Avondale vs glendale vs chandler (Phoenix, Peoria: credit card, purchases, school district)

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by mulletmaffia84

- "The Fiance" Wow it appears I have missed out on some action. We have been using Zillow and Scottsdale was eliminated the first day.

While my goal isn't to work at Luke, I have worked on the F35 test and development program in the past. Now currently working UAVs overseas, and when i'm home for 4 months I don't work. Now I don't want to keep deploying, but if a self employed business doesn't take off as well as I hope it does, then I will fall back on the F35 program in teaching our military partners how to keep the dang thing from breaking.

So far our searches have turned up some nice housing in Avondale, Goodyear, Surprise (favorite so far) and Glendale. (second favorite). We know every town will have its good and bads. We lived in Vegas after all. Just trying to gain some insight. We really appreciate the input and "enthusiasm" you all are putting in!

Ultimately it seems we will have to just take a road trip, crash at a hotel or rent a place temporarily and decide for ourselves.

There is nothing wrong with Surprise. The pecking order of west valley cities is from top to bottom: Litchfield Park, Goodyear, Surprise, Peoria (some of Peoria would be way up there though), Glendale, Avondale, Tolleson, El Mirage. All of them have good and bad, as you say, but there is very little bad in the first three as they were all very tiny towns when the boom hit, so most everything is new. There is not much of run down older parts like you will find in Glendale and, to some extent, in Peoria. The NW part of Peoria runs all the way to Lake Pleasant and is quite affluent. A good part of what people may call Litchfield Park is actually Goodyear.

[Montanama]

You'll find lots of places in the west valley on VRBO if you want to rent something for a short exploratory trip.

For longer term renting (before making a decision to buy) I still see lots of "for lease" signs all over Estrella and Canyon Trails, at least. Shouldn't be too hard to find a nice place in an area you're interested in, and explore from there without having to make a commitment right away.

We did find the trip to and from Surprise a little more congested than other areas, but again if you're not commuting that's not a factor.

The best prices for great house plus amenities that we found (without hiking all the way to Tartesso) were in Surprise and Goodyear.

[8to32characters]

Chandler is much more upscale than Avondale and Glendale.

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would *want* to live in the West Valley, let alone Avondale/Goodyear.

[Montanama]

Well, we chose it over the east valley pretty much as soon as we saw Verrado and Estrella. We would likely NOT have chosen Glendale over Chandler in our price range.

However, we like the west valley very well, and prices were considerably lower on nice homes in beautiful neighborhoods than what we could buy in Chandler or Gilbert (though both of those locations were within our reach as well and had plenty of appeal). We really didn't see anything that beat Estrella value-wise. So that's one reason. Glad I could help! LOL

ETA: And I'd still have chosen Anthem over east valley; but remember we don't need to commute; we're just in it to enjoy a beautiful home and neighborhood while still being in close enough striking distance to sporting & cultural events.

[LBTRS]

There is one in every crowd and you are that one 8to32characters.

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Chandler is much more upscale than Avondale and Glendale.

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would *want* to live in the West Valley, let alone Avondale/Goodyear.

Oh I don't know. Maybe I don't want an hour commute to my job in the west valley from Chandler. But I bet I'm the only one who works in the west valley with this problem.

[CLP30]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

Chandler is much more upscale than Avondale and Glendale.

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would *want* to live in the West Valley, let alone Avondale/Goodyear.

I don't see what's so wrong with that area, sounds like avondale has a few stretchy areas but overall looks like Goodyear is a clean nice area and not being terribly far from everything. Have not come across old housing and to be honest the more I research the west side the more I prefer it then to the more"upscale" areas because I've seen so much better housing and neighborhoods then in Chandler or tempe.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by CLP30

I don't see what's so wrong with that area, sounds like avondale has a few stretchy areas but overall looks like Goodyear is a clean nice area and not being terribly far from everything. Have not come across old housing and to be honest the more I research the west side the more I prefer it then to the more"upscale" areas because I've seen so much better housing and neighborhoods then in Chandler or tempe.

You have to ignore comments like that one was. The terms "west valley" "east valley" etc are vague and mean very little. Many in the east valley think Phoenix Maryvale is the west valley. They have absolutely no idea about all the high quality growth that is taking places out past the 101 and now focusing on the new 303 freeway. Goodyear is one of the fastest growing cities in the country - and the fastest in the metro at the moment, so obviously people find reasons to live in the the "west valley".

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by CLP30

I don't see what's so wrong with that area, sounds like avondale has a few stretchy areas but overall looks like Goodyear is a clean nice area and not being terribly far from everything. Have not come across old housing and to be honest the more I research the west side the more I prefer it then to the more"upscale" areas because I've seen so much better housing and neighborhoods then in Chandler or tempe.

We bought in an unincorporated part of Litchfield Park earlier this year called Wigwam Creek South. Directly east across Dysart from the Wigwam resort area (pretty much north Avondale). The Neighborhood is beautiful and we love it. We ride our bikes to the resort area for lunch or the farmer's market. We got more house for the money than our friends who bought in the east valley and in a better school district. They'd lived in Phoenix all their life and never seen the community where we live. Even they loved the area when they came out to visit.

You're a grade A dumbass if you try to classify one whole section of the valley as "______." You simply can't generically give a term to even the individual cities. Great/bad pockets everywhere. Find your spot, relatively close to work, and in an area/budget you are comfortable with. You'll be happy.

We've been here two years and love it. We bought a house sooner than planned but it just felt right...even in the shady west valley.

[Montanama]

I hear the whole east valley smells like farmyard

Just sayin'.

(As long as we're tossing stereotypes around on this thread.)