The holidays will look and feel a bit different this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but that does not mean those holiday traditions have to stop. Some of the best Christmas and holiday light displays around Arizona have already opened for the season, while others are preparing to open in the next few weeks. Here is our list of fun, festive light shows and experiences to check out!
Arizona’s diverse and lavish landscape has always been one of the state’s biggest selling points. From the national wonders of the Grand Canyon to the historic ghost and mining towns to the perfectly positioned saguaros and bountiful mountains, there is no shortage of beautiful scenery or outdoor recreation. Mother Nature blessed the 48th state with hundreds of miles of vast open spaces. The Grand Canyon state has been drawing tourists from around the world for over a century and it’s still happening today.
Even during the pandemic, travelers and residents alike continue to show their appreciation and love for Arizona’s outdoors and all it has to offer. While the Arizona Office of Tourism says it may take a little more than a year to get the state’s tourism back to pre-COVID levels, steps are already underway to keep Arizona’s tourism on the map for many years to come. The office recently released a recovery plan that includes accelerating leisure travel activity statewide, stabilizing visitor volume in urban centers, and reinvigorating and strengthening tourism in rural and Tribal areas.
The foundation our industry has built through the best of times will continue to serve us through these challenging times. We’ll use the strategies outlined in our Tourism Strategic Recovery Plan to stabilize, recover and rebuild our travel industry, which supports so many Arizonans.
Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism
Among those sizzling factors that keep Arizona a hot spot for tourism – two words – The Weather!
While there’s no shoveling the sunshine here, it can certainly be counted on when it comes to aiding the state’s recovery. With the Phoenix Valley of the Sun averaging 296 days of sunshine, Tucson averaging 284, and Flagstaff averaging 264 days a year with sunshine – Arizona is the ideal state to visit for all the seasons and for all the best reasons. As many travel plans came to a halt, tourists are still making their way to explore Arizona’s parks, trails, lakes, and play its golf courses.
Recreational state parks and trails are open to the public and continue to attract tourists, including a one-of-kind tourist destination like the cave tours at Kartchner Caverns State Park, which resumed in June. The vast open space in Arizona will be cherished for many years to come as the national forest land covers 15% of Arizona. The state is home to 24 national parks, making day trips and weekend adventures all the rage.
After a brief closure and a few added restrictions, our favorite backdrop and Natural Wonder of the World, the Grand Canyon National Park, is open and shuttle service is continuing. The Grand Canyon is unmatched throughout the world for the vistas it offers visitors on the rim. The canyon stretches an impressive 227 miles long and averages over 10 miles wide. On a normal year, Arizona’s premier National Park attracts about five million visitors per year. For those looking to visit, the entry is through the Town of Tusayan. With plenty of available lodging in neighboring Tusayan, the community has renewed its efforts to promote local tourism to Arizona residents.
Tusayan’s Mayor-Elect, Clarinda Vail, remains optimistic, “Since the re-opening of the Grand Canyon National Park we are seeing more tourists in our community and it is a welcoming sight. At 7,000 feet in elevation, Tusayan remains a place for Arizonans seeking some relief from the heat and an opportunity to reconnect with the Grand Canyon or see it for the first time.”
Renegade Golf Course at Desert Mountain
From 5 million visitors at the canyon to 12 million rounds of golf, it is fair to say there has never been a better time to get outdoors and enjoy a round of golf. Home to more than 300 public and private golf courses, Arizona deemed golf an essential activity allowing golf courses to remain open with new protocols set in place for physical distancing. While other sporting events such as Spring Training were cut short this year, the Arizona Golf Association managed to hold its 96th Arizona Amateur Championship in July.
This winter there’s even more reasons to fall in love with Arizona again. Arizona Snowbowl plans to open for the ski season and unveil its new high-speed Agassiz combo lift that will redefine the Snowbowl experience with six-person chairs interspersed with eight-person gondola cabins. The new lift will transport passengers up 2,000 feet of vertical in just 7 minutes – less than half the time of the existing lift. You don’t need to wait for winter to enjoy Flagstaff’s Arizona Snowbowl. During the summer months, enjoy live music events or take in the dramatic scenery of northern Arizona from a bird’s eye view on the Grand Canyon Express lift. As the lift travels up to 10,800 feet, one can see the cinder cone volcanic field, the red rocks in Sedona, and as far as the Grand Canyon on a clear day. No matter the season or the temperature, Arizona offers some of the country’s most spectacular scenery. With its diverse topography and awe-inspiring wonders, pandemic or not, it will surely be the place visitors will return for many years to come.
Owners and principals of several of the largest real estate firms in North America during their stockholders meeting October 7 unanimously elected President and Designated Broker, Deems Dickinson, of Scottsdale based Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty (Russ Lyon SIR) to the board of directors of The Realty Alliance, a network of top-producing brokerages.
The Realty Alliance (TRA) comprises of 70 full-service, residential real estate companies, representing more than 130,000 salespeople and several thousand support staff and employees of affiliated businesses such as mortgage, title, insurance and property management. The organization allows member firms to keep their own brand, but if measured against the top names in real estate, The Realty Alliance would be in the top three in the world measured by sales volume, transactions and agent count.
Deems’ experience includes receiving REALTOR® Emeritus Status at the end of 2019 with the National Association of REALTORS® for his 40 years of membership and service which have been spent with Russ Lyon SIR. He currently sits on the Arizona Regional MLS Board of Directors as well as the Arizona Association of REALTORS® Professional Standards Committee. Most recently he has been ranked among the top 200 brokers nationwide in the Swanepoel Power 200 Ranking.
Dickinson will help plan and direct the activities of the organization, which include developing and implementing support services for member companies, as well as overseeing the network’s advocacy efforts as it works to shape policy and practice within the industry and with various lawmakers and regulators. Ultimately the group seeks to improve the homebuying experience for consumers and to help brokers and their salesforce be more efficient. Dickinson will begin his three-year term November 1.
Russ Lyon SIR joined TRA in 2003, six years after major brokerages formed the organization. The Russ Lyon SIR marketing, technology and accounting divisions participate in various TRA initiatives and conferences to collaborate with all members all over the nation.
Deems has been an active contributor to The Realty Alliance for many years. He and his firm have demonstrated thought leadership within our organization and through the growth of their own company during the challenges of the last several years. His perspective will be valuable as our board looks to provide guidance to our member companies in the coming months to help them adjust to changing consumer needs and expectations and to opportunities created by new technologies and new business models.
Craig Cheatham, President and CEO of The Realty Alliance
The National Association of Realtors® today announced Jeff Fields, with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty in Scottsdale, as one its five 2020 Good Neighbor Award winners. As a volunteer and past board president of nonprofit Teen Lifeline, Fields has served more than 28,000 youth through a peer-to-peer teen crisis hotline while providing community education on suicide prevention.
NAR’s Good Neighbor Awards honor 10 Realtors® annually for making an extraordinary impact on their communities through volunteer work. Over the past 21 years, the Good Neighbor Awards program has awarded nearly $1.4 million in grants to more than 200 Realtor®-led nonprofits. Their impact has been felt in 40 states, 15 countries and in Puerto Rico.
Our Good Neighbor Award winners leave a remarkable impact on their communities every year, but everything these Realtors® have done in 2020 is even more impressive and more commendable. I am proud to honor Jeff Fields for dedicating his time and passion to giving hope to teens who had none.”
NAR President Vince Malta, broker at Malta & Co., Inc., in San Francisco, Calif.
Fields became passionate about saving teens from what he calls “the most preventable death” after losing several friends to suicide. To read his full story, go to magazine.realtor/JeffFields.
With the award, Fields will receive a $10,000 grant for his charity and will be featured in the November-December issue of Realtor® Magazine. In lieu of the traditional ceremony held every year at the REALTORS® Conference and Expo, each winner will also be honored by their local Realtor® associations over the coming months.
Luxury properties in Scottsdale, Amado, Fountain Hills, Goodyear, Paradise Valley, and Tucson offer swimming pools, sports court, tennis courts, saunas, and massage rooms
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty is pleased to present high-end properties across the state that offer uniquely designed state-of-the-art home gyms, tennis courts, swimming pools, and other fitness space and premium amenities. Offering everything needed in terms of home technology, home entertainment, fitness and wellness, the luxury listings also showcase impressive views and designs that bring peace and harmony.
The most sought-after property in North Scottsdale. Sitting on more than 8 acres, the 12,500 square-foot home is located at 23035 N Church Rd in Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Listed for $7,299,000 and offering 7 bedrooms and 10 full bathrooms, the estate is a pro athletes paradise. The home is equipped with complete gym facilities, sport court, putting green, Olympic size swimming pool, weight room, lockers, steam shower. Relax indoors or out, watch a game or your own indoor or outdoor oversized cinema screen, multiple Sit-down bars and lounge space. Impeccably manicured grounds with waterfalls, a pond, oversized pool, fire pits and tennis court. Exclusively with Frank Aazami and David Mayo.
Never before seen on the market private park-like compound lot. Listed for $4.5 million and located at 6600 N Invergordon Rd in Paradise Valley, AZ 85253,the exquisite 8,010 square-foot single level home features its own home gym, 6 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, and 1 private guest home plus caretaker’s quarters. This one of a kind lot has impeccable grounds where outdoors work-out enthusiasts can swim laps in the unique lagoon-like pool, or take a walk along the walking/jogging paths. Play golf on the lighted putting green with surrounding views of Camelback and Mummy Mountain.Exclusively with Cheryl Anderson.
Further east, we have an ornate estate with breathtaking views to accompanying its own home gym.The 8,837-square-foot home is located at 10208 N Palisades Boulevard in Fountain Hills, AZ 86268. Listed for $3.5 million the hillside estate features 5 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, and 6 fireplaces. Besides its own home gym amenity, the estate also features a spa, sauna, reading nook and bonus room. Exclusively with Lisa Roberts.
In Tucson, 7403 North Secret Canyon Drive is for sale for $3.8 million. This contemporary unrivaled architectural masterpiece features more than 7,000-square feet of sustainability. Offering a private well, solar panels, orchard and vegetable gardens, the 4-bedroom, 6-bathroom home is located in the exclusive gated community of The Canyons. The lushly landscaped grounds offer the perfect setting to practice yoga outdoors on the large artificial turf. The home also features a large pool, spa, waterfall and ramada. Exclusively with Susanne Grogan.
Also in Tucson is a show stopping 36.74-acre sports complex property at 6655 N Rattlesnake Canyon Rd in Tucson, AZ 85750 for $2.75 million. The sports complex features a 60-ft indoor lap pool and spa, full sized batting cage with a professional pitching machine, and private workout area. Designed with the same quality and craftsmanship of the main home, this home and sports complex is an athlete’s paradise, equipped with enough space to comfortably fit an entire baseball team.Exclusively with Judy Smedes and Kate Herk.
Further south, a 5,915-square-foot home at 8 Amado Montosa in Amado, AZ, 85645 for $795,000. The 3-bedroom, 7-bathroom elegant home features an indoor gym big enough for hosting your own boot camp, an outdoor fountain, pool and several entertainment spaces. Enjoy taking a walk through the mature rose garden or sitting in the pool with a cool beverage, this unique property has it all.Exclusively with Gary Brasher.
In the West Valley is an abundance of outdoor space for recreation enthusiasts at13132 W Beverly Rd, in Goodyear, AZ 85338. Listed for $1,150,000 this one-of-a-kind estate offers 6,611-square foot with 6 bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms. Enjoy home gym, pool, sauna and steam room plus a sport court, horse shoe pit, and an abundance of land for outdoor and group workouts.Exclusively with Cindy Smith.
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty is able to work with prospective local and distant buyers to view listings through virtual tours, property videos and/or arrange private tours at their convenience.
To view more homes to match your fitness goals, view below or visit russlyon.com
Thomas O’Leary, Catherine Lewis and Joshua Shaver represented the seller of The Jewel of Judson in Paradise Valley for $4,800,000.
The 5-bedroom, 8-bathroom estate is a result of a collaboration between architect Timothy Brown and builder Aaron Rodriguez. It was inspired by the journey they took together through Mexico from Guadalajara to the mountains of San Miguel Allende and designed with the most beautiful baroque elements of Spanish colonial architecture.
Featuring an extraordinary chef’s kitchen, marble floors, hand hewn furniture quality cabinets and leaded glass windows. Designed to entertain, the home has a resort courtyard pool, outdoor kitchen, fireplace, serenity garden, sport court and koi pond.
The record sale shows Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and Pellegrini & DeGeorge Partners’ prowess in Fountain Hills.
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty’s Fountain Hills office is number one in the submarket for sales volume year-to-date with 13.8 percent of the luxury market (sales of $800,000 and above). The Fountain Hills office is also number one in the submarket year-over-year with 15.8 percent of luxury sales.
“We worked hard to sell this one-of-a-kind property. It shows Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and our team of brokers are the dominant force in the attractive Fountain Hills submarket,” Susan Pellegrini said.
The 10,480-square-foot home has 5-bedrooms and 7-bathrooms. “The contemporary gem sits on top of its mountain in Fountain Hills with incredible views and imported finishes,” Karen DeGeorge said.
Tony Pellegrini worked closely with the owner learning the intricacies of the property and said “I have never seen so much attention to detail poured into the design of a property, especially when paired with a one of a kind hilltop parcel.”
Dave Pattison also specializes in luxury listings throughout Arizona. “This one-of-kind home offered astounding views, a prime Fountain Hills location and the quality the buyers were looking for,” Pattison said.
It’s summertime and you may have had travel plans that got canceled or postponed. Staying home doesn’t mean that you can’t still be well traveled; from UNESCO World Heritage sites like Machu Picchu to world-class zoos and aquariums, here are five incredible places you can visit right now from the comfort of your own home.
Machu Picchu
The first stop on our virtual vacation is the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu in southern Peru. Built in the 15th century, you can tour the citadel ruins and restorations with guided audio to give you important details along the way.
The Georgia Aquarium
Did you know that some studies show that visiting an aquarium can relieve stress? Featured on Animal Planet’s hit show “The Aquarium,” bring the Georgia Aquarium into your living room with one of its many live tank cams and relax as you watch colorful fish, otters, reptiles, and more.
Arches National Park
The United States is home to many wonderous national parks – more than 400 in total. With the help of Google Earth, travel the deserts of Utah and see Arches National Park where you can virtually walk through some of the more than 2,000 sandstone arches that are the area’s namesake.
The San Diego Zoo
Looking for some one-on-one time with your favorite exotic animal? The San Diego Zoo in California has you covered. With 11 live camera feeds you can spend hours with pandas, tigers, giraffes, penguins and more.
The Great Pyramid and Great Sphinx of Giza
One is the only true remaining ancient wonder of the world and the other is an iconic ancient Egyptian structure. We of course, are talking about the Great Pyramid and Great Sphinx of Giza. Through Google Earth’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites project, these are just two of the 30 significant places you can visit.
Sleek and sophisticated contemporary styled homes that are works of art
Contemporary homes incorporating state-of-the-art smart technology, floor to ceiling glass walls and distinctive concrete architecture. These homes offer spectacular views and unique designs that embody and enhance the surrounding landscape. With a focus on using raw materials like steel, glass, concrete and other stone materials the following homes are offering some great selections for buyers looking for a modern, contemporary and industrial look this summer.
Paul Perry and Michelle O’Neill is pleased to list the 5,420-square-foot home at 7334 N Clearwater Parkway for $5.25 million. Construction Zone designed and built this contemporary 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom steel, glass and concrete home that is elevated high on the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Walls of glass provide endless stunning views of sunrises, Camelback mountain landscape, city lights and more. Walk across the glass bridge to enter the master suite, with a steel fireplace, private terrace with a master bath with an indoor/outdoor shower.
A home designed by internationally published architect, Brent Kendle, this timeless modernistic masterpiece is located in the golf community of Desert Mountain at 38300 North 102nd Street. Presented by Anne Morrissey, Bee Francis, Karen Baldwin and Kathleen Benoit, this 8,251-square-foot home with 5-bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms blends organic rammed-earth construction with a floating copper roof that provides light throughout the entire space. Listed for $6.75 million, the soaring ceilings and retractable modern glass walls provide private, resort quality patios offering panoramic views of the golf course, mountain and Valley sunsets.
Next is a home whose unparalleled design and scale is compatible with any luxury lifestyle, incorporating the highest quality of materials, appliances and finishes in the Valley. Presented by Frank Aazami, the 12,000-square-foot masterpiece home located in Paradise Valley at 3700 East Camino Sin Nombre is listed for $5.69 million. Sitting on a 1.72-acre private corner lot, the cutting-edge custom home has been optimally situated to provide unobstructed views of Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak.
Shawn Chappeland Cheryl D’Anna have listed the 6,852-square-foot home at 41783 North 101st Way for $5.3 million. Designed by renowned architect David Hovey, the extensive use of floor to ceiling glass walls, honed aggregated concrete block and exposed beams define and accentuate the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. The home is nestled about the 8th green of the Chiricahua golf course offering breathtaking golf course views bordered by ancient boulder outcroppings.
Relax, entertain and enjoy the finest of Scottsdale luxury living in this unrivaled home located at 12493 N 138th Place. Presented by Laura Briggs, this one-of-a-kind Scottsdale retreat is 5,572-square-foot residence with 5-bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms is listed at $2.75 million. Combining smart-home technology with stunning modern architecture, this home included a cantilevered steel entry, impressive retractable glass wall and infinity poll that offers remarkable views of Camelback Mountain.
