Marielle DeSantos
The Market
Phoenix metro, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale
Twelve years on the housing beat for the Republic. Reads ARMLS data so you don't have to.
Saturday · May 9, 2026
Issue 47·May 2026·Edited by Jonah Reyes
Vol. IIITHE REAL ESTATE DESK · A FIELD GUIDE
The Real Estate Desk
Arizona,listed.
What's selling, what's stalling, and what's worth touring this weekend. A working field guide to the Arizona housing market — block by block.
This Week's Cover14 min
The quiet recalibration of the Phoenix housing market.
By Jonah Reyes · Photographs by Henry Olsson
Open this weekendView map →
- Sat 11–15217 N. 47th Pl.Arcadia$1.295M
- Sat 1–38100 E. CamelbackParadise Valley$2.75M
- Sun 12–21842 W. MulberryEncanto$685K
- Sun 2–43304 E. CabrilloCatalina Foothills$1.84M
The Pulse · LivePhoenix metro · this week
- Phoenix metro median
- $485,000
- Active listings
- 12,840
- Median days on market
- 29
- Avg. sale-to-list ratio
- 98.4%
- 30-yr fixed (AZ avg.)
- 6.42%
- New construction starts
- 1,820
+4.2% YoY
+18% MoM
−6 days
−0.6 pts
−14 bps
+11% YoY
01 — The Feature
Pour the Slab
The new generation of Arizona builders is gambling on a different idea of luxury — and it starts in the foundation.
02 — The Listings
Curated, this week
New listings are arriving shortly.
03 — Field Guide
The neighborhoods, mapped
Phoenix · 85018
Arcadia
Citrus orchards and 1950s ranches.
Scottsdale · 85251
Old Town Scottsdale
Restaurants, walkable, smaller lots.
Paradise Valley · 85253
Paradise Valley
One-acre lots, no apartments.
Tucson · 85718
Catalina Foothills
Saguaro National Park views.
Scottsdale · 85255
DC Ranch
Newer high-end, golf, gated.
Sedona · 86336
West Sedona
Red-rock second-home market.
04 · The Column
Ask the Agent.
Three working Arizona realtors take questions from readers, every other Wednesday. No press releases. No platitudes.
Submit a question →- Q.
Should I appeal my Maricopa County reassessment?
A.Probably, if it jumped more than 10% — and only if you have at least three comps within a quarter-mile that closed below your new valuation. The county's threshold is lower than people think.
— Linda Méndez, Realtor · West USA - Q.
Is now a bad time to sell my Phoenix starter home?
A.Less bad than you've been told. Sub-$600K inventory is moving fastest in the Valley. The trade-up math is the real problem — you may not love what your money buys at the next tier.
— Tomás Berenguer, Broker · Tomás Realty - Q.
Are HOAs in master-planned communities about to spike?
A.Yes, mostly because of insurance. Expect double-digit assessment increases in older Gilbert and Chandler communities through 2027. Read your reserve study before you fall in love with a house.
— Jia-Ling Park, CCAM · Sun Valley Mgmt.
05 — The Columnists
Recurring voices on the beat
Jonah Reyes
The Money
Property tax, financing, the math behind a closing
Former Vanguard advisor turned magazine columnist. Friend of contractors, enemy of escalation clauses.
Lydia Park
The Neighborhood
Tucson, Sedona, second-home country
Walks the streets she writes about. Will not recommend a restaurant she has not eaten at twice.
06 · The Tools
Run the numbers, before you fall in love.
A simple monthly-payment calculator with Arizona-specific tax and insurance defaults. For a more thorough version, our subscribers get the full affordability suite.
Open the full calculator →Estimated monthly
$3,761
Loan amount
$600,000
Total interest
$753,923