LendingTree Ranks Tucson #1 in 'Homes for Sale' Google Searches.

Biz Tucson, a magazine covering regional business news, reported that LendingTree determined that house hunters put Tucson atop their list in Google Search for “Homes for Sale” since the COVID-19 pandemic began being top of mind. Here is a summary of Biz Tucson’s findings:

LendingTree’s team analyzed Google search data to see how popular the search term “homes for sale” is in 50 of the nation’s largest metros. Overall, searches for the term “homes for sale” have risen in every metro tracked, compared to their 2020 lows at the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in the U.S..

By the end of April, the number of property searches had rebounded by 54%. The metros with the largest percentage increase in Google searches for “homes for sale”: Tucson, Ariz. (up 164.71% by the end of April compared to its 2020 low); Rochester, N.Y. (up 118.92%); and Jacksonville, Fla. (up 96.08%). From March to April, Tucson, New Orleans, and Miami posted the largest month-over-month increases in property search growth.

“There are probably people who think there are going to be bargains in the marketplace,” says Tendayi Kapfidze, LendingTree’s chief economist, about the property search rebound. “They might be anticipating that there will be fewer buyers competing because many people have had a disruption to their incomes or are uncertain about the outlook for their jobs. The low interest rates also make it an attractive time.”

(Those searching for homes for sale in Tucson may find interest in the houses for sale at Moonlight Canyon. Miramonte Homes is planning to begin construction soon on a spectacular model residence, one of 43 soon available for purchase within Saguaro Ranch. Buyers will be able to select from thoughtfully designed floor plans ranging from approximately 2,800 to 3,800 square feet). 

Staying Put In Tucson

John Mariani Contributor Forbes.com

Sunsets in Tucson are reason enough to visit. JOHN MARIANI

If Tucson had nothing more to offer than its twilights and sunsets, it would be reason enough to visit.  In fact, when you visit the city most residents heartily recommend you get to the outskirts if you seek the true western spirit of the place, starting with Sentinel Peak, a natural landmark whose Mission Garden traces Tucson’s four millennia history of agriculture. 

Alternately there’s the Juan Baustista de Anza National Historic Trail, which runs for 1,210  miles, based on the route the Spanish commander de Anza took 200 colonists from Mexico all the way to San Francisco Bay. 

I didn’t have the time for any such treks on my last visit to Tucson, so I stayed close to downtown, which has more than enough historic and culinary attractions to occupy several days in the area. The four-mile Sun Link Tucson Streetcar connects all six downtown districts, making a casual off-and-on visit easy. 

Tucson was established as a Spanish military fort in 1775, sadly appropriated from the Native Americans who had lived there for millennia. The current day Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum has a reconstruction of the original Presidio, showing what life was like at a time the American Revolution was in full swing back east. From there you can walk a 2.5-mile loop trail through downtown’s historic sites.

The Tucson Museum of Art has one of the southwest's finest collections of the art of the Americas.

Here, too, is the Old Town Artisans street, established in 1922, housing art galleries and shops built on the vestiges of the original Presidio wall. Right next door is the superb Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, founded in 1924 and relocated in 1975, now covering a four-acre block of downtown. It’s one of the finest collections of western art in the Americas, with strong holdings in modern and Asian art as well. The Museum has just broken ground on the Kasser Family Wing that will feature an extensive collection of Pre-Columbian and Latin American Art. 

I was delighted by the museum’s Mexican folk art by the Puebla artist Francesco Flores’s “Brass Band Tree of Life” (1996), and currently there is an exhibition on “The Western Sublime: Majestic Landscapes of the American West,” with a daunting array of artists ranging from Ansel Adams and Albert Dierstadt to Eadweard Muybridge and the Cherokee artist Kay Walkingstick.

The Xavier Mission is the oldest of its kind in Arizona. VISIT TUCSON

Nine miles south of town is a very fine Mission Xaviar del Bac, the oldest intact European structure in Arizona, one of the largest and most beautiful of those established by the Spanish in 1692, with the current structure finished in 1797. An earthquake damaged the mission in 1887 and a lightning strike hit the West Tower lantern in 1939. Major restoration work began in 1999 and continues, and it is now a National Historic Landmark.

While the main building is constructed in the usual mix or brick, stone and lime mortar, Mission Xaviar’s masonry vaults are unique among U.S. Spanish Colonial buildings. Of particular interest are the statues, whose artists are unknown, draped in stiffened gessoed clothing. A shell motif pays homage to the patron saint of Spain, James the Greater. (There is a 20-minute video that fills you in on its past and present.) 

The Pima Air and Space Museum displays scores of planes from every era and nation. VISIT TUCSON

I’ve always had an avid interest in aviation history so it was requisite for me to visit the Pima Air & Space Museum, spread over several acres of the Sonoran desert outside of Tucson. To my mind, this is one of the finest museums of its kind with an astounding array of airplanes from every era. The indoor setting of seaplanes shows just how huge they were, and the carrier-based Grumman F-14 and Vietnam War fighter planes possess impressive power just sitting on the ground. There are B-17 and  B-29 bombers, Kamikaze fighters, uniforms, flight logs, instruction manuals, flags, gun sights, bombs and rockets. The Joyce M. Corrigan Women in Flight Gallery examines women’s contributions to the history of aviation. 

All the planes in the indoor galleries are in impeccable shape, looking ready to be shipped to a theater of operation, but outside an even greater number are lined up on the tarmac in the broiling Arizona sun, which has not been kind to their metal skins or colorful paint. 

I was determined to see everything outside, but because of their sheer number and the June heat, however dry, bore down on me with overwhelming intensity, which only made me vow to return at a cooler time of year to try to take in all that is displayed in this marvelous museum. Tucson’s restaurant scene has gotten much better in the last five years, and I shall be devoting another article to that subject soon. (original article appeared on Forbes.com on Jan. 29, 2020 and was authored by contributor, John Mariani)

Realtor.com 2020’s Hot Housing Markets

Ellen Paris Contributor Forbes.com

View of the downtown Tucson, Arizona skyline

Realtor.com’s list of 2020’s hot housing markets will surprise you. Realtor.com looked at projected home sales and price data of the country’s largest 100 metros to create the top ten.  Markets that made the list from one to ten include, Boise, Idaho, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, Tucson, Arizona, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Columbia, South Carolina, Rochester, New York, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina, and Memphis Tennessee.

“These markets are at the top of our list thanks to a combination of lower cost of living and attractive amenities,” notes George Ratiu, senior economist at realtor.com. “There is a noticeable migration away from big cities as these smaller cities look very different today because of all they now offer, especially for Millennials,” he adds. Forget about going coastal, most of these inland markets boast strong local economies, healthy job creation and most importantly sane housing prices. This year nine out of the ten markets were away from coastal metros. Compare that to last year when the data showed four out of the top ten were either on the coast or nearby.

“When you study these metro areas you find similar amenities to major cities minus the traffic and the high housing prices,” explains Ratiu. It’s also getting easier to live and work in these cities as working remotely continues to gain favor among employers and entrepreneurs in this digital age. According to realtor.com “in the top 10 markets, home sales are expected to increase 2.4 percent and prices by 3.1 percent on average year-over-year. That contrasts with a 1.8 percent decrease in home sales and a 0.8 percent increase in sales prices nationwide.” Some of these cities realtor.com refers to as “sister cities” to larger ones where home prices are steeper. Look at Colorado Springs as a Denver alternative. According to Zillow, the median home value in Colorado Springs is $311,380. Compare that to Denver where it hits $449, 044.

Looking at median home prices in several of the cities on realtor.com's list reveals some affordable housing markets for 2020. At the number one spot is Boise, Idaho which realtor.com's data has it at $295,000. That's up 8.1% from last year. Then there’s Tucson, Arizona home to the University of Arizona which has seen Amazon, Texas Instruments and Caterpillar open locations there. (original article appeared on Forbes.com on Dec. 29, 2019 and was authored by contributor, Ellen Paris)

Map of realtor.com's Top Housing Markets of 2020

Biz Tucson Highlights Saguaro Ranch

In a recent online post, Biz Tucson, a magazine covering regional business news, reported on Saguaro Ranch’s extraordinarily unique private tunnel entrance. In its coverage the publication featured a dramatic aerial photograph of the entryway to the Tucson real estate community taken at sunrise.

The post referenced the announcement that Tucson’s Miramonte Homes is planning to offer luxury houses for sale at Moonlight Canyon, which features 43 one- to two-acre homesites located in the canyons or ascending on various levels up slopes. Buyers considering a Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch residence will be able to select from thoughtfully designed floor plans ranging from approximately 2,800 to 3,800 square feet. 

Real Estate Community News

Saguaro Property Development, LLC Teams with Miramonte Homes to build 43 luxury homes at Moonlight Canyon.

Tucson, Arizona (Aug. 17, 2020) — Saguaro Property Development, LLC development partners Scott Lundberg and Brian Peschel recently reached an agreement with Tucson-based homebuilder Miramonte Homes to offer luxury residences at Moonlight Canyon, which is coming soon.

The exclusive 1,100-acre gated community 35 minutes north of downtown Tucson is distinguished by an unexpected arrival experience — a private tunnel entrance. Everyone passing through this unique portal is wowed by a National Park like setting, discovering a secluded sanctuary that combines welcomed privacy with an active, outdoor lifestyle and diversity of amenities.

Moonlight Canyon features 43 one- to two-acre homesites located in the canyons or ascending on various levels up slopes. Buyers considering a Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch residence will be able to select from thoughtfully designed floor plans ranging from approximately 2,800 to 3,800 square feet.  

Designed by Robinette Architects, Inc., who has been instrumental in the design of the newly renovated Saguaro Ranch Owners Club, each residence offers single level convenience, features an open, flowing floor plan and blends seamlessly with the Sonoran Desert landscape.

"We believed that having all of the living spaces on one level made sense for today’s buyer, and that the low-profile design fits appropriately with the desert surroundings,” said Ron Robinette, the architectural firm’s founder. “We’ve incorporated large windows for indoor and outdoor living and to introduce natural light into the main living space of the home.”

Distinguished by ten-foot flat and raised ceilings, a Great Room with a fireplace, and a chef-inspired contemporary kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, each residence makes quite a statement. A swimming pool and jacuzzi, fire pit and shaded outdoor spaces invite year-round living.

“We are looking forward to partnering with Scott and Brian to build at Saguaro Ranch,” added Chris Kemmerly, Principal and CEO of Miramonte Homes. “This is a one-of-a-kind community unlike anything in the western United States in that only 20 percent of the land is designated for development and 80 percent preserved as undisturbed desert. We’re excited to be bringing these quality crafted homes to Moonlight Canyon.”

Kemmerly, a 1982 graduate of the University of Arizona, brings over thirty five years of local experience and expertise to the Moonlight Canyon enclave. One of the largest independent builders in Arizona, Miramonte Homes is known for real estate development expertise, durability in the marketplace and unwavering dedication to quality, craftsmanship, homebuyers and the community.

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About Saguaro Ranch

Saguaro Ranch is a prestigious real estate community whose location in the Tortolita Mountains just north of Tucson is as majestic as it is serene. Distinguished by a one-of-a-kind tunnel entrance and National Park like setting, it combines welcomed privacy with an active, outdoor lifestyle and diversity of amenities, including the Saguaro Ranch Owners Club, which will feature a 25-yard lap pool, bocce ball court, two pickleball courts and a state-of the-art rooftop fitness area. For information visit Saguaro Ranch online, on Instagram, on YouTube or in the online newsletter.

About Miramonte Homes

Miramonte Homes has been crafting high-quality and stylish luxury homes in Northern and Southern Arizona for over 35 years. The company, one of the largest privately owned home builders operating in Arizona, has earned the SAHBA “Builder of the Year” award multiple times. Each community is defined by an array of options and floor plans that give customers the flexibility they need in a custom-built Arizona home. For information visit Miramonte Homes. 

About Robinette Architects, Inc.

A Tucson native, Ron Robinette founded Robinette Architects, Inc. in 1984. The boutique firm focuses on unique and creative designs that are responsive to their owner’s lifestyle and respectful of the Sonoran Desert. With more than 300 constructed projects in Southern Arizona, he truly understands the region. A recognized leader in residential design, his firm has been involved with the Saguaro Ranch since its inception, and counts six custom homes in the community in his portfolio. For information visit Robinette Architect. 

Media Contacts:

Miramonte Homes

John Hays

2502 E. River Road

Tucson, AZ 85718

Office: (520) 615-8900

Direct: (520) 268-9703

jhays@miramontehomes.com

Mike Hess 

Saguaro Ranch Communications

Cell: (970) 708-0336 

mhess@saguaroranchaz.com