Tempe Areas (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler: condo, crime, houses)

[Dawagonbus]

As some of you may know my family and I arrived in Phoenix on Labor Day so we are celebrating one month in tomorrow. We have a condo in the northern Ahwatukee area for 6 months while we look for a house and we are working with a really good realtor who has been very helpful.

My question is How is the area around Elliot and Lakeshore Dr for those on the board from Tempe? I've looked at the Crime Stats but I'd like a more personal opinion from someone who currently lives in the area. Unfortunately our realtor lives in Ahwatukee also and can only speak in generalities.

My wife is under the impression that Tempe in general is a less attractive area then the Chandler area but I was driveing around the above coordinates and thought the homes were good sized, nicely kept, large lots, good schools, etc. My wife and I like to go jogging and walking, riding our bikes and going to the park with our 4 year old. Is it an overall safe area to do these things?

Any other Tempe areas you folks might recomend so I can forward on to the "boss"? Our price range is up to 250k probably.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Dawagonbus

As some of you may know my family and I arrived in Phoenix on Labor Day so we are celebrating one month in tomorrow. We have a condo in the northern Ahwatukee area for 6 months while we look for a house and we are working with a really good realtor who has been very helpful.

My question is How is the area around Elliot and Lakeshore Dr for those on the board from Tempe? I've looked at the Crime Stats but I'd like a more personal opinion from someone who currently lives in the area. Unfortunately our realtor lives in Ahwatukee also and can only speak in generalities.

My wife is under the impression that Tempe in general is a less attractive area then the Chandler area but I was driveing around the above coordinates and thought the homes were good sized, nicely kept, large lots, good schools, etc. My wife and I like to go jogging and walking, riding our bikes and going to the park with our 4 year old. Is it an overall safe area to do these things?

Any other Tempe areas you folks might recomend so I can forward on to the "boss"? Our price range is up to 250k probably.

That area is about a mile and a half from me, it's very nice. To me, all of south Tempe is a high quality place to live, and certainly comparable to or in some areas better than the north and west part of Chandler that borders it. Schools are Kyrene district, very good indeed, I see lots of jogging, biking and walking all around the area. The ASU Research Park, less than a mile to the east, is a particularly great place for jogging, biking, walking, bring a picnic and sit by a lake, watch the ducks (and the occasional heron) etc. Crime in the whole 85284 ZIP is minimal. I've lived in the area for 26 years, and love it. Any more questions, please feel free to DM me.

[MommaKD]

Agreed. I'm just South of Elliot and McClintock and we really enjoy the area. We lived in Gilbert for a year prior and also looked at Ahwatukee and Scottsdale. We saw more of what we were looking for (well-kept neighborhoods, bigger landscaped backyards, etc.) in South Tempe than any of the other areas within our commute distance. lt's a good central location to lots of family friendly activities. Kiwanis park is nearby and has nice walking trails and a playground around the lake, in addition to the community center. We're homeschoolers but my oldest plays sports at Kyrene and it's less than a 20 minute drive. We're always out and about and feel safe. South Tempe is generally a well-kept, family friendly area.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by MommaKD

Agreed. I'm just South of Elliot and McClintock and we really enjoy the area. We lived in Gilbert for a year prior and also looked at Ahwatukee and Scottsdale. We saw more of what we were looking for (well-kept neighborhoods, bigger landscaped backyards, etc.) in South Tempe than any of the other areas within our commute distance. lt's a good central location to lots of family friendly activities. Kiwanis park is nearby and has nice walking trails and a playground around the lake, in addition to the community center. We're homeschoolers but my oldest plays sports at Kyrene and it's less than a 20 minute drive. We're always out and about and feel safe. South Tempe is generally a well-kept, family friendly area.

We're basically neighbors. Which side of McClintock?

[MommaKD]

We're East of McClintock

[observer53]

Originally Posted by MommaKD

We're East of McClintock

Me, too! But, enough about us....

[ShampooBanana]

I agree with Observer's Observations about the area. Anything in Tempe south of the canal between Guadlupe and Elliot is pretty quality. There are some very nice areas off Elliot and Warner roads. I looked at a LOT of houses in south Tempe and was in about the same price range as you. Check out south of Elliot and east of McClintock. I found some decent houses under $250k in what I call the "horse streets" area, since most of the street names are horse related in some way (Equistrian, Secretariat, Belmont, Kentucky, etc.). There are also some good ones in and around Warner Ranch and Pecan Grove subdivisions.

[ShampooBanana]

BTW, what are of north Ahwatukee are you in? That's ultimately where I decided to buy was in Pointe South Mountain (near 48th and where it intersects with Guadalupe). I love it.

[Dawagonbus]

We have also looked at a couple homes in that area. The neighborhood looks fine to me but I'm trying to convince my wife. Basically, I've been looking within a 3/4 of a mile or so east and west and south of the Elliot and Lakeshore dr. intersection.

She also likes Ahwatukee for being close to SouthMountain. We are at 48th and Elliot right now. My drive to work is straight up 48th to the airport area. Even when the traffic is bad it's never as bad as i-10.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

I agree with Observer's Observations about the area. Anything in Tempe south of the canal between Guadlupe and Elliot is pretty quality. There are some very nice areas off Elliot and Warner roads. I looked at a LOT of houses in south Tempe and was in about the same price range as you. Check out south of Elliot and east of McClintock. I found some decent houses under $250k in what I call the "horse streets" area, since most of the street names are horse related in some way (Equistrian, Secretariat, Belmont, Kentucky, etc.). There are also some good ones in and around Warner Ranch and Pecan Grove subdivisions.

I'm in the "horse streets" area myself. Secretariat and Citation carried over from the real horse properties in Sunburst Farms across the road, (McClintock) and then they picked some other related names for the streets that are only on the east side of McClintock-- Kentucky, Belmont, Velvet.

It depends on the area of what is loosely called "Ahwatukee", but I find that parts of it have a much more congested feel than South Tempe does. More traffic, houses closer together. JMO.