Over the past 12 months, 16 Estate Lots of four acres or larger were sold in Saguaro Ranch, the exclusive, 1,200-acre gated community 35 minutes north of downtown.

Tucson, Arizona — On the eve of the official grand opening of the Saguaro Ranch Clubhouse, closings in recent months illustrate the sales velocity Saguaro Ranch is enjoying. Over the summer, construction continued at an impressive pace on multiple custom Estate Lot homes, while blueprints created by Tucson-based architects are being finalized on custom homes for Estate Lots 1, 41 and 97. Plans are being finalized or homes are under construction on Lots 1 and 43 at Moonlight Canyon.

“We had a very busy summer with sales and new home starts,” said Mike Conlin, manager and POA board member of Saguaro Ranch. “We experienced record sales prices on lots and it’s exciting to see crews working on the Estate Lot’s new custom homes. Miramonte Homes is also busy building homes in the new Moonlight Canyon subdivision.”

Saguaro Ranch is currently developing Phase Two at Moonlight Canyon, which is comprised of 22 homesites. Buyers interested in a semi-custom or custom home can select from 2,934- to 3,896-square-foot, single level floor plans designed by Robinette Architects, Inc.

“We believe that having all of the living spaces on one level made sense for today’s buyer, and that the low-profile design fits appropriately with the desert surroundings,” explained Ron Robinette, the architectural firm’s founder, and Tucson native. “We’ve incorporated large windows to introduce ample natural light into the living spaces of the home.”

The residences are distinguished by nine-foot flat and raised ceilings, a Great Room with a fireplace, and a chef-inspired contemporary kitchen with a pantry and top-of-the-line appliances. Covered patio spaces provide welcomed shade, while an optional swimming pool, jetted spa and fire pit can enhance year-round outdoor living.

“Ron’s designs create such an exceptional platform for Miramonte Homes to build these quality-crafted homes at Moonlight Canyon,” commented Scott Lundberg, President, Saguaro Lot Management, Inc. Chris Kemmerly, Principal and CEO of Miramonte Homes and a 1982 graduate of the University of Arizona, brings over 35 years of experience to the Moonlight Canyon enclave, located adjacent to the ‘members-only’ Saguaro​ ​Ranch Club. Lori Carroll, who graduated from the University of Arizona in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design, is working in collaboration with Miramonte Homes and Robinette Architects, Inc. to bring her expertise to the project.

“Working with Ron and Chris over the years has and continues to be a true pleasure,” said Carroll. “Being part of a dynamic team to collaborate on interiors, architecture and construction is critical for the success of any project. Our relationship over the decades is an excellent example of how industry leaders complement each other to create striking residences.”

Included in the purchase price of their Moonlight Canyon home, home buyers receive ten hours of the award-winning designer’s time. She is also available to provide design consultation beyond the ten hours at her normal hourly rate.

The first six homes in Phase One range in price from $1,494,000 to $1,655,900. Homebuyers can choose to add a guest casita ranging in size from approximately 424 to 677 square feet and costing between $219,000 to $259,900. The lots range in size from one to three acres.

“Saguaro Ranch is a one-of-a-kind community unlike anything in the western United States in that only 20 percent of the land is designated for development and 80 percent of it preserved as undisturbed desert,” added Lundberg.

Saguaro Ranch is a prestigious real estate community whose location in the Tortolita Mountains just north of Tucson is as majestic as it is serene. Distinguished by a one-of-a-kind tunnel entrance and National Park like setting, it combines welcomed privacy with an active, outdoor lifestyle and diversity of amenities, including the Saguaro Ranch Club, which features a 25-yard lap pool, bocce ball court, two pickleball courts and a state-of the-art rooftop fitness area.

For information visit Saguaro Ranch online, on Instagram or on YouTube. To learn more, contact Mike Conlin at 520.429.4773 to be put on the guest list to arrange a tour. Brokers  protected.

MARANA, ARIZONA – I recently toured the prestigious gated community of Saguaro Ranch with roads and infrastructure in place,  is starting to take shape in becoming the most prestigious luxury home community in Arizona. From the moment you enter the 1100+ acre majestic Sonoran Desert community through a 600-foot tunnel, the length of two football fields, until you reach the Owners’ Club next to Moonlight Canyon, you know you are entering a unique, resort-style living community.

Saguaro Property Development LLC, Scott Lundberg and Brian Peschel development partners, bought the community in 2019 with a vision to make it the “Best of the Best” in luxury, natural desert, community living, a dream come true! Located at the northern end of Thornydale Drive in the Tortolita Mountains, north of Tucson.

The owners recently entered into a partnership with Miramonte Homes for development of Moonlight Canyon that features 43 one- to two-acre homesites on various levels of the mountain slopes at extremely reasonable prices. Buyers considering a Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch residence will be able to select from four thoughtfully designed semi-custom floor plans ranging from approximately 2,800- to 3,800-square-feet.

Chris Kemmerly, Prinicpl and CEO of Miramonte Homes calls it a ‘one-of-a-kind community’ unlike anything in the western United States in that only 20 percent of the land is designated for development and 80 percent preserved as undisturbed natural desert.

Robinette Architects, Inc., an award-winning local firm, designed the new Saguaro Ranch Owners’ Club, which was the former renowned McClintock’s Steakhouse.

Tucson-based Aqua Design International, a Landscape Architecture firm specializing in the design of swimming pools, spas and water features completed the design for the new Saguaro Ranch Owners’ Club pool and spa complex. Aqua Design International has designed some of the most iconic pool complexes in the world, including Amangiri, Four Seasons Punta Mita, Four Seasons Anguilla, Omni Tucson National, Loews Santa Monica Beach Resort, and more.

Club amenities will include a multi-lane 25-yard lap pool with intimate spa for a relaxing and soothing atmosphere, two pickle ball courts, a bocce ball court, fitness center, catering facilities, and club area that inlcudes numerous outdoor patios with umbrellas and firepits designed for stargazing in the phenomenally clear night sky.

The New Owners’ Club is slated to open early 2021.

Tours are designed for social distancing and are an outstanding example of how social distancing doesn’t have to mean boredom. Visitors are encouraged to bring camp chairs and stop for the views overlooking Tucson and all its surrounding mountains with a picnic lunch, or enjoy a spectacular sunset on Pusch Ridge with a bottle of wine!

To learn more, contact Mike Conlin with Miramonte Homes at (520) 429-4773 to be put on the guest list and to arrange your own tour. Brokers are protected.

It’s been 15 years since longtime real estate broker, Will White opened the Tucson office of Land Advisors Organization and began navigating the larger, high-profile land deals in the region. The Land Advisors Organization (LAO) specializes in the brokerage of land, with an exclusive focus on land-related assets and White has been the head of the Tucson office since it opened in 2001.

LAO has been involved in a large percentage of the most significant land transactions in Tucson, from Rancho Vistoso, Dove Mountain, Sanders Grove, Saguaro Ranch, Saguaro Bloom and Gladden Farms in the Northwest submarket to the new La Estancia Master Planned Community, Mountain Vail, and Rincon Knolls in the Southeast submarket. White’s unique perspective has helped his clients successfully navigate through a changing environment; through both good and bad cycles. White has certainly seen the best as well as the worse land markets during this time.

We recently sat down with White to get his thoughts on the past, present and future land market in Tucson.

Q: What gives you personally the most pleasure in reaching this landmark anniversary?

White: It is great to drive around the area and feel that we have made a positive contribution to the responsible growth of our community. We are from Tucson and that matters a great deal to us. In fact, we currently represent existing and future residential projects in Tucson totaling over 15,000 lots, so we expect to be a big part of Tucson’s growth in the immediate future!

Q: Tell us something that most people don’t know about LAO.

White: We are more a team than most people realize. Our Brokers collaborate not only in our market but across our network of offices, realizing that we have access to buyers and information that transcends our individual knowledge.  We also rely heavily on our support staff in Tucson and at our Corporate Headquarters in Scottsdale, taking advantage of the best resources in the business to support our clients and their transactions.  Cliché as it sounds, a deal done is a victory not just for our Brokers, but for our entire Land Advisors team.

Q: One thing that stands out watching LAO is its perpetual optimism and ability to adapt, do you consider that a key to your success?

White: I have never seen any benefit to being anything other than optimistic. I think you have to be able to adapt or you can’t keep pace in this business, that is fluid and changes so quickly. We are constantly trying to find new data sources, coming up with new ways to interpret that data, and using technology to better serve our clients. We also work to better understand the evolving needs of our clients. Having John Carroll in the office has helped this; John represents an emerging generation and it is great to get his perspective on the business and incorporate his ideas into what we do.

Q: What changes in the market have you seen over the past decade?

White: There have been dramatic shifts in the land market here over the past decade. The ownership makeup has almost completely changed in 10 years. The increase in market share that the national homebuilders have grown is dramatic and is playing a huge role in the land market locally. We have also seen some of the largest homebuilder land deals in the State continue to come out of Tucson each year. This is a direct result of historically low lot inventory, increasing homebuilder market shares, and an improving local market.

There is also a noticeable shift in demand for age-restricted or age-targeted communities in the area. I anticipate that we will see some larger projects put into play to accommodate the rapid growth in that segment of the housing market.

As infill projects become harder to locate and more difficult to obtain entitlements and infrastructure, we are seeing more attention shift to the master-planned communities that have “ready now” inventory and new amenities for homebuyers. With lot inventory coming at a premium in town for the next few years, the masterplans will be getting more and more attention.

Q: Are you seeing a market recovery?

White: Definitely! Although we are historically low in our annual permit counts, we have recovered very strongly in the past from similar or worse conditions. I think the next decade in Tucson may be one of the best in history. We have all the components necessary for this to be an extremely active market for many years.

Tucson is a great place to live and work and that will be the driving force we can rely on for the future.

Q: After 15-years, do you still like your job and Monday mornings?

White: Our office is a great mixture of fun and hard work. It is that way by design. We always say we are going to work harder and have more fun than everyone and that has been a good formula so far.

I’m always excited to come to work every day. You never know what you are going to get – it is a blast!  We have a great office, a fantastic team, and have developed some client relationships which have (thankfully) evolved into friendships over the years.  And while we have accomplished some great things over the past 15 years, the greatest feeling is in knowing that we are just getting started.  The next decade is going to be amazing for Tucson!

Q: Do you have any closing remarks or advise for our readers?

White: We started from scratch 15 years ago and have been fortunate to capture a substantial market share in Tucson each year. And while our market share is great – it is really a complement of our clients that have continually chosen to work with us. Our goal is taking the best possible care of our clients and making sure we’ve done everything we can to help them achieve their objectives. As we do this, our clients return to work with us again and again, and market share seems to take care of itself.

The Land Advisors Organization employs a collaborative brokerage model with offices located in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida, Texas, Utah and Washington. To reach Will White directly, call 520.514.7454.