I'm new to the area too...... (Phoenix, Chandler: housing, rental, vacation)

[lookingtobuy]

As my log in name states....we are looking to buy and would like some information on areas and builders here in the Phoenix area.

We are Californian transplants (my husband's job brought us out here, thought I wasn't going to like it here and I would miss the green of the San Joaquin Valley but I have come to appreciate the desert beauty here too! What a pleasant surprise!!!). We are doing our homework, but would like opinions and first hand experience with builders in the area. Most specifically HomeLife Communities builder. Took a drive up to their new site location, right before you come to Vistancia, and looked at their lots. They have not built their models yet but they do have the similar models in Maricopa. So took a drive out there to check it out.... Homes were ok. But I can buy a premium lot with a view, and put in $20,000 worth of upgrades and still have a home for $280,000. It sounds almost too good to be true. So! Opinions?

I did look up customer feedback on this builder but that was in Atlanta. Couldn't find anything here in Phoenix.

Also anyone living out in Maricopa? Would never have thought of looking out in Maricopa until I took a drive out there.... Walked into some model homes and the agents were VERY anxious to make a deal!!!! Commuting for me is not that much of an issue. Where I lived in California if you wanted a decent paying job you had to commute at least 40 minutes. And this was from a 2 lane farming road until you reached a freeway. Had to deal with tractors on the road,sheep and an occasional stray cow!!! Just wondering how people like their quality of life in Maricopa? Love it? Hate it? Remorse? Adjustments? What are the schools like etc...... I would appreciate your opinions and feedback.

[MotleyCrew]

Our daughter and her husband bought a Shea home in Maricopa and love it. The city is growing and new shopping is coming soon enough if you are willing to wait. Their jobs are both within 20 min of commute time so the location is ideal for them. One big mistake I think that people from Calif make is that they can handle a long commute into Phoenix from outside the box. My husband commuted for years into Los Angeles and it became a 5 hour drive within a few short years. When we moved here, he thought (having done it once) that he could handle the drive from Peoria into Tempe daily. After some chest pains woke him up, he decided there is more to life here than sitting in traffic jams. Traffic is only going to get worse over time and your 1.5 hour drive may turn into a 5 hour drive within 2 years. Try to stay close to your work.

[nehazaidi]

I agree. We will be moving to Chandler from Los Angeles, and are making sure that not only work but school and EVERY thing is close by. Why not have everything at a short distance when we have the choice to do so. There are so many houses for sale, for rent, and new houses coming up.............why chose to waste our time (which we can spend with each other and kids) annoyed on the road....and remember you never know about gas prices........xtra buck in the pocket.........who doesnt want that???

[Nice Nice Baby!]

For thousands of dollars a year less in housing costs some people will drive on the road longer to pay themselves first. That's just a sacrifice some people need to make because the growth will never stop. Money=time and vice versa. If you can actually picture Maricopa before 2003, they were not even incorparated, so there are many growing pains such as infrastructure. Budgeting takes place after revenue so there is a lag for tax funds to take it's affect. It's been over a year since I've been to Maricopa, but I can guarantee there is a new retail center opening every month! Retail follows housing. Things are improving and you'll find a good buy in many parts of the valley, and more so on the fringes.

[lookingtobuy]

I have always taken advantage of the time commuting to and from work to plan my days work, or to unwind. Driving and being stuck in traffic doesn't really bother me. There's lots to do while driving, I enjoy audio books, and somtimes just take the time to pray. It is relaxing. God is good company. Anyway, I appreciate your feedback.....the company I work for will probably be tranferring me around town so anywhere I buy I know I will eventually have to commute.

One last question though. What is the most desired school district here in the Phoenix area? Again I really do appreciate your feedback!

[MotleyCrew]

Wellll, since you nerves of steel and don't mind long drives, Peoria has a very good school district. My husbands monthly gas bill driving to Tempe daily, ran around $200 a month (when it was under $3).
If you are still looking at Maricopa, please check out Shea Homes. They have a couple of new communities going in and the prices seem very reasonable. Our daughter has been very happy with her home and neighborhood.

[Master Shake]

Maricopa is a very nice city and your money can go a long way there. It is far enough out and separated from the rest of the valley that it has still has a small town feeling, which can be a rare plus for a large metropolitan area like Phoenix. The major downside to living in Maricopa is the commute to downtown PHX and the limited shopping currently available. However, if the commute is not an issue for you, Maricopa is seriously worth checking out. Also, shopping will continue to grow as the population grows, so it is only a matter of time.

A good option might be to rent a house for a week or two, and do a couple of days driving into downtown PHX during rush hour. I know of a few people who rent their houses out as "vacation homes" on a weekly basis for around $100 per night -- primarily to people who want to experience a community before buying (and not having to contract a 6-month rental lease).

As for Home Life, I have a Home Life home myself and I really like it. They are one of the builders that include most structural upgrades (like vaulted ceilings, bay windows, oversized garages, etc) in the "base price" instead of counting them as expensive add-on's (like KB). I also prefer their overall architecture, compared to other "box" builders.

Good Luck, and welcome to Arizona!

[Axiom]

Originally Posted by lookingtobuy

One last question though. What is the most desired school district here in the Phoenix area? Again I really do appreciate your feedback!

Since you brought up schools... I'd do some pretty serious research on that before I bought in Maricopa. I don't have personal experience, but I did meet a parent who left there and moved to our area recently and she said problems with schools was the reason for their move. I imagine they've got to be experiencing some growing pains out that way. (as are many districts in AZ)



You're likely to get lots of different opinions on your best district question.

Personally I don't know that there is one most desirable district. You can end up in a really great school even in a not so great district and vice versa.

We're in Deer Valley Unified (which routinely gets panned on these forums) and we have been happy with all levels of schools in our area. Admittedly there are other schools in our district that I would not like to see my kids attend though.

I know Jill mentioned Peoria district and it does have a good reputation, but when we looked there district policy was that once a school was full it was closed and any kids new to the area had to be bussed to an available school. The house we looked at was within the attendance boundary of a really good elementary school, but my kids would have been bussed to a much less desirable school. I don't know if that's still current policy or not, since it was about 7 years ago, but I'd certainly check on it before buying.

[MovinFromUT]

Welcome to Arizona.! We are recent transplants from Utah and love it here. We bought a Fulton Home that is located off of Power and Germann in the Cortina subdivision. We absolutely love it. They are also building in Maricopa. I highly recommend that you check them out. Fulton homes are high quality workmanship. The prices down there are great too. We bought where we did and my husband in only commuting to Chandler. If you are 100% percent sure that the commute won't bother you, then go for it. We didn't want the commute, nor did we want the lack of shopping, so that's why we bought where we did. Gas is over $3.00 a gallon, and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. It's all about where your priorities are. We got lucky when we bought our house. We got it a great price, and exactly the location we wanted to be. Higley high school has been a great school for my son. Good luck to you.!

[Master Shake]

Originally Posted by Axiom

Since you brought up schools... I'd do some pretty serious research on that before I bought in Maricopa. I don't have personal experience, but I did meet a parent who left there and moved to our area recently and she said problems with schools was the reason for their move. I imagine they've got to be experiencing some growing pains out that way. (as are many districts in AZ)

Yes, you definitely should do some pretty serious research on any school district that is in a new area, such as Maricopa, Queen Creek, Buckeye, Florence, or any of the North West new build areas such as Peoria and Surprise -- as well as in the more established areas too. Research is always a good idea.

In the case of Maricopa, the current school capacity is indeed inadequate and many children are bussed to other established districts. I would imagine this is the case for most, if not all of the new growth areas listed above, but it should be expected and will be remedied soon. I know there are 3-4 new schools currently being built, and another 4 already planned. Basically, each new master planned community includes either a new K-6 or Middle school, and some communities have both. They added 4 new schools to Maricopa last year alone. Any new area will have the same growth problems.