Check out the interactive graph of home price history across the nation

Today's New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/08/25/business/20070826_HOUSING_GRAPHIC.html#

Phoenix is NUMBER ONE in retail building

Phoenix ranks No. 1 in retail building, from the Arizona Republic, reports that metro Phoenix has more retail space under construction than anywhere else in the country, according to national real estate information firm CoStar. Most of the retail growth is along the Loop 101 and Loop 202 extensions. The fast growth can be attributed not only to the Valley's increasing population and low unemployment but perhaps also to residents who love to shop, said Garrett Newland, vice president with Westcor, a shopping-center development company. Metro Phoenix had 13.4 million square feet of retail space under construction at the end of the second quarter. Nearly 83 percent of it is pre-leased, according to CoStar. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0814biz-retailspace0814.html <http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0814biz-retailspace0814.html>

Fireside at Desert Ridge

Fireside at Desert Ridge like 7 neighborhoods in one, from the Arizona Republic, reports that Fireside at Desert Ridge, going up on 270-acres west of Desert Ridge Marketplace, is like seven neighborhoods. On the northeastern corner are "maintenance free" homes-- apartment and patio homes that will be sold to empty-nesters and first-time buyers. Near Deer Valley Drive in the center are the luxury line of homes-- large with up to five bedrooms. "We are speaking to a variety of lifestyles," said Eric Orpet, marketing manager for Pulte and Del Webb, developers of the site. "We've developed brand-new unique plans for the area." In all, 916 units will be built, with homes ranging from 1,448 to 4,306 square feet with prices starting at $359,900 to $794,900. The most popular homes so far are in the Monument Series, with sizes from 3,334 to 4,049 square feet and priced from the high $600,000's. In addition to Desert Ridge Marketplace, several other shopping and lifestyle complexes are also developing in this area, including City North and Aviano.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/nephoenix/articles/0807phx-nesale0807-ON.html
Elizabeth

Fireside at Desert Ridge

Fireside at Desert Ridge like 7 neighborhoods in one, from the Arizona Republic, reports that Fireside at Desert Ridge, going up on 270-acres west of Desert Ridge Marketplace, is like seven neighborhoods. On the northeastern corner are "maintenance free" homes-- apartment and patio homes that will be sold to empty-nesters and first-time buyers. Near Deer Valley Drive in the center are the luxury line of homes-- large with up to five bedrooms. "We are speaking to a variety of lifestyles," said Eric Orpet, marketing manager for Pulte and Del Webb, developers of the site. "We've developed brand-new unique plans for the area." In all, 916 units will be built, with homes ranging from 1,448 to 4,306 square feet with prices starting at $359,900 to $794,900. The most popular homes so far are in the Monument Series, with sizes from 3,334 to 4,049 square feet and priced from the high $600,000's. In addition to Desert Ridge Marketplace, several other shopping and lifestyle complexes are also developing in this area, including City North and Aviano.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/nephoenix/articles/0807phx-nesale0807-ON.html
Elizabeth

Fed Leaves Rate Steady; No Sign of Future Cut

The Federal Reserve today largely sidestepped the growing anxiety over how tightening credit standards will affect the economy. Click below to view the NY Times full article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/business/07cnd-fed.html?ex=1344225600&en=754446eb09b3bc50&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

America's Fastest-Growing Suburbs

America's fastest-growing suburbs, from MSNBC.com, reports that Census information from 2000 through 2006, compiled by Demographic, a St. Louis research firm, shows Gilbert, Arizona as the nations fastest-growing big suburb (with a population of 100,000 or more) in the nation. The study, commissioned by Forbes.com, shows that Gilbert grew from 112,766 people to 191,517 in that period of time. The Phoenix area also saw the greatest positive domestic migration of any American metro area last year, with 115,000 more people moving into town than leaving. The article states that affordable housing and a growing economy are draws to the Phoenix metro area. Lincoln, California, outside of Sacramento, was the nation's fastest growing suburb overall (regardless of size), growing from 11,746 to 39,566 people from 2000 to 2006. Rounding out the top ten fastest growing suburbs after Lincoln were four Phoenix suburbs; Buckeye, Surprise, Goodyear and Avondale.

http://realestate.msn.com/Buying/Article_forbes.aspx?cp-documentid=5219929&GT1=10341

Paradise Valley is a bright spot even in the current market conditions

The first article, Home construction remains solid in P.V., from the Arizona Republic, reports that home construction in Paradise Valley, the area's priciest market, is strong with 50 new home permits issued by the town through June, compared with 54 for the same period in 2006 and 55 in the same period of 2005. Paradise Valley, also known for tear downs of existing homes to build new mansions, also issued 35 home-demolition permits for the first half of the year, up 17 percent from 2006. That reflects a dwindling supply of vacant lots in Paradise Valley. Paradise Valley is a bright spot in an overall market that has seen permits fall 23 percent for the first half of 2007, according to the Phoenix Housing Market Letter published by local housing analyst R.L. Brown. Karl Stauffer, an associate broker with Sonoran Properties GMAC Real Estate, said luxury markets such as Paradise Valley "have been steadily grinding along." He is not alarmed at the residential-market slowdown. "Yes, it's bad medicine, but it's medicine we have to take in order for the patient to get healthy in the long term," Stauffer said.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/nephoenix/articles/0802sr-biz0803realestate-ON.html

Planners merge to discuss transportation, from the Arizona Republic, reports that Pinal County officials met Thursday to discuss improving its transportation system so it can accommodate the expected 1.9 million residents expected by 2025. "We need regional connectivity to our community centers, cities and towns and other counties," said Andy Smith, transportation planner for Pinal County. Roads in the area are already reaching capacity from the last five years of growth, which added about 100,000 new residents to the county. Regional leasers say transportation planning is also important as the county is expected to connect Phoenix and Tucson into a "megapolitan"-- a super-sized metro area estimated to have about 10 million residents by 2040. Pinal is now the sixth fastest growing county in the nation.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/0802gr-bypass02-ON.html