By Shelley Sakala

In this month’s column, local Realtor Shelley Sakala addresses the subject of new builds in the community. “It seems like things have slowed down the past few years. Any there any new home communities coming to North Phoenix?” asks Benny, a Phoenix resident.

THE EXPERT’S ANSWER
A few years ago, home builders pumped the brakes on new construction. COVID played a part in this decision, along with the skilled labor shortage, supply chain issues, and subsequent recession. No builder wants to be stuck with unsold homes, so everyone proceeded with caution. This slowdown included Arizona, which is traditionally an attractive destination amongst the international home buying community. Our state is the fourth most popular location for Canadian, European, and Latin American buyers. Only Florida, California, and Texas rank higher than AZ. But when travel came to a near halt during the pandemic, the demand for homes took a dip (as did new home construction).

But something interesting was brewing in Arizona, and the home builders took notice: The Arizona economy was growing. Our corporate-friendly business climate paired well with our warm-weather climate, enticing several companies to relocate to the desert. The math was easy: If people are coming here to work, they will need a place to live. Preferably, a house. As companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) broke ground, the residential home builders kept pace with construction projects of their own. Plus, the ongoing shortage of existing homes for sale was fueling demand for new home construction.

This leads us to the North Phoenix community of Copperleaf, a joint Lennar and Pulte project less than five miles from TSMC. Copperleaf features 411 new houses ranging from 1,800 to 3,500 square feet. Floorplans are two to four bedrooms, with prices starting at about $600,000. Several houses in the community are ready for immediate move-in (which is great news for anyone new in town and looking for a place to call home).

If you’re getting the itch to buy a new-build, or you’d just like to peek at what’s available, the best advice I can offer is to bring a realtor with you on your first visit. It costs you nothing, and you’ll have an extra set of expert eyes to help as you tour the community. Plus, a good realtor knows what to look for in a home, plus all the right questions to ask.

 

Shelley Sakala is a local Realtor and owner of The Sakala Group Real Estate. Learn more at shelleysakala.com.