San Tan Valley vs Queen Creek vs Gilbert ?? (Kingman, Arizona City: foreclosed, rental)

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by Corso

I will be a territory sales rep for a medical company, likely covering at a bare minimum, the entire state of AZ, and up to several additional states out west. I realistically can live anywhere but desire to live no more than 45mins from Phoenix, at the most. My wife will likely work in retail or the restaurant business. She will likely wind up working in Scottsdale. That said, I'm not sure I would want to live in Scottsdale.

I'll chime in and say I totally agree with Kimballette's comments throughout this thread (which is not unusual).

I've read your other posts in other threads. I THINK I can 'feel' your hesitancy about Scottsdale. I think you would find certain communities do not feel comfortable for you, while others fit you and your family perfectly.

Chandler, South Tempe and Gilbert would be good places for you to consider. East Mesa should also be added to your list as it meets the more wide open feel but is still within easy reach of Phoenix. All of these have plenty of opportunities for employment for your wife.

I'd be cautious about queen creek and San tan valley. IMO it feels rural on one side of the street then cookie cutter on the other side. The infrastructure is incomplete (at best). Perhaps more importantly, those areas will max out or exceed your 45 minutes to Phoenix and give your wife fewer choices for nearby job opportunities. My personal opinion is that theses areas will also take considerably longer to show any recovery in their real estate values.

Please note that I do not have kids. The ONLY reason I've ever considered the quality of a school system is to validate that I was not purchasing in an area that would be unattractive when it came time to resell.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Corso

I want to jump in here.. I don't really think beachtennisfan took a very diplomatic (or smart) approach of expression on his choice of relocation. However, it has caused me to raise a question.

I am from CT and considering relocating my wife and I to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Believe it or not, there are quite a bit of opportunities in my field of work. I personally am not overly liberal, or conservative. I am educated and desire to live around those who are. The real estate even in the "expensive" areas seem like deals to me.

Initially I thought QC or STV would be ideal considering there would be less congestion, larger lots etc. Additionally, where I live, everything is spread out, so we are used to spending some time in the car. However, the more I read I am not sure it would be the proper fit for us. I do plan on visiting, and we certainly would rent at first.

So tell me, not to step on anyone's toes (no flames please), where would a mid-30s, educated, professional, independent thinking, kids-in-the-future couple, fit in the best??

Corso. Your approach and questions are diplomatic. It bothers me when people think they are better by tearing others apart.

To your question... While a lot of people appreciate the beauty of the desert, I personally do not. So when I look at the entire Valley, I like the hauled in palm trees, the Arizona rock landscape, the southwest home styles, golf courses etc. Actually,what I really like is the warmth and the sun. Without some man-made beauty, the open desert wouldn't be for me. Basically I just don't like the the wide open feel of the desert unless it is Spring and the flowers are blooming or I'm in the foothills.

So that is why I am not a fan of those larger lots with dirt landscaping out in QC. Even in Gilbert, you drive across large portions of open desert. My wife didn't want any part of a "desert" yet she really likes the feel where things are developed. Your mileage may vary so head on out and take a look for yourself!

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Please note that I do not have kids. The ONLY reason I've ever considered the quality of a school system is to validate that I was not purchasing in an area that would be unattractive when it came time to resell.

Smart.

[hart4july]

I would like to point out that far South Gilbert( Chandler schools) and Queen Creek have LOTS of farming and open fields. I was just out there today and once again I could tell the difference in the air and got a little headachy.

Its a really nice area, very pretty and I think charming (due to the agriculture and country feel) but I did want to point out this fact to point to those with real allergy and asthma issue who are undecided. Central Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, etc. and other areas that are already built out have different feeling to the air.

[chionactis]

I live in the part of Queen Creek that is very very close to the Ellsworth Loop shopping center (Target, Kohls and many other shops...Walmart on the other side of street)...while at the same time just 3 miles east of SE Gilbert and 8 miles east of SE Chandler. San Tan Valley - the heart of it - is a good 10 miles.
I like this location. Used to live in North central ? Gilbert (Val Vista and Elliot) and that was a good location too, but we sold the place, moved to CT, and came back. We live in this part of town simply to be closer to family, but truly enjoyed life in our old location. All the conveniences. I do not feel inconvenienced living where we do now (Hawes and Chandler Heights). I would not care to live in San Tan Valley, though...I'm too used to the conveniences of Gilbert, Chandler and this part of QC.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

...Chandler, South Tempe and Gilbert would be good places for you to consider. East Mesa should also be added to your list as it meets the more wide open feel but is still within easy reach of Phoenix. All of these have plenty of opportunities for employment for your wife...

I agree with what Jkgourmet says above.

Since I know a lot of people in my Val Vista Lakes community I'll respond to one of your concerns. In this community there is a wide range of people with varying education and occupations.

There is a former astronaut, (keep forgetting his name) doctors, lawyers, dentists, nurses, airline pilots, engineers, teachers, entrepreneurs, hotel chain owner, various types of business owners, plumbers, mechanics, pharmacists, sales, marketing, property management, developer, builder, real estate brokers and agents, and so on.

There is also a wide range of ages, so that some of the people in the occupations above are retired, and some are in their younger years (wishing they were retired).

You could name almost any type of occupation and I would venture to say that occupation is represented in this community.

And, this could be representative of many of the communities in the east valley.

[khuntrevor]

I got curious and searched San Tan Valley properties last night. I like this 2002 SFR for 44,000. It's a 2/2 so I'm sure there isn't much interest. Good looking home in "Cambria" neighborhood. What did stand out to me was the low cost of rent in that area--too low, there just must have been too many investors buying to rent out. People make a lot of negative comments about my neighborhood (Longview West) as being ghetto, but the truth is that the lowest SFR rent, in the entire 85014 ZIP, is 925 for a 3/1 built in 1954. Looks like you could get a 4/3 for that much in STV. I think the gas prices are really starting to dictate the rental market.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by asufan

Gilbert >>>> Queen Creek > San Tan Valley. That is the order.

This response says it all

[themudpuppy]

Originally Posted by beachtennisfan
Most people here are W. Tr...redneck. There are tons of pitbull type dogs that bark from 10PM till 6Am so I can barely sleep. If you have a big truck, tattoos, limited education, a bunch of kids that you don't supervise, if you enjoy hanging out in your garage and you "let yourself go" you will love it here!

I was looking at San Tan Valley a few months ago. I like "rural" but not "white trash redneck rural". I saw a house there that I was interested in, so I called the listing realtor for some info, and, in a roundabout way, she told me the house was just as beautiful and perfect as the pictures showed, but that it was next door to white trash redneck and that I would not be happy there. She described the place next door (gorgeous house but junk trucks all over the property & up on blocks, guys working on loud trucks in their garage, etc). Basically most of what you posted is what she warned me about in that area. She advised me against buying anywhere in San Tan Valley that doesn't have an HOA.

I can't view Google earth type of maps that have the street views on my computer because of slow internet, but I used a library computer recently and was able to view street views of many properties in San Tan Valley and other rural areas that sounded really great in print, but seeing the actual neighborhoods, I wouldn't move there. I don't know why people think it's ok to move to a rural area just to set up a damn auto repair shop, auto junk yard, or paint and body shop. Every nice home on a nice piece of property in my price range had one of those type of businesses next to or behind it.

I've seen posts on the Arizona forums from people who want to move to a rural area in Arizona so they can set up these type of businesses, thinking they won't bother the neighbors if they're rural. Well let me tell you, even if you're on 5 acres, you're still going to bother the neighbors if you work on vehicles. I bought a house in rural TN in a very quiet neighborhood, and a month after I bought it, the guy 5 acres down from me decided to open an auto repair and paint and body shop. Works overnight, doors open, all those extremely loud tools, lots of revving, tow trucks running in and out, all freaking night long! The guy on the other side of me set up a dirt race track for him and all his buddies to race their loud ATVs, so I get to hear the roar of those engines for hours every day. People wanting to move to rural areas for those reasons are totally ruining the beauty and quiet of the rural parts of Arizona that people used to move to for peace and quiet. Now it's all about moving to rural Arizona so they can make noise or trash up the neighborhood with their junk. Car repair businesses belong downtown in a business district, and ATVs belong in designated off-road areas, not out in the country in a residential neighborhood where you're going to ruin everyone else's peace and quiet.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by tnp

... I called the listing realtor for some info, and, in a roundabout way, she told me the house was just as beautiful and perfect as the pictures showed, but that it was next door to white trash redneck and that I would not be happy there...

This is highly unusual that a listing agent would "steer" a prospect away from one of her listings by violating the anti-discrimination laws.

One cannot discriminate by race, color, national origin, etc. And I would argue that a Realtor using the words "white trash redneck" would be just as discriminatory as saying "black, blue, or green trash", and even libelous if the neighbor found out about the remark.

The other thing is that she apparently violated her fiduciary duties to her client, by steering a prospect away from her listing by using these discriminatory and irresponsible remarks about her clients neighbor.