Thinking of Moving, but the sprawl... (Phoenix, Glendale: to rent, big home, neighborhoods)

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

You must realize the irony in complaining about the sprawl and wanting to move to the far exurbs. Live in the central core and the sprawl will be irrelevant, as you’ll never need to drive way out there.

Exactly! I am 20-30 max from pretty much everything I need including work, so the sprawl isn't an issue unless I decide to make an occasional trip out to Superstion Ranch Market on a Saturday or something (about 35 miles one way for me). But I am not doing that all of the time. I would never want to live far east or west.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Exactly! I am 20-30 max from pretty much everything I need including work, so the sprawl isn't an issue unless I decide to make an occasional trip out to Superstion Ranch Market on a Saturday or something (about 35 miles one way for me). But I am not doing that all of the time. I would never want to live far east or west.

People in the burbs are 20-30 minutes from everything too. Because "everything" is repeated over and over and over again in the metro. Unless one has some avocation like hockey or basketball or theater or maybe fine dining nearly all his needs can be met within a few miles of his suburban home. Specifically, North Peoria is within 20 minutes of the Sun Cities and there is little one can not find there. The Sun Cities have the greatest concentration of so-called amenities of anywhere in the valley, I would say.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by mamaguz

We went out to AZ this weekend because we are considering a move from CA. We looked at all the major suburbs in Phoenix, but the biggest issue we found is how much driving everything entails. Everything is so sprawled out. Trying to be open minded- wondering how current residents feel about driving so far to everything. The city that appealed the most was North Peoria area. Any insight or advice?

I just find this funny...moving from CA and worried about urban sprawl...you realize there are people that commute 2 hours, one way in CA, right? If you like the lower cost of living and are worried about sprawl...I hear Albuquerque is nice.

[AZ Manager]

North Peoria is a very large area, the very far end of northern Peoria would be Vistancia. From the farthest northwestern end of Vistancia you are about 30-35 minutes from Arrowhead which has basically everything. If you were to take the 303 you are about 30 minutes to I-17 and the 101/Bell road in Phoenix or 20 minutes to the 101/Bell road in Surprise which have everything as well.

Inside Vistancia you have gas, pharmacy, and grocery within 5 minutes and just outside Vistancia at Lake Pleasant and Happy valley you have a TON of shopping and food, including a pair of really good sushi bars where one does live entertainment. From there you are about 5 minutes west of additional development that will bring more shopping/food going in at Happy Valley and 83rd which is only a couple miles north of existing shopping/food/other stuff and that is only a mile west of a bunch of doctors offices or east of more shopping/etc. All of the areas of northern Peoria are seeing, and will continue to see for the next decade or more, major development to add in a lot of amenities.

One thing you have in North Peoria that you don't have in the cental valley is easy access to Lake Pleasant and a huge wildlife preserve not to mention all of the extremely easy access to hiking; people in Vistancia, Westwing, etc. can walk from their homes to the mountains.

Unless you are in a very prime location in CA then you are doing more driving on a daily basis than you will do living out in "North Peoria", excluding a daily commute to/from work as that is very general. You can buy homes right at Happy Valley and Lake Pleasant and be within walking/biking distance of everything you would ever need.

[kytoaz]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

People in the burbs are 20-30 minutes from everything too. Because "everything" is repeated over and over and over again in the metro. Unless one has some avocation like hockey or basketball or theater or maybe fine dining nearly all his needs can be met within a few miles of his suburban home. Specifically, North Peoria is within 20 minutes of the Sun Cities and there is little one can not find there. The Sun Cities have the greatest concentration of so-called amenities of anywhere in the valley, I would say.

This is hilarious.

[kytoaz]

As already stated, why gravitate towards a far flung suburb and then complain about sprawl? Live in central Phoenix.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

People in the burbs are 20-30 minutes from everything too. Because "everything" is repeated over and over and over again in the metro. Unless one has some avocation like hockey or basketball or theater or maybe fine dining nearly all his needs can be met within a few miles of his suburban home. Specifically, North Peoria is within 20 minutes of the Sun Cities and there is little one can not find there. The Sun Cities have the greatest concentration of so-called amenities of anywhere in the valley, I would say.

I guess when I say "everything" I am thinking in more specific terms such as my job and downtown ammenties or certain local restaurants or stores that there is only one of, so no, no everyone is 20 minutes from those things, or everything for that matter. I used Superstition Ranch Market, which is in the almost-far-east valley as an example of something that not everyone is 20 minutes from, and I make a specific trip there once every couple of months.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I guess when I say "everything" I am thinking in more specific terms such as my job and downtown ammenties or certain local restaurants or stores that there is only one of, so no, no everyone is 20 minutes from those things, or everything for that matter. I used Superstition Ranch Market, which is in the almost-far-east valley as an example of something that not everyone is 20 minutes from, and I make a specific trip there once every couple of months.

That's kinda my point. People find the things they want around their houses. Most people in the "valley" do not and need not stray far from where they live. I haven't been downtown in years and drove through Scottsdale once last year on my way to the lake (my how it has grown!). Sprawl is meaningless unless one's job requires a long commute.

[Jnvlv247]

Everything is withing 10 min of me and if I have to drive further it's for specialty stores like Ikea or big furniture places, entertainment, etc. I also have friends/family scattered around. So daily life things and drs are all close by

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

That's kinda my point. People find the things they want around their houses. Most people in the "valley" do not and need not stray far from where they live. I haven't been downtown in years and drove through Scottsdale once last year on my way to the lake (my how it has grown!). Sprawl is meaningless unless one's job requires a long commute.

Job is #1. I'd never consider a move to the far west valley, or anywhere I had to drive more than 20 minutes to get to work!

I am happy all the good stuff is located near me so I almost never have to venture to Mesa or Chanbert I honestly forget that sprawl exists most of the time.