Cantamia at Estrella

CantaMia at Estrella is a gated 55+ community of approximately 1,700 single-family homes tucked into the larger Estrella master-planned community in Goodyear, Arizona, at the foot of the Sierra Estrella Mountains about an hour southwest of downtown Phoenix. The name means "my song" in Italian, and the community was developed with a distinct emphasis on sustainable living, energy-efficient homes, and a harmonious relationship with the surrounding Sonoran Desert landscape. The neighborhood has passed through several builders since its 2010 debut — originally launched by Engle Homes as Province at Estrella, then taken over by Joseph Carl Homes, later by AV Homes, and since 2020 by Taylor Morrison, who currently builds all new inventory with floor plans ranging roughly 1,361 to 2,326 square feet and single-story layouts designed around luxurious primary suites, open kitchens, and covered outdoor living for the mild Arizona winters. The heart of daily life is the 29,000-square-foot Village Center — a lakeside clubhouse that serves as the social and recreational hub. Inside, residents find a state-of-the-art 2,000-square-foot fitness center with free weights, ellipticals, treadmills, stationary bikes, and weight machines; a dedicated aerobics and yoga studio; massage rooms; an indoor lap pool with spa; a resort-style outdoor pool and whirlpool; steam rooms and locker rooms; a demonstration kitchen; art and crafts studios for sewing, quilting, and ceramics; a billiards and game room; a library; computer stations; and the Tempo Café and Bar, which serves breakfast and lunch daily with Tuesday and Friday happy hours. Outdoors, pickleball and tennis courts are among the most popular draws, alongside bocce ball courts, horseshoes, a fenced dog park, a desert botanical garden, circuit-training stations, and walking trails that weave past lakes and greenbelts — a genuine lush oasis feel in the middle of the desert, with many homes backing to water for a lot premium. A full-time on-site lifestyle director keeps the social calendar full with casino nights, murder mystery dinners, comedy acts, live music on the lawn by the lake, and a deep roster of interest-based clubs: pickleball, tennis, bocce, golf, gardening, book club, photography, astronomy, genealogy, scrapbooking, writing, cooking, and computer classes, plus yoga, Zumba, water aerobics, and healthy-habits programs. Because CantaMia sits inside the broader Estrella master plan (8,000+ families, multi-generational), residents can optionally purchase an annual pass (around $400 for two adults as of late 2024) to access the Starpointe and Presidio Residents' Clubs — adding another waterpark, lap pool, fitness center, and event space — plus the 72 acres of lakes at North and South Lake, the Estrella Yacht Club for kayaks, sailboats, canoes, and paddleboats, 65+ miles of paths and trails, 50+ neighborhood parks, and preferred resident rates at the Nicklaus-designed 18-hole Golf Club of Estrella about three miles away and golf-cart accessible. CantaMia was ranked #5 among Arizona Active Adult Communities in the 2024 edition of Ranking Arizona. The location pairs desert tranquility with West Valley convenience. Estrella Parkway is the main artery in and out; the AZ-303 freeway connects to I-10 for an easy run toward downtown Phoenix (about an hour), Sky Harbor International Airport (~36 miles), and Goodyear proper (~12 miles) where residents find Harkins theaters, Sprouts, Home Depot, Lowe's, Sam's Club, Abrazo West Campus and Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center, and the Goodyear Ballpark (spring training home of the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds). An on-site Estrella shopping center includes Safeway, convenience stores, a bank, a gas station, and a Banner medical building. The vibe is smaller and more intimate than the big Sun City–era communities — a boutique-scale 55+ enclave with genuine desert scenery, strong amenity depth, and the safety net of a larger multi-generational master plan just outside the gate. Note: new home buyers require one resident age 40+, while resales require 55+.