So, how do you choose between them if you’re considering them as possible options for buying a home?
Age Restriction
One obvious difference is the age restriction. If you’re well under the age of 55 you’ll be looking at SaddleBrooke Ranch, which is for the 40+ active adult, while Trilogy at Vistancia is for the 55+ age group. Both are gated communities, with SaddleBrooke Ranch being larger, having 5,400 single family homes, while Trilogy at Vistancia has 3,300 single family homes.
Location
Another factor in your choice is whether you want to be closer to Phoenix or Tucson. Locals say that in Tucson the desert is on your doorstep while in Phoenix concrete is on your doorstep. There is a lot of truth in that.
Although Tucson is the second largest city in Arizona, the population is only about one million in the greater metro area compared to almost five million in Phoenix. Tucson is made up of neighborhoods while Phoenix is made up of several adjoining cities, including Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale.
Trilogy at Vistancia is in Peoria, which is both a city in its own right and a suburb of Phoenix. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Downtown Phoenix and on that drive you will always be in an urban landscape.
SaddleBrooke Ranch, on the other hand, is actually surrounded by desert. It’s in the small town of Oracle, which is in Oro Valley, and also a 45-minute drive from the nearest downtown in Tucson. During that scenic drive, though, you will pass through Arizona desert on the edge of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
If you want to get out hiking in the desert then from Trilogy at Vistancia it’s a 30-minute drive to the Peoria Regional Preserve and the adjoining Peoria West Wing Mountain Preserve. SaddleBrooke Ranch, by comparison, is surrounded by the Sonoran Desert while the Coronado National Forest is only 10 minutes from the community’s entrance gates.
Amenities
The amenities in Trilogy at Vistancia include two clubhouses, with the main Kiva Club having 35,000 square feet of space. It includes a fitness center, an aerobics and dance studio, hobby studios, a movie theater, an indoor lap pool, and an outdoor pool with mountain views.
The Mita Club is 17,000 square feet and also has a fitness center, aerobics and dance studio, an outdoor pool, an arts and crafts studio, and a restaurant. In addition there is an 18-hole golf course, six tennis courts and four pickleball courts.
Trilogy at Vistancia has a number of clubs, classes, and activities available for residents. These include card and board games, several art and drawing groups, craft clubs, clubs for activities such as tennis and pickleball, a wine group, a women’s club, and Spanish lessons.
SaddleBrooke Ranch’s amenities include the 37,000 square-foot Hacienda Club, an 18-hole golf course, a restaurant, an on-site craft brewery, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, two tennis courts, and 28 pickleball courts. This makes it one of the best communities in Arizona for the pickleball enthusiast.
Being a larger active adult community, SaddleBrooke Ranch offers more by way of clubs, classes, and activities. These range from a ballroom dance club to a motorcycle club. Other options cover hiking, dancing, sports such as golf and tennis, a writing group, Spanish lessons, arts and crafts groups, card and board games, and a singles group.
Price Comparison
Price is usually a factor in most people’s decisions on where to live. Trilogy at Vistancia has homes for sale starting in the low $300s and going through to the high $600s. SaddleBrooke Ranch’s price range for homes also starts in the low $300s but goes up to the high $800s.
Models Available
Another important factor in choosing between communities is the size of home you want. Some people want compact and more affordable homes, others want as much space as they can find. Models in Trilogy at Vistancia start at 1,218 square feet and have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. There are 48 different models available in all, with the largest having 3,223 square feet which provides four bedrooms, a den, four-and-a-half bathrooms, and a three-car garage.
The smallest models in SaddleBrooke Ranch offer 1,404 square feet, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. There were 26 different models built, the largest being 3,077 square feet and having three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and a three-car garage. However, one slightly smaller model has 2,808 square feet but this provides up to three bedrooms and a den, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and a three-car garage.
If choosing between Trilogy at Vistancia and SaddleBrooke Ranch, then, the most important factor is the location – desert or more urban – and the active adult age restriction: 40+ or 55+? Otherwise, amenities and prices are fairly similar, though Trilogy at Vistancia can offer a wider range of models and slightly larger homes, if space is a factor in your decision.
