Set about 8 miles north of downtown Phoenix, Alhambra is a sprawling urban community with mid- to late-20th century homes close to parks, shopping and dining. According to Michael St. Paul, a Realtor with Vista Bonita Realty and over 20 years of experience, the two main things that bring homebuyers here are the general lack of homeowners associations and proximity to Phoenix’s amenities. Many residents here are renters and students at Grand Canyon University, which sprawls across the neighborhood's far southern end. “This is not the suburbs,” St. Paul says. “There’s a lot of single-family homes, but it’s very close to urban centers.” Residents here have easy access to Interstate 17, as well as public transportation.
The Grand Canal runs along the northern side of the Encanto neighborhood in Alhambra.
There are mountain views as you drive eastbound past Central Ave in Alhambra.
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Diverse range of local restaurants
Shopping and dining are found throughout the community. Christown Spectrum Mall has Walmart and a Target, as well as some national chain eateries. There’s a lot of authentic Mexican eateries in the neighborhood, but laidback sports bar Barba Roja is a highlight for its bacon-wrapped burritos, birria and happy hour specials, plus live music on weekends; Latino Market's the spot for Mexican groceries. Antigua Bakery is known for its tres leches cakes, and next door at La Pasadita, folks can try Sonoran-style hot dogs, a regional staple that's topped with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes and condiments like green chile sauce. There’s a variety of other cuisines on offer here too, like Polynesian-inspired dishes at Hula’s Modern Tiki, Vietnamese fare at Pho Thanh and traditional dim sum at Great Wall Cuisine. Along Bethany Home Road, there's more shopping and dining, including a Food City and Petersen African Market, where locals can find African snacks like plantain chips and Uda, an African spice. At Bullock's Cocktail Lounge, residents may enjoy comfort fare, craft cocktails and live music in a laidback, social setting.
Customers love working remotely at Copper Star Coffee located in Alhambra of Phoenix, AZ.
Explore Christown Spectrum Shopping Center in Alhambra.
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Getting around from Alhambra
Interstate 17 and Route 60 run through the neighborhood, and both merge into Interstate 10 about a mile south. Downtown Phoenix is 8 miles away. Alhambra's walkable and bike-friendly, and St. Paul says, “This area has more public transportation than any other area in Phoenix." Valley Metro buses stop throughout the neighborhood, and there's a light rail station on Glendale Avenue. St. Joseph’s Hospital is about 3 miles away, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is 8 miles away.
Rainbow crosswalk on 7th Avenue near Alhambra.
Charming homes along Central Avenue Corridor in Alhambra.
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Fun at the Arizona State Fair
In the fall, the Arizona State Fair’s held about a mile southeast at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Each year, over a million festivalgoers attend the month-long celebration and it’s among the top five largest state fairs in the country. With over 180 vendors, folks can find a wide variety of deep-fried and bacon-wrapped food here, but some of the fair’s most unique culinary offerings include banana pudding egg rolls and cotton candy cake. There’s also plenty of live entertainment and carnival rides, including the 130-foot-tall La Grande Wheel.
State Fair at Night is a must near the neighborhood of Alhambra.
Local State Fair at night offers residents entertainment.
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Neighborhood parks and trails
There are several parks dotted throughout the neighborhood, including the 44-acre Cielito Park, which offers an exercise course, playing fields and sports like softball, basketball and tennis. There’s also a community pool with a water basketball hoop, which is especially popular during the summer when temperatures here regularly top 100 degrees. The Washington Activity Center at the 55-acre Washington Park is another highlight, where folks can take community classes in topics like art, dance and CPR. Murphy’s Bridle Path is a historic 5-mile trail established over a century ago for equestrian use, but is now a popular jogging and cycling trail along North Central Avenue. For hikers and nature lovers, the Phoenix Mountains Preserve is about 5 miles west with scenic desert mountain views and wildlife.
Discover joy at Washington Park's playground in Alhambra, a haven for kids to explore and play.
Discover outdoor fun at Colter Park, Alhambra.
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Midcentury ranch-style homes on walkable streets
Set along sidewalk-lined streets, Alhambra’s homes are generally mid- to late-20th-century ranch-style. "There's a lot of history to these homes," says Shivani Dallas, an associate broker with Keller Williams Integrity First and over 17 years of experience. “A lot of people who live in this area have families that have lived there since the time that these homes were built.” Most of these ranch-style homes have three to five bedrooms in 700- to 1,800 square feet, and many have attached carports and covered patios; lots are generally 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and landscaped with gravel. Prices typically range from $300,000 to $700,000, depending on size, renovations and special features like private pools. Homes at the lower end of the price scale are popular with investors looking to rent out their properties.
In the neighborhood's northeast, the gated Villa Tercera community also has 20th century ranch-style homes, but these are larger and governed by an HOA. These four-to-six- bedroom homes have layouts of 2,000 to 4,000 square feet, and lots of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet; many include swimming pools and multi-car garages. Prices typically range from $900,000 to $1.2 million, and monthly HOA dues of $300 to $400 go toward community upkeep.
In Alhambra's southeast, the Westwood Mobile Home Park offers midcentury manufactured homes with one to two bedrooms in layouts of 400 to 1,300 square feet; concrete-paved or gravel-packed lots range from 600 to 1,300 square feet. Prices range from $40,000 to $60,000, depending on a home's size; monthly HOA dues of $600 to $750 grant access to shared spaces, like community pools.
The Alhambra neighborhood has homes with Desert Landscape in Phoenix, AZ.
Phoenix, AZ Mid Century style homes in the Alhambra neighborhood.
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Open enrollment for Arizona schools
Arizona schools offer open enrollment, so students here may attend any area school, class size permitting. James W. Rice Elementary serves kindergarten through Grade 8, is rated C-minus by Niche and has a school uniform dress code. The C-rated Alhambra High, home of the Lions, offers career and technical education courses in topics like app design, sports marketing and engineering. The B-plus-rated Maryvale Preparatory Academy is a charter school that serves kindergarten through Grade 12 and is known for its classical liberal arts curriculum. About 100,000 students are enrolled at Grand Canyon University, a Christian college known for its nursing program.
Madison Meadows Middle School is big on a high performance in education in Phoenix, AZ.
Empowering minds at Alhambra High School in Phoenix.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Alhambra, Phoenix sell after 57 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Alhambra, Phoenix over the last 12 months is $375,000, up 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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