east valley
Volume 3 Issue 29 Mesa, AZ
February 7, 2021
Lumber prices putting squeeze on new home prices BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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IN THE BIZ
s if low inventory wasn’t exerting enough pressure on home prices, two new trends are apparently adding to the surge – particularly for new houses. The National Association of Homebuilders and the National Association of Realtors said a lumber shortage is accelerating the cost of new home construction while there also is a rising demand for larger houses – partly as the result of more stay-at-home and work-from-home time created by the pandemic. “While the market remains solid, median home prices are increasing due to higher building material costs, most notably softwood lumber, and a shift to larger homes,” said Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders. And resale homes may not offer an escape from that trend because of the steadily shrinking inventory. The median sales price nationally was $355,900 in December – up from $329,500 a year earlier. The Cromford Report, which closely monitors the housing market in the Phoenix Metro area, said demand for new and used houses “is still on a downward trend.” But it cautioned that the trend “has had almost no bene�it for buyers as supply is dropping to unprecedented lows across large parts of the valley.” “Demand would have to collapse for some semblance of normality to return to this market,” Cromford said, citing a growing chasm between inventory and demand” all due to a worsening supply. A case in point was Avondale, where inventory has plummeted to almost nothing. With only 20 listings, Cromford said, Avondale “is a city of about 85,000 people which, in a normal market, would expect to have about 340 single-family homes for sale. There were 1,100 Public Notices ............... page 2 © Copyright, 2021 East Valley Tribune
single-family homes listed in Avondale during 2007. Supply has dropped in half since Jan. 8.” “So, if there were no new listings,” Cromford continued, “the current stock would sell out completely in less than six days. I am starting to wonder if inventory could go to zero in places like Avondale.” Similarly, Cromford reported, Maricopa had only 62 single-family houses for sale. Normally we would expect over 400,” Cromford said. “Demand has remained strong in Maricopa with over 2,200 single-family closings a year. There are 10 days of inventory.” Cromford said inventory is critically low in other small communities – as it is in large Valley cities – particularly Anthem, Arizona City, Carefree, El Mirage, Florence, Litch�ield Park, Sun Lakes, Tolleson, Tonopah and Youngtown. Meanwhile, new pressures are being put on homebuyers in the form of rising lumber prices. The homebuilders group reported that in the �irst six months of the pandemic “lumber prices soared more than 170 percent. “This unprecedented lumber price spike added nearly $16,000 to the price of a typical new single-family home,” it said. The homebuilders association recommended that its members include an escalation clause in contracts “that indicates if lumber prices increase by a certain percentage, the customer would be required to pay the extra costs.” It also said the sharp increases in lumber costs “threaten the affordability of new homes and the housing sector, which is leading the nation’s economic recovery.” The association blamed the lumber cost increase on inadequate domestic production. “Many mills reduced production due to stay-athome orders and social distancing measures enacted by state and local governments at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic,” it said last week. “Mill operators projected that housing would be adversely affected by the crisis and anticipated a large drop in demand. But housing weathered the storm much better than was pre(USPS 004-616) is published weekly
Mailing Address: 1620 W. Fountainhead Pkwy., Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282
(480) 898-6500 Steven Strickbine, publisher Paul Maryniak, executive editor
dicted and demand for lumber has accelerated.” In December, it called on the Trump Administration to pressure domestic lumber producers “to ramp up production to ease growing shortages and making it a priority to work with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement.” That request went nowhere. All this comes at a time when more millennials and Gen Xers are looking to buy a house – and when more are looking to buy new, the homebuilders group said. In a survey of more than 15,000 prospective buyers, it found “a signi�icant shift in interest for newly-built homes during this period among prospective buyers,” doubling to 41 percent of buyers in December from a year earlier. “On the other hand,” it added, “the share interested in an existing home declined from 40 percent to 30 percent, while the share indifferent to either type of home fell from 41 percent to 29 percent.” “When broken down by generation,” it added, “results show that 50 percent of Millennial and 48 percent of Gen X buyers are looking to buy a new home. In contrast, 50 percent of boomers and 38 percent of Gen Z buyers would prefer to buy an existing home. Those preferring new dominated survey respondents in the Northeast and West. New-home sales in 2020 posted an 18.8 percent increase over 2019, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau reported last month. The National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said that while closings have dipped, “I would attribute that to having too few homes for sale.” “There is a high demand for housing and a great number of would-be buyers, and therefore sales should rise with more new listings,” he said. “This elevated demand without a signi�icant boost in supply has caused home prices to increase and we can expect further upward pressure on prices for the foreseeable future.” Subscriptions are $26 for 2 years, $14 for one year. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, AZ 85026.
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Public Notice IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SUMMONS CASE NUMBER: 2020-CP23- 05688 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF GREENVILLE NINA BETH ALLEN, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Billy James Mood, Plaintiff, vs. SHAWN MICHELLE DILSAVER MOODY a/k/a SHAWN MICHELLE DILSAVER, Defendant. TO THE DEFENDANT ABOVE-NAMED: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint herein, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, or otherwise appear and defend, and to serve a copy of your answer to said Complaint upon the subscriber at his office, 32 E. Main Street, P.O. Box 315, Williamston, South Carolina, 29697, within thirty (30) days after service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service, and if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, or otherwise appear and defend, the Plaintiff in this action will apply to the Court for the relief demanded therein, and judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. s/ G. Lee Cole, Jr.____________ G. Lee Cole, Jr. SC Bar Number 100352 COX & COLE, ATTORNEYS AT LAW P.O. Box 315 Williamston, SC 29697 Tel. (864) 847-9289 F a x (864) 8477895 LeeCole@CoxandCole.com ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF Williamston, South Carolina Dated: 12/10/2020_________ Published: East Valley Tribune, Gilbert Sun News Jan. 24, 31, Feb. 7, 2021 / 35776
Public Notice CITY OF MESA MESA, ARIZONA Commercial Water Meter Rehabilitations PH 12 PROJECT NO. CP0860P3 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received until Thursday, March 4, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. All sealed bids will be received electronically at En-gineeringBids@ mesaaz.gov. Bids must be submitted as an unencrypted PDF attachment with a maximum size limit of 20MB. Any bid received after the time specified will be returned without any consideration. This contract shall be for furnishing all labor, materials, transportation and services for the construction and/or installation of the following work: This project calls for the rehabilitation of fourteen (14) water meter assemblies (WMA) at nine (9) sites in the City of Mesa. The existing WMAs are within underground vaults, and are sized 3-inch, 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch. The top 1’ of the vaults along with concrete lid will be removed with the remaining vault to be abandoned in place and slurry backfilled. The existing WMAs shall be replaced with new dual 2-inch, 4-inch, 6-inch or 8-inch WMAs; and relocated above grade per the approved plans. Site work will
include installation of new piping, restoration of the site and various landscaping measures to mitigate the view of the newly constructed WMAs. The Engineer’s Estimate range is $800,000 to $900,000. For all technical, contract, bidrelated, or other questions, please contact Stephanie Gishey at stephanie.gishey@mesaaz.gov. Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this project (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, to assure that contract decisions are made in public, and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All contact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified above. Contractors desiring to submit proposals may purchase sets of the Bid Documents from ARC Document Solutions, LLC, at https://order.e-arc.com/arcEOC/ PWELL_Main.asp?mem=29. Click on “Go” for the Public Planroom to access plans. NOTE: In order to be placed on the Plan Holders List and to receive notifications and updates regarding this bid (such as addenda) during the bidding period, an order must be placed. The cost of each Bid Set will be no more than $20.00, which is non-refundable. Partial bid packages are not sold. You can view docu-ments on-line (at no cost), order Bid Sets, and access the Plan Holders List on the website at the address listed above. Please verify print lead time prior to arriving for pick-up. For a list of locations nearest you, go to www.e-arc.com. One set of the Contract Documents is also available for viewing at the City of Mesa’s Engineering Department at 20 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ. Please call 480-644-2251 prior to arriving to ensure that the documents are available for viewing. In order for the City to consider alternate products in the bidding process, please follow Arizona Revised Statutes §34.104c. If a pre-bid review of the site has been scheduled, details can be referenced in Project Specific Provision Section #3, titled “Pre-Bid Review of Site.” Work shall be completed within 203 consecutive calendar days, beginning with the day following the starting date specified in the Notice to Proceed. Bids must be submitted on the Proposal Form provided and be accompanied by the Bid Bond for not less than ten percent (10%) of the total bid, payable to the City of Mesa, Arizona, or a certified or cashier's check. PERSONAL OR INDIVIDUAL SURETY BONDS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. The successful bidder will be required to execute the standard form of contract for construction within ten (10) days after formal
EAST VALLEY BUSINESS
award of contract. In addition, the successful bidder must be registered in the City of Mesa Vendor Self-Service (VSS) System (http://mesaaz. gov/business/purchasing/vendorself-service). The successful bidder, simultaneously with the execution of the Contract, will be required to furnish a Payment Bond in the amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, a Performance Bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, and the most recent ACORD® Certificate of Liability Insurance form with additional insured endorsements. The right is hereby reserved to accept or reject any or all bids or parts thereto, to waive any informalities in any proposal and reject the bids of any persons who have been delinquent or unfaithful to any contract with the City of Mesa. BETH HUNING’ City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen, City Clerk Published: East Valley Tribune Jan. 31, Feb. 7, 2021 / 35957
Public Notice CITY OF MESA, ARIZONA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Mesa is seeking qualified Consultants for the following: Fire Exhaust System The City of Mesa is seeking qualified Consultants to provide design services and/or construction administration services for: DirectSource Vehicle Exhaust Capture System Design. All qualified firms that are interested in providing these services are invited to submit their Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) in accordance with the requirements detailed in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Direct-Source Vehicle Exhaust Capture System Design. The City of Mesa Fire and Medical Department has been awarded a Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant to retro-fit up to 16 fire stations with a direct-source vehicle capture system. Diesel exhaust exposures contribute to increasing rates of occupational cancer in the fire service industry. A direct-source capture system protects firefighters from exposure and meets best practices recommended by regulatory agencies, such as The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). A Pre-Submittal Conference will not be held. Contact with City Employees. All firms interested in this RFQ (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in
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the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, assure that con-tract decisions are made in public and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All con-tact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified be-low. RFQ Lists. This RFQ is available on the City’s website at http:// mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/ architectural-engineering-designopportunities. The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter that contains current company/firm contact information including a valid phone number and email address, plus a maxim-um of 8 pages to address the SOQ evaluation criteria (excluding PPVF’s and resumes but including an organization chart with key personnel and their affiliation). Resumes for each team member shall be limited to a maximum length of two pages and should be attached as an appendix to the SOQ. Minimum font size shall be 10pt. Please provide one (1) electronic copy in an unencrypted PDF format to EngineeringRFQ@mesaaz.gov by 2:00PM on Thursday, February 11, 2021. Maximum file size shall not exceed 20MB. SOQ’s that are unable to be opened by City staff will not be considered for award. Submitters may request a single opportunity to verify that a test email and attachment are received and can be opened by City staff. Test emails must be sent to Engineering-RFQ@ mesaaz.gov. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Statements of Qualifications. The City is an equal opportunity employer. Firms who wish to do business with the City of Mesa must be registered and activated in the City of Mesa Vendor Self Service (VSS) System (http://mesaaz.gov/ business/purchasing/vendor-selfservice). Questions. Questions pertaining to the Consultant selection process or contract issues should be directed to Michele Davila of the Engineering Department at Michele.Davila@mesaaz.gov BETH HUNING’ City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen, City Clerk Published: East Valley Tribune Jan. 24, 31, 2021 / 347xx
Public Notice RFQ Lists. This RFQ is available on the City’s website at http:// mesaaz.gov/business/engineering/ architectural-engineering-designopportunities. The Statement of Qualifications shall include a one-page cover letter that contains current company/firm contact information including a valid phone number and email address, plus a maximum of 8 pages to address the SOQ evaluation criteria (excluding PPVF’s and resumes but including an organization chart with key personnel and their affiliation). Resumes for each team member shall be limited to a maximum length of two pages and should be attached as an appendix to
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the SOQ. Minimum font size shall be 10pt. Please provide one (1) electronic copy in an unencrypted PDF format to EngineeringRFQ@mesaaz.gov by 2:00PM on Thursday, February 11, 2021. Maximum file size shall not exceed 20MB. SOQ’s that are unable to be opened by City staff will not be considered for award. Submitters may request a single opportunity to verify that a test email and attachment are received and can be opened by City staff. Test emails must be sent to Engineering-RFQ@ mesaaz.gov. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Statements of Qualifications. The City is an equal opportunity employer. Firms who wish to do business with the City of Mesa must be registered and activated in the City of Mesa Vendor Self Service (VSS) System (http://mesaaz.gov/ business/purchasing/vendor-selfservice). Questions. Questions pertaining to the Consultant selection process or contract issues should be directed to Michele Davila of the Engineering Department at Michele.Davila@mesaaz.gov BETH HUNING’ City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen, City Clerk Published: East Valley Tribune Jan. 24, 31, 2021 / 35775
All firms interested in this project (including the firm’s employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists, attorneys, and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms, to assure that contract decisions are made in public, and to protect the integrity of the selection process. All contact on this selection process should be addressed to the authorized representative identified above. Contractors desiring to submit proposals may purchase sets of the Bid Documents from ARC Document Solutions, LLC, at https://order.e-arc.com/arcEOC/ PWELL_Main.asp?mem=29. Click on “Go” for the Public Planroom to access plans. NOTE: In order to be placed on the Plan Holders List and to receive notifications and updates regarding this bid (such as addenda) during the bidding period, an order must be placed. The cost of each Bid Set will be no more than $41, which is non-refundable. Partial bid packages are not sold. You can view documents on-line (at no cost), order Bid Sets, and access
the Plan Holders List on the website at the address listed above. Please verify print lead time prior to arriving for pick-up. For a list of locations nearest you, go to www.e-arc.com. One set of the Contract Documents is also available for viewing at the City of Mesa’s Engineering Department at 20 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ. Please call 480-644-2251 prior to arriving to ensure that the documents are available for viewing. In order for the City to consider alternate products in the bidding process, please follow Arizona Revised Statutes §34.104c. If a pre-bid review of the site has been scheduled, details can be referenced in Project Specific Provision Section #3, titled “Pre-Bid Review of Site.” Work shall be completed within 180 consecutive calendar days, beginning with the day following the starting date specified in the Notice to Proceed. Bids must be submitted on the Proposal Form provided and be accompanied by the Bid Bond for not less than ten percent (10%) of the total bid, payable to the City of Mesa, Arizona, or a certified or cashier’s check. PERSONAL OR INDIVIDUAL SURETY BONDS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. The successful bidder will be
required to execute the standard form of contract for construction within ten (10) days after formal award of contract. In addition, the successful bidder must be registered in the City of Mesa Vendor Self-Service (VSS) System ( h tt p : / / m e s a a z . g ov / bu s i n e s s / purchasing/vendor-self-service). The successful bidder, simultaneously with the execution of the Contract, will be required to furnish a Payment Bond in the amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, a Performance Bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, and the most recent ACORD® Certificate of Liability Insurance form with additional insured endorsements. The right is hereby reserved to accept or reject any or all bids or parts thereto, to waive any informalities in any proposal and reject the bids of any persons who have been delinquent or unfaithful to any contract with the City of Mesa. BETH HUNING’ City Engineer ATTEST: DeeAnn Mickelsen, City Clerk Published: East Valley Tribune Feb. 7, 14, 2021 / 36165
Public Notice CITY OF MESA MESA, ARIZONA CEMETERY NORTH EXPANSION PHASE IIB AND URN/SCATTER GARDEN 1212 N. CENTER STREET PROJECT NO. CP0583CEP2B-2 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received until Thursday, February 25, 2021, at 1 p.m. All sealed bids will be received electronically at En-gineeringBids@ mesaaz.gov. Bids must be submitted as an unencrypted PDF attachment with a maximum size limit of 20MB. Any bid received after the time specified will be returned without any consideration. This contract shall be for furnishing all labor, materials, transportation and services for the construction and/or installation of the following work: • Construction of turf covered plot areas, access roads, retaining walls, ornamental site walls, trees, shrubs and associated landscape irrigation improvements as shown on construction documents and specifications. • To be completed at City’s sole discretion is Bid Alternate 1 – Urn/ Scatter Garden. Construction will include a scatter garden, in-ground urn vaults, rose garden reflection areas, trellis structures, trees, shrubs, artificial turf, benches, an art structure, sidewalk and associated landscape irrigation improvements. • To be completed at City’s sole discretion is Bid Alternate 2 – Sod: Construction will include the deletion of the intended installed turf grass seed specified in the Base Bid and will replace with sod installation. The Engineer’s Estimate range for the Base Bid (only) is $800,000 to $1,000,000. For all technical, contract, bidrelated, or other questions, please contact Donna Horn at donna. horn@mesaaz.gov. Contact with City Employees.
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