Moving to Arizona from Chicago, need info on neighborhoods (Phoenix: city hall, rent)

[traveler26]

Hello,

My fiance and I will be relocating to Arizona from Chicago soon. He will be working in Phoenix, and I work from home. We like the area around Desert Ridge, but are open to other communities that will not have a horrible commute to downtown. Any info you can provide would be helpful. We are looking for properties below $225K. We don't have kids now, but will in the future so we'd like to be in an area with good schools and low crime. Any other advice on moving to AZ would be helpful too. Thanks!

[sablebaby]

Desert Ridge is a great place to be. It can be congested, but it's still a nice place. Though for $225k, were you thinking of a condo? Housing up there is much more expensive, even condos are over $300k when I think about it. To be in that range you'd have go more south of there, probably at least 5 miles and that may not even do (if not a condo). Most homes under $225k are in the outskirts of phx (the suburbs, like, surprise, avondale, queen creek, ect). Or are in really not that great areas of phx.

[traveler26]

We've been looking at condos and townhomes online. It seems the houses we can afford are a further commute and need updating. We'll be first time home owners as we rent in Chicago. My friend lives in Surprise which is nice, but some of the areas around it seemed sketchy the last time I visited.

[cardiacnurse]

I currently live in Surprise and the town has really changed. I know the "sketchy" areas you are talking about and most of Surprise is new and growing which is phasing out these "sketchy" areas. They are even buidling a new city hall. I love Surprise and think it was the best move I ever made (moved from Phoenix which was increasing in crime and vandalism).

Best of luck