Camp Verde & Cottonwood (Phoenix, Flagstaff: how much, custom home, buying)

[leonak]

We are a retired couple looking for a new small home and these 2 towns sound good to us! Any good and negative input appreciated!

Can one buy a new home direct from the devloper without the expense of going through a realtor there? If so, how do we contact one?

Thanks!

[brian_2]

Camp Verde & Cottonwood - read on. It's mostly a prairie/desert climate at around 3000 feet altitude. The weather is nice year round, with only summer days being somewhat uncomfortable - 10+ degrees cooler than Phoenix areas. Camp Verde has a decidedly cowboy/rancher atmosphere, Cottonwood too, but much less so. Cottonwood is a good bit larger area with more residents. Whether you'd like it here depends to a large extent where you have come from and your expectations. If low taxes, and a smaller community with simple restaurants/fast food, small town/rural character work for you - you will probably like it. Lots of pickup trucks and very blue collar area(s) - not a demographic of educated populace much beyond high school. Lots of development and you'll have many subcontractors driving around in their trucks everywhere, and lots of big trailers hauling building supplies. We've got people moving from all over - in my experience a lot of people from midwest and California (although most Californians choose Prescott and Sedona areas if they have $$). Lots of new tract homes, lots of second homers and retirees, and no sign so far of a slow down. If you RV you'll find lots who do also, if you want a excellent central location to visit the Grand Canyon/Sedona/Flagstaff - you'll like it. If you tend towards a conservative, church-oriented lifestyle & you're Republican - you'll probably like it. Not meaning to typecast residents here (there's a little variety), just be aware that what I address is the norm. Not sure about buying direct through a developer, but research the builder carefully. As anywhere - there are good builders & not so good builders. The builder pays the realtor for finding a buyer - no expense to you. Not sure what you're getting at? It's hard to bypass this process unless you're building a custom home where you work one on one with them from the start. If I can answer any specific question(s), I'll do my best. Good luck in your search.

[kansaslady]

I lived in Cottonwood and would NOT recommend it if you have trouble dealing with extreme summer heat (but it's a dry heat!). Even though it may be a little cooler than Phx, it is still sweltering. Plus, be prepared to deal with LOTS of scorpions and tartantulas! Flagstaff is beautiful, but you would have to pay for the beauty by experiencing very long and cold winters. Sedona is beyond gorgeous, but it is called "Beverly Hills on the Rocks" for a very good reason....residents are either very rich, or very poor.

Prescott is nice, but so many Californians have moved in that it has forced the housing market up through the roof (no pun intended).

There are many areas of AZ that are still afforable, just depends on what type of scenery you want, and how much you can afford.

[leonak]

Thanks to both of you!

So what towns are more affordable? Want affordable and still not too hot!

We are now living in WI where we get no sun all winter!

I have been under the impression that one could buy direct for a home owner or builder and save money, but maybe I'm wrong on that, think?

[brian_2]

You & yours might want to visit Silver City, NM (it's charming downtown is nice) and scout the area asap as a possible place to live before Californians jack up the cost of homes further, and pontificate and moan that "there's nothing to do there" as they're doing everywhere they migrate to while scattering their equity wealth - but I'm afraid it's already well begun, and Sunset Magazine placing it on one of those "Best places for a second home" list doesn't help matters. So/Central California people are very media savvy and they're such magazine reading cultures - it's likely they have seen/heard about the Sunset piece. Keep in mind that Silver City doesn't really have job opportunities per se, and if you need specialized care you'd probably have to go to Las Cruces/ALBQ/El Paso. If you're not needing much of a income stream and are healthy it might work for you. If you were not so snow and cold adverse, I'd say explore Cloudcroft, NM - now that place is really nice and not even Californicated yet. It's cold in winter, but the humidity level is not like back east/midwest/southeast. Good luck.

[mauigirl]

Hi Brian, I was wondering if you could provide more info. on camp verde such as wheather during the winter months. I'm from Hawaii/San Diego. We moved here to Quinlan Tx. last year and bought a very affordable lake home-something that we would never be able to afford in CA. We like the small community-population 1,370 and love the slow pace of life. Reminds me of keanae maui. But, we miss our families back in CA & AZ. I have relatives living in Globe, and Lakeside but they don't know anything of Camp Verde. In my research I've found that Camp Verde receives about 10" of snow. And the high's during summer gets up to 97. I would love to live in Payson but it's so expensive. Can't find affordable vacant land. However, I have been looking at some affordable vacant lots in Camp Verde & Cordes Lakes. I would appreciate any additional info. you have. Thanks.

[brian_2]

I'm not a resident with much time here, but ten inches of snow isn't accurate based on my one winter experience. This place receives a dusting or two, maybe, and it melts off fast. You have inaccurate information on the high temperatures, as it gets hotter than 97 degrees on quite a few summer days. You've got many hot days late May through early Oct. Only predawn and late at night does it cool down to a comfortable level. Very little rain except for some late day thunderstorms in the monsoon season. Imagine dry, scrub brush prairie land with hot, glaring sun and little rain, and lots of rocks, rocks, rocks - like a scene out of a Zane Grey western - that's CV.
If you can adjust to a conservative, small, rural town (and can take the summer heat) you may like CV. In my opinion, the one real big plus about CV is location - relatively short drives to Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Payson, Oak Creek Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. I say if you're serious, avoid the tract developments in CV and buy a parcel of land that appeals to you, and which you can obtain utilities on w/o too many hassles and expense. CV has greenbelts (irrigated land) that are much more soothing places to have a home than most of the parched, gravel home lots in the community (and most other AZ ones) - don't be surprised, people are moving here, second homers/retirees. You need to come out and do your homework. Good luck to you in your search.

[mauigirl]

Thank-you for the information, appreciate it. I live in the lakes & prairie area 40 miles northeast of Dallas. The wheather there & here sound similar only we get very high humidity due to the lake down the street. Planning on visiting relative in Lakeside, and looking forward to checking out the Verde Valley. Thank you again for the information.

[mauigirl]

By the way..........Chuckles on the Californicated term. Although I am also a Californian but native Hawaiian homegrown. I can relate but unfortunately not one of the fortunate ones to participate in, the "migrating and spreading of their equity wealth". We are just your typical blue collar working family searching for a decent place to hang our hats away from the gang wars, pollution, expesvise housing, and strip malls on every corner. Glad to have found this sight. Very informative posts, and helpful.

[brian_2]

You're welcome. Thank you. My confession - I'm a California native of Palo Alto.