Hi, I’m Mark!
I’m a married, father of two, and after careful consideration with my family, we recently made the move from Santa Clara, Calif. to Gilbert, Ariz., located in the southeast part of Greater Phoenix about 20 miles — or half an hour — from downtown. I work for a large technology company as a senior director of cloud engineering, and with my company’s decision to shift permanently to a remote work model, the idea of moving to a lower-cost market with a great quality of life my entire family could enjoy immediately became an option.
We previously lived in the city in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo, which isn’t ideal with two teenage boys having to share a room and bathroom. While we’ve loved the city, we’ve always dreamed of a large home in a quant neighborhood with an array of activities in the community, but located centrally enough where we can explore downtown on any given day or night, and make a short drive to explore the unique cities, cultures and geographies that define a state’s core. Those options in Santa Clara weren’t realistic due in large part to affordability and congestion, making the commute to the office unbearable.
Gilbert is the #2 Safest Big City in America
2019 FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program
Greater Phoenix offers an abundance of quality cities, but we opted for Gilbert because of its affordability, flourishing downtown, top-rated entertainment facilities and overall quality of life. Gilbert was named the seventh best place in the U.S. to raise a family by WalletHub and the second “Safest City in the U.S.” by the FBI Uniform Crime Reports in 2015. With 242,000 residents, Gilbert is an ideal size, and it’s an emerging science and technology-focused hub, which reminds me a lot of back home.
Greater Phoenix offers an abundance of quality cities, but we opted for Gilbert because of its affordability, flourishing downtown, top-rated entertainment facilities and overall quality of life.
We built a beautiful 3,500 square-foot custom farm home that fit within our budget and is located in a newly developed gated community, just a short bike ride from the bustling shops, restaurants and developments that make Downtown Gilbert a desirable location. My boys now each have their own bedrooms and bathrooms, and I have a home office that allows me to plug in and stay connected and focused on my career. My wife is also a successful professional and landed a new role with a FinTech startup headquartered just 10-minutes from our house. I can reach the airport in less than 30 minutes, and Sky Harbor International Airport allows me to travel back to Santa Clara with ease when needed, along with other domestic and international destinations that have more than 1,200 flights daily.
Top 50 Best Places to Live in 2020
via Money Magazine
My family has been able to adjust quite nicely since making the migration to Gilbert and we’ve met so many wonderful people as we’ve explored our new city and the surrounding area. I’m a huge golfer and Greater Phoenix has more than 200 courses, so I typically play three times a week early in the morning before starting my day.
Check the Stats
$11644
Average ASU tuition
1200+
Daily Flights
$309543
Median Home Price
Home Value
In Gilbert, Mark found a house central to his office and the airport at a much more attainable cost than his Santa Clara home. Greater Phoenix’s median home price is under $310,000, compared to Los Angeles’ $717,000. Compare a Gilbert home sample below and visit the housing comparison page to browse additional price ranges and discover how much more value you can afford in Greater Phoenix.
