Condos in Phoenix and Scottsdale Area (Tempe: real estate, apartment complex, foreclosures)

[se_taber]

Hubby and I looking to purchase vacation condo in Phoenix or Scottdale area. What are the nice areas to look in? There are so many forclosures and marked down condos.
Thinking about a place on East camelback, there is also a condo place "citi on camelback."
We also have two small children, and my husband is interested in maybe using the light rail.
Any info?
We are clueless but here is what we are looking for: Good location, family type neighborhood but in the city, decent schools just in case we want to stay.
Also, what do people mean by the biltmore slums?

[w1ngzer0]

lol @ the term biltmore slums. South of Camelback has a lot of houses, i don't know about "slums."

weknowurban.com is a place where i get information on condos
urban360.com is another site i found

You can also google "arizona real estate" and get a good general area. Most of the scottsdale "condos" are going to be ground level condos with rediculous HOA fee's or apartment conversions.

[homesweetazhome]

There are some very nice condos in Scottsdale that are very close to shopping and restaurants. It depends on what you would like to be close to.

[d2snow]

Originally Posted by homesweetazhome

There are some very nice condos in Scottsdale that are very close to shopping and restaurants. It depends on what you would like to be close to.

Ditto on this. I would suggest near Olde Town Scottsdale (but may not be as "kid friendly.")

You can't go wrong in the Biltmore area, but that's gonna be more pricey.

Scottsdale Rd/Shea Blvd is a good area with lots of shops, restaurants, night life, and more reasonable prices.

If it were me, I would go for DC Ranch - love that community! But it's way, way up North Scottsdale.

[nickw252]

As suggested above - weknowurban.com - it has a section specifically of lofts and apartments on the light rail line.

[silverbear]

No light rail in Scottsdale or the Bitmore/Arcadia areas of Phoenix. For access to light rail, choose a place along or near Central Avenue or in Downtown Tempe.

[aztoga]

I don't know if the complex you mentioned, but Camelback is an extremely busy road. I'm a parent too and I know that being able to go on bike rides through our neighborhood is huge.

The Biltmore 'slums' are not slums at all. Nice homes south of the AZ Canal, nice neighborhood there but school district isn't good.

As I advised another poster, check out the 85018 area code. Anything called "Arcadia" or "Arcadia area" is going to be a good investment. Great schools, LOTS of young families, walk or bike to parks, nearest lightrail station is at 44th & Washington. You can buy something recently remodeled or get a good deal on a fix-up.

[murphy2823]

Citi on Camelback isn't in the safest part of Phoenix (I would'nt want my children to live there). If it's the right place I'm thinking of, it was once an apartment complex that went "condo"; but flopped, so it's now hybrid of renters, and a few owners.

The other big problem in many condos here in PHX is the lack of occupancy, so some complexes are having trouble maintaining their communites on a small number of tenants paying their HOA dues.

I would suggest looking in very stable areas.. I would be VERY wary of condos with an excessive number of Foreclosures, especially if you won't be there on a consistent basis; you could come back to an entirely different community after each time you leave.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by se_taber

Hubby and I looking to purchase vacation condo in Phoenix or Scottdale area. What are the nice areas to look in? There are so many forclosures and marked down condos.
Thinking about a place on East camelback, there is also a condo place "citi on camelback."
We also have two small children, and my husband is interested in maybe using the light rail.
Any info?
We are clueless but here is what we are looking for: Good location, family type neighborhood but in the city, decent schools just in case we want to stay.
Also, what do people mean by the biltmore slums?

as one suggested, the Scottsdale/Shea intersection is a great location, has lots of shops/restaurants, and lots of housing choices - from condo conversions around $200K to single-family at much more than a million within a mile or less of the very busy intersection....nice convenient location, but many miles from the light rail and Scottsdale schools are only OK, in my opinion

there is some condo action in downtown Tempe, light rail very close, and has the feel of an up-and-coming revitalized suburban town....ASU right there, nice family-ish stuff away from downtown Tempe....

have never heard of the Biltmore slums, but it may be an ironic play-on-words....E Camelback from about 16th St and all areas on it further E, including Arcadia at around 56th St, to Scottsdale would be decent....no nearby light rail (a couple or more miles away at Central)....this area is highly urban, so may not be a family thing...again, condo conversions from $200K to multi-million stuff....decent shopping from 24th and Camelback to 44th St.....

foreclosures all around now....many listed with a realtor and bought like a normal purchase...others up for auction, but that requires planning, questions, and research...gotta come out and look for several days...find a realtor you click with....

[w1ngzer0]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

urban360.com is another site i found

I wanted to make a correction, it's actually Live in Downtown Phoenix: Lofts, High-rises, and Unique Condominiums