How One Senior Couple Found A Winter Home in Tucson (Marana: real estate, HOA fees)

[floatingbridge]

Like many seniors wanting to Winter-over or to move to Tucson, we wanted some idea of where to live. Lots of blog information to be North of this street or never South of that street, or look this way or that way, or where crime statistics show relative safety, etc. Our budget was a very modest $40,000 in cash and we could carry $200 a month expenses, so where to live?

We noted our real estate agent started to show us properties well out of the city center, for example, Picture Rocks, further out portions of the Marana, even fixer houses outside of Vail (fixers were OK with us), but not much right in Tucson itself. It was unspoken but the message was, for $40,000 and something that might stand empty for months and months, this is where you want to find something.

Not on our radar screen were communities of mobile homes for 55+ because lot rents were $300 and higher, but then we saw a mobile home in a 55+ community with $92 a month fees, which included security, garbage pickup, maintenance of common areas, two pools, spa, unlimited free golf, tennis, plus beautiful mountain views, and 10 minutes from downtown Tucson and all the shopping in the world on Valencia and other areas. It was TucsonEstates.com, that is, Tucson Estates.

In Tucson Estates you own your lot and home. Prices for a home started at about $40,000 and went to $130,000 for golf course view properties and larger doublewide homes. These are listed with Tucson MLS and your agent will know all about it. You can also search craigslist for Real Estate in Tucson, putting "Tucson Estates" in quotes for your search. You can also use Windermere Real Estate, enter Tucson, AZ and search the area off Ajo Way, on Kinney, towards Old Tucson.

We purchased a singlewide home in Tucson Estates that met our budget requirements and are doing some updating right now so when we return in December, we'll be ready to go.

If you are a senior couple like us, this was a great solution for finding a winter home and possibly full-time if we like Tucson as much as what we have seen already. It's a great city from our view and has the same problems as any city just like Spokane, WA where we come from.

Hope this helps.

[Spot]

Congratulations on your new place! Hope it works out well for you.

[RicT]

Hey floating bridge! That's quite a clever alternative. I'll be looking for something similar in a few years. Not sure about the mobile home aspect though. (But it's clear somebody figured out how to keep the value of these things high ).

Tucson Estates looks like a great 55+ community in all regards. I perused their site.

[nwlv]

A couple coming to Arizona and buying a trailer--that's a success story? I had a similar budget--I bought a one bedroom condo in Summerlin Nevada for 35K. The area is great. One of the nicest planned communities I have ever visited. HOA fee is 121.92.

[floatingbridge]

Originally Posted by nwlv

A couple coming to Arizona and buying a trailer--that's a success story? I had a similar budget--I bought a one bedroom condo in Summerlin Nevada for 35K. The area is great. One of the nicest planned communities I have ever visited. HOA fee is 121.92.

You're right that Tucson isn't for everyone. No place is for everyone or "everyone" would be there. Summerlin (Las Vegas area) has some genuine bargains and I'm sure elsewhere as well. For our own reasons, we want to be in the Tucson area. Thanks for your thoughts.

[floatingbridge]

Originally Posted by RicT

Hey floating bridge! That's quite a clever alternative. I'll be looking for something similar in a few years. Not sure about the mobile home aspect though. (But it's clear somebody figured out how to keep the value of these things high ).

Tucson Estates looks like a great 55+ community in all regards. I perused their site.

The "mobile home" aspect was something we always dismissed. We're very active seniors and to be around a bunch of old folks didn't seem very interesting to us. But when you're retired, nearly every decision is based on money and this works for us. Anyway, it's what you make of it, to pick and choose and this place has enough going on for us. Thanks for writing.

[Marcy1210]

Congratulations on your new home, and welcome to Tucson! It sounds as though you've found the perfect place for you and I wish you much happiness enjoying all the amenities of your neighborhood!

[ZonyPony]

Welcome to Tucson!

[Arabian]

Floatingbridge, I'm pushing 59, retirement and visited Tucson. I currently live and work in Silicon Valley, CA and lots of my friends live in mobile homes here because buying anything else is impossibly expensive. They have nice places, great, quiet neighborhoods and all the amenities of the Bay area with a fraction of the headaches. Most of their space rents are above $850.00 out here too. So, you are not lowering yourself by living in a mobile home, it looks to me like your really smart to do that. You can laugh all the way to the bank.

[floatingbridge]

Originally Posted by Arabian

Floatingbridge, I'm pushing 59, retirement and visited Tucson. I currently live and work in Silicon Valley, CA and lots of my friends live in mobile homes here because buying anything else is impossibly expensive. They have nice places, great, quiet neighborhoods and all the amenities of the Bay area with a fraction of the headaches. Most of their space rents are above $850.00 out here too. So, you are not lowering yourself by living in a mobile home, it looks to me like your really smart to do that. You can laugh all the way to the bank.

Quite so. HOA fees are $1,100 a YEAR with free golf, tennis, 2 pools, spa, workout room, and more activities than one could ever hope for. We are, indeed, laughing all the way to the bank. Thanks for writing.