Info on Agritopia (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale: rentals, HOA, houses)

[McJ]

Hi,

I've looked at some old threads but I'm looking for some current info on Agritopia. I'm taking a trip to Phoenix in September to see if I like Phoenix and the surrounding areas for a possible move. I'm in my 40's, married with no kids but I'm looking for a community feel with amenities nearby. I live in the outskirts of Austin, Tx now and I'm tired of all the driving to get to my job, restaurants and grocery shopping.
While I was searching I came across Agritopia. I love the idea of a farm and restaurants within the community.
Anyone here live there? I'm wondering if the resale value is holding up.
Since the home are close together is it noisy or are the residents with dogs respectful?
I see that they are adding the "epicenter" for more shops and housing - is this a good thing?

Thanks!

[ajonesaz]

Don't live in that neighborhood, but I do live nearby. You will find almost anything you want within a 3 mile radius. Commercial suburbia galore.

The neighborhood has aged well and the houses are still beautiful. Houses are not that close together by Arizona standards. It is hard to find a home in that area, it still is in high demand. I visit the coffee shop and farmers market in Agritopia often and the people are always very pleasant. Hit up the farmers market, it will give you a chance to meet the people who live in the community. From what I can tell its a closely knit community and they all love living there.

The HOA prohibits rentals, so chances of having dirty and disrespectful neighbors is unlikely.

[kytoaz]

It's a really beautiful neighborhood but is waayy out there geographically speaking. If suburban chain stores are your thing, they have those, but any drive to most parts of the valley that aren't gilbert or chandler would be time consuming. I would also add that you had better know where you will be working as you mentioned commute times. commuting from there into phoenix or Scottsdale would be brutal.

[McJ]

Originally Posted by kytoaz

I would also add that you had better know where you will be working as you mentioned commute times. commuting from there into phoenix or Scottsdale would be brutal.

Good point. Where do you think most of the people who live there work? Are most of them making the brutal commute?

[asufan]

Originally Posted by kytoaz

It's a really beautiful neighborhood but is waayy out there geographically speaking. If suburban chain stores are your thing, they have those, but any drive to most parts of the valley that aren't gilbert or chandler would be time consuming. I would also add that you had better know where you will be working as you mentioned commute times. commuting from there into phoenix or Scottsdale would be brutal.

There's actually a ton of non-chain restaurants in the area, some in the community like Joe's and some just across the street. It's also less than 2 miles to San Tan Village which does have mostly chains.

[bgray9]

We were interested in the area a few years ago when we were looking and thought it was an interesting area, but I work in central Phoenix and we settled on north Mesa where the commute isn't nearly as bad (amongst other factors).

[McJ]

Originally Posted by bgray9

We were interested in the area a few years ago when we were looking and thought it was an interesting area, but I work in central Phoenix and we settled on north Mesa where the commute isn't nearly as bad (amongst other factors).

What were the other factors if you don't mind me asking?

[elcajones]

Originally Posted by ajonesaz

Don't live in that neighborhood, but I do live nearby. You will find almost anything you want within a 3 mile radius. Commercial suburbia galore.

The neighborhood has aged well and the houses are still beautiful. Houses are not that close together by Arizona standards. It is hard to find a home in that area, it still is in high demand. I visit the coffee shop and farmers market in Agritopia often and the people are always very pleasant. Hit up the farmers market, it will give you a chance to meet the people who live in the community. From what I can tell its a closely knit community and they all love living there.

The HOA prohibits rentals, so chances of having dirty and disrespectful neighbors is unlikely.

I absolutely love Agritopia! Mostly due to the uniqueness of the architecture and layout of the subdivision itself. I would happily live there. That being said, aside from San Tan Village what do you mean by commercial galore? San Tan Village is an absolute nightmare to get in and out of, none the less do serious shopping there. You can't even swing into one of the drivethru's over on the south side of the center for a quick lunch without dedicating 20+ minutes of parking lot congestion. The "mall" side is way worse. There is no grocery stores within a mile of Agritopia except Fresh and easy. There's a Basha's a couple miles north and a Fry's a couple miles south. Which may not seem bad until you see the congestion that plagues underdeveloped Higley Rd. (Like most of Gilbert). I will say Agritopia and the surrounding areas are very high in demand great areas in the Southeast Valley and if money was a non-issue,and I didn't have the option to just move back to San Diego making that high of an income (NOT LIKELY) and had to live in an HOA subdivision Agritopia would be my number one choice.

Sorry ajonesaz not trying to bag on you at all but one con most, I would think consider is the lack of development in the immediate area. In the same respect I personally love the open space around there.

[bgray9]

Originally Posted by McJ

What were the other factors if you don't mind me asking?

I don't mind you asking. North Mesa was closer to our church and some other folks that we know that direction was the main other factor. Nothing against the Gilbert area, which we still have on our radar as a possible destination down the road, though we're quite happy in north Mesa.

We actually have been pleased though with how it feels a bit cooler in north Mesa during the summer than where we lived in Tempe. I guess it's being up close to the reservation where there is little buildup so you don't have the concrete, etc. to hold/reflect the heat on the res and it helps keep the surrounding area a little cooler, or at least that's my theory.

[PoppySead]

Scorpion infestation, but cute area. If you mind bugs then you won't like it. If you don't care about that then it's a great area and there is even an airport nearby if you travel.