Retire in Arizona questions. (Phoenix, Tucson: rent, insurance, house)

[augiedogie]

My wife and I are retiring in a few years and are checking a multiple of places. So here's some questions about Arizona, before we make a big leap.

1. What's a typical water bill and what are typical usage limits.

2. Can decent 3 bedroom ranch be found in the Phoenix metro area in a safe neighborhood.

3. We'd like jobs to work part time? Hows the employment situation?

4. How hard is it to get medical care/ primary care doctor if you're on medicare?

Thanks for the help.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

My wife and I are retiring in a few years and are checking a multiple of places. So here's some questions about Arizona, before we make a big leap.

1. What's a typical water bill and what are typical usage limits.

2. Can decent 3 bedroom ranch be found in the Phoenix metro area in a safe neighborhood.

3. We'd like jobs to work part time? Hows the employment situation?

4. How hard is it to get medical care/ primary care doctor if you're on medicare?

Thanks for the help.

Question 1 suggests that you think there might be water problems here. There are not. Water is cheap, on the order of 3 dollars per thousand gallons, but bills also have sanitation and sewer and run from 50-100 in most cities. There are no usage limits anywhere, but the prices in some locales like Tucson go up significantly at higher usage levels.

2. Of course, there are thousands of homes in hundreds of developments all over the metro that meet that criteria.

3. Depends on what you do, but retail has enough growth and turnover that PT jobs are pretty easy to come by.

4. Don't know.

[augiedogie]

Water was a concern since Az is mostly desert. I just didn't know. Here in Lubbock, Tx we're paying minimum $100 a month for water sewer garbage, which is really steep. It jumped over the last few years cause our normal water supply ran out, and we had to finance a 60 mile pipeline from a lake the city owned, and since that still will not be enough water, we had to buy water rights, which will cost the city millions for many years, plus the pipeline and wells to tap into it.

[MarianR]

1. What's a typical water bill and what are typical usage limits.
Reading the newspaper, I gather that water rates in the Phoenix metro area (or the valley) vary according to the provider, and private water companies can cost significantly more than if you are on municipal water. Grass landscaping and/or a pool will add to your costs.

2. Can decent 3 bedroom ranch be found in the Phoenix metro area in a safe neighborhood.
Yes. Since you are retiring, you might want to look at our many 55+ active living communities. The one we live in is gated.

3. We'd like jobs to work part time? Hows the employment situation? Don't know, but there is lots of retail here in East Mesa. An article in the paper said most districts need subs.

4. How hard is it to get medical care/ primary care doctor if you're on medicare? Not all doctors take Medicare or all insurance, but there seems to be an adequate number of doctors as opposed to rural areas.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

Water was a concern since Az is mostly desert. I just didn't know. Here in Lubbock, Tx we're paying minimum $100 a month for water sewer garbage, which is really steep. It jumped over the last few years cause our normal water supply ran out, and we had to finance a 60 mile pipeline from a lake the city owned, and since that still will not be enough water, we had to buy water rights, which will cost the city millions for many years, plus the pipeline and wells to tap into it.

Not all of AZ is the same, but Phoenix metro is in the best shape in the state and has reliable sources of water for many, many years.

[augiedogie]

I should have added that we keep up a lawn on a .25 acre lot, so our water bill spikes in summer time, to 200-250. We've been suffering a drought the last two years so we had to water more. Our rainfall has been a lot more like AZ. 6 inches in 2011, 10 inches in 2012. I'm assuming most people don't have a grass lawn.

[ji603]

Most people do have lawns, strange if you've never visited and are basing your idea of AZ on who knows what... What's more, if you own property with irrigation rights, then you can pasture flood irrigate for way less than you imagine.

Your questions are too vague...

Yes you can find a nice ranch house- price point?
Yes you can find part time employment - field?
Typical water ? Dunno - I suppose our bill in a Phx suburb runs about 80/mo, but phoenix itself has what I would consider expensive water rates.
Medicare docs? AZ is a retirement state, so if you can't find one here, especially in the surprise/sun city area of town, I have no idea where else would be better.

[MarianR]

You should figure out if you want the east valley, west valley or north valley and if you want to be relatively close in or farther out, and then come rent for a month or more to get a feel for that area.

[augiedogie]

I actually been in AZ a couple of times. Once two years ago, and visiting 40 years ago a family friend in Wickenburg. We got caught in a snowstorm in Flagstaff. Anyhow, we've visited, but the last few years, things have changed rapidly. Housing price deflation all over the country, and lots more unemployment than had not seen since the early 80's. You're right. I should have been more specific. We'd be looking for a house for less than $150,000. We don't need new. Fact is, I'd prefer a house 30-40 years old. AS far as lawns go, I wasn't sure because we also visit Tucson and there we didn't see many green lawns. Here, most have had lawns, but a lot of people let them die because of the cost of watering and the drought.

[wit-nit]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

I actually been in AZ a couple of times. Once two years ago, and visiting 40 years ago a family friend in Wickenburg. We got caught in a snowstorm in Flagstaff. Anyhow, we've visited, but the last few years, things have changed rapidly. Housing price deflation all over the country, and lots more unemployment than had not seen since the early 80's. You're right. I should have been more specific. We'd be looking for a house for less than $150,000. We don't need new. Fact is, I'd prefer a house 30-40 years old. AS far as lawns go, I wasn't sure because we also visit Tucson and there we didn't see many green lawns. Here, most have had lawns, but a lot of people let them die because of the cost of watering and the drought.

You'd probably be better off checking out the retirement community of Sun City. Water is cheap there, residential lawns are mostly desert landscaping. Ranch homes are the norm many under $150,000. Part time jobs are available. Google Sun City AZ and you'll find a plethora of info about the area.