Category Archives: Payson
All Around the Town
With the world’s largest Ponderosa Pine forest and year round pristine weather in our backyard beckoning visitors and locals alike into the great outdoors, many find their recreation in the great wide beyond under the vast blue skies or twinkling stars when they are in Rim Country. Sometimes, however, people find themselves wanting amusement of the indoor variety. For those occasions, we have compiled a list of antiquing haunts for your treasure hunting pleasure.
Local Antique Stores
520 W. Main St, Payson
928-472-4323
800 E. Hwy 260, Payson
928-978-2464
3716 N. Prince Dr, Pine
928-476-4618
Moose Mountain Gifts & Antiques
6264 Hardscrabble Rd, Pine
928-476-3044
Somewhere in Time
503 W. Main St Ste C, Payson
928-474-1996
112 W. Wade Ln, Payson
928-472-7343
Local merchants are all well-versed in popular eateries and additional off-the-beaten-path hidden gems as well. Be sure to chat up our shop proprietors. You will find them all wells of knowledge.
We wish you all happy hunting, friends!
20 Reasons to Love Payson Arizona!
- National Park in your backyard. Tonto National Bridge, just 10 miles north of Payson, is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. This amazing sight is breathtaking with, or without the hike down and passing under, letting the light reflect playfully through the waterfall that flows over the top and into a refreshing pool below.
- Fresh air. Payson is home to the world’s largest ponderosa pine forest, which serves as a natural scrubber for the air. The result: pure clean blue skies, puffy white clouds, and an atmosphere that begs to be breathed deeply. That’s what we call real world aromatherapy.
- Deep rooted western history. Payson is home to the world’s oldest continuous rodeo. While Prescott’s rodeo technically started in 1888, that town paused their rodeo for the years of WWII. The Payson Pro Rodeo began in 1884, but the “experts” did not find the early days of the Payson Rodeo to be ‘organized’ enough for consideration toward the record. However, Payson took no pause during those war years, so the title of oldest “continuous” rodeo was distinguished as an official title for Payson. In any event, every year in August, Payson hosts a spectacle for the senses. Tourists flock from around the globe to experience the broncs and blood of our old west tradition.
- Year-round festivals. The Rim Country boasts a vivacious year of regional festivals, fairs, and other activities, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. With four seasons of livable outdoor weather, the Payson area offers an array of festivals catering to myriad tastes and passions in every month of the year.
- Outdoor recreation galore. Do you fancy hiking? Horseback riding? Rappelling? Water sports? Mountain biking? Then Rim Country is calling your name. The Payson area is ripe with natural beauty and topography for the active adventurer. Come play with us!
- Animal friendly community. Locals like to joke that it is easier to be an animal than a human in Payson. They aren’t far off. Our community is full of animal lovers. Our humane society is second to none, and our pet owners, well…just try to find anywhere you can’t take your beloved Fido in our little community. We love the furry kiddos here, and it shows!
- The Heart of Arizona. Literally, we are geographically at the center of the state. We boast an intimate small-town community, while also just one hour from the larger metros in any direction. That gives us literally the best of both worlds. Come here for the intimacy, stay here because you can escape to the “hustle and bustle” of easy commerce and conveniences without any hassle.
- Geologic playground. Payson is, quite simply, a rockhound’s paradise. Diamond Point, just east of Payson, has one of the largest natural Amethyst mines in the United States. The desert surrounding Payson is flooded with agate geodes. Ranging in diameter from tiny to almost grapefruit sized, these brain-like rock spheres are abundant hidden-treasure Easter eggs for geologists to crack open.
- Longhorn Pride. We are a proud community who invests in their youth. Years ago, our public school system adopted the mascot of “Longhorns” to apply to students in all levels of education; elementary, middle, and high schools. Today, public school students in grades K-12 now identify as Longhorns. This establishes community ownership, pride from youth, and extends generations beyond. We are proud to cheer our Longhorns to victory, no matter their age or sport/activity. WE. ARE. PAYSON. LONGHORNS.
- Iconic water tower. This landmark says home to locals. To visitors as they enter town from the busy metro Phoenix area in the south, it whispers: peaceful retreat.
- Weather! Due, in part, to the cosmic fortune of our ideal 5,000 foot altitude (yes Payson is also technically a MILE HIGH town) we experience all four distinct seasons without suffering through any of them. Score!! We get the picturesque aspects of each bit of winter, summer, spring, and fall, complete with bragging and Facebook posts, but also get to avoid the extreme seasonal discomforts experienced by our neighbors in any direction.
- Sunsets that practically invented the postcard industry. Stop and look at the sky at sundown. Look a bit different than what you’re used to? We do it differently here in Payson, where the sky gets painted every evening in sprightly fun colors and fancifully delights senses. Camera phones come out quite often here. No Instagram filters needed for this spectacle. We have the real thing.
- Faith: With a population just over 15,000 and active places of worship numbering over 70, we are a town with no shortage of options for your spiritual needs. In fact, many new residents list access to a preferred place of worship among the top reasons for relocating to our area.
- Casual Friday, every day. We definitely don’t tend towards the gussied-up, fancy types. Even our higher-brow industries do it a little less formally than the big cities. Jeans, hoodies, and ball caps are standard. If it is fancier fare, we have to spell it out in advance, or understand that a cowboy hat and some boots, maybe times twenty, might show up to the occasion.
- Life moves a little slower. We notice the things that the big city folk seem to look past. Like sunsets, conversations with neighbors, and the world shutting down in a snow storm. These are the pleasures and perks of small town life in Payson.
- Smiles, waves, conversation. Friends, family, acquaintances, and yes, even strangers are acknowledged and engaged with here. We see you.
- Dark Sky Community. In 2017, Payson attempted to become the 5th officially recognized dark sky community in the world. While the bid did not eventuate politically, we pride ourselves on our commitment to enjoying the stars in the sky, and keep our lights low in the evening hours to be able to see the celestial light show that greets us from above each night.
- Nature up close and personal. See the squirrels, and the elk, javelina, even the occasional bear. Hear the birds, heck, smell the fish. We have nature here, in so many forms. Our flora and fauna are incomparable, and we are able to experience it on a daily basis.
- That view of the Mogollon Rim. In a word: breathtaking.
- Traffic? Nonexistent. Test us. Come on up.
October Events in Payson
Fall is here and so are a whole slew of fun events! From off-road racing to dog shows, mark your calendar for all of the upcoming events in Payson!
Time Out Charity Golf Tournament
This event benefits the Time Out Shelter, helping victims of domestic abuse.
Where: The Rim Golf Club, 300 E Rim Club Dr, Payson, AZ 85541
When: Friday & Saturday Oct. 4th & 5th
Rim Country Empty Bowls
The Third Annual Rim Country Empty Bowls is a popular pottery making event with 100% of the proceeds donated toward Payson and Pine food banks.
Where: Majestic Rim, 310 E. Tyler Parkway, Payson, AZ 85541
When: Saturday Oct. 5th, 4:00PM-7:00PM
Payson AZOP Grand Prix
Experience two days of thrilling racing on bikes, ATVs, and UTVs.
Where: The Payson Event Center, 1400 S Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ 85541
When: Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 5th & 6th
26th Annual Beeline Cruise-In Car Show
Surrounded by the beauty of Green Valley Park, this car show brings out tons of visitors and culminates with the participants taking a cruise around town.
Where: Green Valley Park, 1000 W Country Club Dr, Payson, AZ 85541
When: Oct. 11th & 12th
4th Annual “Dog’s Day Out”
This event includes a dog show and a K-9 demonstration.
Where: Pet Club, 101 W Aero Dr, Payson, AZ 85541
When: Saturday Oct. 21, 9:00AM – 2:00PM
Trunk or Treat
The Trunk or Treat Fall Festival includes vendors, a photo booth, a tractor display, and more!
Where: The Payson Event Center, 1400 S Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ 85541
When: Thursday Oct. 31st, 6:00PM – 9:00PM
Home Inspection – What’s the Big Deal?
As the buyer of a new home, you might be advised to have the home inspected before the sale closes. While it’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the new house and want the sale to close as quickly as possible, it is important to have both a home inspection and a WDO inspection.
- Home inspection will check the structural condition of the home and includes the electrical, plumbing, roof, heating and AC.
- WDO inspection is typically referred to as a termite inspection, but termites are only one type of wood destroying organism. Carpenter ants and rodents can also wreak havoc with your home.
Why is this so important?
You might be thinking you don’t need the Home Inspection at all, especially if it’s a brand new house. But there are several reasons that an inspection is highly important.
It can save you from a really bad deal. If there are flaws in the home, you, as the buyer, can negotiate price with the seller, ensure that the seller pays for repairs before the closing of the home, or, depending on the level of damage, back out of the sale completely.
It can save you major legal problems down the road. An inspection can reveal illegal installations that were added or done outside of building codes that can be dealt with before it becomes your obligation to adjust or pay for down the road.
It can save you money. It can also help predict future costs, by revealing the age of certain aspects of the property like heating, plumbing, roofing, and other fixtures.
It can help you decide what to fix and when. Inspectors know their field well. Their task is to do an extensive inspection of the house including the plumbing, electrical, foundation, crawl spaces, attics, basements, and many other things. At the end of the inspection, they can give you tips and advice on how to handle current damages that need to be repaired right away, versus the ones that can be put off for a while longer until your budget allows it. They can also tell you which items should be repaired versus completely replaced, and recommend good contractors or product brands.
It can identify potential pest problems.
Some evidence of rodents is obvious, such as droppings or suspicious holes in a wall. However, resident pests aren’t always so easily spotted. This is another reason that having a WDO inspection done on your potential house is a good idea.
One of the primary pest concerns is with wood-destroying organisms (WDO). This includes any wood-boring pests, but mainly focuses on the most common perpetrators in this department: termites. Getting a WDO inspection is crucial because the inspector is trained to find subtle evidence of termites in a house.
It’s important to be sure the inspector is licensed in pest control to ensure a quality inspection. This also means they can identify potential termite threats that would otherwise get past even a savvy home buyer.
A termite inspection is worth every penny, because according to turnerpest.com these pests cost people over $5 billion a year.
Who pays for the inspection?
There are times when the seller might have the home inspected before putting their house on the market, so that they can adjust the asking price of their home, and also so that they have an inspection report to give to potential buyers. If not, then it’s your responsibility as the buyer to get an inspection on the house. Usually you’ll have a stated number of days in your contract to do so, and it’s your choice who to hire. Prices for a full inspection can range anywhere between $250 to $500 depending on the location and the size of the property. If you’re unsure which inspector to hire, ask your realtor for recommendations.
In short, home and pest inspections aren’t the most exciting part of the home buying process, but they are very important and shouldn’t be skipped because of the time, money, and problems that they will save you down the road.
Horsing Around the Payson Rodeo!
One of the most amazing things that Payson, Arizona is known for, is being the location of the world’s oldest, continuous rodeo. In 1884, in a meadow that is now the site of the Sawmill Crossing, a handful of ranchers and cowboys gathered together on the third weekend of August for a friendly competition of roping and riding. The yearly competition soon became tradition, and now, over 130 years later, Payson is still the grounds for this famous and historic rodeo.
The fun begins on Thursday evening, August 15, at the Payson Rodeo Grounds, and will continue throughout the weekend with several afternoon and evening events and performances continuing through Friday and Saturday. The weekend will be packed full of exciting things like bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing, and more! There will be performances from the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association and the National Barrel Horse Association, and a special event, Tough Enough To Wear Pink, with all proceeds going to local breast cancer awareness programs.
After two full nights of rodeo performances, head on over to Payson’s Historic Main Street on Saturday morning for the annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo Parade! Then it’s back to the rodeo grounds for a day packed full of events, performances, food, and fun, and finish off the weekend with the Payson Pro Rodeo Boots and Bling Rodeo Dance.
Whether you’ve lived in Payson your entire life and enjoy keeping this Wild West tradition alive, or are heading up north from the Phoenix area looking for a good time, mark your calendars for August 15th – 17th. This is one event you don’t want to miss out on!
For more information on specific events, fun facts, or ticket prices and purchasing, visit www.paysonprorodeo.com.
Welcome Ashton Quinn Schiche
Should I buy an existing home or build a new home?
Many times new home owners are caught between the question of should I buy an existing home or build a new home of my own? This is a great question, and it really comes down to the potential owner’s personal preferences in several different areas. To make it easier to decide, let’s break it down into the pros and cons of each.
Pros of buying an existing home:
- For an existing home, one of the main pros is convenience. You can move in immediately after closing and are instantly ready to begin your new life.
- You also have the potential of upgrades when buying an existing home. You can upgrade the house or the property in small ways — or major ways — in your own timeframe and whenever your budget allows.
- Another upside is that the cost of an existing home can be negotiated, unlike when building a home, where prices are fixed, and sometimes there are unexpected costs.
- With an existing home, most times, you are usually moving into an established neighborhood, which gives you the ability not only to socialize and entertain, but it usually means that stores, schools, and hospitals are nearby.
- Another benefit to buying an existing home that’s sometimes under-considered is the landscaping. If you move into an existing home, you’ll have mature landscaping and trees to work with and add to, as opposed to having to cultivate the bare lot of a newly built site.
Cons of buying an existing home:
- One of the cons of buying an existing home is somewhat of an obvious one — you will always be competing with other buyers for the home, whereas you’re less likely to have steep competition over a vacant lot.
- Another downside is the compromise on some of the existing features of the home. Unless you’re lucky enough to find your perfect dream home, it’s likely that you’ll have to settle on some of the aspects of the house and its floor plan.
- You may also end up needing to repair or restore certain aspects of the home, such as heating, cooling, or roofing, depending on its age and condition.
Now let’s look at some of the positives and negatives that come with building your own home.
Pros of building your own home:
- When building your own home, you can have it designed to fit your lifestyle and your preferences and get exactly what you want.
- You can also have custom details put in, things that make your house unique and intriguing.
- Should something go wrong with an aspect of your new home, large repairs are usually covered by a warranty.
- New homes are also more energy efficient and can cost you less in the long run.
- A new home is also less likely to contain toxic construction materials than an existing home, and you can take special measures to ensure the building materials you use are as eco-friendly as possible.
Cons of building your own home:
- When building your own home, the timeframe will be the main issue you face. You’ll have to budget a length of time in advance for the new house to be built, and sometimes, unforeseen things happen, pushing your timeframe out farther than expected.
- Building your own home can also be more expensive than outright buying an existing home; with a new home, there tend to be more upfront costs and not much room for negotiation on purchase prices or closing costs.
- There can also be extra costs you hadn’t budgeted for, either when choosing to upgrade certain aspects to your home, or paying for unexpected issues that weren’t budgeted for.
- If you’re building on an untouched lot, there can be extra time and money required for the lot itself, either to landscape the bare lot when the home is finished, or to shape the lot / remove trees to fit the new house.
- Lastly, there are impact fees to consider when building a new home, which is a tax usually imposed on new builders to cover the “impact” made on schools, roads, fire departments, etc.
When choosing an existing home or building a new one yourself, there are many pros and cons to both sides. In the end, it comes down to time, money, and what you’re looking for in your dream home.
Payson – 4th of July!
In Payson, Arizona, the 4th of July celebration is one of our biggest events of the year! All of the events and games center around Green Valley Park, where the day starts early, at 8AM with a patriotic ceremony to honor men and women, both past and present, who have fought for our freedom. At 11AM, the vendors will open, offering treats such as ice cream, snow cones, coffee, and more. From 1PM to 3PM, games will be hosted with prizes going to the winning teams of some classic favorites like a three-legged race, a water balloon toss, and even a pie eating contest. Then visitors can head over to the Ramada and enjoy live music from 6PM up until 9PM when the main event begins — the fireworks show! Payson is well known for one of the most spectacular fireworks shows in the state; you certainly don’t want to miss out!
Whether you’re a local, looking forward to spending the day at Green Valley Park with friends and family, or a weekend traveler searching for a fun way to spend your holiday, come on down to Green Valley Park and enjoy the fun. And make sure to arrive early to get the best seats for the fireworks show!
Happy 4th of July Birthday Rory! A real Yankee Doodle Dandy!
The Wild Life
Photo courtesy of Joe Klein
Living in a rural mountain community like Payson, AZ comes with tons of small town charm and a relaxing lifestyle (as mentioned in our previous article). In addition, there are endless adventures with the local wildlife, enhancing the experience in a wonderful way.
Green Valley Park creates a playground for local elk, eagles, fish, turtles, and more… right inside of town limits for everyone to enjoy… backdropped by breathtaking sunsets over the 3 beautiful lakes. Payson is also home to many neighborhoods, both gated and not, that provide a view of deer and elk grazing and resting on a daily basis.
Our neighborly bald eagles are found fishing in town many months of the year. Most notably is Ernie the Eagle that has become a regular in our community and is often photographed and marveled at by those walking around the lakes. Over the past couple of years, 3 bull elk have become very comfortable within the community and are seen at all times of the day exploring our streets and local businesses. Payson residents are excited every year when they come back around for a few months to join the fun.
A times it feels surreal to live in a location that provides the beauty, community, and wildlife interaction that Payson, AZ and neighboring communities provides. I am proud to live here and feel so thankful each time I help someone find their little slice of heaven in this wonderful place.