Tucson Makes the Top 10 Hidden Gems Market

Tony Ray Baker
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Tucson Makes the Top 10 Hidden Gems Market

Hidden gem in a pile of rocksWe all know that Tucson is amazing but it’s always great to hear it mentioned by outside sources. This time Tucson made the top 10 list of hidden gems by the National Association of Realtors for 2022. Let’s look at what qualifies as a hidden gem market.

What is a Hidden Gems Market?

According to the NAR a hidden gem market has “strong underlying housing market fundamentals but where home prices are undervalue and relatively affordable. As such, these hidden gem markets are expected to experience stronger price appreciation in 2022.”

There’s a more technical definition with numbers, income indicators, technical jargon, etc. But the basics are Tucson is undervalued and still relatively affordable. Now some might argue that locals are getting priced out by cash buyers. Usually from other states looking for “investment properties.” That is indeed happening. But, the fact that Tucson is still a hidden gem is the important part for locals.

What They Said

“Tucson is very affordable in comparison to Phoenix. As of 2021 Q2, the median property value was $261,046. This is equivalent to 3 times the median family income in comparison to the median property value in Phoenix, $364,186, which is 4.3 times the median family income. Among the top 10 undervalued markets, Tucson had the third-largest net domestic migration in 2020, at 10,778 (next to Dallas and San Antonio). Due to strong population growth and net domestic migration, home prices rose at a 3-year cumulative rate from 2018 Q2—2021 Q2 of 23.6%, outpacing wage gains of 15.6%.”

What we heard was, Tucson is better than Phoenix! Tucson is more affordable than Phoenix. And Tucson is up and coming and ready for a population boom! Now is the time to think about your current home and what your needs might be in the future. Is it time to upgrade? If the answer is yes, or even a maybe, I can help make those dreams a reality.

Download a PDF of the Top 10 Hidden Gems of the Housing Market in 2022!

Have a great day!
Darren & Tony Ray 😎
🌵🏠☀️

 

The New York Times Mentions Saguaro National Park

Tony Ray Baker
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The New York Times Mentions Saguaro National Park

The New York Times recently released an online, interactive list of 52 places around the world where travelers can be a part of the solution, rather than a problem. Because you know us, you know that we are only bringing this to your attention because they mention Tucson! Yep, the good Old Pueblo is in the media yet again. Okay, okay, more specifically they mention the beautiful Saguaro National Park.

As alluded to by the NYT article all 52 places on their list must have a problem to need a solution. In our case, the problem is that we have very few new saguaros, a species that is a notoriously slow grower. Think 75 years old to get its first arm, and not reaching its full height of 45 feet until 200 years old. So, a declining population of these stoic giants is a problem, not just for Tucson but for an entire ecosystem.

The article highlights a local conservation project where volunteers work year-round pulling buffalo grass. Why does 1 weed need so much attention you might ask? There are a couple of reasons. The first is because it’s a non-native species that takes much-needed nutrients to other native plants. And secondly because due to climate change, we’ve been experiencing hotter summers. These withering temperatures dry out the buffelgrass and provide ample kindling for wildfires.

You can help mitigate the buffalo grass by volunteering with the Saguaro National Park. They organize clear-ups year-round. If you don’t want to be outside but still help out, that’s ok too! Find all volunteer opportunities here.

The New York Times Mentions Saguaro National Park
The New York Times Mentions Saguaro National Park

National Geographic Mentions Tucson City of Gastronomy

jamesportis
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National Geographic Mentions Tucson City of Gastronomy

Well, well, well… All of us locals know that Tucson is known for its amazing Mexican food, but now there’s recognition from National Geographic! We, of course, have a great selection of Tucson accolades, here is a collection of our food-related ones. If you want to jump straight to restaurants we love, you are more than welcome to do so.

Back in 2015 Tucson was awarded the first US city with the Capital of Gastronomy designation and joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Naturally, we covered the decision here, and so did the Smithsonian Magazine. The Gastronomy award is not the only foodie mention we’ve got. Not by a long shot.

La Estrella Bakery Recognized by Washington Post for Pan De Muerto
La Estrella Bakery Recognized by Washington Post for Pan De Muerto

Not Just National Geographic

Just recently the Washington Post recognized La Estrella Bakery for their amazing pan de muerto and other traditional Mexican treats. Also, Forbes magazine mentioned local Carlotta Flores of El Charro as one of 50 over 50 to keep an eye on. She has several Charro restaurants, all with a slightly different spin and all delicious.

We also love Tucson Meet Yourself, colloquially known as “Tucson Eat Yourself.” Here you will find not only amazing Mexican food but food from all over the world. All brought to you by Tucson citizens sharing their cuisine, a melting pot if you will. A pot you can eat a lot of great food out of.

Pretty please don’t take our word for it. Come check us out, we are so much more than the food. There are dozens of reasons to visit Tucson whether it’s our spectacular sunsets or the hiking trails. Are you in town for a celebration? Be sure to pick up some local beer & wine for an intoxicating taste of the area. Thinking of retiring here? It’s a good choice, Tucson is rated one of the best for retirement living.

Whatever brings you here, we’re certain you’ll want to stay.

http://seetucsonhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/National-Geographic-Traveller-Food.pdf

Catalina Foothills Unified School District is #1 in Arizona

jamesportis
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Catalina Foothills Unified School District is #1 in Arizona

We’ve got a lot of great things going on in Tucson, but I’m here to tell you about one specifically, the Catalina Foothills Unified School District. You might not be aware but birth rates in the USA are declining

Catalina Foothills High School Student Plaza
Catalina Foothills High School Student Plaza

And in our beloved home state of Arizona, that number has declined almost 22% in the last decade. While that figure may sound shocking to you, I’m here to tell you that it’s actually not a bad thing. It’s common knowledge that our teachers are burdened with disproportionate class sizes to what a single teacher can effectively handle. 

Where am I going with this? I’m so glad you asked. Kids need teachers, teachers need schools, schools have districts, and some are better than others. This is why we are so very happy to inform you that one of ours has been ranked the TOP school district in all of Arizona.

Drumroll, please! If you live in Tucson you may have already guessed but for those of you looking to move here with kids, pay attention. The Catalina Foothills Unified School District has been rated #1 in Arizona according to Newsweek!

Catalina Foothills School District
Catalina Foothills School District

Let’s look at some of the statistics.

What You Need To Know

  1. It’s located in Tucson, obviously the best city in Arizona by far. 
  2. CFUSD has a teacher to student ratio of 1:19, while not ideal it’s comparatively better than the competition. The next jump in other districts is 1 teacher to 23 or more students. Sometimes even 35 students are being wrangled by 1 teacher.
  3. Catalina also boasts a 98% graduation rate, that’s the highest in the state!
  4. According to Zip Recruiter, “As of July 2021 the average annual pay for a teacher in AZ is $26,553 a year.” For Catalina Unified they pay their teachers an average of $45,311 a year. That’s an extra $18,000 for our educators and we believe they deserve every penny and then some.

So, there you have it. If you live in Arizona and have children, you might want to consider relocating to Tucson. Parents should always want the best for their children, Catalina Foothills Unified School District is the best in Arizona, hands down.

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