Pocket housing communities are popping up on the Tucson area’s northeast side, ranging in size from 10 to 49 homes.
There has not been much new homebuilding in either the Tanque Verde Valley or Sabino Canyon areas in recent years, and pent-up demand means new homes are commanding prices of $379,000 to more than $900,000.
Pepper Viner Homes is developing StoneBridge in the Foothills, a 10-home community north of River Road, between Craycroft and Sabino Canyon roads.
“We are very excited about this project,” said CEO Bill Viner. “It is a rare opportunity to find a piece of property like this. It is a beautiful desert location and, yet, close to everything Tucson has to offer.”
A.F. Sterling has two projects on the northeast side, Bear Canyon Overlook and Tanque Verde Village, said Frank Della Cioppa, sales and marketing manager.
“There are not a lot of new homes in the area and we felt we had the right niche,” he said.
Buyers have been a combination of professional couples and homeowners already living in that area, eager to upgrade without having to pick a different side of town.
“The Tanque Verde Valley is lush with lots of mesquite trees,” Della Cioppa said. “And the views … it feels like you can almost touch the Catalinas.”
In addition to these developments, Maracay Homes is building a 39-home community near Sabino Canyon and Old Sabino Canyon roads, and Pulte Homes has a 49-home development near Tanque Verde and Houghton roads.
Unlike the large communities in the far northwest and southeast parts of town, these small infill projects offer homebuyers the opportunity to stay in the city and still enjoy upgraded homes with the latest amenities.
Land broker Will White, of Land Advisors Organization, called it a “win-win” for the city’s tax base and for residents who love that part of town, where there is scarce land for large master-planned communities.
“What we are seeing is renewed demand at higher price points in these locations,” he said. “The infill definition is always changing as Tucson metro grows.”
