Surprise, surprise! Gilbert AZ has been one of the 10 fastest growing cities in the nation, again.
From the East Valley Tribune - The U.S. Census Bureau reported Thursday that Gilbert was the eighth-fastest-growing city with a population larger than 100,000 in the United States from July 2006 to July 2007, gaining 11,308 or 5.8 percent. The only other Arizona city that made the top 25 on this percentage-based list was Peoria, No. 23 at 3 percent.
I have to admit I am a little surprised. Given the current state of the economy and the lackluster Arizona real estate market (particularly for sellers) I would not have guessed that any Arizona city would make the Top 10.
On the other hand Gilbert has good schools, quick access to freeways, loads of shopping and dinning venues, low crime rates and overall is a great place to live, so maybe it shouldn’t be such a surprise. In my opinion some of the best communities in the east valley are in Gilbert. Neighborhoods like Power Ranch, Seville, and Val Vista Lakes to name a few.
Some more good news is that there has been an increase in then number of new housing permits issued in Gilbert.
From the East Valley Tribune - officials saw a substantial jump in the number of single-family housing permits pulled in recent months: 170 in May and 156 in June, compared to 87 in April and 43 in January.
Also of late, the bank owned foreclosure homes in Gilbert have been moving fast. Banks are pricing their foreclosure properties low and getting multiple offers in just a few days. Buyers have to move fast to catch the good deals.
Could this be a sign that the housing market is going to pick up? Hard to say at this point but it is good news.
