Emerging Leaders and DeSoto Central Market bring you this year’s 7 Chef Series event, “Rock Out!” Enjoy 80’s rock-inspired menu items prepared by more than fifteen of the Valley’s top chefs and mixologists, and rock out to live music and entertainment all night!

Proceeds from the 7 Chef Series Rock Out! benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Condition Critical campaign to build a new Emergency Department and Level 1 Trauma Center.

Rock Out! takes place on Saturday, October 15th from 7pm-10pm at DeSoto Central Market, with an “Encore” After Party to follow. Tickets include all you can eat food and cocktail tastings, two drink tickets, music from DJ Mr. Phoenix, a live 80’s cover band and one raffle ticket for a chance to win some incredible prizes- including your very own Fender electric guitar!

So, basically, I’m gonna have to go run about 10 miles and swim another 3 to off-set the calories I’m gonna inhale at this event.

But what a great time to start enjoying the beautiful Phoenix evening weather.

And, of course, the question is: if you could name a dish after a 90s rock song, what would it be? Frankly, I’m stumped. I can’t think of what combination of foods would warrant being named after “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears.

Don’t sell that house without reading this little bit of advice for the month from our friends at Going Green House cleaning services.

I always feel embarrassed for the seller when I take clients in to see a house and they open the microwave only to see what looks the remains of a pitched battle between hot pockets and day-old apple pie.

But, its almost worse to have a lingering chemical smell, which often barely covers up the aforementioned battle scene.

So, from our friends at Going Green House, here a tip for a natural and efficient way to clean microwaves and refrigerators

You may think you need a heavy duty cleaner to get all that stuck on food to come off, all it takes is some natural ingredients you probably already have lying around the house: VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, AND WATER!

Who knew?   Here’s how you do it.

1. Grab a microwaveable bowl and fill with a cup of water
2. Add about ½ cup vinegar and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice
3. Place the mixture in your microwave and heat for about 3-4 minutes
4. Once the cycle is through, let stand for 5 minutes inside the microwave
5. Take a towel and easily wipe clean!

Lemon is a natural cleaner and the vinegar and steam help to loosen any tough, stuck-on grime. No harsh chemicals needed.

If you happen to have some extra stubborn spots, just dip the towel into the mixture and wipe again, or use a toothbrush to get into those tricky corners. It’s as easy as that.

Now with all the extra time you saved, you can do the fridge.

Cleaning and deodorizing your fridge can be easy and chemical-free as well. All you need is…you guessed it–vinegar, lemon juice (or lemon essential oil) and water!

1. Take 2 cups hot water, 1 cup vinegar, and 10 drops of lemon and combine them into a spray bottle.
2. Use this mixture to spray down the inside of your fridge and wipe clean with a cloth.

No more worrying about carcinogenic chemicals in the same place you eat. Simple ingredients, but strong, NATURAL cleaning power.

If this tip has helped you get your house ready to sell, or if you have feedback, please let them know at info@goinggreenhouse.com.

And, as always, if you have questions about buying or selling home contact the Get Your PHX Team at 602-456-9388.

The Local First Fall Festival is taking applications for vendors now.

We like to drop by every year. The Local First Fall Festival has food, gifts, services and a beer garden.

You had me at beer garden.

It happens this year on November 5th and they are expanding. In previous years, they located in the little strip of land at Portland and Central. This year, they are taking over Margaret T. Hance Park.

So, I think that means they will expand their footprint a bit. It will be nice to have a little more space between the vendors so I can stop at more without worrying that I’m in anybody’s way.

From what we hear, the organizers are now taking applications for vendors. Check in with the Local First Festival here.

Applications for Phoestivus Vendors are now being accepted. It seems like every year the slots are gone in a week or so, then somebody comes to us in late November wondering why they can’t be a vendor.

Yep. Its a popular event, so please share this with your friends who’ve always wanted to sell their locally-made goods at Phoestivus.

Phoestivus at the Phoenix Public Market will be returning once again for two fun evenings of holiday cheer on Thursday, December 8 and 15, 2016 from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Shop local at Phoestivus this Holiday Season when selecting holiday gifts or preparing holiday meals! Attendees will have the opportunity to shop over 130 local vendors, showcasing a unique variety of locally grown, produced and prepared foods as well as hand-crafted gift items, jewelry and holiday decorations made by local artisans.

Interested in being a vendor? APPLY HERE

Applicants will be notified by October 15th.

Until then, please be patient to hear back from us.

The event is hosted by Get Your PHX and the Phoenix Public Market, a program of Community Food Connections. This is an all ages event. As always we offer free parking just north of our market. Bike on over or hop on the light rail, accessible via the Roosevelt light rail stop.  Find us on facebook or instagram to stay up to date on who is coming to Phoestivus!

There is a new coffee shop on Central, which aims to be a little more, er, well, grand than the average java house, Grand Central Coffee Company.

With decor reminiscent of an old Victorian train station —when times were slower, more polite and refined— Grand Central Coffee Company is owner Steven Rogers’ answer to the present day impersonal dystopia created by the Internet.

Rogers has designed, built, and operated clubs and restaurants in several countries during his 40 year career.  He worked with many of the vanguards of New York City culture during the 70s and 80s before his arrival in Phoenix. Locally, he is responsible for a dozen establishments, most notably the Works and Amsterdam.

Because Grand Central Coffee Company used to be a number of bars (remember when Amsterdam was the only hopping place downtown at night?), the staff has a huge pallet to work from. The staff, Jeffrey Lazos-Ferns, Juli Myers and Chef Marissa Delgado are constantly experimenting with liquors, brews, bitters, coffee beans, teas, and food.

Rogers’ goal is to create a space that is accessible to the community for many uses.  Grand Central Coffee Company is a coffee shop, bistro, bar, and market surrounded by spaces both open and intimate, including extensive patio areas. This is a space to meet with friends, have an impromptu business meeting, or just hang out.

The station was always open, moments away from a light rail stop. It is a place to start or place to end up. In the spirit of the grand dame of train stations, Grand Central, this could be a place for those going nowhere just to be somewhere.

At this coming Get Your PHX, meet the staff, hear about his vision, taste some samples and have a cool drink in the waning days of summer.

Thanks again to our friends at the Cromford Report, here’s the September Market Update, as the days shorten, the nights cool off and kids are ensconced securely back at their school desks.

Summary:
Listings Under Contract up 12%
Monthly Median Sales Price up 7.1%

For Buyers:
If you’ve been frustrated over the past 5 months with high buyer demand for well-priced properties within your price range, you should be seeing some relief now. August is typically a slow time for buyer activity across all price ranges and 2016 is no different. Contracts in escrow began their decline in June, dropping nearly 17% from a high of 13,432 in May to 11,190 by the first week of August.  Active listings have also declined nearly 10%, down to 19,783 since their peak in March at 21,924. At this time of year, many sellers are tired of being on the market, making it a good time to revisit those listings that were not picked up during the peak or came on the market late in the season. August is a very slow month for new listings to come on the market, therefore expect inventory to be relatively stale until more new listings start coming on stronger towards late September and October.

For Sellers:
Yes, the summer is slow in comparison to the busy Spring season. However, there is a bright side for sellers. While contracts in escrow have seasonally declined 17% since their peak last May, at 11,190 this measure is nearly 12% higher than last year’s count.  Another bright side for sellers is, despite the seasonal slowdown of new contracts in escrow, listings under $400,000 are still getting within 98-99% of their asking price after negotiations.  Nearly 28% of July closings through the MLS included some level of seller-assisted closing costs.  That percentage is highest for listings between $200,000 and $250,000 at nearly 35%, and lowest for listings over $500,000 at under 5%.  Be prepared for weekly price reductions to increase next month as more new listings begin to enter the market.

If you need help getting active in the market, give us a call at 602-456-9388.

Listings are moving quickly now. Its that kind of market. Can you believe it?

Our beautiful listing in the FQ Story Neighborhood went under contract in just four days.

Its a beautiful home, priced right for this strong seller’s market. We worked with the sellers long before they listed to identify the projects to complete in order to get ready for sale.

If you’d like to see more photos of this listing, please have a look here.

The owners did a lot of work to prepare for sale and the home shows beautifully. Local photographer Alonso Parra does a beautiful job with listings, even though he is known more for individual portraits. It does illustrate, however, how important it is to put your best foot forward.

This is a good time to sell, if you’ve been thinking of doing it. If you need help getting ready to list and price your home, give us a call at 602-456-9388.