Prescott Valley subdivisions -good ones, bad ones, etc. (sale, foreclosed)

[checkthecodes]

Tony the only other thing I looked at when I was looking here is the drainage during storms. Look and see which way the drainage goes and make sure your not in an area that floods. The one thing I keyed on homes not in the sub-divisions was how big the drain pipes out in front of the homes are. If they are bigger that 2' round I tend to stay away from, just my opinion. Maybe one of the realtors on the board here can direct you where you can get a copy of the flood plan for the area. Check the sub-divisions also which way will the rain water flow, you will see brick walls with spaces in the bottom of the brick for the rain water to drain. You can have drainage to run through every back yard all the way down a block, but don't worry...it's very common here. The house in back of me, all their water drains onto my property which the Prescott Valley drainage plan shows it should. Then the water goes around my home out to the drainage ditch, that's why you will see "swales" cut in to the property for a path for the water to take. You can download the drainage plan from the cities web site, if you can't find it call them and they give you the link. Good luck on your seach here.

[Gretchen B]

Good point, checkthecodes. Also, just one observation re drainage. You can actually NOT be in a floodplain and still have drainage issues. Homes in floodplains are generally in low lying areas near creeks, dry creeks, or other places where water collects/rises during times of prolonged rainfall, such as what we get during a wet winter. It's easy to check on floodplain status by going to the Yavapai County Flood Control office on Marina in Prescott. What is sometimes trickier and can be a nightmare is the runoff drainage you can get during monsoons. This type of runoff across a property typically is not reflected in the floodplain report. You really have to watch for proper grading, how the house is sited on the lot, etc. Ideally, it's good to drive the neighborhood during and right after a monsoon downpour. It's really surprising what you might discover.

[BriansPerspective]

If you request a flood report for a property in Prescott Valley, they will return three categories to you: "In FEMA Floodplain", "Flood Prone", and "Flood Problem". After pulling several teeth to find their meanings, this is closest that we have come to understand:
1. In FEMA Floodplain - this one is straight-forward. The property is either in the floodplain or not. A "No" in this field means that the property is outside of the 100 year floodplain.
2. Flood Prone - A "Yes" in this field indicates that the property may flood (i.e., have standing waster) during a severe rain.
3. Flood Problem - This is the most ambiguous. According to the city-folk we talked to, a "Yes" in this field means that either: a) water complaints have been made for this property, or b) the city thinks that the property could have water problems due to the slope or position of the lot.

[tony soprano]

Any thoughts on the Quailwood subdivision? I've run across a couple of interesting opportunities in Quailwood. I searched the forums and it sounds like Empire filed for bankruptcy. Any inherent infrastructure or build problems noted?

It also sounds like they left a number of uncompleted homes behind. Can anyone give me an idea of how many? 2? 5? A dozen or more? It looks like taxes are higher in the Quailwood community and the lots are pretty small. I don't think the smaller lots would be problematic for me. I'm an empty nester and very accustomed to townhome living.

I noticed in a couple of different threads people said they couldn't even stand looking at the development as the drove by.

[Gretchen B]

Originally Posted by tony soprano

Any thoughts on the Quailwood subdivision? I've run across a couple of interesting opportunities in Quailwood. I searched the forums and it sounds like Empire filed for bankruptcy. Any inherent infrastructure or build problems noted?

It also sounds like they left a number of uncompleted homes behind. Can anyone give me an idea of how many? 2? 5? A dozen or more? It looks like taxes are higher in the Quailwood community and the lots are pretty small. I don't think the smaller lots would be problematic for me. I'm an empty nester and very accustomed to townhome living.

I noticed in a couple of different threads people said they couldn't even stand looking at the development as the drove by.

Some Pros & Cons about Quailwood:

Pros:
Great prices as there are many foreclosures
Has a nice clubhouse/activity center
Close proximity to golf course

Cons:
Many short sales and foreclosures are plummeting home values in the subdivision. While you can purchase at a good price now, the issues with the bankruptcy will take a while to iron out. Plan on staying put for a while if you buy in there.
Small lots.
Possible unresolved issue with water availability.
Unfinished vacant homes due to Empire bankruptcy. Don't expect those to be finished and/or sold to another builder anytime soon.
Unresolved issues about oversight and maintenance of the subdivision and clubhouse due to Empire bankruptcy.
Administration of HOA remained an issue last I knew, however that may have been resolved.
Many rental properties in the subdivision at present.

[tony soprano]

Thanks Gretchen. I guess I need to get out there and drive around and see just how bad of an eyesore it is. I'll keep searching the past threads and see if I can figure out if the HOA issue was ever resolved.

Thanks again!

[tony soprano]

I have tentative plans to spend a couple of days in PV this month. I plan on driving around and acquainting myself with the various subdivisions and areas mentioned in this thread. Thanks again to everyone for the input they've provided. Based purely on online browsing, I'm startled by the number of foreclosures and short-sales in Quailwood. I'm particularly interested in seeing how that affects the 'complexion' of a neighborhood.

Thanks to the Hotel thread in this forum, I have a few ideas of where I might try to stay. Are there any particular restaurants or eateries that I should make a point in visiting during my stay? I plan on walking around downtown Prescott for a bit. To the extent that PV has a downtown area, I'll make it a point to walk around a bit there too. Any other points of interests within either town's limits that I should make a point in checking out?

[BriansPerspective]

Hi Tony,

Quailwood has some incredible deals right now and homes are priced well below comparable subdivisions. This is primarily a result of the large number of foreclosures and short sales in that subdivision.

Be sure to check out PV's Valley of Lights. It's a driving tour of Christmas lights arranged into various scenes. It's free, but they ask for a donation at the end of the drive.

The new Hampton Inn in PV just opened. You might also check out the Day's Inn in PV.

As for eating, there are loads of restaurants. I like Bill's Pizza on the square. It's inexpensive and the pizzas are good. It's cash only, so bring some. If you like Japanese, you can try Monsoon - they have sushi as well as regular (cooked) dishes. In PV, Tara Thai is good. Buffalo Wild Wings in PV is also pretty good and usually busy.

[Gretchen B]

Originally Posted by tony soprano

I have tentative plans to spend a couple of days in PV this month. I plan on driving around and acquainting myself with the various subdivisions and areas mentioned in this thread. Thanks again to everyone for the input they've provided. Based purely on online browsing, I'm startled by the number of foreclosures and short-sales in Quailwood. I'm particularly interested in seeing how that affects the 'complexion' of a neighborhood.

Thanks to the Hotel thread in this forum, I have a few ideas of where I might try to stay. Are there any particular restaurants or eateries that I should make a point in visiting during my stay? I plan on walking around downtown Prescott for a bit. To the extent that PV has a downtown area, I'll make it a point to walk around a bit there too. Any other points of interests within either town's limits that I should make a point in checking out?

BiggsHomes offered some good suggestions for PV. A couple of my favorite PV eating places are Casa Bonita and Cassie's Corner. Nothing fancy, just good Mexican and gourmet wraps, respectively. Out toward Dewey (on Hwy 69) there's Leff-T's steak house and Blue Hills Cafe (just a down home mom & pop place that's a great place for breakfast or lunch - you can get wonderful burgers and "real" fries + huge iced tea for less than fast food drive-thru).

As far as a real "downtown", I'm afraid PV is still working on that. There have been some nice stores come in, and the Entertainment District (i.e. Harkins Theatre and game places and a few restaurants) but not really any other walkable downtown areas.

Prescott, on the other hand, has a totally different character. It's a very historical town, and has a town square built around the Courthouse. Lots of little shops, galleries, and eateries in downtown Prescott. It's a fun place, especially if there's something special going on in the "Square", which is typically every weekend during the warmer months. Some places you might want to check out in Prescott are the Elks Opera House, Sharlot Hall Museum, Smoki Museum, and Prescott Fine Arts Center. Here is a link for some of the area happenings: Events - City of Prescott, Arizona

Have fun on your visit!

[havasulady]

There is a nice housing development on Willow Creek Road not far from Prescott Airport that seems to be upscale . You are close to shopping. Fry's grocery store not far.

We own a house in Quail Ridge Development in Chino Valley but it is out a ways. The views are spectacular here.

My favorite is Apaloosa Meadows in Chino Valley. The older section. Love it there...but I require some room to breath.

You really are buying at a good time.

Prescott Lakes is a nice area, too.