Rancho Sahuarita to Basis Tucson (buyers, price, moving to)

[beTucsonan]

Well - it sounds like things are taking shape, so congrats!

I commuted to Phoenix sometimes for a job I had about 15 years ago, and it's really not bad. Some days, to add some spice to the mix, I'd take my old Fiat Spider convertible out and use the backroads (highways 77, 79 and 60 from Tucson to Phoenix).

[Moving To Tucson]

Thanks, BajaAZ... very positive post! Sometimes it's hard to remember that so many GOOD things have happened. I get caught up in the fact that my home still hasn't sold.

I recently decided that I prefer to leave my home empty for my realtor to sell. I prefer to move as a family in February/March. It'll be worth it in the long-run... experiencing the change together.... being a bit touristy.... making friends together... potentially setting up our next place together... etc.

I had to look up a Fiat Spider. Thanks for the alternate route. I agree that the commute isn't bad. The 2 hour drive from the airport to Tucson seemed like only an hour. It's such a peaceful drive. A nice time to think.... unlike commuting in Jersey, for sure. Hands down.

Anyway, thanks again for the positive reminder...

[Moving To Tucson]

We may bid on a tiny condo that we can just pay off. It seems overpriced at the moment, but we're hoping they'll come down a bit.

My realtor said the owners live in Mexico, and, in her experience, may be less likely to drop their price.

Does anyone have any insights?

PS- getting my present home re-sided and new gutters...... hoping to leave it in great shape for when we LEAVE. )

[Moving To Tucson]

My hubby's plane fare is paid ($9 - frequent flier miles paid the rest). His friend in Chandler will house him and lend him a vehicle for the week. Once again we feel truly blessed. He will visit both the Tucson and Phoenix offices..... and also make time to see a few condos.

The condo we like is about to undergo a price-reduction. Hopefully it's significant.

I just want to ask, once again, for any input regarding great condos near the U of A or near Reid Park. I don't mind the size. It can be 650 square feet. In my mind, smaller is better because taxes and utilities are lower. Great amenities would be awesome, though not a ridiculous monthly fee.

We want to be close to everything. We want walkability.

My realtor said this listing has sold:

Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 20 Homes - Zillow

It is the smallest 2bed/2bath I've ever seen listed.... and I didn't see the HOA amount. It's a listing I would have liked to see.

Thanks.

[azdr0710]

sorry I haven't offered much lately, but just saw this post....

if you can manage, I'd stay east of Campbell (1900 E) just for future resale value and slightly more prestige....that condo you linked is in a somewhat-student-oriented neighborhood and may lack future value....

I'll keep in mind that you're looking for condo stuff in the area you mention...

keep in mind walkability, even in the best walkable areas here, won't be like big cities back east....you may have to walk a few residential blocks to get to the busy street that will have scattered business strung out linearly.....very low density out here!!

[beTucsonan]

Originally Posted by Moving To Tucson

I just want to ask, once again, for any input regarding great condos near the U of A or near Reid Park. I don't mind the size. It can be 650 square feet. In my mind, smaller is better because taxes and utilities are lower. Great amenities would be awesome, though not a ridiculous monthly fee.

We want to be close to everything. We want walkability.

My realtor said this listing has sold:

Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 20 Homes - Zillow.

If you bought there, we'd be neighbors - I am just about 1/4-mile South of that very condo community! If you can get in there or near there you will be lucky for it - I consider the stretch of Campbell Avenue between Grant and Ft. Lowell to be a treasure trove of goodness, traffic considerations aside.

To be near Reid Park, one idea might be the condos at Alvernon & Timrod, across the street from the Reid Park golf courses (which, hopefully, soon will be turned into park rather than reserved for golfers!) My older brother and his wife lived there years ago and it was a nice, very pleasant place for them to live. They are also not terribly expensive, even if "expensive" is a very relative term.

Originally Posted by azdr0710

if you can manage, I'd stay east of Campbell (1900 E) just for future resale value and slightly more prestige....that condo you linked is in a somewhat-student-oriented neighborhood and may lack future value....

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree here. Some of the best neighborhoods in Tucson - with the most prestige and best resale value - are West of Campbell. To begin with, neighborhoods near to the UA perform very well in this town, take for example neighborhoods like Samos (which that condo is on the Northern border of), Sam Hughes, Pie Allen, Blenman Elm, Rincon Heights, etc.. There definitely are great neighborhoods to the East of Campbell, and I would not advise that they be ignored, but to ignore the neighborhoods West of Campbell seems like folly.

[atlarge]

[quote=

It is the smallest 2bed/2bath I've ever seen listed.... and I didn't see the HOA amount. It's a listing I would have liked to see.
.[/QUOTE]

The HOA for that unit is $176/month & is pending sale.

You can check listings on redfin.com as well. They usually post HOA amount on listings when applicable and provides more details than Zillow.

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by BajaAZ

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree here. Some of the best neighborhoods in Tucson - with the most prestige and best resale value - are West of Campbell. To begin with, neighborhoods near to the UA perform very well in this town, take for example neighborhoods like Samos (which that condo is on the Northern border of), Sam Hughes, Pie Allen, Blenman Elm, Rincon Heights, etc.. There definitely are great neighborhoods to the East of Campbell, and I would not advise that they be ignored, but to ignore the neighborhoods West of Campbell seems like folly.

thanks, Baja....your posts here have been very helpful and sorry to have ruffled feathers....I only suggested east of Campbell mostly to avoid the student-infested feel of some of those areas and the somewhat trashy appearance of student rental areas (though students rent east of Campbell, too!)....your post is somewhat unclear (?), but I'm sure you know Sam Hughes and Blenman Elm are, in fact, east of Campbell, though maybe you were just listing all UA-area 'hoods.....there are some "hidden" bright spots all over the UA area, but I still think the OP needs to be careful about locations that may languish as rental-oriented neighborhoods....

yes, that stretch of Campbell - all the way from Grant to Prince, in fact - is a Tucson treasure and might meet the walkability request of the OP....until recently, chain/franchise businesses were rare or non-existent along there....very nice to have such a wide variety of locally owned enterprises along there....a resident could live their entire life with the range of businesses along only that great stretch

[beTucsonan]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

thanks, Baja....your posts here have been very helpful and sorry to have ruffled feathers....

No ruffled feathers whatsoever - no worries, at all. If you can't disagree with somebody, you will never be friends! Anyway, yes, I meant to highlight that the neighborhoods surrounding the UofA, both East and West of Campbell seem to be doing quite well. I don't see Campbell as a dividing line of much meaning, personally.

The whole point here is to fins a nice spot for "Moving To Tucson" to land, and this type of discussion can only help!

[Moving To Tucson]

Awesome posts. Great information!

We decided to bid on a small place near El Con Mall in about 9 days.

So excited.

BajaAZ... any news regarding the golf course being converted into more park space? Just wondered if it's even possible. It'd be awesome for sure.

Anyway, when the offer/counter-offers begin, I'll start posting more. Very excited.

Thanks again for all the support in this thread.