Robson

Arizona Retirement A GUIDE TO

LIVING P L AY I NG BU YING

2 | A GUIDE TO ARIZONA RETIREMENT

WELCOME TO ARIZONA Enjoying, exploring, retiring in the Grand Canyon State

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B Y PAU L A H U B B S C O H E N

s the saying goes, it may be a dry heat, but there’s nothing dry and boring about the retirement lifestyle in warm, hospitable and sunny Arizona.

In fact, it’s exactly the opposite.

With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, let us count the top five ways why Arizona should be your retirement home.

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UNBELIEVABLE WEATHER

With more than 300 sun-kissed days per year and an average January temperature generally in the warm and sunny 70s, the friendly, yet cosmopolitan, cities of Phoenix and Tucson are awash with a wealth of sunshine. Indeed, with an annual rainfall amount generally less than an inch per month in our envyinducing winter months, you’ll soon forget all about snow shovels, ice-scrapers and umbrellas.

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FIND THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE AND NEEDS With so many active adult communities across Arizona, it’s difficult to know where to start when beginning your search!

On pages 5-6, we’ve taken the guess work out of the process with a sampling of communities worth exploring in Arizona.

EXTRAORDINARY THINGS TO SEE AND DO

From the spectacular pine-filled forests of the northern part of the state to the starlit Sonoran desert areas of Central and Southern Arizona, the gorgeous (and aptly named!) Grand Canyon State features a plethora of fabulous vistas. And while savoring the sights is certainly a delight, when it’s time to get active, Arizona is host to an amazing abundance of communities with right-at-home tennis, pickleball and bocce-ball courts, championship golf courses, year-round swimming pools and so much more.

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GOLF!

Speaking of loving the links, Arizona is home to a whole host of active-adult communities, many of which boast award-winning courses.

Want to play a lush, grass-lined course?

Check — we got ‘em. Pining for a desert layout embraced by saguaro-studded

mountains? Yep, got those, too. Yearning for a course that would challenge a lowhandicapper or one that would keep a high-handicapper’s head in the game?

You guessed it — Arizona has plenty of those, too.

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EASY-TO NAVIGATE TRAVEL OPTIONS.

With airports known for their hospitality, simplicity and loads of direct flights, you’ll arrive in Phoenix or Tucson in no time at all. However, if driving’s your pleasure, many of our Canadian friends like to take a leisurely — and stunningly scenic — tour of ‘the States’ on their way to their winter paradise.

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AMENITY-RICH ACTIVE-ADULT COMMUNITIES.

Whatever part of Arizona you’re considering for your retirement home, you’re sure to find an active-adult community just-right for your home-away-fromhome. Communities designed for golfers, tennis buffs, arts aficionados and more are located all across Arizona, including in Phoenix and its surrounding communities as well as nestled closer to the breathtaking Santa Catalina mountains surrounding the “Old Pueblo” — better known as Tucson, Arizona.

Our list could go on and on — from world-class healthcare to top-notch arts and entertainment to professional sports venues — but the bottom line is that when you’re ready to enjoy the good life, there’s no better place to do so than at an active-adult community in Arizona.

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PHOENIX All that sunshine, and so much more

hoenix enjoys an amazing 300-plus days of sunshine each year. In fact, according to the National Climatic Data Center, Phoenix basks in sunshine more often than any other metropolitan area in the U.S. Daytime temperatures in January average a practically balmy 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

Indeed, the Valley of the Sun is highly coveted as a year-round vacation destination as well as a home-away-from-home for visitors from around the globe. Each year, 13 to 15 million leisure visitors travel to Greater Phoenix. They enjoy elegant resorts and spas, golf courses that are lush all year, mountain parks crisscrossed with trails, and some of the biggest sports events in the nation. That international appeal has also made Phoenix a magnet for championship golf, plenty of shopping venues and a wealth of fine and casual dining venues.

Phoenix is the sixth-largest city in the U.S.; Greater Phoenix encompasses more than 2,000 square miles and more than 20 incorporated cities. The area is a hub for technology innovation, aerospace, bioscience, healthcare, manufacturing, tourism, real estate and more.

But it’s not all work and no play: Phoenix and surrounding cities are home to professional baseball, football, hockey and men’s and women’s basketball franchises. In addition, the area annually hosts 15 Major League Baseball teams for Spring Training.

» FAST FACTS ABOUT PHOENIX POPULATION: Nearly 1.5 million (Nearly 4.2 million in Greater Phoenix) COST OF LIVING: 12.1% lower than the U.S. average AMAZING THINGS TO SEE AND DO: • Arizona Science Center • Bondurant School of High Performance Driving • Desert Botanical Garden • Heard Museum • Musical Instrument Museum • Orpheum Theater • Phoenix Art Museum • Phoenix Zoo • Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park • Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art • Taliesin West • Tempe Town Lake SPORTING VENUES: • Cactus League Spring Training • Chase Field (MLB) • Jobing.com Arena (NHL) • Phoenix International Raceway • University of Phoenix Stadium (NFL) • US Airways Center (NBA) HIKING/BIKING: • Camelback Mountain boasts red sandstone cliffs, trails and the signature Camelback hump • Piestewa Peak features a heart-of-the-city setting with view-rich hikes of various difficulties • South Mountain is one of the country’s largest municipal parks, with over 16,000 acres for hiking, biking and horseback riding • White Tank Mountain Regional Park has more than 30,000 acres and 10 different trails MAJOR SHOPPING VENUES: • Arrowhead Towne Center • Biltmore Fashion Park • Scottsdale Fashion Square • Westgate City Center

WORLD-CLASS HEALTHCARE: • Banner Health (over 15 locations) • Mayo Clinic • Scottsdale Healthcare (multiple locations) • St. Joseph’s Barrow Neurological Institute AWARD-WINNING GOLF: More than 200 courses grace the landscape of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Some top spots include: • Arizona Biltmore Resort’s two courses, Links (rolling fairways and towering pine trees) and Adobe (built in 1928; restored in 2004) Las Sendas Golf Club (slope rating of 144) • Legacy Golf Resort (designed

by Gary Panks) • Papago Course (one of the top municipal courses in the region) • Raven Golf Club (designed by Gary Panks and David Graham) • TPC of Scottsdale’s two courses, Stadium (designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf) and Champions (crafted by Randy Heckenkemper) • Troon North’s two courses, Monument and Pinnacle (designed by Tom Weiskopf) • We-Ko-Pa Golf Club’s two courses, Cholla and Saguaro (designed by Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw and Scott Miller) EASY-TO-NAVIGATE TRAVEL OPTIONS: • Sky Harbor International Airport (more than 20 airlines) • Mesa Gateway (three airlines) UNBELIEVABLE WEATHER: • Average winter temperature: 67 degrees Fahrenheit • Average precipitation: Approximately 7 inches • Average number of days of sunshine per year: over 300 SOURCES INCLUDE: • Greater Phoenix Convention and Phoenix Visitor’s Bureau: visitphoenix.net; Sperling’s Best Places: BestPlaces.net

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T UC S ON The “Old Pueblo” — A Beautiful Desert Oasis

urrounded by a quintet of breathtaking mountain ranges, Tucson features a wealth of diverse communities highlighted by unique characteristics in both architecture and ambience. Tucson’s winding foothills are host to gorgeous homes nestled into natural desert settings. Luxurious get-away-from-it-all spas abound and golf-lovers enjoy an abundance of championship courses. Arts, culture (especially all types of museums), along with indoor/outdoor living and entertaining are also important to Tucson’s laidback look and feel.

Boasting an average 350 sunny days a year and warm, dry air, Tucson’s climate is ideal for year-round outdoor recreation, especially in the winter months when temperatures average from 64 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tucson was once part of Mexico, officially becoming part of the United States in 1854. The city was incorporated in 1877, making Tucson the oldest incorporated city in Arizona. Tucson is now the second-largest city in Arizona after Phoenix, and it is the county seat of Pima County, which includes the towns of Marana, Oro Valley, Catalina, South Tucson, Sahuarita, Vail and Green Valley.

Tucson is home to more than one million residents and one of the state’s three public universities, the University of Arizona. With an undergraduate population of nearly 30,000 students, the research-rich U of A has always been an integral part of the Tucson community, and regularly hosts numerous public sporting events, concerts, museum showings and more.

» FAST FACTS ABOUT TUCSON POPULATION: Over 520,000 COST OF LIVING: 9.3% lower than the U.S. average AMAZING THINGS TO SEE AND DO: • Amerind Museum • Arizona–Sonora Desert Museum • Biosphere 2 • Boyce Thompson Arboretum • Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory • Kitt Peak National Observatory • Mission San Xavier del Bac • Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter • Museum of Contemporary Art • Old Tucson • Pima Air & Space Museum • Rialto Theater • Titan Missile Museum SPORTING VENUES: • Kino Sports Complex • Oro Valley Aquatic Center • Reffkin Tennis Center • Reid Park and Annex Fields • University of Arizona (multiple locations) HIKING/BIKING: • Tucson Urban Loop (55 miles of car-free paths) • Old Baldy Trail (in the Santa Rita Mountains, climbs more than 4,000 vertical feet) • Rillito River Park Trail (11-mile trail that winds through the city) • Sabino Canyon Trail (8-mile round-trip in the Santa Catalina Mountains) • Saguaro National Park West (numerous trails surrounded by saguaro forests)

MAJOR SHOPPING VENUES: • American Antique Mall • Foothills Mall • La Encantada • Tucson Mall WORLD-CLASS HEALTHCARE: • University Medical Center (UMC), part of the University of Arizona • Carondelet Medical Group, including the Carondelet Neurological Institute AWARD-WINNING GOLF: • More than 30 courses grace the landscape of Tucson. Some top spots include: • El Conquistador Country Club, Oro Valley (two courses: Conquistador and Canada) • Golf Club at Vistoso, Oro Valley • Omni Tucson National Golf Course (designed by Tom Lehman) • Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain, Marana (designed by Jack Nicklaus) • Views Golf Club, Sun City Vistoso, Oro Valley (designed by Greg Nash) EASY-TO-NAVIGATE TRAVEL OPTIONS: • Amtrak • Tucson International Airport (6 airlines) UNBELIEVABLE WEATHER: • Average winter high temperatures: 64 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit • Average precipitation: Approximately 11.2 inches • Average number of days of sunshine per year: 350 SOURCES INCLUDE: • Tucson Convention and Visitor’s Bureau: visittucson.org; Sperling’s Best Places: BestPlaces.net

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THE RETIREMENT “SHORT LIST” A closer look at four active adult communities in Arizona

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THE RETIREMENT SHORT LIST PEBBLECREEK

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The Allure: Location … live close to everything

his lively place has so much to see and do within the community but also around the area as well! PebbleCreek’s location makes this active adult community tough to beat, conveniently located off interstate 10 in Goodyear … right in metro Phoenix!

PebbleCreek Lounge The amenities and restaurants within PebbleCreek rival any resort dining and entertainment options or fine restaurant in the area, which can make it tempting for residents to never including: MLB Spring Training at the Goodyear Ballpark, The Westgate City leave their community.

Center featuring a variety of shops & For those who like to venture out, restaurants and golf courses. Also within within a close proximity to PebbleCreek close proximity to PebbleCreek are major you can enjoy world class shopping,

QUICK FACTS: • Sq. Ft. Range 1,487-3,134 • Established in 1992 • Over 6,000 homes planned AMENITIES: • Gated entry • 45 holes of golf • Pro shops • Restaurants, lounges & bars • Clubhouses • Performance theater • Creative arts centers

• Softball field • Indoor, outdoor pools • Fitness centers • Pickleball courts • Tennis & bocce courts • Over 100 clubs & activities

healthcare facilities including Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Banner Health, and the renowned Mayo Clinic in metro Phoenix.

ROBSON R ANCH

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The Allure: Extremely Affordable Resort Living

his impressive active adult community, Robson Ranch, offers buyers the opportunity to purchase a new home in a resort-style community without the resort price tag!

Homes at this Casa Grande area community start in the mid 100s with each home including full access to the endless resort amenities, such as a state of the art fitness facility, resort-style pool,

Robson Ranch community pool

QUICK FACTS: • Sq. Ft. 1,286- 2,285 • Established 2005 • Over 5,000 homes planned

championship golf course and onsite restaurant. Robson Ranch offers residents so many entertainment options within the community itself, many residents are known to seldom leave the property … it’s truly an oasis in the desert.

AMENITIES: • Gated entry • Championship golf & Pro shop • Restaurant, Lounge & Bar • Indoor pool • Resort-style outdoor pool & whirlpool • Grandchildren’s pool • Fitness center • Dance/yoga/ aerobics

• Massage & steam rooms • 16 Pickleball courts • Multi-purpose rooms • 4 lighted tennis courts • Softball field & Dog park • Creative Arts Center • Walking trails • Over 40 Clubs & Activities

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THE RETIREMENT SHORT LIST SADDLEBROOKE R ANCH

The Allure: Impressive Amenities and Sonoran Beauty

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f you are envisioning retirement in an idyllic setting with breathtaking mountain views, frequenting your community day spa, lounging pool-

side at a resort-style pool or a day on a championship golf course, then SaddleBrooke Ranch might be the destination for you! The best part about this community is

that it’s brand new. Every exquisite detail throughout the community and every amenity truly showcases the most modern details of design and technology available.

QUICK FACTS: • Sq. Ft. Range: 1,513-2,808 • Established in 2008 • Over 5,000 homes planned AMENITIES: • Gated entry • Championship golf • Pro shop • Walking paths • Tennis courts • Outdoor whirlpool • Fitness center

The clubhouse at the SaddleBrooke Ranch golf club.

• Resort-style outdoor pool • Indoor pool • Restaurant • Multi-purpose rooms • Dance/yoga/aerobics • Pickleball courts

Q UA I L C R E E K

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The Allure: An Outdoor Lovers Paradise

uail Creek is located just south of Tucson in the Green Valley area, situated beneath the rugged Santa Rita Mountains. Set at a high desert elevation of 2,900 feet, Green Valley enjoys cooler weather than other parts of the state and residents of Quail Creek take full advantage of this. The community is centered around 27 holes of championship golf and a complex of amenities including a

The golfer’s view at Quail Creek.

QUICK FACTS: • Sq. Ft. Range: 1,286-2,686 • Established in 1999 • Over 4,000 homes planned

pool, tennis and bocce courts and a fitness facility. Quail Creek offers something for everyone…numerous clubs and interest groups create the opportunity to live a resort lifestyle that is both physically active and socially engaging.

AMENITIES: • Gated entry • Lap pool & whirlpool • 27 holes of championship golf • Dance/yoga/aerobics rooms • Restaurant & Pro Shop • Tennis & bocce courts • Pickleball complex

• Fitness Center • Lounge & Bar • Resort-style outdoor pool • Dog park • Clubhouse featuring ballroom • Over 100 Clubs & activities • Creative Arts & Technology Center

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CITIES TO EXPLORE Great amenities at an affordable price

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ooking for a great place to visit or live that won’t break the bank? Here are two Arizona options for those seeking the good life at an easy-on-the-wallet price.

CASA GR ANDE This hometown-style community may have a rural heritage, but it enjoys a strategic business location at the intersection of two major interstate highways, making it easy to travel around the southwest part of the United States. The mild climate, retail centers and numerous festivals and events make it a prime location for those looking for a quiet, yet fun and feisty place to settle down.

» FAST FACTS ABOUT CASA GRANDE Outdoors in Casa Grande (above) and Green Valley.

POPULATION: Nearly 50,000 WINTER AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES: • November: 76.3F • December: 67.1F • January: 66.9F • February: 71.3F AVERAGE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: 8.4 inches SUNSHINE: Over 330 days/year NUMBER OF CITY PARKS: 25 NUMBER OF PUBLIC GOLF COURSES: 4 COST OF LIVING: Traditionally about 10% below the national average

G R E E N VA L L E Y Green Valley enjoys an interesting history that includes Native Americans, missionaries, cowboys and modern-day retirees. Green Valley, 23 miles south of Tucson, is nestled at an elevation of 2,900 feet at the foot of the gorgeous Santa Rita Mountains. Primarily a retirement community, this comfy-cozy area appeals to those who like the flavor of a small town where you know your neighbors and traffic jams are unheard of.

» FAST FACTS ABOUT GREEN VALLEY POPULATION: 26,500 WINTER AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES: • November: 74.5F • December: 67.7F • January: 67.1F • February: 71.3F AVERAGE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: 10.86 inches SUNSHINE: Over 300 days/year NUMBER OF RECREATION CENTERS: 12 NUMBER OF PUBLIC GOLF COURSES: 9 COST OF LIVING: Traditionally about 94% below the national average

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CITIES TO EXPLORE Discover these ‘Up-and-Comers’

or those who prefer a more upscale lifestyle, both Goodyear (part of the metropolitan Phoenix area) and the northern environs of Tucson are two fabulous options.

G O ODY E A R

NORT H T UCSON

HGTV recently named Goodyear one of its Hot Zips of cities to live in. Filled with desert vistas, golf courses and masterplanned communities with lakes and country clubs, the city is home to young professionals, growing families and active retirees alike. Goodyear began as a small farming town, but over the decades has become one of the fastest growing cities in Arizona. Close to all the arts and culture of Phoenix, this thriving city is a proud neighbor to Luke Air Force Base, the largest fighter-training base in the world, and enjoys a new downtown, a spring training ballpark and a plethora of parks, golf courses and shopping venues.

One of the many features that sets Tucson apart is the magnificence of Mother Nature that surrounds the city.

From mountain-top snow ski resorts to amenity-rich guest ranches to gorgeous gated golf communities, Tucson enjoys plenty of upscale environs that locals as well as visitors love to call home. Highend shopping is abundant, as are all kinds of restaurants, spas, resorts and more.

Mid-range homes are abundant, but for homebuyers who care to go more upscale, Tucson’s winding foothills are a showcase for sensational communities that easily blend into the lush high Sonoran desert surroundings. The primary communities and towns that make up North Tucson include Oro Valley, Catalina Foothills, Oracle and Marana.

» FAST FACTS ABOUT GOODYEAR

Tucson golf; Arizona hiking

POPULATION: 70,000 WINTER AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES: • November: 73F • December: 65F • January: 66F • February: 70F AVERAGE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: 7.5 inches SUNSHINE: Over 330 days/year NUMBER OF CITY PARKS: 18 NUMBER OF PUBLIC GOLF COURSES: 3 COST OF LIVING: Traditionally about 12% below the national average

» FAST FACTS ABOUT TUCSON POPULATION: Approximately 1 million WINTER AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES: • November: 74F • December: 66F • January: 65F • February: 69F AVERAGE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: 11.6 inches SUNSHINE: Over 350 days/year NUMBER OF CITY PARKS: 127 NUMBER OF PUBLIC GOLF COURSES: 44 COST OF LIVING: Cost of living index of 94.7

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HOM E BU Y I NG 10 1 Checklist for beginners

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ooking to build or remodel your dream home in Arizona?

The National Association of Homebuilders offers these suggestions: • Contact the local home builders’ association for the names of member builders by visiting nahb.org/findanhba; or call 602-274-6545 (Phoenix) or 520-795-5114 (Tucson). You can also ask family, friends or coworkers for recommendations.

• Make sure the builder has a permanent business location and a good reputation with local banks and suppliers.

• Ask the builder to provide you with names of previous customers. If they won’t, beware. If they do, ask the customers if they would hire the builder again.

• Find out how long they have been in the building business. It usually takes three to five years to establish a financially sound business. You want to make sure they will be around after the construction is complete to service any warranties.

• Check out the company’s rating and if there have been any complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau: bbb.org.

• Make sure the builder has sufficient workers compensation and general liability insurance. If not, you may be liable for any construction-related accidents on your premises.

• Ask if you can see the builder’s work, both completed and in progress. Check for quality of workmanship and materials.

• Do you feel you can easily communicate with the builder? Remember you will be in close contact with them throughout the construction process and afterward as you live in your new home.

• Make sure the builder provides you with a complete and clearly written contract. The contract will benefit both of you. If you are having a new home built, get and review a copy of the home warranty and homeowner manual as well.

For more suggestions, visit nahb.org/ forconsumers or nahb.org/remodelers.

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Discover why so many people call a Robson Community home.

BUILDING NEW MAKES SENSE Many obvious — and not so obvious — benefits to buying a new home

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hen purchasing a home, prospective buyers can choose from two types of houses: resale or new.

Home buyers planning to buy a brandnew house or condominium often cite energy-efficiency, open layout, a warranty, and being able to select appliances, flooring, paint colors and other design elements as factors driving their choice.

But builders say that buyers can be drawn to a new house for reasons that aren’t so obvious. Below are a few more benefits of a brand-new home that you may not see in the sales brochure.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY A brand-new community is one of the built-in benefits of many new homes. When families move in to a subdivision at the same time, often lasting bonds of friendship and neighborliness are formed right away.

Nobody is the “new kid on the block,” and many home builders host community block parties in new developments to help owners meet and connect.

Popular amenities like pools, walking trails and courts for tennis and basketball offer additional opportunities for interaction among neighbors of all ages.

Often new communities are comprised of homeowners in the same stage of life,

such as young families or active retirees, so neighbors can get to know each other through carpools, PTA meetings, tennis matches or golf games.

ENTERTAINING GUESTS Throwing a party in an older home can be a challenge because smaller, distinct rooms make it difficult to entertain guests in one large space. Builders are responding to today’s home-buyer preferences with layouts featuring more open spaces and rooms that flow into each other more easily, like the popular great room. While you are in the kitchen preparing dinner, you can still interact with guests enjoying conversation in the family room without feeling closed off.

The feeling of spaciousness in today’s new-home layouts often is enhanced the higher ceilings and additional windows that bringing in more light than you would find in an older home.

FRESH START For some buyers, parking the car in a sparkling-clean garage or being the first to cook a dinner in a brand-new kitchen is part of the appeal of new construction.

In addition, you won’t have to spend time stripping dated wallpaper or repainting to suit your own sense of style. You can create

your own home décor from the get-go!

The advantages of being the first owner of a home extend to the outdoors.

Instead of inheriting inconveniently or precariously placed trees, or having to tear up overgrown shrubs, you can design and plant the lawn and garden you want.

POWER UP Homes built in the 1960s and earlier were wired much differently than houses today.

Builders had no way of anticipating the invention of high-definition televisions, DVRs and computers that we enjoy today — and the very different electrical requirements they would introduce.

New homes can accommodate advanced technologies like structured wiring, security systems and sophisticated lighting plans, and can be tailored to meet the individual homeowner’s needs.

Anyone who has ever lived in an older home can also attest to the fact that there are never enough outlets, inside or out!

New-home builders plan for the increased number and type of electronics and appliances used by today’s families, so you can safely operate a wine cooler, Christmas lights or your computer.

When you weigh all the factors, buying new makes perfect sense!

Source: National Association of Home Builders