About Phoenix (Tucson, Mesa, Glendale: real estate, apartments, to rent)

[Tampaking23]

What to places to and not to live around Phoenix, I thinking of a move from Tampa Florida but need some Info. How just how is it out there? whats the good and the bad I would like to know it all thanks..Tampaking23

[ivanabacowboy]

What is important to you in a community? For some it is schools, others want proximity to nightlife, others an easy commute to work, etc. There are all different types of neighborhoods around here. I do not have young children so I know nothing about the schools here and did not investigate.

I just relocated to Arizona from Cleveland at beginning of this month. I live in Northern Phoenix by Scottsdale. This area is really really nice. There is a ton of shopping, restaurant and grocery choices. If you are a golfer, lots of golf choices too. There are some "live/work/shop/dine" type areas where you could walk to stuff-tho once it goes over 110' I am not too sure I would walk very far. Most everything is spread out otherwise-this is definitely a car-centric area. The roads are nice and have well planned turn lanes (tho some construction in process like everywhere).

It is hot. I like Florida but Florida is hot, humid and damp. Arizona is hot but not humid (other than a few months a year during summer, but still not as humid as Florida) and is dry. Temperatures have been above 100' (tops 115') since I have been here. Sure it is hot but not that "sweaty make my clothing stick to me like I just got out of a shower" hot. Hot like opening a slightly cooler oven. 85' with 90% humidity feels a lot worse to me than 110' at about 20% humidity. I like the heat. It is generally fairly comfortable to me. Now that is not that I would advise strenuous outdoor activity when it is 112'. But it is ok to get from air conditioned point A to air conditioned point B and spend a few minutes outside.

The landscaping will be a lot different than Tampa. There are a lot of artificially irrigated palm trees so those may be familiar tho....

Everything around here is clean and at least appears new. Then again, unlike Ohio there isnt all the snow and road salt and rain to weather stuff so it may be deceiving.

Others mention the pollution here. I come from Cleveland. We were so polluted we had the only river in history (the Cuyahoga) that actually BURNED, 2 or 3 times. Yes, the river burned. Steel factories etc. So out here yes you get a bit of smog (probably all the cars...) but it is definitely better than Cleveland on that factor.

Another gripe you will hear is the traffic. I have not been on the freeways at rush hour, but surface streets are an easy commute (at least in my area) if you live close enough to where you work.

I havent encountered many bugs-which Florida has a lot of bugs. So far I have only seen standard issue spiders, few moths, few crickets.

Essentially this area is like a huge upscale suburb with huge massive strip malls (all of which the ones I have found are very nice and beautifully landscaped, adequate parking, etc). There are a few enclosed malls as well-Scottsdale Fashion Square is really nice.

Depending what part of Florida you are in, housing prices may not be such a shock. (I work in Commercial Real Estate Lending in a bank and we finance construction in both AZ and Florida). In most areas out here, housing is still a bit inflated. In the area I know, you are probably looking at $350K up to millions.

I decided not to buy when I moved out here. I am renting. At some future point I may buy, but this gives me a chance to get more familiar with some of the areas I dont know yet (and for the market to even out) first.

If you want to google maps, try zips 85054, 85254, 85260. I think this area is generally "East Valley". I think there are a few others I am just not familiar with them.

Oh, and no hurricanes...

Why not come out for a visit? ;-)

[MotleyCrew]

Your options are just about unlimited. Are you still working? That would help you narrow down your choices. Some areas that are worth looking at on the west side would be Goodyear, Peoria, Buckeye and parts of Glendale. I mention these because we have seen them and I am not familiar enough with Avondale and Tolleson yet. What is your budget for a home? Are you renting or buying?

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by ivanabacowboy

If you want to google maps, try zips 85054, 85254, 85260. I think this area is generally "East Valley". I think there are a few others I am just not familiar with them.

That's the North East Valley, or North Scottsdale. The East valley is more south, more like Mesa, Tempe areas.

[msGypsySolo]

<There are some "live/work/shop/dine" type areas
where you could walk to stuff-tho once it goes over 110' I am not too sure I would walk very far.>


I'm thinking of spending months at a time in Arizona starting about a year from now, attending college at either
Northern Arizona University or Scottsdale Community Collge, studying Hospitality or Hotel Restaurant Management.
I don't drive so would need public transportation to get around or places nearby that I can walk to things I need and want.
I find this interesting, that there are some "live/work/shop/dine" areas in Phoenix and would like more information.:
where are these areas?
what are the rents like?
do some of the apartments allow pet(s)? (I have a cat and by then may have 2 cats,
since I'm thinking of getting a new kitten in a few months,
after a visit to Arizona in Decenber or January, perhaps February.)
so how do I find the bus routes to the "live/work/shop/dine areas"?
(I plan to try out the buses in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, etc.
while I'm visiting family who live in some of these places, as well as touring the schools.)

thanks.

ivanabacowboy: I'm asking you, because you seem to be knowledgeable about the areas.

[aj661]

Originally Posted by msGypsySolo

so how do I find the bus routes to the "live/work/shop/dine areas"?
(I plan to try out the buses in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, etc.
while I'm visiting family who live in some of these places, as well as touring the schools.)

Valley Metro
BUS RAPID TRANSIT

[Leoroar]

If you're in your 20's or 30's, I'd move to either downtown Tempe or downtown Phoenix. Soon the lightrail will be up linking those with other destinations around the valley. My vote is for downtown Phoenix, not because of what it is now, but for what it is evolving into. The downtown area is trying its best to live up to our name and rise from the ashes. A number of artists/ artsy types live down here, if you want to feel like you actually live in a city, this is the area I would consider.

[Leoroar]

ps, don't buy yet, the housing market here just took a poop.

[ivanabacowboy]

Hi msGypsySolo! I looked up where SCC is. They have a few campuses-the main one at Chaparral and a "Business Center" up by Raintree off Hayden. Not sure which you would be attending. The Business Center is really close to where I am-maybe a couple miles if that I think by its address. The main campus is maybe 8-9 miles sort of it seems directly south of the other one.

Attempting to interpret the Valley Metro schedules you should be able to do either of those from this area by bus with maybe 1 transfer. Bus fare is pretty cheap too-I just learned on the website linked for Valley Metro you can get a monthly local pass for just $34 (maybe I should take the bus to work lol!).

Areas around here that it at least appears you could do bus by to those locations: Kierland. Desert Ridge. Promenade. (Promenade and Kierland are near where I am. Desert Ridge is maybe 3-4 miles West of me.) Lots of shopping, stores, apartments, office buildings in all those areas. Lots of Starbucks. ;-) Lots of golf too if you like to golf. ;-)

One of the locals may be able to dig you up a street or zip code map to help in your search.

Rent=not cheap (tho quite truthfully I expected much worse when coming from Cleveland) unless you can find a better deal than I did lol! I live at Desert Club 6901 E Chauncey Ln, right off Scottsdale Rd. (To give you an idea, there are BMW and Jaguar dealers on the corner lol!) If you stay in this immediate area, you are looking at probably around $900 up give or take a bit for a 1 bedroom. Unless you can find a "small private" apartment (ie not one of the big complexes) or private room to rent.

Most of the apartments I looked at in this area will take cats.

Caveat: I am not AT ALL familiar with any places south of Old Town Scottsdale (which isnt too far from Chaparral what appears to be the main campus of SCC). There may be some more reasonable places on that end of town that you could use bus from in a better price range--->hopefully one of the locals will give you some idea. But definitely if you choose SCC, Northeast Valley I think is where you want to focus.

NAU appears to be in Flagstaff which would be a heck of a hike (according to google in the 150 mile range!) from where I am. Maybe that is why you are considering Tucson?

[ivanabacowboy]

PS Also there are what seem like some nice areas down on Shea with lots of shops, restaurants and stuff (about halfway between where I am and Chaparral) or Cactus (both of which would put you closer to Chaparral). I would stay East of about 42nd St. if you stay on this end of town--the neighborhood appearance seemed to sort of go downhill once you go a bit west of that at least imho.