Relocating to Apache Junction Without the Surprises

I'm Kim Williamson, REALTOR® with REAL Broker. I have lived in the Phoenix metro for 36 years and sold real estate for 24 of them, with more than 1,000 transactions closed in Arizona and through referrals nationwide. I am also an 8x WPRA World Champion who has owned three horse properties and designed them myself.

Buying from out of state means you are trusting somebody else's eyes. I take that seriously. I walk properties on video so you see what the listing photos skip, including the fence lines, the wash at the back, and the view from the barn. I check the parcel's jurisdiction, zoning district and county before you get attached. When you fly in, we tour only the properties that already passed those checks, so your trip is about deciding, not discovering.

I move as fast as your timeline needs and answer questions along the way, because a relocation has enough moving parts without waiting on your agent.

Apache Junction straddles two counties. Most of the city is in Pinal County and a western slice is in Maricopa County. Effective property tax rates in Maricopa run roughly 0.40 to 0.64 percent and in Pinal roughly 0.47 to 0.52 percent, compared with a national median around 0.9 to 1.0 percent. Arizona's income tax is a flat 2.5 percent, and Social Security and military retirement are exempt. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional, but most people moving from high-tax states notice the difference.

Daily life out here has its own rhythm. Monsoon season runs June 15 through September 30, with storms that can send water through desert washes fast. Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. Internet and cell service toward the edges of town vary by address, so check before you buy if you work from home. And many properties run on wells or hauled water, which you will own and maintain.

A few things surprise people coming from other states. There is no natural grazing on desert land without irrigation, so plan on buying hay all year. Arizona hay comes largely from Yuma, with more from farms around Eloy, Casa Grande, Stanfield and Buckeye, and many farms also sell pellets that cut down on waste. If you are coming from California, Arizona's water heater code calls for proper structural support and a 36-inch clearance, not the seismic strapping you may be used to. Small details, but they come up in inspections, and I would rather you hear them from me first.

US 60 connects Apache Junction west to Mesa, where my office is, and on to the rest of the Valley. If you are weighing the East Valley as a whole, compare relocating to Mesa and relocating to Queen Creek, or read my Apache Junction area page.