9 minute read
Real Estate
Is New Construction The Solution?
By Holly Henbest, Realtor
With so much talk about our supply and demand imbalance, a lot of people are left wondering if new construction will solve the problem. In the short term, unfortunately there is not enough new construction in process to make a significant impact to our supply.
To help you stay informed, here are some key facts to be aware of regarding new construction.
• Nationwide, the data shows that about 50% of new construction is for single family homes. The rest is for multifamily housing – apartments, condos, and townhomes. • There were more homes under construction in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 than there were in 2021 and today. • New construction has been building at under average quantities for 12 years. So, we have 12 years to catch up on. • Nationwide, 2021 saw 1,337,800 completed homes of all types. This is below the long-term average, which is 1,396,000. • In the U.S., 2021 saw 966,900 completed single-family homes. This is below the long-term average, which is 1,002,100. • In the West region of the country, 2021 saw 319,500 completed homes of all types. This is below the longterm average, which is 341,100. • Single family home new construction in Maricopa
County has declined over the last 12 months and new permit counts are in a downward trend.
Another impact to new construction has been a labor and supply challenge because of the pandemic. Construction supplies went up in price and suppliers experienced shutdowns and difficulty producing and delivering products in a timely manner. We’ve all heard stories about people waiting months for appliances and flooring—and that’s just a slice of the delays. We’ve also encountered pandemicrelated labor challenges.
For those expecting that 2022 would start off with a bit of a post-holiday lull, the robust buyer demand resulted in continued competition for homes. We had a further reduction in inventory and saw a spike in sales prices.
JANUARY 2022 VERSUS DECEMBER 2021:
• 17% fewer listings. • 19% increase in listings under contract. • Almost $20,000 increase in average sales price.
Although this is a competitive market and getting buyers into homes remains challenging, there is good news. This year, The Henbest Team has secured many contracts for buyers and none of them were cash buyers. Each offer has been a part a bidding war, but none of them were the highest offer. So, there are still ways to get your offer accepted and get you into your new dream home.
If you’re thinking about buying, then consider acting sooner than later. Interest rates are currently rising, so the sooner you secure a home, the better the rate. We should see a nice increase in inventory this spring, so there will hopefully be more homes to chose from. If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate, email me at holly@henbest.com to connect.
Holly has been a Desert Ridge resident since 2000 and has been a Realtor since 2006. She is the leader of The Henbest Team with Realty One Group. Holly is ranked in the top ½ of 1 percent of Realtors in Arizona and is a certified luxury marketing expert. She was also ranked #24 in 2019 by the Phoenix Business Journal and recognized by So Scottsdale! magazine as a Real Estate Superstar for 2019. COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL WE GOT YOU COVERED!
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Cover Story
ELITE TURF
By Michelle Talsma Everson
If your backyard could use a makeover but the thought of continuous landscape maintenance makes you hesitate, then artificial turf may be for you. With the motto of, “We build a better backyard in no time,” local entrepreneur and veteran Shawn Ramey is a leading expert in artificial grass and hardscape design. His company, Elite Turf, offers these services to residential and commercial clients across the Valley. With an emphasis on quality customer service, he encourages Valley home and business owners to consider the many benefits of artificial turf.
“There are a lot of perks to installing artificial grass,” Ramey explains. “Here in the desert, there’s the water conservation angle. There’s also a lot of money to be saved as water usage prices go up. Many customers get back the money they spent on the installation in water savings. In addition, artificial grass is better for those with allergies to real grass and you save on time and energy with no yard maintenance required.” A 10-year veteran of the Navy, Ramey and his father Brian, also a decorated veteran, founded American Team LLC in 2006. In their early years, they offered full property renovations, remodeling the insides of homes and complete landscape designs. “Once my dad passed away, I started to focus more on mastering landscape design,” Ramey explains. “As artificial grass started to become a hot commodity, I quickly realized this is the future for water conservation and maintenance-free landscaping for customers.”
Knowing that he was on to something big, Ramey became fully immersed in learning everything he could about the artificial grass industry. Fast forward to today, and with his business re-branded as Elite Turf, he is known as a leading expert in residential and commercial artificial grass and hardscape design. Sharing his knowledge, he has been instrumental in the training and development of many Arizona-based artificial grass companies and installers.
“As a fully licensed, bonded, and insured contractor, I have installed, directed, overseen or been directly responsible for over 5,000 residential and commercial projects over the years,” Ramey says. “Some of these projects include fields for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the White Sox, Arizona Sports Complex, and many more.”
COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITY
“We’re much more than a grass installer,” according to Elite Turf. “We are elite artificial grass and paver installers that pay attention to detail installing synthetic grass with high-end quality materials and installation at a reasonable price without compromising the quality of install.”
With more than fifteen years of experience and extensive industry knowledge and expertise, Elite Turf does installations of artificial grass and hardscaping (the built environment that is incorporated into a landscape). Ramey shares that, while he owns the company, he is very hands-on and enjoys working with clients on all types of projects.
“It’s not about how many jobs we can do, it’s about how many jobs we can do well,” he explains. “I’d rather have fewer jobs and do them perfectly. I want customers to be happy always—that’s my focus and priority.”
For those interested in installing artificial grass with Elite Turf, Ramey explains that the first step happens when he and his team meet with the potential customer and get to know them and what they’d like their outdoor experience to be. “With our technology and expertise, we can basically take a ‘blank’ backyard and provide the customer with multiple options on what it could look like,” he explains. And, for those afraid of having a long, drawn-out home project, this process often takes a matter of days, and it’s most often seven to ten days from first meeting to complete install.
For extensive detailed jobs, Elite Turf can do 3-D renderings as well. In addition to artificial turf, many clients add in hardscaping elements.
“A beautiful-looking yard has equally impressive pavers, fire pits, driveways and other hard surfaces,” according to Elite Turf. “Our team will revamp all your exterior surfaces for a more impressive look. That means everything from retaining wall installation to colored concrete and classic-looking pavers.”
Knowing that expense plays a role in these projects, Ramey shares that Elite Turf will match any competitor’s price and he offers an impressive multiyear warranty on his work. He also makes sure that, once one of his crews are on site, the process goes as smooth as possible for clients. “Each of my five crews comes with a project coordinator, whose sole job is to make sure that customers are in-the-know from start to finish,” he explains. “This helps to put clients at ease, knowing that there will always be someone to communicate with them and answer any questions they may have.”
In addition to focusing on customer satisfaction, Ramey also believes in the importance of giving back to the community. As a veteran, he makes regular donations to nonprofits like Wounded Warrior and other veteran-serving organizations. He also is a regular contributor to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. And, as the dad of three busy young athletes, he supports Pinnacle High School and Arizona Sports Complex—volunteering and providing turf for their sports or fundraising needs.
“I’m a veteran, so I know what it means to serve,” Ramey explains. “What matters most to me is that customers are satisfied with our services and that we are good stewards to the community that has helped us grow so much over the last 15+ years.”
This spring, Elite Turf is waiving taxes on all new jobs in a just-announced tax season promotion.
To learn more about Elite Turf and its artificial grass and hardscape design services, visit eliteturfaz.com or call 602-980-9936.
This content is sponsored by Elite Turf.
