Prescott

Courthouse

Prescott is a city of about 50,000 residents that sits atop a mesa at 5,319 ft above sea level about 95 miles north of Phoenix. It was the original capital of the state until the late 1800's, when Phoenix took that honor.

Most of the downtown area is a historical district where the buildings are over 100 years old. Chain and big box stores are prohibited in the downtown district, so there is a charming old west milieu to the area. A plethora of unique restaurants, bars, curio, art, and antique shops surround the large county courthouse that formerly served as the state's capital building.

The city survives on tourism. There are a plethora of art fairs, music and film festivals, a rodeo, athletic events, lots of hiking in the adjacent national forest, and festivities and parades marking most major holidays.

But the primary attraction for many visitors is the weather. The average daily temperature in the hottest month (July) is 88 degrees and average highs are 50 in the winter. When it's over 100 in Phoenix, hotels are booked for weekends in Prescott.

Unfortunately the bulk of Prescott up on the mesa has been built out for years. The only land available for building is on the outskirts of the city which falls off into high desert where the temperatures can get much higher in the summer.

The scarcity of new homes means that existing homes are overpriced and buildable lots are very difficult to find (in the city limits with utilities). I patiently watched the listings for nearly a year and a lot a couple had purchased many years earlier came on the market exactly in the area that I prefer, between the city center and the national forest. After looking at existing homes I decided I didn't want to do a fixer upper.

We just finished framing my new house so it won't be too long before I can move out of my rental and into my beautiful new home.