Phoenix VS. Tucson VS. Prescott (Mesa, Chandler: rentals, condo, crime)

[riahiarshia]

Hello,
My wife and I are relocating to Arizona. We need to live within 2 hours of Phoenix.
Since we are not familiar with that area, we would like to get some ideas about where to live.

We do like more metropolitan areas where there is access to restaurants / bars and other entertainment.

We are told that some of the areas in Phoenix can be very rough.

Being close to a 24 hour fitness is a must. ;-)

Thanks in advance.
-Alex

[Captain Bill]

riahiarshia,

Here are some other questions that will help us to help you.

• Are you wanting to rent or to purchase
• How soon do you need to relocate
• What is the general location of your husbands and your work
• What size home are you looking for
• By two hours, are you saying that your husband is willing to commute 2 hours each way to work.
• What type of community do you wish to be in, such as family oriented, or singles community
• Are you interested in desert landscaping or green grass landscaping
• 24 Hr Fitness is the name of a franchise right, and how close do you need to be to that.
• If you're in a planned community that has a exercise equipment would that make a difference.
• Do you have children of school age. If yes is it elementary, etc.
• How many bedrooms in the home
• What is your price range of a rental, and of a purchase.

I know that's a lot of questions but it will really help to narrow down the choices for you.

[riahiarshia]

• Are you wanting to rent or to purchase

Rent for now. Need to sell my house in Denver first.

• How soon do you need to relocate

We will be there April 1.

• What is the general location of your husbands and your work

I am the husband ( lol ) and I work from home.

• What size home are you looking for?

Well, 1000 SQF should be sufficient for now.

• By two hours, are you saying that your husband is willing to commute 2 hours each way to work.

I work from home. I need to be within two hours of my my clients in chandler. I will probably go to see them once every couple of weeks.

• What type of community do you wish to be in, such as family oriented, or singles community.

Probably mixed. We are married and very outgoing. We do not have kids.

• Are you interested in desert landscaping or green grass landscaping

hmmm, we do have a small dog that would like a green area.

• 24 Hr Fitness is the name of a franchise right, and how close do you need to be to that.

Well. I can take to up to 6 or 7 miles I guess.

• If you're in a planned community that has a exercise equipment would that make a difference.

Understood, but I prefer a bigger gym for my ego !!!

• Do you have children of school age. If yes is it elementary, etc.

no

• How many bedrooms in the home

2 should be ok for now.

• What is your price range of a rental, and of a purchase.

probably up to $1000/month right now.

Thanks
/Alex

[Captain Bill]

Below are some 24 hour fitness clubs.

In Chandler, a very nice city, searching in zip code 85248 there are 6 single family residential rentals at 1000 to 1100 per month.

In Gilbert, searching in zip code 85234 where the 24 hour fitness is located, there is one rental in the same price range

In Gilbert zip code 85296 a little to the south of 85234 but still fairly close to the health club there are 12 rentals in that price range. If you increase the budget to 1200, there are many more rentals available.

If a condo would do for you, the season (double rates) is over at the end of March, and nice condo's are available beginning April 1, some furnished, for around $900.

Gilbert and Chandler are desirable cities so you can't go wrong in either of them, and you would be very close to your client.

By renting you will have a lot of time to look at areas to decide where you want to buy when the time comes.

There is a great new bowling alley in Gilbert which is not far from anywhere in Chandler. Brunswick | News | Bowling. It's a neat place to go where there are lot of age 20-44 people both single and married go. It's much more than a bowling alley.

Chandler, Az. - Sport
1085 South Arizona Avenue
Chandler, AZ 85248

Gilbert - Sport
97 S. Val Vista Drive
Gilbert, AZ 85234

. Tempe - Sport
2145 E. Baseline Rd.
Tempe, AZ 85283

Camelback (phoenix) - Sport
3233 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85018

[riahiarshia]

Thanks very much for your help.
Please send me your contact information so we can get in touch with you when we are ready to buy.

-Alex
Oh Also What about living in Tucson? Would you recommend that at all ?

[riahiarshia]

One more thing.
What do you think is Mesa? You did not mention that at all.
-Alex

[Captain Bill]

There are some areas in Mesa that are really nice, mostly in the north east.

The areas in the east central have a higher crime rate. You can locate the Mesa Police Department web site and they give crime statistics by the area and the types of crime.

Tucson is a completely different type of area. I would say it is much further behind Phoenix in growth and infrastructure.

Gilbert and Chandler would be the all around safer cities in the east valley.

[riahiarshia]

Perfect. Thanks for the info

[aj661]

West and central Mesa are much worse than anywhere on the east side of the city.