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Old 05-06-2013, 02:50 PM
 
Location: Oakville, ON
377 posts, read 1,691,879 times
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We are thinking of relocating to Scottsdale from the Toronto area within 1-2 years. My parents have a part-time residence in the city, and I have visited at least 20 times since 1997 so I know the city very, very well. There is also a Visa classification that I qualify under so this is not an issue.

Couple of questions:

1. We have a young son who is elementary school aged. It's common knowledge the AZ schools are not well ranked overall. What private schools in the area would be recommended, or what public schools are well above standard? Note that we currently live in an area that has some of the best schools in Canada, so we do not want to give our son a significant decline in education quality if we're going to make this move.

2. We are interested in the 85260 zip code, roughly bound by Loop 101 on the west, Bell Rd on the north and Shea Blvd to the south. This is the area where my parents reside. I've noticed the detached home prices in this area seem to be considerably less than other parts of Scottsdale, specifically the newer shinier areas like McDowell Mtn Ranch, DC Ranch etc. We are interested in a home at least 2000 sq/ft for under $500K, and are willing to do a small renovation of the home is a few years old. There are several in this area that appear to fit the bill.

Can somebody shed some light on why this area seems unusually cheap compared to other parts of Scottsdale? Is it not as "prestigious"? Is it too densely populated for some peoples tastes? I've noticed alot of townhomes and condos geared towards retirees here, so maybe that is a factor. Like any family, we're looking for a safe, clean area of raise our son in.

3. Can somebody shed some light on estimated living costs, specifically AC/heating costs on a home that size, auto/home insurance and tuition for a good private school?

4. Any comments on the Asian-American population in the Valley? Our son is mixed race (Vietnamese and caucasian) and we have some hesitation raising him in a homogenous city. We want him to identify with his culture as much as possible. I know Scottsdale is very white, but I know the SE Valley, specifically Chandler has a growing Vietnamese population. I've noticed the amount of services and retailers geared towards Asian clientele has increased in the Valley over the past few years, but still isn't close to what we would get here in Toronto or even in Orange County (another area we have considered). We don't need these services at our doorstep, but having them within a 30 minute drive on the weekends would be ideal.

Thanks for your feedback.
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Old 05-06-2013, 03:04 PM
 
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I recently bought a home a bit further north, but currently rent a nice house in 85260. Housing prices are a bit less than the newer developments, although not much. I'd guess that they are slightly lower because the houses are a bit older and you're not getting the master-planned community, which a lot of people like. It's still a VERY nice area and there are many multi-million dollar homes in 85260. I love living here. You have very easy access to the 101, tons of shopping and restaurants nearby and if you get lucky, you may be right on the Greenbelt.

As far as diversity, my neighbors are a Korean family and the family across the street is Persian. It is still very much a white majority, but I don't think you will (and hope you don't) feel out of place. You will, however, have to go to Tempe or Chandler for a more Asian-centric culture, but it's not far. I'm stating the obvious, but Toronto is a far more cosmopolitan city, however the weather stinks! Good luck getting out of the cold and welcome to Scottsdale!

Last edited by DetroitN8V; 05-06-2013 at 03:25 PM..
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Old 05-06-2013, 03:33 PM
 
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There's some older houses in the area you described (North of Shea, East of 101) which have shingle roofs and are less desirable than other parts of Scottsdale. There's also quite a few condo's in that area like you mentioned. But in addition to that, there's gate golf and non golf course communities with houses from the 700K to over 1MM++ range, so it's a good mix, I don't think the "area" is less desirable, no. It has good freeway access, good shopping, good views, etc. As far as the makeup of retirees, you are right, which is the #1 factor why I won't live in Scottsdale, the overabundance of retirees/empty nesters/2nd, 3rd home seasonal residents, etc. Just too boring for people with kids like me, but the area you are looking at is not nearly as bad as further North in some of the higher end communities that look like ghost towns in the summer, late spring and early fall. As far as schools go, I can't really give you an answer. Schools in Scottsdale are deemed to be "OK" but not great, consider asking your realtor about private schools.
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Old 05-06-2013, 06:08 PM
 
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as the others said, that area you're zeroing in is some combo of: a bit older, less pretentious (the houses themselves), smaller lots, lesser views, no golf, not as impressive an area to impress your friends, and other factors....it is an entirely safe area, well-regarded, and very convenient, but can be a bit 70s/80s-ish....also, be ready to compromise somewhat if you want to stick to that budget....you said you'd found candidates that meet it, but look around, bargain hard, check comps.....those other areas north of 101 and E of Pima are more prestigious, you know, for those who are concerned with that stuff...find a realtor who knows the area and will be honest with you....

and does it have to be Scottsdale?....you'll pay a 25% or more premium for the Scottsdale address and you suggest the services you want are in other areas of the valley....

blunt comments: will your son be ok being yanked out of his hometown and starting all over in a place very different from Toronto?...some kids are fine with it.....is he naturally gregarious, savvy, and able to let the occasional slur roll off him?....

AC/electric will reach $300/mo or more in the summer if you like it cool....don't be averse to opening the windows and doors if it's nice outside....heat (electric) bills will inch up in the winter....not much gas heat out here....you'll need to research insurance costs yourself, I think....private school can go up to $20K/year or more at the best ones, but I'm not up on all the best ones....Phoenix Country Day is well-regarded, but is high-school grades only, I think...many other private school choices and that may be good for your son's background, too....yes, I think many Scottsdale public schools are over-rated (large classes, schools too big, budget and staff cuts looming)....generally, cost of living out here is low...low property taxes, low grocery costs, low gasoline prices.....
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Old 05-06-2013, 06:12 PM
 
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McDowell Mtn Ranch and DC Ranch are in 85255 which is right next to 85260 (The other side of the Thompson Peak bridge). 85260 is a very nice area and yes some homes are older (late 80s to early 00s) and in small developments not considered masterplans. There are some homes that I personally would avoid because they are a bit dated looking- but so is McCormick Ranch in central Scottsdale (only 5 miles away, 85254) and those homes are considerably more money than this area. Since McCormick Ranch is a masterplan, centrally located, close to Paradise Valley, has the greenbelt and lots of things to do in the area I can understand that it is more money. If you are looking for newer type houses- stick to 85260, 85255, or 85259. You can certainly find a home in that budget.

As for schools, I can't really help you on elementary/middle private schools, but there is a small private Catholic highschool called Notre Dame prep just south of DC Ranch. It is one of the better private schools for AZ. I heard that Desert Mountain High School- the school zoned for most of 85260- has a big drug problem just so ya know.
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Old 05-06-2013, 06:53 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Of course the Phoenix metro area will not have the Asian population that Toronto has. Many areas of California in Los Angeles,Orange,Solano,San Mateo,Alameda,San Francisco,Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties are more closely aligned to where you are from numbers wise and culturally. That said, the Asian population is growing in the Phoenix area. About 3.5% of the population of 4.5 million.

Little by little the demographics of California are coming to the Phoenix metro. The area of Scottsdale your parents have property in is a little older but by no means run down.

Culturally though, and being a person of color myself (AA) who was born and raised here, and who has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for some years where all nationalities are in more abundance, I think Scottsdale may be somewhat challenging for a child of color to grow up in. I attended schools growing up where I was one of a handful of people of color, and it causes one to lose identity. People of color still have a token identity as students in Scottsdale, although it is improving. Scottsdale is a nice place to live for a family of color without children.

Chandler would be a good option as the Asian community is somewhat educated and it's concentration heavier, as well as South Tempe. West Phoenix and its suburbs have a decent Asian population in pockets, although some areas may be lower income.
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Old 05-06-2013, 07:42 PM
 
Location: Oakville, ON
377 posts, read 1,691,879 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azdr0710 View Post
and does it have to be Scottsdale?....you'll pay a 25% or more premium for the Scottsdale address and you suggest the services you want are in other areas of the valley....

blunt comments: will your son be ok being yanked out of his hometown and starting all over in a place very different from Toronto?...some kids are fine with it.....is he naturally gregarious, savvy, and able to let the occasional slur roll off him?....
We've given some consideration to Chandler as well, and NE Phoenix proper. Our preference is Scottsdale due to familiarity (it's been a vacation destination for us for 15 years), my parents having a residence there, and we love the beauty and amenities of the area. We have come to appreciate the upscale vibe that Scottsdale has. The restaurants, golf, retail selection is among the best in the country - and having some of the best variety of geography and the Sonoran Desert to the North and East of Scottsdale is probably the most beautiful in the area. We are willing to sacrifice housing size and age because we do love the area that much.

I'm almost certain our son will adapt well. We're actually originally from Vancouver, and we moved him to Toronto when he was well established in a pre-school. He adapted within a couple of weeks - he is a very social, well adjusted kid.
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Old 05-06-2013, 08:13 PM
 
Location: Oakville, ON
377 posts, read 1,691,879 times
Reputation: 435
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goober13 View Post
Of course the Phoenix metro area will not have the Asian population that Toronto has. Many areas of California in Los Angeles,Orange,Solano,San Mateo,Alameda,San Francisco,Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties are more closely aligned to where you are from numbers wise and culturally. That said, the Asian population is growing in the Phoenix area. About 3.5% of the population of 4.5 million.

Little by little the demographics of California are coming to the Phoenix metro. The area of Scottsdale your parents have property in is a little older but by no means run down.

Culturally though, and being a person of color myself (AA) who was born and raised here, and who has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for some years where all nationalities are in more abundance, I think Scottsdale may be somewhat challenging for a child of color to grow up in. I attended schools growing up where I was one of a handful of people of color, and it causes one to lose identity. People of color still have a token identity as students in Scottsdale, although it is improving. Scottsdale is a nice place to live for a family of color without children.

Chandler would be a good option as the Asian community is somewhat educated and it's concentration heavier, as well as South Tempe. West Phoenix and its suburbs have a decent Asian population in pockets, although some areas may be lower income.
Good comments, and points all noted. Honestly, our ideal is Irvine, CA (reminds us of Scottsdale - but with the ocean and Asian people) - but living in the LA Metro, paying California taxes and the high cost of living makes the decision to immigrate much less compelling. If that's the case, we would just stay in Canada.

If it makes a difference, our issue is more to do with culture than it is race. Our son could pass as 100% Caucasian, so I'm not really concerned about him being a visible minority as much as he could lose his cultural identity by not having interactions with other Asians on a regular basis.

My thought is that this can be potentially be addressed in one of a few ways.

1. The Phoenix Metro becomes increasingly diverse over the next decade as he grows up.

2. We enroll him in a private school with a high number of international students.

3. It's also very possible that our move to Phoenix could be a 3-4 year situation for us and we very well might return to Canada (probably Vancouver) after that time. In fact, the Visa classification I would qualify under does not give us permanent residency, nor can we apply it towards citizenship, so he would be required to leave the US when he was 21. I wouldn't want to to raise my child in a city if he couldn't make it his home as an adult. In this case, he spends his teens in our home country, and we keep a residence in Scottsdale as a winter home once he graduates from school. We can reside in the US up to 6 months a year without a Visa.

Thanks for all the comments so far.
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Old 05-06-2013, 08:47 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Liberated in TO View Post
Good comments, and points all noted. Honestly, our ideal is Irvine, CA (reminds us of Scottsdale - but with the ocean and Asian people).
Actually, I'm from the Irvine area (Mission Viejo to be exact, in-laws live in Newport Beach) and Scottsdale reminds me nothing of Irvine. In fact, one of the reasons I chose Chandler is I prefer the lusher California type landscaping found in Chandler versus the desert landscaping that is most common in Scottsdale. I know this is a desert but I don't care for desert landscaping. I prefer the Orange County area and plan to return, for now I chose South Chandler with all the lakes, big trees, lush landscaping and non desert golf courses. Scottsdale has a few areas like this as well, I'm thinking more in Central Scottsdale which is my favorite area of Scottsdale, and Scottsdale Ranch in the area you are looking is more lush as well.
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Old 05-07-2013, 11:19 AM
 
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T. O.: you're analyzing this very well...good for you....

wondering if a move out of Canada is not the right thing at all...you say culture is important and I think Canada respects that more than many areas of the US.....also, I don't think Phx will become significantly more diverse, as you suggest/hope, in just the next decade....private schools will help, but he will not be at school 24/7.....

I looked, but I couldn't find a real reason in your posts on why you want to move to the US.....sounds like Canada is ideal....any more ideas?....thanks
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