Relocating to Phoenix - West Valley vs. East Valley - Pros and Cons (Mesa: renting, HOA fees)

[CEBMurray]

Hi Everyone!

My husband and I are a couple in our 50's with no children (we plan to foster/adopt soon) from Southern California. I will be interviewing for a social worker position with the State of Arizona during the second week of August. During the interview, I will be given the chance to choose which areas of Phoenix I’m interested in working (There are locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Glendale, Avondale, and Peoria). I’m not familiar with Phoenix….just have driven through it to see family in Safford. What are the pros and cons of living in west valley vs. east valley?

We would be renting first, but our future home requirements are:

• Homes between $250K-$300K
• HOA fees under $100
• Nearby libraries
• Good schools
• Lots of stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Costco, Sam’s Club, Barnes and Noble, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
• Lots of parks
• Dog park would be nice or a regular park that allows dogs on leashes
• Commute time under 1 hour during peak rush hour

I’ve been researching the various areas and we’re attracted to Mesa/Tempe, Gilbert/Chandler, Queen Creek/San Tan Valley, Avondale/Tolleson, and Goodyear/Buckeye.

Thanks in advance for your kind assistance!

[observer53]

There is a lot of information here in the forums about all those cities. Using the search function here will give you a good head start on the information you need, and will help focus your very broad questions. There are people here on the forums who live in all those areas, and they've answered lots of questions here from others already. Good luck!

[AZJD]

West side is getting better than it used to be be. Definitely more affordable there.

This will be a heavy skewed topic. It's like gang wars haha. West siders don't like East siders and vice versa.

That being said, id never live on the west side. It's boring to me and not much to do. I hate going to Cardinal games because Glendale is so far away.

Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, some Tempe (south of the 60), Ahwatukee, or East Phx (east of the 51) are where I'd want to be for good schools, more to do, more scenery, better dining options, resorts, golf, hiking.

[Bates419]

Estrella in Goodyear checks off almost all of your boxes with the stores mentioned in 20 minutes or less.
There are hills for hiking, decent schools, a couple of lakes, and a local grocery store. Dog park is available just under the hill a few minutes from community. Houses are easily available in that price range as well. HOA fees are about $90 and include two fitness centers with pools and the use of boats on the Lake.

Originally Posted by CEBMurray

Hi Everyone!

My husband and I are a couple in our 50's with no children (we plan to foster/adopt soon) from Southern California. I will be interviewing for a social worker position with the State of Arizona during the second week of August. During the interview, I will be given the chance to choose which areas of Phoenix I’m interested in working (There are locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Glendale, Avondale, and Peoria). I’m not familiar with Phoenix….just have driven through it to see family in Safford. What are the pros and cons of living in west valley vs. east valley?

We would be renting first, but our future home requirements are:

• Homes between $250K-$300K
• HOA fees under $100
• Nearby libraries
• Good schools
• Lots of stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Costco, Sam’s Club, Barnes and Noble, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
• Lots of parks
• Dog park would be nice or a regular park that allows dogs on leashes
• Commute time under 1 hour during peak rush hour

I’ve been researching the various areas and we’re attracted to Mesa/Tempe, Gilbert/Chandler, Queen Creek/San Tan Valley, Avondale/Tolleson, and Goodyear/Buckeye.

Thanks in advance for your kind assistance!

[belgirl]

Originally Posted by AZJD

West side is getting better than it used to be be. Definitely more affordable there.

This will be a heavy skewed topic. It's like gang wars haha. West siders don't like East siders and vice versa.

That being said, id never live on the west side. It's boring to me and not much to do. I hate going to Cardinal games because Glendale is so far away.

Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, some Tempe (south of the 60), Ahwatukee, or East Phx (east of the 51) are where I'd want to be for good schools, more to do, more scenery, better dining options, resorts, golf, hiking.

LOL..so right about the gang wars. I would never live on the west side either--have always loved the East Valley--Gilbert will check off all of those boxes as well as most of Chandler, South Tempe, etc. You probably will have to visit these cities specifically to get a better feel of where you want to live.

[Dewey59]

Why do some people always have to have a conflict with someone else? West siders vs. east siders? Really?

You can find the items on your list on either side of the valley. The wants / needs you identified are pretty generic. I think you will need to find those esoteric items that are of particular interest to you. Hobbies, entertainment, etc. As someone else mentioned, you generally get more bang for your buck on the west side.

The big box stores are ubiquitous no matter where you are. As are chain restaurants. If you like the nightlife, I would recommend the east side. If you are more into bedroom communities, then maybe the west side provides better value.

I think a lot of the west vs. east debates on this forum center more around age related activities. If I were in my 20s, I don't think I would want to live on the west side. But since I am in my 50s, I like it over here!

[Jkgourmet]

Are either of you going to continue working? If so, you're question is moot. Nobody in their right mind would live on the west side of the city to commute to the east side (and visa versa). Both areas have attractive and convenient places to live.

Your OP indicated that you planned to adopt or foster. That will eliminate buying in any 55+ community. I'd also think that if you're serious about bringing a child into your home, looking for a community that is very age diverse would be important. The kid will need playmates. And communities that not age restricted but attract a lot of folks who are 55+ tend to move to that community because there are few, if any, children. I know this because I live in exactly that kind of community.

[Ponderosa]

I'm an east sider who moved west years ago. I found it just too congested over there with the non stop strip malls and traffic signals every thousand feet. I found peace for a time, but now the west side (Goodyear is where I am) has grown to be about as bad as the east side was when I left. Honestly, it is six of one and half a dozen of the other. Maybe being closer to Mexico or California or the 303 to get you north is a factor - all west side pluses. On the other hand, maybe you want to be closer to the upscale nightlife in Scottsdale, want a greater variety of chain restaurants and more places to shop than you could visit in a lifetime - east side amenities.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Are either of you going to continue working? If so, you're question is moot. Nobody in their right mind would live on the west side of the city to commute to the east side (and visa versa). Both areas have attractive and convenient places to live.

Your OP indicated that you planned to adopt or foster. That will eliminate buying in any 55+ community. I'd also think that if you're serious about bringing a child into your home, looking for a community that is very age diverse would be important. The kid will need playmates. And communities that not age restricted but attract a lot of folks who are 55+ tend to move to that community because there are few, if any, children. I know this because I live in exactly that kind of community.

OP stated in their post that they will be given the choice of where to work out of...sounds like they have the reverse of what is the norm...their home is going to determine where they work.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

OP stated in their post that they will be given the choice of where to work out of...sounds like they have the reverse of what is the norm...their home is going to determine where they work.

ah yes, I see that now. My bad.
But my comments about kids/community still stand and I think are valid.