BEST TIPS from locals for buying or renting a home in the Phoenix area (Mesa: foreclosures, renters)

[HDL]

Personal business has me considering a move to the Phoenix area this year and I am researching what things to consider when looking to rent or buy a SFH in your area. I have never been to AZ and a site visit is being planned very soon. There is definitely a wide range of pricing for both renters and buyers - something for every families' budget, which is great!

So when you get beyond the cost of rent or a mortgage, what major things should folks look for or try to avoid when searching for housing in your area? I mean other than the obvious - live close to your job , I am looking for the locals to give me (and others reading this thread) some great tips that are 'specific' to Phoenix & it's surrounding cities, on what things we should look for and take into consideration when trying to find a home to buy or rent in the AZ desert?

1) To keep AC/utilities as low as possible, should I avoid 2 story homes?
2) Should I stick to as small a square footage as possible in my home to save on AC versus trying to buy or rent a larger home that may be a much better deal?
3) Should I try to have a pool in my yard or at least a community pool versus no pool at all?
4) Should I be looking for northern or southern exposure?
5) Should I avoid foreclosures due to unknowns done by the former homeowners?
6) Should I avoid renting/buying homes with grass due to the cost of watering or trying to maintain them?
7) Should I avoid homes where the landscaping is basically all concrete and/or rocks?
8) Any tips if I wish to have a dog in AZ that would have both access inside and out?

Thank you in advance for your helpful tips !

[DetroitN8V]

1) To keep AC/utilities as low as possible, should I avoid 2 story homes?
Not necessarily. Most (all?) two story homes have dual AC units so you can control which floor you cool and when. I have a two story house and my electric bills have never exceeded $300.

2) Should I stick to as small a square footage as possible in my home to save on AC versus trying to buy or rent a larger home that may be a much better deal?
If you need/want the space I wouldn't let the fear of cooling costs drive you into a smaller house. There are more important things to consider such as the condition of the HVAC unit, the orientation of the house and most importantly, ensuring that you're on the right time of use plan.

3) Should I try to have a pool in my yard or at least a community pool versus no pool at all?
It's a personal preference but, it's hot here and a pool is enjoyable.

4) Should I be looking for northern or southern exposure?
I would. Having a west facing yard will make it rough in summer afternoons and evenings.

5) Should I avoid foreclosures due to unknowns done by the former homeowners?
Not necessarily. Have a good inspection done either way.

6) Should I avoid renting/buying homes with grass due to the cost of watering or trying to maintain them?
Personal preference. No reason to outright avoid them. Landscaping can always be changed. If you like grass, get a house with grass. I have grass in my backyard and wouldn't trade the greenery for a bunch of rocks. My water bills and landscaper are reasonable.

7) Should I avoid homes where the landscaping is basically all concrete and/or rocks?
Personal preference. No reason to outright avoid them. Landscaping can always be changed.

8) Any tips if I wish to have a dog in AZ that would have both access inside and out?
Don't let your dog outside unsupervised. We have birds of prey (smaller dogs) and coyotes.

[ajonesaz]

6) Should I avoid renting/buying homes with grass due to the cost of watering or trying to maintain them?

Depends on the city, Mesa will rape you on water while some other cities are very reasonable. If your worried about water cost a pool will cost you much more on water than grass.

I have grass front and back, my water bill in Gilbert increases only $2 in the summer months when I start watering the grass, it's dormant in the winter so you don't have to water it.

[HDL]

Thank you both for responding! I definitely want 'grass' badly, more so than my own pool to maintain. Especially if I get a dog again or hopefully foster dogs looking for forever homes. That said, so many homes that I've seen online to buy or rent have ZERO landscaping and I was wondering if it was due to the cost of installing, maintaining/watering or both??? I find it extremely depressing .

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by HDL

Thank you both for responding! I definitely want 'grass' badly, more so than my own pool to maintain. Especially if I get a dog again or hopefully foster dogs looking for forever homes. That said, so many homes that I've seen online to buy or rent have ZERO landscaping and I was wondering if it was due to the cost of installing, maintaining/watering or both??? I find it extremely depressing .

Probably both, but likely more so the upfront expense. I agree that having nothing but rocks in the backyard is depressing and ugly. New-builds typically come with no landscaping so some people end up pushing it off or just never doing it. Your foster pups will appreciate a nice, lush restroom!

[grassfeeder]

look into todays modern synthetic grasses. No water or upkeep involved.

Home - SYNLawn

no, I don't work for them - but I've seen their product and it's impressive.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by HDL

Thank you both for responding! I definitely want 'grass' badly, more so than my own pool to maintain. Especially if I get a dog again or hopefully foster dogs looking for forever homes. That said, so many homes that I've seen online to buy or rent have ZERO landscaping and I was wondering if it was due to the cost of installing, maintaining/watering or both??? I find it extremely depressing .

Landlords tend to minimize grass & plants that require much care in single-family rentals, because tenants don't often want to pay for (or do) much landscaping. I'd caution you to take with a grain of salt any posts that claim to cool a 4000 sq ft home for $200 in the summer, and also $2 water bills. Some people leave their a/c at 90, and others at 68 - houses built in the 2000's have better insulation & 80's homes dont have much at all. If you work during the day, you can let the house broil & cool it only at night - *and* we also have "budget billing" - which can mean $200 a/c bills all year, or (without it) $300 bills in june/july/august & $65 bills in january. my minimum water/trash/sewer bill in the city of Phoenix is about $60 year-round with no grass to water. Even a small lilly-pad of grass might spike that to $100 in the summer..

If you get a two-story, separate a/c units is nice - you only cool where you are.

My dog does fine in a yard without grass - I walk him 2x a day & he pees on the neighbor's grass.

Many rentals have doggie doors already if they're pet-friendly.

[ajonesaz]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

1. I'd caution you to take with a grain of salt any posts that claim to cool a 4000 sq ft home for $200 in the summer, and also $2 water bills.

2. If you work during the day, you can let the house broil & cool it only at night

3. *and* we also have "budget billing" - which can mean $200 a/c bills all year, or (without it) $300 bills in june/july/august & $65 bills in january.

4. my minimum water/trash/sewer bill in the city of Phoenix is about $60 year-round with no grass to water. Even a small lilly-pad of grass might spike that to $100 in the summer..

5. My dog does fine in a yard without grass - I walk him 2x a day & he pees on the neighbor's grass.

.

1. I said a RISE of $2! Gilbert water rates are $1.08 per 1k gallons, according to UofA (Phoenix Lawn Watering Guide - FAQS) a 15'x15' bermuda lawn uses 5,000 gallons A YEAR (about $5) so my guess was right on for my yard size.

2. You can set the thermostat high (85) but don't let it "broil" its bad for your house and AC

3. Budget billing is awesome. SRP told me when I moved in that, if you use budget billing, plan for $.10 per sq ft for a family of 4 so a 1500 sq foot house would be $150 estimated. I have a gas water heater and have a lot of efficient upgrades so I am about $.06 sq ft. (this increases with a pool as well)

4. Again, see math above, people tend to exaggerate here. Check city water rates, which are all available online

5. Dog pee kills grass, please go to a park or a greenbelt (which are in most all subdivisions). Please don't go to your neighbors yard for your dog, it's inconsiderate for your neighbors.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by ajonesaz;38227583/

5. Dog pee kills grass, please go to a park or a greenbelt (which are in most all subdivisions). Please don't go to your neighbors yard for your dog, it's inconsiderate for your neighbors.

Pee from *female* dogs can kill some kinds of grass.

/my dog is a boy
/your grass is safe
/if you lived in my neighborhood, your yard would get peed on 50+ times a day because everyone walks their dogs here. Also coyotes, bunnies & assorted varmints (of both genders) would pee on your lawn as well. It's a lawn, not a block of gold - get over it.

[Jukesgrrl]

Once you move here it's surprising how quickly you learn to appreciate desert landscaping. My yard is full of green things (emu bushes; sculptural agave plants; various sages; colorful desert grasses; some kinds of non-evasive bambo;, acacia and mesquite trees) as well as beautiful plants (lantana, bougainvillea, damianita daisies, desert lavender, desert marigolds) that require minimal watering and flower much of the year. Even roses grow great in Arizona. It also only takes a year or two here before you appreciate the fact that the desert does, indeed, have distinct seasons. It's not all just one long, hot summer.

I believe if the Good Lord or Mother Earth intended there to be manicured lawns in the desert, they would be here with minimal effort. It's only a matter of time until grass lawns are made illegal ... and they already are in new construction developments in some places in the state. No doubt existing grass will be grandfathered into those types of laws, but it's still an environmental insult to waste water nurturing grass in places it wasn't intended to be. Same with other types of flora that are not native to the desert.

As someone said previously, faux grass is a lot better than it used to be. If the appearance of the color green is important to you, I'd consider it. There are plenty of dog parks all over the metro, so it shouldn't be hard to find a suitable home near one if you plan to adopt canines. Do understand what Detroit said about small animals being in danger from predators. I have had even quick wild rabbits and small birds killed in my yard by birds of prey. And, of course, make sure dogs have plenty of shade and access to water if they are outdoors for any length of time. Other than that, dogs seem fine here. More than half the people in my development have one or more dogs of all types.

As far as pools go, they are expensive due to the cost of the electricity (they need a pool cleaner even if they aren't heated) as well as the water. So if you're going to have one, you'd be wise to make sure you'll really use it if you don't like throwing money away on expensive scenery. I know more than one person who has spent big bucks putting one in and then later regretted the maintenance costs and effort. It's great to look at a pool all day, but it'll cost ya.

As for orienting your home directionally, unless you like to wake up with sun in your face as early as 4:30 a.m. some months of the year, don't get a house with a master bedroom with east-facing windows. But in general you'll be surprised at how well houses are designed and built here to accommodate air conditioning. I have a 1,600 sq. ft. home (gas heat, stove, HW heater; electric everything else; desert landscaped; no pool; and I work at home so someone is here all day) and my total utility costs are significantly lower than they were for a comparably sized house back east.