Big changes are in the works at the MLSSAZ (Multiple Listing Service of Southern Arizona)
From the MLSSAZ
As a part of the regionalization efforts between Green Valley/Sahuarita, Santa Cruz County, and Tucson MLSs, upgrades to the database are necessary to enhance the existing Tucson MLS database and incorporate information necessary for Green Valley/Sahuarita, Santa Cruz County Subscribers.
MLSSAZ is making significant changes to the existing Tucson MLS database to align it with the Regional Standard. These changes include changing many of our existing [listing information] fields, the addition of many new [listing information] fields and features to better describe listings to agents and consumers, adjusted area boundaries, and new statuses to more accurately reflect the listing life cycle. The official timeline for the Regional Database Upgrade will be implemented the week of August 7, 2017.
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In separate posts over the next few days I will review and hopefully explain the various changes that are taking place.
For today I'll go over what I think is the biggest change that will affect consumers searching for homes in the Catalina Foothills - the revised area boundaries for the North area. The existing North area is the area that defined the Catalina Foothills in the MLS.
In the map below, the existing North area (aka Catalina Foothills) is the tan colored area with its east boundary just east of Sabino Canyon Rd and its west boundary at the east side of Oracle Rd (the squiggly red line). An area that neatly defined the Catalina foothills, and nothing else. It included the 85718, 85750 zip codes and a sliver of 85704.
The new North area will extend much further west, all the way to the I-10 freeway. And in addition to 85718 & 85750 it will include a big chunk of 85704 and 85741 – zips that were formerly designated as the Northwest area.
Therefore, the new configuration will no longer define the Catalina Foothills. Otherwise, with just a tweak here or there, the east, south and north boundaries of the North area remain essentially the same. (click map to enlarge)
How does that affect consumers and RE agents searching for homes in the Catalina Foothills.
- Instead of entering North as the area in the Custom Search criteria you will need to enter the Catalina Foothills zip codes, 85718 and/or 85750. And because only a sliver of 85704 was included in the original North area there’s no way to split it along the original lines. So you can either drop 85704 or include it. If you include it you will get much more of 85704 than before, as it extends quite a ways west of Oracle Rd and the Catalina Foothills.
- The extended area will cause a significant drop in North area average/median list and sold prices. The current median list and sold prices for the North area are;
List = $645,900. Sold (the last 3 months) = $440,000.
For 85704/85741 the current median list and sold prices are;
List = $304,500. Sold (the last 3 months) = $219,250.
So list and sold prices in those 2 zips are around 50% or more lower than those in the traditional Catalina Foothills area.
The Quick Searches, Open House, Just Listed and Just Reduced searches on my web site will be revised to return listings from 85718 and 85750 only. Bye-bye 85704. The Search by Subdivision search will remain the same as each search is for a designated foothills subdivision.
Another thing, I haven’t figured out how to collect accurate sales data for the Catalina Foothills when comparing time periods before and after the change over.
As these changes are implemented over the next week or so there are bound to be a few bumps in the road . If you’re having problems or find that one of the searches on my website is returning odd or incorrect results please contact me and I will do whatever I can to help.
see TheFoothillsToday.com
to find your very own Catalina Foothills Home
