For those experienced Arizonans or those living in AZ the longest... (Phoenix: transplants, felon)

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

So to sum up:

Most areas of Phoenix Metro have apartments/Condos (have not seen many actual East Coast definition Town Houses) and they will almost all (any worth living in) either have a management company or a Residence Board.

If you want a neighborhood without an HOA, you will need to look at homes built before the 1980s. These tend to be in older sections of town (obviously) and are sometimes surprisingly expensive as they tend to have larger lot sizes than the postage stamps homes are built on recently. Most of the Stick and Stucco homes will have an HOA.

30-40 mile commutes (depending on what freeways you are taking) is going to translate into a 1.5 - 2 hour commute during "normal" times...so add 3 - 4 hours outside your 8-9 hour day at work. If this is workable for you...take a map of the Phoenix Metro area, measure out a string to scale the 30-40 miles, stick a pin in the map where your place of work will be and use the string to draw a circle. That is your "target area". Whittle it down from there.

Never heard of anyone who had a 2 hour commute unless they lived in Tucson. 30-45 minutes is typical, 1 hour is long.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by jerseyexpat

I also noticed on realtor sites in AZ sometimes new homes will be built in what appears to be older neighborhoods and those newly built homes sell for well over $350k.

Is there a way to bring my overall monthly costs down especially if I do not want a 1980's home?

Where will you be working? Sorry if I missed it.

[jerseyexpat]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Single family homes do not have HOA fees that high. I live in a development with private parks, lakes, a water park, residence centers, hiking trails, and many planned activities and our rate is 80 bucks a month. You might pay up to 100 at some places but most are going to be 30-80 depending on amenities. Town homes often have things like exterior maintenance included. There are not a lot of town homes in Phoenix relatively speaking. Here the single family residence is king.

Ok so I was looking at a home and this is a post for HOA fees etc: can you explain each? the one that sticks out is the last line.

• HOA: Y
• HOA Fee: 88
• Common Area Maintenance
• No Visible Truck Trailer/Rv/Boat
• Pets Ok
• Professionally Managed
• HOA Name: Village at Tres Rios
• HOA Paid: Monthly
• HOA Telephone: 480-820-1519
• HOA Transfer Fee Amt: 400

[jerseyexpat]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

Where will you be working? Sorry if I missed it.

Most likely Phoenix, central, but I don't want to live there. Currently I live in NJ but 30 miles to work and 1 hour in traffic is not new to me, been doing it for years.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by jerseyexpat

Ok so I was looking at a home and this is a post for HOA fees etc: can you explain each? the one that sticks out is the last line.

• HOA: Y
• HOA Fee: 88
• Common Area Maintenance
• No Visible Truck Trailer/Rv/Boat
• Pets Ok
• Professionally Managed
• HOA Name: Village at Tres Rios
• HOA Paid: Monthly
• HOA Telephone: 480-820-1519
• HOA Transfer Fee Amt: 400

It is what it sounds like. They charge you 400 bucks to "join" the HOA or transfer from previous owner or whatever you want to call it. It is a charge that has caught on in the past few years and is rather common now. Once you are in, the monthly fee is $88. Professionally managed is a good thing because it means the HOA has hired a third party management company to run its affairs. There is far less likelihood for cronyism and busy bodies in this type of arrangement, IMO.

[jerseyexpat]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

It is what it sounds like. They charge you 400 bucks to "join" the HOA or transfer from previous owner or whatever you want to call it. It is a charge that has caught on in the past few years and is rather common now. Once you are in, the monthly fee is $88. Professionally managed is a good thing because it means the HOA has hired a third party management company to run its affairs. There is far less likelihood for cronyism and busy bodies in this type of arrangement, IMO.

If I understand correctly a one time fee of $400, no matter how long I live there?
But $100 a month every month for as long as I liver there?

so in this homes case $900 pro tax a year plus $1200 HOA plus $400 for the first year and $2100 every year after, unless pro tax and HOA rises...?

[observer53]

And, don't turn your nose up at 1980's homes, many of which are well built, well designed, and have undergone updating/remodeling in many cases.

Until you actually come here and look around, I would be very careful about excluding broad categories of options. In your price range, you are going to be limited, but you never know what you might find.

[jerseyexpat]

Originally Posted by observer53

And, don't turn your nose up at 1980's homes, many of which are well built, well designed, and have undergone updating/remodeling in many cases.

Until you actually come here and look around, I would be very careful about excluding broad categories of options. In your price range, you are going to be limited, but you never know what you might find.

I have seen them on realtor site...some actually are nice but well over my budget.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by jerseyexpat

Most likely Phoenix, central, but I don't want to live there. Currently I live in NJ but 30 miles to work and 1 hour in traffic is not new to me, been doing it for years.

But no reason to continue to do. People move here to improve their quality of life. Sticking yourself with a long commute here is foolish when there are nice areas all over the valley. You need to know where you'll be working before anything else. A couple hundred bucks in HOA dues aren't worth worrying about at this point.

By the way, central Phoenix is beautiful. I don't know why you've already eliminated the area. I live in a fairly nice part of Scottsdale and there are many central Phoenix homes that are WAY nicer that I'd much rather live in.

[oldtired]

your warmest winter night lows of 40f are tucson south. phonex to flagstaff 30f or lower. summer highs are similar 110 f max.
your construction is critical to be comfy with a/c. the ' neo-adobe' with concrete hoods over windows facing direct sin and catwalks on 2nd floor--all this sun shielding is the best in the southwest reducing 110f to 85-90f indoors and of course insulates against cold as well.

unless you prefer colder temps closer to utah border there are condos between tucson and nogales, green valley suharito,
tubac way off to the side of the highway. rentals and sales are double and triple tucson. normally big cities are cheaper than suburbs.

the middle of the desert like ajo is less pricey but unless you have a garden and raise livestock you will be driving an hour to a place with a supermarket. why not relocate to southern baja , mexico 50% less housing costs and a year round warm sea.
also desert few insect issues 70-90 year round. not a narco gangster war zone like much of mainland mexico. residency is not easy but in a year or two and modest legal fees its managable, meanwhile you get 90 days and its a day travel to the border to get another 90 days.