Cost of Utilities and Help with Renting (Phoenix, Mesa: extended stay, apartment complex)

[ballrmdanz]

We are looking at moving to the area for my husband's job in the Tempe area. I've looked at a bunch of different areas in every direction around and just outside Phoenix. Trying to decide if we would rather have a longer commute and a less expensive rental or pay more in rent with less commuting time. We are also considering moving into an apartment complex for a year or less just to determine where we want to live. It looks more economical to do that then rent a house, although I would rather rent a house.

My first question is can anyone give me a general idea of the cost of utilities in the area. I know there are different providers in the area and there are multiple factors that can determine the cost. It seems like you get a lot more for your money out there then here in PA at least looking at Craig's list. I'm just wondering if the utilities will take away from the lower rents as far as the cost of living goes. I have looked at cost of living calculators, but not sure how accurate they really are.

Also I know this is kind of a big question, but what should I be looking for in a rental that I would not think of out here necessary. I read ceiling fans, double pane windows, high ceilings are good to have with the heat. I am confused as to which is the best way for the house to face. North or West? We just don't want to rent a place and then find out we missed something that we will regret later. Thank you for any help.

[bluegrey]

face North. Summer electric will be about half of what people pay for oil heat in PA.

[Pink Jazz]

For low utility costs, look for a newer home built in the last 5 years due to the energy-efficient features builders are incorporating.

FYI, there are three electric utilities here in the Valley: APS, SRP, and the City of Mesa. APS primarily serves the downtown areas of the Valley (except Mesa) as well as much of the North and West Valley. SRP primarily serves the East Valley (except downtown areas) as well as some suburban parts of the City of Phoenix. The City of Mesa electric utility serves Downtown Mesa and the immediately surrounding area. Of the three, SRP is typically the least expensive.

[Goober13]

I STRONGLY recommend renting an extended stay 1 bedroom apartment such as Budget Suites, Value Place etc. They are furnished, Budget accepts pets, and there is no credit check or lease. Just pay weekly or monthly. $700-$750 per month maybe $225 or so per week. Move in instantly. Move with no notice.

You have such a broad array of questions, and an extended stay apartment gives you the chance of moving here and getting settled and meeting people at work. How much time have you spent in town driving around?

Utilities (electric, water if you have a home with lots of grass) will be much higher in the summer. There are a lot of variables.

In an apartment you won't pay for water and garbage.Your electric bill will be lower due to less square footage and depending on how shaded and insulated your place is. We pay over $250 a month just for water and garbage in the summer in a house, but have a big yard. The electric bill doubles from May-September too, but you can pay an annualized bill. We have an older home and pay about $180 a month year round to APS for electricity, but the actual summer bills are over $300 per month. It depends on insulation too. You could end up paying including cable and homeowners insurance, $700 a month or more over the summer, and maybe $450 the rest of the year. It just depends on size, insulation, amount of grass etc.

IMO if you just take your time when you get here, put your excess stuff in storage for a couple of months, and just get a feel for things by living in a 1 bedroom suite, a lot of the questions you have will become apparent, and you should be confident wherever you live, whether you choose to rent or buy.

[crystalys]

Originally Posted by Goober13

In an apartment you won't pay for water and garbage.Your electric bill will be lower due to less square footage and depending on how shaded and insulated your place is.

Just an FYI. There are a lot of apartment complexes here that charge you a monthly bill for water, sewer and garbage if each apartment is not on its own meter. Each complex has their own formula of figuring out your "share" of the whole complex's monthly bill and sometimes it can get quite pricey because their formula is faulty in that they consider your children as occupants so you might have to pay a "full share" for each of them as well. Some also have cable tv available so you can pay that as part of your monthly rent too. As to the electric bill, it can be just as pricey in an apartment as it is a house, but as mentioned, there are a lot of factors to contribute to that. Unfortunately, you need to check out each and every one separately and ask lots of questions before signing anything. Oh yeah, and look at what you are signing really carefully before you do sign. You would be surprised at some of the stuff that can be put in a rental agreement contract. Good luck and welcome to Phoenix.

[bluegrey]

I saw a complex over here using free water/trash for first year as a come on. I got a seperate bill for sewer in LV, which made a decent HOA fee not that great.

FWIW, I left the power off on my TH, starting on 9-01, back in 2010. It never got hotter than 86.3F inside the unit. So, you do get a savings effect in the multi-family environment, but some of those apartments are horribly insulated....the owner's ain't payin' the bills, and in some cases, the apartment builders have been in cohoots with the Electric companies to make non-efficient units.

[ballrmdanz]

Thank you guys for all the info. Unfortunately, I checked on the extended stay option, but we do have one child and it ended up being more expensive then renting an apartment. I will keep checking though.

Also thank you for the heads-up on apartment complexes. There just seems to be a lot to factor in. I will just keep researching. Thanks again for the help.

[observer53]

You need to find an apartment for the short term (6 months) fairly close to your husband's work (there are lots of them) and then, once you are way more familiar with the area than you are now, if you want to move to a different area, do it then.

[ballrmdanz]

Do you know of any apartments that will rent for 6 months? I thought they were minimum a year.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by ballrmdanz

Do you know of any apartments that will rent for 6 months? I thought they were minimum a year.

I don't know specifically, since I don't rent. Even if you had to go with a year, you'd have a hard time making a mistake on an apartment in South Tempe. That would give you time to know the area better and either find an area you like better, or find a house that works for you nearby.