Buying a condo in/near Phoenix...where to live... (Mesa: real estate, condos)

[Marv101]

I'm seriously contemplating leaving CA after six decades and have a few questions about buying a condo in Phoenix or any nearby suburb.


1)-----I would definitely become a regular at the new Camelview 14 at Scottsdale Fashion Square since I do see a lot of 'art-house films' every year, so recommendations on any safe areas within 20 minutes or so of those theatres would be appreciated.


2)---My budget for a condo would be $125k or less, so any suggestions on where to find condos in that price range in a safe area/suburb would be appreciated.
'
3)---I've read multiple times on this board that Chandler is a very nice suburb, and as a single African-American baby-boomer, it sounds like a very nice and safe place to live as well as being only 20 minutes from the airport. Is that pretty accurate?

4)----There seems to be a wide variety of opinions on Mesa; Money magazine recently declared it to be among the top 5 major big cities in the US in their annual 'Best Places To Live' issue, but numerous folks on this board have stated that it isn't as safe as it used to be, and the closing of the Macy's at the Fiesta Mall certainly shot a hole in the city's tax base, so any opinions on Mesa or any other suburb would be more than welcome.


Thanks!

[BjornT]

Originally Posted by Marv101

I'm seriously contemplating leaving CA after six decades and have a few questions about buying a condo in Phoenix or any nearby suburb.


1)-----I would definitely become a regular at the new Camelview 14 at Scottsdale Fashion Square since I do see a lot of 'art-house films' every year, so recommendations on any safe areas within 20 minutes or so of those theatres would be appreciated.


2)---My budget for a condo would be $125k or less, so any suggestions on where to find condos in that price range in a safe area/suburb would be appreciated.
'
3)---I've read multiple times on this board that Chandler is a very nice suburb, and as a single African-American baby-boomer, it sounds like a very nice and safe place to live as well as being only 20 minutes from the airport. Is that pretty accurate?

4)----There seems to be a wide variety of opinions on Mesa; Money magazine recently declared it to be among the top 5 major big cities in the US in their annual 'Best Places To Live' issue, but numerous folks on this board have stated that it isn't as safe as it used to be, and the closing of the Macy's at the Fiesta Mall certainly shot a hole in the city's tax base, so any opinions on Mesa or any other suburb would be more than welcome.


Thanks!

As a future rather than current resident, I have little to offer, except for these two points:

1. Check out this very website for the demographic information it can give you. You can search using color-coded maps for any demographic, including income, education level, size of families, and so on, and it will help give you a feel for what kinds of people live in the various areas.
2. After using these tools, and after reading responses to your post, take a trip, at least a couple of days, and drive around all of the neighborhoods that interest you. You will probably find significant differences between each city, and sometimes each part of a city, which cannot be revealed by the data. For example, some areas are newer than others. The properties in newer areas may be in better shape, but they lack the mature trees that older areas of town have. Some cities (I'm talking about you, Tempe) are a mass of north-south / east-west grids with traffic lights at irritatingly consistent intervals. And so on.

Good luck to you!

[John7777]

Originally Posted by Marv101

I'm seriously contemplating leaving CA after six decades and have a few questions about buying a condo in Phoenix or any nearby suburb.


1)-----I would definitely become a regular at the new Camelview 14 at Scottsdale Fashion Square since I do see a lot of 'art-house films' every year, so recommendations on any safe areas within 20 minutes or so of those theatres would be appreciated.


2)---My budget for a condo would be $125k or less, so any suggestions on where to find condos in that price range in a safe area/suburb would be appreciated.
'
3)---I've read multiple times on this board that Chandler is a very nice suburb, and as a single African-American baby-boomer, it sounds like a very nice and safe place to live as well as being only 20 minutes from the airport. Is that pretty accurate?

4)----There seems to be a wide variety of opinions on Mesa; Money magazine recently declared it to be among the top 5 major big cities in the US in their annual 'Best Places To Live' issue, but numerous folks on this board have stated that it isn't as safe as it used to be, and the closing of the Macy's at the Fiesta Mall certainly shot a hole in the city's tax base, so any opinions on Mesa or any other suburb would be more than welcome.


Thanks!

You might be able to find a condo in Downtown/South Scottsdale in your price range. Or maybe, East Phoenix. I wouldn't live in Mesa or Chandler if it was free.

[arae30]

Originally Posted by John7777

You might be able to find a condo in Downtown/South Scottsdale in your price range. Or maybe, East Phoenix. I wouldn't live in Mesa or Chandler if it was free.

Why wouldn't you live in Chandler?

[John7777]

Originally Posted by arae30

Why wouldn't you live in Chandler?

Why? First, it's not necessary. Plus, there's certain things I just won't do. I wouldn't live in either Mesa or Chandler if I had my pick of any house in the city for free and a $10K a month allowance. Life is too short.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by John7777

Why? First, it's not necessary. Plus, there's certain things I just won't do. I wouldn't live in either Mesa or Chandler if I had my pick of any house in the city for free and a $10K a month allowance. Life is too short.

You are still not explaining why you feel that strongly, but the OP can come look around and has to decide for himself, so I guess it doesn't matter. There are parts of Mesa I would not choose to live in, and a small part of Chandler, I suppose, but I can walk into Chandler from my Tempe house in a matter of minutes, and I could live in that nearby area, and most of the rest of Chandler, as happily as I do here.


To the OP--Chandler's a bit more than 20 minutes from the new Camelview, but north Chandler, near the 101 freeway, wouldn't be that much farther. Do some looking around on the real estate websites narrowing your search to condos in your price range in the various cities and get an idea for what you can get.

[John7777]

Originally Posted by observer53

You are still not explaining why you feel that strongly, but the OP can come look around and has to decide for himself, so I guess it doesn't matter. There are parts of Mesa I would not choose to live in, and a small part of Chandler, I suppose, but I can walk into Chandler from my Tempe house in a matter of minutes, and I could live in that nearby area, and most of the rest of Chandler, as happily as I do here.


To the OP--Chandler's a bit more than 20 minutes from the new Camelview, but north Chandler, near the 101 freeway, wouldn't be that much farther. Do some looking around on the real estate websites narrowing your search to condos in your price range in the various cities and get an idea for what you can get.

I guessed mostly that I wouldn't want to live so far out. I'm used to living in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Going all the way out to Mesa or Chandler just seems like unnecessary driving. Plus, I like Phoenix and Scottsdale better.

[elcajones]

Originally Posted by John7777

Why? First, it's not necessary. Plus, there's certain things I just won't do. I wouldn't live in either Mesa or Chandler if I had my pick of any house in the city for free and a $10K a month allowance. Life is too short.

And I wouldn't for the live of me live in urban Phoenix. Than again I desire life in BFE.... Different people want different things but a city person who loves the valley butdon't like Chandler is confusing to me. You should check out the place more often. Mesa OTOH I won't defend. It's either ghetto, gentrifying or mormontown depending on where you go.

[elcajones]

For your price range I would recommend West Mesa. The Alma School and Dobsom corridors have condos in that range still and would put you within a couple miles of the 101 (whether your on ramp be Southern, Broadway, Main or University/ Rio Solado.

[Banjo71]

If you're going to buy a condo, I'd opt for somewhere in the city or downtown Scottsdale, if you can find one in your price range. My understanding is that condos don't appreciate as well as houses, so location is going to be particularly important. I'd think a condo in Mesa or Chandler wouldn't be a very good investment.