Tucson Real Estate News

SAHBA, the Southern Arizona Homebuilder Association is hosting a Parade of Homes in Marana, AZ starting this coming Saturday.  The parade will feature 7 homes in the $1 million plus range in the Dove Mountain area of Marana, just north of Tucson.  Dove Mountain has been featured in recent news as the home of the newest Ritz-Carlton Resort, and will host the upcoming Accenture Match Play Championship Golf Tournament.

The parade will provide attendees an opportunity for the public to see a showcase of the latest in home styles, electronic systems, the latest in kitchen and bathroom luxuries, appliances, outdoor living and the pinnacle of high-end home features including disappearing walls.  Some of the homes utilize some green building techniques including carpet made from recyclable materials, water conservation techniques, solar panels and colored concrete floors.  Each home carries the EPA's Energy Star certification.

Homes will be open from 10 am to 5 each day of the event starting Saturday, February 2.  The parade will run until the 17th of February.  Admission is $12, seniors 50 & older $10, children 10 & younger are free.  Military personnel are half-price on Feb. 11, 55 & older will enjoy 2-for-1 admission on the 13th and Valentine's Day will be celebrated by offering $2 tickets with a canned food donation.  Special programs and events are planned, including a giveaway of SuperBowl Tickets on the opening day.

Builders are Bauer Homes, Casas Bonitas Development, Becklin Construction, Lathrem Homebuilders, JD Raney Construction, Washburn Custom Builders and Canatsey Building & Development.

For further information and a map:  click here

I just read something interesting about the Giants & the Patriots.  It seems that both teams had no players arrested during the year.  Only 3 other squads in the NFL can boast the same off-field lack of trouble.  Does good character lead itself to success in one's chosen field of endeavor?  While naysayers and quick-buck artists will point to doing "whatever it takes," I choose to believe that long-term success is predicated upon good character throughout the career.

For what it's worth:  I've put my 2 cents in!

 you are someone who enjoys "forward thinking" and innovative development - New Mexico has something for you.  In what promises to be a future player in New Mexico's economic development, the state has embraced Spaceport America, positioning itself to be a key player in the commercial development of space.   

While the nation and the world have been reacting to today's events and the near-future's possibilities, there is a project progressing in New Mexico that has tomorrow written all over it:  Spaceport America.

The Spaceport is slated to be home to several commercial ventures, including passenger space travel.  While many naysayers argue that this is just the stuff of pipedreams and science fiction, the reality is that space is becoming more commercial every day, and those who position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities that will develop out of them have a chance to capitalize on a burgeoning new market.

Already, Virgin Galactic, Up Aerospace, Starchaser Industries and RocketRacing League have committed to or already building facilities in and around the area of Spaceport America.  Other, ancillary companies will follow suit as the port comes closer to fully operational.  Granted, some of these forward-thinking entities may not survive, but others will take their place. (edit - Rocket Racing League has folded before becoming operational 11/27/09)

The reality of space as a place for business is here.  The days of costs being so huge that only a government had the resources to invest in launch vehicles or entire programs designed to launch satellites for commercial use are fading into the past.  Innovative businesses and deep-pocketed visionaries are taking things to the next level. 

What will the needs of these businesses be?  Their employees and clients?  How will the real estate industry keep up with the opportunities that will present themselves as this industry grows and evolves?

Such a bold and smart move by New Mexico may seem sudden, but the state has a track record and long history of working with the space industry and rocket pioneers, such as Goddard, Von Braun and other fathers of the field. 

As a 4th generation native of the state, I am proud that New Mexico has taken the initiative to start today on tomorrow's ventures.  Though I currently live and practice in Arizona, expanding my business to New Mexico is only a few short months away.

Lockheed Martin, Payload Specialties, Microgravity Enterprises, the X-Prize Foundation and White Sands Missle Range have all signed on to be tenants at the new commercial development.  New Mexico continues its legacy of 20th century contributions in space exploration into the 21st century.

Now that private companies are taking the lead in research & development of space access - and finding it more & more commercially viable, this bold move by New Mexico will seem less risky and strategically astute as the space industry becomes an engine of economic development.

Welcome to the Walter Douglas House.

The Walter Douglas House was built in 1907 by renowned architect Henry C. Trost. The home was designed to be the private residence of Mr. Douglas, a civil engineer who was to head the worlds largest copper mine in Bisbee, Arizona.

 It is said that Walter Douglas himself never lived in the home, although other members of his family did occupy the mansion for brief periods of time.

The home consists of some 42 rooms including a five room master suite, twelve bedrooms, ten bathrooms, a third floor billiards room, and a two bedroom one bathroom guest apartment with full kitchen and living room off the main floor with its own private entrance.

 The house is constructed of reinforced concrete exterior walls which likely accounts for its sustained structural integrity and commanding presence. Some of the outstanding features of this home include the beautiful Gustav Stickley commissioned library complete with the original nine piece furniture set.

Also worth noting is the Grueby ceramic tile fireplace facing and hearths on the six fireplaces throughout the home.

 The home, which is situated on almost two acres, also features some of the most beautiful unobstructed views of the Sierra Madre mountains to the south in Mexico.

There is a large swimming pool and private entertainment patio at the back of the house, which is protected by the house and the hill behind the house. The hill was constructed by Phelps Dodge during the excavation of the Lavender Pit and is comprised of copper ore. It has been estimated that there are several hundred thousand tons of ore in the hill.

 Over the past 98 years the Walter Douglas House has lived many lives; the "Copper King's" mansion, the Loma Linda Lodge, a health clinic retreat, an apartment complex, and then once again, a private family home.

It has ... 48 total rooms ... 2 acres.
Historical and one of the most famous homes in all of Southern Arizona.
It is listed for a simple sale at $2 million.

Listed For Sale By The Pepper Group Diversified
Currently off of the market.
Please Contact Kent Simpson For More Information
520.302.5368

Festivities will include lectures, art, music, walking tours of downtown, films, exhibits, museums, exciting re-enactments of taking "Public Enemy Number One" down for his historical crime spree...and more! This event is free for all ages!

For more info & schedule of events, click on the link:  Downtown Tucson Partnership

The Skyline Bel Air Estates Community Association in Tucson, AZ voted 102-101 against allowing an amendment to its rules to allow an 11 year-old child to keep the pet he earned by working summer and after-school jobs within community bounds:  a 30-inch tall miniature horse.  Alex, whose mother is the Association President, paid the expense himself to have a special vote-by-mail ballot (several hundred dollars) on the issue, and spent time lobbying the residents by walking the neighborhood with Bailey, the "horse of a neutral color."

(Not Bailey)

Although the hearts of the community were not swayed enough to allow Alex and Bailey to live together, their plight was not unnoticed.  Several offers were received to board Bailey, with the Therapeutic Ranch for Animals & Kids getting turning the "neigh" vote into a "yay" for all concerned.  Alex gets to come by after school to pet and feed Bailey, while kids are introduced to horses and other animals by the Ranch.  Students at Sunrise Elementary where Alex is a 5th grader will enjoy a visit from her and several other animals from the ranch soon, a spokesperson said.

Chris Kemmerly and Steve Quinlan announced today that they have purchased the assets of Standard Pacific Homes' Southern Arizona Division.  The purchase included roughly 700 lots ready for building and 70 homes in varying stages of beginning or completion.  Kemmerly & Quinlan have partnered before in several projects through the years, and will operate the company as Miramonte Homes.  Craig Campbell, the former president of the purchased division will serve as president of the new company.

Kemmerly has been involved in development and building for over 20 years and is a recent past president and builder of the year for Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association (SAHBA).  Quinlan brings the company 25+ years of residential and commercial brokerage experience and is chairman of Long Realty Company which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

Current plans are to finish the 70 homes in progress and build 70 more while acquiring more land and subdivisions ready for new construction this year.

In 2004 Standard Pacific purchased Kemmerly Homes, which also built under the Miramonte Homes name.

Tucson's JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa is basking in the glow of being ranked as one of the World's Best 500 Hotels in the January issue of Travel + Leisure Magazine.  The resort, nestled in a spectacular setting on Tucson's west side, has been open since January of 2005 and includes the Dalai Lama as one of its noteworthy guests.  The hotel boasts 575 rooms, 7 dining rooms, 27-hole Arnold Palmer Signature golf course, 88,000 square feet of event space and the destination Hashani Spa encompassing 20,000 square feet.  Slated to open in Spring '08 is a waterpark including a lazy river and waterslide.

                                                                            
Visitors and industry critics have applauded the hotel's staff and facilities, awarding them numerous awards in 2007 including:

Top 100 Golf Resorts - Conde Nast Traveler
Award of Excellence - Corporate & Incentive Travel
Greens of Distinction - Corporate & Incentive Trave
Platinum Choice Award - Smart Meetings Magazine
Pinnacle Award - Successful Meetings Magazine
Golden Tee Award - Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Golden Platter Award - Meetings & Conventions Magazine

Tucson, Arizona has long been known for its fine resorts and unique brand of hospitality.  Adding a property of the JW Marriott Starr Pass' caliber adds to that tradition.  Most of Tucson's resorts are nestled in the Catalina Foothills to the north of town - having this property tucked into a quiet niche of the Tucson Mountains to the west gives us another compass point to be proud of.

Kudos to the staff and management for continuing the tradition of excellence that has been a hallmark of the Tucson Hospitality Industry!

If you are interested in buying a home in the resort or close by, there is quite a selection to choose from - you can buy a home, townhome or condo on the Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, or select a luxury home in a gated community.

New homes and ranchettes can be found nearby - in a variety of price ranges on both sides of the Tucson Mountains. 

Call me to explore your options for resort homes, golf homes on the Arnold Palmer Signature course or one of the many other highly rated golf courses that help make Tucson a golfer's paradise.

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JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa

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Tucson's Loft Cinema is hosting a series of competitions for local filmmakers called "First Friday Shorts."  Incredible things have been brought about by the digital revolution:  one of them is opening up the art of filmmaking to the masses.  For better or for worse.  On the first Friday of each month, local artists screen their films of 15 minutes or less before an audience posing at judge and jury of their work.  At the 3-minute point during each film, a huge gong is illuminated and the audience can stay silent to allow the film to continue or stop it by yelling "Gong" to Max Cannon, the local columnist and host.  At the end of the evening, a show of applause for each title determines the winner of a $100 prize and automatic entry into the local Short Film Festival in May.

What results is an atmosphere of encouragement and appreciation for the budding artists.  While a few films are truly horrible, the majority are fun, interesting and surprisingly well done.  One can see exercises and experimentation with different techniques, avant-garde writing, animation and technical exploration.  It is a lot of fun to watch groups of supporters cajole the audience into voting for their choice and cameraderie among the filmmakers.

A friend and I went last night on a lark, and both of us plan to attend as often as possible!  The $5 price of admission is paltry compared to the enjoyment to be had.  Who knows, perhaps one of these young artists might become our next Fellini, Capra or Spielberg.  The fun is watching the process of growth and discovery along the way.

The Loft is a Tucson cultural icon quickly becoming recognized nationally and internationally for its support of and contributions to the art of film.  Started in 1972, the Loft has transitioned from the typical "only place in town to see foreign films" to a dynamic non-profit cultural force and educational resource in the community.  A diverse lineup ranges from low-budget productions to the screening of art films from around the world.  Directors of note often host screenings of their work, some even soliciting critique from attendees.  Recent and planned events include screenwriting & filmmaking workshops, a showing & discussion of The Fisher King with Oscar Winner Mercedes Ruhel, Q & A with Bobcat Goldthwait, David Lynch, The Jewish Film Festival, Tucson Childrens Film Festival and a selection of award-winning films, cult classics and more.  Check out their web page:  Loft Cinema Tucson

                

Philip Seymour Hoffman         John Cameron Mitchell                                     "Betty Page-O-Rama"

                            John Waters

Phoenix mall developer Westcor is close to signing an agreement to develop a Master Plan for 12,000 acres of state-owned land on the SE side of Tucson.  The state would retain ownership of the land while Westcor develops a master plan to include shops, businesses and residences.  Parts of the property will be sold to the private sector at auction. 

Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup spoke about the project in his 2007 State of The City address, which at that time was for 8,000 acres.  He was quoted as saying that the project would bring "the highest-quality master planning and managed growth" to the city. 

Mark Winkelman, the State Land Commissioner approved 3 orders before Christmas to approve Westcor's concept plan and declare the land suitable for development, including commercial.  Final paperwork has not been completed for the permit, but a signing ceremony has been planned for January 11 in City Councilwoman Shirley Scott's office. 

Officials have characterized the project as a "2nd City" and estimate that Westcor will spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million in the next year to develop the Master Plan, which could take up to 40 years to implement fully. 

(Information for this blog post was obtained from an article in the Arizona Daily Star and confirmed by a teacher of seminars on growth in Pima county)

On January 9, the Tucson Association of REALTORS® is hosting a Forecast Seminar for 2008.  Entitled "Prospering In The Current Market," speakers of note will be Lawrence Yun, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, and Michael Tchong, Founder of Ubercool.

Yun, who pioneered the development of the Commercial Leading Index and helped to develop the residential Pending Home Sales Index, will discuss local market trends and forecast.

Tchong, an internationally known speaker on emerging trends in business, culture and media will be speaking about future trends.

This is an interesting opportunity to listen to two outside perspectives from different backgrounds and business modes.  Since the Tucson market is growing in terms of both national and international interest, their viewpoints will be intriguing to weigh alongside local pundits.  I will definitely be attending this seminar, and will report back a synopsis of what was discussed.