Good morning, Tempe. Dangerously hot through Wednesday: afternoon highs of 108 to 113 under an extreme heat warning, so move outdoor errands to early morning.
- 🏠 Median sale price falls to $483,000. Down 11% from a year ago, with homes sitting 54 days.
- 🗳️ Two Tempe school board races change. Candidate lineups shifted for the fall ballot.
- 🍔 Two restaurants planned for downtown Tempe. A Mediterranean grill and a Mill Avenue burger bar.
- 🏗️ Former Food City demolished. The site is slated for affordable housing.
- 🎓 Gammage books a comedian with 300 paintings. Part of the Beyond Series.
- 📚 Club Rush and school pictures this week. Tempe High and Corona del Sol calendars fill up.
Tempe's housing market is down 11% year over year
The typical Tempe home sold for $483,000 in Redfin's latest market read, pulled July 27, an 11% drop from the same point last year.
Key facts:
- Median sale price: $483,000, down 10.9% year over year
- Median days on market: 54
- Homes sold: 138
- New listings: 167
- Source: Redfin Data Center, pulled July 27, 2026
More homes came onto the market than sold, and the 54-day median means a listing that goes up on Mill Avenue in August is still likely showing in October. For a city where a large share of housing turns over with the ASU calendar, that is a slower clock than sellers have been used to.
What to watch: whether the fall listing season narrows the gap between new listings and closed sales. Details.
Around Tempe
🥙 Shawarmaati Mediterranean Grill is planning a downtown Tempe location. The Jordanian fast-casual concept would be its third in the Valley. Details.
🍔 Slab City Bar & Grill is coming to Mill Avenue. Grass-fed burgers, steaks, and drinks in the downtown bar district. Details.
🏗️ The former Food City has been demolished for affordable housing. The city cleared the site to make room for the project. Details.
⛽ Gas prices keep climbing. The Tempe Independent mapped the cheapest stations in the city. Details.
🚒 First responder mental health is getting attention as a public safety issue. A look at why the two are linked. Details.
🎲 Board Game Cafe runs tonight at Tempe Public Library. Adults, 5:30 PM, games provided. Details.
🃏 Harry Potter trivia at Snakes & Lattes Tuesday. 20 W 6th Street, downtown. Details.
🧠 Trivia night at Fat Tuesday Thursday. 680 S Mill Avenue, weekly, prizes. Details.
🎓 ASU & Mill Avenue
Campus events, Sun Devil sports, and what's playing down on Mill.
🎨 Sam Kissajukian brings 300 Paintings to ASU Gammage. The comedian made 300 paintings in an abandoned cake factory and built a show around what that period taught him about art and mania. Part of the Gammage Beyond Series, in Wright's only public Arizona building. Details.
🎸 Silverstein and Story of the Year at Marquee Theatre, Tuesday, 7 PM. Two 2000s post-hardcore bands on one bill, just up Mill from downtown. The Marquee is the room they should be playing. Tickets.
🎻 Performances at the Museum continues at Tempe History Museum. Local musicians in a small room, close enough to hear the between-song talk. Details.
From the schools
🎓 Two Tempe school board races changed shape. The candidate fields for two district board seats shifted ahead of the fall ballot, with Tempe Union among the boards affected. Details.
📈 Tempe Union's superintendent evaluation reflects on the district itself. The Tempe Union governing board's evaluation of its superintendent doubles as a read on where the district's six high schools stand. Details.
💰 EVIT and nine school districts reached a funding agreement. The East Valley Institute of Technology settled how its member districts share career and technical education dollars. Details.
📝 FAFSA completion help at McClintock Tuesday, 10:30 AM. Session 9325, for families working through the federal aid form. Details.
📸 School pictures at Corona del Sol Thursday, 7:30 AM. Auditorium stage. Details.
🎪 Club Rush on the Tempe High quad Friday, 11:45 AM. The year's club signup day. Details.
💦 Marcos de Niza senior car wash Saturday, 5:15 PM, student lot. Student council fundraiser. Details.
📣 Mountain Pointe pom tryouts Tuesday, 3:30 PM. For the 2026-27 squad. Details.
Around the Valley
A few picks worth leaving Tempe for this week.
🎤 Millington at The Rosetta Room in Mesa, Tuesday, 7 PM. A short drive up Loop 101 for a small-room show. Tickets.
🎵 The Fray and Dashboard Confessional at Arizona Financial Theatre, tonight at 7 PM. Downtown Phoenix, so make a night of it. Tickets.
🔥 Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm at The Van Buren, Tuesday, 7 PM. Sturm back fronting the band she left in 2012. Tickets.