Where to Move: Ahwatukee or Scottsdale? (Phoenix, Chandler: foreclosed, to rent, day care)

[jenngee]

Hello. My husband and I just moved to Phoenix and have decided to settle down in either Ahwatukee or the area of Scottsdale around Cactus & N. Scottsdale Rd. General comments regarding these 2 choices would be appreciated. I also have 3 specific questions:

(1) Commute Times? I will be commuting to and from downtown during rush hour. According to Mapquest, both areas are about 20 miles from downtown. Can someone please tell me what the commute times are from each of these areas to and from downtown during rush hour?

(2) Child Care/Schools? The Scottsdale area we’re looking at is close to the JCC which is a great facility and which will provide great day care for my 2 youngest and after school care (with transportation from local elementary schools) for my oldest who is starting kindergarten. I will be looking into the Ahwatukee YMCA on Pecos Rd. to see if it is as good as the JCC. Any thoughts on that Y, on the JCC, and on how the 2 compare would be greatly appreciated. Also, am I correct that the schools in both areas are basically equally as good?

(3) Houses? We would like a newer home (preferably with a small yard for a playset and a pool) that will not require fixing up. Is it true that we can get more for our money (around $400K) in the Ahwatukee area? Thanks in advance to all of you who respond!

[azriverfan.]

I live in west Chandler which bordes Ahwautukee so I know the area pretty well. Based on your requirements, I would say Ahwautukee is a no brainer particularly in regards to commute times to downtown. However, I would not recommend going too far east into Ahwautukee such as the deep foothills area. I would try to stay in the eastern part of Ahwautukee. It's only a 15 minute drive to downtown from Ray and I-10 in non-rush hour. North Scottsdale is easly 30-45 minutes from downtown without traffic. The houses are just as nice as North Scottsdale but more affordable and you have access to Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert in regards to shopping, restaurants and other amenities. I think the schools are about even with maybe a slight edge to Scottsdale. I would recommend not living to far west into Ahwautukee because it can go really far deep into the foothills. I would also look into West Chandler and South Tempe. I would be careful about judging the commute based on miles alone because the South Tempe-West Chandler-East Ahwautukee area is very conveniently located near downtown Phoenix and is a straight shot to downtown off the I-10 where as North Scottsdale around Cactus and Scottsdale Rd. will require a much more circuitous pattern which will take longer particularly in the morning. I don't care what the mileage shows, that is just one commute I would not want to take in the morning (North Scottsdale to downtown)

[Valley Native]

You have to remember, however, that Ahwatukee is often nicknamed the world's largest cul de sac, and for very good reason. The only option in terms of freeways from Ahwatukee to downtown is the 10 ... and anybody who has driven this route in the mornings and evenings knows how much of a headache it can be! Not only is I10 backed up, but the streets in Ahwatukee near the 10 are bumper to bumper because everyone is exiting off the freeway.

In this respect, the proposed South Mountain Freeway leg of the 202 wouldn't help the Ahwatukee residents who commute to downtown Phoenix. However, it would still be a good bypass route for drivers coming up the 10 and heading west who wish to avoid the traffic tie ups that Phoenix brings.

[jenngee]

Thanks for both replies. So am I correct to assume that a rush hour commute between Ahwatukee and Downtown via I-10 will be about 45 minutes whereas a rush hour commute between zip code 85254 and Downtown would be at least an hour, maybe more like 1 hour 15 minutes? If it's an additional hour commute every day from 85254, then it's more likely we'll end up in Ahwatukee. But, if the commute time difference is 30 minutes or less total, then other factors will weigh in more heavily. Among those are the child care/after school issues I mentioned in my first post. The JCC up in 85254 is such an excellent facility with a great reputation. If there was a similar community center or centralized program in Ahwatukee that provides preschool, after school, and the myriad of other activities offered at JCC (e.g., music lessons, soccer, swimming lessons, etc.), then I think we wouldn't even consider 85254. But, I can't seem to locate such a place. Since my husband and I will both be working full time, it will be much easier for us to have a centralized location for all 3 of our kids and their after school activities; unfortunately, I can't pick them up and cart them all around town to do the activities that I'll want them to do. But, if the commute is a full hour or more longer in 85254 than Ahwatukee then the centralized facility is less important. Are there any other factors that either of you can think of that I should consider beyond commute, child care, and housing prices, such as community personalities, types of people residing in each place, quality and diversity of restaurants, etc.? On this forum, I've seen many many posts stating that Scottsdale residents are snobby, which, obviously, is a turn off for any newcomer. So, if you could shed light on some other factors that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very very much again.

[Robert A]

I live near 40th/Cactus and it takes 20-25 minutes to get Downtown at 7:30am. Start from Scottsdale Rd and maybe add 10 minutes to that. I also spent almost 25 years in Ahwatukee and the commute Downtown can be awful, especially if you start from Ray or Chandler.

EDIT: I've gotten the impression from others that closer to 8:00am, the 51 freeway gets pretty hairy. So I'd say all bets are off at that time.

I also think your dining options are better in 85284, but neither area is anything to write home about in that regard.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by jenngee

Thanks for both replies. So am I correct to assume that a rush hour commute between Ahwatukee and Downtown via I-10 will be about 45 minutes whereas a rush hour commute between zip code 85254 and Downtown would be at least an hour, maybe more like 1 hour 15 minutes?.

No. First of all, 85254 is not Scottsdale (except for the mailing address). It is in the city of Phoenix, same as Ahwatukee is. I would estimate the commute times from both to be around 30 minutes. Ahwatukee is closer but the traffic is much worse.

[azdr0710]

85254 is a very good/desirable zip code because of Scottsdale mailing address, but it's in Phx city limits (lower taxes).....I did a lot of my growing up in 85254....the area NW of the Cactus/Scottsdale Rds. intersection is in Phx, actually, despite the Scottsdale vibe right around there...and, yes, there are some "snobs" in Scottsdale, but it's not horrible....depends on where you're shopping, mostly....it's a big town and so there's some variety....lots of Hummers, Escalades, BMWs, and lots of Chevys, Hondas, Kias!......lots of traffic in general!!!

85254 will definitely be more expensive than Ahwatukee, but 'tukee, to me, seems just "around the corner", sorta, from downtown Phx via I-10.....exaggerating a little, but the Cactus/Scotts Rd thing to downtown Phx would get really old fast....51 is busy, 101 is notorious, surface streets full of very self-important people afraid of coming in second....the Broadway curve, coming from 'tukee, is notoriously jammed, also.....won't be easy from either spot unless you can abandon the two choices entirely

I really hope you can find a place like the JCC down south....Ahwatukee has a wide variety of choices...older 'hoods, newer places, $2M+ mansions, some junk creeping in, I think, in the older areas....it's a good spot overall.....

[Howard Roark]

I live in Ahwatukee but prefer Scottsdale. I like to ride my bicycle and it's very dangerous in Ahwatukee. While in Scottsdale I feel much much safer with the greenbelt. If you want the desert feel, with kind of groomed neighborhoods west of 44th, st. It' s Ahwatukee. Otherwise if you hate scorpions and like green, it's Scottsdale. Simple!

[dbean]

Just moved to Ahwatukee, 36th st and knox about a month ago and so far, we love it. Got a screaming deal on a foreclosed 2200 sf house that was in pretty good shape. Previous owners didn't trash it...

My wife works at 12th st and McDowell downtown and it takes her about 20mins to get to work. I work on 24th st and camelback and it takes me about 25mins to get to work. Here's the kicker though....Wife leaves at 6:15am and I leave at 5:30am.

Would we leave at 7:30am to head downtown, M-F..............ABSOLUTLY NOT!!!

Further, I couldnt' stand living in Scottsdale anyway, too many Mercedes, BMW's, Humers and in general, snotty people who are rich, or think they are rich and are living WAY over budget. We dont' like to suround ourselves with people like that; enough said.

[jenngee]

Hello again. Well, we're still researching and leaning more and more towards Ahwatukee. Our final decision to rent/buy in Ahwatukee will be contingent upon us finding suitable child care for all the kids. I'm hoping that some prospects pan out tomorrow. Judging from some of the replies and based upon other comments I've heard from acquaintences and read on other internet sites (e.g., "scottsdalesucks.com"), there is a lot of pretension in Scottsdale. That worries me because my husband and I are pretty down to earth, "un-fancy" people so the last thing we want to do is surround ourselves with people who are uppity and smug, especially since we moved here knowing hardly anyone and hope to make new friends where we live and send our kids to school. If anyone has strong feelings about Scottsdale not being so bad as it is so often portrayed, I'd love to hear your perspective. Thanks again everyone!