On My Short List

[Musketeer3-2]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Not familiar with the two properties you've mentioned, Musketeer, however . . . my first question would be, "Do you want suburbia or in-town?"

The 2 or 3 Bedroom / 2 Bath Patio Homes (1200 to 1400 Sq Feet) with a full 2 Car Garage in the complex where I own are very convenient to the Tucson Mall and just about everything else usually rent in the $800 range. I personally prefer the convenience and the "private home" feeling where I'm able to walk or bike to lots of shopping, eating and entertainment over the big apartment complex style of living.

I sure hope this information helps a little.

Bummer, what is the name of the community or complex you live in? Median age group? Anything I should know? Thanks!

[madnomad]

Originally Posted by Musketeer3-2

Bummer, what is the name of the community or complex you live in? Median age group? Anything I should know? Thanks!

I'm glad you're asking this question of Bummer...sounds like an interesting place to check out eyes-on. I'm not familiar with the "patio home" term that i've seen in posts here and elsewhere. Is that something like what we call a "condo" where you share a building with other residents divided, of course, by a common wall? Also, it seems nobody builds houses with basements out the Southwest way and that can distort the square-footage factor. My current 2-bed single bath home here in a northern suburb of Buffalo goes about 900 sq. ft., but i have the same square footage of basement beneath me which is excellent for storage, hot water tank,washer/dryer, workbench, etc. With the physical shape i'm in, though, i'm all for a single floor housing plan!

Thanks ahead of time for any responses and hope you all have a great 2013.

[RickTucsonHomes]

Originally Posted by madnomad

I'm glad you're asking this question of Bummer...sounds like an interesting place to check out eyes-on. I'm not familiar with the "patio home" term that i've seen in posts here and elsewhere. Is that something like what we call a "condo" where you share a building with other residents divided, of course, by a common wall? Also, it seems nobody builds houses with basements out the Southwest way and that can distort the square-footage factor. My current 2-bed single bath home here in a northern suburb of Buffalo goes about 900 sq. ft., but i have the same square footage of basement beneath me which is excellent for storage, hot water tank,washer/dryer, workbench, etc. With the physical shape i'm in, though, i'm all for a single floor housing plan!

Thanks ahead of time for any responses and hope you all have a great 2013.

You are correct, no basements to speak of in Tucson. A few builders have tried over the years but none have been succesfull long term. Here square footage is living space only, garage not included. To be defined as living space it must have electric, heaating and ac to it. So a screened in porch does not count as living space from a sq footage standpoint.

As for "patio home" and "condo's" they are different here. There are some boring legal distinctions about who owns what, and who is responsible for what, but as a general rule out here a patio home/townhome will have the common wall as you described and be single story. A condo will most likely be in a developement where there are multiple stories to the building. So you could have 4 units on the first floor, 4 more and the second floor etc. then multiple buildings in the development. So from a noise factor you not only may have 1 or more comon walls, you may also have neighbors above or below you.

[LittleGirly]

There are many types of living arrangements here in Tucson. In the Midwest, some refer to patio homes as villas instead. They are usually 2 bedroom, 2 bath units with about 1100+ sq ft in living space that do not always share a wall and some have very small yards. Some come with garages or car ports and a separate storage area but not always. Condos and apartments are nearly the same here and Townhomes are usually the same as condos back east where a wall is shared between units.

I've also seen mobile home parks named as estates so be sure you know exactly what you are getting when searching for properties. If there is an address included in the listing, do a google map search of the address so you know exactly how close your neighbor will be to this property.

One needs to be aware that Tucson has many snow birds that come here for the winter and then leave in the summer. These folks are usually in the upper reaches of the income bracket so be careful where you decide to settle. The patio homes usually are located in the 55+ subdivisions which has home owner association fees that can be several hundred dollars a month. So if the home owners' association decides to make improvements to the subdivision, all member and/or owners will have to fork over the fee increases. This can seriously affect your monthly living expenses as you age especially if you are on a fixed income. Some of these senior subdivisions tenants have nothing better to do but find things to spend their money on so if you are budgeting, be very careful about selecting homes.

There is another term used here - Casitas that is not used in the east. They are usually referred to as a 'guest house'. These are usually separate buildings with a single bedroom, sometimes a bath that does not have a separate living space but is on the property.

[madnomad]

Hey there RickTucsonHomes...thanks for making those distinctions in the local real estate jargon and providing that info -- it's all good for a nomad like me beginning to research potential "final" resting places (homes)!

[madnomad]

Hi LittleGirly...i really appreciate your taking the time to "wise me up" to the real estate situation out there. I hope to find out more up front and in person as time moves on before making a final decision with my wife as to what town we'll settle in. Happy trails!

[madnomad]

Well folks...the wife and i have finally visited Tucson and made a decision to relocate there for the"duration" (of our lives!). We made an offer to a seller and it was accepted. There was one major key to our successful trip there from Buffalo...we "hired" a buyers' representative. We don't know a soul in Tucson -- nearest relatives are a couple cousins up in Phoenix. We did lots of online real estate research on specific areas of town and types and prices of homes. With great help from people here on city-data.com and resources like Trulia and other sites we were prepared to ask pertinent questions of realtors and get a feel for who we wanted as our rep. I won't name him here, but i'm leaving him great recommendations in other places. We wound up finding almost exactly the home of our dreams up in the hills on the eastern flank of Tucson. Prices are beginning to edge upward in the area, but our 4br, 2b homw qith real fireplace, family room, living room and large, modern kitchen ran us just over $200K. For that price we also got an outdoor in-ground pool on a block-fenced .8 acre lot. A generous two-car garage is attached to the house on a cul-de-sac with spectacular mountain views and not a scorpion in sight (grin)! Despite the omnipresent road construction we think the town itself offers everything a person could want along with helpful and friendly people -- quite a change from dreary and somewhat msitrusting Buffalo to say the least. Can't wait to get packed up and moved!

[tom4416]

Originally Posted by madnomad

Well folks...the wife and i have finally visited Tucson and made a decision to relocate there for the"duration" (of our lives!). We made an offer to a seller and it was accepted. There was one major key to our successful trip there from Buffalo...we "hired" a buyers' representative. We don't know a soul in Tucson -- nearest relatives are a couple cousins up in Phoenix. We did lots of online real estate research on specific areas of town and types and prices of homes. With great help from people here on city-data.com and resources like Trulia and other sites we were prepared to ask pertinent questions of realtors and get a feel for who we wanted as our rep. I won't name him here, but i'm leaving him great recommendations in other places. We wound up finding almost exactly the home of our dreams up in the hills on the eastern flank of Tucson. Prices are beginning to edge upward in the area, but our 4br, 2b homw qith real fireplace, family room, living room and large, modern kitchen ran us just over $200K. For that price we also got an outdoor in-ground pool on a block-fenced .8 acre lot. A generous two-car garage is attached to the house on a cul-de-sac with spectacular mountain views and not a scorpion in sight (grin)! Despite the omnipresent road construction we think the town itself offers everything a person could want along with helpful and friendly people -- quite a change from dreary and somewhat msitrusting Buffalo to say the least. Can't wait to get packed up and moved!

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME. Now I won't be the new guy on the block any longer

[Bummer]

WAY TO GO, MadNomad . . . sounds like you found a KEEPER.

WELCOME and Good Luck.