Scottsdale vs Fountain Hills

[outsideliving]

The New development in Fountain hills (Adero Canyon) Starts at 889k, I don't think that would work for the OP. I See new Development in 85259 as I drive on Shea, those seem to start in the 500-600 range if the OP is looking for New (But they are Right on Shea, probably very loud). Both 85259 and FH are Neighbors and really kind of "Bleed" into each other. Probably the Best school in the state and one of the Best in the Country (I think it was recently rated #2 in USA) is in 85259, BASIS Scottsdale. However that is very rigorous academically and is not right for all children.

Fountain hills has more custom looking housing and 85259 has more Typical Phoenix style Stucco style. There are some Fountain hills houses that are closer to Shea (FireRock) than some of the Houses deep in the McDowells in 85259 and Thus quicker to get to the 101 and more "Convenient".

I love the FH schools, but again I like the small school/small town vibe. The sports programs / Schools are well supported by the town.

I do think that 85259/85258 are great areas though and are preferable to other parts of Scottsdale (IMO)

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Momtotom

My husband and I are considering a move to Arizona from Southern California , mainly because of high cost of living here. My brother and nieces live in Tempe , and I went to Asu, so I am a little familiar with the areas. I think our two top choices are Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, but I would love some insight.

Needs to be safe and family friendly, we have a 17 month old and new baby due in July. Good schools are definitely Important. Our housing budget is probably 700,000 but we would prefer to be closer to 600,000. If anyone can tell me the differences or pros and cons I would really appreciate it!

A budget of $600K to $700K should buy a decent home in either Scottsdale or Fountain Hills, but many homes on the high end side are now going for at least $800K. Keep in mind that even though both cities are relatively close to each other, they really seem like a world apart. Scottsdale is a Phoenix suburb, but it takes on the aura of a relatively large city with the nightlife, shopping, and dining options. It's an international destination for this reason, including the high end resorts. Even with this, Scottsdale isn't a Beverly Hills clone like some people have made it out to be. It has plenty of middle class families & good neighborhoods. The city also takes up a large amount of land area, and the far northern part (north of the 101) is quite different than south of there.

Fountain Hills is east of Scottsdale, and feels very far reaching due to it being on the other side of the mountains. It's a much smaller, quiet community with a population of about 25,000 (compared with Scottsdale's 250,000). The major attraction there is the fountain, which at one time was the world's tallest. There are really no bad areas of Fountain Hills ... it's all clean, safe, and family friendly, but it's kind of boring in comparison to Scottsdale.

As far as schools, I always recommend private schools. The quality is much better than any public school ... and besides, a couple with your housing budget should be able to afford the cost of private school with no problem. The investment would be well worth it in the big picture.