Terravita Market Update

October 2nd, 2025

By your Scottsdale North Advocate

September 2025 Terravita Market Update

Cornfields, vows, and sunshine…

Hallmark couldn’t script it better.

Terravita Market Update
Scott’s Scottsdale North News Article
The Million-Dollar Gamble That Paid Off: Loving Tree, Five Years Later
Something Fun I Thought You’d Enjoy
The Axon Bill: What Just Happened, and Why It Matters
Real Estate Review
Just For Fun

1. Terravita Market Update

Happy October everyone! We survived another summer and are ready for the Terravita selling season to begin.

The photo above is from a wedding we went to just outside of Minneapolis last weekend. The leaves still haven’t turned because the temps are still in the 80’s but I felt great to be in all the green and the wedding was honestly more like a Hallmark movie than real life. It was such a great break and so good seeing everyone.

The Terravita Market continues to be a bit slow but there is hope on the horizon. We only had 3 contracts accepted for the month (3 listings went under contract) but 8 homes closed escrow and the monthly average hopped above $500 per foot for the month. This shows that we have price stability in spite of slow sales volume. I see that as a positive. As you can see on the Annual Average chart it is slightly below $500, so we have moved down a bit since last year but not much.

We only have 13 homes on the market for sale with 4 coming soons but that still puts us very low for inventory. (Last year we had 20 on the market at this time.) That may be due to a lot of down news stories in the local media lately. (See my Real Estate Review below) So for now pickens are looking slim for buyers but there will be more coming. We have been through these slowdowns before and all will be well. Protip: Proper Pricing will be huge this fall.

Big Wins for Scottsdale

To further entice lifestyle buyers we have more good news! Scottsdale was named the top golf getaway destination beating out 400 other cities, and we have a new pickleball facility that aims to be the largest in the world!! And finally the Cardinals are moving the training facility North. While it is technically North Phoenix, it is the west side of Scottsdale Road and the 101. That’s close! It is 136 acres, Might the stadium follow? Below are the stories so you don’t have to go searching:

Scottsdale Name Top Golf Destination Paywall

Massive indoor pickleball facility to break ground in Scottsdale, aiming to be world’s largest Paywall

Cardinals Move Their Training Facility North

The 101 Corridor is attracting large corporations. With all the other great things going on in our economy, your Scottsdale North investment keeps looking better and better!

One Curveball to Watch . . .

On September 26, a new state law quietly took effect — and it could shape Scottsdale’s future in a big way. It’s being called the “Axon Bill,” because it was written and pushed through by Axon, the Taser and body-camera company based here in Scottsdale. In plain English, it means the state may now override some of Scottsdale’s local zoning decisions. If, like me, you think Scottsdale is run better than most cities, this is something worth paying attention to. I’ve written more about it below to get you started so you can learn more.

Finally . . .

I also have some other pretty fun stuff below so you skimmers check the other stories out too. Including my favorite real estate story where I spent a million bucks and risked my marriage to help a client!

If you’re thinking of selling but not quite sure, let’s grab a coffee and talk it through.

Go Deeper into Terravita Data

2. Scott’s Scottsdale North Newspaper Article

https://www.yourvalley.net/scottsdale-independent/stories/downsizing-without-the-drama,619945

Downsizing Without the Drama – Scottsdale Independent

A real estate story from my hometown of Chicago recently hit close to home. A well-known couple finally decided to sell the massive mansion they had lived in and loved for decades. But they waited …

3. The Million-Dollar Gamble That Paid Off: Loving Tree, Five Years Later

Some of you will remember the story I told you about the first home I ever flipped back in 2020. I just saw that the home is coming back on the market. And honestly, seeing it pop up brought back all the feelings.

For those who followed along in real time, you’ll remember the story. For newer readers, here’s the short version: I worked for the developer of Desert Mountain back in the late ’80s, and I’ve stayed connected to that community ever since. I’ve always believed those homes had incredible bones—they just needed the right touch to bring them back to life.

A past client of mine—a very talented designer who wasn’t a household name yet—came to me with an idea. He wanted to start breathing new life into some of the older Desert Mountain homes. Because he knew my history there, and that I knew how to get the right buyers’ eyes on a property, he asked what I thought. I suggested he pick up a tired home, and we’d document the transformation with a makeover video show. People eat those up.

The snag? He couldn’t afford to take on another house.

So what did I do? I took the plunge myself! You’ve got to understand the timing—it was the middle of one of the nastiest presidential elections I can remember, when half the country thought the world would end if the other guy won.

I was way out of my comfort zone. I had never flipped a home before, never filmed a makeover show, the world felt like it was on fire politically — and there I was, staring down my very first flip at almost a million dollars. To be exact, $960,000. It was either going to be the boldest move of my career… or the most expensive lesson I’d ever learned. If it blew up Debbie would leave me for sure. 🙁

But it was a good property. When you entered the home in felt like you were stepping back into 1990. The walls were full of drywall cutouts, the flagstone floors were thick and heavy, and the old southwest doors gave it away right away. The rooms were boxed in and dated, just waiting to be opened up. It had good bones but it was ready for help.

He went and did what he does so well and seven months later, we sold it for $1,990,000.

But here’s what mattered more than the numbers: that project launched his reputation. It showed what was possible in Desert Mountain again. And it reminded me why I love what I do – because sometimes the best deals aren’t just transactions. They’re about connecting people who need each other, whether that’s a buyer and seller, a talented designer and a community that needs fresh vision, or a great home and its next chapter.

The coming soon photos aren’t out yet but here is what it looked like when we resold it: Loving Tree

Five years later, that home is about to write its next chapter. I can’t wait to see who takes it on—and what they’ll dream up next.

If you want to see what that transformation looked like, click on the video below to view the full makeover YouTube series. 👇👇👇

And yes, you’ll see I had brown hair back then. Some folks collect souvenirs from their remodels — I just collected white hairs.

4. Something Fun I Thought You’d Enjoy

Your Pocket-Sized Coach: One New Lesson a Day

This doesn’t really go in my market update, but I thought you guys might enjoy it!

Every morning now, I wake up to a short lesson waiting for me — like a personal coach who shows up on time, every time. The surprising part? My “coach” is AI.

It started when I realized I was treating my iPhone like a flip phone from 2003. I knew there had to be more it could do, so I asked ChatGPT to build me a simple daily “curriculum.” The next morning, an email arrived with a five-minute lesson and one small action step. For example: “Here’s how to scan a document right in your Notes app. Try it once today.”

That one lesson saved me time immediately — no more searching for a scanner. Since then, the topics have grown: new marketing ideas, personal growth tips, even little hacks that make daily life easier. Each day it’s something small, but over time, the wins add up.

The bigger point is this: lifelong learning has never been easier, or more fun. You can create your own daily curriculum on anything you care about — fitness, travel, history, photography, finances. If you want to give it a try, I’ve put together a simple guide that shows you exactly how to set it up. And if AI still feels a little intimidating, I’d be glad to help you get started.

So whether you’re committed to lifelong learning like me, just want to keep your brain active, or simply want to pick up something new, this might make sense for you.

5. The Axon Bill: What Just Happened, and Why It Matters

On September 26, a new state law quietly took effect — and it could change the future of Scottsdale in a big way. It’s being called the “Axon Bill,” because it was crafted and lobbied for by Axon, the Taser and body-camera company headquartered here in Scottsdale.

Here’s the short version: Axon wants to build a huge new headquarters campus — plus a hotel and nearly 2,000 apartments — on a 74-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Loop 101 and Hayden Road, just north of its current headquarters at 17800 N. 85th Street. Scottsdale’s City Council approved the rezoning earlier this year. Some neighbors weren’t so sure, so they gathered enough signatures to put the project on the 2026 ballot. That way, all of us could vote on it.

But before the vote could happen, Axon went to the State Capitol. Lawmakers passed a bill that cancels Scottsdale’s referendum and clears the path for the project. Just like that, the citizens’ vote was gone.

Proposed site of Axon’s new mixed-use campus: 74 acres on the southeast corner of Hayden Rd & Loop 101, just north of the current HQ.

Why some folks like it

Supporters say this is a win for Scottsdale. Keeping Axon here means good jobs, innovation, and money flowing into our local economy.

Why others are worried

Critics say it’s a dangerous precedent. If the state can cancel our local vote this time, what’s to stop it from doing it again? And beyond the principle, nearly 2,000 new apartments at Hayden and the 101 could mean a lot more congestion on the very roads we drive every day.

What’s next

Scottsdale hasn’t given up. The City filed a notice of claim, which is basically holding the door open for a lawsuit. If they follow through, this fight could stretch out for months, maybe years. But for now, the law is on the books and Axon has the green light to move forward.

What you can do

This isn’t just about one company. It’s about whether Scottsdale gets to control its own future. If you care about that — or if you just don’t like the idea of more traffic at Hayden and the 101 — you can speak up: