Prescott ten years hence (Phoenix, Bullhead City: for sale, HOA, hotel)

[brian_2]

"The Californians and the Phoenicians expect and demand the look and feel of where they came from and they will be getting exactly what they are asking for."

Well not 'exactly', but as close to it as they can make it.

[brian_2]

"The job I work at has a lot of employees but NOT ONE lives in Prescott."

Somewhat similar situation in Sedona. Affluent, retired, second-homers, or longer-term home owners who've rode with the rise in home prices. Drive through the Village of Oak Creek lately? Plan on extra commute time. Things are changing friends. That's the way it goes, like it or not. More people want the same things, but only $$ talks. No more (affordable) gems left out there for the little fellow. These days find your spot and hang on tight wherever that may be.

[Gretchen B]

I don't know if I'd blame retirees, or Californian's, or even Phoenician's with vacation homes for changing Prescott. All of us who live up here are probably all responsible to some degree or another, and we probably all want something different out of the community. (For instance, I'm a small-town gal from a ranching community, so I would have loved to have lived in Prescott in the 60's - in a way, I'm glad I didn't know what it was like back then, cuz then I'd know what I missed. And yet, I know others on this thread for whom the old Prescott would have been too small and who really like the recent changes.) To each his own, and nobody can expect a community to remain unchanged.

However, don't know how many of you are aware of this, but the real reason for most of the development in the Prescott area are the grandkids of the original ranchers. They see $$$$ written all over their granddad's cattle ranch, and they're the one's that have chosen to sell to developers parcel by parcel at HUGE profits. I always wonder what granddaddy would think if he could see what they've done to his land.

I must qualify the last remark, though, there have been a handful of ranchers that have been more or less forced to sell out (similar to what happened to Young's Farm) supposedly for the water rights.

My take on the current trends are that Prescott Valley and Chino Valley will become more Phoenix-like and sprawling, and that Prescott will become more expensive as there are far fewer areas with land to build there. My hope is that Prescott will retain and nourish its downtown area. I work downtown, and I love walking past Courthouse Square and the little shops at lunchtime. I always run into people I know, and everybody seems to be having a good time. Unless the weather is nasty (which, IMO is seldom - but remember I'm from the midwest) there's always tons of people out and about, stopping to talk. I think that's what I like most about Prescott, and that sense of community is what I'm hoping won't change, even tho the physical presence is changing big-time.

[norm]

You wrote "HIGH HOUSING COSTS! The SoCal people have tripled the housing costs out here. The Median for a site built home in Prescott is currently $630,000! Prescott Valley and the surrounding areas are cheaper but you are then in the grasslands and those areas look bleak."

My wife and I were in Prescott in June 2004 and we saw a houses that we liked in the Prescott Country Club Development that cost under $200,00. Those same homes have gone up in price by $100,00, this is not triple the price. I continuously check out various real estate sites for prices in the Prescott area (not Prescott Valley) and I would say the average price falls somewhere between $300,000 to 350 for a very nice 3-4 bedroom 2 bath house.

Norm

[LBear]

Norm -

No offense, but do you even live here?

I live here and even though you are "looking on-line" it is NOT the same until you are actually here and looking at those homes IN PERSON. For example, even though I researched the real estate web-sites for an out of state area. Once I got there it was TOTALLY different than what I was finding "on-line." Those homes that were lower priced had a "catch". They were in bad condition, needed a lot of work, bad locations, bad roads, difficult access, mobile homes nearby, etc, etc.

You CANNOT buy a nice 3-4 bedroom/2 bath home in PRESCOTT proper for $300K-$350K. Prescott Valley, yes, but not Prescott. The home I am living temporarily in now in Prescott Valley is BRAND NEW with 1,788 sq.ft and it costs $305K. I have NO yard and only a 2 car garage.

There will always be a catch if you do see a listing like that. I live here and my job involves the real estate market. You are looking at least upper $300's for an OK home (under 2,500 sq.ft & .03 acre lot, NO views). If you want 2,800+ sq.ft and at least .05 acres, you are in the easy mid-upper $400's. Now, add a VIEW LOT (Prescott Ranch, Yavapai Hills, Hassayampa, Inscription Canyon, Talking Rock,etc) you are in the $600K-1 MIL+ range.

If you want a view it will cost you over 1/2 million. If you want .05+ -1+ acres, it will cost you over 1/2 million EASY. Remember, there is PRESCOTT and then PRESCOTT VALLEY, there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between the two. Also, there are the NICE areas of Prescott and then the TRASHY areas that will have an OK home but it will be nearby a trailer/mobile park (the catch). Remember, developers are buying lots that are zoned for manufactured & mobile homes. They demolish the mobile and put a new home on it and then try & sell it. Unfortunately, your property values will always be in jeopardy, as the area will have a mobile home nearby. The contractor will try and sell it as a "Prescott home" but there will always be a CATCH for that price.

Lastly, the PRESCOTT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE just released an article that stated the HOUSING COSTS for Prescott are 35% ABOVE the national average.

[LBear]

Gretchen B -

I agree 100% with your comments. Unfortunately, some of the grandkids of the original ranchers are complete jerks I've already had some run-ins with them and they use their political power and money to get their way. Check out the following web-site, it has some real eye openers:
http://thetruthpv.com/

Without naming names, one is a COMPLETE drunk jerk who goes around enforcing his CC&Rs, treating people like trash in the process. I know of numerous builders who REFUSE to build in that sub-division because of him.

The other calls all the shots and has the town in their pocket. They are the "royalty" and they get special police service (private security), the mayor jumps when they snap their fingers, etc. I wish the FBI would visit this area, as I believe some of the deals and happenings of this area are not completely legal. It has a very "mob" type of vibe out it. Nothing happens without that family saying it will happen. Sopranos here we come...

That is why I am getting OUT of here. I can't take it anymore. I am not the only one. There are numerous people who believe the same and are trying their best to get out of Prescott. If you are retired, wealthy, or have political power, then Prescott will work for you. No offense, but this town would be NOTHING if it was not for the real estate boom. Real estate agents made a KILLING $$$ in the past couple years. Now, Prescott & PV had to struggle because housing slowed down. What is the #1 source of income for PV: HOUSING!

Well, the area is sure nice (weather & nature) but the Sopranos and the Gotti's (pseudo names) are running this town and they can make ones life miserable if you cross them or don't "play ball" with them.

[nomore]

Its all Americans. they want close by schools shopping, entertainment. Lets make it more like the mid-west of so-cal or phoenix. Oh yeah , but close the gates after i move in. Controlled, smart growth, with well balence zoning is good. Overgrowth, anything goes, build! build! build! is crap!!!

Can we not find a happy middle area. Say conservation of the natural beauty and growth. I guess not with Harvey Skrewgg and Rawly Simmons.
Does the Fain family own the local politics in Prescott Valley?

Your right all of this growth was in the last 10 years not the last 40 years. Its like slow down the wagon before you go head first over that cliff.

And Prescott baby, is on the edge!!

[craze08]

"However, don't know how many of you are aware of this, but the real reason for most of the development in the Prescott area are the grandkids of the original ranchers. They see $$$$ written all over their granddad's cattle ranch, and they're the one's that have chosen to sell to developers parcel by parcel at HUGE profits. I always wonder what granddaddy would think if he could see what they've done to his land.

I must qualify the last remark, though, there have been a handful of ranchers that have been more or less forced to sell out (similar to what happened to Young's Farm) supposedly for the water rights."

I've spent this past semester in Prescott doing anthropological studies, and my peers and I have been studying the local scene- including issues of development, politics, and environment.
I don't think that the development of farm and ranch land is really the fault of the farmers and ranchers (or their grandkids); the more time that passes, the less valuable their land becomes and the hire their property taxes become as the area around them is developed. Also, the city has done its part to make water rights for farmers and ranchers incredibly expensive. Young's Farm had to sell out because of these reasons, even though they had to sell out for significantly less than the farm itself was worth. Another farm in Chino Valley, Collier's, also sold out because they were being encroached upon by housing developments; what did the woman who bought the farm do with the land? Developed it, partly for business and partly for housing. Ultimately, I think, the real losers in this situation are the citizens of the tri-city area-- as they chase out local food production, they continue to support the machine that is mass-scale food production by corporations that distance us from our food, and also condone what Dr. Tim Crews likes to call "the six million person camping trip" (his nickname for Arizona). The truth of the matter that nobody in Prescott City Council seems to want to recognize is, there is not enough water here to support the kind of growth they're encouraging (taking it from the Verde headwaters does NOT make extended growth acceptable), and they are not planning wisely enough for the future. Arizona scientists say that within 25 years we could see the effects of pumping millions of gallons of water out of the Verde River, which I've heard is the last free-flowing river in northern Arizona. I don't even live here and this deeply concerns me. America, overall, has a problem it doesn't seem to want to recognize, and continues to trivialize...usually for the sake of making money. But as many scientists have proved, the resulting costs of all our bad decision-making, in the end, are going to far outweigh any immediate benefits we think we're getting.

Woo, that's long. Sorry. I guess I feel somewhat passionately about this!^_~

[Gretchen B]

craze08 - I totally agree that water is a HUGE issue here in northern AZ. It should also be an issue for the metro Phoenix area as well, but the water rights laws that were established years ago (basically "first come, first served") entitles Phoenix to almost all the water in the Salt River, so you won't find much water conservation in The Valley. Up here in northern AZ we are definitely dealing with a limited resource. (Actually, every part of the US that's been dealing with drought has the same issue.) The aquifers are just not being replenished.

Sure there is alot of water in the Big Chino aquifer (the one that the Prescott/PV/CV are trying to develop) - much more than is available in the Little Chino aquifer that's currently supplying the water to the local municipalities. However, just because there is the potential to tap into that larger aquifer does not mean that it will supply enough water for unrestrained growth. I agree, there needs to be an eye to the future and not just the $$$ that immediate growth brings. As you are probably aware, there are plans for a large amusement park in the Williams area. Again, I wonder where all this water will come from. What can appear to be a "progressive attitude" to bring new developments into northern AZ now, may actually end up backfiring down the road.

I think it's very important that the Tri-Cities make maintaining water recharge a priority now. I also think it's important for Prescott to take steps to maintain the character and integrity of it's community.

[saguarodave]

Originally Posted by zonababe

Prescott Valley was the fastest growing city in Yavapai country 10 years ago. Everyone would like to move to a new town and lock the gates. It doesn't work that way. Looking for a place that is green, quiet and slow on growth? Try Lake Montezuma, zip code: eieio. LOL, It is located on the banks of Wet Beaver Creek, very pretty area.

Yep. Great post! We're all looking for Paradise. Then we're surprised when everyone else follows us there and "ruins" it. I've been to some remote places in China and it always cracks me up when the foreigners scramble off to every corner of that country trying to escape each other (that is, trying to find a place that hasn't been "ruined" by the presence of tourists). Then, if they find one, they complain because it doesn't have 4-star hotels (these days, any place remote enough not to have tourists probably won't even have running water)!

The solution to this "problem" lies within your head. We cannot change the world, so we need to adjust our attitudes.