housing costs budget (Phoenix, Chandler, Tempe: sales, foreclosures, home sales)

[Midwest runner]

Comparing Dallas/Fort Worth to Phx area for job salaries and housing costs so we know where to focus our job search.

Have housing prices stabalized in Phx since this long recession began with all the foreclosures, home price drops, etc.? Can one purchase a nice family house (3-4 br, 2 ba, 2 car garage, 2000 square feet or more) in a decent suburb of Phx with decent schools for around or under 200k?

We aren't looking to have a McMansion or be in a gated community. We don't need to be in the premier town, we just want a nice, family oriented area to raise our kids and work.

Have done some research but it is hard to discern what is what with all the foreclosures and the changes in communities.

TIA

[observer53]

With that general description, I'd say yes. You must also consider where you are working, to avoid really long commutes.

[ibarrio]

I paid $178,000 for my home. It is 3410 square ft in a good area of Surprise (there are no bad areas in Surprise). That was in Oct. The last two homes that sold my block have gone for 214 and 218.

[Skywayy2001]

Your about 6 months too late in buying that home.

[LBTRS]

Recent newspaper articles say housing prices have increased 20% in the Phoenix metro area. That said, you can still get what you're looking for in that price range. I'm familiar with the west valley and if I were looking with your criteria I'd be looking in Goodyear or Surprise, both are very nice communities.

If you're looking for someplace in the east valley someone else is going to have to step in.

As far as jobs, you don't say what industry you're looking at so kind of hard to point you in a direction.

[Midwest runner]

My husband is looking into product mgmt. He has 15 yrs experience w/ an mba and a master's in project mgmt. I figure we won't know exact location until there's a job offer and then we'd look into a specific communities.

However, you've answered my ? that there are suburbs where a reasonable home can still be found around Phx.

[Midwest runner]

What about the east valley or the south or north burbs?

[observer53]

Depends on the exact location and the age of the home-- It's still doable, if you look at the home sales websites you can get an idea of what's out there. All this could change depending on how long it takes him to find work out here, since you shouldn't even consider moving without the job in hand. I don't know what "product management" is, exactly, so I can't comment on the job market (and might not be able to even if I did know )

[sh9730]

Midwest,

Most of the lower end pricing has stabilized and has even increased as other posters (and other threads here on C-D) have said.

It all depends on where you are working and then how far you are willing to drive.

For a 2K sq ft house for under 200K you probably can count on being 30+ mins from downtown Phoenix in a decent area. The east valley will probably mean San Tan Valley or QC for that much house (although there may be exceptions closer in). Although I dont know for sure, my guess is anything for 200K in Chandler/Gilbert/Tempe will be smaller...but you might get lucky and find one that fits your needs.


To the south both Maricopa and Casa Grande you can probably get a decent house that big for about more like 150K, even cheaper if you get lucky, but then you ll have a drive of at least 30 mins depending on where the job is.

Not quite as many burbs to the direct north that are "affordable". Anthem is probably the closest match - Im not at all sure what houses up there are going for.

[MotleyCrew]

Originally Posted by Midwest runner

Comparing Dallas/Fort Worth to Phx area for job salaries and housing costs so we know where to focus our job search.

Have housing prices stabalized in Phx since this long recession began with all the foreclosures, home price drops, etc.? Can one purchase a nice family house (3-4 br, 2 ba, 2 car garage, 2000 square feet or more) in a decent suburb of Phx with decent schools for around or under 200k?

We aren't looking to have a McMansion or be in a gated community. We don't need to be in the premier town, we just want a nice, family oriented area to raise our kids and work.

Have done some research but it is hard to discern what is what with all the foreclosures and the changes in communities.

TIA

There are homes in Vistancia, which was and still is one of the premium master planned communities here. It is a drive from Phoenix, 24 miles from the airport but will take you an hour or so in traffic to get there. Their elementary school (2) on site is rated highly and there is great big box shopping 4 miles down the road and a Safeway center at the entrance to Vistancia. Your budget would work just fine there. The prices have been creeping up but still some bargains to be found. In Surprise, Marley Park is another great development and I am sure you could find a nice home there as well.