SW Phoenix metro area (Scottsdale, Tempe: real estate, crime rate, buying a house)

[sky94]

I am curious to know more about the SW Phoenix metro area (Tolleson, Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, etc.)? My wife and I are planning on moving to Phoenix in the next 6 months or so and we have been looking at real estate online. Homes in these areas seem to be cheaper than other parts of the Phoenix area. This makes me wonder why.

-Is there higher crime in this area?
-Is this a lower income area?
-What is the commute to central Phoenix/Tempe like?
-What, if any, differences are there between these area's and other area's around Phoenix?
-Why would you want to live there?
-Why would you NOT want to live there?

Any insight is appreciated.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by sky94

I am curious to know more about the SW Phoenix metro area (Tolleson, Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, etc.)? My wife and I are planning on moving to Phoenix in the next 6 months or so and we have been looking at real estate online. Homes in these areas seem to be cheaper than other parts of the Phoenix area. This makes me wonder why.

-Is there higher crime in this area?
-Is this a lower income area?
-What is the commute to central Phoenix/Tempe like?
-What, if any, differences are there between these area's and other area's around Phoenix?
-Why would you want to live there?
-Why would you NOT want to live there?

Any insight is appreciated.

There very helpful and knowledgeable posters here, however, you're going to need to provide more information such as: What is bringing you here? If it's work then you would want to live closer to the job, unless you work from home. Are you retired? That's a whole other board! Budget? Do you have school-age kids? Have you been here before?

These are just a few basic questions that would help others better inform you.

[Ponderosa]

It's a big area. Homes run from dumps in highly impoverished, high crime areas to million dollar and more customs in safe, fancy subdivisions. Generally Tolleson is worst, Avondale is better Goodyear is even better to much better and Litchfield Park is uniformly good. Buckeye is a world to itself where you can find all of the above plus mini-farms and acreage - Goodyear also has some of that.

Commute time to central Phoenix depends again. If you live near the freeway in Goodyear which is a nice area, then it can be as little as 20 minutes downtown non-rush hour or 45 mins to an hour during the peak. Add 20 minutes for Buckeye and subtract some for Avondale. I10 is a parking lot during rush hour. It may improve in a few months when a new freeway opens, but it still sees the most traffic in the metro. If you live in the nether regions of Estrella, a fancy subdivision in Goodyear, it can take 20 mins just to get to the freeway (new freeway will be going near there in 3-4 years too).

[grmi66]

I used to live in the area a few years ago, south of I-10 off of Avondale Blvd and would never move back. The biggest reason being the commute, I never had to make the drive but my ex-GF did to her job in downtown Phoenix. She would leave the house every morning at 6:30 AM to catch the Park and Ride express bus into downtown that left at 6:50 AM from Avondale Blvd. The bus made two stops downtown and dropped her off in front of her building at 8:15 AM. At 4:30PM she reversed her commute and would walk back in the door at 6:30PM. The express bus had the luxury of taking the HOV lane all the way downtown and shaved off 15-20 minutes off of her commute the few times she drove in herself.

[new2colo]

Originally Posted by sky94

I am curious to know more about the SW Phoenix metro area (Tolleson, Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, etc.)? My wife and I are planning on moving to Phoenix in the next 6 months or so and we have been looking at real estate online. Homes in these areas seem to be cheaper than other parts of the Phoenix area. This makes me wonder why.

-Is there higher crime in this area?
-Is this a lower income area?
-What is the commute to central Phoenix/Tempe like?
-What, if any, differences are there between these area's and other area's around Phoenix?
-Why would you want to live there?
-Why would you NOT want to live there?

Any insight is appreciated.

The Southwest Valley is mainly a mix of middle class housing, industrial facilities (many light industry), massive amounts of agricultural land and chain stores. This part of the Valley is definitely the lowest-income in the entire Valley. Cities like Tolleson and parts of Avondale, as well as some adjacent neighborhoods in SW Phoenix can be a bit iffy in terms of safety and general quality of life, but most of the area is definitely safe and livable.

The SW Valley is cheaper because of the distance from white collar job centers, in addition to being the most undeveloped part of the Valley. While much of the current boundary of the Phoenix area was agricultural land 100 years ago, all areas of the Valley have pretty much transformed into suburban schlock over the years, with the exception of SW Valley. There are tract developments and big box stores that are still surrounded by tons of farm land. This side of the Phoenix area is the fastest growing area, so it is definitely transitioning into more of a traditional suburban landscape from a rural agricultural landscape.

The commute to Phoenix/Tempe is the worst in the Valley. The 10 is currently the only freeway that carries SW Valley traffic to downtown/midtown Phoenix and the east Valley. There is proposed alternate freeway (SR 30/Tres Rios) that will be constructed in the 20s, which will serve as a parallel route to the 10. However, that freeway is really still in the beginning planning stages. The current commute features consistent weekday slowing for about a 10 mile stretch into downtown. The commute is by no means awful, but by Phoenix standards, it is definitely the worst. Conversely, during off peak hours, depending on how close you settle to the freeway, you can be downtown in a flash.

The SW Valley is the most non-white area of the Valley. As such, some people tend to automatically characterize the area as undesirable. Most everyone here is just as hardworking, law abiding and honest as any other section of the Valley. There are homes here that rival those found in the nicest neighborhoods of north Scottsdale and Gilbert that can be purchased for a much better value due to the location. Depending on what kind of activities you require for entertainment, you could find yourself routinely driving miles to other parts of the Valley. However, like I mentioned, this is an extremely fast growing area, with new amenities popping up almost weekly.

Reasons you'd want to consider living on the SW side: more house for your money compared to other quadrants of the Valley, much less traffic than other areas (though it seems to be increasing by the week), a nice mix of suburban and rural areas, unique mountain views of the Estrella range and the White Tanks, easier to drive from home to Southern California, Rocky Point (Mexican beach town), Las Vegas, and other points west, and more diversity.

Reasons you might want to consider other areas of the Valley: Weekday traffic to/from Phoenix and Tempe, far from trendier stores (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, popular local dining concepts), higher crime rate in a FEW, very concentrated areas, far from many white collar job centers, occasional agricultural "odors" depending on where you live, industrial development (again, depending on where you live).

[Ripper3785]

Originally Posted by new2colo

Reasons you might want to consider other areas of the Valley: Weekday traffic to/from Phoenix and Tempe, far from trendier stores (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, popular local dining concepts), higher crime rate in a FEW, very concentrated areas, far from many white collar job centers, occasional agricultural "odors" depending on where you live, industrial development (again, depending on where you live).

This is a quibble of mine. We make frequent visits to PHX for family in Avondale from a place that doesn't have TJ's. Hopefully won't be too much longer before one makes an appearance somewhere in the SW Valley.

[wase4711]

what made us look elsewhere, after initially considering buying a house out there, is the Jet Noise Factor from Luke AFB

Some people love it, others hate it, but you MUST think about that before buying out in that area, and, understand that your realtor might make you sign a form saying that you understand the noise, and other dangers of buying a house near the AFB

We live 20 miles north east of the Base, and when those planes are out for their frequent practice fights, there is NO DOUBT about how loud it can be..

[Ripper3785]

Originally Posted by wase4711

what made us look elsewhere, after initially considering buying a house out there, is the Jet Noise Factor from Luke AFB

Some people love it, others hate it, but you MUST think about that before buying out in that area, and, understand that your realtor might make you sign a form saying that you understand the noise, and other dangers of buying a house near the AFB

We live 20 miles north east of the Base, and when those planes are out for their frequent practice fights, there is NO DOUBT about how loud it can be..

Luke AFB noise extends all the way to I-17 & Happy Valley? Wow. A few years ago we visited the Wildlife World Zoo, right under the 'pattern' for the planes doing touch & go's at Luke. I feel bad for those animals.(for that and other reasons)

[wase4711]

actually, we are between I 17 and the 303, but yes, when they do their drills, they make large circles, and they go a bit east of us, then north several miles, and then circle back south west towards the base..
on some nights, especially when its cloudy out, like the last few nights, it was REALLY loud, inside my house; we like seeing them, and try to go outside to get a better look..Sometimes, they do these drills in the day time, and then its really pretty cool to see them up close, as they are usually flying pretty low to the ground..

but, make no mistake, you need to be aware that the noise is here several days/nights per month, and if you are really adverse to that, you might think twice before buying out that way..

[military spouse]

Originally Posted by grmi66

I used to live in the area a few years ago, south of I-10 off of Avondale Blvd and would never move back. The biggest reason being the commute, I never had to make the drive but my ex-GF did to her job in downtown Phoenix. She would leave the house every morning at 6:30 AM to catch the Park and Ride express bus into downtown that left at 6:50 AM from Avondale Blvd. The bus made two stops downtown and dropped her off in front of her building at 8:15 AM. At 4:30PM she reversed her commute and would walk back in the door at 6:30PM. The express bus had the luxury of taking the HOV lane all the way downtown and shaved off 15-20 minutes off of her commute the few times she drove in herself.

While I've only taken the commuter bus a few times, the schedules posted indicate the ride from Goodyear to 17th Ave/Jefferson range from 50-60 minutes, which was my experience. While I have no idea what the ride would look like from Avondale Blvd., one would guess that based on a shorter distance, it should not take longer. I certainly could be wrong, as I've only taken the Goodyear express bus to downtown.