Wife and I are coming out to the Gold Canyon area late Spring 2024 to scope out places to settle into for retirement. We were out a couple of years ago and stayed in Scottsdale.
We felt the Gold Canyon area was a fit for us.
Anyone in that area?
We are looking at existing housing and new builds
What should we look for, any builders to beware of?
Debating on buying a house now, but not retiring for at least another 4yrs.
Any info appreciated.

Thanks for the reply. That's what we love about the area. Not too built up, YET. But the mtns are nearby for hiking, ATV's, hunting.
We are Airbnb a house when we come out to get a feel for development life, if that's where we end up. We reside on 3 acres currently. Having neighbors closer is going to be an adjustment.
How are the hospitals in Mesa? No real need currently, but will eventually.

I have atv's currently, but will not be bringing them.
I plan on getting something out there.
I do know when we were checking out developments, every other garage had either a SxS, Jeep or 4runner.
So, I'm sure there will be someone to hook up with, to learn the area trails.

Two words: Renaissance Festival

@KB7DX
Do you do any hunting out there?
I saw a lot of quail when I was out there 2yrs ago.
I imagine up in the National forest they have deer. I guess its draw though?

@KB7DX
Is there a decent Butcher shop nearby?
Any restaurants to recommend?
Googling I didn't see a whole lot in the area without heading over to Mesa.
Which grocery store has the best prices, produce?
Thanks in advance for advice. I really appreciate the info you supplied so far.

I grew up there, and my parents still live there. The desert is 10 times as busy as it was when I was a kid. If you want a hunting, target shooting or off-road experience that doesn't involve seeing 100+ other people, you're going to need to travel a long ways, though I suspect this is the case for every possible Phoenix suburb. AJ seems a bit nicer these days than it was 20 years ago, but it is still not a great place to hang out. Gold Canyon has expanded a good bit. My parents have known the guy who founded Chen's Chinese restaurant for 40 years, and to this day it is the standard I judge other Chinese restaurants by. If you like Golf, you will be in heaven. It's not that close, but I enjoy going to Florence. My parents used to work there, and I've been going to L&B (the main Mexican restaurant) since I was 1. If you are willing to drive an hour and a half, you can shoot four matches of any type you can imagine once a month, since there are four major shooting ranges around Phoenix (closest being Rio Salado in Mesa) and their match schedules are staggered. My mom is a big fan of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which is most of the way to Superior. If you like lake recreation, Apache Lake is close by. It really is a wonderful area if you want to be close to outdoorsy stuff.

When the Renaissance festival is going on, it can take 20 minutes to make it from Goldfield to Kings Ranch Road. When the Methodist church service ends, getting from Kings Ranch Road to US 60 is likewise a time consuming experience.

Also, this is one of the first meme's I ever made.

Attached File

Bashas got sold to a California company.

We looked at Gold Canyon but decided on a 55 plus community between Florence and San Tan Valley when we downsized and moved here a few years ago.  The Gold Canyon area seemed a bit too isolated from shopping and doctor clinics/hospitals to suit us.  The development we moved to has a Banner clinic (plus other shops and services right out front) that we can golf cart to. Plus, a small hospital with a helicopter is within a mile with a large Banner hospital only about 15 miles away.

Likely not as big a factor for you since you're younger but we're in our seventies so medical was a bigger consideration.  Regardless, the East Valley is the most tolerable of the Phoenix Metro area even though it is starting to get way too crowded here. The big draw for us was the outdoor recreation as well since shooting spots are only 20 minutes from our front door.