The Dolly Steamboat offers several different cruises on Canyon Lake in the Tonto National Forest.  While it may sound remote, it's actually northeast of Apache Junction in Tortilla Flat, AZ.  "Nestled in the heart of the Superstition Mountains lies spectacular Canyon Lake, home of the Dolly Steamboat. Continuing a tradition of cruising since 1925, the Dolly Steamboat now cruises the secluded inner waterways of this beautiful lake." Scenic Nature Cruise "During this 1.5-hour, 6-mile cruise you may see desert bighorn sheep, bald eagles and a host of other animals viewed from the decks of the Dolly! We also touch on the beautiful flora from the stately Saguaro cacti to the microscopic organism called desert varnish." Astronomy Dinner Cruise "Take a "Mark Twain" voyage and admire the breath... 07/24/2017

  Phoenix is much more than a desert! One of the first images that comes to mind when you hear "Phoenix, Arizona" is hot summers and 120 degree temperatures. Yes, these are documented occurrences, but the lakes surrounding Phoenix with excellent proximity offer some relief.   The lakes or reservoirs are formed by the dams built within the last 100 years on the Salt and Verde Rivers and are managed by the Salt River Project.  These reservoirs provide a means to store precious water and at the same time offer recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping.    Tonto National Forest is Home to Canyon Lake One of the lakes in the east valley is Canyon Lake which has great proximity to north east Mesa, Gold Canyon, Apache Junction and Gilbert. Canyon Lake is situated in the sou... 11/28/2009

There has been some recent articles highlighting urban projects that have failed and also announcements of receivership, foreclosures and bankruptcy. While these are ugly words and traumatic events to developers, it's a natural progression given our current market. Greedy developers, unrealistic market demand, speculative buyers and poor financing has caused this and it's probably a good thing. Our values did not equate to the product and location. This now will allow new developers to re-concept the product based upon the true fundamentals of the market and it's demand. This will allow these critical projects to survive, thrive and add to the urban community. I applaud those new developers for their ability to see great opportunities and playing a role in the turnaround. 04/09/2009

When looking at some of the positive signs of the real estate recovery there are a couple bright spots. One is the fringe where speculation, mass production of track homes and bad financing caused huge drops in property value and huge increases in foreclosures. This has brought back affordability again but at a sacrifice, distance. The second bright spot has been properties located near the core. The old real estate adage 'location, location, location' has really proved it's merit given the current market conditions. Phoenix zip codes have outperformed all others when it comes to values retained, sales of existing homes (very important) and first time buyers (another very important stat). This supports our niche and purpose. Bring or keep people in the core. Less driving, support locall... 04/09/2009

Currently I've see the market 'come back in' in downtown Phoenix. This began in November and continues today. There has been enough pent-up demand for sometime but until late last year the buyers were too cautious to make a move. Now, post-election and multiple stimulus'sthe buyers 'feel' good about their prospects. I will tell you that feeling rides the tides of news which is still disturbing. During the boom, people were emotional and looked at real estate fromthe heard mentality. Not seem to learning from past examples, people are replicating that same behavior which is really too bad. Most people 'think' they know real estate since it's such a common commodity which it isn't and urban is the most complex. There are amazing opportunities out there and for some product, the time for '... 04/09/2009

I have plenty of possible buyers looking for a 'deal' and want to focus on short sales or bank foreclosures. Short sales and bank foreclosures are not a garantee of a good value. Many people are willing to buy at 30% off of asking no matter what asking price really is or what the trends in that subdivision are. Come on people you need to get smarter about your money. You need to look between the lines not just at the discount or that the property is considered distressed. I see how difficult the market is right now and still people are not asking tough questions or looking for strong advisors to help them with their purchase. There are allot of deals to be had but they not apparent to the average buyer or agent. M. 09/24/2008

In the past month I've seen allot of interested renters looking at The Summit at Coppersquare. The building (next door from Chase Field and one block from US Airways Arena) has some amazing amenities which include a negative edge pool on 5th, rooftop patio with gas firepits (great for watching D-Backs fireworks), a very nice gym, etc... Some of the corner units have amazing views of the stadium, city and mountain vistas. For the urban renter there are not much better options for the money. More info: http://www.phoenixurbanliving.com/downtownphoenixhighrise.html 09/17/2008

Recently I was privilaged to attend an open house at Mezzo. It was great to see old friends and meet some new ones. More importantly I was able to spend allot of time in each of the ten units and get a better understanding of the design elements and features/finishes from the design and development team. These three story, 1500 sq. ft. modern/urban rowhomes have utilized views, glass, angles and natural elements to create a very unique development in midtown Phoenix. Also, reflecting the current market the developer has priced these gems very competitively (390-420K). Each home includes a organic garden, two car carport and much more...For more information, check out: http://www.phoenixurbanliving.com/midtownphoenixsmall.html 09/17/2008

Over the past 60 days the inquiries into urban condos in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale has jumped by almost 300%. This leads me to believe the people that were sitting on the sidelines have realized the opportunity was passing them by. With interest rates very low and plenty of product to choose from, there is a real sense that now is the time to get back into the for a unique urban home. There has been a flurry of activity in Artisan Village, Tapestry on Central, Optima Biltmore and Camelview and Northshore. If your looking to make the move, we know where the best values are. Cheers, M. 09/17/2008

My business partner (Will Daly of We Know Urban) and I have been actively working with people who want to live urban but choose to rent. Quite frankly the business is booming and we 'almost' cannot seem to keep up with the demand. There are plenty of amazing condos for rent in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale and all different types to choose from. Whether it's a highrise unit at The Summit at Coppersquare or a loft at Artisan on Central we can help you find that perfect home....FAST!! M. 09/17/2008

I've been getting quite a few questions lately in regards to Century Plaza in midtown Phoenix. The inquiries for the most part are current buyers in the project wanting to know market conditions as it relates to their purchase at Century Plaza. While I cannot predict the market and I have no idea what the market will bear in Century Plaza, I can say the market has changed considerably. I can also say the pricing for Century Plaza hasn't changed and doesn't seem to reflect the challenges in the market. Understand your goals, your market and your building. There are great opportunities right now but you gotta be smart and do your homework. This is where you really need someone like myself you understands each sub-market and the trends in the area and projects. M. More info:http://www.phoe... 09/17/2008

Some of you may remember my post where I shared a tour and some photos of a day trip in March 2008 to Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats. I enjoyed sharing the experience and the photographs, and pretty much forgot about them. - until yesterday. I received an email from someone who happened upon my article and the bridges at Canyon Lake - there are two, but I took a photo of only one. I've shared his email so all of us can be reminded that: we never know who is watching! In real life, we never know who is watching us and reading what we say or viewing the picture we share. As a parent, this has always been something about which I've been cognizant and tried to be a good example. But I digress: Here is his email: He entitled this: "My Bridge" "I want to thank you for including the photo of t... 08/06/2008

While on my bike/inventory ride on Saturday I also took a closer look at Grace Communities, X Ten Wine Lofts. This mid-rise contemporary building is placed in the middle of what could be considered a commercial/strip mall area of old town Scottsdale. Direct views of Walgreen's and the Olive Garden don't help promote the luxury lifestyle promoted by Grace Communities. This should be a more entry level finish and price building. One bedrooms starting around 400K is the wrong product given the area. The old adage, location, location, location couldn't be more true here. I do like the size of the building, it's look, some of the floor plans and common areas but given it's odd location a more moderate product would perform much more effectively. M. 04/07/2008

While riding my bicycle on Saturday to look at the status of the current urban projects in Old Town Scottsdale, I looked more closely at Main St. Plaza. Located in old town amongst the galleries west of Scottsdale Road. The developer is really a suburban, master plan builder and while I'm not wow'ed by the exterior (personal preference-too suburban), the interior spaces, floor plans, location and pricing make this one of the better projects in old town Scottsdale. It's a quiet, subtle mid-rise tucked in nicely amongst the galleries and is not over stated. The project has the grace and class of someone who has arrived but doesn't need to tell everyone. Nice job Main Street Plaza! M. 04/07/2008

Last week the City of Phoenix passed one of the most important planning and zoning initiatives that has have ever been passed in downtown Phoenix. The Small Business and Arts overlay which affects homes and business's along the Roosevelt Arts District (16th St to Grand Ave then south on Grand) is a new, very relaxed zoning for small businesses in the area. It allows for minimal parking requirements, sign-age, set-backs, etc...This will allow people to easily know what they can and can't do. It will also give a huge boost the area becoming a true destination district like Soho or LoDo. People who own real estate in the area will also benefit greatly due to the new found focus and appreciation. There has been allot of announcements in the past week that have coincided with the decision gi... 04/07/2008

I visited Portland 2, a new project by upstart Odyssey Homes at 6th St and Portland. The design is a four story sudo-modern row-home. The exterior is out of place with mismatched bright colors, architectural features that leaves you questioning the thought and layout that is at odds with it's historic neighbors. The interior layout is vertical and quite nice. Meeting with the sales team and one of the developers was less than helpful. I was met with not much interest or knowledge of the product itself by both which is disappointing. I'm a truly believer in downtown Phoenix and I'm passionate about it. I didn't the same sense from both the sales team and one of the developers which will make sales difficult for them and I don't want to see them fail! Lastly, the pricing on the project is... 03/28/2008

Part of being a trusted adviser in real estate is truly knowing your product, knowing the area and it's sub-markets, trends/momentum, city initiatives, private initiatives, etc... While looking at product in downtown Phoenix yesterday I was re-reminded on how important it is to constantly reinforce your knowledge. Evergreen 9 is a small, modern infill project by JAG development. I'm quite familiar with the developer, the project and the area but visiting Evergreen 9 reaffirmed my thoughts on the project. 1200-1600 sq. ft. modern, three story row-homes with amazing finishes, open spaces, exposed materials make this one the better small infill projects in downtown. The prices are from the mid-200's to the mid-300's and offer a unique home in an urban setting at a modest price. M. 03/28/2008

Scottsdale Canal Development, a Scottsdale partnership, is planning the 72-foot-tall Solis Scottsdale Hotel & Residences about two blocks east of Scottsdale Fashion Square. The project, originally labeled the Waterview at Scottsdale, will include 240 hotel rooms, a spa, shops and 165 residences. It is part of $1.5 billion in downtown redevelopment projects - completed or under way - since 2003. That includes mid-rise condominiums and the seven-story W Scottsdale Hotel, which is set to open in late May. In all, there are nearly $3.3 billion in public and private improvements either done in the past five years, in progress or planned in southern Scottsdale, south of Chaparral Road, according to a recent city report. The Solis Hotel, an emerging 5-year-old brand from the Atlanta-based West... 03/25/2008

With the success of the unique stretch of retail stores along 7th Ave and Indian School (Melrose), developers are eyeing 7th St and Indian School for a similar style of development. Currently there is a large, 28,000 sq. ft. retail space being converted into small, individual shops to support local entrepreneurs and shop keepers. Urban Dencity, a Scottsdale developer is looking at developing two luxury loft developments: Forma and Soliel in this area. Many people believe that this corridor could be a very important district in the coming years. M. 03/25/2008

Avenue Communities (Centerpoint) will be unveiling it's latest version of their exciting new project, Hayden Flour Mill today at a press conference. The existing structure will be used as the core (silos and elevator) and 'wrapped' with loft condos, a boutique hotel and retail. The city of Tempe seems to be very excited about this project given it's historical significance and location. I wish Avenue all the best in this most admirable venture! M. 03/25/2008