If a guy were to retire in AZ..

[Calbuck]

IF this was the case, where to consider living? What is real estate looking like? More southern or more northern? Obviously hunting has to be a part of this decision!

 

[marburg]

Being that it is a blue state now I wouldn't recommend it. The decline has just begun. AZ went from being one of the more conservative states in the union to voting blue , not being able to provide timely presidential election results or big game results in less than two years.

Imagine what it will be like in 5.

 

[SlowElk]

Prices are going up fast on real estate. There's so much congestion on the two freeways. Like Marburg wrote, it's turned blue.
So, mountain muley or desert muley? Snow or no snow? Can you handle a couple months of 110+ temps? A couple months of snow and cold? Places like Prescott, Chino Valley,etc., have the milder climate, four seasons. Phoenix and Tucson are Hot, Flagstaff and Show Low get lots of snow. I think it's dependent on what weather you want when you're not hunting.

 

[AZGuy]

So many wonderful places to live! Slowelk nailed it! My choice would be Wickenburg.

 

[BCDEER]

I live in Prescott and Yavapai county is very red! Real estate is going up alot though

 

[BGbasbhat]

Real estate is ridiculous, have cash and 20%+ over asking price. lol

Yep, Slowelk nailed it. Depends on your tolerance for temps, weather, traffic, idiots, etc....

 

[AZ8]

Real estate is crazy right now. Definitely a sellers market. I sold my house in Mesa back in December in only 1 hour!!! Unbelievable! After spending almost 30 years in the metro valley, I left the devils heat and came back home to Flagstaff.

Real estate is worse in Flagstaff. Lots of snow and cold, but the rest of the year is awesome. Cost of living is also higher in Flag.

Last summer in the valley was the hottest ever and I’d had enough!

Traffic in Flagstaff suuuuucks! So fair warning. ?

Good luck!

 

[BGbasbhat]

If I had my options, I'd think either outside of Prescott or Payson. Enough stuff to do for my wife, close enough to the valley if you need a flight, etc, but closer to the high country for hunting, and can get some seasons as well.

 

[Captain_coues]

I just sold my house in Mesa and the first day I had six offers all at least $10,000 over asking price. I’m moving back to my hometown, Holbrook. It’s not a retirement move, but it’s purely hunting motivated.

 

[ArizonaBuild]

I'd day draw a line from Chino Valley to Prescott Valley/Dewey to Camp Verde/Cottonwood to Payson would be best for temperate weather. More elk and small stream fishing on and around the Payson side.

 

[huntazido]

My choice would be Verde Valley area if I ever leave the concrete jungle called the valley of the sun. Temps still get warm but cools down at night and winters are moderate(4 seasons). Born & raised in AZ and I will take heat any day of the week over cold.

My biggest complaint of AZ is all the people who move here and then try to change it to be like where they came from. These are the same people who start every sentence with "Back home".

 

[desperatehills]

My biggest complaint of AZ is all the people who move here and then try to change it to be like where they came from. These are the same people who start every sentence with "Back home".

I am headed to Wickenburg next year, my house is being built right now. My sentences that start with "back home" will be used to tell the neighbors why they have it so good. Example : Back home you couldn't do that, the homeless would steal it the first day"

 

[desperatehills]

I can only think of one thing I would change. It is illegal to hunt within 400 yards of a residence without their permission. On the surface it seems like a good law but I have 9 1/2 acres that I see coyotes on it all the time. They need to go and I am not sure my neighbors will see it that way

 

[Calbuck]

I can only think of one thing I would change. It is illegal to hunt within 400 yards of a residence without their permission. On the surface it seems like a good law but I have 9 1/2 acres that I see coyotes on it all the time. They need to go and I am not sure my neighbors will see it that way

Get out the bow and arrows!

 

[Calbuck]

There's some good stuff being brought up in this thread, thank you all. I've hunted a bit in Arizona and visited Sedona and Phoenix a time or two..friends and kids are moving there, so got me thinking maybe that's the place to retire. I don't know yet, as I still have 6-11 years left to work.

 

[Captain_coues]

Try to move sooner if you can. Arizona is losing its land very quickly. I was born and raised here. I’m 42, and it gets worse and worse every year. I can remember when there was one area code for the whole state now there’s 5. That tells you a little about the number of people gained in that time. My favorite hunting areas are chopped up into wind generation and mining. The drought is getting worse. And all of the popular communities that were mentioned are growing fast. It’s pretty much populated from Sedona to Prescott with hardly any big gaps between Cornville, Oak Creek, Clarkdale, cottonwood, Jerome, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey, Mayer. It’s like you would find anywhere you go In Maryland. Get out there now because in 10 years, there will be another 500,000 people here. It will get worse, not better.

 

[Calbuck]

Same happening with Idaho. That place is going crazy as well. I'm 48 and want to try to retire when I'm 55..don't know if I'll be able to then, but definitely by 60..sounds like a madhouse down there for property!

 

[Hunt_the_West]

Tonto basin!

 

[Blank]

As soon as I learn the address, I'm moving there!!!

 

[BOHNTR]

I was in Prescott Valley for a few days helping my son paint the interior of his house.....too many damn people there for my liking. I’m enjoying being next to the national forest at 7100’ elevation......8 miles from a small town.....and my nearest neighbor is well out of bow range! ?

 

[Jerry]

Flagstaff is a great ? location- summers are awesome, winters not bad. Lots of super locations ! Payson & Prescott good too. But not Phoenix- too HOT ?. Wickenberg too hot ? too. I know- lived in Flagstaff for 14 years. One big problem- it’s hell drawing good big game permits !!!! You’ll grow old & die first . ????
Jerry Gold- Windsor, Colorado ????

 

[Tikka]

Sonoita, for me...

 

[Calbuck]

Great feedback from all of you! Much appreciated!

 

[AZBuckSnort]

Avoid the Colorado River Valley, at least the Needles to Laughlin stretch. Crazy hot weather, crazy windy weather, high electric utilities, exploding real estate costs, heavy congestion on Hwy 95. It's the beachhead for Cali folks who want to hop in the car and haul azz back to So Cal for frequent visits.
Show Low, Alpine, Eagar areas for small towns, if the wife needs shopping name outfits, Prescott probably best. I'd stay out of Phoenix metro area.

 

[tailchasers]

Buy a 5th wheel, duramax, mini coup, s x s, bass boat, and move into the BLM around Havasu. When weather warms move up hill to Flagstaff and repeat on BLM. Follow the seasons. Oh and maintain residency in a state that does not tax your retirement pension.

 

[Jerry]

Avoid the Colorado River Valley, at least the Needles to Laughlin stretch. Crazy hot weather, crazy windy weather, high electric utilities, exploding real estate costs, heavy congestion on Hwy 95. It's the beachhead for Cali folks who want to hop in the car and haul azz back to So Cal for frequent visits.
Show Low, Alpine, Eagar areas for small towns, if the wife needs shopping name outfits, Prescott probably best. I'd stay out of Phoenix metro area.

Great information !! Lake Havasu area is a Bar B Q pit hell hole. Can be in 90’s in Dec.
Ugh ! Over run too with Californians pretty much year round . Jerry Gold- Windsor, Co ????

 

[Blank]

Will be heading down there in April in the RV with the kayaks. I expect 100's by May, but the bass fishing is amazing. Then home to nice cool Idaho for our summer!!!

 

[Bluehair]

I’m a native who fled the people there 30 years ago. It’s so bad now I don’t hardly go back home any more, home being where mom and lots of family live (verde valley). The weather is nice though.

Still have property there and was going to build a winter place on it. With the cost of land there now, I think I’ll sell it and buy a coach.

There is very little about AZ that even looks familiar to me anymore.

 

[CatfishKev]

Surprised no one mentioned sierta vista. Plenty of hunting close and great weather. We are 10 to 15 segrees cooler then tucson and phoenix.

 

[AZ8]

I’m a native who fled the people there 30 years ago. It’s so bad now I don’t hardly go back home any more, home being where mom and lots of family live (verde valley). The weather is nice though.

Still have property there and was going to build a winter place on it. With the cost of land there now, I think I’ll sell it and buy a coach.

There is very little about AZ that even looks familiar to me anymore.

Im an Arizona native myself. 52 years old.

It’s not all bad as you stated. Sure, there’s more people, but I can still find my hunting spots void of most people. The politics and population has changed, but all my special places for hunting, camping, hiking...etc are still there.

They key to hunting in Arizona is the “1 mile rule”: Walk one mile off any road and you’ll rarely bump into others.

I‘ll never leave Arizona.

 

[Joe2Kool]

As soon as I learn the address, I'm moving there!!!

View attachment 34947

Something tells me the top shelf isn't that full today!

 

[Bluehair]

Im an Arizona native myself. 52 years old.

It’s not all bad as you stated. Sure, there’s more people, but I can still find my hunting spots void of most people. The politics and population has changed, but all my special places for hunting, camping, hiking...etc are still there.

They key to hunting in Arizona is the “1 mile rule”: Walk one mile off any road and you’ll rarely bump into others.

I‘ll never leave Arizona.

I hear ya, I love my native state. My grandmother was what you call a ”territorial daughter”. And I’ve crawled all over most of it.

But you can’t deny it’s over recreated. Hell, when was the last time you went to fossil creek? When I was a punk you wouldn’t see another person there all day. I could go on and on ....

Thats why I’m buying a coach - to head down to quartzite to get some peace and solitude with the other 100,000 squatters.

 

[huntazido]

I'm happy to have had the opportunity to enjoy this state when it was great. Now I would describe it just as "ok". I can't see it ever getting better but it is still better than the majority of other states.

 

[Zarn]

IF this was the case, where to consider living? What is real estate looking like? More southern or more northern? Obviously hunting has to be a part of this decision!

Eagar, Springerville, Taylor, Snowflake. Show Low if you want a bit larger. I spent 5 years up on the "mountain" and for hunting and fishing its hard to beat. However its cold in the winter and the wind really blows hard there during the spring. Ultimately I did not retire there but that's more about proximity to grandkids and less about the area. The area is awesome and the people are really great there.

 

[marburg]

I'm happy to have had the opportunity to enjoy this state when it was great. Now I would describe it just as "ok". I can't see it ever getting better but it is still better than the majority of other states.

Now that it is blue the decline will be rapid

 

[GilaJeff]

Witch Wells