Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1413674
SmallTown frompage1 SeeSMALLTOWN Pg 6 renownedperforming arts,dining,recreation andarelaxedvibe.The town'smuseumeven holdsanaffiliation withtheSmithsonian Institution. Highdesertappeal "Wesellourcharm!" saysSheilaGoode,CEO andexecutivedirec- toroftheWickenburg ChamberofCommerce. "Weworkhardto captureourhistoryand keepitalive,andwe reallyenjoythepeople whohavemovedhere andassimilatedtoour wayoflife." "Wickenburgisan iconicWesterntown thatbecameadesti- nationfornew-home buyerswiththelarge- scaleWickenburgRanch masterplan,"says ShaunaFarmer,vice presidentofmarketing andsalesatTrilogyby SheaHomes,whichhas newhomesforpeople 55+atmaster-planned communitiesinseveral Arizonalocationsplus LasVegas,Northernand SouthernCalifornia, Idaho,andmore. "Wickenburghasthe small-townfeelwith alltheamenitiesyou need,includingaterrific hospitalandthehistoric downtownwithrestau- rantsandboutiques," Farmeradds. Localandregional attractionsincludetrail andhikingsystemson flattohighelevations, includingtheNature Conservancy'sHassa- yampaRiverPreserve, plusmountainpeaks withviewsandhistoric VulturePeak. So-calledguest ranches,formerlyknown asduderanches,range fromsmallandquaint toluxurious.Andthe town'ssignatureGold RushDayseventbrings localsandvisitorsfrom afarforasanctioned seniorprorodeo;a themedparade;amuck- ingandgrillingcontest; andmore. "Arealgoodmeasure ofhowourlongtimeand ournewresidentshave embracedourcultureis thatpeopleareinviting theirfriendsandfamily heretovisitthemona regularbasis,"Goode says. Interestingly,the town'sfounder,thePrus- sianprospectorHenry Wickenburg,livedinSan Franciscobeforemoving toArizona,wherehe livedoutthesecondhalf ofhis86years. ItseemsArizonahas beenalongtimedestina- tionforCaliforniansto enjoytheir55+years. Now,morethan100 yearsafterWickenburg's migration,manyCali- fornianscontinueseek- ingArizona'slower-key activelifestyle. "Arizonaisalsoattrac- tiveforitscostofliving," Farmersays."People don'thavetocompro- misewhenbuyinghere andit'seasytopurchase anewluxuryhomeina resort-stylecommunity andmaintainalifestyle atahighcaliber." Thegoodlife inCalifornia Meanwhile,across theGoldenState,from SouthernCaliforniato thePacificshores,Wine Countryandtheinland valleysandmountains, Californiawillbea foreverhometosome. Butthatdoesn'tmean theyhavetostaywhere they'velivedfordecades. Admire the view while hiking up the Vulture Peak Trail near Wickenburg, Arizona. TheSacramento area,forinstance,has becomeaterrificdraw forqualityoflifeand qualityofnew-home communitiesforactive adults.Thishasbeen especiallyobvioussince Proposition19became lawearlierthisyear, allowingpeopleoverthe ageof55,amongothers, tomaintainthebase taxablevalueoftheir currenthomewhen buyinganewprimary residenceanywherein thestate. "Wehavefocusedour communitiesfor55+ homebuyersaroundlow maintenance,thought- fuldesigninoursingle- storyhomes,aswellas resort-levelamenities andlifestylefeatures," saysMichelleVelky, divisionmanagerof LennarSacramento. "Theamenitieshave beenahugehit,includ- ingpickleball,tennis courts,state-of-the-art fitnesscentersand equipment,swimming pools,spas,gamerooms, andaprivateclub membership." Communityevents arebecomingamajor draw,asarethehigh- lightsthatdistinguish thegreaterSacramento regionfromotherparts ofthestateortheWest. "Peopleenjoyall kindsoflocalattrac- tions,"Velkysays."They lovethethrivingdown- townSacramento,Old Town,localdestinations likeElDoradoHills TownCenter,museums, dining,parksandriver recreation." Otherbenefits includetherelative proximitytoboththe BayAreaandtheNorth Bay'sWineCountry,plus freshwaterlakesand mountainslessthanan hourawaybycar. Meanwhile,the SolanoCountycityof RioVistaisknownas the"HeartoftheDelta" foritspositiononthe southbranchofthe SacramentoRiver,butis lessthan40milesfrom boththeNapaWine CountryandWalnut Creek. Thesmallcity,first foundedmorethan160 yearsago,isenjoyinga revivalofsorts,marked byitsinherentwater- recreationactivitiesand agrowingarts,cultural anddiningscene. Discovernewly releasedhomesfor55+ residentsinthewater- frontoasisofRioVista. There,theactive-adult communityLiberty includestwonew-home communities,Summitat Libertyfromthemaster plan'sprimarybuilder, LGIHomes,andLumi- nescenceatLibertyfrom DeNovaHomes. "Iseesomanypeople ridingtheirbikesaround thecommunityand intotown,"saysBrigitte Nowinski,marketing managerforDeNova Homes. "I'vemetresidents whosaidtheywouldn't liveanywhereelse,"she explains."Theyknow thatRioVistaissafe, it'scleanandthefami- lieshereareextremely focusedonkeepingit thatway." Residentsofthe Libertycommunities alsocantakeadvantage ofthecity'sdevelop- ment—spanningthe past12years—at attractionssuchasthe RioVistaWaterfront Promenade.Onlya shortwalkfromdown- town,thePromenade hasbecometheplace tobeforresidentsand visitorsofallagesfor walking,cycling,views oftheSacramentoRiver andfishingareasfor thepublic. The55+Liberty communityaddstoRio Vista'sallure. "There'sapool,tennis courts,pickleball,agym, anoutdoorlabyrinthfor walkingormeditation andevenwinelockers," Nowinskisays. Inaddition,resi- dentshaveaccesstothe community'seventbarn, wheretheycanhold events,workintheart studioortakeadvantage ofthebusinesslounge. "It'sgreatthatpeople canbuyintothisatage 55,allinaplacelikeRio Vista,"Nowinskiadds. "Somepeopleconvert onebedroomintoan office.Somepeople holdclientmeetingsin thebusinessloungeor eventsintheeventbarn. Somepeoplemightplay bocceballandthensay, 'Letmegrababottle ofwinefrommywine locker!'" Welcomingfamilies withhometownvibes Fornew-homebuyers ofallages,including first-timehomebuyersor move-upbuyers,arange ofcitiesinCaliforniaand beyondwelcomefamilies withavarietyoflifestyle choices. Amongnew-home destinationswithinCali- forniaareHealdsburg, SantaRosaandRohnert ParkinSonomaCounty; FolsomRanch;andthe cityofChico,whichhas becomefarmorethana collegetown. AndoutsideCali- fornia,family-focused househuntersaregrow- inginterestedinplaces likeHeron,Montana. Locatedinthenorth- westregionofthestate, theareaprovidesthe freshnessofMontana's BigSkyliving,plus mountains,lakesand riversclosebyinIdaho. Attractedtothebeauty andspace,buyersand builderscanenvision customdreamhomesin smallcommunities. Situateddirectly betweenSpokane, Washington,and Missoula,Montana,life inHeronputsfamilies incloseproximityto wintersports,fishing, hiking,andthetrue Western-stylehistory, dining,andcultureof allthreestates.Some new-homebuyersbuild vacationhomesfor extendedstaysduring breaksfromCalifornia's heat. Meanwhile,the collegetownof Missoula,homeofthe UniversityofMontana atMissoula,sitsjusta coupleofhoursthrough themountains. Speakingofcollege towns,backinCalifor- niathecityofChico haslongheldareputa- tionasacollegetown, givenCalStateChico's popularityandthevibe createdandmaintained byitspopulationof youngpeople. ButBayAreanatives whomaketheirwayto Chicoforadaytripfind themselvespleasantly surprisedbythearea's vastofferings. Chico'sBidwellPark, forinstance,ishome tosomerenowned urbanswimmingholes, includingSycamore PoolattheOneMile RecreationalAreaon BigChicoCreek.The expansive,livingpool withacontinuously flowingcreekflows througha1920s-era Photo courtesy: Jan Vick, Sea Wing Creations, Rio Vista, CA Rio Vista is attracting residents with its blend of small-town charm, waterfront activities and a burgeoning arts and dining scene. S2 BAYAREANEWSGROUP 001 Advertising Section SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2021