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Snapshot Real Estate Market Report for Greater Phoenix Arizona - March 2009

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Dreamcatcher Realty / Greater Phoenix Area

A couple of you have contacted me privately to make sure I'm alright.  I've not been as active and visible with my blogging lately, but I'm OK!  There's one simple reason for my online absence:  I'm completely swamped with home buyers.  In fact, I haven't seen this kind of buying activity in about 3 years!  And I'm not talking about low end bargain hunters; I'm working with clients looking at large horse properties, waterfont estates, gated commuities, golf course homes ~ especially in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek and Phoenix.  I've also been dealing with many out-of-state folks as well as local buyers ~ and I cannot remember the last time anybody has asked me if we're "at the bottom" of the market.  Smart money is on the move, and they are indeed buying!

For those of you that are 'numbers people', take a good look at the following two charts.  Not only will you notice a significant decrease in the number of listings on the market (for 3 months running), but you'll see that we just dropped below 7 months of inventory, a level we haven't seen in perhaps 3 years, with home sales almost doubled from a year ago.

I'm not one to try to prematurely call the bottom of ANY market, but there are several key indicators that are clearly turning positive.  Is it possible that we are heading into the year of the turnaround in the great Phoenix area?

Following is a graphic illustration of the current real estate market conditions in the greater Phoenix area, which encompasses the entire Valley of the Sun, including Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek and Phoenix, Arizona.

Homes in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, Phoenix, Arizona

Homes in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, Phoenix, Arizona

Chandler Homes - Gilbert Homes - Mesa Homes - Queen Creek Homes - Phoenix Homes

 

Data was compiled and provided by the Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS)

Kat DeLong
Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ
REALTOR

Randy... I am GLAD to hear about business picking up. Hey, when I start getting super busy... you will see less of me, too.  I have said many times, as soon as the market recovers, many of these networking sites are not going to be as crowded as they are now.  I am looking forward to that time. We're getting more buyers, also...not swamped yet, but getting busy.

Apr 02, 2009 01:22 PM
Randy Hooker
Dreamcatcher Realty / Greater Phoenix Area - Gilbert, AZ
Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek

Hey Kat ~ I'm with you on that!  I'm already starting to notice the blogging 'absence' of a few of the higher profile bloggers on the net, and I expect it to be more like that as business picks up.  But hey, there will always be time to stop by your favorite people's posts, like yours!   ;-)

Apr 02, 2009 04:50 PM
Lisa Hill
Florida Property Experts - Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Beach Real Estate

I like your charts. Very impressive. I'm in the process of doing my first quarter reports for each city. It's a lot of work! But it's good for the consumers to have this information, directly from those of us who are part of the industry!

Apr 02, 2009 06:53 PM
Randy Hooker
Dreamcatcher Realty / Greater Phoenix Area - Gilbert, AZ
Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek

Thanks, Lisa!  I really have a thing about trying to keep market reports, stats and charts as simple and easy to grasp as possible.  Good luck with your quarterly reports!  I'll be keeping an eye out for them.   :)

Apr 02, 2009 07:04 PM
Patrick Schutte
Flex Realty - Prescott, AZ
REALTOR

Wow, Randy, look at that inventory number!!!  Keep on selling down there so folks can move up here to Prescott. ;) PS

Great report! 

Apr 10, 2009 10:56 AM
Randy Hooker
Dreamcatcher Realty / Greater Phoenix Area - Gilbert, AZ
Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek

You can count on it, Patrick!  The lower end has been HOT for a while, but now I'm starting to see things picking up in the $150K-$200K range.  Better prepare now... it's headed your way!   :)

Apr 11, 2009 02:58 PM