Commercial real estate hot commodity in Roosevelt area

By David Abbott

Anyone interested in purchasing a home in the area around Roosevelt Lake has options in towns such as Roosevelt and Tonto Basin, but the commercial market has been hot in the past few years, particularly for properties with RV amenities.

“I like to tell people that we are one big RV park,” says Margaret Rambo, owner of Rambo Realty. “That’s the demand and the first thing they’d like to have.” Rambo has been in the area for 50 years and has seen something of a gold rush in the area for commercial properties.

“It’s a boater’s dream,” Duncan says. “Visitors can pull right up to the dock and it’s 10 steps from the bar.”

For more information, go to rooseveltlakemarina.com.

The Roosevelt Lake Visitor Center is onsite at the Marina and offers an air conditioned entry point to Tonto National Forest as well as exhibits, videos and information on activities and attractions around the lake.

The Center opened on Nov. 5, 1994 and features a patio with an expansive view of the lake.

Although it’s generally too hot for the myriad trails throughout the region, TNF offers a selection of several hundred developed campsites, multiple shoreline areas, and small, isolated, islands and coves with plenty of opportunities for camping and relaxing.

Surrounded by some of the most stunning examples of untouched Sonoran Desert, Roosevelt Lake is a beautiful body of water that is a sanctuary for migratory waterfowl and raptors that use the lake during the fall and winter.

“There’s boating, there’s day use sites … a lot of our camping is either first come first served or through reservation.gov, where they can reserve sites,” says Forest Service Spokesman Eric Hoskins. “If visitors stop by our visitor center, they can come in, cool off there and learn a little bit more about the area.”

Day-use sites such as Fraser and Vineyard have no camping, but can be used for entry points to the water. Developed campgrounds such as Cholla, Windy Hills and Schoolhouse have boat ramps and other amenities and require nominal fees for use.

Primitive camping in the forest is not subject to fees and is available all across the TNF as long as campers stay near an open road.

“The main thing we want to make sure is that people aren’t driving off those main roads, and they’re not damaging things or driving over bushes,” Hoskins says, adding that during the summer there are restrictions on the use of fire and the use of certain roads due to construction.

“That means no campfires unless you’re at a specific rec development that has our metal rings,” he says.

In addition to fire restrictions, Hoskins says visitors must be aware of their surroundings and guard against inadvertently setting off wildfires.

When towing, ensure no chains are dragging that may cause sparks that lead to wildfires and be careful about smoking by not throwing butts out of vehicle windows and ensuring cigarettes are completely stubbed out.

“That’s a huge concern for us,” Hoskins says. “If you are at one of our developed campsites, make sure you have a shovel and water to put it out. Obviously, we don’t want campfires anywhere out in the forest itself because it’s such a high danger right now. Also we don’t want fires during red flag days because of the winds and other dangerous conditions.”

One of the premier attractions in the TNF is the Tonto National Monument and its two Salado-style cliff dwellings that were built about 700 years ago.

The Visitor Center offers an introduction on the people who built the dwellings and contains artifacts and replicas of pottery and textiles that are on display in the museum. Visitors can watch a 20-minute park movie on the upstairs viewing platform ondemand throughout the day.

The park store, operated by Western National Parks Association, sells mementos and educational items.

The dwellings are accessible year-round and the Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

The Lower Cliff Dwelling trail is open daily during summer months from 8 a.m. to noon. Visitors must begin their hike before noon.

The Upper Cliff Dwelling Trail is only accessible by guided tour from November through April, groups are limited, and require a reservation. Reservations open October 1 for the season. To make a reservation, call 928-467-2241. There is a $10 fee to visit the ruins.

Weather during the summer can be extremely hot, but is typically 10 degrees cooler than the Valley. Park staff may close the trail to the Lower Cliff Dwelling due to safety concerns such as lightning, flooding, bee activity or heat.

For more information, contact the Tonto Basin Ranger District at 602-2255395. For information about fees or road closures, go to www.fs.usda.gov. u

Things have slowed down this year, but 2022 saw a number of businesses change hands, according to Rambo.

In addition to the Stagecoach Bar and Grill in Roosevelt, the Spring Creek Store in Roosevelt changed ownership last year and this year the Tonto Basin IGA Marketplace followed suit.

But the real movement was in property that can easily be set up for RV parks.

“Buyers are looking at RV lots with all utilities installed with Gila County General Use zoning,” Rambo says. “We have limited availability, but when we do have one, this type of lot sells for a lot more than a residential lot.”

Rambo says her office has seen offers of as much as two to three times the price of residential units for such properties.

In 2022, the Lazy JR RV Park, Jakes Corner RV Park and Greenback Crossing RV Park all sold to individuals or investment groups.

Rambo was not involved in any of those deals, but has been working on another for a few years— Roosevelt Lake Cottages RV Park— sitting on 21 acres with more than 100 spaces.

For those interested in buying a dream home near the lake there are limited options in Roosevelt, but settlements such as Tonto Basin have a larger number of residential units for sale.

According to realtor.com, the first week of July there were three homes for sale in Roosevelt, ranging in price from $80,000 for a quarter-acre lot to a 3-bedroom, 3 bath, 2,784 square-foot home for $450,000.

Tonto Basin had 43 homes for sale in early July, with a median price of $412,000.