Where To Find Great Second Home Bargains Right Now: Scottsdale, Arizona

You may have noticed on the map I posted Monday that one of the hottest spots in the country for second homes is Arizona, no pun intended! Well, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley have long been favored havens for second – third – and fourth – homes for Dallas “sunbirds”.  With both Case-Shiller and Core Logic pegging this area as being at the bottom of the bottom, this is a great chance to pick up a vacation home in Arizona for maybe thirty cents on the dollar! Look at this honey, once listed for $2,495,000 then $2.2 than $1.99. Finally, Dallasite Harold Craft bought this Paradise Valley home in Cheney Estates, not sure if named after Dick Cheney or not, but it is gated and way exclusive — just south of the Camelback Golf Club. Craft bought this past December for $1,585,000 cash. The 5400 square foot with six bedrooms, four baths, built in 1996, is on a .97 acre cul-de-sac lot with glorious mountain views, pool, and loaded. The gourmet decked out kitchen with granite and great appliances, fabulous master with spa bath. But get this: a guest house was added in 2006 that the buyer basically got for free — two bedrooms, two baths. Then there is a 268 square foot additional building that would be a perfect office or studio. The exclusive gated community has tennis courts, a clubhouse and close access to golf.

Crafy was crafty — he paid less than $300 per square foot for this home, which could not be replicated for that amount. Me thinks I’ll be checking in with Scottsdale realtor Tom Weiskopf, who once lived in Dallas, and checking out Paradise. Valley, that is.