Help, Help, Big decision to make and I need advice (Phoenix: apartments, to rent)

[movingtoazsoon]

Contrary to what my name says, movingtoazsoon, I am already here. I have been here since August from NYC. I love AZ by the way. I moved here with my husband and 5 kids and we live in Surprise. I love Surprise. The school district sucks but I found some charter schools that I like. My problem is that we need to move closer to ASU Tempe campus. I start law school there in August and my husband starts undergrad there in August as well. I have been on this thread before and you guys helped me decide between the phoenix area and tucson area. Now I need to know the truth about the Tempe area. I have found some great schools there for the kids but I need to feel safe. Surprise is very safe, I'm not even concerned with the El Mirage area. Basically, I want to live no more than 15 minutes away from campus. I need a VERY SAFE area. I don't mind non violent crimes but I don't want to live anywhere where there are rapes, kidnapping and murders. Any suggestions is appreciated.

[azriverfan.]

First of all, congratulations to you and your husband for starting your respective schools. There are a lot of nice apartments in Tempe. There is a lot of hype regarding crime in Phoenix but the reality is far different. Phoenix in general is pretty safe. There is not a lot of violent crime here. There are many nice apartments near the ASU campus. I would definitely try to rent from one of the best apartments however! As students, you want to live near campus. I would spend a day just looking at apartments. Make sure to check out the neighbors because some apartments may look amazing but the residents are a little scary. There is no scientific way to do this but look at the cars and walk around the complex and you can see what type of neighbors you have. Also when you have narrowed down 2 or 3 places, go there at night and check out the apartment.

If you are willing to live a little further away, I would recommend South Tempe. It borders Chandler and Ahwautukee. It's a nice safe area. There are parks and great schools. Unfortunately there is no ideal solution. If you want safety and good schools then you are going to have to live a little further away. South Tempe area would be about 25-30 minutes from your door to your classroom.

[mikec34]

Originally Posted by movingtoazsoon

Contrary to what my name says, movingtoazsoon, I am already here. I have been here since August from NYC. I love AZ by the way. I moved here with my husband and 5 kids and we live in Surprise. I love Surprise. The school district sucks but I found some charter schools that I like. My problem is that we need to move closer to ASU Tempe campus. I start law school there in August and my husband starts undergrad there in August as well. I have been on this thread before and you guys helped me decide between the phoenix area and tucson area. Now I need to know the truth about the Tempe area. I have found some great schools there for the kids but I need to feel safe. Surprise is very safe, I'm not even concerned with the El Mirage area. Basically, I want to live no more than 15 minutes away from campus. I need a VERY SAFE area. I don't mind non violent crimes but I don't want to live anywhere where there are rapes, kidnapping and murders. Any suggestions is appreciated.

First, congrats!

Doesn't it just make you sick taht we live in the USA and we have to base our lives around criminals? Damn them. The Dobson ranch area (or SOUTH of MCC) will be one of your better areas methinks.

Sorry, but I got a bias and all, so I'll just tell you to move to Gilbert area. Tempe just isn't a place I'd bring kids to if I were to rent an apartment (house is probably naother story), though I'm sure there are good areas. The Dobson ranch area is technically Mesa, but pretty darn close to Tempe and is one of the better neighborhoods of 'old mesa'. Otherwsie most of Gilbert is good for kids. Maybe someone living in Tempe can recommend a specific place there good for kids.

[dura]

If you are looking to be about 15 minutes away from campus, I'd also recommend Dobson Ranch. Here is the Dobson Ranch HOA website where you can read more about the area: http://www.dobsonranchhoa.com/

[observer53]

All of Tempe is safe when it comes to crimes against people.

South Tempe is NOT 25-30 minutes away from ASU, (unless you are counting walking time from car to class or some problem looking for a parking place in a particular area). I live there, and drive to campus for events all the time (haven't been a student there for many years) The schools here are very good, lots of parks, lots of nice neighborhoods.

Dobson Ranch would be close enough, too, maybe a bit to the outside of that 15 minute limit, but if you extend that to 20 minutes, your options expand a lot to include areas of Tempe and west Mesa (like Dobson Ranch) where the housing is not so heavily young student oriented and apartments would be good for families. People who don't live here think all the apartments in Tempe are full of young, single, partying students. Not so.

Gilbert is well outside your 15 or even 20 minute limit. I don't think you need to go that far.

Welcome to the ASU family! I have undergraduate and law degrees from there myself.

[movingtoazsoon]

Thank you all for the replies. I can definitely expand it to 30 minutes away from campus. It is not so much the commute that is a concern but getting to my kids quickly if they need me is more of a concern. We want to rent a house instead of an apartment since our family size is so big. I will look into South Tempe. Can someone tell me the zip codes to South Tempe. I am looking on Craigslist and I can't tell if its north or south.

Thank you all for the congrats. We are very nervous about this ASU. This will be my first time on a big campus. To observer53, I just read OneL, is law school as "high school like" as it is portrayed in that book?

Thanks again guys

[movingtoazsoon]

Also is anyone familiar with these two high schools in Tempe.

Tempe Preparatory Academy
Corona Del Sol High School.

[JensJools]

Best zip codes in Tempe would be 85284 and 85283. I have two children and would be comfortable renting a home in either one of these zip codes. Good luck!

[observer53]

Originally Posted by movingtoazsoon

Thank you all for the replies. I can definitely expand it to 30 minutes away from campus. It is not so much the commute that is a concern but getting to my kids quickly if they need me is more of a concern. We want to rent a house instead of an apartment since our family size is so big. I will look into South Tempe. Can someone tell me the zip codes to South Tempe. I am looking on Craigslist and I can't tell if its north or south.

Thank you all for the congrats. We are very nervous about this ASU. This will be my first time on a big campus. To observer53, I just read OneL, is law school as "high school like" as it is portrayed in that book?

Thanks again guys

The ZIP codes you are looking for are 85283 and 85284 (sorry, didn't see you already got those).

My nephew went to Corona, and it is a good school, as are all the Tempe High Schools. I don't have any info about Tempe Prep.

I think you will find ASU Law School different than the environment portrayed in OneL (gosh, it's been a long time since I read that book- I should read it again just for fun!). I graduated from there longer ago than I care to admit, but feel free to PM me with any more specific questions about either the school or south Tempe)

[movingtoazsoon]

Thank you I will do just that