Suggestions where to live in a country club within commute to Gilbert (Mesa: house, neighborhoods) - Phoenix area - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

DreamGirly03 · 01-31-2016, 01:06 AM

Hello. My physician husband has accepted a position in Gilbert AZ. We lived in FL but decided we did not like the humidity. It was eternal summer there. But we did love our country club community & would like to recreate that situation. We originally starting looking in Scittsdale but now realize the commute will be too far for him. As we are 57 & 65 ( kids out of house ) we decided that Gilbert was too family oriented. We are looking for an upscale , very social country club community. I play a little golf but my husband does not. We have looked at Firerock Country Club in Fountain Hills & thought it was nice. But my husband fell in love with Superstitious Mountain Club. Yes it is very beautiful but I am terrified that it is too remote. I love to shop & know that Chandler wouid be the closest. Also we are use to being able to grab a bite at great restaurants nearby. Someone mentioned a new area in Chandler Ocotillo but I understand there is not a private club. Does anyone out there have any suggestions or live in Superstitious Golf Club or Firerock Country Club. Are there any other upscale club communities to look at that would be a realistic commute to Gilbert ?
Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance !!

Jkgourmet · 01-31-2016, 07:06 AM

I have known and visited people who live in Superstition Golf Community (gated) and are members if the club. Our closest friends live in the ungated, non country club portion of Gold Canyon, just one block away from the entrance gate to SS Golf. Keep in mind, comments are just my opinion (but shared by many).

SS Golf IS absolutely beautiful. But it's not terribly social. Nor is the community known for its friendliness. The country club mostly functions for the pupose of golf and ladies exercise classes. The bar, restaurant, member events were barely active. I would also caution you to find out about their current financial stability and financial history. They filed bankruptcy and shut the doors for months in 2009 or 2010. It was a real mess. But the new management may have changed things in a positive direction - I don't have any current knowledge.

As far as location, I'll admit right up front it would make me desperately miserable. (We lived in far east Mesa and I was not really happy with that, much closer to civilisation location. But our friends who live their (abd many acquaintances) love it. The scenery makes up for the longer drives to go shopping (Mesa or Gilbert, not all the way to Chandler). There is a Bascha's and another large grocery in Gold Canyon as well as 4-6 mostly mediocre restaurants (including the Chinese take out).

I'm not sure you're assumptions about Gilbert are entirely accurate. We looked at homes in Seville twice (once as a potential residence, later for investment property ), and it has a lot of retired folks. Might be worth at least a look see.

We did not ever belong to a CC when we lived in AZ. I knew or worked with many who did. We moved to Raleigh in 2012 and built a home in a CC community - not because of the CC, but because of the location and friendliness of the residents. We are not golfers or tennis players, so we have a very limited membership that gives us dining privileges, access to CC interest clubs and most social events. WE LOVE IT. But here's the thing: It's nothing like the CC life we viewed from afar or heard about in AZ. In other words, what you are looking for may not exist. The 55+ communities may be a closer fit with their hubs of social activity. Look into Robson in Sun Lakes and Sun Lakes Country Club. Good luck!

asufan · 01-31-2016, 08:30 AM

Encanterra is a nice community which would likely blow you away, I just don't care for the location - its a bit removed from town and surrounded by much less expensive housing. Seville has a couple areas with $1m+ type housing and in in Gilbert, so probably worth checking out. I prefer the Ocotillo and Fulton Ranch neighborhoods due to location and the way they are designed with grass and water (much different than Superstition Mountain). Some of the communities in this area with $1m+ type homes are Vistas and Island at Ocotillo, Oakwood, Island at Fulton Ranch, Santorini Shores and Embarcadero. Ocotillo has a 27-hole course but it is public.

Sandduner · 01-31-2016, 08:51 AM

Estados in Seville, it's gated and some nice homes.
The Pecans in Queen Creek, not a country club, but a couple of miles from Seville and you can join the club if desired.
Encanterra is very nice, but mainly mid to upper end tract homes. Nice clubhouse and course.
It's probably 15 min to gilbert or so.

smoochaz · 01-31-2016, 09:28 AM

They have built a beautiful community at the Superstition Mountain Club, so I can see why your husband fell in love with it. There is plenty of shopping at the Supersitition Springs area and you'll most likely find like-minded couples that have same interests and activities. I would seriously consider this option - a lot of snowbirds however - so make sure wherever you pick is not a ghost town in the summer.

I wouldn't discount Fountain Hills either, even though it seems far, it really isn't - the 87 (Beeline Highway) is a straight shot and hardly has any traffic so it's a nice ride back/forth to Gilbert.

Good luck!!

PhureeKeeper · 01-31-2016, 10:47 AM

What is the appeal living in a CC if you're not going to use the amenities?

If the OP's goal is to live in an area of higher socioeconomic status which attempts to keep the riffraff out, then why not just look for a gated community? Chandler has several nice areas, Ocotillo, San Marcos Estates, and Glorietta come to mind.

DreamGirly03 · 02-01-2016, 02:35 AM

Thank all of you for your replies !! We are definitely going to check out Fountain Hills as well. I was told that Ocotillo is beautiful but does not have a private club. We enjoy the club amenities and find it is a great way to make new friends when you do not have kids in school and cannot at your work environment. Though we are not golfers we have found there are many couples like us where one spouse may play golf but the other does not. So, we are looking for a club that does offer a great deal to do socially. We are looking for a smaller, more intimate club with a membership not that large. Clubs are very different from each other and I realize that we will have to visit them in order to make a better judgement. Actually, moving into the right club becomes your "family". We also are Jewish, though non-practicing. I know that Scottsdale has many Jewish couples but not sure about Gold Canyon.

I was told that 35% of the membership in Superstitious live there all year, which is what it is about in FL. Palm Desert empties out to about 10%, where even the restaurants close down. I realize that there are very few restaurants and shopping but we will be visiting this week to check it all out. Yes, it is financially solvent now as to the new owners who bought the club five years ago and manage it also. But, I will check more into this again. Thank you.
Raleigh/durham area is also a place we have considered as well as Charlotte. But my husband has a better job opportunity in Gilbert.

Thank you all again for any suggestions !! We so appreciate it !!

elcajones · 02-01-2016, 12:04 PM

I'd say Fountain Hills is doable. Fountain Hills is one of the nicest areas of the valley in my opinion and the commute may be worth it. You're looking at a 20-25 mile commute that avoids the gridlock traffic. You will still be on Gilbert Rd. Through 12 miles or so of lights. Oh so many red lights. From my office on Gilbert / Chandler Blvd to my home at Dobson / Southern in Mesa it takes me about a half hour to go the 11 miles. Traffic light timing is horrible.

asufan · 02-01-2016, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcajones

I'd say Fountain Hills is doable. Fountain Hills is one of the nicest areas of the valley in my opinion and the commute may be worth it. You're looking at a 20-25 mile commute that avoids the gridlock traffic. You will still be on Gilbert Rd. Through 12 miles or so of lights. Oh so many red lights. From my office on Gilbert / Chandler Blvd to my home at Dobson / Southern in Mesa it takes me about a half hour to go the 11 miles. Traffic light timing is horrible.

It's definitely doable (more so if the hospital is the one on US 60/Higley, not necessarily the one on Val Vista/Germann), but it is not all that easy/fast driving through Mesa to get to Gilbert. Since the OP is looking for areas with few kids and a country club I think Fountain Hills and Superstition Mountain makes sense. There's a lot more of this type of housing in North Scottsdale (country club communities with few families), but I would never do that drive.

DreamGirly03 · 02-01-2016, 12:37 PM

Yes, the hospital is on Val Vista in Gilbert. We originally wanted to move to N. Scottsdale ( my physician brother lives there) but he said the commute would be impossible to Gilbert. He was not that familiar clubs with outside of N. Scottsdale. Any clubs you can think of besides Firerock in Fountain Hills ? Will we be the only Jews if we choose Superstitious Mtn. How long would you say the drive is to Chandler Mall or Fashion Square from Superstitious versus Fountain Hills. Where would the closest Whole Foods or AJ type of market be ? We have Bristol Farms here & Whole Foods now.
Thank you again !!