Here Comes the Sun
“When most people think of desert, they just think of dirt and nothing else. But in Tucson, I always say that we’re a green desert, which you see if you get up into the higher areas and you look down on the valley,” says Pam Ruggeroli, CRS, GRI, an associate broker for Long Realty Company. “It’s very, very green, because of all the different varieties of cactus that we have, as well as our palo verde trees. In April, the cacti are in bloom, and the desert is absolutely gorgeous. And it’s slightly cooler than the Phoenix area, because of our elevation.”
Sun seekers drawn to an active, outdoor lifestyle—plus plentiful jobs and nightlife—led to steady growth in the greater Tucson, Ariz., market, between 2012 and 2022. Whether you like to golf, hike, horseback ride, play pickleball or tennis, cycle, or fish—you name it—Tucson is a great place to enjoy the outdoors for most of the year.
Access to culture abounds. The region is a leader in hosting unique dining and tourism events that build community. In 2015, Tucson became the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy designated in the United States, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. “One thing is, we are really a diverse culture here,” says Cathy Swingle Wolfson, CRS, GRI, an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Realty and president of Tucson Association of REALTORS®. “Another nice draw is we don’t have hurricanes, tornadoes or snowstorms.”
The city of Tucson became the first city in the world to have an ordinance to address light pollution for space observation, and nearby Saguaro National Park was named the ninth Urban Night Sky Place.
“You can be at the beach in Mexico in a little over four hours, San Diego or the Grand Canyon in six hours. You can hike or ski nearby Mount Lemmon, or be at the vineyards within an hour,” Wolfson says.
In addition to dining, down-town Tucson offers a streetcar, live music, off-Broadway plays, coffee shops, and a convention center. The abundant opportunities add up to a diversity of buyers who are at various life stages, whether early in their professional careers, relocating from the West Coast or seeking seasonal homes.
“I see quite a number of out-of-town customers, and we always have a lot of retirees moving here,” Ruggeroli says. “Sometimes we sell properties to their children, who may be teaching at the university or working as doctors, and then the kids move their parents out here.”
While housing inventory is tight, mirroring nationwide real estate challenges, many clients are feeling more buying power in the Tucson market compared with other warm-weather cities.
“I believe that we are still probably one of the most afford-able cities of this size. I always say we are the smallest big town I’ve ever lived in,” Ruggeroli says.
Clients come from a number of nearby states, including California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, both for work opportunities and lifestyle improvements. “Among my clientele, I always see relocation,” Wolfson says. “We do a lot of relocation work with Raytheon, the University of Arizona, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the surrounding industries.”
New-construction purchases are hot, both Ruggeroli and Wolfson say, due to incentives by builders to offer reduced closing costs and lending rates. In addition, spec homes are helping to add inventory to the market more quickly than the typical timing to build from the ground up.
“I grew up here. I love living here,” Wolfson says. “I’m looking at the Santa Catalina Mountains right now. Every day when we get to drive our clients around, it’s gorgeous blue skies. I do have an office, but I’m not stuck in it every day. Summer is our best kept secret here. (It’s a dry heat!) It’s quiet, it’s ‘mañana.’ It’s flip-flops. It’s awesome.”
Ruggeroli says that while she may be biased, she believes her clients almost always fall in love with Tucson, even after exploring other parts of the state. “I’ve been here 30 years. I grew up in Las Vegas, and I just have no desire to be anywhere else. Even though we don’t have the ocean, the sky is our ocean.”