Opinions on 'Cactus Corridor' area please (Phoenix, Scottsdale: transplants, for sale, rent) - City-Data Forum

tcd IL · 07-09-2011, 08:10 AM

Hi! This forum is a wealth of info, and an enjoyable read as well!

Would love your opinions on Cactus Corridor as a place to buy a home.

Here's our story: We're a couple from Chicago area who plan to eventually spend 7-9 mo out there (Scottsdale or PV) and the summer back here. Until then, house will be for occasional use or rental. Looking to spend $800K - $1.2M or thereabouts, 4500+ sqft/4+ BR, built 1995+, lean to more contemp style, want mountain views, but don't want to go too far east or too far north)

We've been out with an agent a couple of times already. She's shown us homes in Ancala (really liked it, although probably as far east as we want to go), Scottsdale CC (nice, but the two we saw had no yard at all, just a pool for a backyard), PV (love the location, but probably above our price range unless we get lucky), up north around Thompson Peak Pkwy (can't remember the name of the area - really nice - don't want to go further north towards Troon, etc), out east on Shea towards Mayo (really nice hoes, but too far east).

She suggested we look next time in 'Cactus Corridor" (Shea/Cactus/101/FrankLloydWright). Her opinion: close to central SD, big lots, large homes, well-priced in that range. More 'city' feel than a planned community. The listings I've seen online do look nice, and somewhat better priced than Ancala nearby (probably because not on GC?). I did a search here and on Google and couldn't find any threads on the area.

So what do you think? Pros? Cons? Any other areas we should be looking at given the above?

Thanks in advance for your help!

observer53 · 07-09-2011, 09:04 AM

Like that area. Lots of nice homes in there.

SloCoChef · 07-09-2011, 09:45 AM

I rent near the Ancala shopping center - FLW and Shea and I LOVE this area --- getting used to the hot arid summer is made absolutely tolerable by the fact that I love this location. I walk anytime day or night to the local stores (3 grocery stores each on a separate corner and a multitude of restaurants etc.) & feel safe as I did in a small fishing town on the coast. I'm close to the 101 - can approach it from either going East on Shea - or can pick it up going north on FLW.... I can zip over to Fountain Hills - only 7 miles to the heart of that area... or go to the ultra mega Fry's at Shea and Tatum on a lark in minutes as well. The airport isn't a bad drive - I can head south to Fashion Square - North to Desert Ridge - I dunno why exactly but the location imho simply cannot be beat. There's library's, churches, schools closeby as well -- You are so blessed to be able to purchase a home in this area or 'the corridor' ..... I'm looking at homes to buy - will end up North of here likely - but as for a place to start and get to know Phoenix - I'm so glad I chose here! Good luck to you!

Jkgourmet · 07-09-2011, 10:12 AM

I've lived here since 1989, and that's the first time I ever heard of the "cactus corridor."

tcd IL · 07-09-2011, 11:45 AM

Thanks for the quick feedback. And SloCo, for the specifics - sounds great! Happy to hear what appears to be a good location on the map is that and more!

Question for you SloCo, is it conducive to bicycles around there at Shea and FLW, say you wanted to head up to Cactus Rd or west towards the 101? Are there bike lanes/bike paths, or do you have to dodge traffic?

With regard to the name "Cactus Corridor", I figured it must not be readily used, as it produces no search results -- other than realtors websites. Perhaps it is a realtor-derived name??!

LocoAZnative · 07-09-2011, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

I've lived here since 1989, and that's the first time I ever heard of the "cactus corridor."

First time ever for me, but it seems transplants all of a sudden are changing name around and getting rid of terms natives used. cough haboob cough is another example

tcd IL · 07-09-2011, 12:37 PM

I'm not a transplant yet, Loco, just a transplant wannabe!

I'm curious then, what do you call that area (E of 101, N of Shea, S of Cactus, and W of FLW)?

LocoAZnative · 07-09-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcd IL

I'm not a transplant yet, Loco, just a transplant wannabe!

I'm curious then, what do you call that area (E of 101, N of Shea, S of Cactus, and W of FLW)?

North Scottsdale

azdr0710 · 07-09-2011, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcd IL

I'm not a transplant yet, Loco, just a transplant wannabe!

I'm curious then, what do you call that area (E of 101, N of Shea, S of Cactus, and W of FLW)?

I've also never heard of "Cactus Corridor", though I can see realtors using that term....been here 36 years and near that area....

this very area you're talking about is only a very small part of "North Scottsdale"....many think of N Scotts as only the newer areas much further north

there's a nice history of older equestrian-oriented homes along Cactus in this area and, mostly, a bit west of 101....I don't know of a well-known name for just this area you're mentioning....it's sorta newly developed in the last 20 years or so, especially the further east you go....

azdr0710 · 07-09-2011, 01:40 PM

that's obviously a very generous budget....

but do two people have to have 4500+ sq. ft?....if you can back it down to, say, 3000 sq. ft., you'll probably be able to afford zip 85253 (Town of PV)....that's the ultimate address and zip code, you probably know, and would always be a good investment....but, even at that budget, a place in the Town of PV may be an older fixer-upper, but it'll have an acre or more.....

to an old-timer like me (was a kid when we moved to PV in 1975), anything E and/or N of 101 is "out there" and not particularly a fantastic-ly convenient location....seems like there's a lot of cookie-cutter stuff out there and not particularly unique, too....my opinion....

many, many options.....many hundreds of homes for sale at that price range