Valleys commutes...what’s normal? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: homes, buying, school)

[LadyKatie3]

Mzb21, thanks. Maybe we just need to see more in the east...your point about the sun is a good one.
Headed out there again in April for another visit.

[DetroitN8V]

I still don’t see the relevance to what other people do. Either it works for your husband and is something he’s willing to give up or not. I don’t see how others’ decisions would have any bearing on that. Everyone’s idea of value is different. In my opinion, it’s nice to come home to a house that you enjoy, but i think it’s even nicer to spend more time being free than in the car. A crazy commute is not simply part of living here for many.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by LadyKatie3

Mzb21, thanks. Maybe we just need to see more in the east...your point about the sun is a good one.
Headed out there again in April for another visit.

People who live on the east side seem to make a big deal out of the sun. Having lived in both, the concern is overblown. There are really only a couple weeks out of a year that the sun is a pain heading east/west during rush hours. That is around the equinox when it appears to be straight east west and rises and set around rush hour. In summer the sun is far above the horizon and looks to be north east in the morning. In winter it is dark or the sun is off to the southwest. And you don't necessarily commute just east west. Some people go south/north northeast northwest as part of the commute. In all my years of commuting from the west, I never found myself saying I wish I still lived on the east side because of the sun.

But sure, look at the east side. It's pretty much the same as the west side in the newer parts. Frankly the suburbs have very little that distinguishes them one from the other. Same builders, same styles, same shopping, same chain eateries. That is why we always tell people to try to be near their jobs. Commuting is awful here no matter what direction you are heading.

[exit2lef]

"Despite the ubiquitous feelings of misery that accompany traffic jams on Phoenix-area freeways, drivers in Arizona cities actually face commutes on par with other major metropolitan areas on their way to work, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data.

It takes non-carpooling drivers about 26 minutes to drive to work in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa, and 25 minutes in Tucson, the AP analysis of 2013 census data found. The times are close to the national average of 26 minutes."

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...rage/29450911/

[LadyKatie3]

[quote=DetroitN8V;51278180]I still don’t see the relevance to what other people do. Either it works for your husband and is something he’s willing to give up or not. I don’t see how others’ decisions would have any bearing on that.
Detroit N8V, I’ve already explained myself. Locals have experience weighing the pros and cons and their average commute gives you a sense of what you might expect to have to put up with in a given area. My husband used to work in Belgium where if you were driving an hour hour you’re doing it wrong. But in LA that might be necessary or desirable for an affordable quality of life. Finding out what the locals do may give you a benchmark to check your cursory outsider level knowledge plans against.

[LadyKatie3]

Thank you Ponderosa and exitelf!! Really appreciate it!!

[DetroitN8V]

Fair enough. If you’re driving an hour here, you’re definitely doing it wrong. There are plenty of areas with nice housing within a fairly short commute to the airport, if your budget allows. Since many people do move here to afford a house they couldn’t “back home”, some have decided that a longer commute is a worthy trade off and they live further out where housing is cheaper. Again, only you can determine if that makes sense for you. You can have your cake and eat it too, but eliminating compramise can come with a price tag.

[wase4711]

Hi Katie;

One thing you will find here is that some people think a 30 minute drive is outrageous, and some are fine with a 90 minute drive.
Obviously, the only person who can make that decision is your husband, since he will be the one doing it 5 days a week.
I traveled for a living for many years, so drives of any length or distance never bothered me, but, here again, your husband will be the one who decides that.
Oh, and BTW, generally speaking, you can get alot more house for your dollar in the west valley versus the east valley

[locolife]

Originally Posted by LadyKatie3

Oh we know exactly where my husband will be working. He’ll be working at a technology job near the airport. We are relocating for his job. I just got back from an exploratory trip out there. They showed me things in the east valley that didn’t really speak to me. The whole east valley set up didnt seem made for me in terms of the types of houses (I don’t care for carpeting or two story foyers) or the pluses (I homeschool so don’t care about schools.) I looked downtown which would be closest and loved the amazing updated interiors, but wasn’t sure about it safety. Then I looked at the west valley and was amazed at the value and I could build and get the interior I want rd save 100k over downtown, but my husband have a crazy commute. He told me a crazy commute was maybe part of living by there. I didn’t think the local culture around commutes is relevant, for a number of reasons, including property value, but also just to understand how those who knwo Phoenix best make it work from r them . Thank LBTRS you for your kind answer! I really appreciate it!

I personally refuse to have a long commute, mine is roughly 5 miles which I can regularly bike on an off-road path nearly door to door. So I pedal in when I can and the drive takes roughly 10 minutes when I can't bike in.

I don't see a long commute a way of life at all and you can tell by the high infill rates a lot of people prefer to live closer in and within a walkable area to art/culture/restaurants/work/sports etc... just look at the sheer number of apartments/condos going up in the downtown areas of Tempe, Phoenix and Scottsdale.

[yukon]

Did you look in the S Phoenix/Ahwatukee area when you were here last time? I think his drive on I-10 to the airport would be going against traffic, but I could be wrong.