Two wealthy families, one in love with the Arizona Biltmore, and the other with The Boulders Resort, commissioned architects to build them homes that emulated the look and feel of these two world class destinations.  These amazing homes around Carefree are both on the market now, and may even look better than the original!

Designer Joe Murphy even got permission from the Arizona Biltmore to copy their signature blocks, for use in the Carefree Foothills home of a client.(above left)  This home on 17 acres is a remarkable work of art in the spirit of  Albert Chase McArthur, designer of the Biltmore. (right) Integrating wood floors with stone and massive beams, the home showcases the stunning desert from a hillside perch in Carefree.  The gated driveway winds through the Sonoran desert as it switchbacks to he home. This inspiring home is listed by Russ Lyon Sotheby's for $ 4.3 million dollars. (photo credit: left, Debbie Sinagoga. right: Arizona Biltmore Resort)

It was the Bowman family that fell in love with the Boulder Resort in Carefree, attracted to the huge beams and southwest flavor of the resort were designed by Bob Bacon. Bob and Carol Bowman commissioned Bob to recreate the lines and materials of the resort on over three acres of land they owned in North Scottsdale.  What resulted is a breathtaking exhibition of southwest indigenous architecture-massive beams, smooth walls, latillas (ribs of saguaro) lining the ceilings between vigas  (treetrunks stripped of bark) and adobe.  The Bowmans no longer own this home, but it's become the showcase part of a gated Windmill community, which features a small number of homes that were Bob Bacon's favorite designs.  The world-famous Bowman house is listed for sale by Russ Lyon Sotheby's at $ 3.2 million dollars  (photo credits: above left, Windmill LLC/DonDickinson.  right: The Boulders Resort)

Are javelinas members of the wild boar family?        (scroll down for answer)

Wandering through the Carefree and Cave Creek area in groups from four to eight, sometimes you can smell them before you can see them. Visitors are always amazed by their first sighting..

No Brainer!   Carefee/Cave Creek                        by Preston Westmoreland

News in the real estate biz out here is like sweet and sour sauce.  Some is good, some makes you wince. The Arizona Republic reported  in early January that according to a group of economists meeting in town, home prices here, which have generally fallen 30% in the last year, will continue to go down and be unstable until a recovery begins in 2012. And another sour note, foreclosures will continue to climb this year. An appraiser friend of mine says this is the worst he's ever seen, and even coming up with an appraised value for a home, doesn't mean a thing- The home will probably have to sell below that.  Speaking of appraisals: there's a new guideline for appraisers that will drop prices further.  As of January 1st, ALL short sales and bank foreclosures must be counted as a regular sale when a home is appraised. Before they were in their own category.  Now, the sweet news:  I'm sitting at an open house today on a small mountain in Carefree in short sleeves, with all the doors opened and fresh breezes blowing through. This weekend, the Arizona Cardinals have beaten Philadelphia to progress to the Super Bowl, thousands of car collectors are in town for the Barrett-Jackson show and a multitude of other auctions. PF. Changs has their huge Rock and Roll marathon  underway,  Tents and seating are ready for  the FBR Open golf tournament and our light rail system has just started.  When people in the northern climes have suffered through their worst winter in years and regularly wake up to 20 below temperatures, ya gotta love coming to Arizona!