Young Family Looking for Great Schools and Welcoming Active Community in the Phoenix Area (Mesa: to rent, HOA)

[SunSeekerDad19]

Hello!

My family is looking to relocate to the greater Phoenix area in the next 6 months, and I'd really like to get some local opinions and advice about a few particular areas that we are focusing our search around.

We are Pacific NW natives, having spent our entire lives in the Seattle suburbs. Now, we are looking for a family-friendly community where we can lead an active, outdoor-focused lifestyle, where our kids (2 elementary aged and 1 toddler) can grow up in a community with great neighborhood schools and amenities. We really like master planned communities with walking trails, pools, parks within walking distance, and HOAs to ensure that properties are well maintained.

Our wish list for a new home includes the following, with a price range up to about $550K:

4 bedrooms + Office Space(I'll be working from home)
2,300+ sq. ft.
Lot Size 7K+ sq. ft.
Open floor plan/kitchen with great room
We would PREFER a newer ranch (1-story) and a 3-car garage, but those aren't deal-breakers.

So far our areas of interest and focus include the following, in no particular order:

Anthem - Schools look to be pretty good, but would like to hear more detail, differences between the elementary schools, and if anyone has any specific experience with them. Is the country club neighborhood family-friendly? Can you walk to parks from there? Are there many young families?

Estrella/Estrella Mountain Ranch - We like the options of new build homes here, and it looks to be very walkable and with excellent amenities. Love all the palm trees! However, we've heard mixed thoughts and reviews on the schools here, especially the high school (Estrella Foothills High). For example, apparently a kid brought loaded guns and knives to school just a couple months ago. Is it a tough place for teenagers? Are there big quality differences in the homes with so many individual neighborhoods and builders? Is the newer (south) section as walkable as the older portion, near the lakes?

Gilbert/Chandler - I know that this isn't a specific MPC like the first two, but with all the attention these communities get for excellent schools and livability, we are looking closely here as well. Researching the schools is somewhat overwhelming given the number of different districts, neighborhood schools, and charters. Any thoughts or advice here? Chandler vs. Gilbert vs. Higley School District? I keep seeing Power Ranch pop up as a good family community, any experience here? Lastly, in Gilbert, is the area mostly Mormon? We are a non-denominational Christian family, and wouldn't want our kids to be the "odd ones out" because 80% of the kids at school are a different faith. On various other threads I've read conflicting accounts of that happening.

It's also important to note that since I will be working from home, commute is not really a concern for us (which I know can make a huge difference in the valley!)


Thank you, in advance, for reading and offering your thoughts and suggestions

[ringler24]

We just relocated here from the NYC area and wanted very similar things to your wish list. You can everything you want (minus the newer home) in Moon Valley. Super community and family oriented (neighbors doing neighborly things together), great schools, right up against North Mountain for hiking and mountain biking, every amenity within 2-5 minutes away, close to things Central Phoenix has to offer. No community pools here but most of the houses have private pools. Large lots. We are in an older HOA so we do have very manicured homes, no giant boats or RVs parked in driveways etc.. because there are rules about that. So the homes are mostly ranches built in the 80's. Ours is just shy of 2700 sq. ft. 4 bedrooms, and a space that could be an office, on almost 0.3 acres with mountain views in every direction and we paid under $500k for it. I've been to Anthem and Gilbert and they feel very suburban and out there to me, especially Anthem (almost just like people plopped houses, stores, and a few restaurants in the middle of no where). Some people love that. Moon Valley has a little bit more of an urban feel with walkability to parks and schools.

[SunSeekerDad19]

Thanks, Ringler24, really appreciate that perspective. I'm sure coming from NYC, almost everything feels suburban! It's all relative, right? I will definitely take a look at that area, though we will be coming from a home built in 1989, and we've done A LOT of updating and home improvement in the 5-6 years since we've owned it, so we are definitely hoping to find something more modern or completely done this time around.

[ringler24]

There's a lot of homes here that have been recently redone top to bottom. Our home is updated and not even the original floor plan of the house. You could easily find something totally turn key in your budget.



This one is overpriced and below the bedrooms you want, but just to give you an idea:


https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/15_zm/1_rs/

[ringler24]

Originally Posted by SunSeekerDad19

Thanks, Ringler24, really appreciate that perspective. I'm sure coming from NYC, almost everything feels suburban! It's all relative, right? I will definitely take a look at that area, though we will be coming from a home built in 1989, and we've done A LOT of updating and home improvement in the 5-6 years since we've owned it, so we are definitely hoping to find something more modern or completely done this time around.

Oh and we had moved outside of NYC for about 4 years before coming here. Anthem for sure feels like a suburb plopped in the middle of nowhere. Gilbert has a slightly more normal suburban feel to me.

[phx1205]

I would add Vistancia to your list. I know a couple of people that live there and they seem to really like it.

[pgc323]

Plenty of information about Anthem can be found here. http://www.onlineatanthem.com/reside...uide/index.php

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by SunSeekerDad19

Thanks, Ringler24, really appreciate that perspective. I'm sure coming from NYC, almost everything feels suburban! It's all relative, right? I will definitely take a look at that area, though we will be coming from a home built in 1989, and we've done A LOT of updating and home improvement in the 5-6 years since we've owned it, so we are definitely hoping to find something more modern or completely done this time around.

Phoenix is an objectively suburban place. It’s just the nature of the city.

[Andrew Wilson]

I would go with Gilbert personally. Have you thought about Queen Creek? Maybe Eastmark in Mesa might also work? Those are just some ideas. There are some nice communities there and it is typically less expensive than Gilbert. However, if I was in your position I think I would go with Gilbert. I really like the communities there.

[birdernerder]

I can’t speak for all of the areas you mentioned, but my family and I live in Gilbert in
a master-planned community. We used to rent in Power Ranch and loved it there, but we ended up going with a new build in another community. We have a Gilbert address but are in the Chandler school district (which is typically the #1 district in AZ). Our neighbors love the schools! My kids are 4 and 2, so I don’t have personal experience with schools yet.

As for the Mormon population... we’re non denominational Christian too, and we have no problems being around a high Mormon population. Mormons make for great neighbors. My son attends an at-home preschool run by a Mormon neighbor, and its been great for him. We love Rock Point Church on Power Rd south of Chandler Heights! It’s non-denominational and has a great pastor and kids programs.

We have friends that live in Estrella Mountain Ranch, and it seems like a beautiful community. It’s a bit remote for my tastes though.

We’re moving out of AZ in the future, but if we ever moved back I’d not hesitate choosing Gilbert again. We’d probably consider Queen Creek too.