An intrinsic value of holding title to Real Estate is that one owns the sky above it.
Spectacular cloud formations move into the Southwest as the June sun heats the desert floor. I like to think that the towering clouds drive before them flocks of the Lesser Hardy Snowbirds. They seem to leave en masse. One day they're there, chattering like magpies about cabins, and lakes to the north. The next, they're gone!
This seasonal migration provides a necessary period of tranquillity for Tucsonans. True desert denizens, we settle in to enjoy one of the true delights of desert living--the summer monsoons.
I'm no economist, but I'm a firm believer that the economic value of our real estate is enhanced by dramatic summer skies. Who wouldn't pay a premium to own, even for a moment, gems like these?
For a brief time nearly every day, and all summer long,
my Darlin' and I are the proud owners of these ethereal, three dimensional works of art displayed on the page.
Look closely, and you'll agree that they shame the considerable ability of Old Masters long gone.
As afternoon gives way to evening's arrival, and the night sky peers over the horizon, a transformation takes place.
Deep blue-grays and starched cotton whites are replaced by spectacular displays of color. Evening shadows dance on the edges of lava-flow cloudbanks as the sun makes its way towards Hawaii.
The value of real estate is set by agreement between a willing seller and a willing buyer. During Tucson's summer monsoons, the clouds rule the skies, and to my way of thinking, there's not a place on earth more valuable than home sweet home in Tucson, Arizona.
If you're reading this from a screened-in porch in the Northeast, humming tunelessly as you read, accompanied by the rythm and sparks of the bug zapper on the lawn, you might want to consider moving to Tucson.
If it's getting a little chilly up on the Great Lakes, and the thought of impending winter snows is making you eat more, so as to survive until spring, you might want to consider moving to Tucson.
If it's hot and muggy on the Grand Prairie, and the wind just will not quit, and you're tired of horizons that never change, you might want to consider moving to Tucson.
We're friendly here on the border. We have no bugs to bite you, no screened in porches to block the view. We complain to anyone who will listen when the humidity rises to an unbearable 45%!
Property values hold up better here in contrary markets than they might in your neck of the woods, because we're a University town with Teaching Hospitals.
And did I mention? We're home to a pretty fine gaggle of Lesser Hardy Snowbirds.
© All photos and content copyright Michael W. Jones
I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ mortgage lender.
My mom tried to tell me I might need to move to Tucson to help her and Connie out if they get too busy! I just can't do it! I need water!!! These are some beautiful photo's though. Can I get a sunset like that in December when I visit?
San Diego
is my next destination!
Sandy, we love San Diego. My Darlin' was raised at the Jersey Shore, and she needs a regular "water fix." San Diego is a favorite, and we're looking forward to checking out Rocky Point in Mexico. December has rain, so you'll likely see some fantastic sunsets! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Mike in Tucson
Beautiful photos , Mike...and you've almost convinced me to one day move there. I think I would miss Ontario a fair bit though...and the seasons. Do you have noticeable seasons there? The skies are certainly gorgeous !
Jo
Very nicely done, Mike.
And kudos for the permanent upbeat attitude. Makes the day enjoyable!
Sandy, thanks for commenting!
Chris, Tucson is half a mile higher in elevation than Phoenix. You're going to love it here. Be sure to call to let us know you're coming, and we'll roll out the welcome mat.
Jo, 26 short miles from Tucson is the village of Summerhaven, AZ. It's the location of the southerlymost ski lift in North America. The drive from the desert floor begins at elevation 2300 or so. As you drive up into the Catalina mountains to Summerhaven, you will pass through every ecosystem that you would encounter if you were driving from Mexico to Canada. Come on down, but be sure to call before you come. You'll get the red carpet treatment just like Chris. And Interstate 19 near my home is the only part of the US Interstate program that's marked in kilometers. You'll feel right at home!
Mike, thanks for visiting and commenting. It's not hard to be upbeat when you live in a place like Tucson!
Marlene, thank you! I look forward to having a cup of coffee with you. We are blessed; that's for sure!
Mike in Tucson
Hi, Debi. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Where do you migrate to and from?
Mike in Tucson
Robert, thanks for the compliment. I love cloud formations.
Mike in Tucson
Bill Barbara Jo, my kid brother has a home in Florida. He tells me that the humidity gets above 85%. Here in Tucson, it averages 14 or 15%, so the summer temps don't bother us all that much. I tell my Jersey Shore friends that I'd rather be in Tucson at 105 degrees and 20% humidity than in Jersey at 90 and 90! Thanks for commenting.
Mike in Tucson
We visited Tucson only because we were curious. Being from Iowa we are tired of the 5 months that we can't enjoy the outdoors the way we want. People there are fun and many midwesterners are already there. The "grid" roadways make it tough to get anywhere as their is no quick fast road through town. We went in April. I wonder about August and being in the heat. Are their dust storms? Love the baseball too in the spring and the Univ. of Arizona sports. How is Maricopa compare? We heard that the housing is much cheaper.
Gary & Melynda,
That's a few questions all at once. Let me give it a whirl. Many of our neighbors are from Iowa.
1. There is a quick, fast road through town from the Northwest to the Southeast. It starts just east of I-10 at Orange Grove, where Thornydale becomes River Road, continues east across Oracle (Tucson Mall) and past Campbell (St. Phillips Plaza) and is all new continuing east across the new Rillito bridge, where River becomes Alvernon, which continues south across the new bridge over the railroad, and finds its way back to I-10.
2. August with the heat here is 35-40% humidity. That's about 50% less than Iowa during the same time of year. We're from Jersey, and I'd rather be here at 110 than there at 85.
3. Dust storms occur north of Tucson, where the Pima Cotton is grown, and thousands of acres are plowed. I've been at Phoenix airport during a 3 p.m. dust storm that turned the sky black and shut down everything for two hours. I've never seen that happen anywhere near Tucson.
4. Maricopa is like Chicago in the desert. Tucson is half a mile higher in elevation and ten degrees cooler.
Give us a try again in October.
Mike in Tucson
Kathy,
Thanks for commenting! I blogged on the Interstate 10 project, and included photos of a dust storm in progress. It was north of Marana near Picacho Peak. Here's the link.
Mike in Tucson
Kathy, let's grab a cup of coffee together if you're coming to Tucson. The dust storm photos were taken on Interstate 10, south of the Interstate 8 connection that you would likely travel if you were to drive to Tucson.
Mike in Tucson