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Old 05-02-2015, 06:01 PM
 
47 posts, read 53,796 times
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i can't speak for the buying market, but the rental market there is very competitive. My husband and I were out last weekend hoping to secure a place and everything we liked had multiple applications in already. We also have a dog; a German shepherd that hardly anyone would consider taking. The first realtor we met with was a total dud too, so I hope you have a good one (I'm sure because you're buying you'll have a different experience than we did). We ended up in an apartment, farther out than where we wanted to be, but by that time I was so done with it all, I was just happy to have a place to live because we are moving in 5 weeks.

Good luck!
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Old 05-02-2015, 06:08 PM
 
498 posts, read 541,139 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarc23 View Post
Thank you, this is helpful! We've been eyeing Anthem, it seems to have everything we are looking for.

Look a little south of Anthem 85086 which is still part of Phoenix. Fireside NorTerra is a great family neighborhood with some houses in your price range.
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Old 05-03-2015, 07:34 AM
 
30 posts, read 24,168 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PoppySead View Post
Here is a list of master planned communities all over the valley. They will offer you more to do as a new resident and your kids will make friends through all the events.
Master-Planned Communities | Welcome to Phoenix

The valley is daunting for a home search in that amount of time. I understand the dog issue, maybe you could work a deal on a rental in the area you are thinking you'd like and make sure. You don't want to be stuck someplace you don't like. I know it seems easy to sell here but in reality it is not. If you get a bad place it can make you regret your move rather quickly.

I would say spending a year seriously checking out all the areas of the valley would greatly benefit you. Otherwise you might end up in a place with a pest infestation, horrible neighbors, huge electricity bills, etc. etc. We've heard it all before on here, and it's really worth waiting. I'm sure you can find a rental agent that will help you with a nice place that accepts dogs.

But....if you are sure you want to buy off the bat I'd try a master planned community. That way you have community pools incase your dream house doesn't come with one, plus holiday activities and parties, a community spirit.
I like the idea of master planned communities. We don't have much of that type of thing, here in Michigan. We will only know my husband's new co-workers, and a couple that transferred there a couple of years ago, but other than that, we'll be on our own, so I like the idea of the master planned communities to participate in the neighborhood and make new friends.
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Old 05-03-2015, 07:37 AM
 
30 posts, read 24,168 times
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We've found a couple in Anthem, a couple in Chandler that are under the 30 mile limit to the office, and some in Phoenix. I'm not sure that the Phoenix ones are in master planned communities (not a requirement for us, but a nice idea), but are so much closer to his office. Can you all give me an idea if these are good areas in Phoenix to look in?

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3_M14574-50639

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4_M23417-09702

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M13905-22413
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Old 05-03-2015, 07:39 AM
 
30 posts, read 24,168 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dracarys View Post
i can't speak for the buying market, but the rental market there is very competitive. My husband and I were out last weekend hoping to secure a place and everything we liked had multiple applications in already. We also have a dog; a German shepherd that hardly anyone would consider taking. The first realtor we met with was a total dud too, so I hope you have a good one (I'm sure because you're buying you'll have a different experience than we did). We ended up in an apartment, farther out than where we wanted to be, but by that time I was so done with it all, I was just happy to have a place to live because we are moving in 5 weeks.

Good luck!
Dracarys, have you ever been to AZ before? We're moving in 6 weeks and that's exactly what I'm worried about...ending up in an apartment with 3 little dogs and two 9 year olds! I guess it can be done, and will take the pressure off trying to find something to buy immediately, but if that is where we end up, I'm hopeful to only have a short term lease, so that we can move as soon as we find a permanent house.
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Old 05-03-2015, 07:55 AM
 
Location: Arizona!
675 posts, read 1,408,457 times
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Have you considered a short term rental for 2 months?
That gives you time to learn the area and look around, and your kids wont be in school for awhile.

We took this approach when we moved out here in June 2010 when the short sale we had been working on since Dec 09 fell thru in May. We had a month-to-month condo lined up I think we found on vrbo. Lots of vacation homes/condos sit empty that time of year and some people rent them out. Get something close to where he'll be working and then work outwards from there. Probably a little pricier than a normal long term rental, but well worth it imo.

VRBO - Scottsdale Vacation Rentals
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Old 05-03-2015, 09:26 AM
 
Location: Rural Michigan
6,343 posts, read 14,622,663 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarc23 View Post
We've found a couple in Anthem, a couple in Chandler that are under the 30 mile limit to the office, and some in Phoenix. I'm not sure that the Phoenix ones are in master planned communities (not a requirement for us, but a nice idea), but are so much closer to his office. Can you all give me an idea if these are good areas in Phoenix to look in?

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3_M14574-50639

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4_M23417-09702

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M13905-22413
fwiw, as a former Michigander, I can say that 30 miles here is nothing like 30 miles in Michigan. You'll also quickly find that seemingly *everyone* in the north valley is commuting to the same area your husband will be in the morning, and outward at night - especially south towards Chandler/Gilbert/Mesa, so that commute especially would induce a lot of grief. The 101 south is an unimaginable hairball from about 4-7 pm at the best of times & frequent accidents/construction make it even worse.

I think you're on the right track with the 2nd and 3rd listings - the first is stretching the outer edge of a tolerable commute. Personally, I'd try to stay east of I-17 & understand that at peak times that seemingly "short" trip down the 101 can still be a challenge & the surface streets (Bell rd & Union Hills) both back up, so there is no real "good" alternative. We live at 20th st and Union Hills, & the wife commutes one exit past Bell where your hubby is going & I'd not go even one more exit west. That's a 25-minute commute on a good day & 45 on a bad day.

Just one more wrinkle in your plan & I'd hate to add more to your plate, but do consider the size of your lot. I noticed one property on the list had a 2,000 sq ft house on a 4,000 sq ft lot. You need to know that might not be enough "dirt" to separate you from your neighbors, even if you end up with great ones. With homes sited that close together, you'll hear the neighbor's "yip yip" dog, and know when they're having relations on a cool Sunday morning with the windows open. If the homes are 8-10 feet apart, you might well know when they flush their toilets, and I'm not making that up. I know the newer homes are pretty, but older neighborhoods had more dirt between them & long-term, that's a real benefit. Going a tad further south (even sometimes only a block or two) gets you into 1970's & 1980's homes & for us, that was a good choice after trying the huge-house-on-a-tiny-lot thing as renters.
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Old 05-03-2015, 11:22 AM
 
47 posts, read 53,796 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarc23 View Post
Dracarys, have you ever been to AZ before? We're moving in 6 weeks and that's exactly what I'm worried about...ending up in an apartment with 3 little dogs and two 9 year olds! I guess it can be done, and will take the pressure off trying to find something to buy immediately, but if that is where we end up, I'm hopeful to only have a short term lease, so that we can move as soon as we find a permanent house.
That was my first time out there. I took a job, starting in June, and that was the only weekend we had to go out and house hunt. We are stuck renting because our house is still on the market in Ohio. However, because we aren't moving until the first week of June it was hard to find a rental that would be available then. Most we saw were available now and I was told that landlords would only hold a property for 2-3 weeks max, so that meant starting the lease before we even move there. You're in a better spot because your house sold already. I'm looking at rent AND a mortgage payment.

If you think you are going to end up renting short term, finding a house will be challenging; most want a year lease agreement. If you end up looking at apartments, but make sure they will allow 3 dogs; most we saw had a two pet limit.

I can't wait to be done with all this. It has been quite the experience, trying to move across the country. We're hoping to only be in the apartment for a year, so we get to pack up and move again next year.
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Old 05-03-2015, 12:00 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
19,385 posts, read 27,654,653 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dracarys View Post

If you think you are going to end up renting short term, finding a house will be challenging; most want a year lease agreement. If you end up looking at apartments, but make sure they will allow 3 dogs; most we saw had a two pet limit.
That was why a prior poster suggested you look for short term rentals, by directing you to vrbo.com (vacation rentals by owner). Keep in mind that the rates shown are probably per night, and would go down for a monthly rental. Also, they SHOULD decrease for a summer rental. Though I still question how many will accept 3 dogs.
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Old 05-03-2015, 12:06 PM
 
498 posts, read 541,139 times
Reputation: 883
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarc23 View Post
We've found a couple in Anthem, a couple in Chandler that are under the 30 mile limit to the office, and some in Phoenix. I'm not sure that the Phoenix ones are in master planned communities (not a requirement for us, but a nice idea), but are so much closer to his office. Can you all give me an idea if these are good areas in Phoenix to look in?

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3_M14574-50639

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4_M23417-09702

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M13905-22413

Good picks. A 30 mile commute in Phoenix is a lot shorter than a commute up north. No snow
and big freeways can cut the time in half.
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