Upcoming Events

Mercados & Melodies

Friday, March 20, from 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Avondale Civic Center - Ampitheater
FREE

Goodyear Lakeside Music Festival

Saturday, March 21, from 4:00 - 10:00 PM
Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater
FREE

Luke Days 2026

Saturday - Sunday, March 21-22, from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Luke AFB
FREE

Founder’s Day

Saturday, March 28, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM
Bicentennial Park
FREE

West Valley Market Shifts to Buyer Advantage

January brought the strongest buyer conditions the West Valley has seen in over a year. While sellers flooded the market with new listings, buyers pulled back. This created more choices, less competition, and real negotiating power.

The Numbers That Matter

New listings jumped 83% from December as sellers returned after the holidays. Over 2,200 homes hit the market in January alone. At the same time, closed sales dropped 26% to 910 homes. This combination pushed inventory to 5,198 active listings—500 more than last year.

Prices responded to the shift. The median sale price fell to $405,000, down $10,000 from December and $13,348 below January 2025. Homes now take 91 days to sell on average, 12 days longer than last year. The absorption rate climbed to 4.2 months of supply. When supply exceeds four months, buyers gain leverage.

What This Means for You

Buyers have control. More inventory and longer market times mean you can take your time, compare options, and negotiate. Homes sitting 60+ days signal motivated sellers willing to discuss price reductions, repair credits, or closing cost help.

The $400K-$499K range offers the most opportunity. This segment has 1,573 active listings but closed only 248 sales last month. That creates over six months of supply and gives buyers significant negotiating power.

First-time buyers still face competition below $300K. Only 773 homes are available in this range, and demand from first-time buyers remains strong. These properties move faster than higher-priced homes.

Upper-tier buyers ($500K+) have strong leverage. Pending contracts in the $500K-$749K range dropped 33-37% compared to last year. Luxury pending sales ($750K+) fell by half. Sellers at these price points often have room to negotiate.

Market Direction

Sale-to-list ratios remain strong at 98.7%, meaning buyers still pay near asking price. But sellers are pricing more realistically from the start to avoid sitting on the market. Properties that linger past 60 days typically require price adjustments.

The January pattern—high new listings, lower sales, rising inventory—creates buyer advantage. If you've waited for conditions to shift in your favor, now is the time to act. Pre-approval and strategic offers on properties with extended market time produce results.

Ready to Take Advantage?

I track these numbers because they directly affect your buying power and timing. If you want to discuss what this market means for your specific situation, let's connect. Call or text me at 623-288-0977.Real Estate Headlines

Inflation Cools, Mortgage Rates Dip, and Spring Gets a Small Boost

January’s inflation report delivered a bit of welcome news heading into the spring market. Overall inflation came in at 2.4% year-over-year, down from 2.7% in December and slightly below what analysts expected. Core inflation (which strips out food and energy) landed at 2.5%, and the “shelter” component tied to rents continued to cool, slowing to about a 3% annual pace.

Why does this matter for real estate? Because cooler inflation can take some pressure off interest rates. After the report, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate edged down from 6.10% to 6.04%, according to Mortgage News Daily. Economists quoted in the piece noted that even small rate improvements can help affordability, especially when paired with slower home price growth and rising incomes.

That said, this is not a “mission accomplished” moment. Early-year inflation data can be hard to read because of seasonal adjustments, and the Federal Reserve is expected to watch the next round of data before changing course on policy. The big takeaway is simple: the trend is encouraging, but it is still too soon to overreact to one month of numbers.

My practical read: If rates keep drifting down, we could see more buyers step off the sidelines this spring. If you are planning a move, this is a good time to review your budget and strategy so you can act quickly if the right home shows up.

Attribution: Adapted from “Why the latest inflation data is good news for real estate,” by Dave Gallagher, Real Estate News (Feb. 13, 2026).

Seal Out Pests Before Phoenix Summer Heat Arrives

Seal Entry Points

Walk your home's exterior and look for gaps. Check where utility lines enter walls. Inspect door sweeps and window screens. Scorpions squeeze through spaces as thin as a credit card.

Use silicone caulk for cracks around pipes, vents, and cables. Replace worn weatherstripping on doors. Repair or replace damaged window screens. Focus on ground-level entry points first—most pests enter at foundation level.

Inspect Your Foundation

Circle your house and examine the foundation line. Look for cracks in stucco or concrete. Scorpions and spiders hide in these spaces during the day and emerge at night.

Fill foundation cracks with mortar or expanding foam rated for outdoor use. Pay special attention to corners where two walls meet. These junction points often develop gaps over time.

Create a Barrier Zone

Clear vegetation and debris within two feet of your home's exterior. Scorpions hide under rocks, wood piles, and dense plants during hot days. Remove their daytime shelter and they move elsewhere.

Store firewood at least 20 feet from your house. Elevate it off the ground on a rack. Pull mulch back from your foundation—leave a six-inch gap of bare ground or gravel.

Treat the Perimeter

Consider applying a pest control barrier now. Professional treatments last longer when applied before extreme heat arrives. Many Phoenix pest control companies offer spring service specials.

If you treat yourself, use products labeled for scorpions and desert pests. Apply around the foundation, under eaves, and near entry points. Read labels carefully and follow all safety instructions.

Address Moisture Issues

Fix leaking outdoor faucets and sprinkler heads. Repair air conditioning condensate line leaks. Pests seek water sources during dry Phoenix summers.

Check that gutters drain away from your foundation. Standing water or damp soil near your home attracts insects that scorpions hunt.

Interior Protection

Install door sweeps on garage doors—these large openings provide easy pest access. Check attic vents for gaps or damage. Inspect the seal around your garage door opener.

Look inside cabinets under sinks for gaps around plumbing. Seal these with foam or copper mesh. Check behind appliances for openings where pests could enter from wall voids.

Night Inspection

After dark, take a blacklight flashlight around your property. Scorpions glow bright green under UV light. This reveals how many live near your home and where they concentrate.

Check block walls, rock features, and landscaping. If you find multiple scorpions, intensify your sealing and treatment efforts in those areas.

Act Now

These prevention steps take a few hours spread across a weekend. You create a barrier before pest pressure increases with summer heat. Phoenix homeowners who pest-proof in March face fewer problems in July.

Questions about maintaining your Phoenix home? I help homeowners protect their investment year-round.