Thinking Of Moving To Phoenix From NY..Need Advice. (Mesa: cul-de-sac, real estate)

[HMac2323]

I Am 20 years old, looking to move to phoenix with my girlfriend and our child. i was attracted to phoenix (or the surrounding areas) by the current real estate situation. it seems it is very affordable. i have been to phoenix a few times but only briefly. originally i was going to move to Bakersfield California as i have family there but phoenix seems more within my price range. i am looking to buy a house within the price range of about 100,000-150,000...i could possibly go higher but it would have to be a dream house or something. my main concern is that i do not want to be in a neighborhood where the houses are jammed side by side which i have heard is common in phoenix. are there any areas where the houses are somewhat new (post 1990) where my house would have its own space? with a decent sized yard?

PS. i have done a lot of research regarding the job market/weather/etc so spare me the speeches lol

in all seriousness though i would be very thankful for any information regarding any neighborhoods/towns in the phoenix area where you think i might find something to match what i am looking for? thanks again.

[observer53]

"Somewhat new" and "not close together" would be fairly difficult to find in the metro area, in terms of something both in your price range and close in to Phoenix. What kind of commute are you looking for, what other amenities do you need nearby, etc.?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by HMac2323

I Am 20 years old, looking to move to phoenix with my girlfriend and our child. i was attracted to phoenix (or the surrounding areas) by the current real estate situation. it seems it is very affordable. i have been to phoenix a few times but only briefly. originally i was going to move to Bakersfield California as i have family there but phoenix seems more within my price range. i am looking to buy a house within the price range of about 100,000-150,000...i could possibly go higher but it would have to be a dream house or something. my main concern is that i do not want to be in a neighborhood where the houses are jammed side by side which i have heard is common in phoenix. are there any areas where the houses are somewhat new (post 1990) where my house would have its own space? with a decent sized yard?

PS. i have done a lot of research regarding the job market/weather/etc so spare me the speeches lol

in all seriousness though i would be very thankful for any information regarding any neighborhoods/towns in the phoenix area where you think i might find something to match what i am looking for? thanks again.

Up until about early 90s homes with 80x110 lots were common. That gives a decent back yard and side setbacks for the home of the time. After that the 60x100 took over along with oversized houses leaving little space on the lot. In early 2000s, the two story home gained popularity as it is the only way to get decent square footage on the tiny lots. So, if you look for 1990s houses you can find a decent lot. Focus on cul-de-sacs and curved sections of streets. I have a cul-de-sac lot that is nearly 1/2 acre - too much space actually.

[flynntastic]

The yard size really varies by community and you will find that most of the communities with large yards are either very expensive or older.

What you're looking for can definitely be found down here though. You can get a very nice home for less than $150000 right now. What I'd do is look at some of the communities surrounding Phoenix, like Mesa, Gilbert or Chandler or Laveen. Find a real estate agent and make sure that you mention that yard size is very important. They can search the MLS and include yard size in their search.

I'd also be open to an older home. During the boom, a lot of people bought older homes and fixed them up with the hope of selling them at a profit. You can get an 80's home with a big yard that's been completely updated (granite countertops, yada, yada) for the price range you're looking for. You might even be able to get a pool.

I also agree with the above. Focus on corner lots and cul de sacs. We live in a community that has decent yards but the houses are close together. However, our neighbors down the street have a yard on almost 1/2 acre because they're on the corner. They have an orchard, a pool, a putting green, a tiki bar, a sand volleyball court, an outdoor shower and still have empty space to fill in.

[Captain Bill]

Most of the homes will have 5-7 feet on the side. That's 10-14 feet from house to house.

There are some communities with larger lots. If you work with a Realtor and discuss your requirements s/he can do a search and find homes that meet your criteria for you to view.

[Ritchie_az]

Phoenix is a much better choice than Bakersfield....

[kiitah]

Lots in Phoenix are all crammed side by side, under 5000 sq ft is normal for a lot size. You will pay more for a large lot unless you go into the outlying areas. Laveen has really good deals, and you could find a nice home on a bigger lot in your price range. In the more convenient areas, you will pay a premium for land. It all depends on where you work and commute to. Laveen is not that far from downtown but is quite a drive to the E Valley. We went house hunting today in Laveen and I was astounded at how awesome of a house you could get for 120k. Pools, nice interiors, bigger lots. Good luck.

If you go to a site like ziprealty.com you can search by lots of criteria in Phoenix and surrounding areas and specify lot size. My advice if you have a child, do NOT ever, under any circumstances, dream house or not, go into the Roosevelt school district of Phoenix. The schools are atrocious. Chandler, Gilbert, Kyrene, those are all good districts, and Tempe has some gems. Check greatschools.net for the stats on the school that is in the neighborhood you are looking at. It's invalueable.