What Is It Really Like to Live in Sedona?

Red Rocks, Roundabouts, Javelinas and Real Life

I grew up in Sedona when it was a sleepy little town, traffic was barely a consideration, and Oak Creek was essentially our neighborhood playground.

Sedona Market and Basha’s were our grocery stores. We ate at the Oak Creek Owl, The Turtle, The Chalet and the original El Rincon at Tlaquepaque. During the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, some of our neighbors even dyed their hair green. It was that kind of town.

Sedona has changed—a lot—but it is still home. After more than five decades here, I can tell you that living in Sedona is wonderful. It is also different from spending a beautiful long weekend here.

Let’s talk about the whole picture.

My Sedona Roots—the Short Version

My parents, John and Mary Kay DePoe, loved Sedona and loved houses. My father opened a Coldwell Banker residential brokerage in Sedona in the early 1980s. My mother served as a Head Start center director in Sedona and Cottonwood for 40 years.

Together, they also owned the Sedona Racquet Club for approximately 10 years. Sadly, the club has since been torn down, and the property is being developed within the Foothills South subdivision.

My parents had a gift for discovering unusual homes and making them magnificent. We moved frequently, and I loved the excitement of each new house. I earned my real estate license in 2002 so I could return to my love of houses and work with my father.

That is the condensed version. Now let’s get to what living here is actually like.

Sedona Is Not One Lifestyle

People frequently ask, “What is the best area of Sedona?”

The honest answer is: best for whom?

Choosing between West Sedona, Uptown and the Village of Oak Creek is not just a real estate decision. It is a lifestyle decision. I have seen buyers choose the Village because they could get more house for their money, only to sell later, move into something smaller in West Sedona and feel much happier.

I have also watched people leave West Sedona or Uptown for the Village, Cornville or Cottonwood because they wanted less traffic, a quieter pace or easier access to healthcare.

Neither choice is wrong. But choosing the wrong area for the way you live can become an expensive lesson.

West Sedona: Convenient With Some Old-Sedona Character

West Sedona still has some of the old Sedona feeling, along with grocery stores, restaurants, medical offices and everyday conveniences.

Generally, the farther west you go, the less traffic you encounter. West Sedona works especially well for people who want to be close to services without living directly in the middle of Sedona’s visitor activity.

Uptown: Yes, It Can Be a Circus

Uptown can feel like a circus—and, strangely enough, I like the circus.

There is energy, activity, restaurants, shops and a steady parade of people discovering Sedona for the first time. Depending on the property, you may be able to walk to dinner instead of conducting a strategic parking operation.

Uptown can also appeal to certain vacation-rental buyers, but never assume that a property can be used as an Airbnb. Regulations, zoning, deed restrictions and HOA rules must all be investigated before purchasing.

The Village of Oak Creek: Quieter and a Little Slower

The Village of Oak Creek generally feels quieter and moves at a slightly slower pace. Buyers can sometimes find more house for their money, and the Village has its own restaurants, golf courses, services and beautiful trail access.

Beaverhead Flat Road has also made reaching Cornville and Cottonwood much easier. VOC residents can bypass Sedona traffic when traveling for healthcare, shopping or a change of scenery.

At certain times of the year, it can be faster to take Beaverhead Flat Road to Cornville Road and Page Springs Road into West Sedona than to travel through town on State Route 179 and 89A.

And here is a free longtime-local tip: avoid an unnecessary midday trip from the Village to West Sedona on a holiday weekend. Your future self will thank you.

Sedona Traffic Requires Strategy and Acceptance

Sedona traffic is real. Residents learn which hours are easiest, when to combine errands and when getting from one side of town to the other is simply not worth the emotional investment.

The good news is that traffic is not equally difficult everywhere or all the time. Your daily experience depends heavily on where you live, where you work and how frequently you need to cross town.

This is one reason buyers should think beyond the house. That magnificent kitchen becomes slightly less magnificent if every routine errand makes you question your life choices.

Houses Here Come With Personality

Sedona is not a community of uniform homes on uniform lots. That is part of its charm.

You will find distinctive architecture, unconventional floor plans, additions from different eras, manufactured homes, luxury properties, rural parcels, sewer connections, septic systems and alternative wastewater systems.

Septic and alternative systems unnecessarily frighten some buyers. When properly designed, maintained and inspected, they can function just as well as a sewer connection. The important thing is knowing what you are buying and completing the appropriate inspections.

Termites are another local reality. In my years in real estate, very few termite inspections have come back completely clean. Fortunately, most findings can be treated relatively easily.

Occasionally, however, the evidence is serious enough that I have advised a client to choose a different property. Termites may enjoy Sedona too, but they do not need to become part of your closing celebration.

Fire Insurance Needs to Be Investigated Early

Homeowners insurance has become a genuine concern in some Sedona and Village of Oak Creek neighborhoods.

Availability can depend on how rural the property is, how much undeveloped land surrounds it, vegetation and other risk factors. Buyers should investigate insurance early in the process—preferably before falling hopelessly in love with a house.

A beautiful home is considerably less charming when you discover that insuring it will be difficult or unexpectedly expensive.

The Wildlife Was Here First

Javelinas are a common problem—if you choose to see them that way.

I love them. They are Sedona residents too. They occasionally rearrange landscaping without permission, have no respect for property boundaries and should never be fed, but they are part of living here.

Enjoy them from a safe distance, secure your garbage and accept that your yard may sometimes receive an unrequested javelina inspection.

You Will Have to Drive for Some Things

Sedona has grocery stores, restaurants, local businesses, medical offices and many everyday services. What it does not have is Costco, Trader Joe’s or endless major shopping.

You will drive to Cottonwood, Flagstaff or the Phoenix area for certain things. Successful Sedona residents learn to maintain lists, combine errands and feel irrationally accomplished after completing a carefully planned Costco trip.

It is a tradeoff. You drive farther for bulk paper towels, but you get to come home to the red rocks.

Who Is Likely to Love Living in Sedona?

Sedona is a wonderful fit for people who want to surround themselves with beauty and don’t mind driving occasionally for shopping and services.

Active people and outdoor enthusiasts naturally love the trails, but Sedona offers more than hiking. We have a strong wine community, an arts community, excellent restaurants and, of course, the metaphysical community.

People who thrive here generally appreciate a smaller community, tolerate seasonal tourism and understand that a little inconvenience is part of the package.

Should You Move to Sedona?

Maybe. That is the honest answer.

The right decision depends on much more than whether you love the scenery. It depends on how you feel about traffic, where you receive healthcare, how often you shop, whether you want activity or quiet, and what kind of property you feel comfortable owning.

My job is not to convince everyone that Sedona is perfect. My job is to help people understand its different communities, its unusual properties and the realities behind the beautiful photographs.

I’ll help you understand Sedona.

Lauren DePoe
Real Estate Professional
Coldwell Banker Realty – Sedona
Thoughtful representation. Modern marketing. Competitive fees.