Phoenix Real Estate Market Report May-June 2013 is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

It is time to look at what’s happening with the Phoenix real estate market. Since much of our work is in the downtown Phoenix real estate sector, our report will pay special attention there.

The Overall Phoenix Real Estate Market Report for May-June 2013

You have probably heard the Phoenix real estate market is very hot. Articles in the Business Journal, Arizona Republic and national papers all tout our market as the most recovered and vibrant. If you’ve been reading our reports on UrbanConnectionRealty.com you know why… inventories are at record lows and demand is strong.

The number of homes for sale (Active Listings) has been dropping 2-3% a month this winter/spring. Compared to this time last year the numbers are down 13%. The surprise is sales are actually higher than last year, thus putting a lot of pressure on home buyers and giving sellers much more power.

The result has been a clear rise in home prices/values. According to ASU’s real estate guru, Mike Orr, May was a “blow-out” month and prices rose 1.9% from May 15^th to June 15^th and another bump of 1-1.2% is expected by mid-July.

Here are the basic ARMLS numbers for June 1, 2013 relative to June 1, 2012. NOTE: These stats are for the Greater Phoenix market, not your specific neighborhood.

• Pending Listings: (homes in escrow) 9,662 versus 11,656 last year – down 17.1% – and down 11.3% from 10,888 last month.
• Monthly Sales: 9,316 versus 8,439 last year – up 10.4% – and up 4.3% from last month.
• Monthly Average Sales Price per Sq. Ft.: $119.40 versus $101.85 last year – up 17% – and up 2.5% from last month.
• Monthly Median Sales Price: $175,000 versus $145,000 last year – up 20.7% – and up 1.7% from last month.

Many people are worried about another bubble happening. The Urban Boys are not too concerned. There are 3 major factors we believe will keep prices from uncontrolled climbing.

• Appraisers are doing a pretty good job of keeping a lid on skyrocketing home prices. In many cases we see the appraised value come in less than what was offered to the home seller. Since the lender will not loan more that the appraised value, many home sellers have to reduce the contract amount or start all over.
• Interest rates are starting to creep up. We believe the rise in rates will keep some people from entering the market.
• Summer! It’s not fun home shopping in 110 degree heat; better to take off to San Diego. Add schools reopening in August, vacations, a lack of out-of-state buyers and it is no wonder homes sales flatten out until mid-October.

What’s happening in downtown Phoenix real estate?

Like the rest of the Valley, home and condo prices in downtown Phoenix are on the rise, especially homes. Let’s look at some stats:

• Of the 4 major downtown zip codes, 85006 has the most affordable houses. It is also a very competitive area with most homes selling for above asking price.
• 54 homes and 31 condo/townhouses sold from May 1^st to June 16^th in the downtown region. Surprisingly, 2 condos topped out with the highest prices; One in Crystal Point and another in One Lexington. The average single family home sold in the $180K range.
• Historic homes are seeing a lot of interest and prices above $200/sqft are not uncommon. We are seeing a lot of interest in Pierson Place & Yaple Park. Both are rich with Ranch style homes and very popular with the mid-century modern clan.
• Condos are selling better, yet there are many that cannot get traditional financing. Several, like Phoenix Towers are CO-OPS and do not qualify for financing, some have law suits against the builders and others have too many investor owners to qualify for traditional bank financing. It can be frustrating for people trying to buy a condo. Lots of homework and patience is advised.

CONCLUSIONS:

We are pretty excited about the current real estate market. Over the past two years we’ve seen the rebound needed to get a lot of homeowner out of the muck. Lenders are being more responsible so few non-qualified buyers are being given loans.

One stat we found interesting is the number of people who failed to sell their home during this hot market. Over 10,000 homes put on ARMLS went unsold (the listing expired or was cancelled) in the first 5 ½ months of 2013. One study says this is mostly due to 2 factors.

• First, the home was priced too high and did not attract a viable offer.
• Second, people hired friends or relatives with little real estate experience to market their home.

Just proves that buyers are not stupid and experience does matter.

We hope this info has been helpful. If we can be of further assistance, please let us know. For over twenty years we’ve been connecting people to the perfect place or simply answering questions.

Best to you as we move into the heart and heat of summer.

Ron Urban & Gene Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
602-234-5777
Gene@UrbanTeamAZ.com

The post Phoenix Real Estate Market Report May-June 2013 appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

La Hacienda Historic district Phoenix, homes and history is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

La Hacienda Historic District in Phoenix AZ is best known for its mixture of revival and ranch style homes. The neighborhood is envolved from two late 1920’s subdivisions, La Hacienda and Mayfair. La Hacienda Historic is roughly bounded by 3rd & 7th streets from Verde Ln. to Catalina Dr and is home to some fabulous Spanish influenced properties.

La Hacienda Historic District… a bit of history.

Las Hacienda subdivision was plated in mid-1926. The owners, Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Obear, hoped to established a neighborhood that would complement the prestigious Phoenix Country Club and attract wealthy home owners.

To achieve their goal, the Obear’s contracted celebrated architect Herbert Green perform some of the initial design work. Green was a top tier architect who planned the original Heard Museum as well as many of the homes surrounding the Phoenix Country Club. A Chicago Transplant, Green was well known for his Spanish and Monterey revival designs.

Las Hacienda is recognized for its larger homes (averaging 3200 sq.ft.) and nearly ¼ acre lots. Since it was platted in the 1920’s you will find a number of nice period revival homes.

John and Dorothy Bonds plated the Mayfair neighborhood in 1928 creating 48 home lots. The lots were smaller than La Hacienda’s and sold for a fair amount less. In Mayfair you will find a few sweet English revivals as well as the more common ranch.

Records state you could buy a lot in Mayfair for $840-$1140 in 1928, whereas Las Hacienda lots sold for $1500-$1750 during the same period.

La Hacienda Historic District Today:

Homeowners in the area describe the neighborhood as warm and friendly. Many use the light rail and biking to downtown restaurants and activities is common. The hardest thing is finding one of these places that is actually for sale, especially in the original La Hacienda subdivision. That, in itself, speaks volumes for the neighborhood.

Architectural styles represented in La Hacienda historic district include:

• Spanish Colonial Revival
• Monterey Revival
• Mediterranean Revival
• Pueblo Revival
• Cape Cod Revival
• Transitional and Modified Ranch
• Mid-Century
• For more info on revival style architecture read our special article.

The following is a virtual tour of La Hacienda historic district. This YouTube video starts out with homes in the La Hacienda subdivision and moves on to homes in Mayfair. You will see the difference in building styles of these two neighborhoods from the 1920′s, 30′s, and 40′s. Note the strong Spanish influence to the homes in La Hacienda.

Homes for sale in La Hacienda Historic District in Phoenix, AZ

It is rare to find a home for sale in the La Hacienda Historic district. However, we do keep a vigilant eye on the neighborhood. If one is for sale, it will show up below. We recommend you have us set up a custom search just for you. It’s free of charge and will tell you when a home that matches your interests comes to market. Just contact us at Gene@UrbanTeamAZ.com

Sorry, but we couldn't find any results in the MLS that match the specified search criteria.

Gene Urban & Ron Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
602-234-5777
Gene@UrbanTeamAZ.com

The post La Hacienda Historic district Phoenix, homes and history appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

Willo Historic District History, Homes, Pictures and Info is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

Willo historic district is perhaps the best known historic neighborhood in downtown Phoenix. Several factors come in to play including; the large number of homes, a bevy of architectural styles, the richness of its past and the hugely successful annual home tour.

A Brief History of the Willo Historic District:

Several historic events combined to give Willo historic district its personality. Most notable were the eras prior to the great depression, between the Great Depression and WWII and lastly the post war time boom.

The pre-depression era was a time of prosperity in the Phoenix area. The population grew from 123,000 in 1900 to 334,000 by 1920. Jobs were plentiful, opportunity was knocking and a housing boom was underway. Over 1/2 of the 22+ subdivisions that make up The Willo Historic District were platted during the pre-depression period including: Broadmoor, N. Chelsea, Las Palmas and N. Kenilworth.

Since about ½ of the subdivisions were created prior to 1930, a near equal number came into existence afterwards. Very few homes were built during the Great Depression (duh); Thus, many of Willo’s subdivisions were platted in the mid 1930’s to early 1940’s including: Wilshire Heights, Broadmoor Park and N. Broadmoor.

When talking about housing in the 1930’s we have to mention the newly created Federal Housing Authority. In a nutshell, the FHA provided loans for home buyers after the Great Depression. As part of their policy home builders were encouraged to build more uniform projects based on FHA guidelines. Thus, we see early/transitional ranch style homes during this period and far fewer period revivals.

The final building era in Willo Historic District is the post WWII period. During the war, few homes were built due to a shortage in building materials and restrictions imposed by the Federal Government. Once the war ended a fury of construction happened and is clearly represented throughout much of Willo in the form of the variety of ranch style homes.

What’s Happening In Willo Historic District Today:

The first word that comes to mind when talking about Willo Historic is “pride”. People tend to take care of their homes. The second word is “community.” Like most of the historic districts, the folks that live here walk, ride bikes, hang out on the front porch and tend to know their neighbors.

A wonderful mix of architectural styles add much to the feel of the neighborhood. The bungalows and revivals of the teens and twenties are the most popular for many while the ranch style homes of the 40’s & 50’s are in demand for those who like the mid-century look.

As you drive or walk the neighborhood you will find:

• Monterey Style
• Greek Revival
• Pueblo Revival
• French Provincial
• Spanish & Mission Revival
• Tudor & English Revival
• American Colonial Revival
• Georgian Revival
• Bungalow
• Ranch

Willo Historic District has location going for it too. Since its boundaries are McDowell to Thomas and 1^St Ave to 7^th Ave, Willo is in the heart of the City. The Metro Light Rail is a short walk or bike ride for many and there are a lot of restaurants and shops.

The recent build out just east of 7^th on McDowell has added to the neighborhood feeling as well as popular restaurants like Chipotle Grill into the hood. Add all the local favorites and you have LOTS of options.

Expect to pay a premium to live in Willo Historic. Many of the homes have been well updated and demand is generally high. Most say the extra costs are worth it though.

A YouTube Video From The Annual Willo Historic Home Tour:

Homes For Sale in Willo Historic District?

Below you will find a list of homes currently for sale in Willo. The list is updated several times a day.

Unlike many of the smaller historic districts, Willo generally has something for sale. However, demand is high so you’ll want to have your ducks in a row and be working with an agent who knows the area. If we can be there for you, it would be our honor.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 6. See more homes for sale in willo historic .
(all data current as of 6/17/2013)

1. $205,900 : 538 W Wilshire Drive, Phoenix
   
   2 beds, 1.00 baths

   Home size: 1,196 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,568 sqft

   Year built: 1939

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 30
   
2. $295,000 : 127 W Granada Road, Phoenix
   
   3 beds, 2.00 baths

   Home size: 1,162 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,350 sqft

   Year built: 1928

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 108
   
3. $319,900 : 301 W Cambridge Avenue, Phoenix
   
   3 beds, 2.00 baths

   Home size: 1,359 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,320 sqft

   Year built: 1945

   Parking spots: 4

   Days on market: 12
   
4. $360,000 : 502 W Holly Street, Phoenix
   
   3 beds, 2.00 baths

   Home size: 1,935 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,577 sqft

   Year built: 1940

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 25
   
5. $399,900 : 505 W Holly Street, Phoenix
   
   3 beds, 1.75 baths

   Home size: 1,686 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,575 sqft

   Year built: 1937

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 35
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post Willo Historic District History, Homes, Pictures and Info appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

What Is Revival Style Architecture in Phoenix AZ? is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

First let me say I am not an architect… just a real estate guy who loves the historic homes in downtown Phoenix and has made them his core practice. I welcome critic and additions to this piece from those who know more than I. That said; let me give you my take on what I know to be revival style architecture in Phoenix AZ.

Most revival literature suggests it is the incorporation or echoing of previous design styles in a new design. For example a Tudor Revival incorporates elements of the grand Elizabethan Tudor homes and a Mission revival contains visual aspects found in the Spanish Missions.

Often the elements that make us say… “that’s a revival style home” are very subtle and sometimes it is quite evident. One must remember most of the homes built in Phoenix during the early 1900’s were fairly small. Builders and architects had to balance interesting design with affordability and scale.

Let’s take a brief look at the major revival style homes found in the downtown Phoenix area.

Tudor Revival: A client’s young daughter summed up Tudor Revival when she said, “I like the houses with the pointy roofs best.” Tudor revival homes are known for the following elements:

• Steep, multi-gabled roof lines
• Decorative half-timber framing
• Massive chimneys
• Windows in groups of two, three or four, often multi-paned, and sometimes arranged in a diamond pattern.

Monterey Revival is a blend of Spanish and Colonial styles. Some of the more common elements are:

• Two story and often rectilinear
• Low pitched gable roofs covered with shingles or red clay tiles
• Projecting cantilevered second floor balconies with wood railings
• White plaster walls

Pueblo Revival homes contain characteristics associated with Native American designs. They often include:

• Thick, round-edged walls
• Flat roof with no overhang
• Multiple Levels
• Rounded parapet rising above the roof line
• Clay spout to carry water off the roof
• Some have vegas… timbers embedded in the design or used as support element
• Door and window openings are often designed to look deeper than a regular home.

Mission Revival is a style containing elements found in the California Missions. We do not see too many of these homes in Phoenix as many were lost to fire and time. The most distinctive design element is a façade front that tries to capture the mission feeling. They are generally rectangular, often 2 stories, and likely to carry some arches in the facades and windows.

Spanish Colonial Revival is considered an eclectic style that blends mission, Spanish, Pueblo and other southwest influences. Architect Bertram Goodhue was an early influencer presenting the style at the 1915 San Diego Panama Exposition. Since it is a blended style it is often hard for us non-architects to recognize. In general they are either 1 or 2 story, have smooth exterior walls, a lower roof line and rectangular shape and sometime lengthy like a ranch style home.

American Colonial Revival homes are very rare in Phoenix. They are easily recognized as looking like they belong in New England rather than Phoenix. Some of the basic elements include:

• Symmetrical façade
• Rectangular
• 2 to 3 stories
• Brick or wood siding
• Simple, classical detailing
• Gable roof
• Pillars and columns.

Naturally there are other revival style homes found around town but these are what I see most often. You will find lots of pictures of these homes in the various articles we’ve written on the historic districts. We hope this has been both entertaining and educational.

Gene Urban & Ron Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
602-234-5777 x1
Gene@UrbanConnectionRealty.com

The post What Is Revival Style Architecture in Phoenix AZ? appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

Earll Place Historic District, homes, history, pictures, info is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

Located northeast of 16^th Street and Thomas is Earll Place, one of Phoenix Arizona’s 35 designated historic districts. Each district has its own personality and history. We’d like to offer you our take on Earll Place Historic District.

A Brief History of Earll Place:

Earll Place was the dream of Mr. E.A. Earll. He took a patch of agricultural land and subdivided it in February of 1927. He, like many of his contemporaries, were responding to massive population growth and housing demands. Many factors contributed to the growth of Phoenix including the end of WW1, a strong agricultural economy, tourism, and the stable water supply Roosevelt dam created when completed in 1911.

Mr. Earll sold both lots and finished spec homes on his newly subdivided land. According to the Earll Historic District web site the first home was a Tudor Style located at 1626 E. Pinchot. (Today that home looks more like a Tudor/Bungalow hybrid.)

Earll Place offered ¼ and 1/3 acre lots selling for $350.00 & $385.00 respectively. If you wanted a complete home with “automatic range” and electric hot water heater you could have it for a mere $4,750. Plus, there were no city property taxes since the homes were “out-of-town.”

By 1931 Earll had sold all his lots and the spec homes. Some say Wrigley’s announcement of the new Biltmore Hotel project had much to do with a growing interest in northern developments.

The dominant architectural style of the neighborhood was revival style. George McCinnis is said to have built most of the Tudor revivals and Bungalows while CW Harvey was the man behind the Spanish revivals. I am not sure if Harvey was also responsible for the Southwest style. The fact only two contractors built most of the homes explains much about the continuity of character in Earll Place.

Earll Place Historic District Today:

Earll Place sits to the east of most Phoenix historic districts and has its own uniqueness and quality. Many home buyers like the low home prices Earll Place offer for period revival homes. Other historic districts with period revival homes, such as Willo, Encanto Palmcroft and Coronado, are generally much higher priced.

Prices are a lower for a number of reasons. It is several blocks away from downtown Phoenix and the popular light rail system; the lots are narrower than some other areas and the proximity to the 202 freeway is considered less optimal to some. However, it does feature a rare selection of true period revival and bungalow style homes.

Many of the historic districts offer homes built in the 1940’s and 50’s. Homes in these districts are often ranch style and do not have the uniqueness of the period revival homes. Since Earll Place began development in the late 1920’s and 30’s, its houses have a lot of personality.

Earll Place is also noted for its deep lots. The original homes (47 according to tax records) often had unattached garages. Today, many of these have been converted to guest houses or studios.

The Bottom Line:

Earll Place isn’t as pretty as Willo, yet it has some fine Period Revival homes and the prices make it worth a look. If proximity to light rail and the heart of downtown isn’t a big factor, you just may fall in love with one of its homes.

Talking about taking a look, we have a couple things you may be interested in. One is our YouTube video of Earll Place. It will give you a sense of the neighborhood and its homes. Second is a link that will show you what homes are currently for sale in Earle Place. Just click on the “homes for sale link” to see what is on the market today… we update the link daily so the info is very current.

A Tour of Earll Place:

Homes for Sale In Earll Place:

We have created a custom home search for Earll Place. We update the info daily. Sometimes there are no homes for sale and so it may say that there are no results available.

Naturally, we can create a custom home search for you. Just toss us an email and we’ll get things started for you.

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Showing properties 1 - 1 of 1. See more earll place historic homes for sale.
(all data current as of 6/17/2013)

1. $144,900 : 1731 E Earll Drive, Phoenix
   
   2 beds, 1.00 baths

   Home size: 931 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,904 sqft

   Year built: 1925

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 1
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post Earll Place Historic District, homes, history, pictures, info appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

Campus Vista Historic District Homes, Info, History, Pictures is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

It is the late 1930’s in Phoenix Arizona and housing is needed for the new campus of Phoenix College near 15^th Ave and Thomas. College Addition Subdivision is platted to provide homes to this outline area of town. This was the beginning of what is now called Campus Vista Historic District

Below we’ll talk a bit about the history, homes and current standing of Campus Vista Historic District including a tour of the homes and neighborhood.

Campus Vista Historic District… a brief history.

Campus Vista Historic District is made up of several subdivisions. The layout is an upside down “L” surround Phoenix College to the north and east. The largest of the subdivisions are Campus Vista, Campus Manor and Mulberry Place. Let’s take a closer look at a couple of them.

First up is College Addition, a small subdivision consisting of 41 decent size lots. Frank and Clara Barton, along with a Mr. LE Patterson, platted College Addition in 1939. This was well ahead of anyone else in the area. According to public records, two contractors dominated the building/selling of homes; Elmer Schler and WJ Murphy. They sold the homes as being higher status houses with “smart designs intended to make housekeeping a joy;” Proximity to Arizona’s 3^rd largest college was important too. The combination of benefits was a hit and the development sold out in just two years.

Construction is most of Phoenix was halted during WWII. Building materials were needed for the war effort and only a limited number of homes were built. When the war ended in 1945 a post war housing boom began.

The Campus Vista subdivision lies to the SE of the college and was created (platted) on New Years Eve day in 1945, just months after Truman signed the documents ending WWII. Can you imagine the wild parties that went on New Year’s Eve 1945?

The prestigious Phoenix Trust and Title Company created the 66 lot Campus Vista subdivision. Building began shortly thereafter with many homes completed by 1948. The dominant architecture was Ranch Style and most all the homes were masonry construction.

Some Interesting Campus Vista Information and Stats;

• 97% of the homes in Campus Vista historic were built between 1941 & 1956.
• 90% of the home are Ranch or Transitional Ranch style homes.
• 90% of the homes were masonry built homes.
• More than 70 different builders and designers ended up contributing to homes in Campus Vista. However, the influence of FHA building standards helped create an interrelated theme to the various homes and neighborhoods.
• Enrollment at Phoenix College soared after the war from 2000 in 1948 to over 10,000 by the late 1950’s and contributed to the demand for housing.

Campus Vista Historic District Today:

Campus Vista is one of the more popular historic districts these days. Many like rehabbing the ranch style homes and adding mid-century modern accents while others like the relatively large lots and stability of masonry built homes.

An interesting development we’ve seen in 2012/2013 is property appraisals in the area. During several recent transactions we’ve seen appraisers used homes in Willo and Encanto-Palmcroft when valuing Campus Vista homes. This has resulted in some surprisingly high valuations… great if you live in Campus Vista or are selling a place.

A Tour of the Homes and Neighborhood that is Campus Vista Historic:

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Homes Currently For Sale In Campus Vista Historic District:

We update our search for homes in the Campus Vista Historic District each and every day. Since there are a number of homes in the district there are usually some for sale. If there are none, there will simply be a message below saying no results were found.

Naturally, we can set up a custom search for you that will email you info every time a home comes on the market that matches your interests. Just toss us an email at Gene@UrbanConnectionRealty.com to get your home search started.

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Sorry, but we couldn't find any results in the MLS that match the specified search criteria.

The post Campus Vista Historic District Homes, Info, History, Pictures appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

Things to do to Celebrate Memorial Day in Phoenix AZ is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

If you are staying in town for the holiday weekend you may be wondering what you can do to honor those who served our country and paid the highest price.

I received an email from our good friends at First American Title that has several idea. We hope you have a great holiday weekend and ask you take a moment on Monday to think about the people who gave their lives through military service. Below is a brief article about what Memorial Day is and below that are links to some things to do this weekend.

Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered on Veterans Day, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime.

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

A Few Things To Do On Memorial Weekend in Phoenix AZ

✰  Review the History of Memorial Day

✰  Phoenix Veterans Day Parade

✰  Memorial Day Ride & Salute to Service BBQ Challenge

✰  The Arizona Winds Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day Tribute

✰  Memorial Day at The Wigwam

✰  Memorial Day Weekend Canal Ride

✰  Memorial Day ObservanceFlags for Our Fallen

✰  Memorial Day Celebration

✰  Arizona State University’s Symphonic Carillon

✰  Salute to the Troops

Best to you… Gene Urban & Ron Urban

The post Things to do to Celebrate Memorial Day in Phoenix AZ appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

Ashland Place Historic District Homes, Tour and History Phoenix is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

There are several sweet historic neighborhoods on the east side of central and Ashland Place Historic District is certainly one. Below we have information about the history, homes, architecture and current conditions of Ashland Place Historic District.

Ashland Place Historic District… a brief history

Ashland Place Historic District is made up of 3 separately plated subdivisions from the 1920’s and 30’s: Ashland Place, Ashland Park and Monterey. Let’s take a look at each of these.

Ashland Place is the largest contributing subdivision in the historic district. It was created (platted) in May of 1924 by Greene & Griffin Real Estate Investment Company and Mr. Arthur Smith. The original plat map shows 76 lots while current tax records show just 53.

Historical articles tell us Ashland Place was a hit for the investors. Unlike many subdivisions of the time, Green & Griffin controlled the design and development of the neighborhood through one of their other companies, Home Builders Inc.

Home Builders was possibly the most prolific builders of the time. According to historical records completed over 800 homes in the downtown region. Ashland Place shows fine examples of period revival style homes including Tudor, Pueblo, Mission, Southwest and more.

Ashland Park is a small subdivision with just 11 lots. It was platted in 1936 by three parties, Ella Jane Jones, Ervin & Christi Atkerson and The N. Central Investment Company. Ashland Park has smaller homes built in the late 1930’s.

Monterey, the last of the subdivisions forming Ashland Place Historic District, was created in 1936. The Atkerson’s along with Blain & Edith Alexander platted Monterey Subdivision. Monterey is most noted for the LDS Chapel. This place of worship, constructed in 1938-1939, is an interesting mix of American Colonial and Italian Renaissance and is an obvious hallmark of the neighborhood. An interesting observation about the neighborhood is that most of the homes are listed with Historic Preservation as being of the Monterey Revival style and the subdivision is called Monterey; Coincidence or on purpose?

Ashland Park Historic Today.. the homes, a video tour and houses for sale in Ashland:

Ashland Place Historic offers a fine selection of period revival homes with several great southwestern and Tudor style homes. Among the most interesting are a few rare “Mission Revival” style homes.

By today’s standards, the homes in Ashland are not very large, however the lots are well sized. Many homes have been updated and the neighborhood in general shows great pride of ownership.

Since Ashland Place lies between Central and 3^rd Street, light rail access is very close. The makes it a very walk-able neighborhood with WalkScores in the 75 range… that’s urban living. Add proximity to the Heard Museum and sweet nearby neighborhoods like Alvarado and life here is very special.

A Tour of Ashland Place Historic District and Its Homes:

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See What is For Sale in Ashland Place Historic District:

We update this search everyday to ensure the info is fresh. Sometimes there are no homes for sale in Ashland… in fact that happens a lot. If the search show no results then there simply are no homes for sale. We can set up a custom search for you though that will send you an email the moment a new home comes on the market. It’s a free service… just drop us an email at Gene@UrbanConnectionRealty.com

Sorry, but we couldn't find any results in the MLS that match the specified search criteria.

Gene Urban & Ron Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
602-234-5777
Gene@UrbanConnectionRealty.com

connecting people to the perfect place for over 20 years

The post Ashland Place Historic District Homes, Tour and History Phoenix appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.

Alvarado Historic District, Homes, History, Video and More is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

When one talks about the grand homes of downtown Phoenix, those located in the Alvarado Historic District have to be included. Alvarado is home to less than three dozen of the most impressive homes mostly from the 1920’s and 1930’s. In the text that follows we’ll be looking that both the past and present of the Alvarado Historic District.

Alvarado Historic District… a rich history

Alvarado Historic District is made up of three subdivisions, Alvarado Place, Alvarado Place East and Los Olivos Replated.. All of these were once part of Los Olivos Subdivision owned by Dwight Heard’s investment companies.

• Frank & Maude Schwentker, subdivided Alvarado Place (1927) and built a wonderful southwest revival house that still stands at 2200 N. Alvarado Road. Alvarado Place is distinguished by its large, in the ½ acre range, lots and homes that average 4000 sq.ft. Interesting too is that many of the homes were built in the early 1930’s when the nation was going through the Great Depression.
• The Lane-Smith Investment Company along with Mr. & Mrs. C. Hull created Alvarado Place East (1928). Alvarado Place East has homes from 1925-1935. The lots and homes sizes are a bit smaller ranging from 1800 to 4851 sq.ft. and lots about a quarter acre.
• John & Harriet Lentz formed the Los Olivos Replated subdivision in 1925. Interesting and sad is to read is the original subdivision documents creating a deed restriction to sell or rent to non-Caucasians. Los Olivos Replated has just 8 lots with similarly large homes averaging over 3000 square feet on lots in the 1/3 to ½ acre range.

Many feel the Heard family was principally responsible for the opulence of Alvarado Place. The Heard family home, a 6000 square foot Spanish Revival called Casa Blanca, was built on the corner of Monte Vista and Central in 1903. Though no longer standing, it was a premier home of the time and attracted a lot of attention and visitors to the area. FYI: The Heard’s home is not part of the current museum. It was torn down and Phoenix Towers stands in its place.

Alvarado Historic District… the homes, a video tour and houses currently for sale.

Alvarado Historic District is still considered a premiere neighborhood to call home. The large homes and lots simply lend themselves to higher prices and more exclusive ownership. Add the proximity to the Heard Museum, light rail and high paying jobs and it’s no wonder Alvarado Historic is an exceptional place to live.

A number of homes went on the market in 2011-2012 creating an influx of new owners. This can be a very good especially when we have rehabilitating homes like the man who purchased the old Schwentker estate. If you want to buy a home in Alvarado Historic you will need to be patient and quick. Homes do not come on the market often and there are others keeping an eye out.  We’d be happy to set up a custom search for you for any of the historic districts so you will know when opportunities come up.  Just toss an email or call our way.  Gene@UrbanConnectionRealty.com or 602-234-5777.

A Pictorial Tour of Alvarado Historic

Homes Currently for Sale in Alvarado Historic District:

We’ve set up a custom search for Alvarado Historic District. Since there are very few homes in this neighborhood, this search often shows no results. Just how it is.

Showing properties 1 - 1 of 1. See more Alvarado Historic Homes for Sale.
(all data current as of 6/17/2013)

1. $795,000 : 2031 N Alvarado Road, Phoenix
   
   5 beds, 4.50 baths

   Home size: 3,919 sq ft

   Lot size: 17,833 sqft

   Year built: 1923

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 207
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

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Cherry Lynn Historic District Homes and History is a post from: Downtown Historic Phoenix and North Central Phoenix Real Estate and Homes

Cherry Lynn is one of the 35 historic home districts in the downtown Phoenix area. Located in the north east region of downtown Phoenix, the Cherry Lynn Historic district is bookended by 16th Street and Randolph with Earll and Flower setting the north south boundaries.

Our article will take a look at the history of this picturesque neighborhood as well as its standing today. The information was gathered from a variety of sources including the Historic Preservation Office at the City of Phoenix, the state archives and stories handed down over the years… the later may not be accurate but adds flavor.

CHERRY LYNN… the early days and history:

Cherry Lynn’s history is divided into two eras, the Fosburg/Carr period and the Strough. In 1928, Mr. & Mrs. William Fosburg owned the newly created Cherry Lynn subdivision. They employed Marion Carr to help design and market their venture.

To many, this was a chancy undertaking since Cherry Lynn was considered far out of town. It is hard to believe that anything north of McDowell would be considered the hinterlands, but that’s how it was in 1928.

Fosburg and Carr chose to build English style homes in the Tudor and Elizabethan revival styles. By the end of 1929 they had completed 29 of their “ultra-modern English style” homes. FYI: English revivals were the “rage” in the 1920’s.

• Home sales were strong during the Fosburg/Carr era. They had robust advertising for what they called “The Most Distinctive Subdivision in the Southwest.” In addition to the English designs, they offered:
• Attractive financing
• Indoor Plumbing
• Electricity,
• Plus, basements, paved streets, sidewalks, street lamps and easy access to shopping, the newly build Arizona Biltmore and downtown Phoenix.

In 1932 Fosburg traded or sold Cherry Lynn to H.M. Strough, a builder from Los Angeles who was operating a cotton farm in Peoria. By all accounts Strough was a hard working, creative thinker. He was one of the few developers who built and sold homes in the early to mid-1930’s. While most builders were hunkered down trying to survive the depression, Strough built 23 homes before he died in 1938.

During the 1930’s the home styles moved from the English revivals to the new fad, Monterey and Spanish revival. This home style gained fame after the 1915 Pacific Panama Exposition in San Diego. If you’ve been to Balboa Park, you have seen the early demonstrations of this architectural style.

CHERRY LYNN HISTORIC DISTRICT… today

As we’ve discussed, Cherry Lynn has features fine examples of period revival homes. Nearly 1/3 of the 68 properties are English style homes, almost 1/2 are Monterey or Spanish revivals and the balance are bungalow or ranch. Also of interest is a Will Bruder modern home built in 1979. The home owners show a lot of pride in their neighborhood and most homes and yards are well maintained. The streets are wide with mature trees creating an intimacy and warmth.

Like most neighborhoods in the greater Phoenix area, Cherry Lynn saw a decline of values during 2007-2011. The near 50% drop  (see graph on right) has made historic home ownership much more affordable. However, prices are on the rise with a nice spring-time bump in 2012 and a similar value upswings in 2013. Since there are a limited number of homes in Cherry Lynn, we expect the low supply and high demand for this region of downtown Phoenix to keep prices on the upswing in 2013 and beyond.

A PHOTO TOUR OF CHERRY LYNN HISTORIC:

HOMES CURRENTLY FOR SALE IN CHERRY LYNN HISTORIC DISTRICT…

Below we have the latest info on homes for sale in Cherry Lynn. Since there are only 68 homes in Cherry Lynn, there are times when no homes are on the market. So, if there are no results, that just means there are none on the market today. If you want to keep informed when homes in Cherry Lynn or other parts of Phoenix, toss us an email and we’ll be happy to set up a custom search for you. Our email is Gene@UrbanConnectionRealty.com

Showing properties 1 - 2 of 2. See more Cherry Lynn Historic District.
(all data current as of 6/17/2013)

1. $258,000 : 1440 E Flower Street, Phoenix
   
   3 beds, 2.00 baths

   Home size: 1,828 sq ft

   Lot size: 9,801 sqft

   Year built: 1953

   Parking spots: 1

   Days on market: 63
   
2. $799,000 : 3201 N Manor Drive E, Phoenix
   
   4 beds, 3.00 baths

   Home size: 2,833 sq ft

   Lot size: 14,545 sqft

   Year built: 1938

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 207
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post Cherry Lynn Historic District Homes and History appeared first on Historic Homes and Condos in Downtown Phoenix.