Whether buying or selling, understanding the various areas of Phoenix and their individual nuances can make a strong impact on an agent's performance. Knowledge is power, and an agent who fully understands the metropolitan area in which you live and work will give you the guidance you need to make the most educated decision. This overview provides insights into what makes each area distinct from the others, as well as opportunities for appreciation.

 

This synopsis is only the beginning. The Phoenix Metro area will soon become a megatropolis, defined as a combination of several areas with one or more cities at its center. It is projected that Phoenix, Tucson and Prescott will combine to become one large megatropolis (one in ten currently identified in the United States). Are you ready for the challenge?

 

The main city of our metro area, Phoenix is now  the 5^th largest city in the United States with a population of 1.6 million. The land area is larger than Los Angeles with over 600 square miles. There are many ways to dissect the city. For our purposes, we will look at the city from the perspective of Central, North, West, East and South. Within each of these categories, there are very distinct areas that, for various reasons, have very unique demographics, advantages, disadvantages, opportunities and, of course, price points. Almost 20 years ago, the Phoenix City Council and Planning Commission dissected the city into Phoenix Urban Villages for the purpose of “getting a handle” on this massive, diverse and sprawling city. There are 15 villages in all and they are each identified under the proper “directional category”.

 

Perhaps one of the most exciting markets  to the continual downtown core developments. This area includes Downtown, the Historic neighborhoods and the North Central Corridor. City villages included in this area include: Central City (downtown core) and Encanto (Central Ave. Corridor & 15 historic neighborhoods).

 

For the purpose of home buyers and what they consider downtown, the area boundaries are roughly considered to be south to the Southern Pacific Railroad, east to /7^th St., north to McDowell and west to 7^th Ave., as well as north along central as far as Camelback Rd. The Roosevelt Historic district has been included in this category due to its close proximity to the downtown core. Most areas of the Roosevelt district would be considering walking distance to the downtown amenities.

 

High Rise Lofts, historic houses (mostly bungalows), condominiums

Fun spots include Pizzeria Bianco, Seamus McCaffrey’s, Cibo’s and Durant’s for dining. The Arizona Center is the only shopping center in this area for the time being. This, however, is the sports and cultural Mecca with the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Herberger Theater, the Arizona Science Center, the Phoenix Museum of History, the Japanese Gardens and the Heard Museum all make their home in this area.

 

Up to 15,000 new students will be attending school at the downtown campus by 2111. As an integral part of this, the city is planning new streetscapes and park areas to make the city more “user friendly” for pedestrians. A new expanded civic center plaza, new hotels, light rail and high-rise lofts and condominiums have all been recently completed. In turn,  new retail, restaurants and entertainment are under construction in the new CityScape Development to serve these new downtown residents. 

 

Phoenix has 36 historic neighborhoods. Following are the four biggest in the valley: Coronado, Encanto-Palmcroft, F.Q. Story and Willo. Other historic neighborhoods in Phoenix include: Alvarado, Ashland Place, Brentwood, Campus Vista, Cheery Lynn, Country Club Park, Del Norte Place, Earll Place, East Alvarado, East Evergreen, Encanto Manor, Encanto Vista, Fairview Place, Garfield, Idylwilde Park, La Hacienda, Los Olivos, Margarita Place, Medlock Place, North Encanto, North Garfield, Oakland, Phoenix Homesteads, Pierson Place, Roosevelt Park, Villa Verde, Windsor Square, Windsor, Woodlea and Yaple Park.

 

Coronado is roughly bounded by McDowell to the south, 14^th St. to the east, Virginia to the north and 7^th St. to the west. This is the least expensive but most eclectic historic neighborhood. Built from 1900 to the 1930s, it has wide streets, small neighborhood markets, a large Sikh temple and more deserts landscaping than any other historic district. Renovated homes range between $250,000 to the $400K range and one can still find a fixer-upper for as little as $150K (the best deals can be found in the east and southern sections). This is the bargain spot for a safe and livable historical neighborhood.

Encanto-Palmcroft is roughly bounded by McDowell to the south, 7^th Ave. to the east, Encanto Park to the north and 15^th Ave. to the west. This neighborhood perhaps contains some of the most stately homes in the country built in the 1920s and 1930s. Landscaping is perhaps as important as the architecture in this neighborhood with curving streets and huge pie-shaped lots. Many of these homes are two story mansions dominated by Spanish Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival architecture. Prices start in the $400s and go well into the millions.

 

F.Q. Story is roughly bounded by Roosevelt to the south, 7^th Ave. to the east, McDowell to the north and 17^th Ave. to the west. This neighborhood dates to the late 1920s when it was marketed as a streetcar suburb close to the Grand Ave. and Kenilworth lines; hence, homes were laid out on deep, narrow lots to cut walking distance to the streetcar lines. The western most areas of the neighborhood feature detached garages. Mostly built during the “revival” era of the 30s, this neighborhood features Spanish Colonial Revival, English Tudor Revival, English Cottage Revival, Norman Cottage Revival, Mediterranean Revival, Pueblo Revival, Mission Revival, Neoclassical Revival, Colonial Revival and Art Moderne. Craftsman bungalows and transitional ranches also dot the neighborhood. This was the fastest appreciating neighborhood in 2005 but prices have stabilized. It is now possible to find starter homes in this neighborhood for less than $200K.  

 

Willo is roughly bounded by McDowell to the south, 1st Ave. to the east, Edgemont to the north and 7^th Ave. to the west. While F.Q. Story was developing west, Willo was under construction on the north end of downtown Phoenix, however, this neighborhood reached notoriety in current times much quicker than F.Q. Story. Willo was priced out of reach for the economy-minded buyer until recently. Today, you may find homes starting in the $200s.Homes here vary similar in type to F.Q. Story.

 

The word “historic” seems to add value to any neighborhood. There are excellent opportunities to purchase in affordable historic neighborhoods such as Garfield, Oakland and Woodland and be pretty secure with the knowledge that these prices will appreciate at a better rate than similar “non-historic” neighborhoods.

 

This “old money” area was the original suburbs of Phoenix and is bordered by Bethany Home Rd. to the south, 7^th St. to the east, Dunlap Ave. to the north and 7^th Ave. to the west. Other than the size of the ash trees towering over the canals, nothing much has changed in this neighborhood since its initial inception. Even the neighbors remain the same with very little turnover in residents. This notable area lies in the Alhambra Village (named by W.J. Murphy, the builder and developer of the Arizona Canal and the namesake of Murphy Bridle Path which stretches along the Central Corridor and is the main jogging and biking path for the area).

 

This area offers a European-quality urban beauty with mostly sprawling ranches and mansions dating back as far as 1900.

 

Always a good, safe buy in this area. The grandeur of this location makes it a lower priced Paradise Valley (of course without the mountains). With it’s proximity of only 8 miles from downtown Phoenix and light rail planned through the corridor down central, the downtown revitalization is sure to give homes in this location a nice boost.

 

A very diverse area of the city, prices tend to decrease traveling from the north to the south. The southern areas are an excellent location for bargain hunters. With improvements coming from the west (downtown revitalization) and the east (ASU Research Park, Papago Park revitalization and ASU Research Park), it would be hard to go wrong with even the most blighted areas south of McDowell. This area is mostly included in the village of Camelback East.

Although arguable, the rough boundaries for this area are from Indian School on the south, east to 64^th St., north to the slopes of Camelback Mountain and west to 44^th St. This much sought after area is home to old Phoenix money such as the old Maytag mansion. Mountain vistas and central location for easy access to downtown Phoenix, the airport and Scottsdale makes this a perfect area for the working wealthy. Once a collection of orange groves, this area still sports a myriad of mature citrus trees.

 

The traditional Arcadia home is 4 to 5 bedroom ranch built in the 1950s or 1960s. In recent years, it’s not unusual to find a homeowner tearing down the original house to build a bigger contemporary in its place. Town home complexes are few and far between but the ones in this area are extremely popular.

 

The beauty of this area is its proximity to everything. Arcadia itself is mostly residential but does include The Phoenician and the Royal Palms Resort & Spa. Arizona Falls is a natural 20 foot drop along the Arizona Canal and Indian School Rd. between 56^th and 58^th Streets.

  

This is one of those neighborhoods that seems like it can’t go any higher and always does. Quality neighborhoods like Arcadia are enough demand to appreciate quicker during good times and depreciate slower during bad times.

 

From the austere community of the Biltmore Estates (bordered by Camelback to the south, 24^th St. to the east, Lincoln to the north and 32^nd St. to the west), has blossomed the “Biltmore Leaches” who refer to their homes as in “the Biltmore Area” also known as the Camelback Corridor. This would include anything within a mile of the Biltmore Estates. The Biltmore name has definitely helped its surrounding neighborhoods.

 

The Biltmore Estate homes are comprised of old world Spanish Colonial Revival estates, golf course patio homes and condo complexes. The surrounding Camelback Corridor homes are mostly 50s block ranches with carports but sport a high appreciation for their size and age.

 

Of course the Biltmore Fashion Park has always maintained its popularity and is truly a destination for many Phoenix visitors with its many high end shops and restaurants. Across the street is the Esplanade with several restaurants and movie theatres. Squaw Peak is a short way north for the hikers and peaceful canals run through this area for the joggers. Of course, the 18 hole Biltmore golf course is always an option although several years ago there were questions regarding whether this golf course will always remain?

 

 

This area is timeless and is only gaining more appeal with every year. Recent remodeling of the Biltmore Fashion Mall by its owner, Westcor, as well as a new pedestrian tunnel connecting the Biltmore Fashion Mall to the Esplanade will only increase the popularity of this area as a “hang out” for city dwellers and increase the demand for the limited housing in suitable walking distance. Watch for the “Camelback Corridor” buzz word to stretch out another mile or two radiuses in the years to come. This area will be a pushing force of appreciation for neighborhoods as far south as Thomas similar to how simply the discussion of downtown revitalization is regenerating surrounding blighted areas.

 

Considered the “blue collar” area of Phoenix for years, West Phoenix is growing into a much more diverse area of socio-economic groups. This area includes all of the village of Maryvale and parts of Alhambra and Estrella. Perhaps the defining event of this area was the development of the first affordable “cookie-cutter” development, Maryvale, produced by John F. Long in the post-WWII housing boom. This area, having gone through the worst deterioration in past years, is making a rebound and is an excellent source for affordable homes.

 

This is the home of Willo, FQ Story, Encanto-Palmcroft, Roosevelt, Encanto North, Fairview and more. In other words, the bulk of the historic homes are on the west side

(types of homes discussed under “historic neighborhoods”). As a general rule, anything east of I-17 is a sound investment (including “Melrose Place” which runs the course of 7^th Ave. between McDowell and Camelback and includes 50s and 60s block ranch homes).  Aside from some strong neighborhoods north of Camelback and west of I-17, the established areas west of I-17 have not seen the same level of appreciation of other areas of the Valley. Perhaps this will change in the future, but for now they are an excellent option for buyers seeking the entry level market but not focused on “premium” locations and solid investment opportunities.

 

West Phoenix is home to the bars that open at 8 a.m., the State Fairgrounds, Castle and Coasters, the Spectrum Mall (formerly known as the Chris-town Mall) and the soon-to-be-remodeled Metro Mall (recently purchased by Westcor). The 7^th Ave. (“Melrose Place”) has recently developed into a hip street with antique, furniture and sheek restaurants.

 

The historical areas and “Melrose Place” will feel the good effects of the downtown revitalization and the light rail. In fact, keep “Melrose Place” on your radar as the upcoming “hip” place to be---good buys in this area are worth a second look. Some of the neighborhoods west of I-17, between Northern and Camelback, may see some higher demand with the new Glendale sporting arenas and shopping center. The southwest area is blighted and shows no imminent signs of help other than the new homes being built on the southwestern fringes which might push some added pressure to clean the area up, resulting in some price increases. Maryvale has been showing signs of community involvement which may pull it from its historic slump.

North Phoenix encompasses a vast area of over 242 square miles and is still growing. In fact, Phoenix’s only direction to grow is north. The most recent acquisition was approximately 2 years ago when the city annexed a large chunk of state land along the I-17. This area, known as New Village village encompasses New River to the south, I-17 to the east, 75^th Ave. to the west and Table Mesa Rd. to the north. North Gateway village, the home of Anthem, is another high opportunity area with acres and acres of vacant land ripe for development. These are areas in which custom developers and investors are making excellent returns on their investments. Expect lots of new home and growth and commercial opportunities along I-17 in these villages. For those seeking highly appreciating new homes, this will be the area to steer them to.

 

Four additional Phoenix Villages can be found in North Phoenix: Desert View, Deer Valley, Paradise Valley and North Mountain. This area includes the north mountains and extends to the upper reaches of the known world. The southern areas, includes a mix of newer and older homes. Some of the southern areas are strewn with mobile home parks and “wild cat” zoning. The further north you travel, the newer and cleaner the neighborhoods. Distinct areas of interest in this popular location are Sunnyslope, Paradise Valley area/Desert View, Deer Valley, Moon Valley and Anthem.

 

Found in the North Mountain Village, this is a 14-square mile area at the northern end of Phoenix’s central corridor tucked between two mountains of the North Mountain Preservation. It was established as a haven for people with respiratory ailments. Locals will tell you stories of this area and its disparaged reputation as a place “you did not want to end up at”. Many people squatted here in makeshift tents and locals would literally use this area at what was considered the “fringes” of the valley as a dumping ground. This area still is home to some unsightly industrial areas and unkempt multi-family properties; however, in the past 20 years it has been eyed as an area of town that is destined to make a turnaround due to its prime central location, proximity to freeways and wonderful mountain terrain. Today, the population reaches 50,000 and is home to the most culturally diverse population in the valley with a large number of Vietnamese and Afghan refugees.

 

In addition to the many multi-plex opportunities for investors, this area has single family homes ranging from basic block homes to sprawling ranches on acreage nestled into the foothills.

 

This is home to the Pointe at Tapatio Cliffs which has excellent restaurants and bars and is also an excellent choice for a local weekend resort get-away. This area is dominated by smaller stores and ethnic restaurants, giving it a character of its own. You will not find the “big box” retailers here. Very close to Piestawa Peak for excellent day and moonlight hiking.

 

You will sense the neighborhoods that are considered more valuable. Be careful about which neighborhood you invest in, some of these areas will take a lot of cash and heavy equipment (especially bulldozers) before they take a significant jump in appreciation.

 

This area is north of the North Mountain Preserves and stretching north bound along Tatum to the far stretches of the valley. Although distinctly different areas in terms of age and topography, both the “Paradise Valley Area” and Desert View are often referred to as the “Poor Man’s Scottsdale”. The first referring to a comparison to central Scottsdale and the latter referring to the newer desert homes in north Scottsdale. The biggest point of pride for local residents is having a Scottsdale mailing address, although they are technically a Phoenix resident. It hasn’t been determined how much more that address is worth, but it definitely doesn’t go unnoticed by buyers in the area. These can be found in the villages of Paradise Valley and Desert View.

 

Very similar to the more humble neighborhoods of central Scottsdale, the “Paradise Valley” area sports small to medium sized ranches. You will find the presence of John F. Long’s infamous cookie-cutter “one size fits all” neighborhoods…but even these in this area are being upgraded to the max. Closer to the foothills, sprawling mansions will appear. Northern desert communities such as Tatum Ranch and Dove Valley sport newer tract homes and have followed the market demand for “bigger is better”.

The Paradise Valley Mall and various strip malls surrounding it including a haven of restaurants keep this area bustling non-stop. Up north is the Desert Ridge Mall which lies squarely below Tatum Ranch, just north of the 101 loop. This combined with the Marriott Resort just north provides lots of entertainment for locals.

This area has always performed better than similar tract home areas in other parts of the valley. This would be considered the premium location for a new home if you can find one anymore. Being the “poor man’s Scottsdale”, as long as Scottsdale continues to appreciate (which it shows no signs of slowing down), this area will follow suit. A definite save investment, in other words.

 

At one time notorious as the playground for the wealthy, many newer residents may not be as familiar with this historic jewel with the growth of so many newer neighborhoods drawing new residents’ attention. This development of 29 subdivisions was built around a rural country club in the early 1960s and will sure to be one of the first historic designated 60s neighborhoods when that required 50 year historic mark hits. Like most neighborhoods of its day, the emphasis was on sprawling grassy lawns, as opposed to today’s emphasis on desert xerioscape and/or houses built in the desert with preservation the key goal. Its location is very attractive, nestled in a valley for wonderful mountain views from every direction. It is now home to the upper middle class and is coveted by those who know it. This area is designated as part of the Deer Valley village.

 

The average Moon Valley home is 2400sf on 1/3 acre lots. The original homes were Southwestern Period Revivals and a few Federal and Colonial Revivals. Newer houses are similar to those in other areas of the valley, stucco with tile and desert landscaping.

A AJs Fine Foods serves this area. It’s very close to the Phoenix Metrocenter (which is undergoing an entire facelift), the Desert Ridge Mall and Arrowhead Ranch Mall in Glendale. Moon Valley Park has a playground, basketball, tennis courts and soccer fields. Turf Paradise is close by for horse racing. Lake Pleasant and the North Mountain Preserves make for excellent day activities.

This has always been and will mostly likely always be an attractive place to live and raise a family. Some bargains can be found on the base of the mountains in some of the original small tract home developments. Always a strong buy in this area.

 

Located in the village of North Gateway, this area has been the buzzword for the past 5 years for new homes in Phoenix. The new USAA Phoenix campus is only a five minute drive and it supplies many of the residents with its thousands of employees. This area, developed by Del Webb, is being duplicated now in Florence and is known for being the “utopia” of neighborhoods. Home of approximately 7500 residents so far, the area seems so pristine and offers everything within the community that residents should never need to leave. The common joke is comparing the area to the infamous town of Stepford where the “Stepford Wives” resided. Can anything be this perfect?

 

Everything is new. This community seemingly “grew out of the desert”. The only residents before the neighborhood broke ground early this decade were the javelinas, lizards and coyotes. You’ll find the same floor plans from the same builders as you’ll find elsewhere in the valley suburbs. The house colors are designed to blend with the mountain terrain. Anthem is split into two separate areas and houses will reflect this: Parkside and Anthem Country Club. The former is designed for families and the latter for retirees who want to live close to a golf community.

Although two grocery stores anchor strip malls with fast food, some retail and some necessary services and an outlet mall off I-17 with 87 retail stores has had its roots here years prior to Anthem, fine dining and adult entertainment has not yet entered this corner of the valley. Just north of the outlet mall is the Old West Cactus Farm, one of the valley’s best and at better prices than can be found in Phoenix. Lake Pleasant is a short drive away for family outings and camping. The community also comes equipped with its own entertainment including a “catch and release” fishing lake with more than 40,000 fish; two 18 hole golf courses; a three-story rock climbing wall in the community center; a water park featuring a giant bucket that drops 40,000 gallons of water; as well as basketball courts, sports fields, fitness and aerobic centers and a skateboard park.

 

The area has proven to be extremely popular and is expected to be sold out by 2007, approximately 13 years prior to projections. Expect demand to increase at that time; and, with new communities projected further north, Anthem may not seem like the end of the world anymore. Expect quicker appreciation after more amenities arrive and don’t be surprised if more employers call the surrounding virgin desert home.

 

Historically, South Phoenix made some of West Phoenix’s worst neighborhoods seem like something out of a storybook. However, the tides are turning and have been for quite some time now. Total crimes have dropped by more than 1500 cases between 1996 and 2001. This area incorporates the villages of South Mountain and Laveen and the southern portion of Central City.

 

Starting from south of the railroad to approximately Broadway, this is the area your mother warned you about. Industrial, poverty stricken and dilapidated best describe this area over the past 25 years. However, you will notice new home subdivisions sprouting up in small infill areas and city funding is improving the community centers and streetscapes. Drive down Central Ave. past the railroads and you’ll notice something potentially charming about this area. The fact that it is so close to downtown is also enticing.

 

Some new homes, but mostly 50s and 60s unkempt tract subdivisions. On the eastern and western fringes, you may find some equestrian properties.

 

Authentic Mexican Restaurants at great prices are sprinkled throughout. Easy access to downtown and all of its amenities

 

Watch this area carefully, you may be surprised. This is not an investment area for those faint of heart; however, some strong cash flow investment opportunities can be found here if you can find some reliable tenants. Look for the downtown warehouse district to stretch beyond the railroad and, perhaps, some teardowns and new developments as the downtown expands. Also, improvements coming from the south may assist in turning this long-neglected area around.

 

In 1995, developers saw the potential in this grove-filled area on the north edge of south mountain when they built the first major development around the Raven Golf Course. Since this first investment, the groves and produce stands have given way to tile roofs from the edge of the mountain all the way up to Broadway. The more valuable properties are found the further south you go in this area.

 

Although very rural prior to 10 years ago, you will still find a sample of older homes on large lots and equestrian estates. However, the majority of housing inventory has given way to new tile roof stucco homes with similar floor plans and builders as the rest of the valley. Richmond American took a special interest in this area and was no doubt the dominant builder in this region for the last several years.

Not far from the Arizona Mills Mall and the I-10 for quick access to other amenities. This is an excellent location for the mountain bike fanatic and hikers, being on the base of the South Mountain. The area now boasts its own Target and Fry’s grocery store, as well as restaurants (in fact, some of the best Mexican restaurants in the valley). Golf is readily available with 4 different courses available along the 6 mile stretch of Baseline Rd. A wonderful new addition to the area is the Rio Salado project (opened in 2005) which offers 10 miles of paved trails leading through a 580 acre restored wetlands habitat of cottonwood and willow forests along the Salt River, between 19^th Ave. and 32^nd St.

This area has shown tremendous appreciation in the past but is still not a place known for high end education. Providing this place remains as a lower cost mountainside option in the city, it will continue to appreciate, albeit, at a lower pace than Scottsdale, Ahwatukee and mountainous areas with a newer inventory of homes. If the central south area improves dramatically, the Baseline Corridor could someday become a premium location with mountain and city views; similar to the north central corridor but even closer to the city.

 

Unlike the Baseline Corridor, this area lacks the proximity to the mountains, yet is an untouched slate with thousands of newly built and soon-to-be-built homes. Considering its proximity to downtown Phoenix, it’s fascinating that this area was dominated by cotton fields and dairy as recently as 5 years ago.

 

All new homes in single subdivisions or master planned communities. The same builders and floor plans as other suburbs in the valley. If you’re looking for newer homes closer to town, this is an excellent option.

Drive to downtown Phoenix or stay home. A bedroom community; albeit a very centrally located one.

As the downtown area carries more prominence for valley entertainment and amenities, watch for this “close-in” suburb to appreciate quicker. Another pending force that will increase value is the completion of Loop 202 designed to connect the southwest valley to Ahwatukee, making the trip to Tucson and the east valley much easier and quicker for Laveen residents.

 

Unlike other areas of Phoenix, this one is easily categorized and identified as the area west of the I-10, south of the South Mountain preserves and north of the Gila River Indian Reservation. Ahwatukee/Foothills is the 15^th Village in Phoenix. Even so, the name can be confusing due to the fact that both Ahwatukee and the Foothills are only the two (albeit: the largest) master planned communities in this location. There are dozens more master planned communities and subdivisions in this area that makes up the Warner/Elliot Loop and Chandler/Ray Loop.

 

Due to the separation by the mountains and its proximity to Chandler, this area of Phoenix is typically categorized as part of the East Valley and the most expensive! (Note: the east valley includes Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert, Mesa, Apache Junction and Queen Creek). This area is included in the Kyrene Elementary School district, one of the most coveted in the state (warning: Kyrene officially ends at 19^th Ave. so make sure there is space in the school system for open enrollment before assuming your clients’ children will be able to attend). Until the new 202 loop is complete, this area will always be considered the “World’s Biggest Cul-de-Sac”. Before the 202 connected to the west of I-10, the only outlets were the Chandler/Ray loop and the Warner/Elliot loop. Although the spelling is off, “Ahwatukee was named by the first landowner after a Crow Indian name for “House of Dreams”. Searches in this area are very simple; area 501 encompasses the both loops.

 

This is the original “Ahwautukee” subdivision developed by Presley Homes in the mid-70s. It is called a loop because if you drive west on Warner or Elliot, you will eventually find yourself driving east on the other road. This is a much smaller loop than the Chandler/Ray loop.

 

Aside from a few newer infill subdivisions, the majority of these homes are older with composition shingle roofs and much smaller than later built homes. You will also find many Adult neighborhoods. So, keep this one in mind when working with your 55+ client. This is an excellent option for people wanting the “Ahwatukee” location with a smaller budget.

 

Hike, bike, restaurants, parks, shopping….you name. It is the true desert experience and some what tamer and less populated than the southern Chandler/Ray Loop.

 

 

No more space for growth is always a good thing. As homes get older in general, these mid-70s home will be less of a distraction to buyers. Being the affordable step brother of the better known southern loop and being closer into town, yet quieter and less congested, look for continual appreciation and perhaps at a slightly higher rate than its southern cousin. In fact, I’ve had one buyer who, after spending a half hour stuck in Saturday traffic at the Chandler/Ray loop trying to cross I-10 decided to forgo the newer home for the peace and quiet of an older home in the northern loop.

 

By far the most expensive area in the east valley. This is the home of the Foothills Master Planned community; a UDC development built in the early 90s and encompassing the area after Chandler and Ray meet and where Chandler continues forth roughly from 24^th St. to 12^th St. Considered upscale, this community incorporates over 40 miles of trails and an 18 hole golf course. Other well known Master Planned Communities were built in the late 80s including the Lakewood and the Mountain Park Ranch subdivision. Both of these are lake subdivisions developed under the management of former valley real estate tycoon, Charles Keating, prior to his fall from grace.

 

This area offers newer tile roof/stucco homes built in the late 1980s to the low 2000s with wonderful mountain views. The state occasionally sells more land west into the foothills, so you will see some new construction now and again. In fact a land deal just recently occurred, so look for new houses but don’t expect them to be inexpensive or available for very long. This combination of the desert mountains and newer homes are what a lot of buyers want when they move to Arizona. Although more congested and typically on smaller lots, this area offers a much better price break than Scottsdale’s moutain regions. Many of these homes back directly to the mountains often at very small premiums. You will also find your fair share of golf course lots and waterfront properties. You will also find some beautiful custom executive homes built on some of the mountain sides for your high-dollar clients.

A great combination of everything. Here you will find wonderful hiking trails and the very popular and challenging Desert Classic mountain bike trail. Community parks lace the community. The area has its own newspaper giving insights on happening events in the area. A large AMC theatre and restaurant/retail center graces the east side of the community, just north of Chandler. It is a Mecca for adult entertainment. A young, vibrant atmosphere exists here and, once you find your way out of the “cul-de-sac”, you can enjoy easy freeway travel to downtown Phoenix for gaming & cultural events or downtown Scottsdale for nightlife.

  

A truly unique area, the southern loop will always be a hot spot for appreciation. New home building in the near future will surely re-awaken Phoenician’s desire for this coveted area. The new 202 loop, however, is more than a bit controversial. The loop will allow easier access to the west side and downtown Phoenix and certainly reduce the congestion. However, will it change the tranquil solitude of this area and bring more traffic in the long run? It seems inevitable and certainly something that should be disclosed to anyone purchasing in this area.