Moving To The Phoenix Area This Summer, 2017 (Glendale, Scottsdale: middle-class, rentals)

[catmartinez3494]

Isn't it nerve-racking!? I am moving to the Phoenix area this summer (2017) and am torn between Surprise (lower prices and not big city) and Gilbert/Chandler. I am tired of traffic and over-crowdedness, so I was throwing around the idea of Surprise. I drove up to Prescott Valley and liked that area (Prescott too) but maybe it's more for retired folk? I need another 10 years or so for that! I am 52 and want a nice area that is very affordable and not bogged down by traffic. I also work at home, but have a daughter that wants to attend a college. Thanks for posting info! I need to check out Tempe/Chandler online. I have been using HotPads and Trulia to search for rentals. Don't want to purchase until I rent and see if I like it. What have you decided as far as towns? It's Scottsdale a bit pricey?

[LagunaMom]

I agree: Scottsdale, midtown/downtown, Tempe, but also consider the Camelback Corridor, and if you're into sports, Glendale/Peoria or thereabouts near University of Phoenix Stadium. While baseball is downtown, there can be a lot of activity around the stadiums in the West Valley.

Really depends how much you want to spend.

[Dewey59]

Originally Posted by catmartinez3494

Isn't it nerve-racking!? I am moving to the Phoenix area this summer (2017) and am torn between Surprise (lower prices and not big city) and Gilbert/Chandler. I am tired of traffic and over-crowdedness, so I was throwing around the idea of Surprise. I drove up to Prescott Valley and liked that area (Prescott too) but maybe it's more for retired folk? I need another 10 years or so for that! I am 52 and want a nice area that is very affordable and not bogged down by traffic. I also work at home, but have a daughter that wants to attend a college. Thanks for posting info! I need to check out Tempe/Chandler online. I have been using HotPads and Trulia to search for rentals. Don't want to purchase until I rent and see if I like it. What have you decided as far as towns? It's Scottsdale a bit pricey?

Surprise would probably be a bit cheaper than Tempe / Gilbert / Chandler, and also quieter.... more of a suburbia type environment. Really depends on what you are looking for. Tempe / Gilbert / Chandler has more going on for entertainment / shopping, but it also is more congested than Surprise.

Also depends on where your daughter will be going to college if she will be living with you. Please do not force her to endure a long commute everyday. Locate close to her school so she does not have to spend 2 hours of her day in a car.

You might also consider renting for 3 years until you qualify for living in one of the Sun Cities... Although I think you already do qualify for SC Grand and Festival. I bought in SC West at age 55 and moved here a year later when I retired. Love all the activities, clubs, etc. And VERY low property taxes and crime! It's a different kind of lifestyle (very small town feel), yet just over the wall is the big city. Not for everyone, but thought I would throw it out there.

[MrsMac]

We live in Surprise (in the master planned community of Marley Park) and love it here! My daughter is in high school and there are many college options close by, both community colleges (e.g., Estrella Mountain or Glendale Community College) or four year schools (such as Ottawa University or ASU's Glendale campus). My husband and I both work at home and love living in the middle of such a green community (there are 18 parks here) where we can take breaks, walk the dog and visit with neighbours during the day. (Last weekend our neighbourhood had a block party with 116 attendees!) Surprise is on the smaller side but has all the medical, restaurants and shopping we could ask for (and if we don't have it here (like Costco) it's just up the road 15 minutes or so). It has a wonderful recreation system (an aquatic center, parks, a professional caliber tennis & racquet complex, a terrific, active library system, and the White Tank mountains next door are beautiful and great to hike. It is also significantly cheaper to buy in the west valley. You should definitely check out Surprise when you get here.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by catmartinez3494

Isn't it nerve-racking!? I am moving to the Phoenix area this summer (2017) and am torn between Surprise (lower prices and not big city) and Gilbert/Chandler. I am tired of traffic and over-crowdedness, so I was throwing around the idea of Surprise. I drove up to Prescott Valley and liked that area (Prescott too) but maybe it's more for retired folk? I need another 10 years or so for that! I am 52 and want a nice area that is very affordable and not bogged down by traffic. I also work at home, but have a daughter that wants to attend a college. Thanks for posting info! I need to check out Tempe/Chandler online. I have been using HotPads and Trulia to search for rentals. Don't want to purchase until I rent and see if I like it. What have you decided as far as towns? It's Scottsdale a bit pricey?

If you're tired of traffic and crowds Phoenix might not be the place for you.

Some people will rebut that traffic and crowds here are non-existent but that would be lying.

There are some parts of the Phoenix MSA with lighter traffic, Surprise could be one of those suburbs depending a lot on the location.

South Tempe and Chandler are two suburban areas I always recommend because of the good neighborhoods, schools, employment opportunities, freeway access, and shopping but crush hour traffic can be heavy around there.

I live in the west valley where prices are generally cheaper and the growth rate is high.

I think you would be short-changing yourself to not focus on the nicer parts of the west valley, you can find some good deals and values are likely going to keep increasing.

[Idaho54]

Gilbert and Chandler over Surprise in a New York minute. I lived next to Surprise for ten years....

[Travelguy84]

I am from Boise and also moving to the Phoenix valley! I really enjoyed gilbert az!

[newtoasu]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

I
I live in the west valley where prices are generally cheaper and the growth rate is high.

I think you would be short-changing yourself to not focus on the nicer parts of the west valley, you can find some good deals and values are likely going to keep increasing.

Java Jolt, mind expanding on your thoughts as to the nicer parts of west valley? We also are looking to move and curious if you had specific neighborhoods, etc you recommend in the west valley.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by newtoasu

Java Jolt, mind expanding on your thoughts as to the nicer parts of west valley? We also are looking to move and curious if you had specific neighborhoods, etc you recommend in the west valley.

Goodyear, northern Avondale, Litchfield Park, northern Glendale, and Peoria are some of the nicer parts of the west valley.

The suburban areas I listed above have an abundance of middle-class neighborhoods, some are more affordable than others but they're all generally safe and family-friendly.

Don't let anyone convince you the west valley is ghetto or trashy, some not-so-nice areas like Maryvale happen to be on the west side but they're not reflective of the west valley as a whole.

[ddandano]

It is difficult to live in Surprise and go to ASU main campus- keep that in mind. If your daughter is living with you see if ASU West has her major.