Looking to relocate to Arizona with Family, seeking recommendations (Phoenix: houses, neighborhoods)

[Pink Jazz]

As for communities, I personally recommend you go with a new-build home. Most builders are now building to Energy Star specifications, which can save money in the long run. Here are some new-build home communities I would recommend within your price range:

Fulton Homes Mediterranean at Freeman Farms:
Mediterranean at Freeman Farms by Fulton Homes

Fulton Homes Oasis at Freeman Farms:
Oasis at Freeman Farms by Fulton Homes

Fulton Homes Caribbean at Freeman Farms:
Caribbean at Freeman Farms by Fulton Homes

Shea Homes Lantana at Power Ranch:
New Homes in Gilbert | Lantana at Power Ranch | Shea Homes

Pulte Homes Hamilton Heights:
Hamilton Heights | Chandler AZ New Homes | Pulte Homes

Pulte Homes Stratland Estates:
Stratland Estates | Gilbert AZ New Homes | Pulte Homes

Of the three builders, Fulton would be my top choice, followed by Shea and then Pulte. FYI, Fulton will soon be opening at Cooley Station, however, pricing has yet to be determined.

[autism360]

You cannot tell a mormon 99% of the time,they are very quiet about their religious beliefs to the point that you can work with them for years and not even know they are a mormom. I am a christian and prefer mormons to almost any other religion because they have strong family values, do not drink,smoke or cuss. I just wish they would come to know the real Jesus of the Bible.
My point is simply to not be afraid to live near them.

[rickiez]

I'm interviewing for two jobs in Gilbert and Scottsdale. I will have to commute, but I'm a technical field person so I'd likely be traveling around the Phoenix area in general when not telecommuting. I've seen some homes for sale in Val Vista and Seville that seem ideal but have come across other's posts that seem to indicate that the communities are predominately Mormon and that their kids have had issues being shunned. Is this something that anyone has had experiences with? I'm looking for a fun family-oriented community and Gilbert seems to have several.

[PhinsFan1]

Val Vista Lakes and Seville are very nice communities. They're both very family friendly. But they're fairly different, in that Val Vista Lakes has a beautiful lake and beach area. Seville has the golf and sports club and looks very "desert-like." Aside from the water hazards on the golf course, you won't find any water like VVL has. And Seville is quite a bit further from the highways then VVL. If you'll be driving around the valley for work, personally I'd go with something closer to the center of the valley/Phoenix then Seville. Driving from Seville to Peoria, for example, will NOT be fun if it's done frequently. With the price of gas going up, and the impact of long commutes on family life, I think you'll be happy in the long run that you've chosen a home closer to your work area.

As for the high concentration of Mormons in Gilbert, yes, it can be an issue depending on where you live in Gilbert. Many people on this board will downplay it. But many of those people don't live in this specific area of Gilbert or perhaps they don't have kids in school so they're not familiar with the exclusion issues among Mormons and non-Mormons. It definitely does happen. However, not everyone experiences it, and it's not a reason to remove Gilbert from your list.

Gilbert is a great, family friendly town and a great place to raise kids. And certainly there are more non-Mormons then Mormons here. If you move to VVL, it's quite possible that you'd never notice the Mormon influence. If you move to Power Ranch, for example, it's a lot more likely that you'll notice it. But to reiterate, Gilbert is a great community with a variety of races and cultures living here. I'd recommend that you choose your location based not on the religion of some of the residents but by the length of your commute. And based on your potential travel throughout the valley, I'd recommend living closer to the highway. I'd look in Chandler or Tempe, in the east valley. There are nice areas in the west valley that you might consider as well.

Good luck!

[R_Cowgirl]

Hi Rickiez - Since you have five kids, I'm assuming you aren't sending them all to private schools. So one consideration would be the rating for the schools in different districts. Here's a link that will help you find the best schools. They are not all created equally. Find the schools you like, figure out where you'll be working, then look at homes in a radius that works for you.

A thought - when i explored moving here a decade ago, I stayed in several different hotels around the valley on each trip. That gave me the opportunity to drive around the neighborhoods at night and during the day to see what they were like during off hours, heavy traffic hours, and to see who my neighbors might be. I also paid close attention to traffic reports at all hours of the day and evening. After all that I chose Northeast Phoenix - over near the 101 where it connects with Scottsdale. Freeways are a little easier to navigate, there are plenty of shopping areas, the schools are pretty good, and there are some neighborhoods that older and established. I also did everything I could to find a place without an HOA (Home owners association - which I don't care for.) In this neck of the woods the yards are huge in the older neighborhoods. Also, established homes are often built better as well. There are some larger homes with swimming pools (or not) and good yards within walking distance to schools. If you're near the 51 or 101 you can make it in to Tempe area in about half an hour during drive time.

There are quite a few Realtors on City Data, so some may be able to give you some price ranges and possible areas. Prices in Phoenix have been depressed, but they are starting to come back up. Even if you don't see what you want online, it may be out there. The owners just may not have listed it yet. Interview a couple of Realtors and find one that can help you.

[TiredOfyycCold]

And if you are seriously considering Val Vista Lakes... there is a realtor on here who gives excellent un-biased advise about all matters who specializes in that area. I would send the "Captain" a PM....

[newfrontalex]

Originally Posted by TiredOfyycCold

And if you are seriously considering Val Vista Lakes... there is a realtor on here who gives excellent un-biased advise about all matters who specializes in that area. I would send the "Captain" a PM....

Val Vista is beautiful for sure....

[J Swarthout]

Originally Posted by rickiez

I've seen some homes for sale in Val Vista and Seville that seem ideal but have come across other's posts that seem to indicate that the communities are predominately Mormon and that their kids have had issues being shunned. Is this something that anyone has had experiences with? I'm looking for a fun family-oriented community and Gilbert seems to have several.

This is true. Like everyone else says, they're good kids and have good values. But it would be a concern to me if my kids were in a neighborhood or school that had a large percentage of Mormon kids. I don't know if this is true, but I read somewhere that there is a school in the east valley somewhere that is 70% Mormon. From my personal experiences with Mormons, I would not want my kids in a school like that.

[Goober13]

Just my 2 cents, but obviously you are concerned with the Mormon influence of Gilbert. I would avoid it and focus on Chandler or Ahwatukee. Nice homes and modern areas. Easy access to Gilbert and if you're out in the field should work out fine.

If you are working out of Scottsdale, the areas north of Paradise Valley Mall along Tatum Blvdl are decent, just a little older. Or you could go west along the 101 Loop on the Phoenix side of Tatum as far west as I-17 and north of 101. That is decent as well.

In other words if you are uncomfortable being in a socially conservative area such as Gilbert you have TONS more options in the Phoenix metro area that aren't, where there are nice homes.

[wombattver]

I live in Gilbert and I love it here and love the elementary school my kids attend! We have lived in 3 different countries and came here from a short stint in RI. Here is my VERY honest opinion in regards to the Mormon questions: the Mormon presence is noticeable, especially at the school. There is a general feeling that the Mormons have some pull in getting the teachers they want and they can be exclusionary, IME. Our high school has a Mormon seminary directly across the street and the kids are allowed to leave the HS campus to attend class/prayer there during school hours. That doesn't happen with Roman-Catholics or any other religion here.

Yes, I'll agree that the LDS people I meet are very nice and friendly and neighborly. My kids play with their kids. But they do not seek out or cultivate relationships with non-mormon adults, IME. They won't invite you over for dinner, join you for lunch, become a really close friend. They will not participate in any neighborhood function if it's on a Sunday. The LDS do not attend the school dances, but their temple will have an event for the teens on the same night at the same time. Which is fine, but it is a bit divisive in my opinion. There is a feeling of separateness. But the fact that most send their kids to public school indicates that they are not trying to be insular or keep away from non-Mormons.

My only negative experience at school has been last year when my 3rd grader's "Room mom" was LDS and I was never invited or asked to help out at parties, field trips, etc. I would often say "I'm available to come in and help out" and the response was "Oh, we've got it covered." I stay at home and like to be very involved in the school. I've learned to be pro-active in either signing up as Room Mom myself or scheduling with the teacher to come in and help out.

Our neighborhood in Gilbert is wonderful and everyone, LDS or not, is very welcoming and friendly. You will not feel like an outsider in that respect. Of the 20 houses immediately surrounding me, about 4 are Mormon. My understanding is that Mesa has a higher concentration of LDS than Gilbert or Chandler. AZ does have the highest LDS population outside of Utah.

I hope I've been able to give you some idea of the situation without seeming too negative or judgmental. (And perhaps I notice the religion thing even more since I am atheist and don't like religion to be a part of the school environment.) That said, we have loved our last 10 years here and have made lots of friends and truly love the school.