Happy Tuesday, friends!

If this week had a theme, it might be long awaited progress. We saw groundbreaking in Gilbert after years of delay, a long stalled retail center in SanTan Valley finally back in motion, and Arizona's first Buc-ee’s breaking ground in Goodyear. Mixed-use, medical, and outdoor recreation projects are popping up across the Valley—and the market is doing its usual May thing. Prices dipped again but there might be signs of a pause ahead.

The Recap

It is a big week for momentum. In the East Valley, Mesa welcomed a new build-to-rent community with leasing already underway, Heritage Park finally broke ground in downtown Gilbert after five years of delays, and OrthoArizona announced massive expansion plans that span the entire metro. Meanwhile, SanTan Valley is getting a major retail center revival with restaurants, national chains, and space for community events.

Out west, Buc-ee’s officially broke ground in Goodyear and a whitewater park proposal is gaining traction in Estrella Mountain. Avondale announced upgrades for multiple parks and two entirely new ones. And in the housing market, prices dipped again, but early indicators suggest that trend could be slowing at least for now.
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_{Rates vary based on credit score, loan type, and lender policies. For the most accurate estimate, consult with a lender.}

East Valley News & Developments

New Build-to-Rent Townhome Community Opens in Mesa
BB Living just opened a 197-unit luxury townhome community called Burden Orchards at Val Vista Drive and the Red Mountain Loop 202. Rents start at two thousand four hundred two dollars per month, with the first move-ins happening soon. Floor plans range from three to four bedrooms with up to two thousand three hundred eighty two square feet. Homes include attached garages, smart home tech, and pet-friendly layouts. Community amenities include a resort-style pool, dog park, and outdoor recreation spaces.
📍 3411 North Val Vista Drive, Mesa
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SanTan Valley Retail Center Finally Moves Forward After 10-Year Delay
The Skyline Ranch Marketplace has new life. After more than a decade of delays, a Scottsdale developer has acquired the remaining thirty one acres of this SanTan Valley project and plans to break ground in July. The center is already eighty five percent pre-leased with names like EoS Fitness, Chick-fil-A, In-N-Out, Marshalls, and Ulta Beauty. The development will also include a pedestrian-friendly restaurant district known as The Zone, with space for sit-down, date-night-style dining options.
📍 North Gary Road and West Hunt Highway, SanTan Valley
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OrthoArizona Plans Major Expansion Across the Valley
One of Arizona’s largest orthopedic practices is going big. OrthoArizona plans to open five new medical facilities and expand five more by 2027. New centers are planned for Glendale, SanTan Valley, Scottsdale, Verrado, and Chandler, with some locations as large as fifty thousand square feet. The expansions will bring surgical centers, MRIs, and physical therapy clinics to fast-growing areas. The projects are expected to cost well over one hundred million dollars and will be fully financed by the physician-owned group.
📍 Multiple Valley Locations
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Heritage Park Breaks Ground in Downtown Gilbert
After five years of delays, Gilbert’s long-planned Heritage Park project has finally begun construction. Located in the northern part of the Heritage District, the ten-acre mixed-use development will include nine buildings with restaurants, retail, office space, and apartments. It also includes a boutique hotel that replaces a former Burger King. Phase one started demolition last month, and storefronts are expected to begin opening by July 2026.
📍 Northern Heritage District, Gilbert
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West Valley News & Developments

Buc-ee’s Breaks Ground in Goodyear
It is official—Arizona’s first Buc-ee’s is under construction. The seventy four thousand square foot travel center is located just off I-10 at Bullard Avenue in Goodyear. It will feature one hundred twenty fuel pumps, a Texas-style barbecue station, homemade fudge, a wall of jerky, and Buc-ee’s famously clean restrooms. The store will operate twenty four hours a day and bring around two hundred full-time jobs with strong benefits and above-average pay. A nearby business park with nearly seven hundred thousand square feet of space is also under construction.
📍 1001 North Bullard Avenue, Goodyear
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Whitewater Adventure Park Proposed for Estrella Mountain Regional Park
A man-made whitewater adventure park is being proposed for a portion of Estrella Mountain Regional Park in Goodyear. The concept includes rafting, kayaking, tubing, paddleboarding, zip lines, climbing areas, and trails. It would also feature an Olympic-level competition course and swiftwater rescue training facility. If approved, the park would operate as a nonprofit focused on affordable recreation and environmental stewardship. A thirty-day public comment period is expected to open later this year as part of the master planning process.
📍 Estrella Mountain Regional Park, Goodyear
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Avondale Announces Park Upgrades and Two New Parks
Avondale is making big investments in its public parks system. Upgrades are planned at Civic Center Park, Friendship Park, Dessie Lorenz Park, and two new parks are in the works. Highlights include eight new pickleball courts, public art installations, shade structures, food truck space, and demonstration gardens. The city is also building its first neighborhood park in north Avondale and a pocket park along Western Avenue to help activate Historic Old Town. Combined, the projects total more than twelve million dollars and span multiple phases through 2027.
📍 Multiple sites across Avondale
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🏡 Real Estate Trends

Prices dipped again—but signs are pointing toward a possible pause.

For the 30-day period ending May fifteenth, the average sales price per square foot across the Valley came in at two hundred ninety four dollars and ninety nine cents. That is down three point four percent from April fifteenth, which makes this the second straight month of significant price drops. However, the median price only dropped slightly, from four hundred fifty thousand dollars to four hundred forty six thousand nine hundred ninety dollars a point seven percent change.

That contrast tells us something. While average pricing is softening, lower-priced homes are still moving and that is keeping the median number more stable.

Here is a quick snapshot:

📉 Average price per square foot two hundred ninety four dollars and ninety nine cents
📉 Change from last month down three point four percent
📉 Median sales price four hundred forty six thousand nine hundred ninety dollars
📉 Pending list price per square foot three hundred twenty three dollars and eighty four cents (up zero point five percent)

The pending price data suggests that we might see a small rebound in the coming weeks, which would break the two-month decline. The forecast calls for a slight uptick to two hundred ninety six dollars and fifty six cents by mid-June.

But don’t expect sellers to celebrate just yet. The Cromford Index fell again this week and now sits at seventy seven the lowest level since two thousand nine. Supply is rising. Demand is falling. And buyers are gaining leverage across most of the Valley.

Just three cities remain in seller’s market territory—and even those are weak. Eight are balanced and six are firmly in buyer’s market conditions. Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, and Glendale saw the biggest shifts away from sellers over the past week.

Bottom line
The correction is still in motion, but it might be losing steam. Watch for more price stability in June, especially in the sub-five hundred thousand dollar range.
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_{Mortgage rates vary based on individual qualifications, including credit score, loan type, and lender policies. For a personalized rate estimate, it’s best to consult with a lender.}

🌵See You Next Week in the Desert

That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of The Desert Real.
I appreciate you being here and staying plugged in with what’s going on around the valley. Whether you’re thinking about making a move or just like being in the know, we’ve got you covered.

If you ever spot something interesting in your neighborhood or have a question about anything you see here, just hit reply and let me know. We’d love to hear from you.

See you next week!

-Brad