The Willo Historic District in Phoenix Arizona

Willo Historic District boundaries are roughly: Thomas and McDowell roads, Central and 7th avenues.

You don’t need to go very far to find someone willing to share accolades about the Willo Historic District. Like Samantha O. wrote recently on Yelp: “I am obsessed with this neighborhood. I love driving around looking at the precious homes on any Sunday afternoon with frozen yogurt in hand, pups sticking their heads out the windows and HOPING/DREAMING that I can find one of these homes in my price range…”

Willo residents are accustomed to Samantha and others like her who take an hour or so out of their weekend schedules to daydream and wander the palm-lined  streets of this downtown neighborhood.  They even open a handful of homes to let thousands like Samantha dream of life inside at their Annual Willo Home Tour.  Home tours happen every year in our downtown historic districts, and Willo’s is probably the best-attended tour in central Phoenix. There’s a reason for that.

Everyone seems to think “Willo” when they think historic Phoenix. Well-kept homes and manicured lawns make up almost a square mile of charming residential neighborhood just north of downtown Phoenix. Tudors, Bungalows, and Spanish Colonials—classic historic examples from the 1920s and 30s with hardwood floors and multi-paned windows– line the streets to welcome admirers in the southern end of the Willo Historic District. Travel north, with tail-wagging pup (on 3rd Avenue, please. It’s one-way. 5th Avenue, also one-way, will take you southbound again), and you’ll find classic 1940s and early 50s Ranch-style homes as you get closer to Thomas Road. And more often than not, you’ll find a guesthouse in back no matter what year the home was built.

What’s not to love? Well, if you’re Samantha—the price. Willo properties typically have an entry level of around $300,000 and can escalate to over $800,000 in a strong real estate market. But if Willo fits your budget, this coveted downtown spot offers friendly neighbors who’ll greet you on the streets, trendy restaurants and shopping along McDowell and Thomas roads, all with a peaceful and well-loved residential neighborhood in between.

For many, life in the downtown Willo Historic District is about realizing you're a part of this vibrancy that makes up urban Phoenix. It's about knowing your neighbors, your grocers, and your dry cleaner by name. It's about knowing that all of these restaurants, shops and art galleries are here because of you and the people that cherish our inner city and call it home.  If you're new to Willo and a dog owner like so many, you'll no doubt get to know neighbors quickly, as after-work walks down tree-lined streets is commonplace here. We might learn your dog's name before yours, but in no time you'll be greeted with the warmth and sincerity that makes living here such a pleasure.