Working at ASU - Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale? (Phoenix, Glendale: real estate, apartments)

[bona0718]

Hi All,

I'm an East Coaster who was just hired by ASU. How long of a commute would I be looking at if I was to settle down in Chandler, or Scottsdale?

It seems you can get way more bang for your buck in Glendale, Chandler and Gilbert, but I hear the commute to Tempe/Phoenix can be horrendous.

Can you find nice places to live in Tempe for $700-800 per month? Thanks everyone!!!

[Climacus]

Depends I guess which part of Scottsdale or Chandler you're talking about. Some parts of Scottsdale are closer to ASU than some parts of Tempe; other parts of Scottsdale would leave you stranded way, way north with an awful commute down the 101. Likewise I imagine living in the west parts of chandler wouldn't be too far from ASU (eg around Warner and Dobson) and those are decent areas, but most of the new housing south of the San Tan could make it quite a trip...

[MovingSomewhere5]

Originally Posted by bona0718

Hi All,

I'm an East Coaster who was just hired by ASU. How long of a commute would I be looking at if I was to settle down in Chandler, or Scottsdale?

It seems you can get way more bang for your buck in Glendale, Chandler and Gilbert, but I hear the commute to Tempe/Phoenix can be horrendous.

Can you find nice places to live in Tempe for $700-800 per month? Thanks everyone!!!

Hey, congrats on the job! I'm a California just accepted to grad school at ASU and I'm thinking about living in Scottsdale as well. I was told by some current students that it's a great place for an older crowd, apparently Tempe is completely infiltrated by undergrads. Downtown Scottsdale apparently has some very nice bars and restaurants and is where many young faculty and grad students live, which sounds great to me! I'm going to drive out there and check it out this weekend, I'll report back with any info/pictures I can get.

[bona0718]

Right on MovingSomwhere!! I'm looking forward to hearing your findings.

[azkidmom]

I work at ASU and live in Maricopa. It takes me appox 45- one hour to get to ASU but i leave at 5:45am to work at 7:00am (i like to be early plus i get a primo parking space). the commute in is not bad that early. returning home at 4:00pm is not bad either. if i had to work 8-5 like i used to i'd get another job. the commute at that time is horrible. but in maricopa you can BUY a house for about $150,000. and the area is SO quiet (except for the trains but they don't bother me) and the air is clear (except for the DANG dairy in the early morning). good luck!!

[once-upon-chicago]

S Scottsdale isn't as pricey and is closer to ASU but it isn't necessarily the best part of town. You are talking about renting, right? I don't like driving, either. I do park & ride into downtown phoenix (right around the corner from ASU DOwntown).

[bona0718]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm coming out to Phoenix over Memorial Day weekend to meet with a realtor and look at some spots (and experience the infamous Phoenix heat!) Right now, it seems that Tempe and South Scottsdale fit the best. I will keep you guys posted!!

[hootie]

$800 bucks gets you crap in Tempe. My wife works on mill there but since anything under $275 is junk/iffy, we moved to Chandler. The bulk of your commute 10-15 minutes will be just to get out of the 2 mile radius of ASU, after you escape the ASU zone you might as well tack on another 10-15 minutes to get to Chandler/Gilbert. Live in Scottsdale if you can afford it, but if that is the case you might as well get a nice place (500k) in Tempe, good luck!

[shilo0854]

You may have tried this search but I just picked Gilbert with a 10 mile radius which picks up some of Chandler. $500-$1000 but just for apt and no restriction on # of bedrooms/bath.
Gilbert, AZ Rentals on Yahoo! Real Estate: 11-20 of 127 listings

[ivanabacowboy]

My niece works at ASU. For around your range you can afford a few places a bit north in Scottsdale. She lives at Via de Ventura and Hayden. I believe her commute is give or take 10 miles. Her rent is around $800. Her apartment isnt exactly "top of the line" but I think it is fairly nice for the rent and in pretty good condition. And in a really nice neighborhood, with a smallish shopping center with a few restaurants and the like within walking distance (right across the street).

If you are "older" and not looking for "party scene", the further north you can get for your money and still do the commute, IMHO the better.

I am just a bit upwards of your age range (early 40s) and I love where I live. My niece is about 10 miles north of ASU give or take. I am about 6 miles further north in the Kierland or Desert Ridge area (easy map locator: the top of the 101 where it starts to loop). Rents here would be a bit higher for the most part, and why come so far when you can live closer in. ;-)