TheTucsonFoothills

when the price is right

3600 E Windy Point Drive sold in 2004 for $1,100,000 and was listed in March 2010 for $1,390,000. And, as you might guess, it didn’t sell and over time was reduced and reduced again, finally to $939,000 last month, and that did it, today it’s in contract. 

3600 E Windy Point Drive , Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

*disclosure – I was the listing agent when it sold in 04. I did listings then, I don’t now.

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in contract last week

From Monday May 6th through Sunday May 12th 32 single family homes went to contract in the Tucson Foothills.

27 were priced from $199,500 to $599,900
3 were crowded in at $685,000, $699,000 & $699,900
1 at $1,495,000 and the big kahuna at $3,950,000

Not an all together bad week for contracts – a great one for homes priced to $599k – but not terribly encouraging for everyone else. There was another contract at $1,095,000 but it fell thru, so it doesn’t count.

Aside from the action at the lower end it sure looks to me like the market is winding down for homes priced beyond $700 or so. Look back at the contracts for the last few weeks and you’ll see what I mean. But that’s how it goes, like most places we have a season and our season is coming to an end. But that said, buyers will still come out of the shadows for really well priced homes.

the previous week’s numbers are HERE and from there you can keep thumbing back thru the previous weeks.

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nothing juicy to report

please check back later today,

But I do have a download link for the new mobile app on my web site > www.thefoothillsToday.com < the link is in the left side column, or here> go Mobile 

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go Mobile

Long Realty just introduced a new mobile app that makes it a snap to search for homes.

You can easily enter a custom search, or just see all the homes in your immediate vicinity – wherever in AZ that may be – search open houses and see homes that are recently under contract and sold.  And more. And it’s fun and easy to use.

And unlike Zillow and Realtor.com and the like, this app is custom made for us in Arizona, so it has all the listings and all them are up to date - updated every 15 minutes from the Tucson MLS.

Here’s a link to a short video that gives an overview of how the apps works.

  

Give it a try, here’s a link to download it > http://www.thefoothillstoday.com/pages/my-mobile-app <  I should have a permanent link to the app on the home page of my web site next week.

And please, I’d love to hear what you think of it.

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such a deal

Listed at $550,000, a real bargain in my opinion, 6309 N Camino Miraval is in contract today, its 12th day on the market. And I’m very surprised it took that long. I didn’t write about it when it was listed because I was quietly trying to find a buyer for it myself. But I didn’t. 

It sold in 2006 for $807,000, but back then it had a different address, it was known as 2149 E Camino La Zorrela. And when it was listed and showed up as 6309 N Cmo Miraval, 
I recognized the house but the address didn’t make sense. But after a little digging there it was, the same house, same lot, but with a different address. And the listing agent didn’t know why or when it was changed and I didn’t bother digging any further.  Any ideas.

In any case someone got a very nice and nicely updated burnt adobe territorial at a very good price.

6309 N Camino Miraval Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 70202)

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are we there yet

4388 N Sabino Mountain Drive sold for $842,000 in 01 and for $920,000 in 05.

Then, unfortunately, that very same house was listed in 09 for $1,395,000, then $1,295,000 and, needless to say, it expired unsold. But it came back on in 2012 for $870,000 and can now be yours for $749,900 ($158/sf).

4388 N Sabino Mountain Drive , Tucson, AZ 85750
(listed by Tucson Arizona Real Estate 34)

Ridge top homes of this size and in this price range and higher on Sabino Mountain have sold in the range of $216 to $308/sf this year.

it’s why more homes are selling

There are a lot of reasons why more homes are selling now vs. a few years ago, but one of them, and it’s a big one, is that home sellers have gotten more realistic about their asking prices.

Take 4904 E Oakmont Drive in Skyline CC. It was listed today for $949,000 ($228/sf) after failing to sell in 08 at $1,695,000 and 09 at $1,449,000. And, until today, it’s been off the market ever since.

4904 E Oakmont Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

Of course the other side of the coin is that lower selling prices are keeping many sellers out of the market.

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Zillow says

I was messing around on Zillow this morning, looking at Zillow’s values for a few different homes, and came across a forecast for Tucson Foothills home values posted under the title Market Guide.

Zillow predicts 85718 home values will increase 5% next year, compared to a 4.1% rise for Catalina Foothills as a whole.

I can’t agree or disagree with their 5% prediction, I just don’t know. But if values do increase, 
I do agree with the gist of their statement that home values in 85718 will increase more than other areas of the foothills.

And over the last few years I’ve talked about why 85718 is gaining in popularity vs. other areas of the foothills. And it’s simple, it’s about accessibility and convenience to shops, restaurants and things to do.

Location, Location…With the growth and popularity of La Encantada, the center of the foothills has been firmly established at Skyline & Campbell, a hop, skip and a jump from PC. Throw in the development on the adjoining three corners and you have an unmatched, in the foothills anyway, selection of shops, boutiques, restaurants, bars and other places to satisfy your cravings and spend your money. And all the while, in a pleasant atmosphere for strolling, seeing and being seen. Go a couple of miles south to River & Campbell and St Phillips Plaza offers yet more ways to feast your eyes and whet your appetite. And if you’re a doc who needs to get to UMC, a lawyer working downtown, or you just want to go to a UofA game, living near Skyline & Campbell makes it a breeze.

- I also believe that Pima Canyon, popular in its own right, contributes to increased values.

All the homes in Pima Canyon are newer. They’re all built since 2001 and most since 2004 and many in just the last 2 or 3 years. In all the other high-end communities there’s a mix of older and newer homes, but generally, with more older than newer.  Also, in PC all the homes are single story, which is not the case in many of the other luxe communities.

And more buyers of high-end homes prefer newer to older and, overwhelmingly, they prefer to live in single story homes.

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the low end of the market continues unabated

Since Wednesday morning;

6 contracts from $269,900 to $475,000

8 new listings from $259,900 to $545,000

and 3 closed sales from $139,999 to $419,000

But nothing higher.

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another spec that didn’t pan out

Completed in 2007, 4365 N Camino Del Rey made its debut in May 2006 at $995,000, and didn’t sell, and called quits in August 08 down to $799,000. It took a four year hiatus and came back on in June 2012 at $749,000, dropped to $679,000 and expired in December, still unsold. And, 3rd time’s the charm, it’s back today at $680,000 ($195/sf) as a foreclosure.

We’re used to foreclosures being listed for less $$$ than what they didn’t sell for as regular/normal/non-distress sales, so we’ll see. But in this market it wouldn’t surprise me.

4365 N Camino Del Rey Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Keller Williams Southern Arizona 4783)

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2 days to contract

The other day I mentioned 2 new listing in Pinnacle Ridge >  good things come in 3’s < and today one of them is in contract. No surprise there, and the other one can’t be far behind.

6302 N Pinnacle Ridge Drive Tucson, AZ 85718   $645,000
(listed by Long Realty)

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in a fast moving market

If you’re searching for a home in the Tucson Foothills you’ve probably noticed that the most desirable homes are going to contract and selling fairly quickly, sometimes in just a day or two. And it can be very frustrating. In order to maintain your edge in this market it’s important to be up-to-date on new listings and price reduced listings.

You can easily do so by going to my web site > www.thefoothillsToday.com and from my  homepage click  JUST- Listed, Sold & Reduced  where you’ll see every new listing and price reduced listing from the past 7 days. And that includes all the homes listed in the Tucson Association of Realtors multiple listing service.

Better yet, because once you set it up you don’t have to lift a finger, is to sign up for Virtual Home Finder which is available on the left hand column of my homepage. Just create and save a search or multiple searches and once you do you’ll get automatic email notifications to keep you  up-to-date on new listings, price changes and open houses that pertain to your specific property searches.

Or, best of all, call me and we’ll talk about the kind of home you’re looking for and I’ll help you find it.

**  I respect your privacy and if you register for Virtual Home Finder I will not call or email you unless you contact me first.

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to find your Catalina Foothills home

good things come in 3’s

Yesterday I mentioned a new listing in Pinnacle Ridge where there’s been a real shortage of available homes for at least the last year > any bets on how long this lasts < and, guess what, today there’s another new listing - 6302 N Pinnacle Ridge Drive Tucson AZ 85718 – $645,000 ($227/sf) (listed by Long Realty)

Who’s next.

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any bets on how long this lasts

4300 E Pinnacle Ridge Place appeared in the MLS this afternoon listed at $799,900 ($226/sf) in Pinnacle Ridge, aka Paloma Canyon, where, since last spring there’s been a real shortage of homes. Just 3 for sale since last April (2 were foreclosures) and they sold in 7, 11 and 21 days. BAM! Paloma Ridge is very desirable and popular, especially with families, but others too. Hurry!
I don’t have a buyer for Pinnacle Ridge right now, if I did I would have gotten them over there pronto, and not have blabbed about the listing.

4300 E Pinnacle Ridge Place Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

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free plug

I received this flyer in an email from the listing agent, and I’m guessing, ha-ha, she wouldn’t mind if I posted it to the blog. And why not, we haven’t seen this in a while. 

4222 N Quail Canyon Drive , Tucson, AZ 85750
(listed by Long Realty) – last sold in 06 for $1,125,000
And the Miata, about $19,000 according to Kelly Bluebook.

PS- good, bad or otherwise the houses featured here are chosen by me. I don’t normally do requests, but if I do you’ll know it.

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do I hear $325

6831 N Skyway Drive, a spec house that didn’t make it, started out in late 08 at $1,400,000 and showed up last week as a foreclosure looking for $830,000 And today, word is, it’s going to auction very soon with an estimated opening bid of $325,000 - Now, finally, that makes sense.

6831 N Skyway Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Prudential Arizona Properties 356307)

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what’s your pleasure, 85718 or 85750

Those are the two main zip codes that comprise the area known as the Tucson Foothills, or the Catalina Foothills, and most of the buyers I meet have a preference for one or the other. And aside from the homes that are for sale in each zip their preference is often based on the geographic and convenience features of the two areas.

85718 is more developed, with more plazas, restaurants and nearby shopping, and it’s closer to downtown and the University of Arizona. And if you’re looking for an older adobe home, or a Joesler, you are, with very few exceptions, talking about 718. Because 718 is where John Murphey and Josias Joseler first established the Catalina Foothills Estates, the very first development in the foothills in the 1930’s. 85750 came much later. And though not to everyone’s taste, 718 also has many more gated communities than 750.

But 85750 also has its charms. With its main shopping, restaurant and retail plaza at one location, at Kolb & Sunrise, it’s less developed, less busy, has less traffic and, to some, feels more natural and pristine than 718. It also has the fantastic Sabino Canyon in its backyard. And if you’re so inclined and have the means there’s nothing like the dramatic terrain and eagles nest views of the Mountain Estates at Ventana. 

But beyond that there are also price differences between the two zips with, in general, more higher priced homes in 85718.

Below is 85718, with 186 homes for sale – bordered on the north by the Catalina National Forest then Craycroft Rd on the east - River Rd on the south and 1st Ave on the west.

And 85750, with 164 homes for sale – also bordered on the north by the Catalina National Forest then Sabino Canyon and Sabino Creek on the east - River Rd on the south then Craycroft Rd on the west.

And the numbers:

85718 - 186 for sale, avg/med list $984,147/$675,000

85750 – 164 for sale, avg/med list $785,880/$555,000

85718 – 65 in contract, avg/med list $527,917/$499,000

85750 –83 in contract, avg/med list $477,980/$400,000

85718 – 102 sold since 1/1/13, avg/med sold $550,629/$422,500

85750 – 105 sold since 1/1/13, avg/med sold $417,971/$365,000

And homes in 750 sold in an average of 89 DOM while it took 102 DOM in 718. And even with fewer homes for sale 750 has more in contract and has sold as many homes as 718. And I suspect that lower prices in 750 are giving it the edge.

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raising prices

6831 N Skyway Drive, in Vista De La Candelas, reappeared today as a foreclosure at $830,000 – after failing to sell in 5 months at $725,000 as a short sale. Though it did go to contract and, ignoring the contract, it looks like mr lender may have pulled the rug out on the deal and gone ahead and foreclosed. Not sure on that but that’s what it looks like.

And as things go in the foothills these days, 6831 may look like a lot of house for money. And it may be. But sales in the $800’s, or even $700’s, are not the norm in VDLC.
There was an $875 and an $825k sale in 05 and 06, the two highest sales in VDLC since the beginning of time. But never again, before or since then, have such heights been achieved. From there, there were two in $700’s, three in the $600’s, a handful in the $500’s with the vast majority in the $400’s and $3’s, $2’s and $1’s.

And, for what it’s worth, RealtyTrac values it at $637,958. But, regardless, someone may come along, it wouldn’t surprise me.

This is the same 6831 N Skyway Drive that I wrote about in January > trying for $1.3 in a $500k community  <      6831 N Skyway Drive (listed by Prudential Arizona Properties 356307)

And 5796 N Loft Lane went to contract today listed at $549,000 after failing to sell in late 2011 and early 2012 listed at $463,000. 5796 N Loft Lane , Tucson, AZ 85718  (listed by Tierra Antigua Realty)

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the hot vacation home market

So says CNNMoney.com with an assist from Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR. Hmmm!

"Investors have been very active in the market over the past two years, attracted mostly by foreclosures that could be quickly turned into profitable rentals," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR. As a result, the supply of available second homes in hotspots like Florida and Arizona has grown quite limited, he said.

Read all about it > Vacation home sales surged 10% last year

Question, would you call a 10% rise a surge.

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searching for a home in the Tucson Foothills

I ran this piece a few years ago and I ran across it and thought that it’s just as appropriate today, maybe even more so since there are fewer homes for sale, so I ran a new search and updated the numbers and here it is again.

There are 391 single family homes for sale in the foothills and with that many homes you’d think you would find plenty to choose from.

OK, let's look at a hypothetical buyer looking for a home in the Tucson Foothills with a price range of $750,000 to $900,000.

At $750,000 to $900,000 there are 31 homes for sale, more than plenty, really too too many. Absolutely, so let’s start entering your preferences in the search and see what we come up with.
- let’s start with the key criteria, bedrooms and baths,
- 4 bedrooms & 3 or more baths, bingo, that narrows it down to a much more manageable
16  homes
- and you’d like somewhere between 3000 to 4000 sq ft - no prob, 15 homes. Nice.
- you want about an acre, let's say .80 or more – 13 winners
- and in District 16 schools - OK, 10 homes, Perfect!
- (or, you don’t care whether it’s District 16 or not but you do want to be in 85718 zip, that  leaves 6 homes)
- and you only want single story, yes of course-  7 really great homes to choose from
- and you don’t want an older home, nothing built before 2000 – aha – OK, that’s 2 to choose from.
- or, alternatively, you’d like an older home, a burnt adobe from 60’s or 70’s. In that case we’re done, there’s just 1 to choose from. Let’s write it up.

And we didn't even get into the style or whether it’s in a gated or non-gated area, city or mountain views, and other typical buyer preferences. And of course, you want to get a good deal too. Geez,

It happens every time. Once you start breaking down all the homes for sale in the Foothills, which run the gamut from under $200k to over $7 mil, you end up with too few, not too many, to choose from.

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contracts

5870 N Piedra Seca sold for $1.2mil in 06 and went to contract today as short sale listed at $850,000. If there’s any consolation it’s that it was over fast, just 10 days from listing to contract.

5870 N Piedra Seca Tucson, AZ 85718
(Listed by  Long Realty)

Just 3 other contracts today, at $239,000, $354,000 and $420,000. Oh, and 6966 N Javelina Drive, that I mentioned last week when it went to contract - it took a few months longer than I thought it would - it’s back on the market, DFT. (deal fell thru)

That’s Thursday,

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need a Skylight or Skylight repair

Desert Living, Inc., owned and operated in Tucson by Brent Olson since 1977, specializes in skylight installation, replacement, leak detection, and repair. Desert Living, Inc. offers installation of skylight products that are designed to perform well in the desert climate of Tucson. Products include acrylic, glass, and tubular skylights. These can be fixed, manual, or electric operable and can be accessorized with manual, electric, or solar powered blinds.

For more info see the web site > DesertlivingTucson.com or contact Brent at 520-907-2072 for a free estimate. I know Brent personally and heartily recommend him.

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to find your Tucson Foothills home

still looking for a rental house

At the beginning of the month I wrote about a pilot with the Royal Netherlands Air Force,  who will be the commanding officer of the Dutch F-16 flight training at the Tucson ANG, that was looking for an unfurnished rental house for him and his family for the coming 3 years.
They’re still looking,

see here for the details > looking for a good rental house for 3 years <

If you know of anything, please contact me  johnschneiders@gmail.com

Thank you.

 

what do you get for $225,000

a 1956 burnt adobe, 1536 sf on just under half an acre. Someone wanted it, 5 days and it’s in contract,

235 W Ocotillo Vista Tucson, AZ 85704
(listed by Long Realty)

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sold in the last 30 days

76 single family homes sold in the Tucson Foothills in the last 30  days. And with 383 for sale, overall, we’re looking at a skimpy 5 months of inventory. 383 ÷ 76 = 5.03

For a closer look at how those sales break down by price range click > Market Snapshot
You’ll see that $0 – $599 is doing great and carrying most of the load. And $600 – $999 has picked up and also appears to be doing well. But, in fact, 12 of the 14 sales in that range are huddled at the lower end - from $611,500 to $725,000 - and then one each at $935 and $980k.

And a million and up is, let’s say, looking promising – in addition to the 5 sold there are 8 in contract. So it’s definitely in play.

76 Sold

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the pain of buying then and selling now

in the villages of La Paloma, 3455 E Corte Paloma Brava sold for $789,000 (list price) in 2005 and for $560,000 the other day. Though it was over quickly, just 20 days from listing to contract.

This is a stark reminder of why many would-be sellers are reluctant or, more often, unable to sell their homes. These people just took about a $270k hit.

previously mentioned here > in the villages of La Paloma <

3455 E Corte Paloma Brava Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

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another upper-end sale that went to contract in early January

6223 N Desert Moon Loop, which was listed on 1/9, went to contract 3 days later and closed yesterday for $980,000 ($283/sf).

6223 N Desert Moon Loop Tucson, AZ 85750
(listed by Long Realty)

The action was fast-paced back then, all of two months ago, and noted often:

sensible pricing pays off

when the right one comes along

starting off with a BANG!

a slew of contracts

they’re flying off the shelf

Those were the days!

**unfortunately the links to the listings within those posts (or any post) expire after just 30 days – it’s an annoying limitation of our flex mls system, and there’s nothing I can do about it, sorry**

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for you night owls

If you enjoy searching for homes in the wee hours on my web site or (God forbid) on other Long agent sites please be advised that the IT folks are planning an upgrade to all Long Realty sites. This is scheduled to begin at approximately 9PM on Saturday, February 23rd, and is expected to be completed by 7AM on Sunday February 24th.

During that time LongRealty.com, Long Realty Agent Websites, Agent Mobile sites and Virtual Home Finder will not be available. Including my site, www.thefoothillsToday.com

Sorry for the inconvenience. But tune in on Sunday Feb 24th after 7 AM and everything should be up and running smoothly.

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lightning strikes twice

When 7377 N McManus Trail was listed last September I wrote -
Get this, there are 10 homes for sale in Cobblestone and just one sold this year. Pretty dreary. And then last week along comes 7377 N McManus Trail, newly listed at $799,000, bringing that total to11. But not for long. Because McManus is already in contract. And I showed it on Saturday morning and already it had two offers. But my clients didn’t care for it, for them the interior needed a top to bottom renovation -  It’s the proverbial good bones house with brick everywhere, and I mean everywhere…

And go figure, but 8 days later it went to contract and sold for $780,000. Just like that. 
psst!, a sale in Cobblestone

And after completing the renovation McManus Trail went back on the market yesterday listed at $1,150,000, and is in contract today.

It went from this,

to this,

and this,

to this,

and more, but you get the idea. These flips are tricky and risky and don’t always work out as planned. But it looks like this one sure did.

7377 N McManus Trail , Tucson, AZ 85750
(listed by Long Realty)

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tis the season for the Golf Villas at Ventana

They’re very popular with the 2nd home, winter getaway crowd, and it’s not surprising.
They’re nicely done, easy care, low maintenance, relatively inexpensive, and with lots of options for recreation right at your fingertips. They surround the golf course in Ventana Country Club where there’s a heated pool & spa just for the golf villas and the Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club offers golf, tennis, pool/spa, a fitness center and dining. All in a gorgeous setting.

Right now there are 7 for sale from $370,000 to $499,000, and as of today, 1 in contract at $549,000, but just 1 sold in the last 6 months - which might cause you to be wary and wonder why, if they’re so popular, they aren’t selling better. But the golf villas, which sell almost exclusively from January to June, are probably the most seasonal single family home sales in the Foothills.

For example, 11 golf villas sold in 2012 - 9 of them sold from January 27th to June 4th, plus 1 in early July and 1 in October.

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to find your Ventana Canyon home

where’s the big money?

Since February 1st, 44 homes have gone to contract, with the highest of the bunch listed at $825,000, and the vast majority (84%) are under $600,000.

44 contracts

There are 126 homes listed for sale above $825,000. And to even make a dent in that inventory before summer rolls around, we’d have to see 15 or more contracts/month from now thru the end of May, when winter visitors flee as we start flirting with triple digit temperatures.

Your thoughts,

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a new addition

In case you haven’t noticed I added a tab up top, under the picture of the Catalina’s, called
“Market Snapshot”. It’s a running tally of the number of homes for sale, in contract and sold in the last 30 days, broken down by price range.

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good looking house, good looking price

and in contract in 29 days. That’s In Skyline Country Club at 6750 N Mamaronick Drive.

It’s an older adobe that was remodeled and transformed into a modern 21st century home, not for everyone, but if you were looking for something like this, there’s nothing else like it available, and there seldom is. I mentioned it when it was listed > old is new again <

6750 N Mamaronick Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

facing the music in Alta Vista

6155 E Avenida De Chaparron sold for $965,000 in 2004 and sold again in 2006 for $1,267,000 – them were the days – and, listed 4 1/2 months ago for $985,000, is reported in contract today. And not as a short sale or REO. So even if it goes for list price, which isn’t likely, that’s a $300k+ loss.

6155 E Avenida De Chaparron , Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

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to find your Catalina Foothills home

After the traumatic collapse of the last price bubble, Americans seem less sanguine about owning versus renting

Another article from Robert Shiller, explaining  why he is less than optimistic about the prospect of rising home prices. From The New York Times

A New Housing Boom? Don’t Count on It

WE’RE beginning to hear noises that we’ve reached a major turning point in the housing market — and that, with interest rates so low, this is a rare opportunity to buy. But are such observations on target?

It would be comforting if they were. Yet the unfortunate truth is that the tea leaves don’t clearly suggest any particular path for prices, either up or down.

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to find your Tucson Foothills home

on Sabino Mountain

4388 N Sabino Mountain Drive is back on the market today. These sellers paid $920,000 in 2005, then tried for $1,395,000 and $1,295,000 in 2009. When it hit the market back then I commented - It last sold for $920,000 in July 05, and so it’ll be interesting to see if today’s buyers agree with the 51% price appreciation now being asked for this house. They didn’t, and that was that, it left the market 6 months later.

It was steeply reduced and listed again last year for $858,000 and still no-go. And now it’s back today, again trying for $858,000, or $181/sf, making it the least expensive house in its price range by $40 or more/sf on SM.

One obstacle may be that buyers are concerned that despite its gloried past, nothing has sold in the $800’s on SM in more than two years. Though there is one in contract at $895,000, and that may be the ice breaker.

4388 N Sabino Mountain Drive , Tucson, AZ 85750
(listed by Tucson Arizona Real Estate 34)

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to find your Tucson Foothills home

this looks good

back in the hay days of 2005 3455 E Corte Paloma Brava was listed for $789,000 and sold for $789,000.Today it’s listed for $599,000 ($194/sf). On the golf course and at the end of the
cul-de-sac too.  Hurry!

3455 E Corte Paloma Brava Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

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REO’s, they’re still with us

4335 N Camino Kino, a 2005 built 3,666 sf home that sold new in 05 for $987,731 is now in contract after 14 days listed at $574,900, courtesy of Wells Fargo. It’s not to my liking but it looks like a lot of house for the money.

In order to stimulate a little bidding war the lender stipulates “No offers MLS days 1-7”. So if you’re bidding on this little gem you know that others are as well and you’ve got 7 days to get it right. But they do too. So the tendency is to raise your bid and wonder, and what-if it to death, and, after another anxious night, to raise it again. I’ll be very surprised if this doesn’t go for over list.

4335 N Camino Kino Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

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web site down

My web site www.thefoothillsToday.com is down – very sorry for the inconvenience.
The tech folks are working diligently to get it back up,

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a slew of contracts

In the post just below this one I noted with some fanfare that 14 homes went to contract in the first week of the new year. And then I wondered, could that be fluke, a temporary spurt, something that will quickly fade.

But now looking at the 7 days since then I see that 35 more homes have gone to contract. And it’s likely that even more will be reported.

of the 35,

28 are priced $125 – $599,000
5 are $695,000 – $999,000
1 each at $1,545,000 and $1,625,000

35 to contract

It’s only week 2 of the new year and anything can happen, but this is an awfully positive start.

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gearing up for the new year

Already, just 7 days into the new year and there are 30 new listings.

10 priced from $1,090,000 to $1,895,000, two of which caught my eye.

5372 E Gleneagles Drive, aside from its other virtues, sits on 5.2 acres in Skyline CC – lots of that size are rare anywhere in the foothills and more so in places like Skyline. And it’s not one of those bowling alley lots either, where your 5 acres is 80 ft wide and 2 miles long, leaving you with 4 1/2  absolutely useless acres - except to the tax man. (listed by Long Realty)

And a yet to be completed new spec home in Finisterra priced at $1,895,000 ($349/sf) has joined the fray. (listed by Tierra Antigua Realty)
Encouraged, perhaps, by the spec that did eventually sell last July in Finisterra. It went for $2,500,000 ($280/sf) off a $3,500,000 ($392/sf) list price that had been reduced from its debut price $4,200,000 ($470/sf) in Feb 2010.

10 new listings from $1,090,000

And 11 new listings from $159,900 to $590,000 – so about the same as for the $mil+ homes – even though this price range is out selling the upper-end by leaps and bounds.

And 9 new listings for the middle of the market – homes priced $600,000 to $999,999 –
so a very fair and even distribution of new listings.

And then there are approximately 20 so-called New Listings that are actually relisted old listings. That is, listings that have been on the market for a month or a year or however long, and either expired or were cancelled and relisted shortly thereafter, sometimes just minutes thereafter. And, while technically they may be new listings, because they have a new mls #, does anyone really consider them New Listings? No one that I know does, why would you?

And I wonder, doesn’t labeling them New Listings fly in the face of serving the public with honest and full disclosure as is so often touted by the real estate industry, to say nothing of causing consumers to flee to Zillow, Trulia and other sources for their real estate information?

I could see it, labeling a relisted old listing as a New Listing, if it were relisted by a different listing agent and broker. That makes sense to me, the new listing agent should be able to start off fresh while trying to apply their marketing know-how. But when it’s the same agent/broker just relisting an old listing, nah. But that’s how the system works, or, depending on your point of view, doesn’t work.

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old is new again

and better than ever. In Skyline Country Club 6750 N Mamaronick Drive, a 1965 burnt adobe territorial, has had a top to bottom remodel, transforming it into a modern 21st century home. 

There are just a few pictures from when it sold in 2006, before the remodel, but even so,
I think you can get the gist of it.

From then,

 

to now;

And unfortunately, modern remodels like this are rare in the Foothills. So if this looks like your thing, you may want to jump on it -  it was listed today for $649,000 – after selling in 2006 for $670,000, before the remodel.

6750 N Mamaronick Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty) 

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in Cobo Catalina Hills

1001 E Magee Road has dropped another $100 thou to $1,750,000.

That’s for a 2006 built, 6755 sf, concrete block construction on 6.5 acres. Cobo is adjacent to the west border of Pima Canyon and is community of homes on 3.3 acres or larger, and many are larger, that can’t be divided. And new construction like this is fairly rare in Cobo.

This one started out almost 2 years ago at $2.9.

Last sale in Cobo was just last month for a place that also started out with high hopes ($3,495,000) and after 4 years settled for $1,450,000 – 5582 sf on 5.9 acres.

Cobo’s not for everyone, but if you want to spread out and not be on top of your neighbors, and still be close to where the action is in the foothills, such as it is, it’s pretty special.

1001 E Magee Road Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Russ Lyon Sotheby’s Int Realty)

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congratulations are in order

for house that’s been on the market for a long-long time and is now, finally, in contract. It’s a house that is now in the $900k range, that was in the $1.6mil range (almost 6 years ago when it started) that has, after 6 years of on and off the market, found a buyer.

And it’s a house that I wrote about 3 or 4 times and showed at least 3 or 4 times, a house that everyone seemed to really like, including me (but not until it got down to $1.1 or so) but for some reason, until now anyway, no one really wanted to buy.

But I’m going to hold off on giving the address because I don’t want to jinx it.

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get your foot in the door in Cat 10

But just. 3525 E Entrada Del Sol could be the ticket. It’s newly renovated and enlarged from 1004 sf to 1819 sf - back in the day it was the sales office for Cat 10. And as such it sits cheek to jowl with the entry/exit gate, though somewhat hidden behind its own gate and wall. And for $425,000 …

3525 E Entrada Del Sol Tucson, AZ 85718
(Listed by Tierra Antigua Realty)

 

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new on the market, 6.7 acres in Cobo

that also includes a 6,003 sf house, possibly a teardown, but what do expect for $675,000. It’s at the northwest boundary of Cobo and backs up to the Coronado National Forest.

And from the listing:
This property is being sold in ''As Is, Where Is'' condition by the Pima County Attorney's Office, Forfeiture Division. There will be no SPDS or CLUE report; utilties may not be available during the Buyer's Inspection period due to safety concerns. This is a luxury residence with good architectural features that has been stripped of HVAC, plumbing, electrical fixtures, cabinetry and appliances. Excellent upside as a Fix-Up. The property has a large outdoor entertainment area and backs up to the National Forest on the north.

8101 N Sendero de Juana Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by  The Havins Co., Inc 1449) I’ve never seen that name before

and btw, our friends at Zillow value it at $1,176,163

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then and now

5080 N Summit Ridge Road sold for $995,000 in Jan 06 and for $742,000 today, –25%.
Like I said yesterday, there are bright spots but it ain’t 2006.

I represented the seller when they bought it in 06. And at the time it had just been reduced to $1,050,000 from a high of $1,495,000. And because the 3rd garage bay had a vent for heat and AC and a pool table in it the sq footage was listed as 3,929 sf. But get this, it was also listed as having a 3 car garage. So the ultimate flex space, the garage/rec room. But that was silly and we ignored it and based the offer on 3,493 sf, with a 3 car garage. And no rec room. And thankfully for the current sale it was also listed as 3,493 sf.

5080 N Summit Ridge Road Tucson, AZ 85750
(Russ Lyon Sotheby's Int Realty 472203)

it’s not exactly the Ponderosa, but it’s big for Pima Canyon

1327 E Desert Garden Drive went on the market today in PC listed at $1,795,000 ($420/sf).
It’s a 2011 built, 4273 sf, 4 Beds/4.5 Baths, 1 story (everything is in PC), but here’s the kicker, it’s on 3.09 acres. That’s huge, and fairly rare in there, or almost anywhere in the Foothills – as rare, these days, as homes selling in neighborhood of $420/sf. But with 3 acres, who’s to say.

that makes 10 for sale, and 10 have sold since Jan 1 and there are 2 in contract.

1327 E Desert Garden Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 70202)

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Tuesday in the Foothills

A (another) new spec home in Skyline CC – this one at 6966 N Javelina Drive listed today at $1,595,000 ($301/sf). Check it out - 5,299/sf, 4 Beds/5 Baths, 1 story, 3 car, pool/spa, a Kevin Howard contemporary design.
 

6966 N Javelina Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
(listed by Long Realty)

And if you’re looking to live-large up on Sabino Mountain this may be just the thing.
7525 E Crested Saguaro Place, which weighs in at 8009 sf and sold for $2,250,000 in 08 was listed today at $1,800,000 ($225/sf).  

And that 08 sale for $2.250 holds the title for the highest sale on Sabino Mountain, ever, thru the Tucson MLS anyway. 7525 E Crested Saguaro Place Tucson, AZ 8575 (listed by Help-U-Sell Galleria Realty 4272)

5121 N Soledad Primera in Cat 7 had been on the market since early this year, then took a break for the summer and returned yesterday with a contract in hand – listed at $825,000 ($201/sf). With the largest and most complete guest houses I’ve seen.
5121 N Soledad Primera , Tucson, AZ 85718 (listed by Long Realty)

Get this, there are 10 homes for sale in Cobblestone and just one sold this year. Pretty dreary. And then last week along comes 7377 N McManus Trail, newly listed at $799,000, bringing that total to11. But not for long. Because McManus is already in contract. And I showed it on Saturday morning and already it had two offers. But my clients didn’t care for it, for them the interior needed a top to bottom renovation -  It’s the proverbial good bones house with brick everywhere, and I mean everywhere. And a very nice, high lot as well. 7377 N McManus Trail Tucson, AZ 85718 (listed by Long Realty)

7654 N Canyon Spirit Way in Pima Canyon sold today for $1,250,000 ($245/sf) from a $1,350,000 listing that was reduced  from $1.6 when it debuted last October. I showed it early this year when it was $1.5 and it’s a nice enough contemporary, eh, but I didn’t think it was a $1.5 house. No way. And neither did my clients. And apparently the market agreed.
7654 N Canyon Spirit Way, Tucson, AZ 85718  (listed by Long Realty)

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the inventory is growing, slowly

Since early this year the inventory of single family homes in the Tucson Foothills has been shrinking, and for the last couple of months it’s been hovering in the low to mid 280’s. And then just recently it started growing and today it’s up to 304, and that’s a good thing. Because given the pace of sales, buyers in almost all price ranges would like to have more homes to choose from.

Here’s the breakdown of homes for sale by price range;

$0 to $599,999 - 167

$600,000 to $999,999 - 71

$1,000,000 to $1,499,999 - 34

$1,500,000 to $1,999,999 - 16

$2.0 big ones and UP – 16

Happy hunting

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