Utility and maintenance questions (snowbird) but all answers helpful (Sun City: renters, house)

[Paige65]

Just came back from PHX metro yesterday and are probably going to make an offer on a home there. We are 50 years old and plan on retiring in about 4-5 years and becoming full time residents. Prior to that time our plan is to rent our home anytime from January through March (preferred) or December through April. Our realtor said there is strong demand for this, but we won't rely on it for purchase. It would be nice though!

My questions:

1. Electric bills. What do you set your temp at in the summer when you aren't there? Based on that, what are your summer utility bills? My in-laws (full time residents) average about $125 for November through April for electric, about $200 in the summer months (but they are there year round).

2. Landscape maintenance. How often does desert landscape need to be maintained? Once a month? Twice? The house sits on about .85 acres, natural desert landscape (a handful of saguaros, cholla, etc.) with other non-natural stuff ( agave, ocotillo, some blooming cactus that I don't know names, sage, brittle brush, a couple bougainvillea).

3. Pool/spa maintenance. Can I get away with every other week (or more) in the summer if no one is swimming? Cost? Not salt water.

4. Cable/Satellite/Internet. My parents snowbird in FL and have seasonal rates. Is there something similar in AZ? Is it a hassle? My choices are Cox cable or Direct TV. It looks like the regular package through Cox (with internet service) is $89.00. Are taxes and other surcharges significant?

5. What else should I be thinking about?

Thanks for your help.

[MNSvenska]

We live in Sun City. We're from Minnesota and are 6/6 snowbirds.

When we first bought a house here, it was a small one 900 Sq ft. We had a big shade tree ( Australian Bottle tree ) in front and an East/West exposure. The house had a full length patio & cover on the back, west side.
We had a gas water heater and furnace. Electric dryer and range. The utility costs were real reasonable. We set the ac at 90 degrees, since we were gone all summer. We never got an electric bill over $40. Gas was real reasonable, while we were there. Water for our tree and 3 citrus was reasonable, too. Automatic irrigation. Maybe $20 or so for both bills. Cox does have seasonal rates, $60 for just internet, but it's a better deal 12 months. We had an antenna in the attic that worked fine for tv. Park & Sons garbage & recycle is the same. They don't like to give seasonal residents any deals.

We have since moved to a larger house with a double garage, on a quiet street. The utilities went up, accordingly, as expected. We didn't want a pool, so can't help you with that one.

[MNSvenska]

I would say that most of the desert plants that you mentioned are native to this are, except maybe the bougainvillea. They all survive fine, once established, in this area. An occasional watering in the heat of summer is benificial, but not necessary. Desert plants such as these need very little maintenance. Maybe a trim for the bougainvillea in February and some raking of yard debris twice a year.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by MNSvenska

I would say that most of the desert plants that you mentioned are native to this are, except maybe the bougainvillea. They all survive fine, once established, in this area. An occasional watering in the heat of summer is benificial, but not necessary. Desert plants such as these need very little maintenance. Maybe a trim for the bougainvillea in February and some raking of yard debris twice a year.

Thank you so much for your informative responses. I wouldn't even get cable for the limited time we will be there, but in the rental market of this house, potential renters will expect it.

I didn't think the desert plants needed much but my MIL said the trees would need to be trimmed. I forgot to include those in my description. That's probably a fairly minimal cost. The house has an automatic sprinkling system. I'm not sure how you can set it so that it's not watering too frequently, but I'm sure that's easily figured out.

Now we just have to decide to go for it or not...

[AZ Manager]

I absolutely HATE the two bougainvillea in my front yard. They grow like crazy almost year round and make a gigantic mess and I don't even water them. If you aren't going to be there for maintenance on it you should get rid of them, mine need to be cut back every month or so during the summer months but a little less in the winter because I let the frost try to kill them (I really hate those two bushes).

As for utilities my home is 2900 sq ft with 2 AC units and I don't go above $200 November-May but in the summer I hit $430 July-Sept; my usage is pretty high during the summer we keep the main AC set to 77 which is 2200 of the 2900 sq ft. I don't know what the other AC unit is set to in the in-law suite my dad lives in which is the other 700 sq ft but we do run TVs and computers basically all day since we don't actually leave the home for work as we own rental property. For water I am on Epcor in a house with 3 adults and a toddler with a grass lawn out back and I get about $44 a month year round there; this is just water and sewage as the trash bill is separate and is $17 (I am not in Sun City just close enough to be on Epcor water). I did own a gas home that was gas heat, water, and range and that bill was $25 in the summer, mostly fees, and $50 in the winter, my dad wasn't living with us at the time and we didn't have kids so we didn't run the heater very much.

I wouldn't worry about renters expecting cable, if they want it Cox just has to turn it on and they send out a box you don't need to worry about keeping it on for tenants. That is assuming the home is wired for it but by now every home should be.

[Paige65]

Originally Posted by AZ Manager

I absolutely HATE the two bougainvillea in my front yard. They grow like crazy almost year round and make a gigantic mess and I don't even water them. If you aren't going to be there for maintenance on it you should get rid of them, mine need to be cut back every month or so during the summer months but a little less in the winter because I let the frost try to kill them (I really hate those two bushes).

As for utilities my home is 2900 sq ft with 2 AC units and I don't go above $200 November-May but in the summer I hit $430 July-Sept; my usage is pretty high during the summer we keep the main AC set to 77 which is 2200 of the 2900 sq ft. I don't know what the other AC unit is set to in the in-law suite my dad lives in which is the other 700 sq ft but we do run TVs and computers basically all day since we don't actually leave the home for work as we own rental property. For water I am on Epcor in a house with 3 adults and a toddler with a grass lawn out back and I get about $44 a month year round there; this is just water and sewage as the trash bill is separate and is $17 (I am not in Sun City just close enough to be on Epcor water). I did own a gas home that was gas heat, water, and range and that bill was $25 in the summer, mostly fees, and $50 in the winter, my dad wasn't living with us at the time and we didn't have kids so we didn't run the heater very much.

I wouldn't worry about renters expecting cable, if they want it Cox just has to turn it on and they send out a box you don't need to worry about keeping it on for tenants. That is assuming the home is wired for it but by now every home should be.

Thanks. I've heard other people say they hate bougainvillea! I think they are pretty so I want to know why you hate them! Is it because they are messy when they drop flowers?

Thanks for your utility information. House is about the same size as yours and is in line with my in-laws bills (their electricity is lower but they are pretty frugal and live in Cave Creek where it's just a bit cooler in summer). The water sounds right on par with what I garnered from the city website (Carefree) where we would be moving. From what I've read on their site, there's a $40 base charge and then additional $5 increments from usage. We will be on septic. Haven't found refuse removal prices yet.

Thanks for your opinion about cable. Would be nice not to have to deal with that. I will ask my realtor what she thinks seasonal renters would expect... I am fairly certain that internet is an expectation. I know it would be for me!

Thanks again.

[MNSvenska]

Bougainvillea grow even if they aren't watered, once established. They do need trimming at least once or twice a year. I trim mine once, after the winter frosts are done. The colorful leaf bracs that fall irks my husband, because they blow all over the place. I love the way that they are so beautiful, so they're stayin!

[AZ Manager]

Originally Posted by Paige65

Thanks. I've heard other people say they hate bougainvillea! I think they are pretty so I want to know why you hate them! Is it because they are messy when they drop flowers?

Thanks for your utility information. House is about the same size as yours and is in line with my in-laws bills (their electricity is lower but they are pretty frugal and live in Cave Creek where it's just a bit cooler in summer). The water sounds right on par with what I garnered from the city website (Carefree) where we would be moving. From what I've read on their site, there's a $40 base charge and then additional $5 increments from usage. We will be on septic. Haven't found refuse removal prices yet.

Thanks for your opinion about cable. Would be nice not to have to deal with that. I will ask my realtor what she thinks seasonal renters would expect... I am fairly certain that internet is an expectation. I know it would be for me!

Thanks again.

Yeah my electric is really high because we are home all day during the summer and don't bother trying to conserve. I apparently have a leak in the evaporator coil that is adding to the cost which I just found out about this week.

I hate bougainvillea because they are messy and mine seem to grow like crazy. I trim mine every 2 months or so partly because they were planted in a stupid spot right next to the sidewalk leading to the front door, previous owner's stupid decision. Mine don't bloom often because they have to be kept cut back but when they do they leave a huge mess everywhere, even the leaves fall off pretty easily when cleaning them up. They are also thorny which makes them a little more difficult to clean up. I remember the first time I trimmed it up I stepped on a thorn and it went right through my shoe.

I actually just cut mine back two days ago and it took me about an hour to do the 1 bush. I cut it back in small passes and let it all drop into a short box then transfer that into trash bags because I find that to be the easiest way to do it, mostly because the thorns, but it does take a bit more time that way than what a landscaper would do. If I wasn't so cheap I would rip them out and put some Texas Sage in their place though I'm a fan of their purple flowers.