Dori Wittrig, Fountain Hills & Scottsdale, AZ

Each Thursday during the glorious Arizona winters, the community of Fountain Hills is treated to a feast for all the senses. Here, on Fountain Hills' famed The Avenue of the Fountains, the plaza leading to the once "World's Tallest Fountain," visitors and residents alike get to walk among talented artists presenting everything from charming crafts to impressive works of art, musical selections, potpourri, lotions and more. A little farther down the Avenue, beyond the beautiful collection of Fountains and in front of the Avenue shops and galleries, a Farmer's Market provides the best collection of local and regional tastes, treats and produce. Within a few minutes walk, one can also enjoy the community's outstanding collection of public art, featuring over 100 works by regionally and nationally renowned artists, one of the finest public collections in the Southwest.

Fountain Hills, Arizona is a world-class treasure. Boasting a small village atmosphere with 22,000 residents on the outskirts of Maricopa County, it lies gently on the Eastern slopes of the McDowell Mountains with long-range panoramic views to picturesque and historical mountain ranges with names like Goldfields, Palominos, Superstitions and Mazatzals. On the western slope of the McDowells is Scottsdale, the Southwests favorite shopping, dining, and entertainment mecca. In between the two communities, up in those tall peaks, lies the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, part of the largest urban preserve in the United States. It is the stunning desert scenery and rugged mountain wilderness that sets the tone for a wide range of recreational activities, nature watching, botanical varieties and relaxation that locals and travellers from around the globe appreciate.

Thursday, March 7, 2012: It’s “Senior’s are Special Day” at the The Fountain Hills Farmer’s Market, with many artists and vendors offering special gifts, promotions and tastes for the more mature visitors. And, with each market purchase, all visitors can register to win “The Best of the Best” cookbook from Food and Wine magazine.

Each week, the market continues to grow with additions of gourmet vendors from some of the area’s popular markets. One of the most exciting new Chicago-area transplants is “Eat Me! Gourmet Catering”, with a wide variety of gourmet frozen take-home meals and an ever-changing hot sandwich menu. CK Kitchen, another recent entry, offers healthy wraps and sandwiches featuring grilled chicken, fresh hummus, tabbouli, and fresh pita bread. Two vendors feature Greek food and take-out. At one booth, stop and pick up fresh Greek cookies and coffee to enjoy while you stroll. Many vendors ship and giftwrap, but all are happy to wrap up their specialty in a package suitable for hostess gifts, thank-yous and "just-thinking-of-yous."

The Art on the Avenue and Farmers Market begins at 10:00 and generally runs all day. For more information about becoming a participant, contact charaz@cox.net.

For more information about Fountain Hills, contact Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate, located at 16824 E. Avenue of the Fountains, or visit their website at www.SonoranLifestyle.com. You can reach them at 480-816-5557.

March 3, 2012– Memorial Disc Golf Tournament- Fountain Park

You might think there are a bunch of “Frisbee-throwers” in the park this week-end. But that’s like saying Phil Mickelson is an amateur hacker. This is THE 2012 Professional Disc Golf Association Memorial Tournament, and the field of 400 professional and amateur participants are serious about their sport. The 2012 Memorial Championship presented by Discraft kicks off the National Tour and is held every year at the Fountain Hills Disc Course at Fountain Park, which is considered to be one of the best in the country.

Be sure to visit and enjoy the beautiful weather. Walking traffic through Fountain Park will be allowed, though all visitors are asked to be mindful of golfers. The event will run in conjunction with The Memorial Experience, featuring contests, a vendor showcase and a concert Saturday evening.

Fans of the sport will be able to watch all the drama unfold live from the beautiful Fountain Hills course in Arizona by pointing their browser over to www.DiscGolfPlanet.tv. The broadcast will begin on Thursday and continue Friday and Saturday. Special bonus coverage of The Memorial Championship presented by Discraft will occur on Tuesday, as DiscGolfPlanet.tv will provide a live feed from the Memorial Press Conference in Fountain Hills at 2:15 pm MST.

With a full field of the game’s top players looking to start their year with a big win, the defending champion, Paul McBeth, has his work cut out for him. Nikko Locastro won his third consecutive player of the year award in 2011 and is coming off an impressive win at the Gentlemen’s Club Challenge, where McBeth finished second. Nate Doss is aiming to keep his momentum from his stellar play in the second half of last year where he won the Kansas City Wide Open, the Vibram Open and his third World Championship. Paige Pierce is the defending champion in the women’s division.

As in previous seasons, this Tenth year for the PDGA National Tour maintains its mission to be the spotlighting of disc golf’s best events on the best courses with the best players. With 2012’s six-event schedule, the PDGA feels that this valuable mission will continue to be fulfilled for disc golf fans, players, and strategic partners.

To check out more about Fountain Hill or to get a copy of the company's relocation guide go to www.SonoranLifestyle.com . If you visit, stop by the Avenue of the Fountains office of Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate only a half-block form the Fountain. Here, you'll find maps and information about the area and area real estate. You can reach them at 480-816-5557.

If you've ever wondered what your family heirlooms, yard sale treasures, and collectibles are worth, the River of Time Museum in Fountain Hills, AZ has a deal for you! On Sunday, March 4, 2012, from 10:30 am to 3 pm, expert volunteer appraisers can tell you the approximate quality and value of your treasures. Appraisers will evaluate books, coins, jewelry, cut glass, pre-1900 clocks, guns and WWII memorabilia, native American rugs, baskets, jewelry and more.

This "Antiques Road Show" style event is free for those who want to watch and listen to the appraisals. If you wish to have items evaluated, the cost is a $10 donation to the Museum for the first 1-2 items, and $5 for each additional item. The evaluations will take place in front of the Museum/Library complex adjacent to the Centennial circle.

As a special bonus, admission to the River of Time Museum is free to the visitors throughout the day, and lunch-time entertainment will be provided by western music stylist Jim Doeden. Hot dogs and drinks will be available on site. During the event the Museum's store will be open. Take time to browse high quality hand-crafted Native American Jewelry, plus a great selection of books, original art and photos and items celebrating Arizona and our Centennial. Also featured are many quality keepsake items ideal for your visitors and guests.

The Library/Museum complex is located at 12901 N. La Montana Blvd, Fountain Hills AZ 85268. For more information on this and other River of time Museum events, check out this month's Museum newsletter at: http://www.riveroftimemuseum.org/legacynews/legacy2012/2012%20Mar_Apr.pdf

For information about Fountain Hills--the world-class community with the hometown charm-- contact Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate at 480-816-5557 or drop by their office at 16824 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ. An area Relocation Guide can be found at www.SonoranLifestyle.com

In Fountain Hills today, of the 414 homes and condos available for sale, 22 of them offer "Seller Carryback Financing." Wow! What an opportunity for 22 buyers who may not qualify for traditional lending in today's markets.

When the financial markets get a little scary--like they have been the last few years--investors look for other ways to use their cash reserves for income purposes. For many, holding a real estate note can provide a stable stream of income backed up by the most stable of long-term assets: real estate!

There are some great Seller Carryback Financing opportunities currently in the market. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, you'll need to have a substantial down payment (minimum of 20% and likely more)...the interest rate might be just a little higher than normal market rate, but you also don't have to pay financing points and other upfront charges a traditional lender would charge. Make sure that your agent knows the ins and outs of the proper paperwork and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you have the carryback servicing handled by a title company...they perform a great service for buyers and sellers by keeping track of payments made, interest paid and 1099 reporting, but they charge very little for the service. Usually, I suggest my clients split the upfront fees and monthly fees equally between buyer and seller. Expect that the Seller will want a credit report from you...they want to know they're doing business with a reputable party.

One caveat...make sure you fully understand that there will likely be a balloon payment...5 years, 7 years...something like that. Make sure you are absolutely confident that you can pay off the note or refinance at that time, or else you risk foreclosure.

In Arizona, the mechanism used for Seller Carryback Financing is known as a "Note and Deed of Trust." Both the Buyer and the Seller should make sure they are educated about what happens in the event the note is not paid off in a timely manner and the Seller-Note Holder is forced to foreclose to gain their asset back.

Good luck! We recently were able to find a wonderful home for clients with an incredible long-term carryback and very favorable terms. The Buyers were able to come up with 25% down payment and purchase the home of their dreams--instead of renting.

For more information on these opportunities, call us! We have many years experience and we work with great vendors for escrow, file management and home inspection!

Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts, November 11-13, 10 am-5 pm

Each year, the Chamber of Commerce hosts the Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts, part of a series of events that introduce hundreds of thousands of people to Arizona's best kept secret, Fountain Hills. With nearly 500 booths of artisans and craftsmen from all over the United States, a tasty offering of food ranging from organic to "carnival carbs" by gourmet restaurants and local service clubs plus live music by such artists as Esteban and others, the show has become one of Arizona's favorites!

The Fountain Festival is always a great way to get your Christmas Shopping done! You'll find original works of art in every price range, hand crafted clothing and hats, knick knacks, yard art, furniture and more. As a Realtor, I often go into homes that are exquisitely decorated and appointed with pieces gained through years of festival shopping. It's part of what makes Fountain Hills so special!

This year the event coincides on Veterans Day, which the community supports in a BIG WAY with a ceremony at the beautiful Veteran's Memorial at 9:00 am and then later a larger celebration that includes thousands of local residents in their red shirts, an F-16 Flyover, music, presentations and more. For more informaiton, check out Veterans Day Celebration.

Visitors to the community will also see a vast collection of public art--nearly 100 signficant pieces! Just this week, the National League of Cities and Towns chose to bring two large buses of mayors, council people and town staffers to Fountain Hills to study the community's nationally admired efforts at volunteerism, public art, public spaces and community pride.

To learn more about Fountain HIlls, visit the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce, located at 16837 E. Palisades Blvd Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 (480) 837-1654. They work hard to promote local business and introduce new visitors to the community. Be sure to log onto their website. Throughout the year, they host a number of events and promotions, including the upcoming Thanksgiving Day Parade at 9:00 am, Thanksgiving Morning. In the spring, another nationally recognized art show, The Great Fair, will again come to the Avenue of the Fountains.

If you visit the Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts, be sure to also stop by Sonoran Lifestyle Real Estate at 16824 E. Avenue of the Fountains. We'll have hot popcorn and lots of information about the local community and real estate. For a real treat, check out www.150Ways.com and you'll get live links to 150 events and venues all around the area that you can explore, visit and enjoy. Or, just give us a call at 480-816-5557.