Commercial real estate hot commodity in Roosevelt area

Anyone interested in purchasing a home 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 for commercial properties.

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

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, Roosevelt offers limited options, but settlements such as Tonto Basin have a larger number of residential units for sale.