WHERE to move in Tucson..? (Vail: real estate, apartment, condo)

[ImmuneSortOf]

Thank you all for your candid comments! My husband and I have taken this info, along with all other kinds of research, and have placed Tucson as one of our top-3 choices. So now I ask: which areas should we absolutely avoid when looking for a new apartment?

[Subie]

Southside and parts of West.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by ImmuneSortOf

Thank you all for your candid comments! My husband and I have taken this info, along with all other kinds of research, and have placed Tucson as one of our top-3 choices. So now I ask: which areas should we absolutely avoid when looking for a new apartment?

That's not fair, Immune . . .

What are you looking for? Are you interested in one of those huge "swinging singles" joints or more of a simple apartment and/or condo type home?

How much do you plan on spending? What are you requirements such as garage, pool, walking to shopping, etc?

[dc_lost]

You always learn as you go through life... and after buying many homes in various states I can honestly say ALWAYS get something in the North/NorthWest or North/NorthEast... that is the simple fact of where "upcoming" areas move... our southern section of Tucson is booming with development, I'd stake my house on the fact that in 10 years our property (North/NorthWest) which has already in 3 years tripled in price despite the news "fakers" reports of a gloom and doom ... will out sell anything bought south/south west or south east of town.

El Consquistidor (can't spell it :-0) but there are some very lovely townhomes there we looked at once, and it's in a good area. Depends on what you can afford. I used to work in real estate different state, different town - but advice is always the same - Get in the BEST area, even if you have to get a smaller place and you'll be happier than a bigger place, less desirable area...

just my opionion and not that of anyone else :-)

[pac10devils]

Move to the north, eastside, or towards the foothills. Stay away from south Tucson as it is known to be bad. It's trashy, gang infested and stinks of raw sewage.

[RBChallenger]

While I agree that the Northern sides are AWESOME, I'd also say that you should take a look at Vail.. dont forget that even in the hard times there prices have more than doubled out there over the last 5 years. People who owned a home farther in the past out there have seen exponential property value gains. I personally prefer it over the North, mainy because I enjoy a bit more space and dont have the money to pay the high prices of the North side where I'd want to be. Just my $.02, not worth much... but food for thought.

[Daniel_T]

Avoid any area around 1st and Fort Lowell and anything within a 2 or 3 mile radius of that intersection. It's all no good.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by dc_lost

You always learn as you go through life... and after buying many homes in various states I can honestly say ALWAYS get something in the North/NorthWest or North/NorthEast... that is the simple fact of where "upcoming" areas move... our southern section of Tucson is booming with development, I'd stake my house on the fact that in 10 years our property (North/NorthWest) which has already in 3 years tripled in price despite the news "fakers" reports of a gloom and doom ... will out sell anything bought south/south west or south east of town.

El Consquistidor (can't spell it :-0) but there are some very lovely townhomes there we looked at once, and it's in a good area. Depends on what you can afford. I used to work in real estate different state, different town - but advice is always the same - Get in the BEST area, even if you have to get a smaller place and you'll be happier than a bigger place, less desirable area...

just my opionion and not that of anyone else :-)

I swear there IS something to it! I was thinking recently, too, that it appears the northern parts of a city are always the more affluent ones... Countries seem to follow the same pattern: North: good to make a living, but boring; South: fun, but hard to make a living...

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by pac10devils

Move to the north, eastside, or towards the foothills. Stay away from south Tucson as it is known to be bad. It's trashy, gang infested and stinks of raw sewage.

Sums it up beautifully, Pac.

[azlibrabbit]

There IS something to it, it's geography. I learned in University many years ago that in the US, most rivers flow from northeast to southwest, making the purist and freshest water that in the northeast, so that folks who could afford to would always settle to the northeast.
I believe this holds in Tucson as well. The northwest is nice, but newly and densely settled compared to the northeast.
That said, I live on five acres in Vail. The water here is groundwater from a private water company, but it comes over the mountains east of Tucson. We have scorpions, rattlesnakes (fire department will pick them up and relocate, and are very nice about doing it), Colorado River toads and black widow spiders. We also have roadrunners, jackrabbits, deer, javelina, quail, and every type of watchable wildlife the desert possesses. Plus lush desert vegetation, glorious mountain views and a billion stars. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I would, however, trade it for more land further out.