Best Phoenix Neighborhood for Ethnic couple moving from PNW

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by scully2010

it's very odd, particularly considering that he gives his name out to people in private messages and asks them to hire him as a realtor. i hope he feels better. It really sounds like he's having a bad day.

omg lol!!

[WSPHXPELON]

https://willophx.com/about/

[Nasudesu]

Originally Posted by scully2010

Yes, I actually considered talking to him at first as a realtor, but then I researched his older posts and changed my mind.

My nephew has bought 3 different houses starting out in Surprise area very close to his work location few years back into his new location in Chandler close to his work (almost walking distance). He also bought his mom a house there. He will be moving again in few years closer to Biltmore area for his son’s schooling needs and will have the same wonderful realtor again. This realtor has taken time to show us when we were there knowing it may be a while before we can buy due to our tenant’s needs. We don’t want to sell while they still want to live in our rental property. I am sure there are some wonderful realtors in Phoenix area you can use, but if you need a referral, I can provide.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by The Global Citizen

Work is in Midtown area. No more than a 20-25 min commute. We would like to live in a neighborhood that is socially diverse, economically vibrant, and politically progressive. Cost is not a big option. Scottsdale is off limits. We weren't feeling the overall vibe, however, I understand why people would like it just not our style. We like Arcadia, Paradise Valley, North Central, Biltmore, and Roosevelt from our initial visit. Please advise on best options we should look at next time we're in town. Thank you very much.

Roosevelt Row might be where you belong. Keep in mind that it's only mildly vibrant at best, and is still in the developing stages. It was essentially a run down, crime infested area 15 to 20 years ago, so it takes time to bring an area like that out of a slump and into an urban hot spot. It's definitely heading in the right direction.

Originally Posted by MikeL78

This statement is really odd coming from a realtor.

Yes, the more progressive a place gets the more desirable it gets. Especially with educated and affluent buyers. Along with that comes the potential of higher paying jobs. Austin and Denver are perfect examples of once sleepy midsized cities that are now thriving with headquarters and regional hubs. With all that said, neither of those cities are really progressive by San Francisco standards. I don’t why people think their city will turn into that. Maybe it’s time to turn off a certain news network?

Now back to the OP, the neighborhoods you stated and others recommended are great choices. Phoenix isn’t full at all.

There's a difference between progressive on a growth level, and progressive on a political level (which I believe Sno was referring to). Political progressives are notorious for favoring a massive amount of government spending, and forcing mandates on commerce & individuals (mandatory COVID lockdowns, imposing more taxes on corporations & the "wealthy", banning things like drinking straws, plastic bags, etc.). These policies are actually REgressive, and they often result in the things we don't want, such as more homeless, increased crime, and businesses moving out instead of moving in!

Phoenix is definitely progressive on a growth level. This means not only growing for the sake of adding population, but being welcoming to affluent buyers, white collar professionals, and more reputable companies. Despite the defeated attitudes by some, Phoenix has the potential to be a world class city, and we should strive to be exactly that. It doesn't mean we have to be politically progressive like NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, or L.A. They have too many problems that were allowed to become out of control, which have subtracted from their "world class" status.

[The Global Citizen]

Originally Posted by ringler24

If I was in your situation I would live in the Roosevelt Neighborhood and send my kids to Arizona School of the Arts. If we had a bigger budget and/or needed a smaller home we would have considered that option.

Thank you for the referral. I will start researching both school and neighborhood. I'm grateful for your response.

[The Global Citizen]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

Great school, our one of our sons went there. FWIW although the school is in Roosevelt, you can easily walk there from Willo.

Thanks for the "Willo" plug. I'm on Google Map looking at it as we speak. It looks terrific. Congrats on an awesome neighborhood.

[The Global Citizen]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

Don’t listen to those posters, they just want Arizona to continue staying conservative. They are behind the times and Phoenix is changing.

I’d personally recommend my neighborhood to you. I live basically at Biltmore or Uptown (North Central) depending on who you ask. If you can afford it, I recommend living as close to the 16th street and Northern intersection as you can get. There you can get the best public schools in the city. You get Madison elementary and middle schools, and then Sunnyslope High. You also get the environment you’re looking for.

If you can stick to the East Camelback Road corridor, you can get really good schools there in the multiple Arcadia neighborhoods. Try to get Arcadia High and not Camelback high school. I do not recommend going towards Thomas if possible.

Both of the above areas assume you make a lot of money, and can afford a low million dollar home. If you can’t afford that high, there are still other nearby homes with that vibe that’ll suit your budget. You’ll have a hard time finding a place below 500k in both areas though.

To be honest you’ve already identified the neighborhoods I’d recommend, except some of the historic neighborhoods like Encanto, Coronado, or Willo. Other posters have recommended those.

I’m a progressive and I really enjoy my neighborhood. I rent here but I can’t afford it as much as I’d like to. I think my neighborhood would also suit you well, as well as Arcadia or the historic neighborhoods I just listed.

If you are open to living a bit further out, I’d also recommend North Tempe to you. I think you’d really like the Maple-Ash neighborhood in Tempe, just west of ASU.

Thanks for the positive vibes. I'm used to people and their "Keyboard lifestyle". These are the same people who buy tickets to your game to see you play, or beg you to operate on them in university hospital setting. I ignore these people and refuse to acknowledge their existence. Coming from Portland, a very expensive city, most of the areas in Central Phoenix are equivalent to the costs of the Historic neighborhoods in core. I'm starting to hear a lot about Encanto, Willo, and North Central. I drove around North Central between 7th st - 7th ave, Bethany to Northern. I loved it. Reminded me of other places I've lived in Denver and Portland. I appreciate your tips.

[The Global Citizen]

Originally Posted by MikeL78

This statement is really odd coming from a realtor.

Yes, the more progressive a place gets the more desirable it gets. Especially with educated and affluent buyers. Along with that comes the potential of higher paying jobs. Austin and Denver are perfect examples of once sleepy midsized cities that are now thriving with headquarters and regional hubs. With all that said, neither of those cities are really progressive by San Francisco standards. I don’t why people think their city will turn into that. Maybe it’s time to turn off a certain news network?

Now back to the OP, the neighborhoods you stated and others recommended are great choices. Phoenix isn’t full at all.

Thank you for the positive vibes. I appreciate your assessment. I don't know why some people feel extra tough behind a keyboard but it certainly is sad when someone fancies themself as a realtor and can't hide their bias even as a person who could be a possible client asks a simple question. That's how you realize how deep someone's hate and bias is when a possible payday can't even deter them from showing who they really are. Oh well. What people like that don't realize that some of us don't choose to move to places, we're recruited and brought in to do a job or perform a unique, high level service that a) is needed or b) isn't being done. The assumption that people who come from elsewhere want to change what you have is somewhat asinine. Sometimes we just want to know where we can be most comfortable in our new surroundings. I represent the latter.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by The Global Citizen

Thanks for the positive vibes. I'm used to people and their "Keyboard lifestyle". These are the same people who buy tickets to your game to see you play, or beg you to operate on them in university hospital setting. I ignore these people and refuse to acknowledge their existence. Coming from Portland, a very expensive city, most of the areas in Central Phoenix are equivalent to the costs of the Historic neighborhoods in core. I'm starting to hear a lot about Encanto, Willo, and North Central. I drove around North Central between 7th st - 7th ave, Bethany to Northern. I loved it. Reminded me of other places I've lived in Denver and Portland. I appreciate your tips.

You can also look closer to Camelback. I live at camelback and 16th street and I think you’d really like the Uptown Plaza area at Central Avenue and Camelback. There is a bookstore with a bar in it, plenty of trendy restaurants, and is also next door to the gayborhood known as Melrose which is 7th Avenue from Camelback to Indian School. My neighborhood has those grass and irrigated 50s-60s ranches, albeit a bit smaller.

Between Camelback and Northern I would search from 7th Avenue east to about 44th street. Many million dollar homes but some in the higher six figures. Arcadia has a similar environment to North Central and is the 85018 zip code, also with million dollar homes. If you haven’t gone through Arcadia you should, more expensive than North Central and further from Midtown however it offers the same environment if you can’t find a property there. Some of that area will get into multimillion dollar homes in Paradise Valley but you don’t need that.

Arcadia has the same style of homes but bigger lots and bigger houses, and is incredibly popular among transplants and natives alike. Outside of the 85018 true Arcadia is “Arcadia lite” which will also have properties you’d like if you like the homes near Central corridor.

Encanto and Willo are our historic districts (some of them anyway) and has a lot of homes from the 1920s-1950s give or take and you’ll find a lot of craftsman bungalows, Spanish colonials, etc. in these areas. Willo and Encanto are in between Midtown and Downtown so if you enjoy going to Downtown it’d be easy to get there. At this point it’s between styles and neighborhoods. If you want historic homes and closer to urban environments, then Encanto and Willo and Coronado are ideal. If you want ranches with bigger properties and quieter neighborhoods, then you want Uptown. If you want large homes on big properties and want to be closer to luxury shopping, then you want Arcadia.

Do not forget Coronado on the east side of midtown, which is a bit more progressive and has been gentrified.