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Old 04-19-2010, 03:19 PM
 
42 posts, read 69,041 times
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So my girlfriend and I are urbanites and are moving to the phoenix area so she can attend grad school (ASU). How's life in Tempe? We're both in our mid-late twenties and still enjoy going out to bars, restaurants, etc. so living in a college town could work. I've heard downtown Phoenix is also an option, thoughts? Finally, what about Scottsdale? Old Town?

I'd like to live in a neighborhood where we could walk (20 minutes max) to bars/restaurants. It would also be nice to be close to Tempe as she'll be going to school there and I'll be working there (commute under 20 minutes).

I think we're going to rent for a year before we consider buying anything...we're paying $3000 a month now, and could afford to continue to pay that, but from the looks of it can get away with paying substantially less. I'm open to living in a condo, townhouse, or a house. Anything will likely be an upgrade (as far as size goes) from the one bedroom we currently live in.

Can anyone recommend a neighborhood, apartment/condo complex that would suit us best?

Thanks in advance!
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Old 04-19-2010, 03:24 PM
 
Location: Arizona
1,034 posts, read 4,384,655 times
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You will find substantially lower rent prices in AZ. I'd stay in Tempe if I were you. The commute into downtown isn't bad and Tempe has so much going on.

You should plan a trip out to check out the different areas Tempe has to offer. I'd also recommend a visit in the coming months to check out the heat. Some people don't tolerate it very well.

You didn't mention if you owned a car or not but most people can't get by without a car in the Phoenix-area. You could commute via the light rail from Tempe to downtown, but a job in Scottsdale would probably warrant purchasing a car. Just an expense to consider.
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Old 04-19-2010, 03:30 PM
 
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Thanks for the quick reply...i'm familiar with the heat and although it's not ideal in the summers, the rest of the year it's great! I'll be working in Tempe, so i suspect I'll only commute downtown to visit restaurants and bars unless you think downtown is a place I should consider living. I don't own a car, but we each intend on purchasing one once we arrive.

What parts of Tempe would you live in? There are some sweet looking condo's on the lake that look like are for rent. There are also condo owners renting out some places at "orchid lofts" which is a little closer to the school. That being said, I wouldn't mind living in a house, just not sure which area is best...maple and ash?

Thanks!
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Old 04-19-2010, 03:47 PM
 
Location: Casa Grande, AZ (May 08)
1,707 posts, read 4,325,518 times
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For much less than 3K a month you ll have MANY great choices in Tempe and or Scottsdale. Given your commute preferences I agree to stay in Tempe - near the campus but probably not AT the campus. Scottsdale would also be good, but then you would have a little commute.

I cannot offer any advice on specific places, but as you mentioned, there are some nice places (condos) right on Tempe Town Lake.
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Old 04-19-2010, 04:02 PM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
39,003 posts, read 50,987,327 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drcpa View Post
Thanks for the quick reply...i'm familiar with the heat and although it's not ideal in the summers, the rest of the year it's great! I'll be working in Tempe, so i suspect I'll only commute downtown to visit restaurants and bars unless you think downtown is a place I should consider living. I don't own a car, but we each intend on purchasing one once we arrive.

What parts of Tempe would you live in? There are some sweet looking condo's on the lake that look like are for rent. There are also condo owners renting out some places at "orchid lofts" which is a little closer to the school. That being said, I wouldn't mind living in a house, just not sure which area is best...maple and ash?

Thanks!
Tempe is a good place. You will find everything you need around there. $3000 is way, way above average for rent here. A nice house in a good neighborhood would cost half that in rent. You don't want to live downtown. It's not a real downtown and the only people who live there are the homeless.
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Old 04-19-2010, 04:22 PM
 
Location: Tempe, AZ
88 posts, read 220,758 times
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Sounds like Tempe would work for you. I don't suggest the south-southwestern part of the city, maybe more east (past the 10) and north.
You can score a really nice place with that budget, most likely you can rent out a large house if you wanted. Keep your eyes open, and you should be set
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Old 04-19-2010, 06:32 PM
 
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I moved from NYC to tempe last year. For the price you're paying now you must have a nice place! You'll find a ton of nice apartments and houses in your price range. As far as getting around, there is a great bus system here and the light rail is really nice. Although I have a car, I prefer take the bus almost exclusively to school because the parking permits are high in my opinion (7-800 dollars). And as a student you can get a cheap pass. I also miss the subway, so taking the bus makes up for it! =) You can also ride a bike. The flat, straight roads make bicycling super popular as well as bikes and skateboards being everywhere on campus. There are a lot more stores than I thought there would be here, so often times you can just walk a block or two and you'll hit a grocery or corner pharmacy. In many ways living in tempe is a lot like living in the city, and I haven't had to adjust too much except for the heat. At first I really missed the city... and you might experience some culture shock, but overall I recommend it. Like Ponderosa said, downtown isn't much of a real downtown. I was surprised at how many homeless people and youth I saw there. Kind of sad, also it seems like much of it is just vacant storefronts.
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Old 04-19-2010, 09:22 PM
 
42 posts, read 69,041 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by analoxe View Post
I moved from NYC to tempe last year. For the price you're paying now you must have a nice place! You'll find a ton of nice apartments and houses in your price range. As far as getting around, there is a great bus system here and the light rail is really nice. Although I have a car, I prefer take the bus almost exclusively to school because the parking permits are high in my opinion (7-800 dollars). And as a student you can get a cheap pass. I also miss the subway, so taking the bus makes up for it! =) You can also ride a bike. The flat, straight roads make bicycling super popular as well as bikes and skateboards being everywhere on campus. There are a lot more stores than I thought there would be here, so often times you can just walk a block or two and you'll hit a grocery or corner pharmacy. In many ways living in tempe is a lot like living in the city, and I haven't had to adjust too much except for the heat. At first I really missed the city... and you might experience some culture shock, but overall I recommend it. Like Ponderosa said, downtown isn't much of a real downtown. I was surprised at how many homeless people and youth I saw there. Kind of sad, also it seems like much of it is just vacant storefronts.
Great, this is very helpful...any thoughts on what part of Tempe I should live in? When I go to Zillow there are a bunch of different neighborhoods...any particular ones that I should check out?
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Old 04-19-2010, 09:34 PM
 
4,619 posts, read 9,239,125 times
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Maple Ash is a great neighborhood if you want to rent a house. Historic houses with unique architecture, tree lined streets, large grassy lots, etc. Also the area just South of Apache on College, I think it's called University Park. Both are within 5 minutes of walking distance to ASU, but Maple Ash is closer to light rail. If you are looking at Condo's, it really doesn't matter which way you look around campus, you'll find something. I kind of like some of the brownstones just West of Mill Avenue, but they are in a area that is kind of transitioning. There's a big newer complex with over 700 units called Villagio Tempe that is just East of the 101, about 1/2 mile East of Tempe Marketplace (don't confuse this with the Villagio apartments on Baseline). These are condo's owned by individuals, but there's a ton of rentals in there. There's also a new condo building on Apache and McClintock that is on light rail, and as you mentioned, plenty of stuff on Town Lake. Personally, if I were buying, I might look at the brownstones as a better investment, but since you are renting, I would just look for the best deal I could get, because it all depends on personal taste.
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Old 04-19-2010, 09:47 PM
 
4,619 posts, read 9,239,125 times
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For some reason I didn't see your price range until I read some of the replies. That is definitely more than you need to spend. The larger houses in my neighborhood are only renting for $2,200-$2,500, and that's for a luxury home with pools, spa's, etc. Half of that should do just fine. Since you are on the higher end, maybe you'd like more of a luxury condo with hotel amenities? Check out Grigio Tempe, but be forewarned, you'll be living next to a few bratty ASU kids with rich parents.

Grigio - Tempe Town Lake
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