Wash or No Wash (Chandler, Gilbert: buying a home, buying, pros and cons)

[liberty413]

We are planning on moving to AZ within the next 4 months. We are looking online at homes and many are next to washes. What are the pros and cons to buying a home next to a wash? Should I be staying far away from them? The areas we are looking into are Laveen, Litchfield Park, Cave Creek and Queen Creek. Are the washes in some areas less harmful than others?

Thank you

[sablebaby]

I would stay away from a wash as a few times a year they can fill up and flood and then you can't pass it to get home. I see it on the news a lot during the monsoon. There will be people standing around waiting a few hours for it to go down and so they can pass. This only happens to a very small percentage of people and only some washes.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by liberty413

We are planning on moving to AZ within the next 4 months. We are looking online at homes and many are next to washes. What are the pros and cons to buying a home next to a wash? Should I be staying far away from them? The areas we are looking into are Laveen, Litchfield Park, Cave Creek and Queen Creek. Are the washes in some areas less harmful than others?

Thank you

The biggest positive to living next to a wash is guaranteed privacy which, as far as I am concerned, is much more valuable than the negatives associated with a wash.

Good Luck

[liberty413]

Thank you. I guess my main concern was if I bought a house next to a wash, if I could expect my house to be flooded during monsoon season.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by liberty413

Thank you. I guess my main concern was if I bought a house next to a wash, if I could expect my house to be flooded during monsoon season.

Just make certain it is a DEEP wash that is well maintained! ! ! ! !

[BillyBaroo]

You might have more critters around your house. Washes are like a super highway system for coyotes. That wouldn't bother me though, I would like to live next to a wash. Just make sure there isn't any spots with standing water where mosquitos breed.

[Boatdrinks]

Wash = no one living there which = privacy I'd much rather back to a wash then have a giant 2 story house looming down on us in our backyard.

I've heard of people in Maricopa being stranded due to flooding roads but I don't know if that was tied to washes. As well, I've heard of people in the north being stranded or flooded during monsoon - the news just reported this happening within the past couple weeks - I think it was Cave Creek but I could be wrong. But those are older areas and I don't think the wash systems are as well done as they seem to be at least in Chandler and Gilbert. They seem to have more flooding problems there then they do out here in the southeast valley, though it really can happen anywhere.

If it's a deep wash, I'd be very comfortable buying there. Enjoy your privacy!!

[tigerclaws]

Sorry for the ignorant question, but what is a wash really?

[Bill-]

Originally Posted by tigerclaws

Sorry for the ignorant question, but what is a wash really?

A normally dry streambed that flows during and shortly after significant rains.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by tigerclaws

Sorry for the ignorant question, but what is a wash really?

LOL @ Tigerclaws . . . GOOD ONE!

Any place else in the country they would be called "ditches" or "gullies" or possibly "open sewers" but out here there seems to be a need for a classier, more sophisticated name . . . another example of WHAT'S IN A NAME?