Help!! Ticky-tacky houses all in a row! (Phoenix, Glendale: relocating, transplants)

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by jlhct

What about the older parts of Phoenix where the houses were built in the 60-70's? their lots seem to be bigger than a lot of the new housing

And many of those aren't that much better.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by ibarrio

Find a home on a corner lot in which the first owner paid for a premium lot(larger).

I did that and it IS a lot better in this regard. I hardly notice that I have neighbors. However, we do have to deal with the cars flying past our house.

[ready2go]

I know. It's a trend. I'm up here in Wisconsin and while they do try to pack them
in you're still sitting on .25 acre lot so that when you spit it doesn't end up on your neighbor's shoe. The only place you see it, ironically, is in the older parts of the Inner City where they built homes for the factory workers. The service economy has displaced workers who actually made things but the economies of scale remain the same.

[ready2go]

You must be right. I'll tell you, I'm sitting just on the Milwaukee border between a freeway and a major thoroughfare and my air quality stats are identical with Prescott.

[chionactis]

ready2go - I am right there with you! I agree with your opinions. I have lived in Gilbert since 2000 and we are leaving to go back to New England this summer. One of the reason we are leaving is we do not like all the development and the sea of brown houses - well, everything that you have described - we do not like it, especially since we know what we CAN have elsewhere.
we have been lucky as for the last 4 years we have lived on a large lot on a quiet dead-end street in the heart of Gilbert, with no block walls, in a house that looks like no one elses. But for the moeny you are able to spend on a house, you will not find this. The first house we bought when we moved to Gilbert, we paid $135K in 2000, for 1390 SF on a street where ALL the houses were identical and a tiny plot of land. In 2004 we sold it (after renting it out for a while) for $162K. So, what I am saying is, you will not find what you are looking for in this part of town.
I have looked at Apache Junction as a place that is reminiscent of the Old West in that is looks more like what I would have thought Az would look like, esp the further north and east you go, towards the Superstition mountains. I have no idea what prices the homes are going for there.
I also thought that Tucson was more of the Old West also. I lived there for a year. It is older. Can you look there or are you set on the Phoenix area?
I have no idea the prices...
You can always head to the Northeast as there are many small towns that work very hard to preserve their image as historical and quiet, keeping out tract housing developers and strip malls galore.
It IS all about the $$$ out here, don't be mistaken. Otherwise, I think there would be an obvious overt effort to control all this development and preserve town history and the natural desert. Why the hay do we in Gilbert need a Super Target, et all, every 5 miles? Good grief.

[jlhct]

Originally Posted by sablebaby

And many of those aren't that much better.

Do you mean the lot sizes aren't much better? Or that they aren't as nice as the newer developments.

it still kinda disturbs me to see some of these newer developments with the whole sides of houses fasing each other. How do those rooms get any sun?

[saguarodave]

"Why can't I find a house within 20 minutes of downtown (where I work) that's 'reasonable' (read "inexpensive") and has a large yard and beautiful views?" Sigh

[ready2go]

Yup, the area seems to have hit that tipping point where whatever the attractions(and I do love the desert geography, the city restaurants, the university setting et al) the value is eroded by uncontrolled development and poor city planning. Had been looking to move closer to Tempe because my daughter wants to attend ASU but she may be going alone. I can't seem to pull the trigger when it comes to plunking down 250k+ to live in one of those awful developments.

It's a shame because my wife and daughter and I we're really excited about the move and now it doesn't look like it will happen.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by jlhct

Do you mean the lot sizes aren't much better? Or that they aren't as nice as the newer developments.

it still kinda disturbs me to see some of these newer developments with the whole sides of houses fasing each other. How do those rooms get any sun?

The sizes aren't that much bigger. Depends on the area, but the older homes on larger lots are much more expensive.

Some rooms don't get sun.

[sablebaby]

Try Texas. They have homes on 2+ acres and they are CHEAP and NICE!