User Panel
Posted: 2/5/2024 5:43:50 PM EDT
Wife and I are coming out to the Gold Canyon area late Spring 2024 to scope out places to settle into for retirement. We were out a couple of years ago and stayed in Scottsdale.
We felt the Gold Canyon area was a fit for us. Anyone in that area? We are looking at existing housing and new builds What should we look for, any builders to beware of? Debating on buying a house now, but not retiring for at least another 4yrs. Any info appreciated. |
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[Last Edit: KB7DX]
[#1]
I'm in Apache Junction. Can't help you on housing much but the
East Valley (Mesa, Apache Jct, Gold Canyon) is great if you like outdoorsy stuff. Close to the Tonto NF and the Salt River lakes. Tonto NF is 2.2 million acres of freedom! ETA -Housing prices are still pretty high but have been coming down a little. |
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[#2]
Thanks for the reply. That's what we love about the area. Not too built up, YET. But the mtns are nearby for hiking, ATV's, hunting.
We are Airbnb a house when we come out to get a feel for development life, if that's where we end up. We reside on 3 acres currently. Having neighbors closer is going to be an adjustment. How are the hospitals in Mesa? No real need currently, but will eventually. |
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[Last Edit: KB7DX]
[#3]
The area is growing quickly and the traffic is increasing especially when
the snowbirds are here (like now) but is way less congested than Mesa proper or areas a little further west/south like Chandler, Gilbert and San Tan Valley. The hospitals are fine IMO and have been to Banner for a stent a couple years ago. My cardiologist is close by and has a great rep and history. Several good dentists in the area as well. ETA - Yes, lots of outdoors stuff to do close by. Literally millions of acres to play on so don't let lot size get you down. Do you have a 4x4 or off road vehicle? |
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[#4]
I have atv's currently, but will not be bringing them.
I plan on getting something out there. I do know when we were checking out developments, every other garage had either a SxS, Jeep or 4runner. So, I'm sure there will be someone to hook up with, to learn the area trails. |
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[#5]
Two words: Renaissance Festival
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[#6]
As Blagga said, the Festival east of Gold Canyon creates a ton of traffic.
Thankfully it's only for about two months. I have a 2003 Jeep TJ and would be happy to "show you around" the local off road areas. SxS/ATV vs Jeep. About as bad as beans vs. no beans or 45 vs. 9mm. |
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[#7]
@KB7DX
Do you do any hunting out there? I saw a lot of quail when I was out there 2yrs ago. I imagine up in the National forest they have deer. I guess its draw though? |
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[#8]
I don't really hunt but there are quail and dove to hunt (in season) and the populations depend on rain. If we have good rain then the quail/dove numbers go up of course.
The only thing I "hunt" are gophers and the occasional coyote. Big game like deer, elk, javalina, turkey and the like are by the draw system. |
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[#9]
@KB7DX
Is there a decent Butcher shop nearby? Any restaurants to recommend? Googling I didn't see a whole lot in the area without heading over to Mesa. Which grocery store has the best prices, produce? Thanks in advance for advice. I really appreciate the info you supplied so far. |
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[#10]
I'm not familiar with any butcher shops in the area, but I really
don't cook. There are a couple grocery options in or close to Gold Canyon. Basha's (which is a large local chain store) in Gold Canyon is good from the few times I've been in there. I shop a Basha's at Brown Rd and Ellsworth because it is on my way home from work. No complaints about any of the Basha's I've been in. There is a new Fry's grocery store in Apache Junction at Rt 88 and Old West Hwy in the new strip mall there. This area is growing quickly. Restaurants I can recommend are Dirtwater Springs, Handlebars, and for pizza, Barro's. all these are in Apache Junction. |
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[Last Edit: Couch-Commando]
[#11]
I grew up there, and my parents still live there. The desert is 10 times as busy as it was when I was a kid. If you want a hunting, target shooting or off-road experience that doesn't involve seeing 100+ other people, you're going to need to travel a long ways, though I suspect this is the case for every possible Phoenix suburb. AJ seems a bit nicer these days than it was 20 years ago, but it is still not a great place to hang out. Gold Canyon has expanded a good bit. My parents have known the guy who founded Chen's Chinese restaurant for 40 years, and to this day it is the standard I judge other Chinese restaurants by. If you like Golf, you will be in heaven. It's not that close, but I enjoy going to Florence. My parents used to work there, and I've been going to L&B (the main Mexican restaurant) since I was 1. If you are willing to drive an hour and a half, you can shoot four matches of any type you can imagine once a month, since there are four major shooting ranges around Phoenix (closest being Rio Salado in Mesa) and their match schedules are staggered. My mom is a big fan of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which is most of the way to Superior. If you like lake recreation, Apache Lake is close by. It really is a wonderful area if you want to be close to outdoorsy stuff.
When the Renaissance festival is going on, it can take 20 minutes to make it from Goldfield to Kings Ranch Road. When the Methodist church service ends, getting from Kings Ranch Road to US 60 is likewise a time consuming experience. Also, this is one of the first meme's I ever made. Attached File |
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What's the difference between a nuclear weapon and a grenade launcher? I don't own a nuclear weapon.
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[#12]
Well Couch-Commando, the Apache Trail has been closed just beyond Tortilla Flat
to Apache Lake for several years. Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake are the closest to GC. Once the snowbirds leave, the desert is pretty empty out towards Queen Valley and Cottonwood Canyon Rd on rt 79. But by then it will be 90+ degrees. Apache Junction isn't the shithole it used to be. Many hi-dollar homes have been built in the area especially to the north of Lost Dutchman rd up to the National Forest border. Sure, "downtown" AJ and some areas between Apache Trail and the 60 are 'holes, but there's been a bunch of new development along The Old West Hwy going east out of town. |
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[#13]
Originally Posted By KB7DX: I'm not familiar with any butcher shops in the area, but I really don't cook. There are a couple grocery options in or close to Gold Canyon. Basha's (which is a large local chain store) in Gold Canyon is good from the few times I've been in there. I shop a Basha's at Brown Rd and Ellsworth because it is on my way home from work. No complaints about any of the Basha's I've been in. There is a new Fry's grocery store in Apache Junction at Rt 88 and Old West Hwy in the new strip mall there. This area is growing quickly. Restaurants I can recommend are Dirtwater Springs, Handlebars, and for pizza, Barro's. all these are in Apache Junction. View Quote Bashas got sold to a California company. |
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[#14]
Originally Posted By Beretta_Jerry: Bashas got sold to a California company. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Beretta_Jerry: Originally Posted By KB7DX: I'm not familiar with any butcher shops in the area, but I really don't cook. There are a couple grocery options in or close to Gold Canyon. Basha's (which is a large local chain store) in Gold Canyon is good from the few times I've been in there. I shop a Basha's at Brown Rd and Ellsworth because it is on my way home from work. No complaints about any of the Basha's I've been in. There is a new Fry's grocery store in Apache Junction at Rt 88 and Old West Hwy in the new strip mall there. This area is growing quickly. Restaurants I can recommend are Dirtwater Springs, Handlebars, and for pizza, Barro's. all these are in Apache Junction. Bashas got sold to a California company. I heard that some time ago. Didn't Eddie Basha have a machine gun collection? |
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[Last Edit: brandyspaw]
[#15]
We looked at Gold Canyon but decided on a 55 plus community between Florence and San Tan Valley when we downsized and moved here a few years ago. The Gold Canyon area seemed a bit too isolated from shopping and doctor clinics/hospitals to suit us. The development we moved to has a Banner clinic (plus other shops and services right out front) that we can golf cart to. Plus, a small hospital with a helicopter is within a mile with a large Banner hospital only about 15 miles away.
Likely not as big a factor for you since you're younger but we're in our seventies so medical was a bigger consideration. Regardless, the East Valley is the most tolerable of the Phoenix Metro area even though it is starting to get way too crowded here. The big draw for us was the outdoor recreation as well since shooting spots are only 20 minutes from our front door. |
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