2026 January issue of InMaricopa Magazine

EVENTS

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January 2

16 Wine, Women and Wealth Networking 6:30 p.m., Native Grill & Wings 21164 N. John Wayne Parkway 17 Senior Info/Expo 9 a.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive 18 City Council 6 p.m., Council Chambers 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza 21 Al-Anon Family Group 10 a.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive 22 Survivors of Suicide Loss support group 6 p.m., Northern Lights Therapy 21300 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite 103 24 City of Maricopa Republican Club 10 a.m., Calvary Chapel 44301 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 27 Reaching Teen Hearts 5 p.m., Villages at El Dorado Clubhouse 20991 Butterfield Parkway A Night of Stars 2026 6 p.m., Grand Ballroom, Harrah’s Ak- Chin Casino Resort 15406 N. Maricopa Road Recovery Church 7 p.m., Community of Hope Church 45295 W. Honeycutt Ave. 28 Inside the Creative Mind: Steven Portrey 3 p.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive Mondays Maricopa Golden Crafters 9 a.m., Global Water Resources 22590 N. Powers Parkway

Alcoholics Anonymous 5:55 p.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive SYN Card Game 6 p.m., Native Grill & Wings 21164 N. John Wayne Parkway Tuesdays Alcoholics Anonymous

BEST youth sports classes 8 a.m., Pacana Park 19000 N. Porter Road Thursdays Narcotics Anonymous 6 p.m., Ak-Chin Social Services 48227 W. Farrell Road Strength & Hope Al-Anon Meeting 7 p.m., Community of Hope Church 45295 W. Honeycutt Ave. Alcoholics Anonymous 7 p.m., Community of Hope Church 45295 W. Honeycutt Ave. Fridays Alcoholics Anonymous 7 p.m., Mt. View Community Church 50881 W. Papago Road

listings has decreased more than 10% in the last 6 weeks, from 698 to 622. This is the lowest number of homes on the market since February. Additionally, there are more listings currently under contract than compared to the same week in 2024. What about prices? Until inventory levels drop another 10-15%, we are unlikely to see prices increase much, and the market will continue to favor buyers. However, as demand increases and more offers are written, buyers will lose some negotiating power. Homes will sell quicker and sellers will be less motivated to accept the first offer or to give a large amount of concessions. After years of waiting for housing to be more affordable, 2026 may prove to be the right time to make a move, before things really start to accelerate.

Also in December of 2025, the Federal Reserve executed its third consecutive interest-rate cut, signaling a broader shift away from the aggressive inflation-fighting stance that drove borrowing costs to 20-year highs. An additional factor is the Fed’s decision to halt quantitative tightening. In an effort to battle inflation over the past couple of years, the Fed had been pulling money out of the financial system, which pushed interest rates higher. By ending that program, the Fed is helping calm down the bond market — the place where big loans, like mortgages, get traded. A calmer bond market can help rates slowly move lower and stay steadier. Mortgage rates don’t move in lockstep with the federal funds rate, but when the Fed lowers interest rates, it usually helps bring them down. Even a small drop in mortgage rates can make a home much more affordable, which could bring buyers back into the market who have spent years on the sidelines waiting for things to improve. We are already seeing signs of improvement in Maricopa, despite November and December typically being the slowest time of the year for Real Estate transactions. The number of active

Friday Night Car Meet 6:30 p.m., Home Depot 42410 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 3 Maricopa Amateur Radio Association 9 a.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive SafeHouse – Break the Ice 9 p.m., Maricopa Water & Ice 20928 N. John Wayne Parkway 4 Cornhole League 6 p.m., Duke’s Roadhouse 19395 N. John Wayne Parkway Maricopa City Council 6 p.m., Council Chambers 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza 7 Great AZ Puppet: Jack Rabbit & the Tortoise 2 p.m., RMA100, Central Arizona College 17945 N. Regent Drive Tickets $7.50 Inside the Creative Mind: Terry Oldfield 3 p.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive 8 Survivors of Suicide Loss support group 6 p.m., Northern Lights Therapy 21300 N. John Wayne Parkway Northwest Pinal County Arizona Republican Assembly 7 p.m., Barro’s Pizza 21101 N. John Wayne Parkway 11 2026 State of the City Address 5 p.m., Desert Sunrise High School 16200 N. Murphy Road 15 Austin B. Sweeney concert 12 p.m., Mandy’s Wine Bar 41600 W. Smith-Enke Road, Suite 120

Is the housing market ready

6:30 p.m., Mt. View Community Church 50881 W. Papago Road

to take off this year? BY DAYV MORGAN

Recovery Church 7 p.m., Community of Hope Church 45295 W. Honeycutt Ave. Wednesdays SYN Card Game 1 p.m., Maricopa Community Center 41600 W. Smith Enke Road Alcoholics Anonymous 6 p.m., Community of Hope Church 45295 W. Honeycutt Ave.

A FTER MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF A sluggish housing market, things might loosen up a bit in 2026 as interest rates have started to fall, which could prove to be a huge benefit for both buyers and sellers alike. Mortgage rates reached their peak in December of 2023 at 7.5 percent. Last month, rates fell to 6.14 percent, the lowest since 2022.

ALL EVENTS ARE TENTATIVE. NOT ALL EVENTS APPEAR IN PRINT.

Dayv Morgan is a Maricopa realtor and owner of HomeSmart Premier.

FOR THE FULL EVENTS CALENDAR,

480-251-4231 DayvMorgan@gmail.com

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