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Scottsdale-based Meritage Homes (NYSE: MTH) Steve Hilton, chairman and CEO continues to grow with its best year since 2008 last year as the housing market in Arizona and around the U.S. came back to life. Silverbell West, a newly platted 42-lot subdivision, at the northwest corner of Ina and Silverbell Roads in Marana was recently bought by Meritage for[mepr-show rules=”58038″]$1.68 million ($40,000 per lot).

The seller of Silverbell West, Birkdale Properties, LLC and Prestwick Properties, LLC of Tucson (Douglas Kennedy, manager) sold the property with a final plat approval dated March 2013. The 25.34 acre subdivision has a minimum lot size of 10,000 sq.ft. and average lot dimensions of 84′ x 145′ or 11,628 sq. ft. Meritage has four other communities underway in Marana: Solara, Sky Ranch Estates, Tangerine North and Los Saguaros at Dove Mountain. Solara is wrapping up soon with only six homes remaining.

Meritage Homes Corporation, founded in 1985, engages in designing and building single-family detached homes. It offers a range of homes for various homebuyers, including first-time, move-up, active adult, and luxury. The company provides its homes under the Meritage Homes and Monterey Homes names. It also offers title insurance and closing/settlement services for its homebuyers. The company operates in 158 communities in Arizona, Texas, California, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, and the Carolinas.

Bob Solfisburg of Tucson Realty and Trust Company in Tucson handled the transaction. Meritage’s Corporate office should be contacted at (480) 515-8100. Solfisburg at Tucson Realty & Trust can be reached at (520) 577-7000.[/mepr-show]

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Arizona was 7.9% in April, for the third consecutive month. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from 7.6% in March to 7.5% in April. A year ago the Arizona seasonally adjusted rate was 8.4% and the U.S. rate was 8.1%.

In Pima County the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been 6.9% for the past three consecutive months. A year ago the unemployment rate was 7.5% in Pima County.

This compares to Coconino County with 7.6% unemployment in April; Mohave with 9.5%; Phoenix Metro area with 6.8%; Yavapai County with 8.3%; and Yuma County with 29.6% unemployment for the same month.

The Arizona Republic recently ranked the state’s 2013 largest 100 companies by the number of people they employ within the state. The list includes public and privately held companies and not-for-profit corporations. Except where noted, number of employees is adjusted to full-time equivalents of 40 hours per week.

Information was obtained from the companies by self-reported questionnaires, from follow-up telephone calls and e-mails, and industry research. The list notes the companies’ rankings for 2012 and for 2003.

Click here to view the Arizona Republic ranking of largest 100 Employers in Arizona  https://www.azcentral.com/business/rep100/

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A.F. Sterling Homes through its affiliate Scotia JV 2005, LLP (Randy Agron) of Tucson purchased in an REO sale from Bank of Oklahoma of Tulsa, OK 10 platted lots and two commercial pads at Tanque Verde Village located at Tanque Verde Road and Tanque Verde Village Place for[mepr-show rules=”58038″]$390,000 ($32,500 per lot). The gross area of the subdivision is 12.5 acres, includes 2.7 acres zoned RVC suitable for either residential or commercial development and 10 CR-1 zoned 36,000 sq. ft. SFR lots. The plat dates back to 2007 in the East Valley.

A.F. Sterling Homes has been a Tucson builder since 1987 and is locally owned and operated. The company has been named five times as Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) Builder of the Year, for its high standards, distinctive styling, strict attention to details, and amenities typically found only in custom homes.

Other A.F. Sterling communities include Tortolita Vistas in the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains, Campos Adobes in Northwest Tucson, The Uplands in Oro Valley, and Ventana Reserve in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains that is now sold out. The company also has a Custom Division that builds luxury homes on the client’s own homesite in the Tucson area.

Dan Feig and Aaron Mendenhall of Chapman Lindsey in Tucson represented the bank and Robert Grant of Tierra Antigua represented the builder in the sale.

Feig at Chapman Lindsey can be reached at (520) 622-8864 ext 105 while Mendenhall at Chapman Lindsey is at (520) 622-8864 ext 102. Agron with A.F. Sterling can be contacted ay (520) 577-3600 and Grant at Tierra Antigua is at (520) 203-4910.[/mepr-show]