Need advice on Goodyear, Surprise, etc.? for relocation (Phoenix, Glendale: mortgage, budget)

[LBTRS]

Hello,

I've searched and didn't find any clear answer to my questions so I thought I would create a new post.

I'm being relocated to Phoenix for work and my job requires a lot of travel. My office will be located in Surprise, however, I will travel two weeks a month to Prescott, Flagstaff, Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City. The other two weeks will be spent at offices in Glendale and Surprise area. I will occasionally have to commute to our headquarters in downtown Phoenix (3-4 times a month).

Here is the kicker...The job will only last for 4 years and I will then be looking for new employment in the area. So my question is, where would I be better off buying a home (going to have a home built) that would allow me to get to my Surprise Office daily and once this job ends give me the best availability of new job prospects? I have an MBA and currently work in Sales Management.

I am married and have two school aged children (14 and 9) so safe, decent schools, etc. are important. We have been looking at Centex Homes in Canyon Trails in Goodyear and Desert Oasis in Surprise as well as DH Horton homes in the Waddell/Surprise area. I need to stay at $300k or under for the house with upgrades, landscaping and a play pool so this limits areas of town that we can afford.

We are planning a trip down in January to get acquainted with the area but are going to be limited on time so I want to have a general plan of where we need to be looking so we don't waste time driving all over the city.

I know I asked a lot but would appreciate any recommendations or information on the area as it pertains to my situation.

Thanks a million!

[sablebaby]

I would say live in Surprise. At least for the next 4 years you will have a great commute. It's super easy to get to your Northern areas from there as well. After that, you will have to cross your fingers as to where you'll be working. I can understand your concern and planning ahead, however, you could end up anywhere (probably), but maybe not. It's a gamble.

What kind of work do you do? Maybe that would limit your areas, but I doubt it as this place is so huge.

[Ponderosa]

Surprise. Why live in Goodyear if you job is in Surprise? It takes 30 minutes at least to get there from here (Goodyear). Who knows where the next job will be, but it probably won't be in Goodyear. People around here move every couple years it seems, so after four years you will be ready for a new place anyway.

[California Yanqui]

Don't wait for a new house to be built. There are plenty of nice homes that are new going for less then 275 in Surprise and Cortessa in Waddell which is closer to the 10 fwy for driving into Phoenix. I can get to Phoenix if I time it right in 30 minutes.

I live in Cortessa and I'm getting use to it now. I got a spec home that I'm happy with.

[dingo983]

Check out the Sun Valley Parkway/Suprise area. Alot of new real nice communities building up in the area.


Moderator cut: advertising

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by California Yanqui

Don't wait for a new house to be built. There are plenty of nice homes that are new going for less then 275 in Surprise and Cortessa in Waddell which is closer to the 10 fwy for driving into Phoenix. I can get to Phoenix if I time it right in 30 minutes.

I live in Cortessa and I'm getting use to it now. I got a spec home that I'm happy with.

Thanks...it seems that you can get a house just the way you want it, for the same amount of money by building vice purchasing an existing home. I will be traveling to Phoenix in January to look myself but on the internet the homes on the market seem to be higher than the new built homes.

I will be sure to look at homes in Cortessa and I will be looking at pre existing homes as well.

Thanks and I would appreciate any other advice/opinions.

Merry Christmas!

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Surprise. Why live in Goodyear if you job is in Surprise? It takes 30 minutes at least to get there from here (Goodyear). Who knows where the next job will be, but it probably won't be in Goodyear. People around here move every couple years it seems, so after four years you will be ready for a new place anyway.

I have spent the last 22 years moving every 3 years and I want to settle down and NOT MOVE. That is the reason I'm looking 'long term'. I certainly understand what you're saying though and Surprise is making more sense now.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by LBTRS

Thanks...it seems that you can get a house just the way you want it, for the same amount of money by building vice purchasing an existing home. I will be traveling to Phoenix in January to look myself but on the internet the homes on the market seem to be higher than the new built homes.

I will be sure to look at homes in Cortessa and I will be looking at pre existing homes as well.

Thanks and I would appreciate any other advice/opinions.

Merry Christmas!

We are doing the same thing, buying in the area. Our home will be in Surprise Farms. Sounds like you want to build, as we did. Because of my carreer in Hospital facilities and construction, I had some things that I wanted in the home that you may consider for yourself. As you know it gets hot in the area. If you go to the Department of Energy web site you will find infromation that will help you out with your build. For example you may consider 6 inch walls with the R19 insulation. More if you can get it. Also in the ceiling go for R38 or higher. Many of the builders also will let you upgrade to a radiant roof material like LP's Tech Shield. Keeps the home cooler by reflecting the heat away from the home. We added that into our home and will be having reflective window treatment on the windows as well. Duel paned windows should be standard if you are buying a new home. Our main concern was keeping the home as cool as possible, with keeping the expence to do so as low as possible.

One thing that we have not liked about the home building expereince is the design center. If you have gone through that before and lived to talk about it then you know what I am saying. We had a budget and wanted to keep on that budget. Informed them as to what our budget was. They didn't tell us that we had exceeded that budget by more than double untill we were near the end of the process, and we knew what we had wanted for our home in the first place. many of the things that we wanted we could do ourself via Home Depot. What I didn't want to do was install ceramic floor tile throughout the home. I wanted them to do it. Only thing is that most of our budget went to do that.

If you have to go through that process put a sample book together before you go. Make sure you know how each room will look before you step inside the center, if your builder does that sort of thing anyway. I would even go so far as to price out what everything would cost you if you had to do it yourself and determine if it makes economic sence for them to do it. That is if you are inclined to do things around the home. There again if your are not inclined, see what the cost is to do it with another source. You could use that information as a bargaining chip within the negotiations as well.

Also we didn't do this because I thought we were saving money, CaptainBill who is a regular contributor here will tell you to take a realtor with you when you go. They will pay the realtor a 1% commision on the sale, and you have someone that can be your advocate with the deal. Cost you nothing to do this. I think that if we had used a realtor things would have worked out differently. We are happy so far, just at some times would have been nice to have a little representation in the deal.

Also prices have dropped recetly and may before you move in. We just had a $30,000 decrease in our home and they have yet to start building the place. I am thinking that by the time we move in they will pay us to take it off there hands.

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

We are doing the same thing, buying in the area. Our home will be in Surprise Farms. Sounds like you want to build, as we did. Because of my carreer in Hospital facilities and construction, I had some things that I wanted in the home that you may consider for yourself. As you know it gets hot in the area. If you go to the Department of Energy web site you will find infromation that will help you out with your build. For example you may consider 6 inch walls with the R19 insulation. More if you can get it. Also in the ceiling go for R38 or higher. Many of the builders also will let you upgrade to a radiant roof material like LP's Tech Shield. Keeps the home cooler by reflecting the heat away from the home. We added that into our home and will be having reflective window treatment on the windows as well. Duel paned windows should be standard if you are buying a new home. Our main concern was keeping the home as cool as possible, with keeping the expence to do so as low as possible.

One thing that we have not liked about the home building expereince is the design center. If you have gone through that before and lived to talk about it then you know what I am saying. We had a budget and wanted to keep on that budget. Informed them as to what our budget was. They didn't tell us that we had exceeded that budget by more than double untill we were near the end of the process, and we knew what we had wanted for our home in the first place. many of the things that we wanted we could do ourself via Home Depot. What I didn't want to do was install ceramic floor tile throughout the home. I wanted them to do it. Only thing is that most of our budget went to do that.

If you have to go through that process put a sample book together before you go. Make sure you know how each room will look before you step inside the center, if your builder does that sort of thing anyway. I would even go so far as to price out what everything would cost you if you had to do it yourself and determine if it makes economic sence for them to do it. That is if you are inclined to do things around the home. There again if your are not inclined, see what the cost is to do it with another source. You could use that information as a bargaining chip within the negotiations as well.

Also we didn't do this because I thought we were saving money, CaptainBill who is a regular contributor here will tell you to take a realtor with you when you go. They will pay the realtor a 1% commision on the sale, and you have someone that can be your advocate with the deal. Cost you nothing to do this. I think that if we had used a realtor things would have worked out differently. We are happy so far, just at some times would have been nice to have a little representation in the deal.

Also prices have dropped recetly and may before you move in. We just had a $30,000 decrease in our home and they have yet to start building the place. I am thinking that by the time we move in they will pay us to take it off there hands.

Great information which brings up a couple questions...

Once I sign the contract to have the home built am I locked into that price? What if the home goes down do I pay less or if it goes up do I pay more?

How much "bargaining" is there when building a home with these builders? Do you negotiate the price or do you pay the asking price for the house and upgrades minus the incentives?

Is it better to use the builders financing company or find my own? Are they competitive with other mortgage companies?

I am a bit confused by the whole base price/upgrade price. The house looks to be a good deal until I start looking at the prices of the upgrades. That stuff adds up quickly and the original affordable home becomes no so affordable.

Do I have to worry about adding so many upgrades that the home becomes worth more than the rest of the homes in the neighborhood? I'm looking at a $240k base price home which ends up at $300k after upgrades, etc. Is this a concern?

We are leaning heavily towards Surprise and appreciate all the information so far.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

We signed for a 199,990 home that we had an additional 10,000 in upgrades that we wanted. The builder also gave us 10,000 for there design center that had to be spent in the design center. Since that time we were notified by the builder that the price has been reduced 30,000 on the base home. When they reduce the price they take into account that they gave you money to spend at there design center. So for us the price was reduced 20,000. What the builder did is notify us about the reduction, and they faxed a new contract out that we had to sign stating we are now paying less. This can go on again if they choose to reduce the price again. Some people think that it will happen again. Our builder has reduced prices twice in the past 6 months. Our home is just in the beginning stages and is only a concept at this time. Supposed to be completed by June or July.

To answer the question that you really want to know, when the price goes down you winn with a reduction in your cost. When the price goes up you winn because your contract is for the price that you signed on for when you chose to buy. Either way you winn. This may depend upon the builder that you choose and how extavagant you decide to make the home look. We are buying a Richmond American home and most of the products that they have in there design center are something that they could sell to anyone if the deal fell through on the home.