Brad Shaffer

Richard - negotiations should always occur in the price of a new build. Having experience working with a national new home builder, I can tell you that there is usually quite a bit of "wiggle room" for homes. As Steve said, spec homes usually are your best option for getting more off the price. Options are usually set in stone so any price decrease usually occurs in the base price of the home.

As Stacie mentioned - the market is tough for new home builders. They have a big need right now to drop their inventory levels. Some have been better at others at doing this while other builders have an extreme amount of debt on top of an extreme amount of inventory. They need sales to keep the cash flow and that can - sometimes - result in some pretty hefty discounts off the advertised price.

Don't forget to also have your REALTOR try to negotiate things like points towards your mortgage and financing incentives (usually with their lender) and then compare whatever the final decision is with other lenders outside of the builder's mortgage company to verify you are getting the best financing deal as well.

Lastly, try to have a clause written in to your contract that does exactly what Steve mentioned - ensuring that if base prices fall before you move in to your home that you'll get the same price before you close on the home. - Mon Jun 30 2008, 12:32

There is a big push for downtown Phoenix to become a 24/7 vibrant area. There's been announcements in the past year of quite a bit of development including grocery stores committing to downtown over the course of the next so many years. Grocery stores are obviously a "must" to have a true urban core besides condos.

Sales of condos downtown have been decent but not great by any standard. With gas prices over $4 a gallon ... and only going to continue to rise ... I think that areas like downtown Phoenix and Tempe will start to see positive growth over the course of the next few years as people start to think, "Do I really want to live 30 miles away from work? Do I really want to have to drive to get everything? Do I really want to have to drive to eat?"

I do have faith in downtown Phoenix and downtown Tempe and think the current economic shift will not only spur growth in our urban cores but promote continue mass transit options, like the light rail. - Sat Jun 7 2008, 17:35

Ben,

Look for an agent that specializes in Gilbert or the east valley. If you are looking for a specific type of home (horse property, luxury) then you may want to find an agent who specializes in those niche markets.

If you have family or friends in Gilbert or the Phoenix area - ask them for a referral possibly. If not, do some research on the web and find an agent that "clicks" with you.

Of course, you'll get agents replying to this question offering their services simply because of your question ... so choose the agent that makes you feel comfortable. Check out their website, contact him/her and go from there.

My website is listed below! ;-) - Mon May 19 2008, 08:50

Gina - are you working with an agent? Hopefully your comparable sales stats are coming from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service and not public websites. ARMLS will give you the true stats.

Without seeing the property or the comparable sales ... it's tough. But, did the other sales have something great that made them sell for more? Something that took the value down? Of course, larger homes/larger lots/estate lots can be tricky because there are fewer out there to do comparable stats on ...

Overpaying is the consistent question buyers face in this market. In my opinion, prices still need to drop quite a bit. Areas like south Gilbert and Queen Creek or even more volatile because of the distance from freeways, shopping, entertainment and employment centers. However, custom homes aren't a dime a dozen like most homes on the market so their value may hold a little better.

Good luck! - Sun May 11 2008, 07:27

Augusto. You can search right on trulia or zillow for basic trends (don't take them to heart 100% though) for the Tucson area.

Also, Altos Research can help with more reliable trending of data at altosresearch.com.

Renting it would be very feasible. I could recommend an agent in Tucson who could give you current rents in the area and help you pinpoint a location to purchase.

Good luck! - Thu May 8 2008, 07:51