Phoenix Living

[PHX767]

We are in a Central PHX condo neighborhood where we are the "kids" even at our, er.. semi advanced age. Nice layout, no traffic, 15 minutes to Sky Harbor. No yard responsibilty, no pool to clean, just keep replacing the plants my beloved wife keeps murdering.

We are definitely in the hot wx right now, but I was in MDW, HOU and ATL recently and we have it better. No bugs or humidity. A monsoon every now and then, and as someone said - those sunsets this time of year!

There is a reason all those folks are moving here. It's a great place!

 

[miles otoole]

Still better than Dallas weather. The humidity is what ails ya. Although, I have read that all the massive development in Phoenix has artifically increased the humdity.

 

[BeanFighter]

How about farther north? Prescot, Sedona, Price? Any gouge on these areas?

 

[EternalOptimist]

Peoria is a good area. Nothing bad to report. It's growing. The entire valley is growing but it is expanding East and North mainly. Prescott and Sedona are wonderful areas. Flagstaff is too if you want to commute the 2.5 hours in to Phoenix. There is actually skiiing in Flagstaff - Snowbowl is fun in the Summer too - we took the ski lift to the top one Summer when we were there. It's the tallest peak in Arizona or so they say. Sedona is pretty artsy - they have lots of new-agers there. I think the artsy lifestyle is attractive to people and therefore it might be on the expensive side.

I know housing in all areas has been booming in the Phoenix area. We've been away from there for a year and a half. 60% is a major increase! We should have kept our house. Oh well, hind sight is 20/20.

As for the weather, it's all a matter of perspective. The two years we were there the temps crept up into the 90's as early as the end of April and only got hotter until it crept back into the 90's in October and finally cooled off to the 80's or so by November. Now, being from Seattle and used to a little rain now and then and some clouds to keep the sky from getting boring, I had a hard time with the weather. To me, even in a dry climate, 90 degrees is too hot. And it doesn't cool down at night either - if it's 90 degrees in the daytime, it's 85 at night in the desert. So your air conditioning is constantly running. I was too cold all the time when indoors and too hot outside. It's not 3 months of hell and 9 months of paradise - to a Seattleite it's more like 9 months of hell and 3 months of paradise. I admit, the winter months are great - it's the time of year the citrus is ripe too - yum! January is the best month for citrus.

Anway, if you like the heat, you'll love Phoenix. I missed the rain, I missed evergreen trees, I missed winter, frankly. And I got really sick of wearing sunglasses every day. I got cranky and edgy while living there - probably very similar to the feeling Californians get when they move to Seattle in the winter and see nothing but grey skies. It all is a matter of what you are used to and how well you adapt.

 

[PurpleTail]

Thanks for the info. I think I will move forward on a house I found in Peoria for under $100 sq ft. I am not in Phoenix or very familiar with the area so it is nice to have some feedback from people who are there or were there. I hope the growth continues

 

[c5driver]

Surprise

We just bought a house in Surprise. Very nice area but plan on a 30-40 min commute to the airport. Seems like the city is really trying to make Surprise a nice area. Check out their web site www.surpriseaz.com . If you're looking better make your move soon. My base price went from $230's to the $270's in 4 months Good luck!

 

[PositiveRate]

My wife and I own a house in Laveen. IMO some of the best values in town are down here on the Northwest corner of South Mountain. Lots of development. Depending on your budget, this may be an area to look at. Average price of a new home (3 bdr 2.5 bath) is around 140K. It'll take a few more years for this area to be completely built out. We'd like to move to Cave Creek someday, but it's out of our budget range right now. I think that's the prettiest area in town.

Bytheway, Laveen is about a 20 min drive to the airport. Great for commuters or PHX based guys.

 

[Resume Writer]

OK, I was born and raised in PHX. Actually, I grew up on a farm in Laveen! It was very different there when I was a kid.

I would stay away from anything on the west side of PHX, no matter how far north you go. The dividing line seems to be I-17, but lately, that includes west of SR 51.

Be careful where you go in Central PHX. If you are not homosexual, I would stay away from between 7th Street to 7th Avenue, from McDowell Road to about Camelback Road.

It depends on how far you want your commute to be to work. I live in Chandler, right on the border of Gilbert. I am about 20 miles from the airport. In off hours, it would take me about 20 minutes to get to Sky Harbor.

In my neighborhood, you cannot touch a house here below $160,000. My current house is about 1400 sq feet and is about 17 years old. The newer homes in Gilbert, just across the road from me, are going for about $225,000 to $425,000.

I am searching houses out in the Queen Creek area. The particular home I am looking at is about 2300 sq ft. and is going for about $162,000. I have a lot of equity in my current house, so I will be able to put a good chunk down, and carry a smaller mortgage. It is about 10 miles from the new freeway, which should be done is about 2-3 years. I would say you would be about 40 miles from the airport out there.

If anyone needs a real estate agent or a mortgage specialist who works with all kinds of brokers, PM me and I will give you names for both.

The comments about getting a north/south exposure are dead on. Also, the comment about getting a tile roof is also correct.

One thing my dad always taught me was to live EAST of where you work so that when you go to work in the morning, the sun is behind you, as well as when you are driving home. Does not always apply to the airline business because of the odd hours, but something to think about.

I will also be more than happy to provide anyone with the names of good doctors, dentists and pediatricians for those who have kids.

Also, make sure you drive about 2 miles north, south, east and west of where you look for a house. When I bought my current house 13 years ago, I had no idea that 2 miles south of me was a very bad area. It has never caused a problem for me, but just be aware because the zoning laws here do not exist.

Anyway, just my thoughts on this, let me know if you have any other questions.

Kathy

 

[152SIC]

i have lived in phoenix for 10 years now. currently in Litchfield Park. I have lived in north phoenix, south phoenix, glendale, mesa, tempe, ahwatukee, litchfield park, and central phoenix. i find myself always wanting to move back to either NORTH ahwatukee or CENTRAL tempe. those are the best parts of the valley IMHO. for investments however... i think laveen and the southwest valley are your best bets. i have been investing here too and have an awesome realtor. PM me if you want more info.

 

[ILLUMINATI]

Laveen??? Give me a break! Trailer trash comes to mind, right there with the Indian Reservation low rents that the Gov't bufued, but that's my opinion. I-17 being the line of exclusion?? Resume Writer, when was then last time you were west of I-17? If you haven't been out to Estrella Mountain Ranch you're doing yourself a disservice, it's as nice a property area to build as north Scottsdale. I'll admit it doesn't have all the amenities (shopping, restaurants; but they're coming) but you'll get more bang for your dollar.

I suggest you explore all, everyone is biased to what they know and against what they don't know.

Good luck.

P.S. Been here 12 years, have family that lives in Troon & McDowell Mtn Ranch. (I just can't afford it there.)

 

[eddie]

what about the developing area on baseline just between 27thish and I10? I drive through there, and it looks like it's being redeveloped into a nice community.

If you're looking for a screaming deal, you don't mind a 40 or so minute drive to PHX, and you like it more rural, take a look at Rancho El Dorado in Maricopa. 4bdrm homes are approx. $160,000 and many homes are on the golf course. (if you like golf)
http://www.cybergolf.com/site/home.asp?courseid=112

Anyway it's up and coming. Very rural now, but won't be in 3-5 years.

 

[152SIC]

YES,,, LAVEEN!! and it is not trailer parks. go and look at it for yourself before you speak. it is down by 51st Ave and Baseline, basically. There is a massive amount of development going on down there right now. And it is about 25 minutes from PHX. The property prices down there are exploding, and a nice home is appx. 160-170.

Baseline between I-10 and ~24th St. is another exciting area. It used to be fairly downtrodden, but is developing nicely (if you like cookie-cutters.) That would definately be an area to check out.

Unfortunately I know nothing about Maricopa, except alot of people seem to be moving out there.

 

[Resume Writer]

Laveen??? Give me a break! Trailer trash comes to mind, right there with the Indian Reservation low rents that the Gov't bufued, but that's my opinion. I-17 being the line of exclusion?? Resume Writer, when was then last time you were west of I-17? If you haven't been out to Estrella Mountain Ranch you're doing yourself a disservice, it's as nice a property area to build as north Scottsdale. I'll admit it doesn't have all the amenities (shopping, restaurants; but they're coming) but you'll get more bang for your dollar.

I suggest you explore all, everyone is biased to what they know and against what they don't know.

Good luck.

P.S. Been here 12 years, have family that lives in Troon & McDowell Mtn Ranch. (I just can't afford it there.)

Illuminati,

Yes, I know exactly what is going on in the west valley. There is one HUGE problem with it - only ONE freeway that is jammed up everyday! Makes for a tough commute if someone is on one-hour call for reserve.

Yes, Laveen is backed up to the Indian Reservation. But this whole valley is surrounded by Indian Reservations. As far as trailer-trash, I have to disagree with you. Are there problems with people and their property? Yes, because Laveen was not incorporated for many years. (not sure if it is incorporated now; I know they were trying to do that.)

I can say that I grew up in Laveen and had a wonderful childhood. All of my neighbors at the time were farmers and ranchers. We all helped each other out and you thought twice about getting into trouble because everyone knew you!

I still have friends who live down there; we lived on 35th Avenue and Dobbins. My fondest memories of classmates were not from high school or college, but from grade school. I still keep in contact with these people, even though we have moved all over the country.

I was involved in 4-H, rode my horses all over without fear of getting kidnapped and spent a great deal of time riding all over the foothills on horseback. The community always had events that everyone participated in and looked forward to each year. At the time there were only about 2000 people that lived in Laveen proper.

I am sure it has changed a great deal. (I have not been out there for 2 years) I have always wanted to move back out there with my kids, but being divorced with joint custody issues makes that difficult when the ex lives in Gilbert.

These are just my opinions having lived here ALL of my life. I have watched PHX grow and remember when Bethany Home Road was the furthest north road in PHX. I remember when Terminal 1 (not even here anymore) was the only terminal and Sky Harbor had more GA than commercial traffic.

I have no desire to live in Scottsdale. We moved there when I was in high school. It is very expensive and very congested. My parents live in Carefree now up near Desert Mountain. Even they are getting moved in on up there.

I am just glad that I do not have to commute for work now. No matter where you live here, you need to plan for about an hour, just in case there are traffic accidents messing up the freeways.

Just my two cents...

Kathy

 

[ILLUMINATI]

152SIC and Resume Writer,
Ooooo, musta touched a nerve; you guys need to get out more. I think I was in your neck of the desert a few weeks back. Driving back from Tucson via the Beltline I guess I just musta missed your estates. Sounds like you guys missed your calling as members of the Laveen Chamber of Commerce. Ya'll have a nice time down there in Laveen.

 

[Resume Writer]

152SIC and Resume Writer,
Ooooo, musta touched a nerve; you guys need to get out more. I think I was in your neck of the desert a few weeks back. Driving back from Tucson via the Beltline I guess I just musta missed your estates. Sounds like you guys missed your calling as members of the Laveen Chamber of Commerce. Ya'll have a nice time down there in Laveen.

Well, I guess you will have to put us with Jineane Ford, Channel 12 News Anchor and former Miss Arizona and Runner Up in the Miss Universe Pageant in 1980. She bought my childhood home back in 1991 and lived there for about 5 years.

This house was built by Robert Wooley, who was the same architect who built mansions for Andy Granatelli. Must have been some trailer park....

Kathy