What's it like in the city of Maricopa, AZ? (Phoenix: condo, credit)

[balderdash]

Does anyone have thoughts to share about living in Maricopa? We drove the area and checked out all the new construction and communities still developing. We read up on the Pinal County government - there's a story.

It seemed like a ghost town on the main drag at lunch time on a Thursday, no one at the fast food places. The casino was very busy with lots of oldies and smoke. No people around the neighborhoods! Does anyone really live there? Maybe it was just a very windy day and everyone was staying indoors. The dust was horrible.

Is this a good place to consider for retirement?

[AksarbeN]

Congratulations! You did the right thing first by looking at what you may have bought into. The city of Maricopa will grow with or without you, but I don’t believe it is a city for just everyone. At least not me! The homes are lower priced the other areas of the Phoenix metro valley area. There is a reason for the lower price. Mainly that fact that the area there isn’t that appealing to everyone, and thus the area will be housing those who want to retire there. You have to retire because there are no jobs in the area! Well unless you want to work with cattle that is. And that bring me to the smell that is constantly in the air, the smell of cattle and dust. If you don’t work at the cattle ranch/farm then you have to drive more then 20 minutes just to get to the I-10 and then it’s another 30 –45 minutes to get into Phoenix for work. If it rains, the road is washed out and you can’t drive it. Yes ~ City of Maricopa is a retirement town or a city for the unemployed.

Will it improve? Yes,,,,, but how long do you have to wait for the smell and dust to go away? How long before there is something more out there then an Indian casino and a Circle K. It’s not a good location for most people who have families and who want to enjoy something more in life.

This was just one person’s opinion but please if you want a positive note from me about the City of Maricopa then I can say it has never snowed there yet and also there are winners who visit the casino, but I’ve never known of any personally . Oh and yet another positive item, the Circle K has very good coffee in the morning.

[Ponderosa]

Well, I don't agree with some of that. I was in Maricopa yesterday. It had been many years since I was out that way and I was astonished at the growth that has taken place. It looks really nice. There is a lot more than a Circle K in Maricopa these days. I do agree that it is a long ways from Phoenix though the traffic was not bad at all. I've been in this town a long time and have heard the old "it's too far out" many times. I remember looking at a property at Rural and Warner one time and thinking it was just too far out in the toolies for me. Goodyear just annexed Mobile right next door to Maricopa and has big plans for the that area. Growth is inevitable out that way and Maricopa is just a few years away from being another booming bedroom community.

[balderdash]

Thanks for the two very interesting and entertaining responses. So far it looks like a smelly place for old folks! Hmmm. I'm not sure that fits me just yet. But it did appear to be dead during the day. I wondered if it came alive on the weekend when all the poor commuters were finally home and out running errands, etc.

We left Maricopa and jumped on the 202 just about 2 miles once hitting I 10. It didn't take us long to get to the Chandler Mall area - BUT the issue is traffic and timing.

So here's the big question - IF you wanted to get out of town (we live in Tempe at Rural and Baseline) - and wanted to buy for $350k or so a single level nice house, would you go out west to Tartesso in Buckeye (the other end of Phoenix and I-10) or to Maricopa?

We have the perfect location where we are, and a wonderful family house, 4 br, 3.5 baths in most ideal location. But we don't like the stairs or all the yard work (we have almost 1/2 acre). We would love to stay in this area in a new home, but can't afford to trade even up cost wise, and we'll have to settle for so much less of a house and property features.

What's a person to do beside play at the casino and hope for a lucky win!?

[MotleyCrew]

If you have over $300K to spend I would check out the resales in Vistancia. There are plenty of desperate investors dumping some very nice, never lived in homes here. If you qualify for the age requirement, then check out Trilogy. They have a few inventory homes and the resales there are very tempting too. The ammenities are awesome and you would not suffer from a lack of things to do here. These are located in N. Peoria on Vistancia Blvd. We also now have great shopping 4 miles down the road and a new Safeway under construction on our site as well as a new "downtown center" being planned and constructed. We will have a little of Verrado but no beautiful lake like Estrella. You have plenty to choose from with your budget.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by Jill Warner

If you have over $300K to spend I would check out the resales in Vistancia. There are plenty of desperate investors dumping some very nice, never lived in homes here. If you qualify for the age requirement, then check out Trilogy. They have a few inventory homes and the resales there are very tempting too. The ammenities are awesome and you would not suffer from a lack of things to do here. These are located in N. Peoria on Vistancia Blvd. We also now have great shopping 4 miles down the road and a new Safeway under construction on our site as well as a new "downtown center" being planned and constructed. We will have a little of Verrado but no beautiful lake like Estrella. You have plenty to choose from with your budget.

You know I checked out Vistancia last weekend and I have to say I was not impressed. I came thinking of how wonderful I kept hearing about it (mostly from you), but once I found it (out in the middle of the desert) it just didn't do it for me. And actually how much of your new shopping is even open yet? I found that those were under construction as well. The Safeway had some of their bricks up, but that was it. Other than the rec center with pool, I found nothing spectacular about the place. I found it totally too far from real civilization (like phx). Plus there's tons of construction where the four lanes (two each way) turn into 2 most of the way. Lots of building and lots of neighborhoods all around on the way up there, just looks like bad traffic to have to deal with.

This is just my opinion from someone who is a native of Phoenix, but I know of so many other places that are a whole lot nicer and not so far out. I would never recommend Vistancia if someone had to commute. That is just crazy to me. Plus, the house pretty much look like all the rest in the valley. There were some things that were a little different, but not enough distiction to move out ther efor me. The smaller front lawns make it nice to do some cute landscaping, but that just means less yard, which so many complain to find out here.

The one real positive that I did notice that I did not expect is that many people said hi to us and waved. We were walking around where the pool is and people were very friendly. It kinda shocked me a little. We were driving around the neighborhoods and a guy on a bike waved as we passed. So, that I will give credit to. I never see that (at least the quantity), of friendly people in other nieghborhoods.

[balderdash]

["The smaller front lawns make it nice to do some cute landscaping, but that just means less yard, which so many complain to find out here.

The one real positive that I did notice that I did not expect is that many people said hi to us and waved. We were walking around where the pool is and people were very friendly. It kinda shocked me a little. We were driving around the neighborhoods and a guy on a bike waved as we passed. So, that I will give credit to. I never see that (at least the quantity), of friendly people in other nieghborhoods. [/quote]

You said something that is really important to us. Your comment about the friendly people - that's a quality of life issue. Some people want to be left alone and others want to be a part of something. I guess for me, having friendly people, or at least those that share a smile and hello, makes it feel like home, and like where I came from growing up in a smaller town in Morton, IL in the 60s. (I'm 51 and retired.) We have only found friendly people like you describe in 55+ communities, specifically we had to go all the way to Robson Ranch in Denton, TX to experience it. We almost moved there just for the warmth of caring neighbors. (We then realized we could create this here in our own cul de sac if we really wanted to!)

It appears we have taken this discussion on Maricopa into a new realm, one of west valley living. That's interesting.

So, does anyone love living in Maricopa? Except the farmers that were mentioned in earlier messages... We don't have to commute, but we do have to breathe and shop, and socialize.

[MotleyCrew]

So sorry Vistancia did not float your boat. We happen to think the (as you called it) rec center was very nicely done. It was done by an award winning architect and it pleased us but we all have different wants and needs. We like the homes the builders are building and especially the Blackstone development and it's "rec" center. I do not care much for the congestion of Phoenix but agree that there are plenty of nice places to choose from there as well. This, in our humble opinion, is just one of them. Our shopping is in construction, so we have to wait a few more months. Beats waiting for years. If someone wants to move to an already built up area, then go for it. We did not mind waiting. I know it is difficult to have to drive four miles down the road for milk, but by November we can walk.

[Master Shake]

Maricopa is currently more of a bedroom community, and you could buy a very nice house for $300k. Plus, it still has an overall small-town feel, which you probably will not find elsewhere in the Metro Phoenix area. Most people do commute to work, either in Chandler or PHX, etc. which is at least 30+ minutes to Chadler without traffic -- closer to 60+ minutes to PHX with traffic. However, if you will not have to commute, then it would be a very good choice. The cow smell is not that bad either, and is not continuous -- depending on where you live (North or West (of JWP/347) side). Obviously, if you live near the dairy farm (close to 238/Casa Grande HWY), then it would be a different story.

As far as the commercial development and activities, check out the official growth plan for the City of Maricopa. There is already a lot more than just a Circle K. Also, there is a lot coming, including a WalMart and a movie theater complex.

www.cityofmaricopa.net/citizensassets/Maricopa-Matters-March-2007.pdf (broken link)

[uconn99]

350k will buy you a condo in Arcadia, some in Tempe near mill. Are there any houses in south tempe still under 400k? Rural and Ray is a great area.