inspire others to take an excursion as well! If traveling is not your thing, I still encourage you to enjoy some time outside, even if it is just sitting on your front porch with a good book as the sun sets or enjoying a morning walk in one of our beautiful parks before the day heats up. After all, in the words of Sam Keen, “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” See you on The Front Porch!
Christie Giannetto | Assistant Editor | The Front Porch Magazine
623-643-9233
GoodNightPeds.com 10320 W McDowell Rd Bldg. L, Avondale Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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On Our Cover
After years working to recruit loving foster families, Amy decided to become a licensed foster parent with the goal of providing respite for foster families.
The first call she received was for placement of biological brothers, Quincey, 16 months, and Preston, four years old at the time. The boys were separated, so Amy accepted placement of Quincy. The placement was short term with the goal of reunifying the boys with their biological mother, but 45 days became 6 months, until the boys’ biological grandmother took them into kinship care. By then, Amy had bonded with Quincy and was broken hearted. She prayed that if Quincy’s life was best served with her, the Lord would bring him back. Six months later, the boys were placed back into foster care, and Amy, without hesitation, agreed to placement for both Quincey and Preston. The goal was always to reunify the boys with their biological mother and Amy genuinely wanted them to be reunited with her, but she was never able to complete the court’s requirements.
Eventually, the court decided to proceed with termination of her parental rights but needed to have an adoptive resource identified. Foster families are always asked first to adopt children that have been in their care, but Amy’s biological son, Braylen, was just entering high school at the time and she was worried about having the resources to support three boys. Several months went by, and an adoptive resource was not identified. Then, while attending a social work training about how trauma impacts children, Amy broke down crying thinking of Quincey and Preston. She realized then that the boys needed her and decided to do whatever it took to make them permanently part of her family. With the support of Braylen and her extended family, she pursued the adoption, which was finalized two years later. In Amy’s home, adoption is a beautiful word. Quincey and Preston’s biological mother and grandparents are still in contact, but they are growing up in a stable and loving home with Amy. Quincey is now 10 and Preston is 13. They are thriving, and love to spend time with their big brother Braylen who is now 23. Amy encourages anyone considering fostering to pursue it, and for those not in a position to foster, she encourages the support of foster families in other ways. Submitted by Christie Giannetto | Marley Park Resident
MARLEY PARK LOAN OFFICER
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July 2021
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Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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July 2021
Home Sweet Home Competing offers, bidding wars, and shocking rates of appreciation can make buying a home right now challenging and stressful. It takes patience and perseverance, an experienced agent, and no small amount of grit to make it happen. If you are a seller, however, this market may seem like a dream. Every day your equity appears to be increasing and you can name your terms in any transaction. It seems though, that the same mistakes are made by over-confident sellers even in a strong sellers’ market.
It may seem hard to believe, but a home can still be overpriced in this market. What many people fail to understand is that the list price is typically the floor and not the ceiling when the market favors sellers. An overinflated list price will cause buyers to skip your home altogether, especially when they are already in the mindset of paying over the list price or even over the appraised value. The mean sales price in Maricopa County was 4% over the list price in May. For a $400,000 home, that is $16,000 over the list price…on average! When you “leave room for negotiation” in this market, it means leaving room for the
Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
price to go UP, not down. An experienced agent will counsel you to price the property at or just above the current comparable sales, knowing that buyer demand will push the offer prices up. The last home I listed in Marley Park was priced $20,000 over the recent comparable sales and ended up selling for $50,000 over the list price with no appraisal contingency after multiple competing offers. Overpricing the home from the beginning might have scared away some of the buyers and eliminated our ability to leverage offers against each other to create a bidding war. It takes an experienced agent to understand “the game” and play it to the sellers’ best interest. In the next few issues, I’ll be discussing the pitfalls of selling without an agent and the temptation to accept investor offers. These are important factors to consider in a strong sellers’ market and you will want to be sure you are making the most of the current market if you are planning to sell. Submitted by Christie Giannetto | REALTOR® | Arizona Lifestyle Team | HomeSmart
July 2021
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Announcements
Beau William Beck was born on June 1st, 2021, to parents, Russ and Bonnie Beck. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 20” long. He joins big brother Paul who is 8-years old and taking his big brother duties in stride. Welcome to Marley Park Beau!
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July 2021
Yum Yum Campfire Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS 1 box Devil’s food cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box 1 1/2 c. butter, softened 6 c. powdered sugar 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/4 c. heavy cream pinch of kosher salt Orange and yellow food coloring Pretzel sticks, for decoration 48 mini marshmallows 24 toothpicks, for decoration DIRECTIONS • Preheat oven to 350° and line two cupcake pans with cupcake lines. • Prepare cake batter according to package instructions and divide
between cupcake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely. • In a large bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined, then add vanilla, heavy cream, and salt and beat until combined. • Divide buttercream between two bowls and dye one bowl of buttercream orange and the other yellow. • Alternating between orange and yellow, fill a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirled buttercream onto each cupcake. To decorate, arrange pretzel sticks, standing up, around the buttercream to look like sticks in a bonfire. Skewer two mini marshmallows onto each toothpick and stick a toothpick into each cupcake. Serve immediately.
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Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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Wolfpack Counseling, LLC www.wolfpackcounselingllc.com
Christina Van Arsdale, CCFC, NCC, LAC
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wolfpackcounselingllc@gmail.com 14239 W Bell Rd., Suite #203, Surprise, AZ
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July 2021
Perspective Of A Teacher Mom The old saying, “You get more flies with honey than vinegar,” has been on my mind a lot. Students, and my own children, can be like flies, avoiding the fly swatter. Hard to find on the playground when I need to discuss an incident that was reported in the cafeteria, or hard to find when I have a trunk full of groceries and need some hands. And like flies to a donut, students and my kids are easier to find when I am handing out birthday treats and stickers, or when I put a pizza on the table.
sarcasm and verbal hard ball. It took some time for me to figure out that my cutting remarks, were sometimes more than my kids could, or should, handle. This is something I am continuing to work on, daily. In a world filled with harsh opinions and words, I want my utterances to be honey, more often than vinegar.
Kids can also be like flies, in that they know where to go, to get what they need. They can sense it. Kids know who to go to for help, and who to avoid. As an educator, I am always weighing my words on an internal balance scale, because students must have discipline, but equally as important, are soul quenching words, that can contribute to a child’s inner dialogue. Teacher me, must constantly decide whether to dole out the vinegar or the honey.
As I work on making this so, I make sure to practice a few things. First, respect the power of the pause. I try hard to wait and consider, before speaking, especially if I am upset. Second, I try to read facial and body cues, as a clue to what my child or student is experiencing. That can sometimes help me put myself in their shoes, which compels me to empathize. Finally, I send up a silent prayer, asking for my creator’s guidance in what words are necessary. For some of you, that resonates, and for those of you that it doesn’t, just replace it with an extra pause, because a longer pause will probably do more good than harm anyway.
With my own children, I tend to be the more demanding parent. I am well known for my
Submitted by Theresa DeLong | Marley Park Resident
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Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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Decorators Corner
Vegetable gardens, patio planters, and flower beds undoubtedly add appeal to any home and make for some really fun hobbies. Unfortunately, our hot summer weather can make sustaining a lush outdoor garden a challenge. To bring the outdoors in, consider curating your own indoor garden in fresh, unexpected ways. Luckily, the options for indoor gardens are never ending. You can cultivate your own indoor lemon tree, start a delicious herb garden, brighten a corner with a hanging plant, or start a low maintenance succulent garden. Bringing greenery inside creates a cool and calming space and can also provide a fun activity for kids while school is out.
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Mixing and matching plants and pots creates a visually interesting display. Consider old canisters, handmade pots, and antique planter finds in different sizes and colors. Grouping plants together in unexpected areas can help fill and add life to awkward corners and fireplaces that go unused during the summer months. A trendy and beautiful alternative to a full-blown indoor jungle is a simple glass terrarium garden. Glass display containers can be found at craft stores and online. They can be filled with a variety of air plants and succulents, rock gardens and interesting shells. Submitted by Kasey Smith | Marley Park Resident
July 2021
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WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD! Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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Puzzles & Games
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July 2021
Samurai Sudoku
This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. There are 5 overlapping grids with one unique solution. Each of 4 corners are shaded. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box. Good Luck! Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com
Estrella Publishing - The Front Porch magazine
July 2021
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SOLD IN MARLEY PARK
by
Christie Giannetto
You are invited to contact me today for a FREE home value analysis 602.740.2313
More homes sold in Marley Park than any other agent since 2013!* COMING SOON
SOLD FOR $50K OVER LIST
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
14590 W Georgia Dr
14748 W Surrey Dr
15217 W Georgia Dr
12359 N 152nd Dr
14955 W Alexandria Way
List Price....................$525,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,756 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,134 Homestead at Marley Park
Sold Price ..................$450,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,104 Lot Sq Ft..........................5,400 Amenities........................... Pool
List Price....................$450,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,266 Lot Sq Ft..........................8,946 Amenities..... Real Hardwood Floors
List Price....................$430,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,010 Lot Sq Ft..........................8,842 Amenities............... 3 Car Garage
List Price....................$360,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,092 Lot Sq Ft..........................4,483 Amenities ............... Bonus Room
SOLD FOR FULL PRICE
SOLD FOR $25K OVER APPRAISAL
SOLD FOR $15K OVER LIST
SOLD FOR $10K OVER LIST
SOLD FOR $30K OVER LIST
15171 W Andora St
15227 W Bloomfield Rd
12378 N 153rd Ln
14299 W Valentine St
15306 W Surrey Dr
List Price....................$415,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,607 Lot Sq Ft..........................5,176 Amenities..............Total Remodel
Sold Price ..................$520,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,929 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,680 Amenities ........................... Pool ..............................3-Car Garage
Sold Price ..................$335,000 Sq Ft ...............................1,353 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,483 Amenities ....... Amazing Backyard
Sold Price ..................$355,000 Sq Ft ...............................1,915 Lot Sq Ft..........................4,483 Amenities ................ Wood Floors Homestead at Marley Park
Sold Price ..................$430,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,022 Lot Sq Ft........................13,909 Amenities.................. Double Lot
SOLD FOR FULL PRICE
SOLD FOR FULL PRICE
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
14973 W Alexandria Way
15145 W Alexandria Way
17425 W Willow Ave
15169 W Corrine Dr
14932 W Voltaire St
Sold Price ..................$350,000 Sq Ft ...............................1,915 Lot Sq Ft..........................4,483 Amenities ................ Wood Floors
Sold Price ..................$300,000 Sq Ft ...............................1,517 Lot Sq Ft..........................3,968
Homestead at Marley Park
Sold Price ..................$361,500 List Price....................$360,000 Sq Ft ...............................2,418 Lot Sq Ft..........................7,593 Amenities............... 3 Car Garage
Sold Price ..................$280,000 Sq Ft ...............................1,382 Lot Sq Ft..........................6,342 Amenities ...... Beautiful Backyard
Buyer Represented by Arizona Lifestyle Team Buyer Specialist.
Your Marley Park Neighbor and Real Estate Specialist *Information obtained from Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. Excludes new construction. As of 1/1/21.
Christie Giannetto | REALTOR® Arizona Lifestyle Team HomeSmart 602.740.2313 15543 N Reems Rd | Ste 139 Surprise AZ 85374 Christie@AZLifestyleTeam.com AZLifestyleTeam.com
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