EXCLUSIVE: Clear skies ahead for Phoenix home builders. “What’s going on in the market today?” That’s what Rose Law Group founder and president Jordan Rose opened with, as panel moderator of Thursday’s 9th Annual Belfiore Real Estate Consulting AZ Dealmakers event before a crowd of 800+. The esteemed panel of housing industry execs — Maracay’s Andy Warren, Taylor Morrison’s Sheryl Palmer, Woodside Homes’ Roger Gannon; Sean Walters, from Sunbelt Holdings, John Bradley from Brookfield Residential, and David Everson, of Mandalay Homes — answered back, each with a positive outlook. And Callan Smith was there to cover it for Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2rGRVaz
EXCLUSIVE: Home builders: How fast can they sell homes and at what price. <–That from Belfiore Real Estate Consulting, Jim Belfiore at the 9th Annual Belfiore Real Estate Consulting AZ Dealmakers event. Check out Jim’s updates on permitting, construction starts, affordable housing, buyer demographics, overall growth, top-selling communities, and much more in this report from Callan Smith at Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2DGn5EF
Wickenburg Ranch earns Gold Award at NAHB’s The Nationals.(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Shea Homes.) “The Wickenburg Ranch Golf & Social Club [at Wickenburg Ranch] took home the Gold award for Best Community Amenity… at the National Association of Home Builders annual awards gala.” View a pic and learn more about the “masterpiece” that was “designed by Bing Hu of H&S International, built by Shea Homes®, and is managed by Troon”– at AzBigMedia. http://bit.ly/2DNVBMv
Homes have regained $9 trillion in value since 2012. “More than half of the nation’s largest housing markets have regained all of the value lost during the recession, with the typical U.S. home worth $55,200 more than it was at the bottom of the housing bust, according to the new Zillow® report.” See how much value the housing market in PHOENIX has regained since the market bottomed out, in Builder. http://bit.ly/2DFQxql
Most expensive home sales in Phoenix. Time once again to take a stroll through sales of homes situated in neighborhoods with street names like “Ironwood Drive,” “Smoke Tree Lane,” and “You-Can’t- Afford-This Blvd.” Arizona Foothills Magazine has “the Valley’s top home sales from the past week (1.15.18 – 1.21.18),” during which combined sales totaled “over $22 million,” a SLIDE of $7 million from the previous week. http://bit.ly/2rGaCLs
Judge asked to OK restoration plan for Ahwatukee Lakes course. “The attorney for Ahwatukee Lakes homeowners who prevailed in their court fight against The True Life Companies has asked a judge to appoint a special master who would oversee the restoration of the defunct golf course… at an estimated cost of around $6 million.” But as Ahwatukee Foothills News reports: “True Life already has said restoring an 18-hole executive golf course on the site would never be profitable,” and it could even “walk away from the site by putting it into bankruptcy.” http://bit.ly/2DHytjO
Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona hits 95-home mark in Glendale.“Representatives from APS, Glendale HOME Funds, Total Transit, and Habitat volunteers, as well as Mayor Jerry Weiers and Glendale Police Lt. Ernie Ochoa, were on hand… for a wall-signing ceremony for a home that will soon be occupied by [‘self-employed house cleaner’] Maria Sanchez and her [teenage] son…” The Glendale Star. http://bit.ly/2FjPXij
Plan for moving homes to Lincoln Avenue lot gets Prescott OK. “A residential project that will combine recycled buildings with an existing rehabbed house got approval from the Prescott City Council this week.” Applicant Vince Fornara of Vibrant Building Solutions says that he and his partner “have recycled a number of other homes in the area” and that they are “[a]ll literally rented before they’re [rehabbed].” The Daily Courier. http://bit.ly/2DE5EAq
Treasures unearthed during Park Central Mall revitalization. Plaza Companies and Hoalualoa Companies, the team behind the revitalization, have formed “a new partnership” with Arizona State University in order “to help highlight, protect and preserve the rich history of the property.” And as AZREreports, “if early findings are any indication, there’s a whole lot for history buffs to uncover” — and for Phoenicians soon to see — in what’s being called the “Park Central Mall Collection.” http://bit.ly/2DFuXly
Developer rolls out sprawling 3.6M-square-foot, $300M industrial park in Phoenix. “Irwin G. Pasternack AIA + Associates PC and Pasternack Properties has broken ground on the 1.1 million-square-foot industrial building off 83rd Avenue near [I-10] and Loop 101… [It’s] the first phase of a larger 3.6 million-square-foot, $300 million industrial park…” Irwin Pasternack: “Phoenix is gaining national attention for its strategic location, workforce and low cost of doing business… There really has been no better time — or location — for this project…” PBJ (Subscriber content). http://bit.ly/2rGNYCL
Toys R Us closing 182 stores, 6 in Arizona, Here’s the list. “The toy chain will start going-out-of-business sales in February, and the stores will close in April.” Real Estate Daily News has the full list of closures. http://bit.ly/2rKCY7m
$70M primary and specialty care center breaks ground in Peoria. “The 127,000-square-foot [West Valley Primary and Specialty Care Center] will be built on 20 acres at Grand Avenue and Cotton Crossing. Hobbs+Black Architects designed the project, while Okland Construction is the general contractor.” PBJ (Subscriber content). http://bit.ly/2GkwyiP
Council approves $1.5M for waterline infrastructure improvements for BMW. “Glendale is picking up the majority of the cost of the project, with the city paying $1,673,853 to connect the water line and WVRE, the BMW dealerships developer, paying $197,000 for the project. BOL, who is the developer of The Crossings at Arrowhead — a possible future shopping area – will pay the remaining $335,772 to complete the project.” The Glendale Star. http://bit.ly/2EdHZrA
If they build Rocky Point’s long-stalled cruise terminal, will Arizonans come? “The governments of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, certainly think you will. They secured $13 million in early December 2017 from the Mexican federal government to complete the first phase of the long-delayed Rocky Point deep-water port. After nearly two years on hold, construction is expected to get back underway this year…” PHOENIX magazine. http://bit.ly/2DShWbI
Q&A: Scottsdale Downtown Vitality Coalition offers market insights. “In September 2016 longtime community advocates Bill Crawford, Wayne Ecton and Betty Drake [formed the Scottsdale Downtown Vitality Coalition] to help protect and encourage what many believe to be the unbridled success of downtown Scottsdale.” Scottsdale Independent chats with Vitality Coalition spokesperson Dana Close about the group and its vision for the area. http://bit.ly/2nfEaLr
Litchfield Park introduces new city manager. “[N]ew city manager [William Stephens], a City Center update and the upcoming significance of commercial development were among the topics [that] Litchfield Park mayor [Tom Schoaf] addressed January 20 during his State of the City address… Schoaf said he expects Stephens [‘a retired U.S. Air Force colonel’] to ‘hit the ground running’ on March 12, when he starts with Litchfield Park” as its new city skipper. MORE with a tap to West Valley View: http://bit.ly/2GhCXex
Pinal supervisors discuss hiring their own administrators. Bigger government or “smarter government”? “Amid debates over the benefits of creating a ‘district administrator’ position for each Pinal County supervisor and how much these new jobs should cost, the Board of Supervisors voted to table the matter.” Casa Grande Dispatch. http://bit.ly/2ne0bJG
Dealmaker BONUS: Rose Law Group adds top-notch urban planner to expanding Planning and Project Management team. Rose Law Group president and founder Jordan Rose on the addition of Alisse Caton: “Alisse brings an immense knowledge of land use planning to our already thriving Planning and Project Management team led by our Director of Project Management Chris Webb.” Alisse Caton: “Rose Law Group represents top clients in our industry, and I believe with my skill set, experience and education, we will add great value to our client’s property and the community.” More on Alisse Caton and Rose Law Group Planning and Project Management Department in Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2DCyaTc
Dealmaker double BONUS: Laura Bianchi, Rose Law Group partner and director of Medical Cannabis Department, quoted in Arizona Republic advising on non-profits in the industry making millions. “Sales of medical marijuana here soared nearly 50 percent in 2017 with an estimated value of $387 million… The size and scope of these operations… highlight an open secret within the industry: Non-profit doesn’t mean non-lucrative.” As Laura Bianchi explains in this Republic report: “The licensee has to be non-profit, but from a business perspective, the relationships you form with management companies, there are many ways to be successful in Arizona and not run afoul of the non-profit formula.” http://bit.ly/2DBaXkb
Legislature slam dunks opioid laws. “State lawmakers voted [unanimously] late Thursday to adopt changes in laws on opioids despite what some said are flaws and concerns… that the plan won’t do much of anything to deal with the drug abuse epidemic.” One of the biggest concerns? Doctors must get a “second opinion” from the state before providing pain meds in “larger doses than appropriate.” A Capitol Media Services/Howard Fischer report in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2rH6aMK
[OPINION] Knee-jerking on opioids at the expense of patients and doctors. Senior Reporter/Writer Phil Riske weighs on the three-day rush-job by Arizona Legislature in passing a package of laws as a prescription for opioid abuse, arguing that the plan is “just another case of the government practicing medicine.” In Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2BvmZJS
Knock off the bellicose exchanges, quit playing games with NAFTA, says Mesa Mayor. “Mayor John Giles said Thursday the United States should be looking to solidify the North American Free Trade Agreement, not fire shots in a war of words that could threaten a deal he felt has worked in Arizona’s benefit.” LISTEN to KTAR 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News 5-minute interview with Mayor Giles here: http://bit.ly/2GjoYEX
Draft state GOP resolution: Thanks, Joe, but we’re liking Ward. “A draft Arizona Republican Party resolution would heap praise on former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s long career in law enforcement and GOP politics and then gently nudge him to exit this year’s U.S. Senate race.” AZCentral reports that there are “worries the former sheriff would lose to U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., the front-runner for this year’s Democratic Senate nomination.” http://bit.ly/2Fk4VVI
Glendale tourism manager blasts city on her way out of the door. “The manager of Glendale’s Convention & Visitors Bureau [Lorraine Zomok] resigned this week after 17 years claiming the city has mismanaged money and did not help her as she was harassed for two years by a local business owner.” Phoenix Business Journal. http://bit.ly/2EdKgTJ
