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Situated in the Santa Cruz Valley and surrounded by the
Tumacacori Mountains, Tubac's setting could not be more
idyllic. Large stands of
cottonwood, mesquite and acacia trees dot the area, and
centuries-old adobe houses line the town's main streets.
Four nations (Spain, Mexico, the Confederate States of
America and the United States) have flown flags over this
tiny desert oasis, and it is the second oldest European
settlement west of the Mississippi. It was also
once Arizona's largest town. Today, city facilities
are comprised of the Tubac Historical Society, a fire
department and the McCollough Regional Health Center; there
is no official city government. There are two churches, two
parks, a new community center and a small library.
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Tourists come to stroll the
cobbled sidewalks, shop in tasteful boutiques and dine in some
excellent restaurants; retirees come to find a slower pace and a
laid back Southwestern lifestyle. This is a place where one can
taste Old Mexico without leaving the U.S.
Tubac real estate is not cheap and not overly
plentiful, which is to be expected considering the size of the
town. The median home cost is $345,000, although at the time
of this writing, most two bedroom, two bath single-family homes
with 1,500-plus square feet are starting at around $450,000 and
rising significantly from there. Town homes with 1,200
to 1,500 square feet, two bedrooms and one bath are available
starting in the low to mid-$300,000s. In keeping with
local history, every home in Tubac is built in the southwestern,
adobe style.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs to zoom in
and out.
There are several new upscale master-planned
communities, including the Tubac Golf Resort (lots for sale on
this 200 year-old ranch start in the high $200,000s) and Barrio de
Tubac. The Townhomes
at Embarcadero (800-700-2506) are beautiful, completely
furnished (Southwestern-style) town homes with a full-time
concierge, housekeeping services, laundry services, valet service,
errands' service, covered parking and meal delivery. One
bedroom units with a year-long lease start at $1,676 per
month. Weekly and monthly rentals are also available.
Tubac does not have a manufactured home community.
The average property tax rate in Santa Cruz
county, where Tubac is located, is $7.56 per $1,000 in property
value. Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits are
exempt from state income taxes. Up to $2,500 total of
military, civil service, and Arizona state/local government
pensions are also exempt. All out-of-state government
pensions are fully taxed. Single
homeowners 65 and older who earn less than $3,700 and married
couples who earn less than $5,500 are eligible for a tax credit of
up to $502.
The sales tax rate is 6%.
The town does not have a public transportation
system, but this is a very walkable community. No one is in
a hurry to get much of anywhere, anyway. Even though
things move rather slowly, a number of volunteer opportunities are
available, including working with the Tubac Historical Society, an
all-volunteer preservation group, giving time to the Tubac Center
of the Arts, and doing a variety of jobs, including acting as a
docent, a gardener or manning the visitors' desk, at Tumacacori
National Park.
Tubac,
Arizona, Continued....
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