Glendale

Arrowhead is a sprawling urban residential neighborhood in Glendale, Arizona, that includes master-planned subdivisions like Arrowhead Lakes, commercial centers like Arrowhead Towne Center and several golf courses, including Arrowhead Country Club. “If you look at a map, it’s massive,” says Kirsten Myers, a Realtor with Re/Max and over 20 years of experience. “Arrowhead is great; it’s an excellent location with great freeway access, lots of shopping and dining at Arrowhead Towne Center, spring training with the Mariners and Padres and great schools.” Rio Vista Community Park is also in the neighborhood, and Highway 101 and Valley Metro bus stops along Bell Road make it easy for residents to get around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. “It seems like neighbors are very close, and there’s a lot of family-oriented activities within the neighborhood,” says Karen Shinham, a Realtor with West USA Realty and four years of experience. “The family nature of the community attracts a lot of people.” “The Arrowhead Area was built out after the Central Phoenix area, so you have stuff built in the 80’s and 90’s. Phoenix has older homes and historical districts—you’re not going to have those in Arrowhead,” says Myers. The average home price in Arrowhead is about $540,000, more than in Downtown Glendale, where the average is around $300,000. Prices typically range between $400,000 and $800,000, but homes can vary greatly. “It’s mostly single-family houses, but there’s probably thousands of houses in this neighborhood. Anything from ranchers to two-story homes, anything from 1,200-square-foot to very expensive houses on the lake,” says Shinham. Late-century ranch-style homes start around $400,000, many drawing from Spanish Revival stylings and featuring rock gardens with low-water plantings and attached garages. Homes from the 2000s start closer to $600,000; many are two-story Spanish Revival and may be a part of homeowner’s associations like Arrowhead Lakes, where residents share lake access, community pools and a fitness center. Homes with features like private pools, mountain views and large lots go for between $800,000 and $1.5 million. Arrowhead is zoned for the Deer Valley Unified School District, rated A overall by Niche. Local kids can start at Arrowhead Elementary or Greenbrier Elementary, both rated A-minus, before moving on to Highland Lakes School or Hillcrest Middle for grades 7-8, both rated A. Teens attend Deer Valley High, rated A-minus, known for its music programs, including jazz ensemble and marching band, and state-champion-winning athletic teams, including basketball and wrestling. “There’s the Arrowhead Country Club, and just about 20 miles to the north, you’ve got Lake Pleasant, where you can go water skiing,” says Myers. The Arrowhead Country Club offers its members courts for tennis and pickleball, fitness facilities and an 18-hole golf course dotted with palm trees and set by distant mountain views, while Lake Pleasant Regional Park is popular for its 18 miles of dirt-packed hiking trails, boat access and a stocked lake full of bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass. About 2 miles south of Arrowhead Country Club, The Legend at Arrowhead is a country club with a semi-private 18-hole golf course where non-members can book a tee time. The 52-acre Rio Vista Community Park is in Arrowhead’s southwestern corner and offers lighted softball diamonds and sand volleyball courts, a fishing pond stocked with largemouth bass and channel catfish and an outdoor skate park; the park also features the Veterans Memorial Wall, where names of veterans are honored and displayed along a black granite monument. For groceries, residents head to Trader Joe’s on Bell Road; Target and department stores like Hobby Lobby and Nordstrom Rack are across the street at Arrowhead Crossing. Nearby, Arrowhead Towne Center is an indoor shopping mall with over 100 outlet stores and fast-casual eateries, like Johnny Rockets. “There’s so many restaurants within 10 minutes of Arrowhead,” says Myers. “From In-N-Out to Ah-So, you’ve got all those right there.” In-N-Out is next to the Target, while Ah-So, a Japanese sushi and steak restaurant with an indoor stone waterfall, is about 2 miles east along Bell Road. Throne Brewing Company is also on Bell Road and offers locally brewed craft beers like Black Caddis, a Porter by Wren House Brewing Company in Phoenix, and pub food like giant pretzels and fish and chips. Other nearby dining options include The Place, a family-owned brunch spot in a log cabin-themed setting that’s been open for over 30 years. For locally sourced produce, Shinham recommends the Arrowhead Farmers Market on Saturdays at Arrowhead Towne Center. At the Arrowhead Towne Center, residents can catch the latest movie at the local AMC and enjoy bowling and arcade games at Round 1. Nearby, Myers recommends checking out major league baseball’s spring training games at the Peoria Sports Complex, home to the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. About 8 miles south, Downtown Glendale is a popular hub for annual events, like the annual Chocolate Affaire in February, which brings over 50 chocolatiers and thousands of chocolate lovers to Downtown Glendale for a two-day exhibition filled with chocolate sampling, wine-tasting and interactive experiences. In March, Downtown Glendale hosts the Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival, a two-day festival celebrating folk music with performances from over 300 artists. There are also regular performances throughout the year at LiVE!, a free concert series featuring local artists with food trucks and games in Downtown Glendale, about 8 miles south. Highway 101 runs through Arrowhead, giving residents convenient access south toward Phoenix, 25 miles away or a 30- to 55-minute drive, depending on traffic. “It’s not like DC, where public transportation is all over the place,” says Myers. “The public transportation here is buses, and most people drive.” Valley Metro bus stops can be found throughout Arrowhead along commercial corridors like Bell Road. Abrazo Arrowhead Medical Campus is centrally located next to Arrowhead Country Club, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is about 28 miles southeast.