Please forgive me...yet another Tucson vs. Santa Fe question! (Phoenix: custom home, neighborhoods)

[tonilee]

Hi everyone and Happy New Year! Everyone on this site has always been so helpful to me! I want to thank you for that! I know you will help again! Forgive me but I have yet ANOTHER Tucson versus Santa Fe question...please bear with me

Here's the situation in a nutshell. My husband and I, both in are 50's, are looking to "semi-retire" in the next few years. We are NOT golf, 55+ community type folks but more like aging hipsters-smile! Husband is an MFA and has not been in/around an art scene in years...would really like to be around that in the later phases of his life (painting, sculpting is his thing)...no lofty ideals about selling art/opening a gallery, blah, blah. We both lived in Manhattan NYC for 15+ years...husband grew up outside of Newark NJ...if you know the East Village, Lower East Side...films, movies, art, theater, ethnic food, all types of folks, blah, blah, you'll kinda get the picture.

Now, we just returned from Santa Fe, which my husband really likes a lot! I (more so than husband) am having a really really really hard time warming up to Santa Fe because of TWO main reasons (hope no one from the Santa Fe board follows me over here) 1- I think it's too affluent and frankly, a bit pretentious for me...do not like that AT ALL, and 2- Liberal left politics were in my face for 2 weeks...people could be downright nasty!

I have LESS of a problem with the "in your face" politics than I do with the "nouveau riche" stuff. I do not want to sound like a b***h but I don't want to live my life out around that stuff...if I wanted "big city attitude" & "keeping up with the Joneses" stuff, I'd move back to Manhattan-smile (no I wouldn't...can no longer afford to-smile). I think you get my drift...

I do not intend to insult anyone here but I am trying to be clear. When folks say to us "Well, there's a great art scene in Scottsdale & Tempe," I CRINGE! Scottsdale is beautiful and all...it is ABSOLUTELY not for me...nor will it be for my husband, I know that.

Don't get me wrong...I love New Mexico, I really do. We hunted around Albuquerque for days...it's okay but it just didn't do it for us. I have always liked Tucson a lot more than Albuquerque...but I haven't been to Tucson in 8 years

Here's my question (finally)...husband and I will be visiting Phoenix & Tucson in a few months. I've been to the area about 5 times in the past but not so in 8 years...husband has NEVER been! Oro Valley and pretty areas outside of Tucson sound like great & affordable housing options. However, can you wonderful folks please give advice about 1) housing options that aren't cookie cutter suburban tract areas just outside of Tucson and 2) Arizona-Tucson or other areas-neighborhoods & attractions that have an eclectic artsy kinda feel to them? I know a bit about Speedway...other advice?

Thanks in advance!

[Bummer]

I can appreciate your impression of Santa Fe, Tonilee.

Although not quite Tucson, have you considered Tubac? You'll be close enough for shopping and entertainment while still maintaining the small town atmosphere plus art on every street corner.

GOOD LUCK.

[tonilee]

Originally Posted by Bummer

I can appreciate your impression of Santa Fe, Tonilee.

Although not quite Tucson, have you considered Tubac? You'll be close enough for shopping and entertainment while still maintaining the small town atmosphere plus art on every street corner.

GOOD LUCK.

Thanks for the quick reply! No, I do not know a thing about Tubac, nor have I ever visited! But I'm gonna go online now and I will DEFINITELY put it on our "to visit" list! Thanks so much!

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by tonilee

Thanks for the quick reply! No, I do not know a thing about Tubac, nor have I ever visited! But I'm gonna go online now and I will DEFINITELY put it on our "to visit" list! Thanks so much!

Not my "cup of tea" but it just may be yours.

Many similarities to Sedona and Santa Fe on a much smaller and slower scale with none or very little of the pretentiousness.

[tonilee]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Not my "cup of tea" but it just may be yours.

Many similarities to Sedona and Santa Fe on a much smaller and slower scale with none or very little of the pretentiousness.

Bummer-thanks for the reply! Yes, I just went on Wikepedia and it states the population in Tubac is 949 people! WOW! That's small...but we'll put it on our "to see" list along with Bisbee & Tombstone-smile. Husband had friends from art school who moved to Bisbee a looooong time ago. He wants to visit there and I've never been...Bisbee kinda scares me-smile! Thanks again!

[RickTucsonHomes]

I think your assesment of Santa Fe, good and bad, is right on. Oro Valley is mainly subdivision tract homes, unless you want to get into custom home areas, then your in the 1 million plus range. There is an older area on the southern edge of Oro Valley, homes built in the 60s and 70s mainly on large lots that don't have that tract home feel that are resonable. When reading your post the place that first came to my mind, like Bummer said is Tubac. It is small but you might just fall in love with it.

[tonilee]

Originally Posted by Just me in Oro Valley

I think your assesment of Santa Fe, good and bad, is right on. Oro Valley is mainly subdivision tract homes, unless you want to get into custom home areas, then your in the 1 million plus range. There is an older area on the southern edge of Oro Valley, homes built in the 60s and 70s mainly on large lots that don't have that tract home feel that are reasonable. When reading your post the place that first came to my mind, like Bummer said is Tubac. It is small but you might just fall in love with it.

Thanks for the feedback...I appreciate it! I just told my husband about Tubac and he gasped at the population but we are both excited about visiting! What are your thoughts on Tucson outskirts like Vail AZ and Arizona City AZ? Also, does Tucson have an art community or area?

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by tonilee

Thanks for the feedback...I appreciate it! I just told my husband about Tubac and he gasped at the population but we are both excited about visiting! What are your thoughts on Tucson outskirts like Vail AZ and Arizona City AZ? Also, does Tucson have an art community or area?

Ok, Tonilee . . . here's my "frequently considered lopsided" opinion.

Arizona City is nothing but a bunch of "cookie cutter" houses crammed together in the middle of nowhere about midway between Tucson and Phoenix.

Tombstone is a great place to visit but . . .

Bisbee is also a great place to visit but . . .

Granted, Tubac is small, however, it is fairly convenient via freeway to Green Valley and Tucson to the North and Nogales to the South for entertainment and other day-to-day necessities plus it definitely qualifies as an artist type environment.

Personally, I chose Northwest Tucson because I wanted small but not isolated. I also wanted convenience and safety without moving to a "menopause manner" type of environment. So far, after 12 plus years, I believe I made a perfect, middle of the road, choice.

I hope all this makes sense and helps a little.

[RickTucsonHomes]

Originally Posted by tonilee

Thanks for the feedback...I appreciate it! I just told my husband about Tubac and he gasped at the population but we are both excited about visiting! What are your thoughts on Tucson outskirts like Vail AZ and Arizona City AZ? Also, does Tucson have an art community or area?

Vail is nice, Arizona City sucks,


Also, does Tucson have an art community or area?[/quote]
If graffiti is art then there is a thriving art community in Tucson. Otherwise it is mostly limited to some art areas in the downtown warehouse district, subsidized by our local libs in city government. Then you have some nice galleries like Diane Madaras strung around throughout town.

Tombstone, fun place to visit, wouldn't want to live there.
Bisbee, very interesting place to visit, wouldn't want to live there. Have some nice bed and breakfast there also.

[tonilee]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Ok, Tonilee . . . here's my "frequently considered lopsided" opinion.

Arizona City is nothing but a bunch of "cookie cutter" houses crammed together in the middle of nowhere about midway between Tucson and Phoenix.

Tombstone is a great place to visit but . . .

Bisbee is also a great place to visit but . . .

Granted, Tubac is small, however, it is fairly convenient via freeway to Green Valley and Tucson to the North and Nogales to the South for entertainment and other day-to-day necessities plus it definitely qualifies as an artist type environment.

Personally, I chose Northwest Tucson because I wanted small but not isolated. I also wanted convenience and safety without moving to a "menopause manner" type of environment. So far, after 12 plus years, I believe I made a perfect, middle of the road, choice.

I hope all this makes sense and helps a little.

Bummer~thanks for the feedback! Your info helps a LOT! Uhhh, yea...it looks like Tubac may be a wee bit too small for us...ditto for Bisbee & Tombstone. We intend to visit all places just to take a look-see! Didn't give any thought to Bisbee or Tombstone as places to live, really...just places to visit. We shall see what the days and months ahead bring. I love your phrase "menopause manner"...that's funny...I must remember that piece. Well if my husband warms up to Tucson, we may just end up there, like you did...we will just have to hunt for our own little corner-smile! Thanks again for the feedback...I appreciate it!