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Old 12-13-2009, 08:26 PM
 
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Hi,

I am new to this forum and hoping for some helpful advice. My husband and I will be moving with our two boys, ages 5 and 7 to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

My husband will be working at the Mayo Hospital in Phoenix, not the clinic so we will need proximity to that area. Can you please tell me where you would live if your first priority was the best possible public schools/neighborhoods for children? We are coming from the Northeast where the weather is abysmal but the education is top-notch.

I have heard from realtors that Copper Ridge is a great elementary school but I'm not sure if I'm so sold on DC Ranch. If anyone has advice on some additional areas for us to try or thoughts on DC Ranch, that would be really great.

I grew up in Nevada and am so EXCITED to be leaving New England and heading back out west! Thanks so much!
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Old 12-13-2009, 09:29 PM
 
48 posts, read 81,869 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Niki67 View Post
Hi,

I am new to this forum and hoping for some helpful advice. My husband and I will be moving with our two boys, ages 5 and 7 to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

My husband will be working at the Mayo Hospital in Phoenix, not the clinic so we will need proximity to that area. Can you please tell me where you would live if your first priority was the best possible public schools/neighborhoods for children? We are coming from the Northeast where the weather is abysmal but the education is top-notch.

I have heard from realtors that Copper Ridge is a great elementary school but I'm not sure if I'm so sold on DC Ranch. If anyone has advice on some additional areas for us to try or thoughts on DC Ranch, that would be really great.

I grew up in Nevada and am so EXCITED to be leaving New England and heading back out west! Thanks so much!
If you are considering DC Ranch, then you are in a price range that can afford just about anything. Schools out here are a hot topic since the state as a whole gets a bad rap. My opinion is that in the end, kids exit high school on level playing fields no matter what state they are in if they have good family support.

The best plan is to narrow down what exactly you are looking for in a home and see what neighborhoods they show up in. Its unlikely that any subdivisions comparable to DC Ranch are going to be in a bad school district.

If you would like to post a little bit more about why DC Ranch hasn't captured your interest, and what it would take to excite you, I could offer some suggestions near Mayo that would work and tell you the elementary schools that they attend. At that point, you could do your own independent research on those schools to satisfy your own standards.
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Old 12-14-2009, 06:06 AM
 
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
1,270 posts, read 5,194,893 times
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DC Ranch is indeed a nice area. Also try Grayhawk, Kierland area or the various developments in Desert Ridge. McCormick Ranch or McDowell Mountain Ranch are other nearby possibilities. I am not sure what your budget for housing is, but at the high end would be Troon and properties in that area-a couple miles north of the 101. There are some mega-budget areas off Scottsdale Road near Carefree Highway. (This would put the commute at a still doable 10-12 miles or so, all surface streets.)

There are numerous single-family developments and non-subdivided homes in the areas around Desert Ridge and Kierland and Airpark. All of these would be a short commute to Mayo Hospital. If you have the budget to end all budgets (ie in the couple millions plus range), Paradise Valley. I live right down the street from the hospital, but I rent an apartment. All of these neighborhoods are very very nice.

I am not familiar with elementary schools (my son is in college), but I have heard positives about the schools in this area of town.
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Old 12-14-2009, 09:43 PM
 
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Thanks so much for the replies. It is really helpful to hear about the other areas near the hospital. I have been checking out all of the schools on greatschools.net but it seems for every great comment there is a totally disparaging one as well.

Our budget is okay ($600-850K), but nowhere near Paradise Valley numbers. The realtor seemed to just automatically think DC Ranch would be the place for us when we mentioned that the kids/schools were our number one priorities. The houses were really nice but I also want to be able to put food on the table. I'm afraid that I won't find work right away as I have been following these boards for quite a while and the economy seems troubled like most places. I've been a nurse for a really long time and just finished nurse practitioner school.

I do appreciate the additional neighborhood info and will start focusing on these areas as well. Thanks! Niki
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Old 12-14-2009, 11:14 PM
 
Location: Phoenix
2,897 posts, read 10,380,224 times
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Do you need a luxury home? If not go west a bit, head down Tatum there is a ton of houses near Tatum & Bell or 56th and Bell for under $400k, and they're very nice and new.
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Old 12-15-2009, 05:55 AM
 
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
1,270 posts, read 5,194,893 times
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You should be able to get into Grayhawk, McCormick or McDowell, and the areas surrounding Kierland/Airpark/Desert Ridge (including the general Tatum area KarmaPhx describes) for well under your budget with some change to spare and a very nice home to boot. So plenty left for food on the table. If you have any other questions or specific addresses/areas you want to know about, post back and we will be glad to help.

PS Also realize a realtor makes money on the sale. That they would steer you to the top of your budget is not surprising. While DC Ranch is nice and still isn't far from Mayo, it is a bit less "convenient" to stuff than the other areas being mentioned.
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Old 12-15-2009, 07:50 AM
 
Location: in transition
164 posts, read 770,203 times
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Default on budget

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niki67 View Post
Thanks so much for the replies. It is really helpful to hear about the other areas near the hospital. I have been checking out all of the schools on greatschools.net but it seems for every great comment there is a totally disparaging one as well.

Our budget is okay ($600-850K), but nowhere near Paradise Valley numbers. The realtor seemed to just automatically think DC Ranch would be the place for us when we mentioned that the kids/schools were our number one priorities. The houses were really nice but I also want to be able to put food on the table. I'm afraid that I won't find work right away as I have been following these boards for quite a while and the economy seems troubled like most places. I've been a nurse for a really long time and just finished nurse practitioner school.

I do appreciate the additional neighborhood info and will start focusing on these areas as well. Thanks! Niki
Have to agree with other poster that realtors will tend to automatically steer you to the most expensive house they think you could afford. You need to think hard about what matters to YOU. The days of maxing out because your house is such a great investment are past. You might search the net and/or ask your Realtor to make a short list of homes for different price ranges. For example, what is the ebst you could do for $300K? 400K? 500K? You might find you are quite happy at a much lower price point.

In this market, I'd also seriously consider renting in the area first for 6-12mo. Buying is a lot easier than selling, and the only way to really get a feel for a neighborhood is to spend some time walking it, visiting it at different times. Are there cars parked along the street? Do the neighbors know each other? Are they outside visiting or totally non-social? Is there a yippie dog next door? You can figure out what you like in a house a lot easier than figuring out the neighborhood (besides a relator saying how great it is, lol).

Our story -- get ton of grief from realtors buying last 2 houses because we don't want to talk to their "finance guy" and only buy what we can afford to pay cash. Even then they can't get over the "but, if you did get a mortgage, how much could you afford" game. Staying with cash means no stress and great since we actually like spending time with our kiddos. lol We live in a golf mcMansion community, but most of the neighbors are currently stressed to the gills because they got into homes they could barely afford. I mean, based on their occupations few should be living in this neighborhood. Watching folks around us unravel is a great lesson on NOT living at the edge of your means -- which is where your helpful realtor will put you.

We love our current home in CO, but the elevation and weather pattern are causing my migraines to go crazy, so we need to move. When we move we plan to rent in an area of interest for a while, even though it is a hassle. Might be best to wait and see where your coworkers and new friends live, check out their neighborhoods and move there. That makes a easier "in" to other new friends in the community.

Good luck!
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Old 12-15-2009, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Peoria, AZ
1,064 posts, read 2,656,995 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KatrynS View Post
Have to agree with other poster that realtors will tend to automatically steer you to the most expensive house they think you could afford. You need to think hard about what matters to YOU. The days of maxing out because your house is such a great investment are past. You might search the net and/or ask your Realtor to make a short list of homes for different price ranges. For example, what is the ebst you could do for $300K? 400K? 500K? You might find you are quite happy at a much lower price point.

In this market, I'd also seriously consider renting in the area first for 6-12mo. Buying is a lot easier than selling, and the only way to really get a feel for a neighborhood is to spend some time walking it, visiting it at different times. Are there cars parked along the street? Do the neighbors know each other? Are they outside visiting or totally non-social? Is there a yippie dog next door? You can figure out what you like in a house a lot easier than figuring out the neighborhood (besides a relator saying how great it is, lol).

Our story -- get ton of grief from realtors buying last 2 houses because we don't want to talk to their "finance guy" and only buy what we can afford to pay cash. Even then they can't get over the "but, if you did get a mortgage, how much could you afford" game. Staying with cash means no stress and great since we actually like spending time with our kiddos. lol We live in a golf mcMansion community, but most of the neighbors are currently stressed to the gills because they got into homes they could barely afford. I mean, based on their occupations few should be living in this neighborhood. Watching folks around us unravel is a great lesson on NOT living at the edge of your means -- which is where your helpful realtor will put you.

We love our current home in CO, but the elevation and weather pattern are causing my migraines to go crazy, so we need to move. When we move we plan to rent in an area of interest for a while, even though it is a hassle. Might be best to wait and see where your coworkers and new friends live, check out their neighborhoods and move there. That makes a easier "in" to other new friends in the community.

Good luck!
I agree. Rent at first if you don't know how long you will stay. That price range still has too much potential to slide down yet further. Everyone here, not just the realtors, has an overly optimistic attitude about an upcoming recovery, but I wouldn't wager 600K+ on it.

If you know you are staying, look for the least expensive most acceptable thing. That way you know that you paid the least you could for what you want and need. Don't tell your realtor a price range. Say what schools you want, what sqft you want and other mandatory items, then look at the least expensive properties that have what you want. If you can find everything you want for $325k, why pay more? That means when others shop, they have cheaper options than what you paid in higher ranges.

There is no need to consider EVERYTHING from 600-900K just because you are capable, unless you are trying to prove status, and that is getting less popular every day.
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Old 12-15-2009, 03:56 PM
 
5 posts, read 20,706 times
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Thank you so much for the great replies. I now have a lot of new areas to consider. What many of you have said about not buying at the top of our price range makes so much sense. Also, renting makes sense but my husband seems to think that interest rates are headed up soon and is more eager to buy.I will post more questions as they come up. House-hunting from across the country is daunting, but oh so exciting when faced with my last New England winter! Thanks again!
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Old 12-15-2009, 06:00 PM
 
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
1,270 posts, read 5,194,893 times
Reputation: 1131
Good luck in your research! I would probably tend to agree with your husband on rates. Truthfully I strongly suspect the only way for them to go is up. But I also do not think the market will be exceptionally healthy anytime real soon. So long as you buy somewhere and do your homework and know that you are willing to stay there, should work out for you. Again, these are all very nice areas in the neighborhoods surrounding Mayo Clinic. My only caveat: do not look much further west than Tatum give or take a few blocks. The neighborhoods become a little bit less nice the further west from Tatum that you get.

I do suggest tho you make a trip or two out here while on your hunt to "feel out" neighborhoods for yourself and make the drives you would on your normal daily life to see how they play out, check out the schools in person if you can and so on (tho again, in any of these areas we have listed, your husbands commute is less than 10 miles, maybe less than 5, so that may be less of a concern). Also consider whether you are interested in the HOA thing (ala homeowners association in formal "subdivisions") or whether you are interested in a "do as I will subject only to zoning and laws" kind of thing outside of a subdivision.

I remember winters well. I moved here late 2007 from Cleveland lol! I cannot for the life of me think of a single thing I miss about Cleveland winters.
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