Moving / Living Thread - Need some insights please! (Phoenix, Scottsdale: hardwood floors, extended stay) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

travelpedia · 01-11-2013, 08:34 AM

All,
I am going to be turning 28 in a couple of weeks. I am an engineer I have been offered a job in the PHX area. The company is in Chandler, AZ. I would be moving from Ohio. First, is 76k a good salary for this area? After reading or at least trying to read a lot, I found that since I'm a bachelor, Scottsdale / Tempe is somewhere I will consider living. I don't think I'm into the college bar scene (feel out of place), but good lounges / restaurants would be ideal. If possible I'd like to have most of these at walking distance. I did drive through Mill Street & Old Town Scottsdale with the latter appealing a bit more.

a) Is the commute from Scottsdale to Chandler realistic? (I did find a Lifetime Fitness near the workplace that Id like to go to after work. I'm already a member in Ohio)
b) Can you recommend some loft-style apartments in that area? Have been trying google / apartments.com etc., but I get results that are at links to individual Realtor agents.
c) Currently my rent is $430 a month for a bed-room, so I know I will have to spend a lot. Let's try to keep the budget max at $1200? Of course if I can get something cheaper, that would be great.

If I cannot get any loft style apartments, can anyone recommend modern, semi-luxury or luxury apartments? I would like some upgraded features such as nice kitchens, hardwood floors (even laminate would work), maybe a balcony or a patio, and if it has exposed brick inside, that would just be the BEST!

I will continue reading more and more; however wanted to know if I am being realistic with my mentioned salary! This is just an offer, and of course I can try and negotiate...

Fra Diavolo · 01-11-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelpedia

All,
I am going to be turning 28 in a couple of weeks. I am an engineer I have been offered a job in the PHX area. The company is in Chandler, AZ. I would be moving from Ohio. First, is 76k a good salary for this area? After reading or at least trying to read a lot, I found that since I'm a bachelor, Scottsdale / Tempe is somewhere I will consider living. I don't think I'm into the college bar scene (feel out of place), but good lounges / restaurants would be ideal. If possible I'd like to have most of these at walking distance. I did drive through Mill Street & Old Town Scottsdale with the latter appealing a bit more.

a) Is the commute from Scottsdale to Chandler realistic? (I did find a Lifetime Fitness near the workplace that Id like to go to after work. I'm already a member in Ohio)
b) Can you recommend some loft-style apartments in that area? Have been trying google / apartments.com etc., but I get results that are at links to individual Realtor agents.
c) Currently my rent is $430 a month for a bed-room, so I know I will have to spend a lot. Let's try to keep the budget max at $1200? Of course if I can get something cheaper, that would be great.

If I cannot get any loft style apartments, can anyone recommend modern, semi-luxury or luxury apartments? I would like some upgraded features such as nice kitchens, hardwood floors (even laminate would work), maybe a balcony or a patio, and if it has exposed brick inside, that would just be the BEST!

I will continue reading more and more; however wanted to know if I am being realistic with my mentioned salary! This is just an offer, and of course I can try and negotiate...

We just made the move from Ohio to Tempe 5 months ago. We chose the Little Cottonwoods apartments in Tempe and couldn't be happier. A quick look at google maps will show you all the great stuff that is right next door. We get a garage with our two bedroom and its within your price range. My advice would be live as close to where you work as you can. At least until you get a sense of what areas would suit you best. Traffic can be very heavy at rush hour. We're lucky enough to not have to use the freeways on our commute, which is often at a near standstill as we drive the overpass.

liz451 · 01-11-2013, 09:23 AM

Hi travelpedia - 76k is enough to live well off of here although you're correct that $430/month won't get you anything more than a bedroom in a house with a couple roommates here. I live at the Miller/Camelback area (Miller is in between Scottsdale Rd and Hayden) and walk almost everywhere in Old Town. I'm also not into clubs but there is a huge variety of restaurants, bars, shopping, etc. in the area. Every Friday and Saturday I walk to dinner, the bars, and either walk home, or take a pedicab/golf cart to get home.

As far as lofts there I'm not quite sure, I live in a townhouse, but I'm guessing it will be hard to find. I did a little googling and found this place: Contact | Third Avenue Lofts | Loft Living At Its Best | Scottsdale. No idea if it's in your price range, or nice, but it's in a very walkable area. Be sure to be careful when looking for apartments in the Old Town area - due to it being a big nightlife area some complexes (San Marin for instance) are more of party apartments. That might be fine for you but wanted to let you know. Also, I'm 25 and it sounds like we have similar interests so I think you'll like the area as long as you avoid what I call "club row" - you'll know it when you see it

I also used to work in Chandler at Kyrene/Elliot and then Warner/McClintock. Really manageable commute, under 30 minutes, and not a lot of traffic at all. I used to just hop on the 101 south and it was a quick, easy drive. Depends where the office is in Chandler though...

observer53 · 01-11-2013, 12:49 PM

Your commute from Scottsdale would be a reverse one, so not bad at all, but I'd echo the sentiments of the poster above about south Tempe. You can get to Mill Ave with or without a car when you want to go there, and it's easy to get to Old Town Scottsdale I suspect you will get more for your money in south Tempe or in Chandler than in Old Town Scottsdale, which at least in part would be catering to a party crowd.

liz451 · 01-11-2013, 01:00 PM

I like the south Tempe area a lot and agree you'll get more for your money but I don't find it very walkable. Your budget is substantial enough to get a very nice 1 bedroom in any neighborhood in the Phoenix area.

Also, Phoenix does have some places with hardwood floors but you'll see tile far more here and not a lot of the exposed brick kind of loft you're thinking of - since Phoenix is much newer overall you won't find that sort of factory turned loft look. Craigslist is a great place to start your search.

brianasher · 01-11-2013, 10:47 PM

Moving from out of state, is it best to try and have something waiting on you or take time in a hotel/squatting while finding a place? I'll be working downtown and in Tempe some, so I know what areas I like - just not feeling great about trying to pick a place based on Internet photos and forums! However, I don't like the idea of pulling into town with a Uhaul trailer full of stuff and nowhere to put it...and spending hotel $.

observer53 · 01-12-2013, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianasher

Moving from out of state, is it best to try and have something waiting on you or take time in a hotel/squatting while finding a place? I'll be working downtown and in Tempe some, so I know what areas I like - just not feeling great about trying to pick a place based on Internet photos and forums! However, I don't like the idea of pulling into town with a Uhaul trailer full of stuff and nowhere to put it...and spending hotel $.

I think an extended stay motel and a storage locker for a month would be worthwhile, if you really want to get a better idea of the lay of the land before signing a lease.

There are really very few, if any, neighborhoods in metro Phoenix that are truly walkable to grocery stores and all the other day to day conveniences. You can maximize convenience to places that can be walked to (the poster above who lives in Little Cottonwoods can walk to quite a bit, it's true) though you might not want to in the summer.

cab591 · 01-12-2013, 08:07 AM

Seconding what other posters have said -- $76k is more than enough to live in the Valley. I was living down in Chandler off of $10k / year (cheap college student). Granted, I was paying $400 flat to rent a room in a house, versus having my own place... but with your price range, you should find it pretty manageable.

Scottsdale to Chandler is a reverse commute. In the mornings, most East Valley traffic moves north and west. You'll be headed south, meaning you shouldn't have issues with traffic. The opposite is in effect in the evenings. Depending on where your job is in Chandler, it's about 20-30 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale to Chandler.

Tempe is more the college-scene (around ASU), and young families in South Tempe. While it'd put you closer to Chandler, it's not a huge time difference, and downtown Scottsdale has more of what you're looking for.

No recommendations on where in Scottsdale, but prices tend to go way up the closer you get to Old Town. While you could probably find something in your price range, check a 1-mile radius around Old Town. You'll get more for your money, and be close enough to walk.

travelpedia · 01-14-2013, 06:38 AM

Thank you very much for the insights. I will be looking into it more (especially within the 1-mile radius of Old Town Scottsdale). I have yet to accept the offer, but these are some very valuable tips. I drove around Chandler and although it has a nice mall, it felt a little too much like a family oriented community. I'd like to enjoy the lifestyle living close to everything and enjoying

Although as someone suggested, maybe not in the summer

I also like the idea of having temporary housing until I can find something permanent. I think my relocation package should cover that upto 30 days as well. Could provide me with a better insight. Also I am glad that the commute won't be bad and it will be reverse. I had imagined that I would be in traffic like the 405 in LA. Horrific! I currently drive 20 mins to work, so another 10 isn't too bad for me...

travelpedia · 02-06-2013, 06:38 AM

Unfortunately for me, the negotiations didn't go too well. So I couldn't really accept the offer. Am I regretting it? Yes, maybe, but my offer was pretty much on par with what I was currently making. Moving across the country for a couple grand in the end did not make sense. Shame because I really did like the area.