Housing options middle class taste $10 hr budget (Phoenix, Mesa: rental homes, mortgage)

[PinkElephant]

I'm in a 13 month lease like my neighbors and my neighborhood. I hate large apt complex living. I like safe suburbs (not cookie cutters 3 miles from shopping or gas station) close to Sam's Club/Costco, Walmart, 99cent store, Dollar Tree, Target, Kohls, savers, epic. even goodwill and salvation army!

I can't seem to get a job above the $10 an hr range and before you write me off as a loser I was making substantially more in a life that is gone.

Open to constructive suggestions, which might help others not willing to post. Currently in Deer Valley.

[LBTRS]

Good on you for working and attempting to better your situation while making a low wage. You can and should be proud of that. Definitely not in the loser bracket.

Unfortunately, your expectations may be bigger than your income. Most people living on a salary like that don't have a specific lists of amenities like you are looking for. Normally those amenities near housing demand a premium in price. Living a middle class lifestyle while making a lower class salary is a sure recipe for financial disaster.

I think a more realistic list of wants should be your safety and proximity to your job or a future job market you may want to tap into.

Best of luck and I hope your find what you're looking for and a job that pays better than $10/hour.

[stevek64]

No matter your income, the 1st priority I'd have if you want to buy your own home is to save, save, save as much as you can for a down-payment on it. Even if it's a small amount per month you can afford, put it away and you'd be surprised how much you can save over the years. As your income increases over the years, you can set more aside. Keep your goal reasonable on a house you can afford, be patient, and you'll do well if you keep your goal in site.

Best of luck to you. Sounds like you have an excellent goal to shoot for!

[AlohaFriday]

What about renting a room in somebody's house? Sure you have roommates, but it's an affordable way to live in a house, in a better area while hopefully looking for a higher-paying job to open up more options.

[cactusland]

You may qualify for HUD homes which have a very low down payment and affordable fixed rate over (x) amount of years if you can save up enough for the down payment. You will have to figure out what you can save up for a down payment, and what your max monthly mortgage would be that you could afford and still live a good life.

[Rhaethe]

Two tools that I use that help a lot when looking for things are Google Maps and Hotpads. Plug in Target Phoenix or Safeway Phoenix or similar into Google maps and you can see what areas are close to the things you are looking for. Once you have some areas picked out, check hotpads.com to look for rental homes.

[PinkElephant]

Thanks for the positive support and suggestions.

I'm a bit worried I'm being pressured to take the first job offered to me and be thankful as it's better than nothing. Unless I give up my car and housing and a private chauffeur and free place to live fall into my lap, I can't pay my current bills with OT and at least 60 hrs a week. That does not leave much time for job hunting.

I rarely eat out and the internet is my luxury!

[Serenity1944]

To get a nicer place to live you need a higher salary. You did not say what you do in your present job or in the past. Hospitals are good for 'getting your foot in the door'. Start with housekeeping, operator.... Once there you can talk with Human Resources as to what positions you would be interested in and what classes to take to quality. If you think you can learn medical, the techs make good money. For example, I took medical secretary classes, $$ more than the basic tech course. Secretaries are usually stuck at low grades but the techs, if they continue to learn, can go up a grade ? every 2 yrs and the salary was much more than mine - going by the hospital where I worked.

[gearedtowardssalad]

There are affordable housing options in midtown, downtown around the up & coming Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue neighborhoods, and also in east Tempe/west Mesa - all right near the light rail line. There are cheap rehabbed single-bedroom houses for rent in Roosevelt Row right now - look on Craigslist. I know you said you don't like apt complexes, but Phoenix has a lot of decent cheap ones.

[vince3vince]

Originally Posted by stevek64

No matter your income, the 1st priority I'd have if you want to buy your own home is to save, save, save as much as you can for a down-payment on it. Even if it's a small amount per month you can afford, put it away and you'd be surprised how much you can save over the years. As your income increases over the years, you can set more aside. Keep your goal reasonable on a house you can afford, be patient, and you'll do well if you keep your goal in site.

Best of luck to you. Sounds like you have an excellent goal to shoot for!

I would agree but we are "it" area now and our homes will appreciate faster than someone making low wage could ever save in their lifetime. That $500,000 home today will be $550,000 in a year. Those that wait are only hurting themselves as tomorrows new normal will set new record highs. Given the severe shortage of homes built and pent up demand out there with those waiting for fantasy 2012 pricing again, homes will continue to go up since we are it.