Many years ago, we purchased a home in Carlsbad, using a realtor that was recommended to us - Jim Klinge. Fast forward to 2025, we recently had the privilege of selling 2 homes in Carlsbad, CA and didn't hesitate to reach out to Jim and Donna Klinge of Klinge Realty Group to guide us through the sales. The transactions were very different, each with its own unique situation, opportunities and challenges. From start to finish, Donna and Jim helped navigate the pre-sale preparation, the listing, showing of the house, buyer negotiations, the final close and all of the paperwork and decisions in between. What stands out with both transactions is the professionalism of Jim and Donna (and their team), wonderful communication (timely, relevant, concise), their deep understanding of market dynamics (setting realistic expectations), their access to top-notch contractors, and last, their ability to guide us across the finish line successfully. We wouldn't hesitate to use Jim and Donna in the future and highly recommend them for anyone looking to buy or sell a property in North San Diego County.
Haven’t been to Payson, but Flagstaff and Prescott are both livable.
Payson is comprised of lower income year round residents plus vacation cabins for Phoenixites. Lots of fires up there these days. Not a place I would want to live year round.
Fires are everywhere now (four burning currently in SD County).
I need to provide some solutions for people who want/need to downsize, and wouldn’t mind getting out of the rat race.
Payson isn’t perfect, but it is worth considering.
Been there recently?
Agree about Prescott. Medical facilities in Phoenix are much improved these days. The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale is expanding.
If you want a nice, suburban neighborhood with excellent schools, accessible shopping, and low crime, check out Gilbert.
I also suggest looking at Sedona and surrounding areas. The Village of Oak Creek is on the southern edge and has some nice houses and a golf course. At a little over 4,000 feet in elevation, summers are a little cooler and you get an occasional dusting of snow in the winter. Weekend traffic on 79 is a bear because of the tourists, but it’s a nice, quiet place to live.
If really want to get out of the rat race and maybe have a couple of horses, southern Arizona has a lot of options southeast of Tucson. Check out Patagonia and Sonoita. Not all of Arizona is saguaro country. Lots of grasslands and breathtaking views in the area for very reasonably prices. Want a funky small town? Benson and Bisbee come to mind.
If you are selling a million dollar plus home in coastal California, buy a nice home in Gilbert and a cabin up in Payson with the proceeds. Try doing that here for less than $2MM.
Been there recently?
Yes, 1976. 😆
Thanks for the tips on the others. I will work my way around.
But… living a bunch of miles from the Pacific Ocean? Cowboys jumping off perfectly good horses to tie up baby cows with rope, while old fat people egg him on? And not being near the Pacific Ocean?
Eww!!
It’s like a little Lake Arrowhead with rednecks!
Payson is a nice town. When my husband and I lived in Phoenix, we would frequently go to Payson and go hiking. Our favorite was Horton Creek Trail. Beautiful pine trees all along the hike, with a babbling brook alongside the trail. Very, beautiful place.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/horton-creek-trail