Anthem in Florence, AZ (Phoenix, Glendale: home search, buying, movies)

[ILoveAZ]

Originally Posted by Nice Nice Baby!

Everyone on my block has about a 30-40 minute commute. We also max out our 401(k)s, drive newer cars, and live quite comfortably.

I don't get it. And how do you know about your neighbors finances anyway?

[Nice Nice Baby!]

It's called talking and getting to know each other. You know, a social life.

[ILoveAZ]

Lol, I am good friends with everyone on my street but discussing finances in considered "tacky" among most people.

At any rate, this isn't why I posted. My ex-neighbor who moved to Anthem Florence wishes that she would have listened to my warnings and as I said I know several others who also very much regret it. My hopes is to give this information/opinion to possibly save other families the regret.

I'm not saying there aren't people who won't find it a good place to call home but people who talk themselves into thinking that living in the middle of nowhere in a sub par county with sub par services/schools will always regret it. You have to KNOW right off that you are a good fit for that type of lifestyle. Maybe you home school anyway, maybe you come from a small town and loved it, maybe you never leave your house to do anything anyway so you don't care about the drive factor... BUT if you are talking yourself into or asking others to tell you why you should want to move out there because of the price of homes or for whatever reason you're thinking about it... you will regret it.

[Nice Nice Baby!]

??????????

[LVGAZ]

DOn't do it -
Friends of ours are out there - trying to sell for almost a year - he even works for the imiigration system there - HATES IT.....
SHe works in Tucson and it takes her over 1 1/2 hrs to get there - AFTER switching jobs in Mesa that took her over 1 hour to drive to the Superstition Area - has received 3 tickets
they state it is boring and depressing(these folks are in their early 40's); away from everything
ANd they have had maybe 4 look at their home - and its really nice and reasonably priced - he dropped 40000 from appraisal
have to go into Casa Grande for medical care and son (14) stands on the highway for the schoolbus at 6:45 am everyday - not a pretty scene down there -

GO to Gold Canyon; even Queen Creek, Apache Junction

[kyleashley]

Let me first start off by saying that I lived in Chandler/Gilbert for more than 8 years and moved to Florence about 2 years ago and absolutely love it. Anthem is fabulous. It's still about a 15-20 minute drive to the actual town and to the prison. Why is everyone so uptight about the prison. Don't you think that if someone were to escape, they would head south on 79 and head towards Mexico? Why would they bother coming into a city where they would be noticed? Duh! As for entertainment, haven't you ever heard of staying at home on a weekend night and playing board games or movie night with your kids? Who cares about how many resturaunts there are...cook every night and spend some quality time at the diner table with your family. Anthem has a wonderful fitness center, parks, trails, tennis, baseketball, skate park, and little leagues and so much more. The housing is afforadable which allows us to live more comfortably each month. More money is going into stocks and investments (which will allow us to retire at 46-20 years earlier b/c we save so much more each month) instead of into a mortgage that's too high and a house that is maxed out with equity just to be near ammenities. Everyone who lives out this way (Johnson Ranch and Anthem) will make more off their house in the next 10 years than anyone living in an already developed area. Yeah, there's not alot YET out here, but at the end of 2008 will be Home Depot, a movie theatre, Chili's , Petsmart (the shopping plaza at Gilbert/Germann will be the replica) As for schools, I taught in Gilbert and now teach in Florence. Yeah, Florecne/Queen Creek has a bad reputation, but that's b/c the growth grew so fast and so quick, the schools couldn't keep up. There are now more schools and FUSD cleaned house a couple of years ago with the administrators-came in with a new Superintendent, Principals, and VP. These principals then brought over alot of the teachers that worked for them at their previous schools. The cirriculum is just as good as Gilbert and they are going by the same lesson plans. So basically, if you don't live here, attend the schools, don't knock it. Some people can't handle drving an extra 10-15 minutes to do their errands. How spoiled have we become just because there's not a McD's on every corner?? And who said the quality of living is poor...there are plenty of crap homes in Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa.
It takes my husband only 30 minutes to get to work (in Chandler-Intel) One of our friends who lives in Chandler works in Phx..takes him over an hour of sitting in traffic....Not to mention the traffic in the cities (Gilbert/Chandler) I try to avoid going into town if at all possible....a stop light and backed up traffic every mile.... I want to get out and get home where it's peaceful and quite and no traffic and everyone waves hi when you drive down the street.......

[ILuvAZ]

The housing is afforadable which allows us to live more comfortably each month. More money is going into stocks and investments (which will allow us to retire at 46-20 years earlier b/c we save so much more each month) instead of into a mortgage that's too high and a house that is maxed out with equity just to be near ammenities.

Per 2007 data 47% of families attending the Anthem Florence elementary school qualify for the free/reduced priced lunches.

Who said the quality of living is poor?? The census bureau did! Poor healthcare, lots of poverty, lack of quality services, poor education.....

Because everything I need is within 5 or 10 miles of me, I have more time to spend with my family because I don't have to drive 30 or more minutes.

Also, don't count on making more off your house than someone in say, Gilbert. Pinal county does not have the ability to grow a thriving city. Look at AJ! What a waste of mountain views!

I am glad that you truly enjoy it out there, it must be a perfect fit for you. For most it's not.

[ILuvAZ]

Originally Posted by ILuvAZ

Per 2007 data 47% of families attending the Anthem Florence elementary school qualify for the free/reduced priced lunches.

Who said the quality of living is poor?? The census bureau did! Poor healthcare, lots of poverty, lack of quality services, poor education.....

Because everything I need is within 5 or 10 miles of me, I have more time to spend with my family because I don't have to drive 30 or more minutes.

Also, don't count on making more off your house than someone in say, Gilbert. Pinal county does not have the ability to grow a thriving city. Look at AJ! What a waste of mountain views!

I am glad that you truly enjoy it out there, it must be a perfect fit for you. For most it's not.

I meant 5 or 10 mins, not miles. Most everything I want or need is 3 miles or less from me and that is a beautiful thing!!

[ILuvAZ]

Imeant 5 or 10 mins from me. Everything I want or need is 3 miles or less from me and that is a beautiful thing!!

[ILuvAZ]

I meant 5 or 10 mins from me. Everything I want or need is 3 miles or less from me and that is a beautiful thing!!