It was our final day to choose one out of the many Scottsdale condos and townhomes we viewed.  I viewed some units without my husband on day 2 and there were two I wanted him to see.  These two units were definitely on my short list and I wanted his opinion.

We had both liked two units we viewed together but found out that one of them was sold already.  Some buyers take 3 months or longer to choose a property, we had 3 days.

It wasn’t so bad as I had done a lot of homework while I was back home in IL.  I can quickly walk through a property and I know right away whether I like it or not.   Many buyers know if they like a property within seconds of walking inside.  That’s why it really doesn’t matter if a seller or listing agent or even the buyer’s agent points every nook and cranny out to a buyer.  They either like it and can imagine living there or not.  No amount of coercing or “selling” is going to change their mind.  My REALTOR was great as she let me do my own preview without saying too much but answered any questions I had.

We visited one new complex on this day which was Grayhawk condominiums, Venu at Grayhawk, and went back for a 2nd look at Las Hadas Villas Townhomes and Aventura Condominiums.  It was very exciting as this was the day we were out to narrow down our selection and decide which unit to make an offer on.

So my REALTOR and I had the Las Hadas Villas complex on the list.  This choice was an afterthought as our original search was only for 3 bedroom units.  I realized that some of the 2 bedroom units had an extra room (family room/den) and this one had a loft.  The pictures online were quite intriguing so I put it on the list.

This trip was heading north, away from downtown Scottsdale, the area I was hoping to find something.  I was going to an area of Scottsdale I had only visited briefly while watching our friend Steve Kostakes play piano at The Ocean Club, Maggianos and City Hall.  It was always at night and I never paid attention, but I knew it was quite a drive from Steve’s home in Gilbert.

So I was feeling a bit “lost” but was ready to view these north Scottsdale townhomes.  We pulled into a nice looking, ungated subdivision and I liked what I saw.  Stucco with tiled roofs and the pool located in the middle.

I’m not sure how my agent found this particular unit because it was set back and we had to walk past a couple of other units to get to this one – very private.  This is the only townhouse that had a garage and it was a two car garage.  That was a real plus, although most did have some kind of carport plus extra storage.  The pool was just around the corner and steps from the garage.

When we entered it was the most unique style we had seen so far.  And it was kind of beat up.  I learned what saltillo tiles were as they were on the entryway and inside.  There was a large, rectangular room that was the combination living room (with a fireplace) and dining area.  There was a galley kitchen, a laundry room and a main floor master bedroom with bathroom access plus a 2nd floor master bedroom with private bath.  The loft had it’s own closet.

There were many broken tiles on the floor which was a shame as I loved them.  There was no electricity on so it was difficult to see rooms without a window and the place just looked dark.  But there was something about this townhouse even though it needed some tlc.  It was unique and the bathrooms had beautiful original tile work.  The kitchen had beautiful tile but many were cracked.  I nicknamed this one the “bachelor pad” because the darkness made it look manly.

There was a private covered patio with a huge orange tree plus a little patio off the main floor bedroom and a small balcony off the 2nd floor bedroom.  There was ugly dark green carpet on the stairs and the upper level.

All in all, there was work to do on this one (as there was on others), but this was toward the top of our price range.  So I wasn’t sure if the work justified the price.  But I told my agent to put it on the list for a revisit with my husband.

Las Hadas Villas are located at 5640 E. Bell Rd., Scottsdale AZ  85254