largo

Anyone out there from Arizona, I could use your help. My wife and I are planning on relocating to the Phoenix area, and we have a realtor sending us leads every day, but I don't know anything about Phoenix with the exception of Scottsdale. We have home listings for Surprise, Buckeye, Florence, Casa Grande, El Mirage, and the list goes on. Anyone recommend any particular area over another? We want to be able to use our JK and I love the area and the weather. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. If you want to e-mail, feel free at dalec@wiwmd.org.

mac6898

You will love it out here... except for our brutally hot summers! The rest of the year is awesome. I live in northeast Mesa and I love it. I have pretty much lived on the east side of the valley all of my life, so I don't have much good or bad to say about the rest of the areas. You didn't say if you are relocating for work, if so, what part of the Phoenix area will that be? You may want to stay close to that because the valley is pretty spread out and it could make for a long trip each day for work.

No matter what part of the valey you choose, there are plenty of off road options not far away. During the winter, you can hang around in the valley in a t-shirt and shorts on some days, then drive only a few hours away and hit the snow... lots of options.

The market for houses is great right now since we were so badly hit with the housing crisis. You can get alot for your money out here.

scouter4life

As mac6898 said, make sure you locate yourself near your work (if applicable). Most of the places you listed are on the outskirts of the Phoenix metro area, nothing wrong with that, but realize Phoenix is very spread out (90-100 miles E-W) so knowing where you'll be within the metro area helps to pin point the best location.

As for trails and camping, there is good stuff in all directions, though in the warmer months, going north is your best bet due to the higher elevation (5000'+).

Florence Junction area has some nice rock crawling trails very close by, but they are at risk of being closed due to the high amount of traffice they get, especially from ATV's and dirt bikes.

If you like to mix off roading and history of the area, going south is great, as is around the Prescott area. Lot's of old mines and ghost towns.

chipmaker

Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek are where you want to live, most the places you listed are less than desirable in my book. Are you working or retired?

largo

I will be retiring, so there will be no issues with commuting to work. I just don't know the areas that well, and there are so many homes available, but like I said, not knowing if the areas are "good" or not is a disadvantage to us. I know Mesa pretty well, and have been south to the Tucson area alot, but not much in the Phoenix area.

mac6898

Pretty much every city/town will have good and bad area. I live in a nice part of Mesa, but less than 3 miles away can get pretty dicey. Before you decide, you may want to plan a weekend or so and come down to check out the areas you are thinking of. You may find some really nice houses, but find out the area surrounding it is not so nice. My sis and brother in law are in Litchfield Park, which is on the opposite side of the valley from me, and they love it. They have a huge house with a basement and got it for a steal. I'm just so used to the east side that I couldn't see myself being a "west sider" (no offense to those that are).

I would agree with Chandler, Gilbert, and Queen Creek as being great areas too. I have friends in all three and I like their neighborhoods.

Are you looking for a new build or preowned?

chipmaker

If i was retiring i would look into north east mesa, my parents are there. Quiet, yet can get anywhere by Red Mtn freeway.

mac6898

Whereabouts? I'm near Val Vista and Brown. And I agree, the 202 is always better than the 60 in my opinion. It never seems to be backed up like the 60, but I'm sure I just jinxed myself and will have to deal with a monster traffic jam on my way home from work...

Croce

Dont mean to hijack the thread but im moving to AZ next month also and want to know your opinion on Glendale

dr.gonzo

Cave Creek. 100%