Saguaro Ranch Energized with Strong Estate Lot Sales Velocity and New Home Construction

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.




Tucson’s Land and Housing: 2020 and Beyond – First of a 5 part series

Will White, Land Advisors Organization Tucson

By: Will White, Land Advisors Organization Tucson

(Editor’s Note: ) Over the next few months Real Estate Daily News will be publishing a 5-part series with Will White of Land Advisors Organization Tucson that will provide an insightful look into the various components driving Tucson’s successful, but complex, land and housing market.

Tucson’s Land and Housing: 2020 and Beyond, will feature insights from Will White of Land Advisors Organization who currently represents most of Tucson’s most successful master-planned communities and large-scale residential projects.

A Reason for Optimism

Tucson metro’s land and housing market continues to show great strength year-over-year. The market finished 2019 very strong and that momentum has carried over into the start of 2020. In January, new home permits rose 56% year-over-year, and closings rose 41% over the same period. February is looking to be equally as strong. Resale inventory, which is pushing down to 2,000 homes on the market, is arguably the lowest it has ever been. Demand for product is stronger than ever, and supply for new homes is historically low.  With demand outpacing supply, the race is among homebuilders to open enough projects to accommodate the growing consumer demand for housing.

As the National economy surges ahead, Tucson has been following suit. Several economic advances include increased job growth and expansion with major companies such as Caterpillar, Raytheon, Amazon as great examples. This new job creation and expansion has assisted in the region’s population growth. More jobs and more people equate to the strong increase in demand we are seeing for new housing. This demand has been increasing for several years and the momentum shows very little signs of slowing.

Infrastructure has been key to growth in Tucson. In an effort to accommodate this growth, Tucson developers responded with a very active launching new MPC projects in 2019 and put large-scale infrastructure in the ground. This infrastructure had been lacking as Tucson came out of the cycle and was slowing the ability to get new communities open. These new efforts will pay dividends for years to come. Projects Like Rocking K, Gladden Farms II, Red Rock and Star Valley will all be busy at work throughout the year making room for the area’s homebuilders.

Tucson’s homebuilder picture is very competitive. Currently the top 3 Tucson homebuilders make up almost half of all permits. While the list of builders isn’t long in Tucson, the good news is each of the active builders are extremely capable, reliable, and build product that the consumer values.  The key to the market share gain in Tucson is land pipeline. It is a safe bet that our top 5 homebuilders will be aggressive in their pursuit of land and lots over the next several years. Adding to the competitive scene are a number of homebuilders looking to expand into the Tucson market.

Tucson’s strong demand, coupled with historically low supply on both the new and resale fronts, will continue to increase both home and land prices for the remainder of this year at a minimum. As we expect this to continue for some time, the best opportunities are in front of the homebuilders today.

Both in data and momentum, this looks to be an epic year in Tucson. It is difficult to see most lot offerings actually making it to market in 2020 as they will be spoken for quickly. Homebuilders in the masterplans have established themselves with those developers and have been extremely proactive in their approach. This affords them the luxury of a pipeline of on time lots in a historically, supply constrained market. This is one of the main reasons we predict a fluid and constant shake-up in marketshare between homebuilders. Bottom line is that the market is strong and stable, and we are just headed into, what is expected, to be a strong selling season all around. Tucson has all the components firing in the right direction and it will be as active as it gets.

Look for our next part in the series when we will present Part 2 of ‘Tucson’s Land and Housing: 2020 and Beyond’: The Significance of Master Planned Communities.

For more information, Will White can be reached at 520.514.7454.




Richmond and D.R. Horton Restocking 158-Lots in Tucson area this Month

TUCSON, Arizona – On the eve of the release of NAR Pending Home Sales Index (PHS) April report, a leading indicator of housing activity, based on what we are seeing here in Tucson we predict it to be a positive one for the third month running.  Two major homebuilders, D.R. Horton and Richmond American Homes have restocked inventory in the Tucson market this month. D.R. Horton acquired an aggregate of 82-lots and Richmond American 76-lots during the month of May.

In the Southern submarket, northwest of Columbus and White Water Drive, D.R. Horton bought 62-lots remaining in a 157-lot subdivision, Desert Vista Estates from Clayton Properties Group for $1,627,500 ($26,250 per lot). The seller is a manufactured home manufacturer, Clayton Homes, and lots are mostly 55’ x 90’. We were unable to learn whether or not D.R. Horton plans to re-plat the lots.

D.R. Horton also purchased 6 finished lots under a rolling option agreement from Tucson Land, LLC at Santa Cruz Meadows in Sahuarita. The price was $51,000 per lot for the 7,000-square-foot lots, or $306,000. This was a takedown on an option for 93-lots.

Tucson Land was represented by Randy Emerson of GRE Partners and D.R. Horton was represented by Dan Feig of Chapman Lindsey.

An additional 14-lots were also taken down at Fianchetto Farms in Northern Marana, near Gladden Farms for $685,500 ($48,964 per lot).  This is D.R. Horton’s second option agreement for 60-lots in this 114-lot subdivision, having finished its first agreement recently for 46-lots.

Dan Feig with Chapman Lindsey Commercial Real Estate Services handled the transaction.

Two new projects were likewise acquired by Richmond American in the Northwest submarket.

Linda Vista 18 is a 36-lot subdivision southeast of Linda Vista Blvd. and Thornydale Road. Richmond acquired the 36-lots and common area totaling 12.6-acres for $30,000 per lot or $1,080,000. The seller / developer was Red Point Development (Daniel Leung, manager).

Magee 17, a 35-lot subdivision, was also bought by Richmond from Red Point Development for $875,000 ($25,000 per lot). Located also in the Northwest submarket, the new 17.54-acre subdivision is northwest of Thornydale and Magee Roads. Average lot size is 7,425-square-feet.

Richmond American Homes also took down 6 finished 70′ wide lots at Santa Cruz Meadows in Sahuarita for $312,500, or $62,500 per lot.  The fourth takedown, or 27 lots, on an agreement to purchased 49-lots at Santa Cruz Meadows.  The seller was represented by Randy Emerson of GRE Partners and the buyer was self-represented.

Richmond has also opened several lots in Rancho Sahuarita at Entrada Del Rio.

For additional information, Randy Emerson can be reached at 520.396.4812 and Dan Feig is at 520.747.4000.

To learn more, see RED Comps #5793, #5784, #5800, #5787, #5833, and #5802.