☢️ Nuclear safe room & a hiking club 🥾

I’ve shared a lot of cool & interesting homes, but this Cool House of the Week has some things I have never seen before, and I’ve been in real estate for 147 years.

Another weekend of wild weather is in the forecast, be safe out there the next few days.

In this newsletter:

Thanks for being here, have an amazing weekend.

RV garages are cool, I don’t have an RV and I still want one. I have not come across many of them that have air conditioning!! The inside of the house is pretty nice too.

See all of the pics & details here.

Listed by Tony Newport with Real Broker

I’ve been in thousands of homes, seen even more on the MLS, and this is a first even for me. This house has a NUCLEAR SAFE ROOM 😲 Also, you know a house is something special when it has its own name…

Welcome to Elysium, Scottsdale's most groundbreaking estate, redefining luxury living with features never before offered under $20M. Spanning 8,587 sq ft throughout the main house & guest house, Elysium offers 7 bedrooms (9 including the smart-glass cube and cinema) and 8 baths, crafted for those who prize privacy, precision, and presence. The guest house is a private retreat of its own, with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, laundry room, and an RV garage—perfect for extended family or long-term guests. Outdoors, a 2,855 sq ft custom black diamond-finish pool sets the stage with an underwater backlit onyx firepit, infinity-edge spa, and Baja shelf. Host at scale with a one-of-a-kind outdoor restaurant serving 20 via swim-up dining, then screen under the stars in the outdoor theater for 100+ guests.

Inside, walls dissolve at the touch of a button: 2,100 sq ft of electronic smart glass across 55 sliding panelsthe largest residential installation in the Valleyshifts from open transparency to instant privacy. Culinary credentials include three professional kitchens, headlined by the Gaggenau Vario 400 main kitchen. Materials and millwork are uncompromising: bedrooms carved in stone and wood, pivot doors throughout, custom closets, refined fixtures, and a statement Brazilian Cristallo quartzite fireplace in the main living room that changes color. The entire estate is a Savant automated smart home, with lighting, AV, smart glass, and climate all automated and controlled seamlessly.

For the collector and competitor: two private car galleries and an air-conditioned showroom with vertical parking for up to 14 cars (with all lifts installed) deliver museum-quality presentation, while a luxury glass-enclosed sports court elevates daily play. A Dolby ATMOS 4K cinema anchors the entertainment wing.

Security here is architecture: compound-grade systems with 32 casino-grade AI cameras, automation with invisible laser trip wires across the exterior detecting fence jumps, gate openings, or driveway approach, motion sensors in every room and 1" thick laminated security triple sheet double pane glass throughout. The entry deploys a 2+ inch steel-and-glass pivot door with 13 deadbolts. At the core, a military-grade nuclear/biological/chemical safe roomengineered to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers protocolsfeatures 8" reinforced concrete, a 50,000-psi-rated bunker door, and a pressurized air system. (The space is pre-designed to be configured as a discreet server/cold-storage command center if desired.)

The grounds complete the sanctuary: 250+ specimen plants and 20 exotic mature palms form a security garden that screens the estate in lush privacy.

Elysium is not simply a homeit's a private world. For the buyer who values absolute security, rare craftsmanship, and the ability to entertain at any scale, nothing else in Arizona compares. Luxury home staging and furnishings by Vesta Home. All furniture available for purchase with the property.

This house is bonkers, you need to see the pics. Check out all the details here.

Property listed by Ari Jakobov with eXp Realty

How is the market in Arrowhead Ranch? Let’s look at some data from September 2025.

The month of August had some eye opening data swings, with some pretty logical explanations as to what was happening.

September swung back in the opposite direction, after a huge amount of sales in August. Turns out, it was an anomaly and we were back to another slow month in September, with just 16 sales under $1 million.

The most glaring item in the data is the drop in average sold price. In September 2024, there were seven homes sold that were over $700k, while last month there were not any sales over $700k.

There are a couple of conclusions we can come to from this item. Buyers are choosing to purchase less expensive homes, or buyers in the $700k plus price range, are simply not buying at all.

My first thought is that this is a unique quirk of a small market, so I am interested to see what happens in October and if there will be a wider variety in prices of homes sold.

What about the market in Phoenix metro? Let’s look at some data from September 2025.

I think the Phoenix market data is a better indication of what is really happening in the market, versus the wild swings in the small data set of Arrowhead Ranch.

Buyers and Sellers are in a bit of a staring contest. Seems everyone is waiting for rates to come down, buyers want lower rates and monthly payments, sellers are holding on to the believe prices will go up once rates drop.

Interest rates are pretty much unchanged from a week ago, again.

If you are thinking of starting your home search, and taking advantage of these lower rates, there is still time!

Here are today’s national averages for Conventional 30 year fixed rate, FHA 30 year fixed rate & VA 30 year fixed rate loan programs.

I have a seller in the final stages of prep of their house in Arrowhead Ranch. If you are looking for a starter home in a great community, this three bedroom, two bathroom home is a great option and will have a list price under $500k.

I know a guy who can get you in before it hits the MLS 😎

I currently have three buyer's looking for homes in the Arrowhead Ranch area, and we’re struggling to find the right fit.

All of them have flexible timelines and various budgets, if you have a house that fits one of these criteria, or know someone who does, and are thinking of selling, please reach out.

1) 4 bedroom single level home in or close to Arrowhead Ranch

2) Single level home with a pool & 3 car garage, with lot on lake, golf course, great belt or mountains.

3) Something special! Meaning a house with amazing views, or a very cool backyard & pool, something that is hard to replicate. They're flexible on the house, willing to remodel, but are looking for something unique & exciting with location or views.  

Do you have friends for family wanting to spend time in Phoenix this winter? A client of mine has a fantastic home available for rent in Moon Valley.

Learn more or book a stay here.

Fall is here, and that means pumpkin patch events are in full swing. I put together a list of local events in the Valley & across Arizona, which I think are the most noteworthy. (link)

Last week’s trivia question was ‘What county in Airzona has over 1,000 miles of shoreline?’

The answer was: Mohave

It might surprise many to learn that landlocked Arizona is home to more than 1,000 miles of shoreline, and most of it lies within Mohave County. Stretching along the Colorado River and wrapping around Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and Lake Havasu, Mohave County offers more waterfront than many coastal states. From sandy beaches on Lake Havasu to the rugged coves of Lake Mead, the region has become a paradise for boaters, anglers, and desert sun-seekers alike. It’s one of Arizona’s best-kept secrets: a desert county with endless water adventures.

With cooler weather upon us, and hiking season about to be in full swing, I got together with a couple of my friends here in Arrowhead Ranch and we have started a local hiking club.

This club is meant for everyone, from seasoned hikers, to out of breath beginners like me. So if you want to hit the trail and enjoy the outdoors, check out our ArrowheadHikingClub.com or find us on Facebook.

Our first group hike is scheduled for Saturday, October 18th at Thunderbird Conservation Park in North Glendale.