Gated Lake Subdivisions and Waterfront PropertyWhen looking for Phoenix area waterfront homes, your dream home could be hiding behind one of the gated lake communities featuring waterfront homes. These unique gated subdivisions are spread throughout the valley in cities and towns such as Chandler, Mesa, Maricopa, Scottsdale, Tempe and Gilbert among others.
Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa boast Waterfront Trail SystemsAn almost hidden feature of Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa is the recreational trail system that has been developed along the canals that have been in the east valley longer than 99% of the homes. The Consolidated Canal, 18 miles long runs thr0ugh Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler and dates back to 1891. The development of recreational paths along SRP canals has become an attractive amenity in many cities. Bikers and joggers will be most familiar with the paths since they offer a welcome alternative to narrow sidewalks, inattentive passing cars and frequent crossings at stop lights. Websites that cater to runners and joggers even calculate the mileage between beginning and ending points along different canals. Consolidated Canal Running Route or the Western Canal Mileage Calculator
Hospitals Keeping Up With Growing East ValleyThe typical growth pattern in Phoenix Arizona is the following: the residential homes are constructed, the developers watch the population increase until the critical number to sustain grocery stores and retail establishments is reached. Then we cross our fingers and hope that road construction catches up. A longer leadtime but very important infrastructure component is the addition of hospitals to meet the healthcare demands of the growing community. The east valley has seen the addition of 4 major hospitals open their doors to the public in the last 4 years. The Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, pictured above opened in June 2006, Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa opened July 2007, Banner Gateway in Gilbert opened Sept. 2007, and Banner Ironwood in Pinal County is scheduled to open in November of 2010, even though construction was finished Fall of 2009.
It is almost pointless to talk to someone in July when the temperature is 110 degrees about what happens in Phoenix when it rains. You want to point out how planned communities have drainage plans and retention basins, etc. The situation in the summer may be that no precipitation has been seen for months, so they wonder why you’re even bringing it up. Well, the last couple of day we’ve been drenched and now those plans and preparation are very much needed and appreciated. Meteorologists are even saying that we may see as much rainfall in this 5 day period as we saw all of last year! Yesterday there was even a tornado warning, and many roads have been closed because of flooding. The picture above is not a lake water feature for a subdivision. It may be for the time being, but actually it is a retention basin with grass in the community common area that accumualtes the runoff from storms such as the one we are having that has dumped over 3″ inches of rain in a 24 hour period in some parts of they valley.
Let’s face it, to live on a lake in Phoenix or any surrounding city may not be a possibility, especially when you are are looking for a place to water ski, wake board or use a hydrofoil. To water ski, you are limited to 6 subdivisions in the valley. When a client from Utah with a passion for an “airchair” or hydrofoil was looking for a home, we had to look close to a lake or reservoir since hydrofoils require a depth well beyond the typical 6 – 8 foot depth of a residential man made ski lake. Or the goal may be to find a home close to a lake if you love fishing. The good news is that there are many Phoenix area homes near lakes or reservoirs. The cities or towns of Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Phoenix, Cave Creek, Carefree, Apache Junction, Fountain Hills and Gold Canyon enjoy good access to lakes such as Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake, Lake Pleasant and Bartlett Lake.
Mesa Lakefront Community of Superstition Lakes, a gated communityWhat does Superstition Lakes have to offer? Plenty. It is located on the Mesa – Gilbert border and next to exceptional restaurants and less than a mile away from the Superstition Mall and the Superstition freeway. The Superstition Spring Golf Club provides lush green landscaping in addition to the man made lakes that surround the complex. Residents of this gated commuity have access to the clubhouse, spa and community pool.
Dobson Ranch – Mesa’s First Planned Community.The origins of Dobson Ranch reach back to the early history of the east valley when it began as a cattle ranch and farming operation. Wilson Wesley Dobson emigrated from Canada to Arizona and began his cattle ranching and farming in 1886, which is 25 years before Roosevelt Dam was completed. He may have belonged to the Salt River Valley Water Users Association (SRVWUA) who pledged more than 200,000 acres of their land for the federal construction loan to build the dam. As many as 20,000 head of cattle roamed the land where Baseline Road stands.
The next time you turn on the faucet or take a shower, take time to realize that you live in a desert where the average rainfall in the Phoenix valley is less than 9 inches/year but the average person uses 150 gallons of water PER day. So how do we satisfy our “thirst” for water that exceeds our natural supply in the valley? Read the rest of this entry
Are there basement homes in the Phoenix area?As of this writing there are 635 listings for homes with basements in the Phoenix metro area, out of a total of 25,941 listings for single family homes. Less than 2.5% of the total homes available for sale have basements. Those that have moved here from other states, which is about everyone, always ask why the scarcity of basement homes. You’ll certainly get a variety of answers. Read on for the real reasons!
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