Moving on up... to the mountains

[Capt Steve]

We have enjoyed living in the high Sonoran desert just north of Tucson fo the last 15 years. The camping in Arizona is nothing short of awesome and we often spend our summers in the mountains beating the heat. This year has set records almost daily for high temps and little to no rainfall {the Monsoon has been a no show... Grrr}. We live in a nice senior community but have to keep our Class C, cargo trailer and Rzr SXS at a nearby commercial storage facility.

I always longed to find some property where I could house my toys on site and enjoy a higher elevation in a smaller community. On Friday I made that happen.

After researching at least 100 properties and finding virtually all of them already subject to pending offers {the real estate market for mountain property has gone off the chart since the Covid crisis} I found a gem and managed to out bid a ball offer and still get a smoking great deal and we will close escrow in 3 weeks.

Our new home is in Payson, a small town of 15,000 people located almost exactly at the geographic center of Arizona {76 miles north of Phoenix/Mesa} at 5,000'. The property is .57 of an acre and the smallish {1,407 square foot 3 bedroom 2 bath} house comes with two garages, a two car attached and a free standing 18' X 30" unit in back that is simply screams "Man Cave!"

The motorhome and trailer are too tall for interior storage but with two separate driveways I have plenty of room to park them both with the Rzr, my truck and motorcycle residing in the new Man Cave and my brides car in the attached garage. Payson sits at the base of the Mogollon Rim {which is nearly 8K'} and is about halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff.

The property is nicely treed with huge pines some over 70' as well as, Oak, Juniper, Spruce and Manzanitas. A seasonal stream flows through the front yard and yet we are just a mile or so from what passes for "Downtown" Payson. We will have deer and Elk wandering the property {leaving their unique calling cards} on a nightly basis.

There is a large heavily built gazebo in the back yard of our new place and I will be moving my Jacuzzi from the current house to the back right corner of the gazebo. It will cost me $750 to have it delivered the 160 miles up to Payson but it is just a year old and we love it. A new one would be $8K so the $750 is doable and I won't have to move it. I'll be bringing my BBQ and adding a nice outdoor bar, hell it even has a ceiling fan and multiple power outlets ensuring it will likely be "Party Central".

We are both so excited and can't believe our good fortune in being able to make this happen. Lots of work to be done to complete our relocation but looking forward to the challenges given the rewards that are sure to follow. our current house goes on the market on October first and my Realtor is very confident the sale will be a slam dunk given the red hot real estate market we are currently enjoying. I don't need the proceeds of that sale to close on Payson so no pressure there.

Yes, I would love to post pics and have a bunch but since Photobucket took my pics hostage and I continue to refuse to pay the ransom I have no way to post. If anyone out there could help me out I could emaIl a few if you could get them posted here. The property is gorgeous and I'd love to share with everyone.

Wooo Hooo!!!

 

[pmanton]

Congratulations on your new digs.

It's nice that you're staying in our great state.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Congrats.......

we too are working to flee the Burbs to the higher elevations of the Laurel Highlands ( only 2900 ft.)....... we got just over an acre on a lake about 3 years ago...... and only 12 miles from our ( my folks since 1963) mountain cabin on the western slopes of the Eastern Continental Divide.

So the joke is where will we spend the night the mountain cabin or the lake house ????? .......

Enjoy

 

[bigwheelzip]

Best wishes to you and your bride in your new digs.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHDwRECFL8M[/ame]

 

[JJEH]

Congrats on you purchase, I can only imagine...

We recently moved to Temple, TX and to be perfectly honest, once the kids are done with high school I'll be leaving here!!!

 

[UncleEd]

Sounds idyllic, Capt. Steve.

I guess, because I'm so old, my
only concern would be medical
facilities, ease of reaching them
and emergency services, etc.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Congrats on finding your dream home.

I'm blown away that Payson is now 15,000 folks. That's a huge town by my standards. I bet it has stop 'n' go lights now.

When I was stationed at Luke AFB in Glendale, Payson was a very neat "little" town to visit on the weekends during the hot season (February - November). Sounds like it's become too popular for my liking, but it's sure not as big as Tucson.

 

[yaktamer]

Congrats. I have family and hunting buddies in Strawberry. Payson is a great base for hunting, fishing, hiking, etc. up on The Rim.

 

[pawngal]

I love the Payson area, close enough to Phoenix and far enough away at the same time. When hubby was alive we were looking at property there but with him gone I'll just mooch off the relatives when I need a winter break. Choices of Prescott Valley, Gilbert, Chandler, Los Vegas, Burbank CA, Covina CA. I can make the rounds!

 

[Capt Steve]

No Worries...

Sounds idyllic, Capt. Steve.

I guess, because I'm so old, my
only concern would be medical
facilities, ease of reaching them
and emergency services, etc.

I checked and the VA has a clinic right in Payson. I won't have to drive all the way down to Tucson or go to the VA in Phoenix.

Update:

I was just on the computer tracking down the nearest Tractor Supply store as I will be purchasing a nice Liberty 30 gun safe and want them to deliver to our new place. Turns out they are one mile north of us. While I had that screen up I noticed that the VA Clinic is one half mile north of our place. guess I'll actually just be walking to the clinic... don't ya just love it?

 

[mckenney99]

About 1985 my ex and I visited her aunt that lived in Payson. Spent a week there and we fell in love with the place and even looked at a couple homes there. Beautiful area. I only had 5 years on the job, here in OH at that time and had the itch to try something else or stay for the long haul. In the end, the ex didn't want to move that far away from her folks and we stayed in OH. Still question that decision.

 

[snuffy51]

Ain't nothing better than finding something you really want. Be safe and happy.

 

[JJEH]

Yes, I would love to post pics and have a bunch but since Photobucket took my pics hostage and I continue to refuse to pay the ransom I have no way to post. If anyone out there could help me out I could emaIl a few if you could get them posted here. The property is gorgeous and I'd love to share with everyone.

Wooo Hooo!!!

Thank you for trusting me with your pictures.

Looks like a very nice secluded property, congrats again on the purchase

 

[Capt Steve]

THANK YOU!!!

JJEH, Jorge you DA MAN!

Thanks for posting my pics. Now folks can actually see what I am so pumped about.

Steve

 

[mckenney99]

That is awesome.

 

[LVSteve]

That works. My only issue is that given the failure of the monsoon the last few years, how well will the trees survive? Then there's the spectre of wildfires.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Covet, covet, covet! Congratulations!

 

[JohnRippert]

We had some neighbors here outside of Houston living a couple doors down from us for about 20 years. They moved to Colorado several years back now. Lovely home on the side of a mountain, but it is at 9000 feet. They get a LOT of winter up there. 5000 feet sounds much more doable to me. Enjoy your new place. It sounds wonderful.

 

[Igiveup]

I lived in Arizona in 1971-2, south of Willcox, in Kansas Settlement. Lots of neat history, over 4000 ft. in elevation, and lots of mesquite. I would like to go back and visit someday. I understand the farming has drastically changed since I lived there, short on water.

 

[Chik a Boom]

Capt. Steve, you sound so excited! I know the feeling. We left Chandler for Payson in '04, and sounded just like you! I was amazed at how many people that posted are aware of this little mountain town 90 minutes north of Phoenix. Have been fairly content here for the last 16 years knowing we had cooler summers than the Valley.

It is a great spot to get a dose of all four seasons, fortunately none too extreme as a rule. Hope the Mrs. isn't a serious shopper as there is none here, as in mall-like. We have Wal-mart and Home Depot and Ace Hardware for "chains". Fountain Hills-an hour away-is the next option. And if you're ill, "go down the hill" (that being to Phoenix hospitals) is the usual common wisdom. Local hospital is just so-so. Glad you found a VA here, of which I was totally unaware.

Upside, is that there is a great shooting range just south of town, I'm sure you'll have a membership there soon. You are near to many camping areas of the state. Do you ski? White Mountains are just a few hours away. You can put a boat out on Woods Canyon Lake, only 35 minutes east.

Yes, the Elk are all about, they will be seen right in town and leaving their "calling cards"-also known as "Elk Duds". Don't plan on planting anything out front, because they will nibble roses and destroy most flower beds along with the javelina who will pull up any bulb you put in the ground (don't ask how I know).

You can get anywhere in Payson 10 minutes or less. However, summer/holiday weekends will clog up those "stop 'n go" lights but you'll soon figure out the back roads to get around town.

Congrats on new place, looks super. Hope it works out well for you. If I can help with any other local information shoot me a PM. Happy moving!