How is the South Mountain area? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: foreclosure, rent, condo) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

sunshinegirlAZ · 03-14-2008, 02:15 AM

I'm going to be working in downtown Phoenix and would like to buy a house in a nice area with a quick commute. Most new homes I've seen online seem to be out in the suburbs, but I saw that Richmond American has some new homes near the South Mountain area (between 7th and 51st Ave. and between Southern and Baseline). Can someone tell me more about this area (niceness, safety, commute to downtown Phoenix, etc)? Is there another part of town I should look at for a house in the mid 100's to low 200's? Thanks!

miamiman · 03-14-2008, 03:31 AM

South Mountain is truly touch-and-go. The largest ghetto in Phoenix is in this general area. Much of the area is still undeveloped or underdeveloped. While the area is dominated by smaller, older houses, there are some developers who have acquired some of the undeveloped land and constructed new subdivisions. Many of the newer subdivisions are MUCH nicer than the surrounding community, and they are gated, so many of the criminal elements are kept out. I am guessing that you will be living in one of the nicer subdivisions, so all should be good. Because of the touch-and-go character of the South Mountain area, you should be able to find a nice home in a subdivision for $250,000.

The commute from South Mountain to Phoenix is pretty easy. You will avoid freeway traffic filled with people traveling from the suburbs into Phoenix, or more likely from one suburb to the next; so you should be well off. If you stay closer to 7th Avenue, your commute will be maybe 20 minute tops. If you stay farther out, 51st Avenue, the length of your commute should never exceed 50 minutes, unless you take the 10 freeway, in which case it could very well be MUCH longer.

Good luck on your move! Welcome to Phoenix!

Master Shake · 03-14-2008, 11:48 AM

Do a search for 'Laveen' to see the different opinions of this area, and read, read, read! This area seems to be much more of a gamble than others.

sunshinegirlAZ · 03-14-2008, 12:57 PM

It sounds like this may not be the best area for me to live in. I'm a single female who will be working all hours (day or night) since I'm in the medical field. I really don't like the idea of living near the biggest ghetto, even if it is in a gated community. Is there any affordable housing (less than $250,000) in other areas close to downtown that may be in nicer areas? It doesn't have to be a new house, just preferably built in the last 10 years. Thanks again for the advice.

abmiku · 03-14-2008, 07:57 PM

I live in Laveen (51st ave and baseline), it's probably one of the nicer neighborhoods over here, but I wouldn't recommend a single woman move here. Everyone over here rents...the people that own live in CA and rent to all those people that are getting out of the Ghettos right now. Secondly, now is not the time to buy. Housing prices have a long way to go before they hit bottom. If you buy now, you'll have to pay for the next 10 years just to be even again. Since now is not the time to buy...find a place you may want to live and rent for a year (renting is way cheaper than buying right now...if you like it, make sure the market is not declining still and buy. Anything close to downtown will either be a bad neighborhood or real expensive. The cheap housing is in the outer areas of Phoenix, like Tolleson, Maricopa, Arizona City, Queen Creek.

vegaspilgrim · 03-14-2008, 08:18 PM

I would only buy a home in South Phoenix if it literally backs right up to South Mountain or is just a block or two away. I've seen homes built by the Mormon Trailhead (south of 24th st & Baseline) that look great. These are a bargain compared to Paradise Valley, North Scottsdale, or Carefree, but they're going to cost WAY more than $200,000. If it doesn't back right up to the mountain, I would forget it; your investment could turn into the next ghetto 5-10 years from now.

nightgirl151 · 04-14-2008, 01:42 AM

I live in Laveen in the Richmond plan at 43rd ave and Dobbins...it's a new development. I am a single female, and have felt safe in my plan. My neighbors (so far) are all owners and not renters, young families with children. Needless to say every neighborhood has good and bad, I think you just have to be careful no matter where you live. I have an alarm system on my house and 2 large dogs, so all of those combined gives me sense of mind. By the way, Im in the med profession as well and work crazy day/night schedules.

CheckM8 · 05-16-2008, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshinegirlAZ

It sounds like this may not be the best area for me to live in. I'm a single female who will be working all hours (day or night) since I'm in the medical field. I really don't like the idea of living near the biggest ghetto, even if it is in a gated community. Is there any affordable housing (less than $250,000) in other areas close to downtown that may be in nicer areas? It doesn't have to be a new house, just preferably built in the last 10 years. Thanks again for the advice.

I would checkout the whole area. This site has a lot of negative people on it whose only experience is stories they seen on the news. There are some people that consider it a bad neighborhood based on the number of minorities they see. If you are one of those people, then South Phoenix, South Mountain, or Laveen are not for you because they are racially diverse.
There are some ghetto sections in South Phoenix, but generally speaking the neighborhoods south of Baseline are all good. The older neighborhoods are ghetto, so don't buy a house around them. The newer areas for the most part are decent. There is a nice gated community with patio homes at 51st Ave and Baseline for less than the price you seek.

Also the area around 24th St. and Baseline is getting developed nicely and is close to the Raven golf course (one of the best in the state). Some of the homes are expensive, but you might find a condo there or a foreclosure.

k1patricia · 07-06-2008, 10:25 PM

if south mountain is not the greatest...what areas are good to live in for a single woman that want to purchase a house for $250.00

fcorrales80 · 07-07-2008, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k1patricia

if south mountain is not the greatest...what areas are good to live in for a single woman that want to purchase a house for $250.00

What city are you coming from? Phoenix is not anywhere near the most dangerous. Our "ghettos" here are grapes compared to other cities like Minneapolis, Detroit, D.C., St. Louis, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia (which has recently been coined Killadelphia), New Orleans, Memphis, Birmingham (which is MANY times smaller than Phoenix), Camden (New Jersey), Flint (Michigan), Trenton (New Jersey), ok so basically, Phoenix for being a city of 1.5 million and metro area over 4 million is very safe. If a metro area with less than 200k is considered many times worse than Phoenix (Birmingham) than what is there to really worry about. Lock your car, and don't walk around "the ghetto" alone at midnight and you will be fine. Most of the people on these forums are alarmists and really don't know what it is like to live in other areas of the country that are truely dangerous. Here's a story some people who have never endured real ghettos and true violence should read:
Philadelphia's new nickname 'Killadelphia,' teen killers rampant

Philadephia, a city Phoenix surpassed in population, had more than twice the number of murders in the Phoenix METRO area. That's city compared to metro area. Phoenix's violent crime rate and property crime rates have fallen by 27% and 31%, respectively, while Philadelphia's has continued to increase at an alarming rate.

Reports of violent crime down across Valley

There's no evidence that banning guns cuts crime | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/25/2008