Yet another Chicagoan moving to Arizona Need Help (Phoenix, Mesa: 2015, apartment complexes)

[Yakob]

Me and my girlfriend are looking to move to Arizona in late December early January from Chicago. We will not be able to make a trip down to view any areas and are essentially packing up soon as she graduates and moving down there to live in an apartment for a year.

She is in the medical field and I'm in the business management so we are looking for an area that has lots of retail type jobs and medical. We will have enough rent saved up for 7 to 8 months for an apartment of $550 a month. We are just looking for an area for our first year to get a job to support us while we can look around and find out where we really want to move to.

I have a in with Shoe Carnival and I'm in talks with them about possibly transferring to a store down there. So my basic questions are as follows.

What are some of the better areas for retail type management/hospital jobs?

Are some of these $550/mo apartments as good as they really look? 550 will get you a dumpster in Chicago.

Can you point out the areas my car will get broken into daily?

How is the job market? I've never in my life gone more than a week without a job and this may possibly be my first attempt at trying this. I have an associates degree in business management but have a stacked resume. Basically will I be able to find a job before my 7-8 month deadline? I'm extreme I'll apply to every job even as a janitor and call them once a day until I get an interview.

Am I an idiot for trying this? We both figure we are young and have money and we are tired of the midwest and want to try to make it somewhere else. I have a $17/hr job now but rent out here is nuts and she is about to graduate college. Is it impossible to find a job like that down here?

I realize some of my questions may be impossible to answer I'm open to opinions. Either way come December/Jan we are packing our crap up and will have a down payment on an apartment, we are buying a dog and headed down. Tell me how stupid I am.

[yellowbelle]

Where in Arizona are you moving? And why are you moving?

[Yakob]

One of the towns around Phoenix, we are looking for input on where to live. We are moving as an adventure, we are tired of the midwest and the high cost of living in Chicago.

[CodyW]

$550 is doable if you want to find an okay one bedroom. You won't be living large at this price, but you also can avoid the worst areas pretty easily.

Retail and hospital jobs? You're in luck. That's what Phoenix specializes in. There are hospitals in every corner of the valley.. and retail is everywhere. Phoenix is huge though. Massive. Though you may find an available job, you could end up with a commute similar to trying to get from Gary to Evanston every day..

As far as areas to avoid: There are three areas I would not recommend. These are not HORRIBLE areas and if you had to, you could make it work in a pinch. You're not going to die or have everything stolen from you, no matter WHERE you are in Phoenix. Nothing here is as bad as certain areas of Chicago, BUT:


#1 Maryvale/West Phoenix - The area to avoid is roughly from I-17 on the east, Lower Buckeye Road, to the south, 91st Avenue to the west, and Glendale Avenue to the north. Big chunk of land.

This is generally considered the most 'undesirable' area of the valley. You will find a LOT of rentals in your price range, here.
This contains the Maryvale neighborhood, which you'll see has a bad rap on here. It's poor. It's run down. It has a higher crime rate.. but overall is filled with many, many young families just trying to get by. The area mentioned also contains the area south of I-10, which is very industrial and undesirable.

#2 South Phoenix - Generally, the area bordered by I-17 on the north, Baseline Road on the south, 24th Street on the east, and 35th Avenue on the west.

You won't find very many rentals/apartments in this area, to begin with. It has "historically" been the worst part of Phoenix, and still carries that reputation although much of it has shifted to Maryvale.

#3 West Mesa - Generally, the area east of the 101 freeway, North of the US 60 freeway, bordered by Country Club Dr on the east and the 202 freeway on the north.

Like the West Phoenix area, there isn't really anything WRONG with or DANGEROUS about this part of town. It's just undesirable for a lot of people. It's older. Huge latino population, like the other areas.
This is, however, the most desirable of the three areas I have listed. It's very close to ASU, so there are LOTS of apartment complexes in this area, the majority of which will be in your price range. It's also very, VERY conveniently located to just about everything in the East Valley.


The rest of the valley is pretty much shiny and new and you really can't go wrong. I would stick to looking near the major retail areas, which usually have hospitals near them. On the west side, Arrowhead in Glendale/Peoria. Palm Valley in Goodyear/Avondale. North Central Phoenix near the 101 & I-17. Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert.. I could go on and on. It really just comes down to your preferences.

Are you foolish for doing this? No, it's risky without a job, but doable. I would hold off on getting the dog, though. It puts restrictions on your apartment search - restrictions you're really not in the position to deal with at the moment. That $550 a month apartment could be great until you tack on pet rent to that figure, you know that I mean?


Sorry for the essay.

[Yakob]

No need to be sorry this is good info. Most apartments it is like $20 extra a month for a dog, that isn't too bad.

[observer53]

Moving thread to Phoenix area forum.

[fennec2009]

Originally Posted by Yakob

No need to be sorry this is good info. Most apartments it is like $20 extra a month for a dog, that isn't too bad.

It's pretty standard to require a non-refundable or partially non-refundable deposit of around $250 or more for pets as well, so factor that into the equation.

[dualforecast]

Originally Posted by CodyW

$550 is doable if you want to find an okay one bedroom. You won't be living large at this price, but you also can avoid the worst areas pretty easily.

Retail and hospital jobs? You're in luck. That's what Phoenix specializes in. There are hospitals in every corner of the valley.. and retail is everywhere. Phoenix is huge though. Massive. Though you may find an available job, you could end up with a commute similar to trying to get from Gary to Evanston every day..

As far as areas to avoid: There are three areas I would not recommend. These are not HORRIBLE areas and if you had to, you could make it work in a pinch. You're not going to die or have everything stolen from you, no matter WHERE you are in Phoenix. Nothing here is as bad as certain areas of Chicago, BUT:


#1 Maryvale/West Phoenix - The area to avoid is roughly from I-17 on the east, Lower Buckeye Road, to the south, 91st Avenue to the west, and Glendale Avenue to the north. Big chunk of land.

This is generally considered the most 'undesirable' area of the valley. You will find a LOT of rentals in your price range, here.
This contains the Maryvale neighborhood, which you'll see has a bad rap on here. It's poor. It's run down. It has a higher crime rate.. but overall is filled with many, many young families just trying to get by. The area mentioned also contains the area south of I-10, which is very industrial and undesirable.

#2 South Phoenix - Generally, the area bordered by I-17 on the north, Baseline Road on the south, 24th Street on the east, and 35th Avenue on the west.

You won't find very many rentals/apartments in this area, to begin with. It has "historically" been the worst part of Phoenix, and still carries that reputation although much of it has shifted to Maryvale.

#3 West Mesa - Generally, the area east of the 101 freeway, North of the US 60 freeway, bordered by Country Club Dr on the east and the 202 freeway on the north.

Like the West Phoenix area, there isn't really anything WRONG with or DANGEROUS about this part of town. It's just undesirable for a lot of people. It's older. Huge latino population, like the other areas.
This is, however, the most desirable of the three areas I have listed. It's very close to ASU, so there are LOTS of apartment complexes in this area, the majority of which will be in your price range. It's also very, VERY conveniently located to just about everything in the East Valley.


The rest of the valley is pretty much shiny and new and you really can't go wrong. I would stick to looking near the major retail areas, which usually have hospitals near them. On the west side, Arrowhead in Glendale/Peoria. Palm Valley in Goodyear/Avondale. North Central Phoenix near the 101 & I-17. Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert.. I could go on and on. It really just comes down to your preferences.

Are you foolish for doing this? No, it's risky without a job, but doable. I would hold off on getting the dog, though. It puts restrictions on your apartment search - restrictions you're really not in the position to deal with at the moment. That $550 a month apartment could be great until you tack on pet rent to that figure, you know that I mean?


Sorry for the essay.

Undesirable because of the Latino population?, does that mean areas with fewer latinos are more desirable?

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by dualforecast

Undesirable because of the Latino population?, does that mean areas with fewer latinos are more desirable?

Most people would consider Maryvale and adjacent areas undesirable because the Maryvale precinct has the highest violent crime rate in the city of Phoenix.

[jdahunt]

Yakob....btw..there is a Portillos in Scottsdale for whenever you miss home and want a taste of their great food.

Plus you will be close to watch the Bears play in the superbowl when its coming to Phoenix in 2015...lol

We choose a place that gave us quick access to the interstate system without having to drive through town and are very glad we did.