Rose Law Group searching for… High energy project manager and/or planner to add to our highly motivated project management team. RLG is also looking for a brilliant transactional real estate attorney who wants to work on big deals. We did get the comment that a “real estate transactional attorney with between 3-6 years of experience” is a little like finding a unicorn as there is the market reality of that time period so we are revising that description to just say send us your resume if you know transactions, you’re energetic and you’re good at what you do (no matter how long you’ve been doing it). If you know someone (or you are that someone) please send resume in confidence to HR Director, Hslaughter@roselawgroup.com.
Shea Homes awarded for Best Community Sales Collateral. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Shea Homes.) “Shea Homes was honored with an award for Best Community Sales Collateral for its new Shea Signature community, Azure Paradise Valley at the inaugural Sales, Advertising, Marketing and Merchandising award ceremony…” Scottsdale Independent. http://bit.ly/2AXBnLW
Joseph Carl Homes returns. “Acquired by Avatar in 2010, the Phoenix builder is back in business, focusing on affordable starter homes.” Details in Builder. http://bit.ly/2A8pOnZ
BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE – REALTORS® square up after House passes tax bill. “The House on Thursday passed a tax reform package.” Here’s just some of what NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall had to say about it: “Make no mistake, middle-class homeowners will see their home values fall if this proposal moves forward… REALTORS® will do our part to spread the word as we work with the Senate to address this impending assault on homeownership.” More in REALTORMag. http://bit.ly/2iqmFWp
Phoenix real estate in October: Sales up 4%, inventory down 10% YoY. Calculated Risk’s Bill McBride returns to Dealmaker with the latest Residential Sales and Inventory figures, reporting that this is the “twelfth consecutive month with a YoY decrease in inventory.” Bill also notes that “prices are rising a little faster this year.” –> http://bit.ly/2jwRdsK
Most expensive home sales in Phoenix. Time for another installment of “Sales of Places in Neighborhoods so Upper-Crust, That a Doorbell Ring Could Trigger Beethoven’s 9th by Phoenix Symphony Orchestra — LIVE!” Arizona Foothills Magazine presents the “Valley’s top home sales from the past week (11.6.17 – 11.12.17),” during which combined sales totaled “over $26 million.” That’s UP a whopping $11 million from the previous week! http://bit.ly/2iqnv5v
Skeptical neighbors fend off apartment development — for now. “Phoenix council put off a potential rezoning vote Wednesday and instead opted to continue the debate on Atlanta-based Wood Partners’ plans to develop a 245-unit apartment complex on more than 3.9 acres on Seventh Street and Marlette Avenue in north central Phoenix. The development is called Alta Marlette [and] faces stiff opposition from some neighbors who prefer no more than 170 units…” PBJ. http://bit.ly/2zQLEcR
BENCH PRESSES SQUATTER – Arizona Supreme Court declines to hear Tempe ‘squatter’ case. “Steve Sussex had filed suit against the city claiming he gained title to the land… through adverse possession… [arguing that] the city didn’t take any steps to remove him, legally giving up its title. The Supreme Court’s decision to not take the case means the lower courts’ rulings stand. Those essentially said Sussex had no case and that adverse possession statutes do not apply to governments.” Sussex, however, seems to have no quit in him. –> AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2AQ13cJ
Housing starts bounce back strongly. “U.S. housing starts rose last month to the highest level in a year, a sign that builders are getting back on track after hurricanes lashed the southeast and dampened residential construction activity in September.” Read about it in The Wall Street Journal — if you’re able to scale the paywall. http://bit.ly/2AWZOt7
Home is where the shag carpet is? “A new Taylor Morrison consumer survey finds that while some outdated styles linger in American homes, design preferences vary by generation… In fact, 70 percent of new or prospective home buyers report having outdated design features in their current homes.” Check out survey highlights and get a load of the avocado-colored furnishings and shag carpeting in the featured pic, at Builder. http://bit.ly/2zQDfGe
Homeownership doesn’t build wealth, study finds. “Owning a home may help you save money, but it won’t help you make money… That is the finding of a new study conducted by Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University and the University of Wyoming.” So what are “[h]ouseholds better off” doing instead? Find out at CNBC. http://bit.ly/2mz12aR
The 15-year mortgage: Pros and cons. “With a 15-year mortgage you’ll own a home much faster and save a lot of money, but you’ll need to budget carefully for the higher monthly payments.” By revealing that, did we just spoil the whole article? Not really. Get more “pros and cons” in NerdWallet. http://bit.ly/2zR8fGo
Man with the plans. “After developing a couple of Colorado towns — ever hear of Telluride? — real estate visionary Ron Allred sets his sights on Arizona’s historical inns.” PHOENIX magazine (BTW, Jordan Rose informs us that Allred’s Restaurant in Telluride is one of her “all-time favorite, special places!”) http://bit.ly/2hIPkJf
Strong Phoenix fundamentals point to more growth ahead, not a slowdown. KEY QUOTE, from “Bisnow’s recent Phoenix State of the Market event”: “Other markets are in later innings, but with the affordability we see in Phoenix, I’d say we’re more toward the middle in all property types… There’s quite a bit of runway.” READ ON: http://bit.ly/2AX2Spa
More annexations in Glendale’s future. “With the recent additions of Topgolf and BMW, Glendale continues to grow in size as council prepares for the annexation of more than 1,300 acres into the city limits near Luke Air Force Base.” The Glendale Star also reports that the city has been “ramping up” discussion regarding “annexation of the Loop 303 area” after “officials decided to stop pursuing and waiting for opportunities and companies to inquire about those properties that are available.” http://bit.ly/2AOPmmE
Builder confidence climbs to highest level in months. NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald: “November’s builder confidence reading [70] is close to a post-recession high — a strong indicator that the housing market continues to grow steadily… However, our members still face supply-side constraints, such as lot and labor shortages and ongoing building material price increases.” HousingWire. http://bit.ly/2zKUZVV
State water officials say no crisis in near future. “Speaking to the Economic Development Group of Eloy, [CAP’s] Mark Lewis… said… more than $40 million [has been spent] to ‘dodge a bullet’ by working to manage water supply in Lake Mead… Ron Fleming, president and CEO of Global Water, which supplies Maricopa, seconded Lewis’s assertions that Pinal County doesn’t face a water crisis in the immediate future.” http://bit.ly/2yQZIlp (BTW, that bit of “no water-crisis” news from Casa Grande Dispatch stands in stark contrast to the water crisis faced by Sen. Marco Rubio and more recently, President Trump, when throats ran dry during respective on-camera appearances. If you’ve yet to see the president’s cottonmouth conundrum and his subsequent search for a remedy, check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/axaSdfZINP0
Pinal city managers discuss growth, new roads. “A common refrain in the discussion Thursday [at the November Pinal Partnership breakfast] was how to hold onto the small town character that people love in Pinal County while fostering economic growth. Also, everyone was excited that Propositions 416 and 417 had passed this month, proclaiming the road plan and new funding as a critical step for economic development.” For coverage of the event head to PinalCentral. http://bit.ly/2ySKkow
Public comment period begins for North-South Corridor environmental study. “The North-South Corridor, spanning more than 40 miles between US 60 and Interstate 10 in Pinal County, includes multiple proposed alternative corridors with segment options throughout…” ADI reports that ADOT, “in conjunction with Federal Highway Administration, is seeking comments on the North-South Corridor and changes to the proposed corridor alternatives, from the public and agencies.” http://bit.ly/2j4E5qX
Work ready to begin on SR 347 bridge in Maricopa. “[C]rews are preparing to begin work on a bridge on State Route 347 over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks just south of Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. The two-year project also includes an overpass connecting southbound SR 347 to Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, and a new route for northbound drivers on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.” Curious about the look and traffic-flow for the finished project? Check out the fly-over and street-level virtual tours at Casa Grande Dispatch. http://bit.ly/2zS4Zuk
Details of Phoenix Suns arena deal still cloudy, but its defeat is becoming clearer. “Almost everything about a deal to renovate the Phoenix Suns’ taxpayer-funded downtown arena remains a mystery, but one thing has become increasing clear — it’s quickly losing the support it needs from the Phoenix City Council.” AZCentral reports that “[i]f the council rejects upgrades to Talking Stick Resort Arena — or stops negotiations before a deal comes to a public vote — the Suns could leave Phoenix.” http://bit.ly/2irtQh0
Dealmaker BONUS: Collections Department. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Michael Pollack in various capacities.) “PHOENIX [magazine] has rounded up several collectors from around the Valley who have amassed impressive collections over the years, from the extravagant to the kitschy, and asks what motivates them to keep going.” The article features a nice segment on “THE SCHOLAR OF SIGNAGE,” that “widely recognized real estate re-developer” and now Guinness World Record holder, Michael A. Pollack. http://bit.ly/2jE2Uy8
Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2zMxQlI
Mesa sets its eyes on e-commerce with Mexico. With Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Board set to “vote [on] a master development agreement with… Mesa Skybridge,” Mayor John Giles and airport communications official Ryan Smith discuss the project, which “has potential to be the most significant source of commerce between Mesa and Mexico.” In
Cronkite News. http://bit.ly/2hI4gHe Arizona lawmakers split along party lines as House approves tax cut.“Thirteen Republicans joined all 192 voting Democrats to oppose the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but no Arizona lawmakers crossed party lines on the vote.”
Cronkite News breaks down the votes.
http://bit.ly/2hAsPT3
Ducey: ‘There is truth there’ when women allege sexual harassment.“Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday his experience is that women who complain [whew! good thing for all involved here, to steer clear of the word “nag”] about being sexually harassed are generally telling the truth. But the governor declined to call for Rep. Don Shooter to resign, saying the investigation of charges against the Yuma Republican should be allowed to play out.” A Capitol Media Services/Howard Fischer report in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2yV3PN5
Dems, union and advocacy group challenge ‘dark money’ law in court. “The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Maricopa County Superior Court alleges the Republican-controlled Legislature acted illegally earlier this year in exempting some organizations from laws, which require them to register before they can spend money to influence who is elected. More to the point, it also allows them to avoid disclosing to voters who provided that cash in the first place.” And Howard Fischer reports that “there are other legal flaws in the measure” — in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2mC4Fgb
A KOCH COMMERCIAL – School choice group’s ad campaign not to sway voters, spokesman says. “A nonprofit funded at least in part by the Koch brothers is financing a six-figure TV campaign that a spokesman said is designed to ‘educate’ Arizonans about school choice. But Brian Faughnan said it isn’t designed to sway votes on a measure on next year’s ballot over the future of universal vouchers.” By Howard Fischer in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2hAtxQ0
City Court: Elections protect judges from “good-old boy” system of appointment. “In [nearly] every… Arizona city, municipal court judges answer to the city council… In those cities, the mayor and council hire the judges, and decide whether they will keep their jobs. But Yuma has been electing its judges since the city’s first charter… Judges there run for office, just like the mayor and council.” Goldwater Institute national investigative reporter, Mark Flatten, explores how Yuma’s system gives judges “a level of independence that judges in other cities do not have.” http://bit.ly/2jAufkK
Getting driver’s license puts Arizonans into ‘perpetual criminal lineup.’“If you have a driver’s license in Arizona… law enforcement at all levels ca… run photos using… facial recognition technology to see if you’re wanted for a crime. That’s what one researcher refers to as a ‘perpetual lineup.’ ” Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2zaTCk7
Study: Phoenix climbs ranks of metro cities with better access to jobs. “The study, published by Center for Transportation Studies from the University of Minnesota, said Phoenix has improved its access to jobs by transit by nearly 8 percent from 2015 to 2016.The study looked at the number of jobs and where they are located, the availability of transit service, and population size, density, and location.” KTAR. http://bit.ly/2irO0az
Rose Law Group Reporter’s Top 10 Tax Reductions and Penalties in the House version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. After thoroughly examining the tax measure passed by the House yesterday, Senior Reporter/Writer Phil Riske reveals some of the more unusual items he found. –> http://bit.ly/2AXyjzy
