Author: Platinum Team

"Home is the nicest word there is." - Laura Ingalls Wilder

-Focus on what you want to keep versus what you want to get rid of. Fixing your energy and attention on what to “get rid of” casts the whole activity in a negative light. Instead, it’s best to place your emphasis on what you are choosing to keep. Doing so puts you in a more positive mindset from the get-go.

-Ask “does it spark joy?” To figure out what you want to keep, Kondo offers this filter question. She insists that you take each item in hand as you ask this question and pay attention to your reaction in both your mind and body. Yes, it may seem too out there for some folks, but following her advice was just right for us. Don’t be surprised if emotions come to the surface. Letting go of things that are no longer serving you can be tough, but there’s also a lot of reward in truly seeing those things that do, in fact, “spark joy” for you.

- Working by category, take EVERY item you own and put it on your floor. Yes, we hate to even bring this up. At first, it makes a massive mess, but she’s right -- it helps. For example, all of your clothes come off the closet rod into a big pile. You are then able to take each item in hand, see it in full light and determine whether it sparks joy. This prevents you from overlooking items or lazily leaving items in the closet that truly ought to be discarded.

"Home is where one starts from." - Charles Dickens

This post is part of our At Home In Metro Phoenix series. Each month, we explore local businesses, attractions, events and people that call our wonderful community home.

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Okay, let’s be clear from the get-go. We aren’t the best museum goers. We’re those people staring at the art on the white wall internally saying, “Um… What am I missing? I don’t get it…” It’s not that we don’t appreciate art at all. It’s just that standing in a museum, viewing some contemporary artwork, we might not have the most eloquent observations to share. And, our legs and attention spans grow fatigued far too quickly.

Given that, we didn’t know what to expect of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA). But, we were willing to give it a go, especially given the fact that we scored free admission via an Act One Culture Pass. (Sidenote: At many Metro Phoenix libraries, library cardholders can check out Culture Passes, which offer free admission or tickets to participating arts and cultural institutions around the Valley. More reasons to love your local library.)

It turns out, SMoCA was a great museum for our crowd. It’s small, and we like that. You can get just the right dose of contemporary art, architecture and design without feeling overwhelmed or fatigued. On our recent visit, we enjoyed the curation and thoughtful presentation of the exhibitions. Each of the galleries had something different to offer from a set of dramatic video installations to vibrant kinetic sculptures and paintings to sound art.

Though we may still have a ways to go elevating our cultural sensibilities, we certainly walked away having awakened our senses. If you’re interested in a dose of inspiration to kindle your own creativity, a visit to SMoCA might be right for you. Standard admission (without the awesome Culture Pass) will only set you back $7/adult and $5/student, and Thursday admission is free along with Friday and Saturday after 5 p.m.

Visit SMoCA - 7380 East Second Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 • (480) 874-4666

Buying a home is a big deal. Given the scope of the decision at hand, many potential buyers can be nervous before even stepping foot on your property. To help them feel more at ease and more inclined to purchase your home, include a home warranty plan with purchase of your property.
Why? Including a home warranty can boost confidence in the value and security of the home. Buyers gain peace of mind knowing there is a plan in place to cover some of the regular wear and tear needs that may arise. The fact that they don’t have to invest the extra time and expense putting the plan in place is an extra plus.
As a seller or agent representing a seller, you may be concerned about this additional cost. Keep in mind, though, our average warranty order is $500 -- a minimal amount when viewed in the context of a home sale transaction. This amount can easily be factored into the sale price you set for your home.
Kelly Ryan of HomeSmart Central is just one of many agents who has directly seen the benefits of including a home warranty on listings. As Ryan puts it, “When I list a home, I suggest to all my sellers that they leverage inclusion of a Platinum Home Warranty and have a prior inspection done. This upfront cost of around $500 has always provided that extra edge of buyer confidence and helped both seller and buyer move more confidently into a quicker offer and through the inspection process with less anxiety and surprises. In each case my seller were pleasantly surprised with the ROI that this provided them through the selling process and would do it again.”
If you are indeed a seller or agent, be sure to also check out the scoop on our free sellers coverage. The free coverage is available with the purchase of a buyers policy on your property.
Questions? Ready to order?
Give us a call (800.871.2339), or reach out to your area account managers. We’re here to help!

This post is part of our At Home In Metro Phoenix series. Each month, we explore local businesses, attractions, events and people that call our wonderful community home.
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We hope you like to eat as much as we do. Food seems to be a theme around these parts. Is it just us, or does the local food scene here in the Valley just keep getting better and better?

This month we’re giving a hat tip to one of our favorite restaurants of all -- True Food Kitchen. The concept, created by Fox Restaurant Concepts, features a menu based on the anti-inflammatory diet, guided by some of the wisdom of Dr. Andrew Weil. What on earth does that even mean? Well, science is increasingly pointing to inflammation as a factor in many serious diseases. The anti-inflammatory diet, therefore, focuses on consumption of foods that help counteract chronic inflammation. That translates to lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and fish with minimal amounts of other animal products and processed foods.

True Food’s wholesome menu shifts with the seasons, features responsibly-sourced ingredients and includes dishes that meet the needs of all types of eaters and specialty diets. Some of our top picks include the autumn ingredient salad and turkey burger. The herb hummus and kale salad are ridiculously good too. And, if those don’t strike your fancy, we hear the grass-fed bison burger, and moroccan chicken are all big hits. True Food also boasts a list of intriguing refreshments -- fresh juices and elixirs, organic spirits, sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines, and local beers.

You may be celebrating -- feeling like this restaurant is totally up your alley. Or, you may be running for the hills -- guessing this health-conscious approach cannot make for a tasty menu. Whichever camp you find yourself in, we encourage you to give True Food a shot, whether it be at the Scottsdale or Phoenix location. The concept is now gaining traction in other cities across the country like Santa Monica, Atlanta, Denver and Dallas. We tend to think it’s pretty awesome that Phoenix is its original birthplace!

Visit True Food Kitchen --

at Scottsdale Quarter - 15191 N. Scottsdale Road #101 • Scottsdale, AZ 85254 • 480.265.4500

at Biltmore Fashion Park - 2502 E. Camelback Road, Suite 135 • Phoenix, AZ 85016 • 602.774.3488

What are the options on payment for my home warranty? Do I have to pay for the whole enchilada at once?
Nope! We recognize the full year’s payment may be a bigger amount than you want to shell out in one sitting. Because of that, we offer three different few payment options:
OPTION A: Yearly
Pay the full amount at once
No processing fee
OPTION B: 4 Month Split
Divide your payment evenly over 4 consecutive months
$24 processing fee
OPTION C: 6 Month Split
Divide your payment evenly over 6 consecutive months
$36 processing fee
Your total amount due will be based on the plan and options you select, as well as the processing fee, if applicable.
If you have more questions on our payment options or plans, give us a call at 1.800.871.2339.
If you’re ready to order your warranty, you can head straight to our order page. All the payment options described above are available through our online order form.

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Nothing can bring a real sense of security into the home except true love." - Billy Graham

This post is part of our At Home In Metro Phoenix series. Each month, we explore local businesses, attractions, events and people that call our wonderful community home.

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One of our absolute favorite spots in Phoenix is finally open for a new season. We’ve waited months for Singh Farms to reopen for the fall season and are elated that the farm’s Saturday morning markets are back in session.

Singh Farms is a magical spot in the middle of the desert. Tucked just off Loop 101 at Thomas, you have no idea it’s even there, which explains how it evaded our knowledge for so long. Once you walk onto the property, it feels as though you’ve magically entered another world.

The Saturday morning markets are bustling. There you can fill your bag with the latest freshly picked items. Be they bunches of beets, chard, herbs or much more, you can actually see the produce being grown and picked right there on the property. If you are a lucky early bird, you may even be able to snatch up some farm fresh eggs to carry home. Singh Farms also invites in a couple local vendors to sell freshly baked breads and pastries and local goat cheese products. There’s even a stand for lovely floral bouquets made on the spot.

While you’re there, you can grab a fresh juice, enjoy some breakfast pastries or try out the wood fired pizzas and other eats. For the yogis, there’s a spot nestled under a group of trees for a 10am all-levels yoga class. For those with a green thumb, there is a separate garden market area at the back of the property with plants, seeds, compost and more for your own home garden.

If you do make it out there, be sure to give yourself ample time to stroll through the garden paths and explore the property. If you’re anything like us, you’ll find yourself enjoying the chance to linger among the beautiful surroundings.
Visit Singh Farms -- 8900 E. Thomas Rd. Scottsdale, AZ