hello all. (Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale: budget, apartments, condos)

[JustinH]

Hello Folks.

I'm living in Buffalo, NY now.

I've been looking for some apartments or rental condos in the phoenix area.

My girlfriend will be attending Argosy University to get her masters. The university is on Dunlap avenue in Phoenix.

We would like to be within maybe 30-40 minutes of that school. Its a program that works around a full time job, so she would only be there 3 full days per month. So it isn't crucial for us to be 10 minutes away from that hub or anything.

As for myself, I'm a computer tech, I will be working a temp job until I get a direct hire job.

I don't mind driving anywhere.

Our budget for rent would be 800 dollars per month at the very most. We would need at least one bedroom, I would like two to convert one to an office, but being in a nice safe area is more important than the extra bedroom.

Can anyone recommend certain areas to look for or stay out of?

I have some friends that live right in tempe, they have a nice home there in suburbia. It seems that alot of the rentals near tempe are targeted at ASU students, and I don't want to be at a 24 hour a day frat party.

I'd prefer a little condo with stainless appliances and a marble counter. Am I asking too much for 800 a month?

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by JustinH

Hello Folks.

I'm living in Buffalo, NY now.

I've been looking for some apartments or rental condos in the phoenix area.

My girlfriend will be attending Argosy University to get her masters. The university is on Dunlap avenue in Phoenix.

We would like to be within maybe 30-40 minutes of that school. Its a program that works around a full time job, so she would only be there 3 full days per month. So it isn't crucial for us to be 10 minutes away from that hub or anything.

As for myself, I'm a computer tech, I will be working a temp job until I get a direct hire job.

I don't mind driving anywhere.

Our budget for rent would be 800 dollars per month at the very most. We would need at least one bedroom, I would like two to convert one to an office, but being in a nice safe area is more important than the extra bedroom.

Can anyone recommend certain areas to look for or stay out of?

I have some friends that live right in tempe, they have a nice home there in suburbia. It seems that alot of the rentals near tempe are targeted at ASU students, and I don't want to be at a 24 hour a day frat party.

I'd prefer a little condo with stainless appliances and a marble counter. Am I asking too much for 800 a month?

You probably are asking for too much there. $800 is not a lot out here. You can find one bedroom apartments for that much and less, but if it's too much below that then it won't be a good area. A two bedroom in a "nice, safe area" is becoming very rare (usually around $1000+), and one with stainless and marble is not going to happen!

For some reason the past week there have been 3-4 people (on this forum) moving here from upstate NY. It's kinda strange.

I know where Argosy is; I did my internship with a bunch of doctorate students from there.

The valley is SOOOO large, it's difficult to pin point areas. I will tell you the areas that I like and have lived in. They are all in the northern parts of the valley. North east Phoenix, that borders Scottsdale (up near the Paradise Valley Mall). North Phoenix, near Desert Ridge Mall. North Glendale, in the Arrowhead area, is very nice. However, finding what you want will be difficult, but you might find it in a 1 bedroom (w/o stainless and marble of course).

Even condo rentals (looked up on mls) there aren't many around. Our market is expensive and so the rents have increased.

[AZ_singlemother]

Go to Queen Creek to get the new place for low price. You said you were willing to drive anywhere.