Desert Ridge - is it all planned? any areas without HOA's? (Phoenix: condo, custom home)

[Jewels385]

Hello,

I'm looking to move to the NE Phoenix area from the Midwest (I know you've heard it before ) and am intrigued by the Desert Ridge area. What I'm wondering about is if the entire area is a planned community? or are there parts of it or close to it (N Phoenix, N Scottsdale, Tatum Ranch, Cave Creek) that have large backyards without invasive HOA's. To be more specific the things I'm looking into are having a number of pets (cats, dogs), Urban chickens, gardens, citrus trees PLUS the luxury of a nice pool area etc. I'm willing to give up the fun ammenities of a clubhouse, community pool/spa etc if I can have my own "desert oasis" plus my animals in my own backyard. One stop shopping you might say. Virtual tours seem to show homes with huge backyards that either already have a pool with ample room for more things or just plain backyards where you could start from scratch.

Any suggestions on quality, quiet neighborhoods in the N and NE Valley area that would allow me the freedoms I've mentioned? Down the road I'd like a horse property perhaps, but unless it's out a ways it's probably out of my price range.

It's been great to see housing prices drop so much over the last year or so. Even since the first of the year (2008) prices are steadily declining even more. In 2003 when I was on a second visit I couldn't believe the homes that were selling for $160-180,000. Then it all doubled or tripled as I'm sure you all know. But now, stuff that in 2007 was 350,000 is now in the 250,000 range and dropping.

Thanks for any info you may have.

P.S. I'd even invite you all over to my desert oasis and you can take home fresh eggs, citrus, veges and enjoy a lap in the pool or hot tub after grilling out under the stars (or misters as it were) .

[vegaspilgrim]

Jewels, are you sure you've been to Phoenix before? 95% of backyards here are tiny, unless if you have several million bucks to spend. Barely enough room for a few trees OR a pool. Houses are packed pretty close together. Please keep your backyard livestock farm in Ohio!

[Jewels385]

Hi Vegas pilgrim,

Yes I'm sure I've been there (3 times as a matter of fact)! LOL I agree that many areas are packed in like sardines, however I've been seeing a number of newer properties and some out on the outskirts that have nice large backyards. I'll try to find a link for you.

I live in the twin cities (Minneapolis suburb) and currently have 2 cats in a 4th floor condo! lol I've been here 15 years and am ready to spread my wings a bit and give them a much larger running space.

Thanks for your reply!

[skyegirl]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Jewels, are you sure you've been to Phoenix before? 95% of backyards here are tiny, unless if you have several million bucks to spend. Barely enough room for a few trees OR a pool. Houses are packed pretty close together. Please keep your backyard livestock farm in Ohio!

Hey now, not EVERYONE in Ohio has a farm All I have is a yellow lab!

[Jewels385]

Ya, I think there was maybe some assumptions going on there. (Midwest = Ohio, wanting animals = living on a farm currently etc) but his intentions were good.

[sweettearose]

Be careful. There is a lot of hype involving the market in Phoenix. We recently bought and moved back to Phoenix. We were under the impression the cost of homes in Phoenix were dropping. That's true for many areas of the valley but what we noticed is that everyone is competing for the same type of homes. The valley is so spread out that there are a high volume of homes that no one wants and there is a smaller number of homes that everyone seems to be competing for. Warner Ranch, Ahwautukee, Paradise Valley, DC Ranch, Fulton Ranch, Gainey Village are some of the areas that are still very competitive in regards to price. It doesn't matter where you go. Even if you go to Surprise or Goodyear, the nice models in the nice neighborhoods are competitive. If there is a home that you like, the chances are other people like it as well and you won't get a great deal for it. There is a reason why certain houses are really popular and why others are still on the market for a really long time.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by Jewels385

Hi Vegas pilgrim,

Yes I'm sure I've been there (3 times as a matter of fact)! LOL I agree that many areas are packed in like sardines, however I've been seeing a number of newer properties and some out on the outskirts that have nice large backyards. I'll try to find a link for you.

I live in the twin cities (Minneapolis suburb) and currently have 2 cats in a 4th floor condo! lol I've been here 15 years and am ready to spread my wings a bit and give them a much larger running space.

Thanks for your reply!

Yeah, I agree with Vegaspilgrim, that majority are small, on less then 7000sf lots (many on 5000sf). The ones that are on the outskirts on larger lots are custom homes that cost a whole lot more than most can afford. Especially up in that area. Probably $600k and up. More land=more money. Majority will have an HOA of some kind. Many areas that I'm aware of to get a large lot will cost $200-300k just for the lot to build on. You're looking at very affluent areas and their prices are not dropping as much as most areas. Maybe, just maybe, you could find something in a less expensive area in the southern areas.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Jewels385

Any suggestions on quality, quiet neighborhoods in the N and NE Valley area that would allow me the freedoms I've mentioned? Down the road I'd like a horse property perhaps, but unless it's out a ways it's probably out of my price range.

As they say, the freedom to extend your fist only goes as far as another person's nose. All those dogs and chickens in your backyard are going to create a hell of a lot of noise, not to mention the smell, lowering the quality of life for everybody else. I've actually seen several homes around here where people have done exactly what you're proposing with chickens, et al (most of them are in west Mesa), and it's repulsive. I've even seen people who have even ingeniously figured out ways to cram in a horse, two or three, and even a zebra-- no joke-- on just an acre of land. Not that there's anything wrong with animals, but the present-day urbanized city of Phoenix is NOT the place for them. The price range you are talking about in your first post ($250,000) will get you nothing big or fancy in the Phoenix area in a quality neighborhood, certainly nothing "semi-rural" with big backyards. Desert Ridge is certainly a good example of the "packed in" type of development.

[exit2lef]

There's more than just HOAs to be concerned with. Here's Phoenix's ordinance regarding poultry:

Sec. 8-7. Poultry and rodents.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, it is hereby declared to be a nuisance and it shall be unlawful for any person to keep rodents or poultry within the City. No poultry or rodents shall be kept in an enclosure within eighty feet of any residence within the City. Poultry may be kept within eighty feet of a residence if written permission consenting to the keeping of poultry less than eighty feet from a residence is first obtained from each lawful occupant and each lawful owner of such residence. Poultry shall not be kept in the front yard area of any lot or parcel within the City. Poultry and rodents shall be kept in an enclosure so constructed as to prevent such poultry and rodents from wandering upon property belonging to others.

(b) No more than twenty head of poultry nor more than twenty-five head of rodents nor more than twenty-five head comprising a combination of rodents and poultry shall be kept upon the first one-half acre or less. An additional one-half acre shall be required for each additional twenty head of poultry or for each additional twenty-five head of rodents or for each additional twenty-five head comprising a combination of poultry and rodents. For areas larger than two and one-half acres the number of poultry or rodents shall not be limited.

(c) No male poultry shall be kept within the City limits except such male poultry as are incapable of making vocal noises which disturb the peace, comfort or health of any person residing within the City.

(d) All such enclosures shall be kept in such condition that no offensive, disagreeable or noxious smell or odor shall arise therefrom to the injury, annoyance or inconvenience of any inhabitant of the neighborhood thereof.

(Code 1962, § 8-8; Ord. No. G-1207, § 1; Ord. No. G-1367, § 1)

[KoryO]

Have you thought about older construction? You're not going to find new horse properties that I can think of, but there were some older homes around Indian Bend Elementary in NE Phoenix that were horse properties. No HOA's, either. (There may be some on the west side of town, too, but since I'm originally from PV, the areas I mentioned are the first ones to come to mind.) Big plus is that the older homes are usually much better built, especially if they are made out of concrete block.

But if your heart is set on new construction, you are going to have to settle for a postage stamp lot. Sorry, them's the breaks.