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Old 06-25-2020, 10:10 AM
 
39 posts, read 51,553 times
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Before planning a retirement home search, we're interested in getting a feel for the Scottsdale 'suburbs' of Cave Creek and Carefree versus the Tucson 'suburbs of Oro Valley/Marana. If you're familiar with both areas and can reply with a summary of the differences in terms of scenery, hiking, quality of life, friendliness of people, services and general vibe, it will be very helpful to start to get a feel for what's what. Thanks.
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Old 06-25-2020, 04:22 PM
 
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See my answer on the other board. I lived in Phoenix half my adult life and on & off in Tucson for about a decade. But just moved back to OV two years ago, so viewing it with a fresh perspective. OV didn't really exist when I left the area 25 years ago.

It's a big deal for some people, but the biggest complaint my wife has is if she wants to go to her once a year concert or ball game we have to drive up to Phoenix to do so. If you enjoy professional sports in person or live music, Phoenix wins.

For people that do a lot of flying, it's easier to find direct flights anywhere out of Phoenix. Flying out of Tucson means connecting flights and a few extra bucks for the tickets.
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Old 07-06-2020, 06:02 PM
 
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I'm not an expert, just someone who frequently visits AZ. Although I prefer the Tucson area in general I would prefer Cave Creek/Carefree over Oro Valley/Marana. Now some of that is because I wouldn't want to live in a large development like Saddlebrook. But many people love just that for the activities and amenities offered.

They both have access to some beautiful places like Catalina State Park for Tucson but I find it usually very busy there and it isn't my favorite. The Cave Creek area has Cave Creek Regional Park has nice trails and isn't as heavily used. It also has Spur Cross Ranch as well as the huge Coronado National Forest with lakes.

In terms of civilization, I'd prefer Cave Creek as it's close to Scottsdale which has great restaurants & shopping. I don't see a comparable area in Tucson. People seem equally friendly in both areas although I generally run into people outdoors hiking so not sure if it's geographic. Cave Creek seems older, more established than the Oro Valley area where there is non stop construction. I think there's a certain comfortable, casual factor that's more prevalent in the Cave Creek area.

In terms of location, Cave Creek has easier access to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, parks in southern UT. Oro Valley is close enough to Tucson but other than that, there's not a lot of "destinations". To me, Phoenix is better to the north and Tucson is better to the south. But that's because there are a lot of "destinations" that are easier to access from towns south of Tucson like Tubac, Patagonia and Sonoita which offer mountains, lakes and aren't heavily populated.

In general I'd say to figure out what your "destinations" are and how easily accessible they are to each area. I can't help in terms of community feel for Oro Valley as we haven't stayed there in years except for a brief stay at Dove Mountain which I liked much better than Saddlebrook. It's easy to find rentals in both areas so maybe try each out to get a real feel.

Good luck making a choice!
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Old 07-07-2020, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Desert Southwest
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Keep in mind that property taxes in Pima County are considerably higher than in Maricopa County for the same priced property. May or not be a factor in your decision making.
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Old 07-12-2020, 01:31 PM
 
20 posts, read 22,530 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ejalciti View Post
Before planning a retirement home search, we're interested in getting a feel for the Scottsdale 'suburbs' of Cave Creek and Carefree versus the Tucson 'suburbs of Oro Valley/Marana. If you're familiar with both areas and can reply with a summary of the differences in terms of scenery, hiking, quality of life, friendliness of people, services and general vibe, it will be very helpful to start to get a feel for what's what. Thanks.
Retired here a couple of years ago looked at PHX are vs. Oro Valley/NW Tucson.
OV much more scenic with large mountain views.
Cave Creek area somewhat similar but high-end expensive homes there. Much wider range in NW TUC
PHX >10 time larger than TUC in population
OV/TUC sleepy little retirement community. If you need action, this ain't your place.
If you are outdoorsy, it's a great spot for about 9 months of the year. Oppressive summer heat both PHX and
Tucson.
I would not consider Marana. Cheaper housing but nothing there.
TUC road system is poor, all stop and go surface streets.
Airport is ~ 45 minutes from OV.

This guy's channel can provide you with lots of relevant information to your question. Good luck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmlO2YVeGM8&t=5s
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