Empty Nest - Ready to Fly (Scottsdale, Chandler: rental, house, neighborhood)

[ba-dabing]

Hi,
I have lived in Arizona with my 2 kids for the past 11 years and we have taken our share of road trips around the state north and south. Now, my daughter is in college at NAU in Flagstaff and my son is going to start at ASU in Tempe this fall.


My big decision is, where do I go from here?



Both the kids will be living on campus or with a room mate close to school. I would ideally like to rent a place between Flagstaff and Tempe. I currently live in Chandler which is too far south for our new lifestyle.



I know Scottsdale or Fountain Hills sound like the obvious choices, but are they really?



I work from home so things like "good schools" or "very little commute time" don't apply to my situation. And of course budget is a consideration as I want to be able to minimize my expenses for rent to help the kids out where I can.



Anyone have suggestions for a good community in a stable neighborhood that has most of the modern conveniences while retaining that "desert vista" feel?

[observer53]

Maybe out around Desert Ridge-- not as far east as Scottsdale or FH, still easy access by freeway to Tempe. Some might say Anthem, which might also work if you are not traveling during rush commuting hours much.

[Jkgourmet]

I'd have a look at Anthem or Vistancia, if you are looking for a planned community.

But that actually raises the question : what kind of community Are you looking for?

[AZPam]

Why not try Prescott and get out of the heat?

[ReadyFreddy]

I want to be able to minimize my expenses for rent to help the kids out where I can.

Are you looking for a place to rent?

Are you sure your kids won't need to possibly move back home for a few years, here and there? They usually do, for a while.

I personally would move to where appeals to you. Your kids probably appreciate the space and would want you to do what's best for yourselves.

[ba-dabing]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I'll definitely check out the suggestions.

To answer some of the questions:

I am looking for a community where the neighborhood is quiet since I work from home. And I would prefer a little space between me and my neighbor. Not a big fan of some of these Chandler subdivisions where you step out your back patio and the shadow of your neighbor's house covers your backyard.

I currently live in a rental where there's a greenbelt park behind the house, so it gives the impression of expansiveness.

I do rent, I like the idea of being able to pick up roots and moving every few years. I get bored looking at the same 4 walls day in and day out because I work from home.

From just looking at rental sites for areas like Anthem, for what I pay in rent now in Chandler on a 4 bedroom house (2000 sq ft) I could get the same or more for the price. Ideally I'd like to make it so my rent is about $200 month cheaper than what I pay now.

I'd like to try to find a 2 bedroom with an office so that I have a place to use as my office and an extra bedroom for the kids to stay in when they visit.

Hope that information helps.