Moving to Phoenix area from Chicago (Scottsdale, Chandler: highrise, gated, for sale)

[katysalsa]

Hello. I am a PHX native and my husband is from Chicago. I would reccomend 85021 zip code. Of course I'm partial because I live here, but I've lived all over the valley. PHX, mesa, gilbert, chandler etc. I like the North central PHX area because you can live in a quiet neighborhood that's built up, but are still central to everything. Your commute to work would simply be South on Central, maybe 10-15 min. I know there are some town homes around that area that you could rent, but you're not going to find $800 rent, that's a bit too cheap. Currently we are moving to Denver and trying to rent our home for 1400-1700 per month in 85021. However that's a fully renovated home. 85020, 85022 are other near by zip codes. From N. Central Phx you are minutes from downtown, 20 min to Scottsdale, 20-30 min to pretty much every where you would want to go. The further you venture out into mesa, gilbert, chandler... ie: 85204, 85207, 85359 you're going to start to run into the same old tract neighborhoods with the same mall and Chili's and TGI Friday's on every corner. If you have any questions you can send me a message. Some areas within the 85021 zip code are a bit shady.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by sweettearose

Still, you are coming from Chicago so the older apartments in Phoenix make even the best apartments in Chicago look weak by comparison. The apartments in the Phoenix metro look like resorts especially some of the Mark Taylor apartments.

Once again I have to step in here and correct people. For real, what on earth makes you think that? Have you ever been to Chicago? Some of the apartments in Chicago are the most elaborate and gorgeous things youve ever seen, especially downtown. Ive seen many apartments downtown going for 5-6K a month, some upwards of 10,000$ a month. Please, do a little research before you make such claims.

[ChicagoVballTransplant]

Originally Posted by katysalsa

Hello. I am a PHX native and my husband is from Chicago. I would reccomend 85021 zip code. Of course I'm partial because I live here, but I've lived all over the valley. PHX, mesa, gilbert, chandler etc. I like the North central PHX area because you can live in a quiet neighborhood that's built up, but are still central to everything. Your commute to work would simply be South on Central, maybe 10-15 min. I know there are some town homes around that area that you could rent, but you're not going to find $800 rent, that's a bit too cheap. Currently we are moving to Denver and trying to rent our home for 1400-1700 per month in 85021. However that's a fully renovated home. 85020, 85022 are other near by zip codes. From N. Central Phx you are minutes from downtown, 20 min to Scottsdale, 20-30 min to pretty much every where you would want to go. The further you venture out into mesa, gilbert, chandler... ie: 85204, 85207, 85359 you're going to start to run into the same old tract neighborhoods with the same mall and Chili's and TGI Friday's on every corner. If you have any questions you can send me a message. Some areas within the 85021 zip code are a bit shady.

$800 is too cheap to rent a 1 br apartment?? I've seen apartments all over, even in "expensive" Scottsdale, for less than that.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by ChicagoVballTransplant

$800 is too cheap to rent a 1 br apartment?? I've seen apartments all over, even in "expensive" Scottsdale, for less than that.

There are some new cool ones off of Tatum near Desert Ridge Mall that are really neat, their name escapes me though. Maybe someone can chime in and give you a name, theyre very new and look nice. Just an idea...

[sweettearose]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Once again I have to step in here and correct people. For real, what on earth makes you think that? Have you ever been to Chicago? Some of the apartments in Chicago are the most elaborate and gorgeous things youve ever seen, especially downtown. Ive seen many apartments downtown going for 5-6K a month, some upwards of 10,000$ a month. Please, do a little research before you make such claims.

I've traveled to Chicago on business and have stayed with friends in the city. Many of them own condos or flats because the apartments in the area were downright dirty. These are affluent people with MBAs who work for the Chicago Board of Trade and the financial district. What you are referring to are condos that are other people own and are leasing. However, the actual apartment complexes themselves are pretty old and undesirable which is why people would consider paying 5-6K a month to lease a high rise condo for a month. I would also disagree with the idea that cost equates quality. I'm from NY, and a 4K apartment means nothing. The apartment itself is old and offers little amenities. It's just located in a nice part of the city so people are willing to pay for it. The same applies to Chicago. A Mark Taylor styled apartment in Chicago would cost one a fortune and there aren't many of those there because it would have to be a new establishment.

[ChicagoVballTransplant]

I'll just note that Chicago is a BIG city, and there are good and bad areas (with good and bad buildings). The only apartments in Chicago (other than walk-ups) are high rises, and the majority of them are very nice, and typically more expensive than what I've seen in Phoenix so far. I've definitely never seen one that is "dirty." But I think the difference is that there is no ROOM in Chicago, so the buildings just have what is in them -- no land, no tennis courts, most don't have pools, etc. In some respects I think that may make the Phoenix apartments nicer, but most people in Chicago are paying a premium to live downtown so they are in walking distance of some serious attractions (including the beach).

[sweettearose]

Originally Posted by ChicagoVballTransplant

I'll just note that Chicago is a BIG city, and there are good and bad areas (with good and bad buildings). The only apartments in Chicago (other than walk-ups) are high rises, and the majority of them are very nice, and typically more expensive than what I've seen in Phoenix so far. I've definitely never seen one that is "dirty." But I think the difference is that there is no ROOM in Chicago, so the buildings just have what is in them -- no land, no tennis courts, most don't have pools, etc. In some respects I think that may make the Phoenix apartments nicer, but most people in Chicago are paying a premium to live downtown so they are in walking distance of some serious attractions (including the beach).

I owe you an apology. You are right, they are not dirty and I shouldn't have used that term. I'm from New York and I know exactly what you are talking about. The apartments are nice but they are also limited by their age. Most of the buildings are old and have old amenities. There isn't much they can do about that. That's the price you pay for living in New York or Chicago. In Phoenix and Houston, a lot of the apartments are brand new and have tile in the bathrooms, granite or faux granite countertops, nicer appliances, cherry wood cabinets and even

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by sweettearose

I owe you an apology. You are right, they are not dirty and I shouldn't have used that term. I'm from New York and I know exactly what you are talking about. The apartments are nice but they are also limited by their age. Most of the buildings are old and have old amenities. There isn't much they can do about that. That's the price you pay for living in New York or Chicago. In Phoenix and Houston, a lot of the apartments are brand new and have tile in the bathrooms, granite or faux granite countertops, nicer appliances, cherry wood cabinets and even

Im glad you corrected yourself. The wife and I looked at apartments all over Chicago (River north, Wicker Park, the loop, etc) and all were extremely well kept and gorgeous. Some felt like 4 or 5 star hotels in the lobby with granite this, marble that, doormen, concierge services, etc. We checked out a super fancy one in the Gold Coast just for grins and giggles... it was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. If I can get the name of it Ill provide you with a link. The lobby looked like an ornate, turn-of-the-century mansion. Couldnt afford to even think about moving there though.

[sweettearose]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Im glad you corrected yourself. The wife and I looked at apartments all over Chicago (River north, Wicker Park, the loop, etc) and all were extremely well kept and gorgeous. Some felt like 4 or 5 star hotels in the lobby with granite this, marble that, doormen, concierge services, etc. We checked out a super fancy one in the Gold Coast just for grins and giggles... it was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. If I can get the name of it Ill provide you with a link. The lobby looked like an ornate, turn-of-the-century mansion. Couldnt afford to even think about moving there though.

I think we were thinking along the same lines even if we didn't say it. Even in New York, there are some amazing apartments. The point I was trying to make is that even though there exists some really nices places, they are not the norm by any means which is why they are expensive and most people, including myself, can afford to rent there, and I make a decent salary. In Phoenix, you can rent a really nice place for under a $1000 which is just unheard of in New York in Chicago. My husband and I make a combined income that's slightly less than 200K and we were renting a place near 5th avenue and 83rd that was slightly over $4000 month. It was nice but it didn't look like the resorts in Phoenix.

[sweettearose]

I just asked my husband and he corrected me, he said our rent was 5,500 for the month. We rented a place prior to that and it was a much smaller 2 bedroom that went for a little over 4,000.