Life in Prescott Area (Flagstaff, Prescott Valley: for sale, renting, condo)

[dwnmo]

I will be visiting in March for a few days. I want to scope the area as a place for retirement in 5 years. Can you give me a route of sorts to drive around so I get a feel for the town and it's many neighborhoods? I'll have plenty of time to drive around...would like to get a good feel for the area. We will be interested in lower priced homes, condos, manufactured homes. Thanks! (Interested in PV also.)

[PVAZno1]

Hi. I think that has been the trend in the past, but we shall see. Really hard to predict. Although, I think most of the Prescott Quad Cities ares is pretty diverse.

[PVAZno1]

Hi.

There is so much to see! Highway 69 runs through Prescott Valley and Prescott. If you are coming up from the Phoenix area, then you will come in on Hwy 69. You will see Mayer, Humboldt, Dewey and then Prescott Valley. Most of PV is along Hwy 69 and up and down Glassford Hill Road. Driving around in PV will give you a feel for what housing is available where. As you come in on Highway 69 you will hit lights at Navajo, Robert and Glassford. Meander down these streets and get a good look around.

Unless you are staying with friends/relatives...I recommend that you stay at the Hampton or Comfort Suites in PV. If you want to stay somewhere in the middle of PC and Prescott Forest Villas is very nice and locally owned and operated. There is also a La Quinta, Residence Inn, another Hampton Inn and a Holiday Inn Express by the mall, which is between downtown Prescott and Prescott Valley. If you want to stay in Prescott there are historic hotels like Hotel St, Michael and Hassayampa or there is a very nice Spinghill Suites about a block or two from the courthouse square.

Once you get into Prescott, there is a lot to see if you are after history and touristy things. The courthouse square the obvious choice. You can calk around the courthouse and peruse in and out of quaint little stores and restaurants. Plenty of food choices on the square too - although The Palace, Bill's Pizza and Lone Spur are some of my faves. Prescott is spread out differently than PV and hosing varies all of the city. You can get into areas and see cabins and homes on forested land and you can see areas that homes that are on lots. There are numerous master planned communities, but, most of them are in areas other than downtown. Take a stroll down the historic streets to see old Victorians!

I am sure you will be smitten by the charm of Prescott - we were.

[PVAZno1]

I wish I had that to spend on a house!!! LOL.

Of course there are homes on lots in non-incorporated areas. Generally forested. That is probably where I would go.

But there are a few communities that have no HOA. Parts of Williamson Vally/Inscription Canyon, Granite Oaks, Valley View Estates and Eagle Ridge are just a few of them

Lynx Mountain View has no HOA, but there are CC&Rs - which are guidelines for what residents can and cannot do.

[Mikala43]

I'm not familiar with the term non-incorporated. Do those areas have full service of utilities and trash pickup?

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I'm not familiar with the term non-incorporated. Do those areas have full service of utilities and trash pickup?

Non-incorporated means that the parcel is not inside the limits of an incorporated city or town. These areas can be adjacent to or even surrounded by a city, but not be subject to the laws of that city. They would only be subject to the laws of the county. In most cases, these areas will have wells and septic or private water/sewer companies. In select cases, they will have access to city water and/or sewer, but typically a city will not allow access to their water/sewer unless the parcel is inside the city limits. Regarding trash pick-up, unless you are inside the Prescott city limits, the trash is through private companies (even inside Prescott Valley city limits).

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by dwnmo

We will be interested in lower priced homes, condos, manufactured homes.

What does 'lower priced' mean to you? Can you please provide a price range? Then I can suggest some subdivisions to drive through.

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Do you think Prescott Valley will attract more millenials and younger people in the area?

I do think that for a couple of reasons. 1) The housing prices are significantly lower than Prescott. Younger people typically cannot afford the more expensive homes in Prescott. Right now, there is about a $100,000 premium to buy a comparable house in Prescott vs. Prescott Valley. A $200,000 house in Prescott Valley would sell for $300,000 in Prescott. 2) Prescott is generally slow-growth whereas Prescott Valley is pro-growth. Prescott Valley is aggressively working to attract businesses and it has plenty of land to expand. As such, there will eventually be a larger employment base in Prescott Valley, as well as a larger number of homes. Prescott has less area to expand and fewer homes. High demand for homes and low supply of homes equals a higher price for homes.

[PVAZno1]

Yep - sure do. They are just not a part of a planned community. Some may also be out of city land, but they are on country land.

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by MarciaMarshaMarcia

Are ppl generally interested in talking to newbies & possibly open to friendships? The area that we relocated go is very cliqueish, many longtime locals who have their set of friends/families, & if you are a non-church-attending transplant, it's quite lonely.

I like Prescott, but would not want to move & once again be in involuntary social isolation.

I have no idea what the actual statistic is, but I would surmise that most people in the area are transplants from other areas. Consequently, everyone is extremely friendly. I have several native Prescottonian friends (some church-going and some not) and they are all outgoing and friendly. Join a few clubs with activities that you like and you will have loads of friends.