Arizona advice???

[ianpadron]

Hey guys, the wife and I are looking to buy a home with short term rental potential in AZ. Need to be able to escape the dreary PNW in the winter. Looking for recommendations on areas to focus that get us:

1) as close as possible to top tier quail hunting (bonus for deer opportunities)
2) within 10-15min of a small community with services
3) good location for folks visiting and looking for an Airbnb when we aren't there (access to golf, hiking, biking, ATV trails, etc)

So far we've focused on the Gold Canyon area near the Superstitions, and really like the feel out there for reference sake.

Thanks in advance, and no we aren't libs coming to ruin your state

Lets go Brandon.

 

[Archery Bank]

Tucson or Green Valley

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I have hunted the are around Lake Roosevelt and up to Punkin Center. Quail hunting can be fantastic depending on spring rains, just like any place else. Javelina and Desert mule deer can also be found there. Payson is not far from there. My friends moved there about two years ago and just love it. There are two golf courses just outside of Payson. Lots of off road opportunities.

 

[Couesfanatic]

Theres a lot of places that could work for those requirements. I'd shy away from Gold Canyon and anywhere near the phoenix area. Everything around the valley gets pounded. If you need some ideas I'd be happy to help

 

[Northpark]

Tonto basin near lake Roosevelt might work. Otherwise I’d say look towards Tucson area. Stay away from the Phoenix metro area including gold canyon unless you really like people. Also real estate prices are getting rough around there.

 

[fmyth]

Hey guys, the wife and I are looking to buy a home with short term rental potential in AZ. Need to be able to escape the dreary PNW in the winter. Looking for recommendations on areas to focus that get us:

1) as close as possible to top tier quail hunting (bonus for deer opportunities)
2) within 10-15min of a small community with services
3) good location for folks visiting and looking for an Airbnb when we aren't there (access to golf, hiking, biking, ATV trails, etc)

So far we've focused on the Gold Canyon area near the Superstitions, and really like the feel out there for reference sake.

Thanks in advance, and no we aren't libs coming to ruin your state

Lets go Brandon.

I am a licensed real estate broker(21yrs) and live in Gold Canyon(12yrs). I'd be happy to talk to you about the area. Feel free to PM me.

 

[7JK]

PM sent

 

[Couesfanatic]

I’d look at eastern AZ like thatcher

 

[HuntHarder]

Cottonwood/ camp verde area is great. Prices are going up on everything everywhere. The wineries are a big draw for that area and are only expanding. Sedona is really close, Great hunting for just about everything within 30 minutes to an hour. The town itself is getting bigger, almost too big imo. Just me, but i would avoid Tucson like the plague.

 

[Couesfanatic]

haha, ya Tucson is a bit ghetto. A lot of the small towns around Tucson have you watching your back. Lots of tweakers walking around

 

[Dirtbag]

Tucson or Green Valley

We stop in Green Valley every year for supplies before hitting the mountains, always thought it was a clean community and the people were nice. Its in proximity to good hunting as well. Tucson is a bit sketchy, but that is based purely on the fact that my first experience was a guy shooting heroin in a walmart parking lot without caring that there was a a bunch of people watching him.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

We stop in Green Valley every year for supplies before hitting the mountains, always thought it was a clean community and the people were nice. Its in proximity to good hunting as well. Tucson is a bit sketchy, but that is based purely on the fact that my first experience was a guy shooting heroin in a walmart parking lot without caring that there was a a bunch of people watching him.

Better than shooting people.

 

[ianpadron]

We stop in Green Valley every year for supplies before hitting the mountains, always thought it was a clean community and the people were nice. Its in proximity to good hunting as well. Tucson is a bit sketchy, but that is based purely on the fact that my first experience was a guy shooting heroin in a walmart parking lot without caring that there was a a bunch of people watching him.

I'm from WA state so that kind of activity makes a place feel like home LOL

 

[greaseywater]

Plenty of good parts of Tucson to go along with the sketchy. Like anywhere. If you want to be close to Mearns, Scaled, and Gambels check out Sonoita and Patagonia (very small), Sierra Vista or Vail. Vail is on the far east side of Tucson.

 

[jeffdixon]

I have hunted the are around Lake Roosevelt and up to Punkin Center. Quail hunting can be fantastic depending on spring rains, just like any place else. Javelina and Desert mule deer can also be found there. Payson is not far from there. My friends moved there about two years ago and just love it. There are two golf courses just outside of Payson. Lots of off road opportunities.

Be prepared to shell out some major $$$$ if you go anywhere near Payson. Dang shame right now with housing prices. But good recommendation other than Payson

 

[PaulBunyan]

We moved down to NE Mesa few years ago from the PNW and love it. Kind of depends on your budget, house prices around here have skyrocketed lately, though seem to be plateau-ing the last few months. I love our area, 20 min to Sky Harbor and close enough to drive to hunting spots before dawn. I've found some decent deer spots within 45 min, though you could certainly do better with Coues outside of Tuscon. A similar area to Gold Canyon you might look into is Fountain Hills (plus Outdoorsmans shop is up there if you need to unload few paychecks). No offense to anyone in Payson but we were looking for a cabin there a while back but kind of got turned away, it can get pretty dumpy in areas. Great place to visit, camp, etc but we decided owning a non-permanent place up there isnt worth it.

PS My wife is RE agent if you end up needing one somewhere in the valley

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Look around Williams, you want to be located near the doorway to the Grand Canyon for rental income plus the weather is nice at this elevation. Once you drop below 5000' the heat can become oppressive. It can at higher elevations as well but for shorter periods of time.