Sunsites Land Rush: August 2008 Archives

Camino Real Land Corporation encourages our new clients to view and inspect their property as soon as possible As a courtesy to our Sunsites Representative, certain guidelines must be followed. Please notify Camino Real at least 30 days in advance of your desire inspection date so that we can confirm the representative's availability. At that time, we will send out driving directions to Sunsites from Tucson, along with the representatives contact information. Less that 30 days notice decreases the chances of their schedule being open on the desired date. Worst yet, arriving at our representative's door in Sunsites without an appointment will mean a wasted Trip. Her schedule is extremely full!

The secret to buying rural land or "young land" in a rural community is to focus on price and terms, not location. The old adage of "location, location, location" easily applies to urban neighborhoods. Even the open land in highly developed areas, no matter how well-located, can be adversely affected by unpredictable factors from growth patterns to rezoning.

Undeveloped rural land historically increases in value for several basic reasons: the population continues to grow, the supply of land is limited, and demand is constantly on the rise. More than 100 million additional people will be living in the United States by middle of the 21^st century, but not one acre of new land will have been created.

The inevitability of inflation will always positively impact the value of affordable rural acreage-especially when the price has not ballooned with interest payments! Unlike the stock market, land never "goes out of business" or becomes outdated by new technology. Many stocks that were excellent investments 50 years ago no longer exist. On the other hand, land that might have been overpriced 50 years ago is still here - and probably a bargain based on its original value! That's why price and terms mean everything when buying rural acreage. Imagine the gain over time if you had been able to purchase that same land at low "young property" prices and zero interest.

Why buy land? Land ownership is a sense of security, just knowing that you have a tract of property, a private retreat to call your own. Imagine the liberating feeling of having your own mini-ranch in a breathtakingly beautiful place with world-class hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and camping. What peace of mind to be able to pass this treasure down to your children and grandchildren. No one can predict the absolute certainty the future of land use and values, but we've all seen the "boondocks" if yesterday become centers of bustling activity. The availability of large tracts of affordable rural acreage-offered without interest or credit checks-is growing more limited with each passing day.

Minutes from the Sunsites community and 45 miles southeast Tucson, the city of Benson is reporting record growth, both commercial and residential. Currently the fourth largest of the Cochise County cities, Benson is a vital link between Tucson to the west and the county's largest city, Sierra Vista, to the south. Benson is also home to one of Arizona's most celebrated tourist destinations, Kartchner Caverns State Park, drawing as many as 200,000 visitors annually.

The ever-growing popularity of this premier natural attraction is changing the face of Benson. Wal-Mart opened 99,000 square-feet Supercenter in 2006, positioning Benson to emerge as the major retail center of northern Cochise County. Future trends are already taking shape: Te city's 2006 taxable sales were up an unbelievable 45.8 percent, the highest annual growth rate in the entire county.

Another phenomenon began in 2006: The launching of large-scale, master-planned communities beyond the Benson city limits in the unincorporated areas of Cochise County. Benson issued 104 new home permits in 2006 compared to only 12 permits over the entire preceding five-year period. Currently, more than 20,000 new homes are planned for construction. With developers so eagerly eyeing the available land surrounding Benson, analysts see Benson emerging as the county's largest city in the coming years!

Agriculture in Cochise County is another important economic driver and especially in the Willcox area just minutes from Sunsites community. Boasting the largest weekly cattle auction in the state, Willcox is also home to large-scale operations like Eurofresh Farms, the world's largest supplier of greenhouse tomatoes. Diversification has seen the establishment of apple orchards, pistachio and pecan groves, ostrich farms, and to the Cochise County Wine Trails. The count's well-established U-Pick-It industry already provides fresh produce for all of Southern Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico.

The city of Douglas, just down Highway 191 from Sunsites and Sunsites Ranches, was recently dubbed one of the nation's best "metropolitan" areas and a "Top 100" small city. Both Benson and Willcox offer local hospitals and branch centers of Cochise College, solidifying their place as full-service "hub cities" poised to serve an ever-growing rural population. Without a doubt, the future of Cochise Country is brighter than ever, as this land of breathtaking natural beauty is being discovered by business, commerce, industry, and residential developers.

The Economic & Business Research Center of the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona forecasts that Arizona could be among the "top five" heavily populated states by 2036. Bring the next 30 years, Arizona will add another 8.5 million residents to the more than 6 million who already call Arizona their home. Arizona's population is expected to top 7 million by 2010 and reach 8 million just five years later. Each subsequent decade will add another 2 million or more. 

Why is Arizona's growth so multi-faceted and unique? Researchers credit migration away from the northern states and into the Sunbelt as the foremost reason. The movement westward to the "land of possibilities" is another major factor, while record numbers of Californians are flocking to neighboring states. More retirees are now choosing Arizona for its low taxes, reasonable cost of living, abundant sunshine, and of developable land in major metro areas like Tucson will drive even more growth into surrounding counties.

Congratulations to those who are already land owners in Southeast Arizona! Don't miss the opportunity to purchase some of our finest remaining properties at deep discounts.