Please tell me about Anthem area

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by markas214

True. There is a decent 3 bedroom corner house currently listed for $95,000 and plenty of 4 bedrooms in the $120s. I believe the cheapest new build is well over $200k.

We were just up in Anthem today looking at new models on the west side of the freeway off New River Road. Prices ran about 110 or so per square foot. The models were all from 2000 to 3000 sf, but interestingly they were "announcing" several new models all under 2000 sf. I have seen the same downsizing going on in other areas. Over the years, the median home size has jumped. Maybe it is going back down to where it used to be. The day of the oversized two story box on a postage stamp may be nearing an end.

[KarmaPhx]

I saw a 3bd going for $85k the last time I was up there, the house was a little run down and needed new flooring, but still at that price if I had enough for a down payment I would have gone for it.

[zonababe]

Here is what gets me, developers build that far outside the city and still place cookie cutter houses right on top of one another.

Used to be once you were out of the city, it was a straight shot up to Sedona, now you ride bumper to bumper until you pass Anthem.

[markas214]

[quote=zonababe;7688726]Here is what gets me, developers build that far outside the city and still place cookie cutter houses right on top of one another.

QUOTE]

I agree. We drove through on our last visit and the neighborhoods were uninspiring to say the least. One brown house right next to another. The amenities are nice but the neighborhoods are so sterile and lack any characture whatsoever. Maybe the gated country club side is nicer but the dues there are $225 a month just to have a gate and access to high priced restaraunts.

[markas214]

This may interest anyone thinking of buying in Anthem. I believe all of Anthem east of I17 has a private H2O company. This quote is from an article on Anthemstuff.com, Oct '08:

"If you are an Anthem resident and get your water from Arizona American water, no doubt you have seen a significant increase in your water bill since the Corporation Commission approved one of the largest rate hikes in history. I know that my water bill has nearly doubled. Whereas I was paying on average about $120 a month (which is already extremely high) I am now paying in excess of $200 per month.

This makes me very angry especially because of the reasoning behind the rate hike - the fact that Arizona American Water is trying to pay off a huge debt they owe to the major developer of Anthem, Pulte Homes."

[lola8822]

Originally Posted by markas214

This may interest anyone thinking of buying in Anthem. I believe all of Anthem east of I17 has a private H2O company. This quote is from an article on Anthemstuff.com, Oct '08:

"If you are an Anthem resident and get your water from Arizona American water, no doubt you have seen a significant increase in your water bill since the Corporation Commission approved one of the largest rate hikes in history. I know that my water bill has nearly doubled. Whereas I was paying on average about $120 a month (which is already extremely high) I am now paying in excess of $200 per month.

This makes me very angry especially because of the reasoning behind the rate hike - the fact that Arizona American Water is trying to pay off a huge debt they owe to the major developer of Anthem, Pulte Homes."

So is this hike in rates just for Anthem residents?? I have Arizona American Water but do not live in Anthem.....I'm totally going to have to check my next bill....

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by bebraver

Anthem, or as my husband and I call "Anthrax" is wonderful if you like overpriced, low-quality cookie cutter homes with little or no property and Nazi-like HOAs. The amenities far outweigh the lack of individuality. The Homes are nasty, spray-on Spanish drywall horrors. But I guess that's what Del "Webb of Lies" has to offer the uneducated. We live in New River, BTW. and have 2 acres. No walls, fences, or HOAs breathing down our backs to make sure we put our garage door down. Remember, folks: Custom homes in Phoenix AREN'T custom. They're customary. Unless you think offering 4 shades of beige is custom...

Wow, thanks for reviving a year old thread to post your thoughts.

Your description of Anthem sounds like a LOT of areas of Phx.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by markas214

This may interest anyone thinking of buying in Anthem. I believe all of Anthem east of I17 has a private H2O company. This quote is from an article on Anthemstuff.com, Oct '08:

"If you are an Anthem resident and get your water from Arizona American water, no doubt you have seen a significant increase in your water bill since the Corporation Commission approved one of the largest rate hikes in history. I know that my water bill has nearly doubled. Whereas I was paying on average about $120 a month (which is already extremely high) I am now paying in excess of $200 per month.

This makes me very angry especially because of the reasoning behind the rate hike - the fact that Arizona American Water is trying to pay off a huge debt they owe to the major developer of Anthem, Pulte Homes."

This is typical of the shenanigans developers get away with in Arizona. Pulte built the infrastructure for Citizens Utility (later bought by AAW) at at cost of around 100 million and Citizens was supposed to pay true-ups to Pulte. The price of the water infrastructure was not included in the lot/home costs and Pulte never told buyers that the rate payers would be on the hook for the bill via their monthly water bills. The disclosure laws did not require it. There are about 10000 homes in Anthem, so the debt they unknowingly took on averages $10000 per home. Anthem on the west side of I-17 is City of Phoenix water and a smarter buy from that perspective.

[KarmaPhx]

$200 a month for water? That is insane. I pay $24 a month flat rate, but I do live in a aprtment complex.

[markas214]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Anthem on the west side of I-17 is City of Phoenix water and a smarter buy from that perspective.

It is the only smart buy from that perspective. I can't imagine the shock of finding this out after buying especially if you're on a tight budget. At the end of the article the writer laments how this will hurt current residents when they try to sel "if" the buyer finds out about the fee.