Reason Why or Why Not to Move to Casa Grande (Phoenix: for sale, condo)

[Rudydog1]

Evening..

So looks like Tucson is getting a little pricey and property taxes are moving up. Coming closer to Phoenix without moving back into a concrete jungle am curious about Casa Grande. However I liked the vibe in northwest Tucson and the rolling landscape, mountains in some areas.

I like the idea of being closer to San Diego as we have family there as well as Casa Grande however its sorta blah looking, flat that I can see but has nice home prices.

The Phoenixmart I understand will bring in more upscale shopping and dining however will that ever be completed in the near future.

So where do retiree's go that are not ready for the 55 restricted living crowd, nor the young family crowd, nor the concrete jungle?

Do not want to drive more than 35 minutes to nice shopping, dining, gym, golf and medical. Would like to have farmers market, festivals to walk around, things to see.

Now here are some numbers.

Home price lower than $239K
Would like some yard ..not Patio or Condo
Attractive communities..with some greenery
Lower property taxes..
To name a few.

I am anxious to hear new ideas...I am running out and my house is for sale in Virginia!!
Thanks..

[R_Cowgirl]

I live in N. Phoenix and I don't feel like I'm in a "concrete jungle. We all have trees, big yards, kids running around and playing, a great neighborhood and we're close enough to the freeways to get places quickly but far enough to not hear the traffic.

IMHO Southeast Phoenix all the way to Casa Grande is heavy traffic, lots of concrete jungle, and new subdivisions so the trees aren't all that established in many of the areas. (Yes, you will find a few areas that are more settled like Ahwautukee or however the heck you spell it...) There are just too many freeways in that area - 101, 202, 143, 60, I-17 and the 10. They all converge here and there and getting through that area is a real bear during drive times. I got stuck in that mess a few weeks ago and it took me more than an hour and a half just to get out of Phoenix. Up north you do have some 101 West traffic in the afternoons, but there are a lot of off-freeway options.

So really it depends on what you need and want. As we have said multiple times on many of the state forums, come here and stay in some hotels while you decide. Find hotels in all the different neighborhoods and take the time to move around a bit. Look at your chosen areas during the day, evenings, weekends, etc. See who lives there, how friendly the people are when you stop and ask questions. Find a place that fits you. We can only give you advice based upon our own preferences.

Also consider looking along the Cave Creek Road corridor north of Phoenix. There are some interesting areas with larger yards that might appeal to you. Another option is north of Phoenix along the 1-17 corridor on the way up to Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.

It's a very diverse state. Hang out here for a month before you decide. I'm sure you will find your price point and your desired type of property. Check out City-data for your options.

There are many shopping options all over the Valley that make for good comparison and bargain shopping.

[Rudydog1]

Originally Posted by R_Cowgirl

I live in N. Phoenix and I don't feel like I'm in a "concrete jungle. We all have trees, big yards, kids running around and playing, a great neighborhood and we're close enough to the freeways to get places quickly but far enough to not hear the traffic.

IMHO Southeast Phoenix all the way to Casa Grande is heavy traffic, lots of concrete jungle, and new subdivisions so the trees aren't all that established in many of the areas. (Yes, you will find a few areas that are more settled like Ahwautukee or however the heck you spell it...) There are just too many freeways in that area - 101, 202, 143, 60, I-17 and the 10. They all converge here and there and getting through that area is a real bear during drive times. I got stuck in that mess a few weeks ago and it took me more than an hour and a half just to get out of Phoenix. Up north you do have some 101 West traffic in the afternoons, but there are a lot of off-freeway options.

So really it depends on what you need and want. As we have said multiple times on many of the state forums, come here and stay in some hotels while you decide. Find hotels in all the different neighborhoods and take the time to move around a bit. Look at your chosen areas during the day, evenings, weekends, etc. See who lives there, how friendly the people are when you stop and ask questions. Find a place that fits you. We can only give you advice based upon our own preferences.

Also consider looking along the Cave Creek Road corridor north of Phoenix. There are some interesting areas with larger yards that might appeal to you. Another option is north of Phoenix along the 1-17 corridor on the way up to Sedona, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.

It's a very diverse state. Hang out here for a month before you decide. I'm sure you will find your price point and your desired type of property. Check out City-data for your options.

There are many shopping options all over the Valley that make for good comparison and bargain shopping.

Thank you for your views. Even though we have lived in Tucson preciously and now leaving rural Virginia for the desert again is somewhat challenging. What I have missed here is the access to a bigger city vibe without driving mega miles. On the other hand not having traffic, major hordes of people, hearing birds and seeing major greenery has been very soothing.

You mentioned the "northern" area, outside of Cave Creek is there any other communities you could suggest? Unfortunately we will not have the luxury of moving around in different locations as we have dogs so will be looking for a permanent place to hang our hat.

My hubby and I will be coming out when we are in escrow so I am trying to cut way down on territory that we would not be to our liking.

Would you be thinking about Anthem?

Thx..

[sh9730]

Rudy,

I wont push too hard again, as CG is not right for everyone - but as you point out, one of the best features of CG is housing value. You get much more for your money than in other areas.

Yes, it is still growing - but we do have a farmers market weekly (certain times of year only though), lots of weekend fairs, concerts in the park during spring, etc.

But once again - the biggest thing from what you ve said in other posts will be convenience to things you want to do...meaning family in town and San Diego, plus you ve said you like Tucson - Anthem and Cave Creek are a long ways from Tucson - but CG also puts you within an hour of most of Tucson, and within that 35 mins of Chandler higher end shopping that isn't here yet in CG - the Chandler Fashion Mall with almost any kind of restaurant you would want in that one mile sq area , Premium Outlets at Wild Horse Pass, and more.

And at 45 mins you are in downtown Phoenix for D-backs games, museums, and all those amenities....

Sure you could make it further up in the valley - but at your budget you can either find an average house - or in CG - you will get A LOT of house - that's the big decision for you.

[R_Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Rudydog1

Thank you for your views. Even though we have lived in Tucson preciously and now leaving rural Virginia for the desert again is somewhat challenging. What I have missed here is the access to a bigger city vibe without driving mega miles. On the other hand not having traffic, major hordes of people, hearing birds and seeing major greenery has been very soothing.

You mentioned the "northern" area, outside of Cave Creek is there any other communities you could suggest? Unfortunately we will not have the luxury of moving around in different locations as we have dogs so will be looking for a permanent place to hang our hat.

My hubby and I will be coming out when we are in escrow so I am trying to cut way down on territory that we would not be to our liking.

Would you be thinking about Anthem?

Thx..

My back yard is full of birds singing, greenery and dogs. It's in the North Phoenix area where older houses (therefore bigger yards and established trees) run in the $170-$200K range. The neighborhoods are established and ours is way cool. We just had a huge block party and families came from all over our subdivision. Great vibe, friendly people, close to shopping, great schools. I can sit in my back yard in the evening and it's really quiet and I can see the stars. Hard to believe I'm inside city limits. So, no, you don't have to live in CG to have all that.

We are one hour forty minutes to Tucson. 22 minutes to the airport. 20 minutes to Tempe. 20 Minutes to Cave Creek. So it's not bad to get where you want to go in North Phoenix. I don't put a lot of miles on my car. Once you get here you find your favorite spots and you figure out the rhythm so you don't get in too many traffic jams.

SH9730 is right, though. CG IS closer to Tucson. Anthem is a bit far. You don't really have to go that far to find good prices on homes. Happy Valley has some nice areas as does Carefree Highway. There are people in AZ who swear by Glendale. That has a very small town feel. Problem is, posting on here you'll find many of us have found our little piece of heaven and we'll try and convince you ours is right for you.

Granted, this is a HUGE valley. A lot of people don't realize it's 585 square miles.

So why CG and not Tucson?

[gemstone1]

CG is not known for clean air, if that matters in your site selection process. Watch this site on a daily basis, not just a snapshot, to get a better feel for what it means, and how it compares to other areas.
AIRNow.

At about 45 minutes from Tucson, is Oracle too far out/too small for your liking ?

Good Luck
Gemstone1

[KurtAZ]

Or you could look at Johnson Ranch/Copper Basin/Merrill Ranch area by Florence...that is also an hour north of Tucson. (I lost a bet with my wife when we were out there once...an hour later we were on Speedway )

[sh9730]

Gem and R,


Some of my comments in this thread to the OP are based on items she said were important in her threads in the Tucson forum - they had originally asked about Red Rock because Tucson was a little too expensive for the amount of house they wanted. In those threads they listed that they wanted at least some basic "real" shopping as well as golf etc. and that they had family in both San Diego and Casa Grande.

As R states - there are beautiful areas all over that could fit some or many of the OPs requests - but given their price points and family etc.....still think they need to give CG a harder look when they get here.....

[observer53]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Or you could look at Johnson Ranch/Copper Basin/Merrill Ranch area by Florence...that is also an hour north of Tucson. (I lost a bet with my wife when we were out there once...an hour later we were on Speedway )

And another hour later, you had managed to make it to the other side of Tucson on Speedway.

Casa Grande is not an hour from "most of Tucson", but it is a relatively short drive to that city for trips to visit family, etc.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by observer53

And another hour later, you had managed to make it to the other side of Tucson on Speedway.

It was 1-10 and Speedway...just took the 87 through Coolidge down to the 10...