PHOENIX-As a whole, the multifamily market here is in recovery mode, but the variance in neighborhood-level performance is “as extreme as you’ll see anywhere across the country,” according to Greg Willett, vice president of research & analysis for MPF Research.

The performance differential is illustrated by rent growth, Willett notes. Most of metro Phoenix’s rent growth is occurring in the upscale east side suburbs, where occupancy is at or approaching essentially full levels. “For those areas it certainly makes sense to start building again, as long as land was acquired at prices that make total development costs feasible,” he tells GlobeSt.com, adding that Chandler’s occupancy is 95.6%, and the rate is above 94% throughout Scottsdale, Tempe and Gilbert.

The strongest rent growth during the year-ending June was in South Tempe at 9.7%, Chandler at 8.3%, and North Scottsdale at 8.2%. In contrast, rents have barely nudged during the past year on metro Phoenix’s west side. North Glendale and South Glendale, the two weakest neighborhood-level performers, registered rent growth of less than 1%, according to MPF Research.