2023 Phoenix Area Home Prices (Mesa: condo, construction, live)

[locolife]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

The average person around the country assumes that because we live in a desert, we are growing in population, and we are frying up cheap river water fast, then we must be screwed. And therefore, they all assume one day, we won't have potable water. That last POV could not be further from the truth! When you hear that, understand you are talking to someone who isn't educated on this topic. Yes, cheap river water is draining the rivers. Unfortunately, nearly all of the people who have moved here are also worried about "running out of water"!?! Then why did they buy before the most basic level of research?

Very well said, and I am for one hoping that this leads to more infill development, which could fuel continued growth for Phoenix metro for the next 100 years as opposed to further sprawl to places such as Buckeye, falling west of the White Tank Mountains.

It's a good chance to focus more on growing up instead of mostly growing out.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

We are getting over our skis with desalination. We are not near the point of actually needing that yet. It seems to have a buzzword quality for the public and a quick and painless fix, thus it is being bandied about. Yet, conservation itself is sufficient for current and projected needs well into the future. That does entail changes to our water laws outside of the groundwater management areas. And that means cuts to agricultural use of groundwater which will meet stiff political resistance.

As you pointed out with respect to Ducey, our laws need a major overhaul. How this is to be accomplished with a legislature more fixated on transgender bathrooms and voting access is problematic. Past legislatures could come together on water, if nothing else. It would be a shame to have to invest billions in premature desalination because we can't prioritize water use, re-use and conservation.

Great point. We don't need another AZ mothballed desalination plant. By the way, AZ isn't alone: There are mothballed plants all around the world (Santa Barbera, Australia, UK, etc). Google "Mothballed desalination plant" and you will see plenty. When the government spends someone else's money, bad decisions are often made. And it's not just in AZ.

Originally Posted by locolife

Very well said, and I am for one am hoping that this leads to more infill development, which could fuel continued growth for Phoenix metro for the next 100 years as opposed to further sprawl to places such as Buckeye, falling west of the White Tank Mountains.

It's a good chance to focus more on growing up instead of mostly growing out.

Agreed ^^!

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

It would be a shame to have to invest billions in premature desalination because we can't prioritize water use, re-use and conservation.

We need to do all of the above, but desal shouldn't be entirely out of the question. While the water levels of Lake Powell & Lake Mead are unstable & unpredictable, I think it's safe to say that ocean water won't be dwindling anytime soon. No reason why it can't be implemented as one of the long term solutions. In addition, we certainly should prioritize water use and implement conservation efforts. The problem with this is: local & state governments focus a lot of their attention on penalizing homeowners with grass & shade trees because they're an easier target than agriculture (the largest glutton of all).

Originally Posted by locolife

Very well said, and I am for one hoping that this leads to more infill development, which could fuel continued growth for Phoenix metro for the next 100 years as opposed to further sprawl to places such as Buckeye, falling west of the White Tank Mountains.

It's a good chance to focus more on growing up instead of mostly growing out.

100% agree, but growing upward depends not only on demand, but on what our "leaders" do to encourage it. The Coyotes arena/entertainment district proposed for Tempe would have been a good infill project in addition to cleaning up the old landfill, but it was voted down. Now, there's talk about a new arena location being in Mesa, Scottsdale, or reservation land. I don't hear about anybody at Phoenix City Hall stepping up to encourage the Coyotes to move back downtown where they should be.

Same when companies vacate their downtown offices and move to suburban office parks ... or when places like Musical Instrument Museum are located in far north Phoenix instead of in a centralized area. These things create more sprawl & discourage inward/upward development, but people seem to be OK with that. We will likely be a forever sprawling metro area, and continue to have a rather mediocre central core compared to many other big cities as a result.

[mikeugh]

Originally Posted by AZLiam

California should also be researching and investing in ways to capture all of the snowpack/rainfall that empties into the ocean. Perhaps then, AZ wouldn't need to give up the lion's share of Colorado River water.

Absolutley not! Those streams and rivers are the breeding ground for many species of anadromous fish, and the species that depend upon them.

How about just stop crud like golf courses and lawns in a desert, never mind growing stuff like cotton.

[AZLiam]

Originally Posted by mikeugh

Absolutley not! Those streams and rivers are the breeding ground for many species of anadromous fish, and the species that depend upon them.

How about just stop crud like golf courses and lawns in a desert, never mind growing stuff like cotton.

Are anadromous fish solely depending on the trillions of gallons of water quickly flowing through polluted overflowing drain storms? And when waters recede too quickly, stranding fish in small isolated pools can't be a good thing, right?

[garden17]

Because the discussion has diverted from home prices to water, has anyone considered how many chemicals are in the PHX water?

https://ktar.com/story/1282190/repor...%80%9D%20movie. This report is 7 years old but it proves many people have short memories. Someone wrote that PHX has an ocean of groundwater but how safe is it for human consumption?

[singlegirlinaz]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

We need to do all of the above, but desal shouldn't be entirely out of the question. While the water levels of Lake Powell & Lake Mead are unstable & unpredictable, I think it's safe to say that ocean water won't be dwindling anytime soon. No reason why it can't be implemented as one of the long term solutions. In addition, we certainly should prioritize water use and implement conservation efforts. The problem with this is: local & state governments focus a lot of their attention on penalizing homeowners with grass & shade trees because they're an easier target than agriculture (the largest glutton of all).



100% agree, but growing upward depends not only on demand, but on what our "leaders" do to encourage it. The Coyotes arena/entertainment district proposed for Tempe would have been a good infill project in addition to cleaning up the old landfill, but it was voted down. Now, there's talk about a new arena location being in Mesa, Scottsdale, or reservation land. I don't hear about anybody at Phoenix City Hall stepping up to encourage the Coyotes to move back downtown where they should be.

Same when companies vacate their downtown offices and move to suburban office parks ... or when places like Musical Instrument Museum are located in far north Phoenix instead of in a centralized area. These things create more sprawl & discourage inward/upward development, but people seem to be OK with that. We will likely be a forever sprawling metro area, and continue to have a rather mediocre central core compared to many other big cities as a result.

I and no one else I know have any reason to be in Downtown Phoenix, but maybe that would would change if it had more stuff to bring people there.

LA is a lot the same way, it has a big Downtown but residents and visitors alike would rather be somewhere else for things to do. It has multiple urban centers and I see Phoenix heading in that direction.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by garden17

Because the discussion has diverted from home prices to water, has anyone considered how many chemicals are in the PHX water?

https://ktar.com/story/1282190/repor...%80%9D%20movie. This report is 7 years old but it proves many people have short memories. Someone wrote that PHX has an ocean of groundwater but how safe is it for human consumption?

The EPA current standard for hexavalent Chromium in drinking water is 100 parts per billion. That link shows Phoenix at 8 parts per billion - so not even 1/10 of the standard. Any water supplied by a municipal source in Arizona meets EPA drinking water standards. Like everywhere, private wells may or may not.

As for the ocean of brackish groundwater, that was my comment. Yes, that water would not be potable without treatment. Thus it would be a source of water for desalination only. That process could reduce potentially harmful components to safe levels.

[Greenvalleyfan]

Originally Posted by mikeugh

Absolutley not! Those streams and rivers are the breeding ground for many species of anadromous fish, and the species that depend upon them.

How about just stop crud like golf courses and lawns in a desert, never mind growing stuff like cotton.

You don't get it. A 2017 study by the U of A came to the conclusion that golf courses in Arizona provided 3.7 billion dollars to the economy. I don't play golf, but I recognize the importance of things such as golf even if I personally don't benefit by them.

Make that 6 billion total impact as of 2023.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Greenvalleyfan

You don't get it. A 2017 study by the U of A came to the conclusion that golf courses in Arizona provided 3.7 billion dollars to the economy. I don't play golf, but I recognize the importance of things such as golf even if I personally don't benefit by them.

Make that 6 billion total impact as of 2023.

Exactly. Golf courses are one of the highest beneficial (meaning economic return) uses of water. Without winter golf, the tourism industry would suffer immensely.
Agriculture too is important adding over 23 billion to the economy of the state. The choices are not simple.