Best Place to Buy a House - 150,000?? (Phoenix, Tucson: real estate, foreclosures)

[Joules21]

Hi Everyone,

In your own opinions, where would you buy a house for $150,000 in the greater Phoenix area based on this criteria:

- a couple with no kids...yet
- safe
- within 45 minutes to the centre of Phx.
- newer-ish homes (built within the last 10 years or newer)
- community with a pool - does that mean HOA for sure?
- area with a good reputation
- best possible investment

Is this possible on this budget??

Thank you in advance for your input!

[observer53]

Community with a pool does mean HOA for sure. That's not necessarily bad.

You might find a townhouse or condo that would fit price. I'll let others who know more specifics chime in. There are some websites where you can look for real estate within certain parameters, too.

[YAZ]

We're at 39th ave & Peoria, just east of Glendale. It's pretty quiet 'round here..

150k would do it...get your own pool.

[Joules21]

We are hoping to buy a house. From the searches I have done there seems to be plenty of house that would fit us in that price range. I'm just wondering what kind of areas they are actually in....

[observer53]

DON'T get your own pool. Read the thread in the Tucson forum about that.

If you've done some searches and found free standing homes for that price range, what information was given about location? I did do some poking around on one of the sites using some north Phx zip codes just for a point of reference, and did see some homes at 150,000 that didn't look bad. Your selection will go up if you go outside that 10 years or newer mark. Free standing homes are less likely to have a community pool, though, and there are townhouses that have yards and feel like a regular house.

Give us some of the locations with houses that appeal to you-- we can give you some insight. Of course, the best way to get a feel for it is to come and see for yourself, which anyone should do if they possibly can before seriously considering moving anywhere.

[Joules21]

A pool would be nice, but I don't want that kind of responsibility!

I am posting links to some houses I have seen that look good to us- I hope that is ok.

8182 W Purdue Avenue, Peoria, AZ, 85345 - MLS ID#4161243 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com® - Peoria

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4700-E-Meadow-Mist-Lane_Queen-Creek_AZ_85242_1108088914 - Queen Creek

428 N Citrus Lane, Gilbert, AZ, 85234 - MLS ID#4010535 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com® Citrus Lane, Gilbert

Thanks again everyone.

[cap1717]

try area code 85022, nice neighborhood, north central location, close to Scottsdale, Freeways, etc. Been there for many years and the neighborhood is very stable!

[observer53]

Forget Queen Creek. Too far out of the metro area if you are commuting. The others look nice, and I see that the Gilbert one does have a community pool. They are, potentially, right on the edge of your 45 minute commute mark, if you are commuting in the typical rush hour. Could be longer, esp. the Gilbert one. Good freeway access, but the freeways are BUSY in rush hour.

I saw one on realtor.com in 85022, to follow up on the post above. It did not have a community pool, but looked nice. It was a little older , more like 15 years.

[sh9730]

Dont forget us down here in Casa Grande - At high rush hour you will be longer than 45 mins to downtown, but off peak you are right at about 45 mins due to our access to I 10 (different than Queen Creek which has limited freeway access). Full service city with hospital, mall, all the big box stores, AND you can head SOUTH when you want to towards Tucson in an hour or so as well as a good hour closer to San Diego along I 8 than you are from Phx proper.

$150K down here right now will buy quite a bit - at least 1500 sq ft built within last 5 years and possibly closer to 2000 sq ft if you shop around. I got my 1900 sq ft model home fully upgraded with tile throughout and landscaping (no pool though) last year for 140K. Prices at the low end have stabilized here (except for some really beat up foreclosures) and run about 60-70 bucks per sqaure foot. Just stay north of McMurray and East of Pinal (with some exceptions) and that is where most of the new stuff is.

Just keep in mind since you had that 45 min listed, CG falls in that range.

[Joules21]

Thank you!!

The website will be really helpful.

Casa Grande looks great based on the kind of house you can get for the money.

I really appreciate your help.