Questions on Scottsdale (Phoenix: luxury, showing, apartments)

[sablebaby]

I don't think it matters where you are the traffic will be backed up. Don't get me wrong about the freeway going North, it backs up bad, but they all do. If you live within just a few miles, and don't have to travel by freeway, it will be a bit better. But really, all main streets get very congested as well. The less you have to travel the better (and the better for everyone).

[Nature Girl]

What are the "worst" times to travel in the morning? Or does it last for hours? We were born and raised in Northern California, so we dealt with some pretty serious traffic (silicon valley traffic). I am wondering if it is worse there, about the same, or not as bad. If it's worse, then we will look at the best pocket closest to his job!!! Yuck!

[sablebaby]

Well, people disagree all the time that our traffic isn't as bad as other palces. I think it's very subjective. Our streets and freeways fill up to capacity and moves slowly, stop and go all the way (if an accident, then it's stopped for a while). It may not be as bad as N. CA, but it's still pretty bad. Considering we are the fastest growing state/city then it's not too deluded to say that it's getting worse each week/month/year. And the freeways aren't getting any bigger.

I believe the traffic really starts getting heavy at 6am (maybe earlier) and lasts until after 9am. In the evening it starts after 3:30 and lasts after 6- 6:30pm.

I never take the freeways anymore, I always take surface streets and that shaves off a lot of time. Certain areas are better than others for commuting on surface streets.

[AZ_singlemother]

Originally Posted by Nature Girl

What are the "worst" times to travel in the morning? Or does it last for hours? We were born and raised in Northern California, so we dealt with some pretty serious traffic (silicon valley traffic). I am wondering if it is worse there, about the same, or not as bad. If it's worse, then we will look at the best pocket closest to his job!!! Yuck!

AZ traffic is worst in the winter time and easy flowing during the hot summer months. As you know the state has a lot of snow birds, along with the extra winter events brings a lot of traffic. I have driven around the valley during peak hours on all freeways and do not notice a bad commute like it was back where i'm from...Seattle area. Could take you around 30 - 45 minutes with traffic. Very rare for longer than that. My Seattle commute was 2 hours each way and at times took 3 hours one way to get home. For only being 20 miles away. Here I have never had a major issue. Plus there are so many alternative routes, you would have many options.

[Nature Girl]

"My Seattle commute was 2 hours each way and at times took 3 hours one way to get home. For only being 20 miles away. "

Yikes! I cannot imagine!

[aztoco]

Hello there,
I haven't read every post yet, so hopefully this isn't too redundant. I was born in Scottsdale and went to several elementary schools (as newer schools were being built we got moved around a bit). I started at Cherokee ES, then Sequoya ES, then Cocopah MS, then Chaparral HS. These are older schools (and I'm not familiar with the schools in North Scottsdale since they are much newer than when I went) But all the schools that I mentioned have GREAT reputations (or at least they did when I went there). Sure, there's problems everywhere, but as a whole, people looked highly at those. Cherokee and Chaparral are in Paradise Valley (south of Shea) and are in an extremely wealthy area. Sequoya and Cocopah are just north of there and are highly rated schools. I can really only speak of these, but I might be able to compare some nearby if you have specific questions.

[aztoco]

On traffic ... my husband lived in San Jose and use to commute up to San Francisco, so he's experienced that scene. Here, he just left a job here where he was commuting from Gilbert (eastern suburb) to Central Phx. A 30 mile trip takes an hour, or more, so he complains that it really is getting as bad as the bay area.

[aztoco]

You're right on track for thinking Tempe or N.Phx (as far as minimizing commute), but my opinion is that North phx/Scottsdale would be better. Tempe really is more of a college town, and as a mom of 2 kids I'd feel better about my kids riding bikes in the neighborhood in Scottsdale. Basically, anything east of Tatum I'd say is a bit nicer than west of Tatum. And anything south of Shea is super expensive, but north is very nice and as you go north (all the way past 101 into Desert Ridge) is all extremely nice. From Tatum/Shea intersection, you can't go wrong anywhere north of there or east of there for as far as you can go ....

[Nature Girl]

Thanks aztoco! Your information is very helpful. As of now we are looking at N.Scottsdale, and are willing to pay a bit more for it.

[AZ_singlemother]

Originally Posted by Nature Girl

Thanks aztoco! Your information is very helpful. As of now we are looking at N.Scottsdale, and are willing to pay a bit more for it.

Good luck with the commute from North Scottsdale. I hope you plan to buy there's so many properties in inventory. Best bet is now since condos equal almost to what houses cost.