Should I rent a house or an apartment? (Phoenix: affordable apartments, credit)

[Zeromus-X]

Originally Posted by thatguyoverther

zeromus-x which places did you look at and which one did you choose?

We extensively researched online about 30 properties and narrowed it down to these:

Scottsdale Springs (Scottsdale) - Talked to a resident and did not get a really optimistic review of the place. Reviews online were bad but it was recommended by someone who helps people find apartments from Craigslist, but I think this was just someone trying to get out of their own apartment and seemed sketchy.

Ninety Degrees (Scottsdale) - Loved the property but the units are fairly small and easily the most expensive of the ones we saw. Interior access to units is nice. Not all units had balconies; some had amazing 20-foot windows but they didn't open, either. This was our 2nd choice.

Shade at Desert Ridge (North Phoenix) - Gorgeous units but no view out of most of them (a few either into a wall a few feet away, or sometimes just someone's patio!) due to the arrangement of the buildings. Very friendly. The units seemed awkward when walking through the common areas; the best I can compare it to is a shopping mall that had all kinds of weird angles. Hard to explain without walking through, but seems easy to get lost, and not a lot of lighting at night in the walkways.

Grigio Tempe Town (Tempe) - Overpriced for what we saw. You're definitely paying for the views and to live in that area, and we didn't care enough about them to justify the price.

Lofts at Rio Salado (Tempe) - Older style that seemed a bit too contemporary for what we were looking for, and was also fairly expensive for the size of the unit.

Elliot's Crossing (Tempe) - Seemed old. Residents we ran into were all older and the buildings are definitely older. Very small kitchens with old appliances. Only 2BR units were available when we went anyway, which is more than we needed.

Metropointe (Tempe) - We went with this apartment. Friendliest staff, was able to get us in same-day, and apartments had the most useful layouts (no hallways wasting space, for example). South views from 3rd floor face South Mountain area and is gorgeous at sunset. Smallish balconies but enough to eat on and balcony has access from bedroom and living room. Largest floorplan for the price.

Versante (Avondale) - Best looking common area and clubhouse by far of any other options; this property is amazing to see but the units themselves just looked like every other unit. This was the one we thought we were going to pick before we moved here. Very large complex and very busy office; there were always people there when we went. If it wasn't so far away from everything, it would have been our choice, but the distance to the rest of the city made it fall off the list.

Summit Lakes (Chandler) - Like Elliot's Crossing, this place just seemed older. Just didn't get a good vibe from it. Never saw any other residents during the walk-through and the person working at the office seemed to want to rush us.

Hope that helps.

[sutyotsuk]

I was under the impression that most of the management companies require proof of job/income.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by sutyotsuk

I was under the impression that most of the management companies require proof of job/income.

I'm self employed and have never had problems renting before I owned.

[sutyotsuk]

Originally Posted by thatguyoverther

I do not have a job

This is a lot different than "self employed." I did know a smart HR lady, who say never say "unemployed", better to say "self-emploed", even if your mom is your only client. Rental history and credit score come into play, too.

[thatguyoverther]

Well regarding the whole job thing, how is the financial sector looking right now in Phoenix? I am wondering how long it will take to get a job. I am looking to get a job as a financial analyst. I am just out of college so I would be entry level. I have enough saved up for atleast six months worth of expenses. Is that enough time to get a job in this economy?

[Zeromus-X]

I moved across the country with no job and had no problem getting a place here. They wanted proof of financial responsibility so I gave them a printout of my last bank/savings statement.

[Howard Roark]

I rented both over the years. If you want more peace and quiet, rent a house. If you want same day maintenance (very crucial in case your A/C goes down) and want a well-maintained pool(s) and jacuzzi, rent an apartment. I rent at around $1000. It's decent but I get occasional noisy neighbors. You go higher than that and you are most likely in condos. High end apartments are starting to be built in the valley in upscale areas. You may want those as they would help weed out scruffy neighbors who blare cRAP noise.

Originally Posted by thatguyoverther

I am moving to Phoenix soon and I was wondering whether or not I should rent a house or an apartment? And what areas of the valley should I look at? I do not have a job lined up..yet, and rent wise I am thinking $900 to $1,300 per month.

[sutyotsuk]

Originally Posted by thatguyoverther

Well regarding the whole job thing, how is the financial sector looking right now in Phoenix? I am wondering how long it will take to get a job. I am looking to get a job as a financial analyst. I am just out of college so I would be entry level. I have enough saved up for atleast six months worth of expenses. Is that enough time to get a job in this economy?

Have you passed any licensing exams? I know lots of people started out with Schwab in Phoenix, but I think their business has been shrinking. The CFP thing is around. Met one last night that couldn't give me the name of one good stock to buy.

[LocoAZnative]

Originally Posted by Zeromus-X

We extensively researched online about 30 properties and narrowed it down to these:



Metropointe (Tempe) - We went with this apartment. Friendliest staff, was able to get us in same-day, and apartments had the most useful layouts (no hallways wasting space, for example). South views from 3rd floor face South Mountain area and is gorgeous at sunset. Smallish balconies but enough to eat on and balcony has access from bedroom and living room. Largest floorplan for the price.

Guess its a plus you get to look at South Mountain(or more so the industrial park across the street). Or you don't have to stare at Guadalupe all day. Odd place for that development between Guadalupe and a walmart.

[Zeromus-X]

It's definitely a weird location relative to all the other places we checked out. But it's right off Elliot, which is where a lot of the newer, more expensive locations are. We're close enough to Guadalupe to walk to the Farmer's Market and get really fresh produce and some awesome Hatch chiles, but far enough that we haven't had any problems with anything in that area. Being a gated community might help somewhat, too. It takes a little getting used to overriding the GPS in the car, which often sends us through Guadalupe to Baseline to I10 instead of down Elliot to I10... but that's a pretty minor thing. And if we don't want to drive, there's a bus stop for 56 right outside the neighborhood which takes us almost straight to Mill.

I love that we're within two miles of pretty much any retailer we could possibly need, and there's about a hundred restaurants in that range as well. And from the third floor we don't see the industrial park at all; there's enough in the apartment complex to block our views. We can't see Priest or I10 from our window, we just see palm trees, mailboxes, the pool area, and the mountains. Complete with 20+ radio/TV towers.

I'm guessing the price of the place is low relative to the rest of the area due to its distance from Guadalupe. For an 800+ sqft apartment with all the amenities they provide, the prices are way below average.