Does Phoenix still have a hot land development market? (Scottsdale: real estate, job)

[PhillyGuy]

Hello all,

I recently got my degree in geography/urban planning and am currently working as an economic planner for my county (Chester County) out in the Philadelphia burbs. I am tired of planning in general because there are too many regulations against development. I do not want to plan cities, I want to build them. What I really want to be is a land developer. In college I did a final paper on Phoenix and know it is one of the top fastest growing cities in the country. I know the housing market is beginning to fall nation wide. My question is if the Phoenix development/new housing market is still booming? My goal is to hopefully leave the east coast in a few months and try my luck finding a job with a developer out in Phoenix to gain experience for my life pursuit. If you are from Phoenix let me know what you think my chances are for blindly coming out to get a job in land development. Thank you.

-PhillyGuy-

[micrguy]

2000+ people a month are moving to Phoenix and they all need a place to live. From what I have seen the new home builders wouldn't need anyone, every subdivision looks the same and they use the same 4-5 basic floorplans in all of the new developments. I would call around to some of the commercial builders and real estate companies, I think that you would have the best luck there. There is a lot of activity in commercial real estate on the fringes of the metro area and Phoenix is at the point where there is now a need to do infill projects and remodels on all of the commercial projects that were built 30-40 years ago.

[Ponderosa]

The growth rate in Maricopa County is about 10,000 per month (2000 above is just Phoenix). So development continues. You would not get a job with a builder, I don't think. Builders just buy land from developers and erect homes. Builders have been hit by the slowdown, but the land barons plan on knowing the demand will not abate soon. You need to hook up with a developer of which there are many. Newland Communities developed Ahwahtukee and now is at it with Estrella Mountain Ranch. Dell Webb is huge. Sunbelt Holdings in Scottsdale is behind Vistancia. Robson Communites develops retirement communities in the southwest. Some developers are not based in Arizona, but have HQs in California. Anyway, they are as common as ants at a picnic around here. I don't know about cold-calling. Do some research on who the developers are in Maricopa County and contact them. They might be more intested in you if you know about the work they do and don't just walk through the door looking for a job. Also, though you don't seem interested, almost all the cities around here have openings for planners. I read a while back that Buckeye - projected to grow to the largest city in Arizona some day - was building a new planning staff. Good luck!

[PhillyGuy]

Thanks for thoughts micrguy and Ponderosa. I am currently contacting certain developers in the area. I think I am going to make the move sometime in March. The only thing that concerns me is the heat. How bad is it. The hottest I've experienced on the east coast was like 95 with humidity. Is electricity expensive because of none-stop running air conditioners? Which areas are the best place to live? I was thinking somewhere near ASU since I could probably find alot of people my own age there and the fact that the new Valley Metro light rail will be around the same area. Any Phoenicians let me know your thoughts. Later.

[sablebaby]

There is a thread on the AZ forum about the hot summers, that will give you an idea.

I've been paying about $225 as the highest in the summer for a 3 bedroom house. Plus, I have gas which is another $30 or so during that time. I don't know if that's expensive from where you are from? But, I'm also paying close to the same now for the winter with a high gas bill and low electric bill. But you are right, the AC is non stop for the entire summer, even at night. It just never cools down until oct/nov.

[frankie58]

Sure, come on out and try your hand at "developing" our once pristine desert areas. Fill it with even more ticky-tacky strip malls and same old, same old stucco and tile roofs for miles on end and YIKES! grass lawns?!?!?! Yea, real pretty.
Sigh...oh for the Arizona of even 20 years ago!
Sorry, I don't mean to sound so negative about your life's vocation, I am not against development, per se, just the kind of development that AZ seems to attract. Ugh!

[monsoon74]

Just a heads up...

I am in upper management in a construction company, and over the last year, there have been reductions, layoffs, and restructuring at many of the homebuilders. Part of the problem comes from the slowdown in the market, which was going at an unbelievable rate the last few years, and part of it has to do with national companies cutting across the board to compensate for their slow sales elswhere. VP's and such don't get fired, they get moved around within the company, and the lower-level project managers are the ones being shown the door.

If you're going to do this on your own, you'll have a lot of competition. Those unemployed managers I mentioned...some are starting up their own operations, but the market just isn't there for as many as there already are.

Another potential roadblock is the fact that much of the outlying area has already been planned. Due to the slowdown, though, the builders are taking a 'wait and see' approach, and are in no hurry to build more inventory than they already have.

Two or three years ago you could have had your pick as to who to work for...today, it's very difficult to find any openings. Best of luck, perhaps your resume will help you get the position.