Neighborhood and apartment recommendations in North Phoenix (Scottsdale, Cave Creek: apartment complexes, lease)

[love2run516]

Hello Arizona! We are thrilled to be moving to Phoenix shortly and would love some advice on nice, safe areas in North Phoenix, and apartment recommendations would be wonderful too. Will be working in zip code 85050 and would prefer a short commute, but that is flexible. Most important is living in a nice area. I have been reading frightening apartment reviews and am getting a little nervous. We are a professional couple in our early forties, trying to stick to under $900 for rent. Thank you so much!

[ivanabacowboy]

I believe part of 85050 is Desert Ridge-very nice area. Tons of great options nearby. What is your budget?

[love2run516]

Thanks! We're trying to stay under $900 for rent.

[Goober13]

Apartments are a dime a dozen here. We need some more info. Where are you coming from and how much rent are you paying for what sized apartment? What size apartment do you want, 1 or 2 bedrooms? Living west of Tatum Blvd will be cheaper than east, which puts you on the edge or in Scottsdale.

The main issue with dealing with apartments is being tied to a lease and the complex trying to jack you around about it not being clean when you move out. Or if they accept pets, and if you have any, and the amount of security deposit required.

[R_Cowgirl]

There are some really nice units on Union Hills near Tatum. That's just south of the 101 and near enough to Desert Ridge Shopping Center to take advantage of all the amenities there. I don't know the names of the apartment complexes, but will look for that when I drive by in the next few days. There are also some nice apartments in a new subdivision north of the 101 and east of Desert Ridge. Might be a tad less expensive than in Desert Ridge proper.

Most of this area is actually pretty nice. Traffic can be an issue in the afternoon going east on the 101 Freeway, but south on the 51 is pretty good in the afternoon if you have to get anywhere.

This site is not complete, but can give you a quick view of crime in Phoenix. You'll need to move the map a bit so you can see north of the 101 Freeway. As you can see, crime drops dramatically... There are also some ads for apartments on the site.

Also - go to Mapquest.com and just type in 85050. That will give you some sense of where you'll be. If you put it on Satellite (top right hand corner) you'll also see some names of different apartment complexes.

I like living up in this little corner of Phoenix. Nice shopping areas, wide streets, easy access to the 101 and 51. Close enough to Scottsdale, close enough to Cave Creek (cowboys!! ) and relatively quiet. Suggest you consider staying at a Residence Inn or something like that when you first get here. Then do some in-person viewing to determine if the complex meets your needs. I did that and it really helped to get in and drive around the different areas.

DM me if you have specific questions.

[Zippyman]

@$900 /mo, you're right on the edge of getting a house (if you want one, that is).. you might open your search up to include condos & townhomes as well, there are a few nice ones not far away - the best ones rent in a few days - but they are out there. Check out 85024, 85032.