Phoenix has a diversified economic base. Manufacturing is a leading employer with 148,000 people working for 3,100 firms in the metro area. Electronics is a strong component. The area currently ranks third among electronic production centers in the country. Tourism is the second major industry, and construction is third.

Over 45% of total employment is in the retail trade and service sectors. State and country government provides more than 30,000 jobs; Motorola employs 20,000; Allied Signal and American Express each employ 7,000 workers.

Spectator sports flourish in Phoenix. Professional teams include the Cardinals (NFL), Suns (NBA), Coyotes (NHL) and the Diamondbacks (MLB) with their new facility, Bank One Ballpark. There are six lakes within a 75 minute drive of Phoenix.

Museums include the Heard, founded in 1928 to spotlight Indian culture, and now boasts 75,000 artifacts; the Phoenix Art Museum (the southwest's largest art museum with 18,000 works of art); Taliesen West (home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation); the Fleisher Museum (American Impressionism); the new Arizona Science Center; the Arizona Mineral Museum and Pueblo Grande. There is an excellent symphony, opera and ballet companies, as well as numerous theater groups. A new central library opened in 1997.

Phoenix’s South Mountain Park is the world’s largest municipal park with horseback riding, hiking trails and a fabulous view of the city. Other parks include the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, the Saguaro Ranch Historic Park, and Papago Park, home to the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Gardens (the world's largest collection of desert plants), an 18-hole golf course, and fishing lakes.

Numerous golf tournaments are played in the area, including the PGA Phoenix Open, the LPGA Turquoise Classic, the Legends Classic, the Tradition and the Desert Classic. For those golf fans who would rather play than watch, Phoenix has over 100 golf courses! Also, buy an Arizona golf course home or join a golf course community!

Shopping malls are located conveniently throughout the city, anchored by such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard's, Macy's, and Robinson's/May and Nordstrom's.

Sales Taxes apply to all retail sales, excluding food and prescription medicines.

State Sales Tax : 5.6%
Maricopa County Sales Tax : 0.7%
Phoenix : 1.3%
Scottsdale : 1.65% + 3% bed tax
Carefree : 3.0% + 3% bed tax

Click here for more information on Phoenix

Click here for a map of Phoenix

Scottsdale prides itself as the “West’s Most Western Town.” That means boardwalks, horse ranches, beautiful desert vistas, and a laid-back friendly attitude. Yet Scottsdale also means gourmet food (125 restaurants), world-class resorts, art galleries (more than 100), music, theater, pro sports and one of the highest standards of living in the nation. The unemployment rate in mid-1997 was 2.5 percent.

The city has become a financial center and home to important medical facilities, such as Scottsdale Memorial Hospital and the Mayo Clinic. The Scottsdale Air Park in north Scottsdale continues to attract light industry, adding to the city’s job base. There are approximately 21,000 businesses in Scottsdale, providing approximately 110,000 jobs. Motorola is the largest single employer with approximately 4,000 workers. The majority of Scottsdale's businesses, however, are small businesses; in fact, 62% of Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce member businesses have less than five employees, and 92% have less than 50 employees. The hospitality industry employs one in four, or 27% of Scottsdale's workforce; there are 57 resorts and hotels in Scottsdale/Paradise Valley representing nearly 11,000 rooms, with more under construction. Contact Judy Brickman today, the best of Scottsdale Real Estate Agents!

For a quick taste of Scottsdale, visit the Old Town of Fifth Avenue shopping districts at Scottsdale Road, between Camelback Road and Second Avenue. For serious shoppers, there’s the Scottsdale Fashion Square at Scottsdale Rd. and Camelback, anchored by Nieman Marcus and Nordstrom's.

The downtown city mall and Civic Center also offer relaxing greenery and paths, contemporary sculptures, and easy access to the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, with its exhibits and theater.

Nearby Scottsdale stadium is the spring training home of the San Francisco Giants. Enjoy the many parks beautifully maintained by the City, such as Chaparral Park
north of Chaparral and east of Hayden Rd., or take your dogs to the new large dog parks just south of McDonald Rd. on Hayden..

Scottsdale was named Most Livable City in 1993 by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and still remains a premium spot for Arizona real estate to this date!

Click here for more information on Scottsdale

Click here for a map of Scottsdale

In 1958, K.T. Palmer and Tom Darlington decided they did not like the way Scottsdale was growing, so they decided to build their own town complete with zoning, underground utilities, and unique street names - this was the beginning of Carefree - one of the largest driving communities in Arizona real estate!

Today Carefree boasts of the beauty of the high Sonoran desert, abundant wildlife, and the peace and quiet associated with a small community. The town center features a large sundial (claimed to be the largest in the world) and small shops surrounding it. The recently re-opened Carefree Inn, which has now been purchased by the Scottsdale Conference Center and renamed the Carefree Conference Center, offers excellent facilities for visitors, including fine and casual dining and a Tennis and Biking Center. The Carefree Conference Center is presently undergoing major renovation and additions to the rooms, entertainment and conference facilities.

Click here for more information on Carefree

Click here for a map of Carefree