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Warm greetings my dear readers — I hope this finds you well and inspired for the week ahead.
This edition highlights Phoenix’s dynamic real estate landscape, where infill permits have climbed 14% year-over-year, bolstering historic neighborhoods and preserving wealth for legacy lot holders.
New sustainability standards, like the Green Building Code addendum effective next month, reinforce value resilience with projected operational savings of nearly 9% per unit.
Legislative adjustments such as HB2110 and SB1181 continue to harmonize accessory dwelling rights and broker transparency, enhancing tax clarity and investor confidence.
Local governance remains proactive: from Mesa’s cluster housing ordinance to Chandler’s expansion of its biotech hub, future-proofing urban cores and rural fringes alike.
Smart-city commitments — upgraded corridors, clean energy mandates, and digital permitting portals — ensure that Arizona’s evolving built environment remains both competitive and conscientious.
Single-family and small multi-unit infill permits have increased 14% across Midtown, Encanto, and Biltmore, as confirmed by ARMLS STAT and PDD Online. Cromford Report charts a 9% drop in days-on-market within these historic corridors, indicating robust absorption. Zillow forecasts a 5.8% median price appreciation for infill parcels next twelve months, outpacing outer subdivisions. Light rail and corridor upgrades are drawing steady builder interest in low-vacancy tracts. This supports stable wealth retention for legacy lot owners, may prompt higher valuation adjustments for tax rolls, aligns with the city’s incremental upzoning policies, and matches the Phoenix 2050 urban sustainability pledge. Smart infrastructure spending underpins reliable service and walkable density.
Source: PDD Online, Cromford Report
Effective July 1, 2025, new residential builds exceeding 3,500 sq ft must comply with SEER 16+ HVAC, EV conduit-ready garages, and rooftop solar pathways. CoStar modeling projects a 1–1.5% cost increase per unit, offset by lifetime operational savings near 9%. Zillow data suggests green-certified homes maintain a resale premium of 4–6% in Greater Phoenix. ARMLS trends show buyers increasingly filter for sustainability features in searches. This positions owners for healthy resale margins, qualifies them for federal energy credits, aligns with updated ICC energy codes, and insulates value against future carbon ordinances while complementing the smart-city clean energy agenda.
Source: Phoenix Codes, ARMLS
Phoenix’s zoning amendment now permits increased residential density within half a mile of light rail stations, extending mixed-use allowances to parcels along Central, Camelback, and Washington. Redfin’s MLS feed shows these lots trade at 12–15% higher per sq ft than standard urban residential. Pending sales have accelerated 10% year-over-year in TOD blocks per Cromford Index. Zillow’s 12-month forecast anticipates continued upward drift as supply remains constrained. Owners may enjoy resilient value, face reassessed tax bases for higher use potential, benefit from development incentives tied to the Transit-Oriented Development Plan, and align holdings with smart-mobility corridors and last-mile e-mobility investments.
Source: Phoenix Zoning, Redfin Data
Mesa Council has earmarked $15 million for Main Street’s arts corridor: façade renewals, co-working spaces, and live performance venues are planned through 2026. Cromford Report shows downtown Mesa’s DOM is 15 days faster than the city average, with price per sq ft up 5% year-to-date. ARMLS STAT indicates small commercial lease rates rose 3% in the core last quarter. The City’s Active Developments Map flags over 300,000 sq ft of adaptive reuse in design review. This supports heritage area asset strength, invites federal tax incentives for restorations, falls under Main Street Revitalization Bylaw updates, cushions against suburban office volatility, and complements Mesa’s smart public Wi-Fi and art-walk sensor grid.
Source: Select Mesa, Cromford Report
Planning Services released draft rules for cluster developments, aiming to increase affordable homes while conserving open space. U.S. Census data shows Mesa’s housing authorizations hit 6,200 units in 2024, up 9% year-over-year. Cromford’s supply index suggests moderate inventory tightening is possible mid-2025 as builders adapt to new plat standards. Developers may qualify for expedited subdivision reviews if they integrate trails and community parks. For owners, this implies solid lot appreciation, potential for new local improvement district levies, compliance with Arizona’s push for flexible supply per HB2110, resilience to demographic shifts, and integration with smart irrigation pilots.
Source: Mesa Development Services, U.S. Census BPS
County Planning is refining rural zoning language for septic allowances, guest dwellings, and shared easements. GIS filings show a 17% increase in new rural parcel splits over the past 12 months, notably in Desert Hills and New River. Maricopa Assessor’s portal indicates AG-use reclassification applications rose 5% in Q1 alone. ADWR groundwater depth reports remain stable but flagged for re-review in 2026. Large-acre owners may see gradual value lift, adjusted assessments for multi-use rights, future code certainty if the overhaul is adopted, and better fit with rural smart resilience (well monitoring and off-grid power).
Source: Maricopa County P&D, Maricopa GIS
Peoria’s Economic Office now provides grants up to $50,000 per storefront to restore façades in the historic Old Town block. P83 corridor retail holds 92% occupancy, per CoStar’s latest lease dashboard, suggesting spillover tenant interest. Arizona Republic reports new café and gallery operators eyeing leases under flexible rent terms. Cromford’s rental index shows a 4% annual lift in nearby single-family rents. Property holders gain façade equity uplift, possible depreciation offsets via Section 179D, improved fit with Downtown Overlay zoning, steady income amid new urban tenant mix, and alignment with smart streetscape lighting upgrades.
Source: Peoria Economic Development
Maricopa County is reviewing standards for surfacing, grading, and cost-sharing on private roads serving large-acre homes. PermitFlow notes over 1,500 custom home permits in the Anthem/New River corridor in the past two years. Local HOAs advocate reduced paving width requirements to lower builder costs by 10–15% per driveway. Maricopa Assessor’s data shows no significant default tax liens on these parcels, signaling healthy owner solvency. Owners may enjoy smoother project feasibility, modest property tax impact, clarified road maintenance covenants, predictable code compliance, and the area remains off-grid—consistent with resilient rural living.
Source: Maricopa County P&D
Arizona’s HB2110 mandates cities must permit one accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot by September 2025. Zillow’s valuation data shows ADU-capable homes command 12–15% resale premiums in Phoenix submarkets. Cromford’s rental chart indicates casitas often rent at 90% of comparable apartments, boosting passive yield. Realtor.com’s Pool Tracker places extra value on homes with detached living quarters in privacy-conscious enclaves. This clarifies owner build rights, can nudge parcel reassessment, harmonizes statewide codes, ensures generational co-housing viability, and feeds into smart home IoT adoption for remote tenant monitoring.
Source: AZLeg, Zillow Research
Arizona’s SB1181 clarifies that brokers must fully disclose commission terms, duties, and conflicts upfront in listing agreements. Arizona Department of Real Estate disciplinary actions dropped 8% in 2024, suggesting clearer standards reduce disputes. ARMLS shows a steady agent retention rate, reinforcing trust in formal representation. National Association of Realtors’ updated ethics guide aligns with this law, supporting clean transactional paper trails. This underpins transparent deal execution, secures fair fee taxation clarity, modernizes brokerage compliance, builds buyer confidence, and dovetails with secure digital contract workflows.
Source: AZRE.gov
A recent Senate proposal limits city authority to obstruct high-density starter housing. Axios Phoenix reports the bill aims to fast-track duplexes and compact townhomes in growth corridors. Zillow’s forecast sees starter home prices stabilizing as supply balances out by late 2026. Cromford shows contract ratio upticks for entry-level new builds in Buckeye and Queen Creek. This broadens supply options, impacts local tax base forecasts, aligns with Arizona’s push for attainable housing stock, offers stable family-level capital preservation, and complements transit extensions for smart suburban expansion.
Source: Axios Phoenix, Cromford Report
Scottsdale Planning is drafting an ordinance to permit modern co-living near Airpark and Old Town corridors. Cromford’s rental trends show a 7% premium for micro-units vs. standard apartments due to all-inclusive amenities. Redfin migration data indicates net inflow of young professionals seeking flexible leases. CoStar reports micro-housing holds 94% occupancy in comparable Western cities. This diversifies infill income streams, informs new property tax treatment for shared housing, updates local code to mirror flexible urban living, supports future-proof millennial housing supply, and aligns with smart building IoT design pilots.
Source: Scottsdale Planning, Cromford Report
Chandler has allocated new infrastructure bonds to expand its Greenfield Innovation District, targeting biotech and cleantech. Arizona Commerce Authority dashboards show a 12% uptick in related corporate capital expenditure since 2023. BLS payroll data confirms tech job growth outpaces metro averages by 1.7%. CoStar’s industrial lease rates rose 4% in the area over twelve months. This secures long-term land value, broadens tax base via high-wage jobs, aligns with city zoning overlays for R&D clusters, stabilizes site desirability, and integrates smart-grid-ready industrial design.
Source: Chandler Economic Development, AZ Commerce
Tempe Council is amending its Urban Core Plan to ease height limits and incentivize mixed-use towers along Mill Avenue. Redfin data shows a 9% premium for lofts in this corridor over suburban condos. ARMLS Watch lists pending sales up 6% quarter-over-quarter for downtown units. UA Eller forecasts Tempe population growth of 1.8% per year through 2030. This supports multi-family infill value, informs taxable value increases for higher floor counts, modernizes overlay rules, ensures resilience for vertical living trends, and dovetails with Tempe’s smart mobility expansion.
Source: Tempe Planning, Redfin
Gilbert has adjusted zoning to allow taller mixed-use buildings in the Heritage District, encouraging rooftop dining and loft residences. Zillow’s ZHVI index for central Gilbert rose 5.4% YOY, outpacing town-wide average. Cromford shows strong walk score correlation with lease premium in this area. Axios highlights new applications for boutique hotels and rooftop restaurants already filed. This signals sustained heritage parcel appreciation, may reshape local property tax estimates, aligns with council’s revitalization incentive package, bolsters value under mixed-use overlays, and pairs with public Wi-Fi node upgrades.
Source: Gilbert Planning, Cromford Report
Paradise Valley has logged three new pre-applications for legacy resorts to add private wellness villas and bio-retreat amenities. CoStar Hospitality shows occupancy rates in PV hotels rebounded to 81% in Q1, up 6% YOY. Arizona Republic reports a rise in discreet membership-only wellness concepts. Realtor.com’s amenity tracker indicates pools and spas add 8–12% value premiums locally. This reinforces elite parcel price floors, may shift tax appraisals for resort footprints, aligns with town height restrictions and low-density ordinances, guarantees lifestyle resilience, and matches PV’s silent luxury positioning in the smart health-tourism niche.
Source: Paradise Valley Planning
Cave Creek Council is reviewing hillside development code to balance panoramic view protection with custom home feasibility. PropertyRadar shows a 13% YOY uptick in new custom home parcels filed in foothill zones. Cromford indicates low days-on-market for view lots under $1.5M. Local planners cite outdated grading rules as barriers to premium design. This sustains hilltop lot value, clarifies tax base consistency as build rights expand, updates the town’s zoning for terrain-specific fairness, ensures market resilience for high-altitude custom builds, and preserves low-impact smart site plans.
Source: Cave Creek Planning, PropertyRadar
Queen Creek Council updated its incentives to attract boutique wineries, organic farm retreats, and seasonal event venues. Zillow’s farm parcel valuations rose 7% across the corridor YOY. Arizona Commerce Authority confirms $12M in new agritourism investment pledges for 2025. Realtor.com shows listings with farm-use or event permits command a 5–8% premium. This enriches landholder returns, offers income diversity under farm/ranch property classes, aligns with rural event licensing tweaks, hedges lifestyle property risk, and fits smart-rural broadband pilots.
Source: Queen Creek Economic Development
Buckeye has launched a new grant matching program to modernize downtown façades and attract local retailers. CoStar tracks a 92% lease-up rate for updated main street commercial slots. ARMLS STAT shows rental yields on nearby residential rose 4% last year. Council minutes outline flexible design standards to speed approvals. This fortifies mixed-use parcel value, may qualify owners for capital improvement offsets, follows local overlay incentives, secures main street asset resilience, and integrates smart LED signage and streetscape monitoring.
Source: Buckeye Community Development
Tolleson approved site plans for a 200-acre logistics park along I-10 and 83rd Avenue. CoStar Industrial shows current vacancy near historic lows at 3.1%. Redfin migration flows show job-driven housing interest up 5% nearby YOY. Zillow’s rental ZORI index suggests healthy rent growth in workforce housing nodes. This stabilizes industrial land values, broadens municipal tax revenue forecasts, aligns with streamlined industrial zoning overlays, supports supply chain risk insulation, and connects with smart corridor freight telematics.
Source: Tolleson Economic Development
Glendale Council has greenlit a major expansion to the Westgate District, adding boutique hotels, a luxury auto gallery, and a new entertainment plaza. CoStar Retail shows current Westgate lease rates up 4% YOY. ARMLS lists nearby condo units closing at a 7% higher median than Glendale-wide average. Redfin tracking indicates sustained in-migration of event-driven rental demand. This secures entertainment parcel price floors, may drive slight commercial tax base uplift, aligns with city mixed-use design overlay, keeps market appeal robust for short-term stays, and links with Glendale’s smart-event crowd management tech.
Source: Glendale Economic Development
Historic inn at Litchfield Park’s village core is under restoration for a boutique hospitality and courtyard venue concept. Zillow’s local ZHVI index shows a 6% YOY lift in adjacent single-family prices. CoStar Lodging reports West Valley boutique occupancy rates rebounded to 78% in Q1 2025. Axios Phoenix highlights growing wedding and wellness retreat bookings in the corridor. This supports village parcel value, may adjust special event license taxes, aligns with council’s historic preservation codes, bolsters long-term lodging stability, and fits well with smart Wi-Fi rollout for guests.
Source: Litchfield Park Planning
Florence has approved rezoning for a 2,000-acre golf-centered master plan combining private estates, wellness zones, and equestrian trails. ARMLS shows similar gated golf parcels in Pinal County fetching premiums 12–15% over comparable acreage. Zillow forecasts stable near-term appreciation as build phases release lots. UA Eller data notes continued south-county population drift due to lower cost basis. This anchors large-tract parcel worth, aligns with HOA-controlled tax service districts, conforms to local density caps under state statute, future-proofs leisure community supply, and integrates water-smart fairway irrigation systems.
Source: Florence Planning
Fountain Hills has launched a targeted infill initiative to attract mid-rise lofts, boutique clinics, and local retail. CoStar Multifamily shows downtown vacancies at just 4.3%, tight for the region. Cromford’s supply tracker indicates active listings have halved since late 2023. Redfin highlights a premium of 8% per sq ft for units within walkable distance of the Avenue of the Fountains. This secures core parcel stability, supports new service fee revenue for mixed-use maintenance, aligns with town center overlay refresh, provides resilience for loft living, and connects with public smart Wi-Fi and wayfinding kiosks.
Source: Fountain Hills Economic Development
Carefree Council is studying a Lifestyle Cluster Overlay to permit owner-occupied casitas, artist studios, and small wellness lodges on large desert parcels. PropertyRadar shows a 10% uptick in five-acre or larger listings in the area since January. Zillow’s amenity valuation suggests casita-equipped lots outperform standard desert lots by 8–10%. Local HOA groups support minimal lighting and setback protections. This sustains parcel flexibility, clarifies use taxes under multi-unit class, updates the rural overlay language, future-proofs creative compound estates, and respects Carefree’s dark-sky smart lighting plan.
Source: Carefree Planning
El Mirage has revised its Industrial Corridor Master Plan to welcome artisan workshops, light assembly, and local distribution uses. CoStar Industrial reports current small-bay occupancy at 95%. Redfin migration maps show small business operator relocations trending into the corridor. UA Eller notes consistent job growth in light manufacturing sectors Valley-wide. This underpins corridor parcel reliability, ensures predictable tax increment district yields, complies with updated light industrial zone codes, hedges local supply chain risk, and pairs with smart corridor freight sensors for flow tracking.
Source: El Mirage Economic Development
Maricopa County has published new Framework Planning drafts balancing rural parcel splits with open space conservation. GIS filings show a 12% YOY increase in edge-lot recording in Vistancia North and Whispering Ranch. U.S. Census building permit data confirms slight uptick in scattered custom home starts outside incorporated towns. ADWR groundwater depth remains within sustainable draw levels for new wells. This reinforces rural tract viability, may reshape assessed value trends, clarifies overlay control for new subdivisions, ensures environmental safeguard, and pairs with smart rural broadband pilot zones.
Source: Maricopa County P&D
Mesa’s Active Developments dashboard flags robust site plan filings near Eastmark and Gateway Airport. CoStar Office/Industrial shows 450,000 sq ft in new speculative build approvals this year. Cromford’s contract ratio for new build homes in East Mesa remains elevated at 82. Zillow forecasts steady 5–6% value growth for East Gateway parcels through mid-2026. This sustains land residuals, broadens tax base projections for infrastructure bonds, aligns with city employment corridor overlay, supports balanced master-planning, and ties into Mesa’s smart grid and autonomous shuttle pilots.
Source: Select Mesa
ASU’s Morrison Institute has released a policy brief exploring feasibility of mandatory inclusionary zoning for larger multifamily projects. Zillow and Redfin historical data show mixed outcomes for rent control measures but moderate success with targeted affordability set-asides. Phoenix Business Journal coverage suggests developers split on cost vs. bonus incentives. BLS CPI shows rents rose 6% metro-wide last year, intensifying policy debate. This shapes urban apartment ROI forecasts, may signal gradual overlay tweaks, illustrates legislative drift toward density equity, buffers against abrupt affordability crunch, and aligns with smart rental voucher tech trials.
Source: Morrison Institute
PermitFlow’s updated guide simplifies residential, duplex, and small commercial permit workflows. ARMLS new build volume shows 4.2% growth Q1-Q2 this year. CoStar’s multifamily permit pull trends reflect a pivot toward mid-size infill rather than large complexes. Cromford’s days-to-close for permitted lots has shortened by 11% compared to 2023. This enhances builder predictability, stabilizes cost assumptions for planned permits, clarifies compliance steps for updated codes, ensures resilience for phased project releases, and connects with city’s smart permit portal for digital submissions.
Source: PermitFlow
Thank you for exploring this week’s curated brief with me.
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Nice to meet you! I’m Katrina Golikova, and I believe you landed here for a reason. I help my clients to reach their real estate goals through thriving creative solutions and love to share my knowledge—giving lots of freebies along the way.
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Katrina
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