The Dealmaker: 12/28/2018

Phoenix invests in arena repairs. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents the Phoenix Suns.) Invest in TSRA! Read why the City of Phoenix already existing tax on tourists was designed nearly 30 years ago to continue to pay for the City owned Talking Stick Resort Arena’s repairs and renovations, and how those repairs are needed for all the community events the Arena hosts each year! http://bit.ly/2GL9qhp

What else? Johnson Utilities is San Tan’s top story of 2018. While the “Johnson Utilities scandal” was the dominant story, here’s what else grabbed a good chuck of the headlines: San Tan’s incorporation effort, annexation of Encanterra Trilogy, and a proposal for the area’s very first apartment complex. STVS. http://bit.ly/2Rkd469

Pinal County will soon rely on groundwater; ‘changeover anticipated,’ says Rose Law Group Founder and President Jordan Rose. “Pinal County may have no other choice but to radically rethink its future — one with far less farming… Or find partners to divvy up the costs of projects that will help them avoid drained aquifers and empty taps.” By AZCentral columnist Joanna Allhands. • Jordan Rose: “The change-over to groundwater for farmers in Pinal was always anticipated — just not this soon. The effect will be less agriculture and potentially more non-ag economic development and housing as that uses far less water than farming.” Much more insight from Jordan here:  http://bit.ly/2Q5dNn2

Phoenix plays to its strengths. “Positive demographic trends and one of the most active economies in the U.S. continue to support growth in the metro’s multifamily market.” That’s the overall takeaway from the new Yardi Matrix report. Get an overview and access the full forecast in MHN. http://bit.ly/2SqUqqk

Most expensive home sales in Phoenix. Arizona Foothills Magazine top home sales (12.17.18 – 12.23.18) totaled “over $27 million,” MATCHING the previous week’s total! Speaking of “matching,” this week’s SLIDESHOW boasts the sale of the exact same residence, but in two completely different locations: Paradise Valley and Happy Valley (the home in HV went for couple million bucks less than the place in PV). Check it out! http://bit.ly/2Sqd9Cv

The Top 10 most expensive homes in Flagstaff – Winter 2018 edition.  Whoa… This Arizona Daily Sun slideshow also has a pic of the very same PV/HV home as mentioned above! How wacky is that!?! KIDDING. In this detailed rundown of the most pricey places in Flag, from Pine Canyon to Lakeside Acres, there’s absolutely nothing out of the ordinary except for an eerie, radiating light-effect on house #4. http://bit.ly/2SrOu0y

Survey: Why first-time buyers chose their homes. Porch “surveyed nearly 1,000 consumers [boomers, Gen Xers, millennials] about their first home purchase to find some of the top factors that influenced their buying decisions.” Also included: “Top 5 First-Home Regrets, by Generation.” (via REALTORMag). http://bit.ly/2QXVmGf

Arizona building permits: September 2018. Arizona Business Daily has a snapshot of building permit numbers for privately owned housing. Don’t pass up this one, as it might be the last bit of housing data you’ll see for a while. (See next item below.) http://bit.ly/2Q98sej

New housing data will not be available during government shutdown. “[T]he Census Bureau was scheduled to release new home sales data, but a message on its website announced that ‘Due to a lapse in federal funding this website is not being updated.’ ” (No word yet on how, without funding, the Bureau was able to produce THAT particular update.) For info on other agencies affected by the shutdown and the impact on the housing industry, head to NAHBNow. http://bit.ly/2Tdn9yY

Firebrand neighborhood activated by Mountain View Medical Plaza pursuit. “The medical center, built over 30 years ago, is seeking to redevelop its 9.79-acre site to stay competitive in the marketplace.” However, the proposal has sparked a “Firebrand Ranch outcry” from a “handful” of firebrand residents. PV Independent. http://bit.ly/2Sk4UrA

Ahwatukee 2018 in the rear-view mirror. One big freeway build, two deteriorating golf courses, and thousands of residents facing water-bill spikes — these were among the stories dominating the Ahwatukee Foothills News’ headlines this past year. http://bit.ly/2ER0NiN

Here’s a list of all of the Valley’s mayor’s New Year’s resolutions. “Securing water to zip-lining across Tempe Town Lake: Arizona mayor’s share New Year’s resolutions. As we ring in 2019, we asked Phoenix-area mayors what they hope to accomplish in the new year.” (The “we” here is AZCentral.) http://bit.ly/2SuMEfq

Uribe: Mayors’ support for port project ‘speaks volumes.’ As host of the recent Regional Border Mayors Summit, “Douglas’ Mayor Robert Uribe  encouraged collaboration among all the cities in Cochise County as plans progress toward the construction of a new commercial port and the revamping of the existing port of entry downtown.” Douglas Dispatch. http://bit.ly/2LECBll

10th Annual AZ DealMakers – January 11, 2019. Don’t miss out on the BIGGEST homebuilding industry event for real estate forecasting and analysis, featuring the best speakers in the industry, including Meritage Homes Chairman & CEO Steven J. Hilton and Christopher Todd Communities CEO Todd Wood. Plus, Belfiore Real Estate Consulting President & Founder Jim Belfiore provides an Overview on Housing. For the full list of speakers & panelists, along with registration info for Arizona Housing: Growth, Its Costs, Challenges & Opportunities, tap on! http://bit.ly/2LAvclq 

As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!