Lyon's gate in gilbert... good place? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: for sale, rental, mortgage) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

newhomebuyer74 · 07-16-2007, 09:10 PM

I was looking at new builds in that neighborhood. Does anyone live there? Would you recommend it? I just saw one builder there (William Lyon Homes), who else is building? I know it is close to the new mall but it is also close to the railway tracks. How noisy does it get?

Boatdrinks · 07-16-2007, 10:08 PM

Depends on how much money you have to spend. If you can afford a different location, I'd look around more. My personal feeling about that area is that it probably won't stand up over the years. All the houses in the area are smaller, cheaper and high density. Often areas like that turn into large rental communities which isn't good for property values.

The railroad doesn't come through that often - just a few times a day and I don't think it'd really be a noise issue. Just my opinion though.

newhomebuyer74 · 07-17-2007, 08:55 AM

Boatdrinks

Where would you recommend? I want to stay near that area and not go all the way out to places like Power Ranch.

Boatdrinks · 07-17-2007, 10:12 AM

If you want to stay in that specific area, I can't think of any developments that aren't similar to that high density type of housing. I'm definitely not an expert on that area though and haven't spent much time there other then driving through, so I'd recommend just driving around till you find something you like.

If you're willing to go further south, there are options but it sounds like you'd rather not. Also, it depends on how much money you have to spend. Those high density houses will likely be cheaper then your basic single family residence.

Andre5140 · 07-17-2007, 11:27 AM

Depending on where you work, you may also consider Chandler. I was out looking at Lyon's Gate and KB Homes' Villas at Spectrum there in Gilbert. Coming from custom homes all my life and with my father's upbringing (he is a custom home builder with 25 years experience) I notice a lot of small stuff.

First, it really seems that KB and Lyon's Gate are trying to appeal to people simply bc the home is new and cheap. Their models are decorated perfectly with Pottery Barn furniture and they offer tons of incentives. You need to PAY ATTENTION to these houses. Just because you (or I, for that matter) cannot afford custom builds, we do not deserve junk.

KB was particularly bad but both developments featured TINY lots with zero privacy. For example, the model I looked at in KB had windows in the master bedroom that lined up with my neighbor's windows. If we didn't get along as neighbors, we could probably spit on each other's homes since they are so close. Further, the back yards weren't big enough for a pool. This is petty stuff...look at the details:

*cheapest-possible baseboards and door casings with paint SLOPPED on them.
*Poor joinery that caused wood to separate.
*lying sales reps (2 of them) who tried to pass off laminate flooring as "wood." (Do NOT buy laminate unless you want creeks, noises, and buckling.)
*hollow-core doors with no paneling
*nickel-n-dime "luxury extras" such as wiring for a ceiling fan, more than 1 cable tv jack and more than 1 phone jack per floor.
*drywall that bows out into the room in some models due to few nails being used to hang it (very very fast)
*stucco cracks
*stucco peeling

Point? Gilbert is beautiful. New homes sound great, appear to be a good value, smell good, and look pretty. BE CAREFUL!

Not sure of your price range but $250k is pretty much my limit. Take Val Vista south to Riggs and turn left. On Riggs and Higley is a nice development by Shea Homes which are much better quality and on a country club. I was pretty impressed but working in Tempe, I think it is too far. Further, if I max out my house price limit, I still have to factor in gasoline.

I have turned to Chandler, 85226. Great Kyrene schools and a great selection of newer (later 80s up to 1999/2000) homes that are of decent quality aqnd various sizes. More importantly, these neighborhoods are more established with residents who plan on staying and have neighborhood pride. Larger yards, too!

Good luck with your search.

newhomebuyer74 · 07-18-2007, 11:19 PM

Thanks Andre5140. I agree that you have to be careful about what you buy in Phoenix (especially the ones built by KB). However, $250k is really about my limit. I've looked in the 85226 area but I either found houses that were in the $300k or cheaper ones that I have to put in about $30k of upgrades. Where abouts do you live in 85226.

Andre5140 · 07-19-2007, 12:47 PM

I do not live in 85226 but it is my desired area.

I looked at 6 homes in that zip code last night with my realtor. The best area for our price range (in my opinion) is Ray Rd to 202 and Kyrene to McClintock.

I looked at a home off of Ray btw Rural and McClintock. Asking price was $249k with a new pool, roof, and ac. It was nice but I was not fully impressed. I feel like I'm settling compared to what I left behind in Michigan.

I will not lie to you: I am thoroughly depressed right now when it comes to looking at houses. I have worked with the same realtor since late February. We have looked at 23 houses from Queen Creek to Tempe and from Scottsdale to Chandler. Every house here feels like garbage made of paper maché and balsa wood. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING SUCKERED IN BECAUSE IT IS "NEW" and I just want to yell from A Mountain that they are being ripped off. If the house is built well, you are surrounded by a concrete prison wall in your back yard and if there is no over-priced HOA, then every other house is a dump probably owned by a careless investor and occupied by a maggot-infested renter. I'm really fed up and sick of it.

It sounds terrible of me, but even though I love my job, I'm *this close* to abandonning my new career for a lesser paying job but much higher quality of life back in Michigan.

I wish you the best of luck. Keep me posted and keep using this thread or private messages to stay in touch!

newhomebuyer74 · 07-20-2007, 12:31 AM

I know how you feel. I haven't been looking as long as you have but I am just as frustrated. The problem is that the sellers don't want to hear the truth. They think they should make 100k on a house they bought in 03 because Zillow says so. The only people who are willing to negotiate are the new builders but they are all located in BFE or they are trying to sell you single-unit homes that look like townhomes.

Don't get me started on realtors. I fired mine two weeks ago and started looking on my own. Have you tried craigslist? There are a lot of people putting their houses up for sale over there. I plan to schedule a few showings on my own and only get an agent when I'm ready to make an offer. Agents don't look out for you, they only look out for their 3%. I almost got suckered into buying a house that in my opinion was way too much.

Don't give up hope. I'm from Canada and let me tell you, the first year was a big adjustment. I've been here for 7 years now and I would never consider going back.

azkylady · 07-20-2007, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhomebuyer74

I know how you feel. I haven't been looking as long as you have but I am just as frustrated. The problem is that the sellers don't want to hear the truth. They think they should make 100k on a house they bought in 03 because Zillow says so. The only people who are willing to negotiate are the new builders but they are all located in BFE or they are trying to sell you single-unit homes that look like townhomes.

Don't get me started on realtors. I fired mine two weeks ago and started looking on my own. Have you tried craigslist? There are a lot of people putting their houses up for sale over there. I plan to schedule a few showings on my own and only get an agent when I'm ready to make an offer. Agents don't look out for you, they only look out for their 3%. I almost got suckered into buying a house that in my opinion was way too much.

Don't give up hope. I'm from Canada and let me tell you, the first year was a big adjustment. I've been here for 7 years now and I would never consider going back.

are most the sellers really unwilling to negotiate on the home selling price? everyone knows the market has fell. I wondered how Phoenix home owners would cope. If i were selling I would understand that I could not expect to get the price others were getting a year or two ago.

newhomebuyer74 · 07-20-2007, 10:01 AM

azkylady:

Depends on how you see it. Some sellers have dropped their listing prices (several times) and feel that it is a great bargain and will only negotiate a further 5% reduction. They would rather absorb the mortgage payments for a few more months, hoping the market will recover, than take a loss right now. So they negotiated by dropping their listing prices but unwilling to negotiate when you make an offer.

For example, I made an an offer that was 15% lower than the listing prices and the seller countered with a 6% reduction and told me to take it or leave it. So I left it... What really made me mad was my agent kept saying it was a good offer and I should take it, etc...