Help pick my new home area! (Phoenix, Mesa: housing, lease, high school)

[heatam]

I am moving from Florida because it is becoming very hard to afford a home where I am living out. However, I have a few criteria that I have to take into account, and I am hoping that I can get some recommendations from people:

*it has to be in a hot area-meaning, no snow or cold (it's not that I want the hottest, but I wouldn't want any part that might get any chilly weather)
*not an area that gets tornadoes, if Arizona does
*nowhere near a fault line
*affordable housing-anywhere in the 100 thousands or low 200 thousand
*good schools and neighboordhoods with a lower crime rate
*hiring teachers
*hiring city mailman!

If where you live is just like this-please pass on your information!

[SpeedyAZ]

*it has to be in a hot area-meaning, no snow or cold (it's not that I want the hottest, but I wouldn't want any part that might get any chilly weather)

Anywhere in the greater Phoenix area!

*not an area that gets tornadoes, if Arizona does

No tornadoes here!

*nowhere near a fault line

The closest in the San Andreas fault in California. We aren't on the fault.

*affordable housing-anywhere in the 100 thousands or low 200 thousand

Hahaha....that makes me laugh. "Affordable" housing here is anywhere from $250,000-$400,000. You will not find a very nice home in a good area for less than $200,000 (probably $250,000).

*good schools and neighboordhoods with a lower crime rate

Not Glendale, parts of Phoenix, or Mesa. All these areas have high crime and bad schools. The neighborhoods you are looking for are in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Gilbert, Carefree, and Chandler. But that'll cost you a pretty penny, a 2000 sq ft home will run you anywhere between $300,000-$1,100,000 depending on the city ($300,000 for Chandler, $1.1 million for Paradise Valley).

*hiring teachers
*hiring city mailman!

Schools are always looking for teachers, but I'm not sure about mailman...

For your needs, I'd check into Gilbert and Chandler. You will pay more than $200,000 for a nice home, maybe $300,000 if you're lucky.

[mmikulak]

I am hoping that I can get some recommendations from people:

Palm Valley section of Goodyear or Litchfield Park.

Teachers are underpaid in AZ. Just a fact.

[msvi007]

I absolutely agree on Chandler or Gilbert area. I live in Gilbert and absolutely LOVE IT!. Right now it is a buyers market so you can find great deals on homes. [moderator CUT]

[MAB]

I live in Yuma east.
Here,crime is much lower than metro areas such as phoenix.
Right now,they are building a new high school,that will be called Gila Ridge HS.
In ther same area,within 1 mile theres 2 elementary schools,1 middle school and 1 Jr college.
Houses in this area are very nice,for about 300K you could get a great house with a swimming pool.for about 220K you can get a nice house.

Crime here is so low,one night I slept with my garage door open,i forgot to close it.and in the morning everything was in there.

[Grouchmo]

there is a new community called tartesso which is in the buckeye area. the homes there range from the upper 100's to the mid 200's. these are new homes very beautiful and nice sized for the money. It is pretty far west from the Phoenix area so crime is pretty low because there isn't alot of people there yet. It is only 30 minutes from the Litchfield Pk., goodyear and Avondale area. There are new schools being built in the area so teachers will be in demand. I live in the Litchfield Pk. area and I am buying a home in tartesso cause i want to move even farther from Phoenix then i am now the crime is terrible.

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by heatam

*affordable housing-anywhere in the 100 thousands or low 200 thousand

Bienvenidos a Lukeville.

[jaada]

Originally Posted by heatam

I am moving from Florida because it is becoming very hard to afford a home where I am living out. However, I have a few criteria that I have to take into account, and I am hoping that I can get some recommendations from people:

*it has to be in a hot area-meaning, no snow or cold (it's not that I want the hottest, but I wouldn't want any part that might get any chilly weather)
*not an area that gets tornadoes, if Arizona does
*nowhere near a fault line
*affordable housing-anywhere in the 100 thousands or low 200 thousand
*good schools and neighboordhoods with a lower crime rate
*hiring teachers
*hiring city mailman!

If where you live is just like this-please pass on your information!

you should stay far far away from yuma, super hot near a fault line not affordable the rest yeah they hire teachers cause they cant keep them, dont know about mailmen, and tornados? not yet but i am waiting.

[jaada]

Originally Posted by MAB

I live in Yuma east.
Here,crime is much lower than metro areas such as phoenix.
Right now,they are building a new high school,that will be called Gila Ridge HS.
In ther same area,within 1 mile theres 2 elementary schools,1 middle school and 1 Jr college.
Houses in this area are very nice,for about 300K you could get a great house with a swimming pool.for about 220K you can get a nice house.

Crime here is so low,one night I slept with my garage door open,i forgot to close it.and in the morning everything was in there.

you couldnt have done that in town, crime is not low there

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by jaada

you couldnt have done that in town, crime is not low there

I knew someone from Yuma, she said it was pretty scary, even compared to here in Phoenix.