The Dealmaker: 7/27/2018

Lack of resale home supply driving new home demand. That’s the major takeaway from yesterday’s Phoenix Market Update given by Jim Belfiore, president of Belfiore Real Estate consulting, before a big gathering of homebuilders and industry insiders. Callan Smith was there and has complete coverage of the event in Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2AfOE6B 

Mattamy Homes announces new president for its U.S. Group. Mattamy Homes has appointed Pete Skelly as President of the company’s U.S. Group. Mattamy founder and CEO Peter Gilgan: “We are very fortunate to have an individual of Pete’s background and experience joining Mattamy.” More on Peter Skelly in the Mattamy Homes news release at RLGR. http://bit.ly/2AhtXam

Gallego announces council resignation date for Phoenix mayoral run. Phoenix City Councilwoman Kate Gallego has announced that she will resign early next month to run for mayor. “I am hoping to achieve even more as Phoenix’s next mayor and make us a city that truly works for everyone,” says Councilwoman Gallego. Read the complete letter of resignation here: http://bit.ly/2mLN2HT

ACC chooses EPCOR over Pinal towns to manage Johnson Utilities. The choice for interim manager was between EPCOR and the towns of Queen Creek and Florence. Thursday, the Arizona Corporation Commission went with EPCOR. But as PinalCentral reports: “The decision was a close one…” http://bit.ly/2mOyjw7

Scottsdale City Council green lights final plat of downtown subdivision.After filling us in on the final plat approval, and then drilling us on a few land-development basics, this Scottsdale Independent report finally gets to the meat of the matter: Plans for a “2.6-acre lot” at the S.W. “corner of 69th Street and Main.” http://bit.ly/2mMMxxe

Home prices rising faster in Phoenix than rest of country, reportsays. “That’s good news for Valley sellers and bad news for buyers.” ATTOM Data Solutions’ YoY numbers, plus company veep Daren Blomquist on a Phoenix market that just keeps “pumping along” — at KTAR. http://bit.ly/2mMPXjN

Most expensive home sales in Phoenix. This Friday favorite is back! — mainly because Arizona Foothills Magazine has yet to update its more moneyed feature, “Most expensive homes for sale.” If it had, we would’ve dumped this “Friday favorite” for it faster than Kimberly Guilfoyle did Fox News for Junior! As for top home sales, 7.16.18- 7.22.18, they totaled over $26 mil, a JUMP of $5 million from the previous week. Check ‘em out! http://bit.ly/2LUlTgQ

Foreign buyers are purchasing way less U.S. real estate — especially in these top markets. “[F]oreign-resident buyers and recent immigrants closed on far fewer properties in the 12-month period ending in March 2018— by about 21%…” Highlights from NAR’s report, including foreign home-buying numbers for Arizona, in REALTORMag. http://bit.ly/2v8vTfr

Why Arizona is building tiny homes for school teachers. “The state ranks last in the nation for elementary school teacher salaries. For one rural school district [in Vail, Ariz.], building a tiny-home community for staffers is one way to address the issue” — and it’s the “first district in the country” to do so! CITYLAB. http://bit.ly/2mMwU9d 

The real costs of building a home, in one graphic. NAHB supplies the data, Fixr created the graphic, which breaks down the “overall cost of $237,760” into “eight main stages of construction.” http://bit.ly/2vcG9mG

Phoenix retail space absorption up 10% over 2017. “The strong first half of 2018 signals what Colliers believes will be a robust remainder of the year.” For a rundown of Colliers Greater Phoenix Retail Market Update Q2 2018, tap on to AZRE. http://bit.ly/2Lti2vg

Leadership changes at Maricopa County Planning and Development. Current Ombudsman Office Director, Jennifer Pokorski, has been promoted to fill the position of Planning and Development Director, taking over for Carol Johnson who left “for an opportunity out of state.” As new director, Jennifer Pokorski says one of her top priorities will be to “streamline the building permit process.” The Foothills Focus. http://bit.ly/2Om6FmD

Parent of The Falls Event Center files for bankruptcy. “It is unclear how the bankruptcy will affect The Falls Event Center in Gilbert.” East Valley Tribunereports, however, that “several of the company’s unsecured investors are Arizona residents, including seven who live in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa andTempe.” http://bit.ly/2LqEJjD

Four vie for three Eloy City Council seats. And three of the four hopefuls — Councilmen Andrew Rodriguez and Jose Garcia, along with new candidate Georges Reuter — responded to “PinalCentral’s requests for comment.” Here’s what they hadsay: http://bit.ly/2LKjkBc

Flagstaff council committed to public review in city manager search.Arizona Daily Sun looks at what’s ahead for Flagstaff City Council in its “search for a new city manager, after the previous city manager,” Josh Copley, “resigned suddenly earlier this year.” http://bit.ly/2uQjjSL

Don’t miss anything… follow multiple winner of the Arizona Republic’s tweet of the week contest, and Senior Partner at Rose Law Group and Director of RLG Renewable Energy Department, Court Rich. http://bit.ly/Court_RichTwitter