Cover Article | Mike Del Prete, AZREIA

Winning the Game of Real Estate in 2026

IWhy Serious Investors Win Here — Not in a Guru’s Sales Funnel If you’ve been in real estate long enough, you’ve watched a familiar pattern repeat itself. It’s the same phenomenon we saw during the Gold Rush: The miners dug for gold… but the people selling the shovels made the most money. Real estate has never been any different. When the market heats up, gurus emerge from the shadows like owls at sunrise, ready to sell you a $15,000 mastermind, a $25,000 inner...[READ MORE]

Executive Director Message

The Market Is Moving: Are You Moving With It?

Dominique Martinez | AZREIA Executive Director

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from wearing multiple hats as an agent, investor, and business owner, it’s this: there is always opportunity in Arizona’s real estate market… but the kind of opportunity shifts. Markets rarely change with a big announcement and if you’re not actively in the game or connecting with people who are, you can miss that shift without even realizing it. Lately, I’ve seen three perspectives aligning in a really interesting way.....[READ MORE]

The Valley of the Sun Housing Market Grind

Andrew Bang | Boomerang Capital Partners

The Phoenix housing market is in a “grind”—slow, uneven, and offering limited sense of forward movement. But this is a normal part of the region’s long-standing cycle. For more than forty years, Phoenix has followed a consistent pattern: long expansions followed by shorter cooling periods. Prices rose through the eighties and nineties, surged in the early 2000s, collapsed during the financial crisis, recovered steadily through the 2010s, and then jumped sharply during....[READ MORE]

Essential Contract Provisions Every Business Owner Should Understand

Michael J. " McGirr | Phocus Law

Regardless of your industry or business size, well-drafted contracts are the foundation of successful commercial relationships. Many business owners underestimate their importance, operating on handshakes and verbal agreements - a risky approach that can lead to costly disputes and missed opportunities. When used properly, contracts help to accomplish several vital objectives: Set expectations between the parties, Allow businesses to take advantage of opportunities.....[READ MORE]

Why Wildfire Standards Matter

Derek Kartchner | Gila Insurance

In Arizona, we are generally buffered from many natural disasters. While we do experience the occasional wind or hail storm, and flooding from fierce monsoon rains can occur, our greatest ongoing risk is wildfire. With wildfires becoming more frequent and intense, insurance companies and regulators are increasing their demands on how homes are built or renovated in wildfire-prone areas. For real estate investors, it’s critical to pay attention to building codes....[READ MORE]

Update on Enterprise (Fannie/Freddie) Announcement

Mark Zinman | Zona Law Group

Over the past month, there has been a lot of press in our industry that "Fannie and Freddie End CARES Notice Enforcement." While this sounds like a great step forward, it is important that managers understand clearly what this is and what this is not. This does NOT repeal the CARES Act and this does NOT remove the requirement for landlords to comply with the 30-day notice requirement, where applicable. An executive agency (like these enterprises) cannot....[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]

Expanding Single-Family Properties for Maximum ROI

Nicholas Tsontakis | Dwell Boldly

Often times, the best real estate strategy does not include finding another great deal, but looking at your existing inventory and realize it could be more. Maybe it’s a detached garage waiting to become an ADU. Maybe it’s a side yard wide enough for a new primary suite. Or maybe it’s an outdated floor plan yearning for open air and light. The potential is there and unlocking it takes imagination and preparation. Investors ready to expand single-family homes and small-scale....[READ MORE]

Legally Speaking Q&A: Can I Impose a MTM Fee

Mark Zinman | Zona Law Group

Question: I was in talks with my tenant about potentially renewing his lease. However, he never signed a new lease. The old lease has expired and he hasn’t moved out. Can I charge him a $200 month-to-month fee? Answer: You can only charge that amount if it’s set forth in your last lease with him that just rolled month-to-month. Unless your lease states otherwise, when it expires, the default is that it continues on a month-to-month basis using the same terms......[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]

Are Mineral Rights Considered Real Property?

Eckard Enterprises | Eckard Enterprises

Mineral rights ownership can be complex and require a certain amount of expertise to truly understand. Many accredited investors accustomed to traditional real estate want to know whether mineral rights are considered real property in the same sense that an apartment complex or office building would be. It’s a valid question, since mineral rights differ from traditional surface real estate in a lot of ways. However, mineral rights are legally classified as real property....[READ MORE]

Investor Market Update for AZREIA Members

Andrew Augustyniak | Neighborhood Loans

As we move through the fall market, I want to give our AZREIA members an updated look at what’s happening in financing, along with a breakdown of one of the most powerful tools we now have available to real estate investors: the Investor AI HELOC. This product has been a game-changer for many of our investors looking to tap equity quickly, efficiently, and without the traditional headaches that come with pulling cash out of rental properties. The Truth About....[READ MORE]

Invest Beyond Wall Street: Building Wealth With a Self-Directed IRA

Nate Hare | Directed IRA

Most investors know that IRAs and 401(k)s are powerful retirement tools, but few realize how flexible they can be. A self-directed IRA (SDIRA) allows you to move beyond traditional stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, giving you the freedom to invest in real estate, private funds, notes, and other alternative assets you know and trust. For real estate investors, this flexibility can be a game-changer. Instead of watching your retirement savings rise and fall with the stock market.....[READ MORE]

Investors and Wholesalers BEWARE! Real Estate Fraud is Always Lurking in Our Industry!

Maria Brandenburg & Janet Moe | Great American Title

The definition of Real estate fraud is using property transactions for financial deception, with common scams including wire fraud to intercept payments, fake listings, and impersonation of professionals like agents or lenders. Other forms include mortgage fraud, where false information is used to secure a loan, and title fraud, where ownership is fraudulently transferred. First-time homebuyers and renters are particularly vulnerable, making it crucial to verify.....[READ MORE]