Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike SunnucksArizona’s home building industry is backing a bill to place a moratorium on new building code rules and development impact fees and would require voters to approve any increases to construction sales taxes.

Senate Bill 1035 has the support of the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, which contends new rules, fees and taxes on the struggling real estate and construction industry would further weaken Arizona’s fragile economy.

Arizona cities and towns oppose the plan that would restrict their ability to impose charges on new developments and subdivisions and change building codes for safety and other reasons. The moratoriums would start June 1 of this year and run through May 2012, if the bill is approved.

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Tony Grahame gets a kick out of pushing environmentally friendly home design to the limits - testing what works and discarding what doesn’t to make everything fit into a tidy model.

As the director of Yavapai College’s Residential Building Technology Program, Grahame also enjoys teaching folks how to build energy-efficient homes from the latest high-tech construction materials available on the market.

Saturday in Chino Valley, Grahame shared with the public Arizona’s, the college’s and Habitat for Humanity’s first true, certified “zero-net energy” house, a grid-tied residence that generates all the power it uses on-site.

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by Alex Veiga

Toll Brothers Inc. said Wednesday more springtime homebuyers have come into its luxury home communities and left deposits on new orders - a sign that the battered housing market is improving.

Low interest rates and falling home prices are acting as a counter balance to the weak economy and rising unemployment. Since late March, Toll has seen an increase in deposits during seven of the past nine weeks, compared to weekly figures from fiscal 2008.

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Kalista Homes of Prescott, Arizona is a custom home builder offering beautiful homes to suit your dreams.

Sun Pine Homes

Founded in 1982 in Prescott, Arizona. Sun Pine Homes both designs and builds custom homes. The company is known for designing homes that maximize views and blend into the environment, integrating boulders, trees and other natural elements.

Sun Pine Homes is a full service homebuilder offering complete site planning and home design. This builder has designed over 700 custom homes nationally and over 400 in the Prescott area.

Res Custom Homes / RES Contracting

RES Contracting in Prescott, Arizona offers gorgeous luxury home designs that are beautiful, energy efficient, healthy and affordable. Owned by expert home builders, Ed and Connie Stahl, RES Contracting can build a home on your lot in Prescott. These homes are built using the Energy Star program for maximum efficiency.

Shea Homes

Started in 1881, Shea Homes has grown from modest beginnings to become the largest privately held builder in the nation.