Latest Edition of

The AZREIA Advantage Digital Newsletter

Cover Article | Cynthia Trammell

Single No More: Making The Move to Multi-Family

For a lot of real estate investors, single family is where it starts. You buy a house. Maybe you flip it. Maybe you keep it as a rental. Along the way, you learn contractors, tenants, lenders, repairs, negotiations, and all the things that come with owning real estate. Then one day you look at multifamily and wonder, could I really do that? Here is what I tell people all the time: you already have 70% of the skills you need......[READ MORE]

Executive Director Message

The Auction Isn't the Opportunity

Mike Del Prete | AZREIA Executive Director

Foreclosure activity is rising in Arizona. Through the first half of 2026, 5,412 Arizona properties had a foreclosure filing up 29% from the same period last year.

That headline naturally has investors asking: Are the deals coming back to the foreclosure auction? Not so fast. There’s a big difference between a property entering foreclosure and a property actually reaching the auction—and an even bigger difference between an auction and a good deal........[READ MORE]

Should You Convert the Garage?

Rob Jafek | Boomerang Capital Partners

A garage conversion seems almost too obvious. Take 400 square feet that currently houses a car, boxes and a bicycle nobody rides, add insulation and air conditioning, and turn it into living space. Phoenix houses sell for hundreds of dollars per square foot. How could that not create value? That was more or less my assumption when I started looking at this. It turns out I was wrong.....[READ MORE]

Creative Finance in Arizona: A Few Follow-Up Thoughts

Michael J. " McGirr | Phocus Law

I had the opportunity to sit on AZREIA’s creative finance panel last month, and it was a great discussion. There was a lot of interest, a lot of practical questions, and thankfully only a reasonable amount of confusion. For those who attended, I wanted to share a few follow-up thoughts in reflection on that panel. And for those who were not able to make it, here is the high-level version from a legal perspective......[READ MORE]

From Single-Family Homes to Small Commercial: What Changes?

Derek Kartchner | Gila Insurance

This month's AZREIA meeting tackles a milestone every growing investor eventually hits: the jump from single-family rentals to small multifamily. It's an exciting move — but insurance-wise, it's not just "the same policy, bigger building." Here's what actually shifts as you climb from a single-family home into the 4- to 8-unit range. The line falls in the middle of your target range. Most carriers draw the residential/commercial boundary at 1–4 units versu........[READ MORE]

Bankrputcy Law For Landlords

Mark Zinman | Zona Law Group

There is a lot of confusion for property managers surrounding bankruptcy - what does it do, what happens if there are multiple filings. It is important for managers to know some basics about BK law. We want to review some basic information about bankruptcy, and then focus on misconceptions around multiple bankruptcy filings. This is important for current residents, but also. affects what applicants you approve. For example, just...[READ MORE]

Invest Your Retirement Savings with Pride

J.P. Dahdah | VantageIRA

Investing is typically not an area most people are confident in. In fact, anything surrounding money and financial matters tend to make people uncomfortable, stressed, and anxious....[READ MORE]

Deconstruction vs. Demolition: 4 Primary Benefits

Chuck Warshaver | Stardust

When a business and/or homeowner decides to rebuild or remodel an existing structure, they want to finish the project as soon as possible and at the lowest cost. At first glance, it seems easier and quicker to demolish the building....[READ MORE]

Where the Smart Money Moves Next: A Clear Read on Today’s Market

Dan Noma Jr. | Easy Street Offers

After six months inching toward a buyer’s market, Phoenix has snapped back to balanced—not because demand spiked, but because over 40% of Q2 listings were canceled. When that much inventory is pulled from the MLS, supply appears tighter even as motivation among sellers quietly rises. Active listings are up double digits year over year, yet prices per square foot remain flat. Days on market have stretched toward 70, and price reductions are climbing....[READ MORE]

Design as Dividend: Why Good Architecture Pays You Back

Nicholas Tsontakis | Dwell Boldly

When Loloma 5, a set of five live-work units designed by Will Bruder in Phoenix in 2004, hit the market, it didn’t lean on excess square footage or trend-driven finishes to justify its value. Instead, the difference was design: disciplined, intentional, and built to endure. Even as newer product entered the market, Loloma 5 held its position....[READ MORE]

Legally Speaking Q&A: Tenant Complaints and Retaliation

Mark Zinman | Zona Law Group

Question: Question: We just got notice that a resident filed a fair housing complaint! This resident is a longtime troublemaker and everything they said is a lie! I can't wait to make their life miserable - I'm sending them a noncompliance notice today for their violation of HOA rules! Can you just get this dismissed right away because the resident is nuts?!.....[READ MORE]

50-Year Mortgage: Why the Lower Payment Sounds Good but May Cost You More

Jason Powers | 1024Wealth

The idea of a 50‑year mortgage recently resurfaced in Washington corridors as a proposed solution to America’s housing‑affordability squeeze. The Trump administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) floated it as a “game changer.” According to an Associated Press analysis in November 2025, on a median‑priced U.S. home ($415,200) with a 10 % down payment and a 6.17 % interest rate, a 30‑year mortgage would have a monthly payment of about.....[READ MORE]

Rethinking the Traditional 1031 Exchange

Eckard Enterprises | Eckard Enterprises

Many real estate investors use a 1031 exchange to defer capital gains taxes while moving from one property into another. Traditionally, this means trading an apartment building for a retail center or raw land for an industrial asset. However, some investors are exploring a different path by exchanging into mineral rights. Because certain mineral interests are treated as real property, they can qualify within a properly structured 1031 exchange.....[READ MORE]

When Every Other Loan Says No

Jake Burt | Neighborhood Loans

Most investors know the ladder. Conventional first. Then bank statement or profit and loss if you are self employed. Then asset depletion if you are sitting on retirement or brokerage money. Then DSCR, where the rent carries the payment instead of your income. Four rungs, and for the vast majority of deals one of them works. This article is about what happens when none of them do......[READ MORE]

Five Steps To Improved Renter Retention

Barbara Habbeshaw | AZ Residential Management

Finding qualified renters for your investment property is only part of successful property management. Once you have good residents in place, keeping them can be just as important. Long-term residents can help reduce vacancy, turnover expenses, marketing costs, and the uncertainty that comes with finding someone new. Here are five simple ways property owners and managers can help improve resident retention......[READ MORE]

Investing in Real Estate With Your IRA: What Investors Need to Know

Nate Hare | Directed IRA

Many real estate investors focus on finding deals, raising capital, and managing cash flow, but overlook one of the most flexible tools available to them: their retirement account. Contrary to common belief, IRAs have always been permitted to invest in real estate. They can own rental properties, participate in private real estate partnerships, lend money as private lenders, or invest in commercial and multifamily projects. The limitation most investors encounter is not a legal one, but.....[READ MORE]

PadSplit Market Update

Ellis Tran | PadSplit

Total Unit Count: 1282 (202 Properties)

Occupancy: 83% (87% Mature)

Weekly Rates: $212/week ($918/mo)

Days for First Booking in PadSplit: 6.1

Days to Reach 80% Occupancy: 33.1/49

Maricopa County is an Investors Dream

DiAnna Jackman | NorthStar Title Agency

Maricopa County, Arizona, has a particular kind of real estate momentum: sun fueled growth, lifestyle driven demand, and neighborhoods that keep expanding outward even as established areas mature. For investors, that mix can create opportunity if you treat each deal like a puzzle rather than a lottery ticket. One reason Maricopa County stands out is the scale of its renter and buyer pool. Phoenix and its......[READ MORE]

Vendors, Handshakes, and The Fine Print

Mick McGirr |Phocus Law

In real estate investment, plenty of familiar players get the spotlight: buyers, sellers, agents, tenants, contractors. And then there's the often overlooked, yet equally significant, group – the vendors. Their roles may be less glamorous, but as any savvy investor knows, they're indispensable. It's high time we give them their due Vendor relations can be a balancing act. On one hand, you want to build long-lasting, fruitful partnerships. On the other, it's a business relationship, and you must protect your interests through clear timelines and firm, beneficial negotiations.......[READ MORE]

Shift Your Perspective: Turning Real Estate Marketing Into Opportunities

Maria Brandenburg |Great American Title

The ability to turn market obstacles into profitable opportunities lies in perspective, action, and adaptability. By reframing industry challenges, focusing on what you can control, and taking consistent action, you can transform shifting real estate landscapes into a catalyst for growth and investment success. Reframing the Current Market Landscape Every market shift brings a fresh set of challenges, whether it is fluctuating interest ratesl.....[READ MORE]