Pinetop or Heber-Overgaard (Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff: renting, homes, buy)

[StevenWT]

I live in Pittsburgh and am retiring from the US civil service next year at age 52 (my wife retired this year) and we are looking for active retire in a scenic and cool area of the southwest. We had bought land in San Luis, Colorado but now think that is too high (7500").

I have former co-workers in Pinetop and in Heber-Overgaard, Arizona. We drove around the area last and liked it all. And I liked Payson but it was hot there in July.

Can anyone give me insights about that White Mountain area and the relative desirability of Heber or Pinetop?

Thanks. Steve

[Ponderosa]

Pinetop is 7200'. Heber is maybe 6500 and very much a Mormon town and it can get pretty warm there. Anything below 6000 is probably going to be too hot for you. Show Low is a little lower than Pinetop and a little warmer but not too bad. Pinetop/Show Low would be a lot higher on my retirement list than Heber. Pinetop is a big retirement area. Oh, and the wind can be brutal in Show Low and Heber - less so in Pinetop.

[StevenWT]

Thanks. I didn't realize Pinetop was that high.

Actually, I hadn't considered Show Low because I remember being told that it was a very close-nit Mormon town. Or am I mis-remembering?

Also, One of my friends said it is less expensive living this White Mountains area. But one who lived for a few years in Tucson says it is more expensive than Tucson. Any thoughts on this?

[Ponderosa]

Show Low is the biggest town up there. All of the towns are mormon settled. Pinetop is the most touristy/retired of them. It was just a wide spot in the road until the retirees and the summer crowds came in.

Price-wise it's a killer. Maybe not as bad as Flagstaff but definitely more costly than either Phoenix or Tucson. I had a mind to get a lot up there a couple years back and could not find anything under 100K. That was the peak of the boom as it turned out and maybe things have come down. There are a lot of mobile lots up that way and that may be a cheaper way in. MHs don't get swept away in tornadoes around here.

I have a summer place in the mountains and there are a lot of full time retirees there. It is south of Winslow about 40 miles on SR 87. There's a lot of homes in there in subdivisions with names Clear Creek, Starlight Pines, and others. The "problem" with these is that there is no shopping/services nearby. It's just a collection of homes in the forest. Great if you just want peace and quiet and not great if you like to do more than hike, fish, hunt, ride quads. It's 30 minutes to Winslow and about an hour to Payson or Camp Verde. Elev is about 6800.

[StevenWT]

Ponderosa, thanks for the info. This area you mention near Winslow, is that still the White Mountain area? And the area around Heber and Pinetop didn't seem mountainous - why is it called White Mountain?

Do I understand that you would recommend this Clear Creek, Starlight Pines area over Show Low or Heber? Is the altitude about the same? Is it convenient to shopping?

Thanks,
Steve

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by StevenWT

Ponderosa, thanks for the info. This area you mention near Winslow, is that still the White Mountain area? And the area around Heber and Pinetop didn't seem mountainous - why is it called White Mountain?

Do I understand that you would recommend this Clear Creek, Starlight Pines area over Show Low or Heber? Is the altitude about the same? Is it convenient to shopping?

Thanks,
Steve

Area south of Winslow is generally referred to as the Mogollon Rim (pronounced sort of like muggy-own). Pinetop/Showlow are in the White Mountain, but yes the major upland area is to the east where it gets up around 11,000 feet at Mt. Baldy. There's a number of lakes over 9000 feet. Also some towns, namely Greer and Alpine at that elevation. These are quite extraordinary places that one does not associate with AZ at all. There is also a town called Springerville at maybe 6000 feet (guessing). It is close to the mountains but has a more reasonable climate (and prices) but is in a bit of a rain shadow and is a little barren looking to me. Also a mormon ag town but a little larger.

I am not recommending the Clear Creek area. Just letting you know that there are some options around the state that are outside of the traditional town scene. Clear Creek etc is definitely not convenient for shopping. It is best for the hermit type retiree who has lived for years in Phoenix and doesn't care if he ever sees another traffic light. If eating out, shopping and so on is important then Show Low/Pinetop is probably the best place you have named as the summer visitor thing is strong there. I don't care all that much for Heber, but you have visited and if you like it, I would see nothing wrong with living there.

A couple other ideas: Pine or Strawberry north of Payson. They are a little warm but cooler than Payson and the warmth pays off in the winter. There is a very real winter at 7000 feet. Pine has a small commercial area and it is quick to get to Payson for other needs.

[dookieboy]

Hey Steven,
I have had a place in Heber for the past 14 years and love it... As a weekend/get out of the heat type of place. Thats pretty much what the Heber-Overgaard areas are. A place to beat the heat of Phoenix. Yes, some of the summer daytime temps can be in the 90's, but it always cools down to the 50's at night. Great bbq weather!!
The only problem is (if you are considering a permanent relocation), is it's just too small (for me anyway). If you need anything after 8:00 pm, it's the Circle-K or nothing. Tough to find anything good to eat there anytime of day, (see above bbq mention).
Show Low-Pinetop-Lakeside will have everything you could need, anytime of day, and still have that small town feeling. The temps are very close to the Heber area so just make sure you buy a place with A/C. You won't need it often, but you will need it! Also, if you like to bake, better get a book on high elevation baking. Without it, don't even go there
For what it's worth, I have heard all about the "huge Morman population" in Heber, and have yet to really come across it. Snowflake and Taylor are a different story...
Any-who, best of luck to you. Hope you find a nice place in one of Arizona's nicest areas, the White Mountains.

[BryanK]

If you're mostly thinking of climate, I would give Payson another chance. That is if your other choices are Pinetop or Heber. It gets way cold up that way in the Winter, and a bit dreary. It's really quite isolated. Payson, although I don't like the area, does have a great climate for Arizona. What heat there is in the Summer doesn't last, and is usually tempered by the thunderstorms, nights cool off nicely too.

I lived in Strawberry, for 3 yrs.....Summer high temps are USUALLY in the 80s, high 80s, 90s are really unusual, and it's down right chilly at night. There can be great snow storms in Winter, but they don't last. Winters are generally very sunny and pleasant, not too cold for too long, but only good if you don't need to mingle with the locals, and don't mind staying to yourself. The worsening water situation, and the ongoing fire danger, besides dirtbags and meth addicts living all around and working in the few local businesses, made it not worth the effort. You can live in a very nice house, in these kind of towns, and have total low live renting next door to you, very few are full time owner occupied, but the weather is nice.


Where ever you go, make sure you stay more than a weekend, and make more than one visit before deciding.

[dhastings]

Dear Steve,

Congrats on your upcoming retirement. My husband and I have owned a log cabin for 5 years in Overgaard and love it. We are going up for the 4th of July weekend. They are having fireworks and an art fair all weekend. We watch the firworks every year from our front porch. We are just off the highway on Pine Rim Rd. We go up to rejuvenate and smell the great air.
As far as activities, you might find the Show Low/Pinetop area more suitable. However, if you have friends in both places, it may be just a matter of what type of home you are looking to purchase. We stumbled across ours on our first visit. Being a Realtor, I was looking for something really special that we could afford.
At any rate, it is defintely cooler in the summer than Payson!
We love it.

Make it a great weekend.

Dawn Hastings

[Guffy]

I live in Globe and saw an ad in the local paper for teaching positions in Cibecue. Does anyone know whom to contact there about such educational opportunities?