Living in Prescott - Our Experience So Far (Phoenix, Prescott Valley: real estate market, insurance)

[American Expat]

Originally Posted by bigdogmom13

Not a libertarian but I agree with what you're saying. You can't always get what you want.

But if you try sometime you find
You get what you need


Sorry, couldn't resist.


I retire in the coming weeks and wife and I plan to take a trip to California, Arizona, Idaho to confirm our current plan of retirement or consider other areas. We plan to make a stop in Prescott to get an impression of the city.

By the way OP, great open to your thread.

[infocyde]

Originally Posted by flint8ball

Unfortunately that is often the case

Prescott is a desirable area. People with money want to live there. People with money often don't need to rely on a local economy or industry to thrive. This pushes the "regular joe" out. Entrepreneurship is one way to fight that. Waiting for another Ruger or some other business to plop down and roll out good paying jobs to the community is passive wishful thinking.

Remember: Our republic and way of life is based on equal opportunity, not equal outcome. You may have to leave where you love in order to realize your potential. That's reality.

I'm hoping to eventually live part time in Prescott but only because my job would allow for it. I'm grateful for that outcome that I've cultivated. I'm not an entrepreneur, but I've made hard choices in order to be somewhat successful and carve out the life that I have.

Sorry for my Libertarian rant.

Thanks for the lesson in economic philosophy. An enlightening point of view. But just FYI I (and others) left because the town changed from when I first moved to it. I very much could have stayed and I am one of those entrepreneurs that you guys claim to love so much but few of you are. I could have even bought a house. Maybe even a decent one. This is why I responded sarcastically (which was missed), this meme that essentially says "those who leave couldn't hack it and it is good that they left" kind of bugs me. So let me break it down for y'all.

You think all these retirees could turn in their houses in California for mountains for gold if not for various big government economic decisions including support of mortgages as some sort of civic goal and blowing bubbles that have helped inflate the housing market? Get real. As a Libertarian you should know better than this.

Prescott is a nice area, and has lot's going for it. Hell I might even retire there. But for now living in Sun City North wasn't what some of us signed up for and that is what Prescott is becoming. There will always be a population of under 50 somethings in Prescott, but as a percentage and in absolute numbers that population is dropping and will continue to drop. Some of us think it is a shame and don't just blame it on a lack of "the youths" entrepreneurial spirit. Some apparently don't care as long as their grey paradise isn't disturbed. I get it, I probably in a similar situation wouldn't either.

I mean come on, I live in a little village now with 2500 people and I see more strollers and kids in a day in the housing area than I did in a month in Prescott and Prescott Valley. Not saying they aren't in either area, just for a metro Prescott's size there should be a lot more. That really is kinda sad as even in 2012 it wasn't so much like this.

OK, if I was 55+, could sell my house that I bought in the 80ies in Cali and come to beautiful Prescott, buy or have a custom mini mansion built for me and have enough money to buy a Honda CRV or two I probably would. And I would drive around beaming with happiness to live in a nice area full of people just like me, be debt free, and to have left the cali coast and all it's leftist politics behind. I don't fault you all. I don't hate retirees (half my neighbors where retirees and most nice people with similar values to my own). And I should be so lucky to live long enough to be able to retire (not a guarantee). Just I lament that one sidedness of Prescott's growth, because Prescott really could be a lot more, and it won't be. Which is a shame.

But this isn't my problem anymore, I shouldn't waste your eye space with my comment like this. Just the "those who were left were pushed out because they were slackers" bugged me. Prescott is a nice area, enjoy.

And billgrey, nice start of your thread. It was a good summation. Sorry my comments muddied the waters.

Peace, carry on and whatnot.

[k2rider]

infocyde....I didn't miss it but also didn't care to respond since I think you misinterpreted what was being said. At least I didn't mean to imply what you thought I meant and I don't see that in other people's posts either. My point was that I repeatedly read on this board that there is nothing for "younger" people to do, there are no jobs for the younger crowd, it's too expensive because of retirees from California, yada, yada, yada...

While my vision of Prescott may be skewed as a visitor every 3-4 months or so, I just don't see it. Most of the shops (outdoor activity related usually) I visit are staffed by younger folks, everybody on that mountain bike ride was 10+ years younger than me and 90% of the clientele at Park Liquor were 15-20 years younger than me. The old people must all stay inside or something. I'm not denying that they exist and are maybe buying all the property but they aren't hanging out anywhere I seem to visit so *my* perception of Prescott is different than what I read from you younger folks on the board.

[infocyde]

Originally Posted by k2rider

infocyde....I didn't miss it but also didn't care to respond since I think you misinterpreted what was being said. At least I didn't mean to imply what you thought I meant and I don't see that in other people's posts either. My point was that I repeatedly read on this board that there is nothing for "younger" people to do, there are no jobs for the younger crowd, it's too expensive because of retirees from California, yada, yada, yada...

While my vision of Prescott may be skewed as a visitor every 3-4 months or so, I just don't see it. Most of the shops (outdoor activity related usually) I visit are staffed by younger folks, everybody on that mountain bike ride was 10+ years younger than me and 90% of the clientele at Park Liquor were 15-20 years younger than me. The old people must all stay inside or something. I'm not denying that they exist and are maybe buying all the property but they aren't hanging out anywhere I seem to visit so *my* perception of Prescott is different than what I read from you younger folks on the board.

It is all good k2rider. Once you live in Prescott full time you will see. And it may not even bug ya. It bugged me because of various reasons that have nothing to do with most of the good people here. Not trying to discourage people from moving to Prescott and again there are many good things about the Prescott area that make the place unique. But the demographic skew is a problem IMHO, and my opinion matters not at all.

[Hschlick84]

Possibly it's time to change the name to 'Old Prescott' since it's been around for ages and Prescott Valley to 'North Apache Junction' in a literal sense.

[bigbuglf]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Possibly it's time to change the name to 'Old Prescott' since it's been around for ages and Prescott Valley to 'North Apache Junction' in a literal sense.

Not sure what you mean by 'North Apache Junction'? I haven't been to AJ in years, so maybe that is why this went over my head. Do you mean because PV has areas with mobile homes, or...?

This is an interesting thread with a great opening post. Thanks, OP for starting it! I definitely notice the heavy senior presence in the area, especially on the first Wed. of the month at Safeway!

I do wonder how younger families afford homes in Prescott Valley, forget about Prescott! I fear that many of them may be way over-mortgaged. I don't blame people from coming here from Cali and buying homes. I would probably do it if I were them too. It's too bad that it pushes home prices up so high though. Not sure that anything can be done to change that.

This is a great area, even with its drawbacks. The weather is very nice most of the time, with enough variety to keep things interesting. And people are friendly. Traffic has certainly increased over the years (I've been here since 2000), but it is still way better than Phoenix! I live in the Mayer area, so I commuted to the valley for work for much of my career. I17 is getting so bad that that is becoming harder and harder. Luckily, I'm finally done with that.

DH and I considered moving from this area, now that full time work is no longer a prime concern, but so far, we haven't found any place that we like better. I can understand how difficult it is for many people who are early in their careers to live in the area though. Obviously some can do it, but the choices for work do seem to be limited. I would think it an ideal place for those that can work from home though!

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by bigbuglf

Not sure what you mean by 'North Apache Junction'? I haven't been to AJ in years, so maybe that is why this went over my head. Do you mean because PV has areas with mobile homes, or...?

AJ - tons of mobile homes, lifted trucks, missing bumpers on cars or driving without a hood and redneck looking people. Not the entire area, but quite a bit. PV has some of those stereotypes. Prescott itself is basically Sun City North.

[k2rider]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

AJ - tons of mobile homes, lifted trucks, missing bumpers on cars or driving without a hood and redneck looking people. Not the entire area, but quite a bit. PV has some of those stereotypes. Prescott itself is basically Sun City North.

Have you ever been to Sun City? They are 100% master planned housing tracts where every house looks the same. Same design, same color, tiny lots for ease of maintenance. Prescott is anything but that. The variety of housing options, designs and lots available doesn't resemble Sun City at all. Most of future neighbors in Williamson Valley are all families with young children and as I mentioned before, the places where I go out to eat in Prescott are definitely NOT filled with the over 55 crowd.

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by k2rider

Have you ever been to Sun City? They are 100% master planned housing tracts where every house looks the same. Same design, same color, tiny lots for ease of maintenance. Prescott is anything but that. The variety of housing options, designs and lots available doesn't resemble Sun City at all. Most of future neighbors in Williamson Valley are all families with young children and as I mentioned before, the places where I go out to eat in Prescott are definitely NOT filled with the over 55 crowd.

I've driven through original Sun City and Sun City West while I was down in Phoenix several times shopping around. I decided to check out the suburbs in the west valley along with Peoria and Surprise. You're right, the housing stock are all cookie cutter homes with no character whatsoever in Sun City/Sun City West. They look like nice places to live however, maybe when I hit 60.

[k2rider]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

I've driven through original Sun City and Sun City West while I was down in Phoenix several times shopping around. I decided to check out the suburbs in the west valley along with Peoria and Surprise. You're right, the housing stock are all cookie cutter homes with no character whatsoever in Sun City/Sun City West. They look like nice places to live however, maybe when I hit 60.

The parents of a high school buddy live there. They are in their 70's and have been there 10+ years. I've stayed with them a few times when in town for an event. They are so cookie-cutter that I walked into the wrong house once. The good part is the yards are tiny and require little maintenance which the association takes care of. On the plus side, your neighbor doesn't have a pink house with a a green door, cars up on jacks in the driveway, roosters or appliances stacking up outside at the curb.

However, I can't see wanting to having neighbors sharing an interior wall. Living in SoCal all my life with neighbors literally 10 feet away has cured me of that.