Easier Commute (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale: real estate market, renting, house)

[nwrunner74]

My husband will be working off of Hayden Rd in Scottsdale. We will be making a trip to Phoenix very shortly and would love some advice on commuting. I can look at yahoo/maps and determine mileage but was wondering if traffic was heavier coming from one direction over another in and out of Scottsdale?

We are looking for a family friendly suburb with great schools with a $250,000 housing budget. We have heard great things about Gilbert. Are there certain highways/freeways that have heavier congestion in and out of Scottsdale then others?

Example Gilbert vs. Goodyear direction?

From what I've read on the forum, it sounds like the real estate market is picking up from 2010. For the real estate agents on this forum, is there generally a slower real estate time of the year for the Phoenix area?

[Finger Laker]

Part of that will depend on where on Hayden Rd - in one shape or form "hayden" is used to describe areas of the city in the far north or all the way down to where scottsdale meets tempe

You could be looking at 10 miles between Hayden up near the airpark and Hayden closer to old town and there are definitely business clusters in both

Regardless - I'm not sure what you mean by "goodyear direction" other than maybe heading in from the west - which wouldn't make sense as Gilbert is to the east ..... i'd have a very hard time recommending Goodyear for a scottsdale commute (regardless if it was north or south) although I do live in Goodyear so I can't really give too much information on the best routes in and out of gilbert

However, if the job is in N. Scottsdale then maybe some of the communities in the northern part of the metro could work as well

[ReadyFreddy]

Why not look for a home in Scottsdale? It's very nice. You could do ok there for $250k.

The 101 freeway serves Scottsdale (or at least the lower half, where Hayden is). It does load up. I think driving from Gilbert to Scottsdale you would be going the way of the most, so right in the thick of things.

[S. Chris Webb]

I'm not familiar with the commute in that part of town, but can tell you the slow time of year for real estate is basically Labor day through the rest of the year. In my experience, late Spring/Early Summer is when most buyers are looking.

I do recommend renting in the Valley for at least six months before you buy, to get to know both the commute and the neighborhood.

[nwrunner74]

Yes, I guess I was asking if there was less congestion commuting from Goodyear to Scottsdale (west to east) vs. Gilbert to Scottsdale. (south to north)? It looks like Gilbert is shorter (mileage wise) but I didn't know if the route lent itself to more congestion.

We thought about Scottsdale, but thought maybe our money would stretch further in other suburbs?

Appreciate your responses!

[observer53]

IMO, There is absolutely no reason to live in Goodyear and work in Scottsdale, anywhere on Hayden Rd. The inbound west to east commute IS heavy, as is the outbound the other way. Even if the traffic were minimal, to me the cost in time, gas and wear and tear on the car, and me, would not be worth it. Same with Gilbert, actually, perhaps to a slightly lesser degree.

It would help, as indicated above, to know where on Hayden we are talking about. Depending on that, living in east Phoenix might make more sense. Also, I agree that you should be renting for a time to get familiar with the overall area before making a purchase.

[ReadyFreddy]

I agree that the cost savings on a house in a further suburb would (for me) be mostly negated by added commute costs. I think you could avoid the Scottsdale 'surcharge' by choosing a closer alternate city, like Phoenix, Tempe or north Mesa (depending on where in Scottsdale the job is).

[Zippyman]

$250k should be enough that you don't have to commute that far, if at all. We would need a cross-street to suggest neighborhoods, Hayden is a very long road.

The 101 looks tempting on a map, but it's very busy coming into Scottsdale from both directions in the morning and leaving in the afternoon. If hubby's work hours are "off-peak", he could likely make great time, but if he's 9 to 5, you'll probably want to draw a circle within 10-15 miles of his work and stay inside.

[nwrunner74]

His work location would be off of Hayden & E McDowell Rd... I guess that would be the southern Scottsdale? We have visited Scottsdale before and love the area however, $250,000 would be the max we would want to spend. If you feel Gilbert would be too much of a commute, what other areas should we look at that have excellent schools and a great community and would stretch our dollar?

[observer53]

Mesa (northern part), Tempe, east Phoenix. I'd still look in Scottsdale, for that matter.