Southwestern Design in Prescott Valley. What a charmer. Santa Fe lovers will find this great property move in ready. Home features 3 bedrooms in a split floorpan, two full baths. Great room with vaulted ceilings and a cheerful back yard that is fenced  and features a patio and lawn.

Now priced at just $112,000! What a deal in Prescott Valley Arizona. MLS#943980

Prescott Dining Adventures are finally wonderful. Moving from the San Francisco Bay Area to Prescott, I was very spoiled in having top quality restaurants. In fact, for 10 years I was paid to take people to restaurants and paid to eat in restaurants. Thus returning to my computer to write and critique the experience. I ate the best food in the best settings. Anyone who visits the Bay Area knows how wonderful the food is. Moving here in 1996 left me with almost no place to eat. I would special order foods and my husband and I would cook and light candles and get out the silver and pretend we were in a fine restaurant.

Fifteen years have passed since I arrived in the wild west of Prescott, Arizona. Prescott has blossomed beyond steakhouses and fried food. We now have bistros, four star restaurants, and wonderful ethnic cuisines. We have secret coffee shops, organic diners, and wine bars.

We have one restaurant that I have passed by for as long as I can remember. A few weeks ago my client sugested we eat at The Aloha Grille  for lunch. She said it had become her favorite spot. As I said “sure that will be great” I thought why had I never gone there? It is just 5 minutes from my office, out of the busy part of town, and obviously a great hideaway location to take a client. I guess I just never thought of saying “Aloha” in Arizona????

We met and I had the Wednesday special, Pulled Pork Salad. Oh my………………. did I fall in love. It was heaven. I did not have a half salad, I had the whole thing and ate the whole thing! So, today I went back. But still trying to figure how odd it was to eat in an “Aloha” restaurant, I decided I better have a new item on the menu. Today I had the Chicken Curry Salad. What a healthy taste sensation! I loved the curry dressing and the craisins, macadamia nuts and grilled chicken. What a great lunch.

I think the atmosphere and the menu is just what I would recommend to someone looking for great local fare with a healthy twist. I can’t wait to go back!

Relocating to Prescott Arizona, from where?

It is funny how you look back over the years and you see a pattern. You see an eb and flow in your area real estate market. Who buys in the summer and who buys in the winter. Prescott is mostly a destination community with a high retirement population. People relocate here for climate, retirement, health and outdoor lifestyles. Some people relocate for taxes.

We have two seasons of real estate markets.

Summer for a second home market, Phoenix and southern California buyers, mostly retired.

Our main buyer is from the heat of the Phoenix area and the Los Angeles / San Diego area.  

    The Phoenix buyer cannot handle another 120 summer so they come to Prescott for a permanent home or second home. The Phoenix buyer usually likes to find a second home in the tall pines. A getaway from the concrete jungle. Southern California buyers come because of climate, space and blue sky. The southern California buyer may be a pilot or a car buff, law enforcement, firefighter, golfer or horse lover. Many have friends already here.         

In the winter our buyers mostly come from Wisconsin, Michigan, Chicago, Minnesota, Washington and Oregon. I have never had a client from New Orleans, Tennesse, Kentucky, Mississippi or Virginia. There are so many from Wisconsin here that one can always know when Green Bay is playing! I have had so many clients from Michigan that I have had Michigander parties!The mid-westerners love to come to Prescott because we have four mild seasons. We get snow but it goes away, doesn’t build up and is more for fun. We have no humidity in the summer so no mosquitos. Average summer of 85-90 is wonderful with no humidity, however from July 1 to mid September we do get the monsoons, and those days are humid but it is a rainy adventure that everyone loves.  Most of the winter buyers are retired and are getting away from harsh winters, or self employed, home based business.

      We are starting to phase out the summer buyer and welcome the winter buyers. The winter buyers love the holiday festivities in Prescott. After all, Prescott is the Christmas City.

Prescott Valley Market Statistics for Granville and Unit 19 are here for June to September 2011.

Granville is a Planned Community with pool, tennis, Clubhouse, fitness center etc. CC&R’s and modest HOA dues keep the community clean and desireable. Most homes were built after 2000 and new phases are under construction. Neighboring Unit 19 has no HOA dues, no planned community features and homes were built from 1985 to 2011. Both are the more desireable neighborhoods of Prescott Valley.

                 6-9/2011                    6-9/2010                       

New listings- 64                             75                down 14.66%

Sold listings-49                              35                up 40%

Volume of sold Listings-

                   $7.398.175           $5,601,345        up 32.07%

Average selling Price-

                   $150.983.16          $160,038          down 5.65%

Days on mkt- 87                            96                down 9.32%

Prescott Valley Market Statistics say that things look to be improving and stabilizing in this area of Prescott Valley!

Overall our market for the entire area, there are only 1902 residential properties on the market today down from over 2400+.

Rolling with the Punches. Our days in real estate are never the same, and are never predictable. 

You never know how your day will go. Imagine, new client comes to town from another state. Now you spend the day with these people. In your car, gas at your expense,  showing property, laughing and talking and bonding. Maybe lunch together. You become like family in just a few hours. You are a driven “people person” so you think nothing of giving your heart to the day.

What other profession does that? What other profession offers the counciling, concern and deadication with a smile? All while never knowing if we will be paid for our services.

Real Estate is a great career. It is flexible and heart warming. Again I say “each day is different”. And you can easily do it your way.

So, today, as a grandma Realtor, I have to share how my “Realtor daughter” showed property to new clients.

Car won’t start, Grandma Realtor is the babysitter, Grandma Realtor is the one with the running car. Clients come to see property.

Grandma Realtor agrees to drive and sit in car with grandson while Realtor daughter shows property.

   Of course grandson is perfectly behaved. Day turns out wonderful. Out of state clients enjoy grandson. Clients are happy and having grandson and grandma in tow doesn’t hurt the day. “Realtor daughter” did it her way, and helped her clients. 

No two days in Real Estate are ever the same and sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and improvise! Real Estate is a caring and compasionate career that usually has the benefit of caring and compasionate clients!

Places to eat in Prescott.  When I first moved here in 1996, from the San Francisco Bay Area, I thought I was going to die because of the lack of good places to eat. Now, 15 years later, Prescott has a great assortment of eateries. No longer a “fried food western town”,Prescott is now a town of cullinary delights!

I love little “Bohemian” off the wallplaces with great flavor. One of my favorite places to refer visitors to is El Gato Azul, (the Blue Cat).  Funky charm. About 10 tables inside and same outside. Outside tables offer creekside dining overlooking Granite Creek. Perfect spot to have lunch and sip a chilled glass of Chardonay or aromatic coffee.

On duty at any time is usually one waitress and the chef, period. Almost like being at home. And no one ever hurries you.

I have only had the pleasure of eating lunches at El Gato Azul. Someday I hope to enjoy a dinner there. It is Spanish faire and I dream of tapas and wine by the creek with my husband some evening! In the meantime, I love to have my favorite dish for lunch, Calamari Salad with a side of their warm pita bread. The Calamari Salad has a horseradish dressing that works magic with the tastebuds. It is just a perfect taste experience.

I have had daily specials that will turn the lights on a blue day so I always check on what the special is.

Clients tell me “Thank you for recommending El Gato Azul” they had the best wraps ever!

For more information visit http://www.prescottpaula.com

Granville, Prescott Valley, Az. Elegant new listing. Beautiful home, graciously appointed, with size and space to make everyone happy. Four bedrooms 2 1/2 baths with den, and formal dining and three car garage. Massive open great room with cherry cabinets and dark granite open onto professionally landscaped back yard and patio. Enjoy soothing sounds of a custom water feature, mountain and Dell views with fenceline privacy. The perfect home for entertaining. Subdivision features, pool, spa, clubhouse, tennis, fitness center, walking paths and play areas.

What a nice place to come home to, listed at $279,000. For more information visit my website

Gated Communities in Prescott Arizona are few and just starting to come about. It just has not been the fashion in the Prescott area to need gated communities.  In realationship to the overall area, I would tell you I could count the gated communities on one hand. A reality check shows that those numbers have grown. We now have several, but still not like the Phoenix and Valley area of Arizona.

1- Prescott Lakes Golf Community

2-American Ranch- Equestrian Community

3-Hassayampa Golf Community

My wonderful listing at Hassayampa Golf Community, just $349,000

4-Gardens at Willow Creek- Age Restricted

5-Prescott Ridge- Equestrian Community

6-Vista del Cerro

7-Rancho Diamante-Equestrian Community

8-High Valley Ranch

9-Las Vegas Ranch-Equestrian Community

10-Santa Fe Springs

11-Timber Creek

12-Ranch at Prescott- Patio Homes

13-Victorian Estates-Age Restricted

14-Long Meadow Ranch- Equestrian Community

15-Ruger Ranch- Equestrian Community

Great buys at Ruger Ranch, 36 acre parcels, under $200,000

16-Viewpoint

17-Crossroads Ranch- Equestrian Community

More gated communities are popping up but Prescott is still a place to live where you don’t need to worry about gates!

Dogs in Prescott, Arizona are well loved. They are rarely neglected and usually spoiled rotten. That is ok, because, after all, the love they give us they deserve nothing but the best.

So lets see, if you are in town with your dog and are hungry, Gurley St  Grill has a way you can dine and keep your dog close by at the patio dining room.

If you are a young free spirit doing whatever, the Courthouse Square always welcomes four legged friends.

If you need designer doggie sportswear, gourmet dog biscuits, bling dishes, the Prescott Barkery is the place. They even have a “Yappy Hour” on Friday nights for owners to bring their dogs for a social hour!

After all this you can let your pooch run wild and free at the dog park. It is a regular meeting grounds and the wagging tails show that the dogs love it.

In Prescott, dogs are well loved and always love their owners back!

Downtown Prescott Fun, you can count on it all year. Always something for everyone. People love to come to the shade of the massive trees at the Courthouse Square of Downtown Prescott. Whether a daytime Art Faire or a nighttime concert the Courthouse Square on Whiskey Row makes you smile.

This Labor Day weekend from September 3-5 enjoy The Faire on the Square.

Three days of vendors and fun under the trees.

There is weekly free live entertainment on the Courthouse Square from 6:30 to 8:30p.m.

Tuesdays- Jazz on the Square

Everyother Wednesday- Lynx Creek Cloggers and Dance Classes

Thursdays- Prescott’s Karaoke Idol

Every Third Thursday- Central AZ Concert Band

Every Friday and Saturday- Various Bands

Coming September 16-18 Arizona Centinnial Arizona Best Fest

Coming September 25, Antiques on the Square

To get the entertainment and activity schedule for the year click here, City of Prescott

For the best tips on neighborhoods and real estate interests, Prescott Info