Canoa Ranch-Green Valley (Desert Hills: 2014, rent, HOA fees)

[GeneR]

Like to hear from people who live there are have visited. Nice? Meritage seems like a good builder. I'm liking the low hoa. It's part of the Green Valley Rec coop. Do people use more than their closest facility. Are some better than others?

We liked Robson's Quail Creek and wondering if Canoa might be a better buy.

Comments appreciated.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by GeneR

Like to hear from people who live there are have visited. Nice? Meritage seems like a good builder. I'm liking the low hoa. It's part of the Green Valley Rec coop. Do people use more than their closest facility. Are some better than others?

We liked Robson's Quail Creek and wondering if Canoa might be a better buy.

Comments appreciated.

I cannot speak of the housing in Canoa Ranch as we really did not look at properties in the area as we wanted to downsize our lifestyle when we moved to Arizona and those properties are too large for our needs.

GVR has twelve facilities with eight pools. No one is assigned a particular center; you choose where and when to go. Some facilities have certain facilities that others do not. Members can participate in any of them.

For example, the ONLY indoor pool in GVR are located at Canoa Ranch. In January, my wife was heading down their daily. Bocce courts are at Canoa Hills. Desert Hills has shuffleboard and hosts many of the clubs. It gets kind of hard to keep track of everything but GVR gives you membership guides that will help you find the places.

All of the facilities that I have been to - maybe six so far - are in great shape, very clean, and with employees or volunteers on staff if there are any issues. In all fairness, they look in great shape because the members pick up after themselves (clean machines after use, don't leave their trash, etc.).

Make sure that you understand what is included in your HOA fees (which is completely separate from GVR). There are a lot of things that you may be paying than in HOAs in MSP - things like trash removal.

[New2Tucson]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Make sure that you understand what is included in your HOA fees (which is completely separate from GVR). There are a lot of things that you may be paying than in HOAs in MSP - things like trash removal.

If you buy a home in Green Valley that has not belonged to the GVR before, you will have to pay a $2296 initiation fee to become a member. Then you start paying the $440 per year dues.

If you buy a house that already belongs to GVR, you will have to pay a $2296 New Member Capital Fee, then start paying the $440 per year membership dues.

GVR Membership Link

[Riggo44]

Is there a central document or website that describes each community in Green Valley (HOA fees, home options, amenities, etc.)? As a prospective buyer, what would be the best way to tour Green Valley and see the various options?

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Riggo44

Is there a central document or website that describes each community in Green Valley (HOA fees, home options, amenities, etc.)? As a prospective buyer, what would be the best way to tour Green Valley and see the various options?

What we did was to actually rent a place in Desert Hills for two months in January and February 2014. That allowed us several advantages. First, we met hundreds of people at GVR who owned properties in a wide variety of areas. There are a good number of different areas in Green Valley and this was a good way of getting a general lay of the land. Second, we asked these people for recommendations of Realtors in the area. There were certain names that popped up several times. We met with a couple of them with very general questions and they provided some pretty good recommendations as to available housing.

There is some information online about GVR. However, since most of the Green Valley areas are pretty well built out, there is not as much developer information out there to rely on. I would comment that while newer developments have more information, a lot of what you see are "promises" that may or may not actually develop. I cam across several brochures for a retirement community in Tennessee that my parents bought into in the 1970s and much of what was in those brochures never materialized. In Green Valley, you can drive from facility and facility and see what is offered.

The agency that will probably be able to provide you with the information you need in Long Realty's Green Valley office.

[Riggo44]

What subdivision did you ultimately choose and why?

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

What we did was to actually rent a place in Desert Hills for two months in January and February 2014. That allowed us several advantages. First, we met hundreds of people at GVR who owned properties in a wide variety of areas. There are a good number of different areas in Green Valley and this was a good way of getting a general lay of the land. Second, we asked these people for recommendations of Realtors in the area. There were certain names that popped up several times. We met with a couple of them with very general questions and they provided some pretty good recommendations as to available housing.

There is some information online about GVR. However, since most of the Green Valley areas are pretty well built out, there is not as much developer information out there to rely on. I would comment that while newer developments have more information, a lot of what you see are "promises" that may or may not actually develop. I cam across several brochures for a retirement community in Tennessee that my parents bought into in the 1970s and much of what was in those brochures never materialized. In Green Valley, you can drive from facility and facility and see what is offered.

The agency that will probably be able to provide you with the information you need in Long Realty's Green Valley office.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Riggo44

What subdivision did you ultimately choose and why?

We moved to Desert Hills III West for the following reasons:

1) We found an incredible deal on an end condo with a nice courtyard. It was one of those places that were "rough" but with a few minor repairs and a paint job looked pretty good.

2) We met most of our neighbors and found that we shared a lot of values with them. Some are full-time residents, some stay nine months while others are here for three. There is a great diversity of people with some varied backgrounds. We walk a couple of times with our neighbors and the pack of their assorted dogs.

3) We are located midway between the Canoa Hills and the Desert Hills Social Centers so we can walk to the gym/pool a couple times daily. The gym and pool facilities exceed what we are currently paying a small fortune for in Chicago. I wanted to live in a place where I was surrounded by exercise activities that would coax me off the computer occasionally.

4) While we are the "youngsters" of the area, we wanted a place that was "senior friendly" as we both have parents and aunts/uncles who are no longer able to live in their current residence because they cannot handle the steps. I do not want to be looking to move again when we are in our seventies.

5) We wanted to buy a small place that would require little maintenance as we would much prefer to be hiking in Madera or Sabino Canyon that working on home projects.

[Riggo44]

Thanks, JL. Your information is helpful and greatly appreciated. Can I ask the approximate amount of your monthly HOA and what it covers? Note that I understand that is separate from the Green Valley Recreation fee.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Riggo44

Thanks, JL. Your information is helpful and greatly appreciated. Can I ask the approximate amount of your monthly HOA and what it covers? Note that I understand that is separate from the Green Valley Recreation fee.

$240 ANNUALLY. It covers the streets and landscaping of the common areas.

As I posted earlier, each area has a very different cost structures. One of the older neighborhoods, I have heard is close to $200 a month BUT that includes exterior maintenance, roof maintenance, HVAC maintenance and repair and a lot more landscaping.

[Saguarogirl507]

I was just reading a web site about your community jlawrence01 and it says that there are something called "shot gun starts" at the golf courses. Is that a golf term or an actual gun shot? Just curious as I would not like to hear that every day.