Dust-free, monsoon-free, animal-free neighborhood?

[observer53]

Originally Posted by SageCats

Yes, there are scorpions and rattlesnakes in the Phoenix area. They come with the territory. AZ is a desert and we invaded their natural habitat. There are also coyotes but they come out at dusk and dawn. I used to see them during my morning run in the summer right before dawn. They tend to avoid humans though.
Do a search in these forums for rattlesnakes and scorpions and see previous threads that have come up with this topic.

aznewbie2-

You are not at all likely to see rattlesnakes in Tempe or in central Phoenix. You see them in the areas on the fringes adjoining open desert. In some areas, especially those with a lot of grass and water (flood irrigation, artificial lakes) you MIGHT see a harmless garden snake.


Scorpions are here, they are found somewhere in every city. People who have never lived here worry about them way too much. You can find many places that do not have scorpion issues. A good exterminator can keep a lot of things under control.


Coyotes are not uncommon in some urban neighborhoods. They are no threat to you, but if you have small dogs or cats, yes.


Monsoons and dust storms can occur in any part of the Valley. I would not pick a place to live here, or not live, based on whether a monsoon or dust storm would pass through it. I have lived in Tempe for decades, since I was an ASU student, and love it. I would start there.

[BjornT]

Originally Posted by aznewbie2

Thanks all!

So I guess there's no better or worse place in terms of these nature things..Then it's really about how convenient and safe the neighborhood is. Any preference among the places?

I HIGHLY recommend, even though it's inconvenient, taking a house-hunting trip to get your own feel for each community. Also, this website has tons of visual demographic data, such as income levels, education levels, family sizes, national origins, etc., regarding each community. I spent hours looking at the charts, then took my house-hunting trip. The demos led me to the right places, but the up-close examination of the neighborhoods, plus talking to the locals, allowed me to choose, comfortably, the community that's best for me and my family.

[ajonesaz]

Originally Posted by aznewbie2

Hi All,

I am excited to move to Phoenix area this June and start working at ASU Tempe campus. I am looking for a place to live and here are the towns on my list, which are quite close to ASU. (I want to avoid Tempe right near campus as I don't want to run into many students I will teach. But still want to be close enough to avoid traffic.)

- South Tempe or North Chandler (85224, 85225)
- North Tempe across the river with the border with Scottsdale (some apartments with river view)
- Ahwatukee (South of South Mountain)
- North of South Mountain near the border with Tempe
- Central/North Scottsdale

I have no kid and there's only me and my husband (both in early 30s). From my limited research of the area, I guess the places above are all decent with nice community feeling with many shopping/grocery options. PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG.

One thing I was wondering is about dust and monsoon. I heard that some neighborhoods are particularly weak at dust or monsoon attacks. I am also afraid of seeing animals (scorpions, etc.) in my place. What neighborhoods on the list be the case?

Please advise me with the question above and I'd love to hear which neighborhood would be your favorite.

Thanks!

p.s. I'm planning to start searching for a house to rent in late May to move in the last week of June. Would this be a good time to start searching? Should I act earlier or later?

Monsoons usually blow from south and east, I would stay away from Awahtukee and Chandler as they would get hit hardest. They usually run out of steam after they go through developed areas, so Tempe and Scottsdale don't get hit with dust all that bad. We have had decent rain the last two summers, so dust storms haven't really been that bad.

[Banjo71]

Originally Posted by aznewbie2

What about scorpions (and snakes?) and possible other animals?

You'll want to avoid the McDowell Mountain area of Scottsdale, DC Ranch, and everything heading east on Shea toward Fountain Hills. Gorgeous area, popular with the critters!

[SageCats]

Renting in Tempe (85282) zip code seems like your best bet. You can even bike or walk to ASU. Many professors bike there who live in this area code. Just south of Apache Blvd, there's a place called "professor row" where a lot of faculty live. If you live close to the university, you don't have to worry about commuting or parking, which is big pain on campus.
If you want to take the lightrail, Downtown Phoenix is nice.
ASU also has campus shuttle buses which look like Greyhound buses. They are free, have WiFi, and take you between the West campus, DT campus, Main campus, and Poly campus. ASU also subsidizes the bus / lightrail pass. If you like South Tempe, there are apartments along West Grove parkway (85283 zip code) right off of Kyrene Rd that have bus 65 and bus 66 that come by 15 min apart from each other. They drop you off right on campus on Mill and University. Those apartments on West Grove Parkway do not attract students. They attract professionals due to their proximity to Chandler. These apartments also come with washer / dryer in unit, which is nice.
Renting for a year is a good idea so that you can get a grasp of the different neighborhoods.
Schedule a visit to the area so that you can check out the places. It's much better to do that than renting site unseen.

[MNSvenska]

Originally Posted by BjornT

Regarding the creepy crawlies, my experience has been: repair your screens when you have holes in them, and spray an insecticide around the perimeter of your home, and expect a fairly critter-free home. The snakes don't venture into town all that often; they're more a hiking hazard.

The only "other animals" you should expect, so long as you live in a developed area, are cottontail bunnies.

That said, my desert experience is limited to southern New Mexico. Phoenix may be different, but I doubt by much.

And the numerous cotton tailed bunnies draw in the coyotes, but that's ok. They harvest a few wascally wabbits and keep their numbers down. I just seen Wiley Coyotie yesterday morning, on our yard, casing the place. Less rabbits is always good for your landscaping. The coyotes have never bothered me or anyone else in town. Small dogs or cats, perhaps, but humans, no.

[aznewbie2]

Thank you very much everyone! I really appreciate your input and advice! Will make a house hunting trip in late May to find a place to rent for a year! Fingers crossed!