We get asked every week is it time to buy a home in the Tucson and surrounding areas of Oro Valley, Marana and Vail. We thought that we would give some insight into the current home sales statistics, the amount of homes for sale, and current real estate news that affects current home sales in the Tucson area.

Without a crystal ball it is very difficult to predict whether Tucson is actually at the bottom of the market. There are many factors that affect different aspects of the market including national economic news, and it is of note that some areas of the real estate market are performing better than others.

Undoubtedly the first time home buyer tax credit of $8,000 given by the current administration for sales recorded in November 2009, has helped with sales in the $100,000 and $200,000 prices range, together with a good amount of foreclosures and short sales in this price range in some areas of Tucson.

It has also been a while coming, but we are now seeing a decrease in pricing in the Tucson luxury home market, as builders, who had sat with spec homes notes became due, and homeowners who decided that they wanted to sell, reduced their home pricing. This has resulted in some activity in the market. Notably and recently, we have seen all but one of the Parade of Homes go back to the Bank. Bank of Oklahoma will probably sit on the investment until the market changes, so current news suggests. The new Ritz Carlton Resort in Marana is due to open in the Fall, and this will help bring the Luxury home buyer to the Tucson and Marana Real Estate market. There are however currently good deals to be had in the Tucson Luxury Home Market. We recently Listed and Sold a home that had originally been a Street of Dreams Home. It was advertised close to $2,000,000 and just sold for $1,250,000 It was the lowest priced sale in Stone Canyon, a Gated Luxury home Community in Oro Valley.

So if you are a Buyer then we feel that it is an excellent time to buy a home. Rates are on the rise, this may limit the Buyer's ability to get financing for the home of their dreams in the long run. However, even with the slight raise in interest rates to around 5.5% the rates are still very low for a fixed rate mortgage, and one can buy a nice Tucson az Homes with with either FHA, VA or Conventional Financing options.

Some areas of Tucson have actually seen a slight increase in price as they bottomed early with many investors defaulting from the boom of 2005, and now multiple offers have been made on the foreclosure properties in the area. Two of these areas are Continental Ranch and the other Rita Ranch. Both areas benefit from their popularity with employers from Raytheon and also Davis Monthan Air Force Base, stable job areas that have always been popular with employees because of their proximity to the freeway and the shopping conveniences that are present there.

According to recent Tucson MLS May Statistics, it shows that the Tucson Listing inventory continues to drop, closings actually went up about 60 units from April, pending sales were down 42 units from April, and the median home sales price has increased 3.72%.

Tucson is not seeing the dramatic drops of last year 2009. Over a six month period, we will be able to show a quantitative graph that measures inventory against new sales. The numbers have been drawing closer since January of this year, which some Economists suggest equals a trend. We will be watching how this trend progresses into June.

As a final note you should consider a Tucson market analysis by Zip code as the story can be quite different by area.

Some areas have significantly higher sales percentages by area for example 85730 has 129 Active Listings with 44 sales in May, and 85713 200 Active Listed and 41 sales.

This can affect the sales price and also the appraisal on the home.

As Tucson Real Estate Agents, we can perform a detailed analysis of Tucson Zip Codes for a detailed report for Buyers and Sellers in the Tucson area, or for those relocating to Tucson who are unfamiliar with the market.

Looking for Tucson Real Estate? Search the most comprehensive informational site for Tucson az Real Estate, Oro Valley, Vail real estate and Marana real estate! Don't miss our Featured Tucson Homes and be sure to search our free/no hassle Tucson MLS listings.

As part of events held across the globe on February 2 nd to commemorate World Wetlands Day, the Intercultural Center of Desert and Ocean Studies (CEDO), Launched the XV Environmental Contest CEDO 2009, inviting the participation of students from all levels, teachers, as well as members of others organizations and special clubs.


The yearly environmental contests involve youth from Puerto Penasco through participation in order to strengthen their knowledge about a particular environment theme relevant to the local community; Projects include scientific field research, looking for solutions to principal problems detected and promoting what they have learned with the rest of the community. Some of the themes covered by past environmental contests have included water shortages, organic waste wetlands, and rocky reefs.


On this occasion, the 2009 CEDO Environmental Contest, entitled “Flying until the end”, is dedicated to the conservation of migratory birds as a symbol of the connectivity represented among different wetlands across the globe.


Many of the birds we can see in our region in reality are visitors that travel thousands of miles each year. From their breeding grounds in the coldest areas in the north, the birds migrate in order to spend winters in the warmer areas of the south where there is a abundance of food and sufficient hours of daily light, Some others birds, including the least tern (sternula antillarum) migrate from South America during the spring, in order to breed and nest in the estuaries in the region during the summer, The wetlands represent an important point for migratory birds, as they allow them to prepare to continue along their routes. The wetlands provide birds with water, a place to rest, feed, nest and raise their young, as well a protected site away from predators and inclement weather.


The objectives of the 2009 CEDO Environmental Contest “Flying until the end” Include:
• Carrying out field research so that students learn about the principal migratory birds that come to this region.
• Raising awareness within the community of the importance of the estuaries surrounding Puerto Penasco for migratory birds.
• Acts of conservation to reduce some of the treats that are affecting migratory birds.


The Environment Contest will run from March 3 rd 2009 to April 24 th. The judging committee will include members from the community as well as specialists in the field who will evaluate the activities of each team and select winners. Teams will be divided into two categories:
1) pre school and elementary and
2) Jr. Highs – High Schools and Higher Education. The categories may change upon the decision of the organizers, depending on the numbers of teams registered in each category. Each institution may participate with one or more teams. Teams will be evaluating in dependently and the top 3 teams in each category will receive awards.


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Governor inaugurates first phase of Hacienda de Cortez subdivision


Sonora Governor Eduardo Bours Castelo assures Penasco is here to stay as it undoubtedly has a tremendous future. With this in mind, he stated, he will continue to put his bets on this tourist destination.


Bours made these remarks upon the occasion of the inauguration of the first phase of the Hacienda de Cortez housing subdivision, which includes 560 homes and represents an investment of 150 million pesos.


In a ceremony held at the new housing development, located at kilometer 88 of the penasco-sonoyta highway, the sonoran head of State delivered Rogelio Mendez, Abisai Garcia and Arturo Loreto deeds to their new social interest homes in the suvdivision. Begun in June 2008, the project envisions the construction of a total of 2 thousand homes.


Bours Castelo emphasized the delivery of these 560 houses in one more example of the join work of the government with the private sector to better the living conditions of the people of Penasco.


The national subdirector of the regional offices of the National Institute for the Housing of Workers (Infonavit), Victor Eduardo Perez Orozco, emphasized there are advances in housing in the city due to the coordinated work of the three levels of government with investors.


In this manner, he added, Penasco now welcomes new housing development, which is very important as it is the municipality with the greatest demand in this realm.


792,000 pesos to be used to replace dirt floors with concrete: Seeking social equity.


With the objective of attaining social equity, a recent announcement outlined the planned use of $792,100 pesos to replace dirt floors with concrete ones in 400 homes in outlying areas of the city.


Within the framework making Governor Bours Castelo's twentieth official visit to the area, the training workshop entitled “A paso firme” served as the venue for the presentation of funds that will benefit families of limited means.


Governor Eduardo Bours, accompanied by major Raul Contreras and Heriberto Renteria, from sonoyta and penasco respectively, head up the event announcing that 2,268 families from the areas of Caborca, San Luis rio Colorado, sonoyta and Penasco are set to benefit from these founds.


Mrs. Elizama Sanchez took advantage of the opportunity to speak about the work of Governor Bours as a frined and as a human being concerned with resolving the needs of Sonoran families.


He stressed that while the state government is interest in large infrastructure construction, like the coastal highway, it is also interested in plans to achieve social equity and this is what the program a paso firme is about.


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With just over 60 local people on hand, therapists from the Sonora Dolphinarium, which has been operating out of San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas since 2006, presented information on how to use dolphin therapy services among persons with disabilities.


The municipal auditorium set the scene for the gathering, welcoming parents of at least 20 children with central nervous system problems who are interested in dolphin assisted therapy.


After explaining the characteristics of the eco-locating system of dolphins and the history of therapies with these marine mammals, Iveth Hoyos Robles, therapy director at the Sonora Dolphinarium, reported they are visiting municipalities throughout the state in order to teach people more about this program and how they can access it.


She detailed that since October 2006, when operations began, they have tended to 1,159 people, principally children, who in general have had very favorable results through dolphin assisted therapies.


She clarified dolphin-therapy is a therapeutic method that does not substitute other therapies, rather it is a complement to treatments a patient with neurological problems may be going through.


Hoyos Robles noted care provided at the dolphinarium, which consists of five 20 minute sessions, is based on dolphin's sonar stimulating the central nervous system and helping the reactivation of neurons.


Therapist Wendy Zavala Salcedo indicated they are tending to ah types of central nervous system problems, yet those with brain paralysis, autism, Down syndrome, spinal bifida, among others, have been the most predominant. She remarked within the 2 years four months the Sonora Dolphinarium has been in operation they have been able to document positive effects for the short, medium and long term.


Among them, she stated, are the improvement of the quantity and quality of children's dreams progress in the affect area, improved self-esteem and socialization, as well as progress in areas of concentration, decreases in hyper-activity and control of eating habits, among other favorable results.


Iveth Hoyos Robles told those interested in the program that the normal cost of dolphin assisted therapy is 12,000 pesos, but in 90% of the cases this amount is offset through scholarships offered by the state DIF or sponsors from private initiatives. The therapy director from the Sonora Dolphinarium stressed the cost for those interested in first-time therapy treatments is based on a socioeconomic study, with the support of municipal DIF offices or committees for the integration of persons with disabilities.


She indicated up to now they have worked with 9 patients from Puerto Penasco and the idea is to work with many more, as the goal for 2009 is to provide dolphin assisted therapy to 6oo people, primarily children.


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Puerto Penasco is joining the national halt on fishing fleets, which began January 1st. Under this measure, 50 local vessels will remain inactive and docked for at least ten more days, reported Mateo Lopez Leon, president of the local office of the National Chamber of the fishing Industry.


Lopez Leon indicated that although the paralyzing of a number of ships is not the most ideal for Penasco, they finally decided to join the national movement in order to press for improvements in the price of marine fuel while seeking better conditions to market shrimp.


He stressed they were unable to get the full participation of the boats moored in this port, because those from Guaymas and Mazatlan made the decision not to halt their efforts. Similarly, 40% of the local ships that already had catches in their hulls decided not to participate.


Lopez Leon stressed after analyzing the pros and cons, they finally decided to join the national halt which includes both shrimp and tuna fleets throughout the country.


He reiterated that in the case of Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), the stoppage would last for about ten years, during which time they would be able to see how negotiations with the federal government reacted. He noted that increases in fuel prices makes fishing activities less profitable.


The leader of the local ship owners acknowledged the inactivity of the local fleet was not a positive thing for the local economy, which continues to falter, yet the intent is to provide pressure in order to achieve conditions that will assure fishing is profitable.


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