Moving to Phoenix – The Ahwatukee Foothills In 2020 – 12 Reasons Why?
Are you considering a move to Phoenix, Arizona. If you are, I have several great reasons why you should.
Moving to Phoenix – The Ahwatukee Foothills In 2020 – 12 Reasons Why?
I am Allen Henderson and i am a real estate broker in Phoenix, Arizona. Let me start by saying, I love Living in Phoenix and in the urban village of Ahwatukee-Foothills! When I moved to Phoenix in 1994, one of my associates suggested that I take a look at Ahwatukee. I said, ah wa whoee? I did take a look and fell in love with the foothills and canyons of South Mountain that form the northern boundary of the village of Ahwatukee-Foothills. I moved into my new condo at, “The Pointe Hilton Resort at South Mountain on September 1, 1994 and the rest is history.
1. Location
One of the best things I like about Ahwatukee is it’s location in Phoenix. Ahwatukee is the southernmost of the 15 urban villages that make up the city of Phoenix. Ahwatukee has the best of two worlds. Ahwatukee is part of the City of Phoenix but it is isolated from the city by South Mountain and South Mountain Park. You have to drive around South Mountain to get here. The short drive around South Mountain isolates Ahwatukee from the hustle and bustle of the fifth largest city in the country.
2. The Peace and Quiet
I really enjoy the quality of life in Ahwatukee. Ahwatukee is a quiet, upscale, bedroom community, within the Phoenix city limits. Ahwatukee has all of the benefits of suburban living and easy access to Sky Harbor Airport and downtown Phoenix. The great restaurants, events and activities associated with being in the fifth-largest city in the country are just a short drive around South Mountain.
3. Close Proximity to Tempe and Scottsdale
I really enjoy Ahwatukee’s close proximity to Tempe and Scottsdale. Tempe and Arizona State University, are just across the 1-10 freeway. Tempe is actually closer than downtown Phoenix. Tempe offers world class theatre and events at Gamage Auditorium. Tempe has an endless variety of formal and casual dining opportunities. Scottsdale, with it’s world class resorts, restaurants and shopping is a short drive from Ahwatukee-Foothills. Ahwatukee is ideally located.
4. The Weather
I really enjoy the weather here in the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix is famous for the HEAT! It is hot from about mid-May to mid-September. Daily high temperatures average over 100 degrees for June, July and August and it is not unusual to have daily high temperatures exceed 110 degrees.
Our winters more than makeup for the heat. The weather is gorgeous. From October to April the daily average temperatures are in the sixties seventies and eighties.
You have probably heard that dry heat is more comfortable than well… wet heat. It is actually true. An 80 or 90-degree day in Phoenix is very comfortable. However, anything over 105 is HOT! I much prefer going from my air-conditioned car, to my air-conditioned office, and to the pool, than the minus 10 degree days in Michigan that I will never forget.
5. Cost of Living
I like the cost of living in Phoenix. Sperling’s Best places lists Phoenix at a cost of living index of 113.4 for 2019. An index of 100 hundred is the average for the country. While a little higher than the national average of 100, Phoenix still ranks much lower than other major cities like Los Angeles and New York City. L.A has a cost of living index of 195.1 and New York has a cost of living index of 209.3. The Phoenix index is based on an average home costing $248,000. The average cost of home in the village of Ahwatukee-Foothills today is $372,000. This would push the Ahwatukee cost of living up, but there are properties in Ahwatukee that cost less than the $372,000.
6. South Mountain Park
I love South Mountain Park. South Mountain Park is the largest urban park in the United States. South Mountain and South Mountain Park form the northern boundary of Ahwatukee-Foothills and Ahwatukee is nestled in the canyons and foothills of South Mountain. South Mountain provides beautiful mountain views, hiking and mountain biking trails for every level of expertise. The hiking and biking trails are well marked and easily accessible from many locations within the village.
7. Amazing Sunsets Over Desert And Mountain Views
I love looking up and seeing the mountains and looking across the long expanses of desert that spread to the south and west of The Village of Ahwatukee-Foothills. The sunsets are spectacular. The juxtaposition of mountains, desert, clouds, sky and light make ever changing and never duplicated gorgeous and stunning panoramas. I love Ahwatukee.
8. Master Planned Communities
I love the master-planned communities that have grown up in Ahwatukee-Foothills.
The Village of Ahwatukee-Foothills is unique in that, prior to 1970, it was a handful of ranches, a dairy farm, and an army tank and heavy equipment test track. Much of it was unblemished, pristine and open desert.
In 1972, Randall Presley started construction on the Ahwatukee Golf Course and started building homes in the desert in what would become the Ahwatukee, Active/Adult community. Presley’s Active Adult Community became the genesis of the Urban Village of Ahwatukee-Foothills.
Over the next twenty years, the dairy farm, ranches, and pristine desert disappeared and were replaced with the master-planned communities of Lakewood, Mountain Park Ranch, The Foothills, and Club West. The communities were well planned with greenbelts and walking trails and anchored by gated communities, golf courses, and lakes. Ahwatukee has some of the best-planned communities in the southwestern United States.
The communities were nestled in the canyons and foothills along the southern flanks of South Mountain. The heavy equipment test track was sold and became part of The Foothills and Club West. The test track and mountain grades became Desert Foothills Parkway and Chandler Blvd. in the Foothills.
Ahwatukee Custom Estates grew up beside South Mountain and became one of the finest luxury home communities in Arizona and the Southwest. Many professional athletes and celebrities have built homes in the canyons on hillsides of the foothills and mountain tops throughout the village.
9. Holiday Lights In Ahwatukee
Ahwatukee-Foothills residents celebrate the holidays in a big way. In the month between Thanksgiving and New Years, many an evening can be spent viewing the stunning residential light displays in Ahwatukee-Foothills neighborhoods. During the holiday season, we post lists of our favorite displays for you to view.
bit.ly/AhwatukeeLghts
10. The Schools In Ahwatukee
Another of the things I like about living in the village of Ahwatukee Foothills are the highly rated schools. As the communities grew, the Kyrene and Tempe Union high school districts expanded across the freeway from Tempe and quality new schools were built to meet the needs of the growing Ahwatukee-Foothills community.
As a real estate broker, I have frequently been asked by home buyers to find them a home in the Kyrene School District. It is a pleasure to help families find a home in an area that is serviced by two of Arizona’s leading public school districts.
There are three highly-rated charter schools in Ahwatukee as well. Summit School of Ahwatukee, Basis, and Horizon Honors. My kids are grown but two of my granddaughters attend Honors Horizon.
11. The South Mountain Freeway
Ahwatukee has long been labeled the longest cul-de-sac in the world. I like the new freeway that is being built along the southern flanks of the Village of Ahwatukee-Foothills. However, I have to put it one my things I love and things I hate in Ahwatukee list. It is certainly controversial. Overall, it will be a plus in facilitating travel to the west valley and relieving congestion on surface streets in the village. On the flip side, the freeway will have a negative effect on property values of homes that back it and even homes that are in close proximity to it.
12. Restaurants
I like the dining options in Ahwatukee-Foothills. Ahwatukee has it’s share of great restaurants. They run the gamut from great pizza to fine dining, Steak houses, Italian, a credible Irish Pub, great sushi, some of the best Thai food around, and several great breakfast places. The list goes on and on. If you tire of the options in Ahwatukee, take a quick hop across the 1-10 freeway and expand your horizons with enough great restaurant to satisfy a discriminating diner for many months. And don’t forget that downtown Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale are a short drive away.
13. Ahwatukee Is In The Center Of The State
I like the fact that Ahwatukee is in the center of the beautiful State of Arizona. I like that it is located on I-10 and most of the entire state of Arizona is a day trip from my door. I can do a day trip or a weekend and see any of the wonders Arizona has to offer. I can go to Tucson for a one of a kind Mexican dinner and back in an afternoon. Tombstone and the Chiricahua Mountains can be done in a day although a weekend would allow more time to explore. We can be in the snow in Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon by noon and be back in our hot tub in the late evening. Sedona is a couple of hours to the north and we often go up for dinner and back in a day. Ahwatukee is pleasantly quiet isolated yet still in the city of Phoenix and within a short day trip of most of the wonders of Arizona. I love Ahwatukee!
14. Ahwatukee Has Big Box Stores On The Other Side Of The I-10 Freeway
I love the fact that Ahwatukee has Big Box stores readily available on the other side of I-10 in Tempe and Chandler. They are readily available, in fact minutes away, but Ahwatukee doesn’t have the traffic and congestion Big Box stores bring. Since they are in Tempe and Chandler, Tempe and Chandler get the traffic and congestion while Ahwatukee gets the convenience without the hassle.
If you are a Costco shopper, Ahwatukee residents have two very conveniently located Costco stores. One is at Elliot and 56th St in Tempe. It is less than 3 miles from the intersection of Ray and the I-10 freeway in Ahwatukee. There is another Costco in the Chandler Fashion Square complex which is only about six miles from the intersection of Ray and the I-10 freeway in Ahwatukee.
In Summary
If you want more details, click the link to my blog article below. It has more information and links to the various topics I have mentioned.
If you have any questions of comments leave them in the comment below. I answer all of the questions and comments myself. I would love to hear your thoughts and answer your questions.
The Ahwatukee History Project
I love Ahwatukee. I am fascinated with the history of Ahwatukee. I am about to embark on a project with Martin Gibson, the Author of “Phoenix’s Ahwatukee-Foothills” and “Historic Tales From Ahwatukee Foothills.” Marty has done an incredible job of telling the story of Ahwatukee’s history and the characters who wrote it. We are planning to collaborate to bring the history he has recorded and as many of the characters he introduces in his books to video. It is a work in progress. The initial plans are to video current Ahwatukee places and let todays residents know who and what was there before they became the Ahwatukee we know today.
I am available for any questions
To Go To the Ahwatukee History Project
Click The Picture Above
Allen Henderson
Henderson Real Estate
480-392-2090
allen@homesahwatukee.com
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*Ahwatukee Foothills is the official name of an Urban Village in Phoenix. Ahwatukee Foothills lies south of South Mountain and South Mountain Park. “Ahwatukee Foothills” is comprised of zip codes 85044, 85045 and 85048. Some confusion occurs when some folks refer to Old Ahwatukee as “Ahwatukee” and “Ahwatukee Foothills” as a separate entity. So, for clarity, when we use the term “Ahwatukee” we are referring to the entire area designated “Ahwatukee Foothills,” including (85044, 85045, and 85048) unless otherwise noted.
