Significant Master-Planned Community Closings Drive Strong Activity in Tucson

600 lots and over 500 acres Sold in the last 45 Days

Tucson, Arizona  – Land Advisors Organization – Tucson continues a strong second half of 2021 within master-planned communities throughout the area. With over 70% market share of current and future residential lots throughout the Tucson Metro, the Tucson team of Will White and John Carroll continue to represent the top producing master-planned communities and substantial residential projects throughout the region.

Over the course of the last 45 days, the Tucson team has transacted more than 600 lots and over ±500 acres of large residential developments. Among this total, noteworthy ones include closings within the Gladden Farms MPC, located in the town of Marana where KB Home Tucson, Inc. purchased 136 lots and Meritage Homes of Arizona purchased another 169 lots from the developer (Crown West Land Group). Within the Star Valley MPC, Meritage Homes of Arizona purchased another 116 lots from the developers (Sunbelt Holdings, Rick Andreen and Mike Geddes). Within Los Saguaros at Dove Mountain MPC, located at the foot of the Tortolita Mountains, Lennar Arizona purchased 106 lots from Tortolita Properties, LLC. Contiguous to Gladden Farms II, Tangerine 2021, LLC purchased ±279 acres from Westcor Tangerine, LLC, and east of I-10 in North Marana, CLB Real Property Holding Company, LLC purchased ±104 acres from La Nonna, LLC as part of a larger assemblage.

Over the past 20 Years, they have been a trusted source for Tucson’s top developers and homebuilders. Providing unrivaled brokerage and advisory services to Tucson metro’s best-known projects, Land Advisors Organization has consistently raised the bar in Tucson and experienced historic success along the way.

“Tucson is in a historically healthy and very robust position with fundamentals and deal flow indicating the area has room to run for a long time. With a solid employment and growing population, we fully expect the strong pace to continue,” said Will White.

For more information, White and Carroll can be reached at 520. 514.7454.



NAI Horizon negotiates $25M land purchase in Surprise on behalf of  Tempe-based auto dealer Carvana

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – NAI Horizon Senior Vice President Isy Sonabend and Agent Drew Eisen represented the buyer, Tempe-based Carvana, in the $25 million purchase of 148 acres in Surprise, Arizona.

The land is at the NEC of Litchfield and Cactus roads in the Cactus Commerce Center. It has been owned by the Nitta family for decades, according to LoopNet.

Carvana is a leading e-commerce company that sells used cars through an easy-to-use technology platform. The purchase in Surprise comes about a month after Carvana closed on 3 acres on the corner of Loop 101 and 83rd Avenue near Bell Road in Glendale.

“Carvana is making a strong statement in Phoenix with its current acquisitions,” Sonabend said. “The site will be developed into a restoration and storage yard.”

Surrounding land sites in Surprise are home to Crescent Crown, Amazon, MLily and numerous Fortune 500 companies.

“We pursued several sites. However, the location of the Cactus Commerce Center  and surrounding utilities provide a quick pathway to development,” Sonabend said.

The seller, Surprise/Dysart Properties of LLC of Orange, California, was represented by Tony Lydon with JLL.



Tucson Planning Commission Approves “Accessory Dwelling Units” aka Backyard Casitas

TUCSON, ARIZONA — Tucson City Planning Commission recently endorsed a proposal that could make it easier to build casitas across the city, something proponents say could create more affordable housing options for Tucson residents. The proposal will now go on to City Mayor and Council.

Casitas — or “accessory dwelling units” — are small homes with a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping space that are built alongside full-sized houses, similar to a garage. They usually cost about half the price of a typical home, but restrictive zoning rules only permit their construction on large pieces of residential property that are rare throughout Tucson.

Under the new proposal, casitas will be allowed on any residential lot as long as they meet certain size and design requirements, such as having at least one parking space. The City Council initiated the proposal in November and it was endorsed by the Planning Commission last week after months of public outreach.

Officials hope the change will create more housing flexibility for seniors and large families, but the impact it will have on Tucson’s level of affordable housing is still uncertain.

Under current law, homeowners can build what’s basically a detached sleeping porch on residential properties zoned R-1, R-2 and R-3 (most every home in Tucson). It’s like a spare bedroom that doesn’t include a full kitchen. Those structures are also limited to no more than half the size of the main house.

Now, the city is considering a casita ordinance that would allow homeowners to build a true guest house with a full kitchen, but limit the unit’s size to no more than 1,000 square feet. They would have to be built on permanent slabs, so tiny houses would not be permitted so long as they are mobile.

The approval is to address Tucson’s increasing crunch on affordable rentals, accommodate demographic changes so parents/grandparents can live with family members without living on top of family members, and give homeowners a chance to earn a little extra income in this low-wage town if they choose to rent the units to the public.

The casita rule would address a much bigger change of thinking and that is how Tucson considers growth. It would wholly embrace the idea of “infill”.

Read Full City of Tucson Proposal Here.