Joan

has written 2 SperlingViews. Currently, Joan is living in Tacoma, WA and has a little something to say:

re: Retirement in Casa Grande, AZ - 12/14/2005 Posted On: 10/17/2008 2:47:22 PM

I am renting a house in Casa Royale, a 55 or better community adjacent to the i-10 freeway, in Casa Grande. This community is not as large as some others, such as Sun City.
Casa Grande is a compact town.
Florence Blvd runs on an east/west axis. Every chain store known to man has a location on either side of Florence Blvd, within a distance of about three miles. Just across the street from the retirement community where I am living is a brand new shopping center with stores such as Ross, Marshall's, Dillard's, and many others. I like the convenience of Casa Grande, and I like the housing prices. Right now, I am looking to buy a newer four bedroom, three bath 2000 sq ft. house with a triple garage, within walking distance of a supermarket. I expect to pay in the 130k range. How much better can it get? The location is not so good for night life, but if you are planning to attend an event in Phoenix, a one hour drive will get you there and leave fifteen minutes to park and get inside the venue. It is also within driving distance of Tucson, noted as the 'cleanest city in the U.S.' for 2008.
Good luck to you!

A town grown large Posted On: 10/17/2008 2:36:33 PM

Tacoma...when I moved here thirty-five years ago, it was a town retaining a flavor of its' Scandinavian heritage. It was blue collar,...a working man's town. In the intervening years it has changed into two different towns. South Tacoma still retaining the working class image,...North Tacoma now very upscale and in some areas, very expensive. It seems sometimes that the Tacoma northend is more connected to Seattle than to Tacoma itself.
The weather is overcast, dismal and rainy throughout most of the year. However, no matter where you are, if you keep track of the nightly national TV weather, you will see that the best summers in the nation are here in western washington around the Puget Sound. Seventy five, sunny and gorgeous with very little humidity. Fall can also be quite pleasant...dry, cool, crisp, with a bit of sunshine and flaming red, yellow and orange foliage.
It is a time to look forward to the Hallowe'en trick or treaters coming around in their costumes.