One of the nation's top builders is looking to build its next Phoenix metropolitan area development in a new neighborhood.
Scottsdale-based Meritage Homes filed initial plans with the city of Phoenix in August for a rezoning request that would permit 152 homes near 15th Avenue and Baseline Road in Phoenix's South Mountain neighborhood.
According to an application narrative, these 152 for-sale homes would be divided between 94 single-family attached and 58 detached new builds, located on roughly 21 acres, just to the north of South Mountain Park. The project would be built in a single phase.
This project would be Meritage's first in the city of Phoenix.
The Scottsdale builder lists 59 communities on its website within Arizona. The bulk of its homes are being built in cities on the edges of Phoenix and Tucson, such as Buckeye, San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Marana.
Meritage Homes ranks as the No. 5 builder in the country, based on 15,611 home closings in 2024, according to Builder Magazine.
Listing influx in South Mountain
In its application to the city of Phoenix, Meritage said the site is well located near the high-traffic Baseline Road and has a publicly accessible trail. The builder said it will lean into South Mountain's agrarian heritage for the community's design.
The land is owned by Greater Phoenix Income Properties LLC, an entity that has traded land and retail across Phoenix over the years. Jim Zomorrodi is listed as the contact on project documents and referred questions on the development to Meritage Homes, which could not be immediately reached for comment.
As of August, homes in South Mountain carry an average value of $388,533, well below the Phoenix metropolitan area's mark of $577,433, according to Homes.com.
South Mountain saw some of the biggest year-to-year gains locally in listing inventory for the month of July, adding 128 more active listings than in July 2024. That ranked No. 5 of all neighborhoods in the metro. Across the market, Phoenix saw a 26.8% year-over-year increase in the number of homes in July, sending inventory to a watermark that hasn't been seen since 2014.