The Northeast Valley includes Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley and the popular city of Scottsdale. Known for year around resort style living, the Northeast Valley portrays a southwestern lifestyle. Residents enjoy country clubs, golf course communities, million dollar homes paired with million dollar views. The Northeast Valley does not only cater the to wealthy, it is also very family friendly. There are several family friendly neighborhoods that offer great education opportunities and convenient shopping and dining.
Scottsdale
Although the days of cattle ranching in the are long past, the names of the vast multi-development neighborhoods as McCormick Ranch and Gainey Ranch still pay homage to the area’s early days. These neighborhoods are often a mix of residential homes that include single-family homes, condos, patio homes and townhomes. More than 40% of Scottsdale residents fall into the 40 and over bracket which has helped build a growing medical community that includes the western campus of the Mayo Clinic.
Pity the shortsighted Phoenix real estate salesman who moved to Scottsdale in 1949 and sold two years later, declaring the land inhospitable and Scottsdale’s future unpromising. For a city in the middle of the Sonoma Desert, Scottsdale is remarkably green, with national acclaimed golf courses and Indian Bend Wash, the centerpiece of Scottsdale’s extensive recreation amenities. This miles long ribbon of greenbelt, which extends down the middle of the vertically drawn city, is boarded by several parks that feature bike paths, small fishing lakes and outdoor recreation.
Town of Paradise Valley
The Town of Paradise Valley is located just north of Camelback Mountain and is almost entirely residential. Among its amenities are the Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa and the Marriott Mountain Shadows Resort. There are also exclusive shops and restaurants located near the town’s border with Scottsdale.
Residents here find it easy to get around vis the Pima Freeway from I-17 and the Piestewa Parkway that been extended to give better accessibility to Sky Harbor International Airport and downtown Phoenix.
Fountain Hills
Tucked into the McDowell Mountains is Fountain Hills. Residents enjoy cooler temperatures and a more secluded feeling than their counterparts in Phoenix. Designed by Charles Woods Jr. the visionary behind Disneyland, the community of Fountain Hills is loaded with small town charm. Once named by Parenting Magazine as one of the “Ten Great Places to Raise a Family”, Fountain Hills has also found a unique niche by catering the needs of it’s active retiree population. The area is especially attractive to older families and young professionals.
Part of what makes Fountain Hills so sought-after is its awe-inspiring views and higher elevation. From sunrises to sunsets and at every point in town, it’s understandable why so many weddings happen in this special community.
Carefree, Cave Creek
Carefree and Cave Creek are neighboring communities that share the same piece of beautiful Sonoran Desert overlooking the Valley of the Sun. However, they do have distinctly two different personalities.
Cave Creek residents enjoy their “old timey” and small town community, while Carefree lives up to it’s very laid back atmosphere. With Cave Creek’s elevation being the lowest at 2,130 feet and Carefree topping out at 2,830 feet, the two communities share temperatures of about five to six degrees cooler than Phoenix. Low humidity and cooler temperatures lure outdoor enthusiasts. This serene, saguaro-studded landscape, decorated with natural outcroppings of massive sand colored boulders and teeming with jack rabbits and other desert dwellers are a huge attraction for new residents.
As an added bonus, golf courses here and in the surrounding foothills are woven into the landscape, making them some of the most scenic in the state.
