RL Brown, Arizona Housing Market Pioneer with Tucson Ties, Dies at 90

PHOENIX / TUCSON (June 12, 2026) — RL Brown, a pioneer in Arizona housing market analytics whose influence extended from metro Phoenix into Tucson, died peacefully at his Sun City home on May 17. He was 90.

Brown was widely regarded as the first independent housing analyst in metro Phoenix and became a trusted source for builders, developers, land brokers, and real estate professionals across the state. In 1985, he co-founded Home Builders Marketing Inc. with his wife, Joann, creating what became one of Arizona’s most respected sources for housing data and market analysis.

Brown’s company also had a Tucson connection. John Strobeck opened Bright Future Marketing (Orange Reports) in the early 90’s, applying RL’s business model to the Tucson housing market.  In 2019, Home Builders Marketing acquired Bright Future Real Estate Research, LLC, Strobeck’s firm, which was then owned and run by Ginger Kneup, extending Brown’s data-driven housing analysis into Southern Arizona.

Brown’s career began long before his role as a housing analyst. He served as a 1st Lt. tank commander in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1963 and later worked for several homebuilders before launching his own research company.

Industry leaders described Brown as a pioneer who helped professionalize housing market data in Arizona.

“He was a pioneer in analytics,” said Tom Ruff, who recently retired as a data analyst for The Information Market. “He was the first independent housing analyst in Phoenix.”

Nate Nathan, president and designated broker of Scottsdale-based Nathan & Associates Inc., was among Brown’s earliest clients and said Brown’s work helped shape how the industry understood growth, permits, subdivisions, and housing demand.

“He was the industry leader for years,” Nathan said. “He kept his company relevant through all the changes in the world. He knew the market as good or better than anybody. He had a knack and a talent to convert graphics and numbers to maps that truly told the story. As they say, a picture says a thousand words.”

Brown’s stepson, Jim Daniel, now serves as president of Home Builders Marketing and continues the company’s work. Daniel recalled Brown’s diligence in gathering data, including reviewing property value affidavits and preparing reports by hand, before those efforts evolved into the company’s monthly Phoenix Housing Market Letter.

“We’re very diligent about all the data, which has proven over time that our data is accurate, timely, and affordable,” Daniel said.

Daniel said Brown had an instinctive understanding of the housing market and a rare ability to recognize what was happening before it became obvious to others.

“RL always had his pulse on what was actually happening in the housing market in the Valley,” Daniel said. “I feel he’s been able to pass down a lot of that insight.”

Garth Wieger, founder of Scottsdale-based Montage Holdings, said Brown was among the first to study the housing market in detail and use technology to make that information accessible to builders and developers.

“I go back 40 years to 1981/1982, and he’s always been there,” Wieger said. “Growing up with his data, I’ve remained dedicated to that because it’s something that was easily understood. He had great instincts and great data to help give guidance with. He’ll be missed in the industry for sure.”

For Arizona’s homebuilding industry, Brown’s legacy is not only the company he built, but the standard he helped establish for reliable, timely, and understandable housing data. His work gave builders, developers, and real estate professionals a clearer view of fast-changing markets — including Tucson — at a time when dependable local housing intelligence was becoming increasingly important.

A small group of family and friends gathered on May 26 to celebrate Brown’s life, honoring his request that no extensive arrangements be made.