Alice Held really likes the desert -- so much, in fact, that even while she sold real estate in Hawaii, where she really wanted to be was in the desert -- "I'm not a beach person," she explains. Now there's dedication for you. Held, associate broker of Coldwell Banker Success Realty in Scottsdale, Ariz., arrived in the "Valley of the Sun" -- comprised not only of Scottsdale, but also Phoenix, Tempe, and a multitude of suburbs -- 21 years ago and has no plans to leave -- to Hawaii or any other tropical paradise, thank you. And in case you harbor any doubts about Arizona being a paradise of a different variety, a conversation with Held will quickly eliminate any misconceptions from your mind -- first among them, our "cacti" stereotype. She's quick to point out that one-fourth of Arizona is covered by forests. And while locals joke amidst 100-degree temperatures that "it's a dry heat," Held considers an abundance of sunshine this region's major selling point. "The sun is a mood-elevator," she says. The Valley of the Sun enjoys an average of 211 clear days and 85 only partly cloudy days each year.

When Held arrived in Scottsdale 21 years ago, she knew precious little about her new hometown. So she made it her mission to compile as much information as she could about the Valley of the Sun and make available to her clients a comprehensive "Newcomers' Package." In the process, she became a local encyclopedia and recently transferred her extensive knowledge to her Web site, where users will find not only the nuts and bolts of the area -- economic figures, building statistics, weather facts, and of course, listings -- but also 30 conversation starters about Valley trivia.

Held recently spoke to AgentNews about one of the country's hottest -- literally and otherwise -- regions, and what makes the Valley so attractive to the 10 million-plus people who visit every year -- not to mention the countless others who decide to hang their hats there.

A.N.: Besides the sunshine, what sold you on Arizona, and what circumstances led you here?
A.H.: I used to sell real estate in Westchester County in New York. I worked for a politician who had a real estate office, and when he didn't get re-elected, I got into real estate and discovered I enjoyed it. I also sold real estate in Hawaii, but I wanted to come to the desert. After arriving in Arizona as a newcomer, I had sympathy with other newcomers. I spent two years putting together a newcomer's package and eventually put my brochures in all of the major hotels. When I set up my Web site, I marketed newcomers' information there instead.

A.N.: Are you receiving a greater response now that you're online?
A.H.: Yes. Although I'm based in Scottsdale, I've expanded my business to the entire Valley area ... I work in the Northwest area with Honeywell, on the East side, and the Southeast Valley -- half my sales are there. I attribute this to my site. I recently received an inquiry from two people with Intel in Ireland. I'd never be able to market myself this effectively through traditional marketing methods.

A.N.: The New York Times referred to Scottsdale as the "Beverly Hills of Arizona." Tell us about the lifestyle. Does the Beverly Hills comparison mean you've got a high concentration of luxury properties in the area?
A.H.: The name comes from the sophistication we have here. We have a lot of spas here ... Camelback, the Tunisian, the Princess, for example. People are coming up here for the winter right now -- people who want the resort experience. Now that's extending into the summer months, as well.
But that doesn't mean it's all luxury properties here; we have something for everyone. And it's laid-back at the same time. We've got a lot of outdoor activities and sports here, but we've also got art and culture and shopping. We've got a waterfront project in the works that's going to be like the Riverwalk in San Antonio. There's history, too ... the canals built 2,000 years ago by settlers are still functional and fed by lakes.

A.N.: Master-planned communities are extremely common in the Valley. Why does the Valley have such a high concentration of them?
A.H.: Master-planned communities are so common here because developers found virgin territory -- there was nothing to stand in the way in the development of golf courses, townhomes, retail, jogging paths. It looks clean and new. And these communities are built next to one another, so they tend to blend into each other, which creates the city. In Chandler and Gilbert, which are two brand-new communities, the land is primarily flat farmland, and the same thing is going on there.

A.N.: From your perspective, is it easier to sell your clients on these master-planned communities than it is to sell them a property in a less meticulously planned area?
A.H.: Remember how I mentioned that there's something for everyone here? Some people like to be in less-structured neighborhoods, and subdivisions might be better for them. There's less of a neighborhood feel in subdivisions; you may not find things like community pools in subdivisions, for example. We also have gate-controlled communities and golf communities. In Paradise Valley [a Phoenix suburb], there are no subdivisions. It's the Valley's first affluent community, and there are larger parcels of land here, so the homes tend to be more expensive. We also have mini ranches and subdivisions with an acre or more that are zoned for horses, whether the owners decide to own horses or just enjoy the extra space.

A.N.: Valley architecture is dominated by what you call the "Santa Barbara style" -- red-tile roofing and stucco. Is there any weather-related reasoning behind that?
A.H.: Yes. When you have a masonry home, the way we used to here, there's no insulation. Our insulation is, of course, for the summer heat. Ceramic-tile roofing lasts anywhere from 20 to 50 years. It weathers the sun beautifully and insulates well. And with stucco, it's easy to be architecturally different. You can go Spanish Mediterranean, Santa Fe style, or add arches, for example. And it's very energy-efficient.

A.N.: You have a very strong Native American presence in the area, with a lot of nearby reservations. To what extent have Native Americans incorporated themselves and their culture into mainstream Scottsdale and the surrounding cities?
A.H.: Local Native Americans are becoming very businesslike. They're building casinos, golf courses, and resorts. They're very much a part of the culture.

A.N.: For those of us who just think "cacti" when we hear "Arizona," set us straight.
A.H.: It's not the Sahara. I can drive from Scottsdale to Payson in one hour, and the temperature drops from 100 degrees to 70 degrees. Twelve miles outside Fountain Hills [a Valley suburb], there's a lake for boating -- Arizona has more boats per capita than any other state in the U.S. This is the only place in the world where saguaro [a variety of catci] grows. We've got granddaddies here. They're a symbol of the West. It takes between 50 and 75 years for a saguaro to grow one arm. They bloom and grow fruit, which the Indians have harvested for centuries.
Held's Web site quotes one of the Valley's most famous residents, Hugh Downs, someone with whom she clearly agrees: "I'm glad I wasn't born in Arizona. I might have taken it for granted. To come to it after living in many other places lets me know its worth in a way difficult for the native."

Published: January 15, 1998

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