What area? Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale...? (Phoenix, Chandler: for rent, HOA, landscaping)

[snkarpowicz]

Hi,

My family is hoping to move in the next year or two. I'm not sure what area would be best for our circumstances. We are currently in Wisconsin, have lived in Minnesota also, and need to get away from the cold!!
We have 3 kids, the oldest would be going into college by the time we move, our daughter would be in 9th grade and the youngest, a boy, entering 2nd grade.
My husband works in the landscape field and moving would hopefully benefit him by not being laid off for 5 months out of the year due to snow and cold.
I have Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, so I would need to have access to a Cancer Center as well. We would be looking to rent initially.
I would prefer not to live in a large city, but also not in a tiny town with nothing around. The kids are involved in sports so would love to find a community that offers a variety of extracurricular activities.
If anyone could offer any information about good family communities and what they have to offer, that are not horribly expensive for rent, I would greatly appreciate it!

[snowflake13]

It all should start with employment...who is working and where are they working. Once you figure that out then you can decide where to move. First, an out of state move is expensive, you really need to have a job unless money is not an issue for your family. In that case you could live anywhere in the area that suites your needs.
Second, you wont want to spend a lot of time commuting so you want to find a place to live that suites your needs, and is close to where your jobs are.
My husband is being transferred in June to the Tempe office, so we are moving to Dobson Ranch in Mesa. It seems as though it will suite our needs. We have visited to make sure we like it in person, though we are going to rent for at least six months so that we know that is exactly where we want to live..it is a really big decision. Good luck to you.

[AZJoeD]

Any of the areas should be OK.

Your budget will determine which areas you can afford to live in. Since your husband works in landscaping you might want to find an area with large lots and no HOA so you can park your trucks, and equipment without an HOA bothering you.

Move to an area that is close to the more upscale areas as those people will pay more for your services.

Get some tapes and start learning Spanish as you will need that to communicate. Get some books on desert plants as you will find landscaping to be very different here. You won't make a living mowing lawns or plowing snow here.

[KarmaPhx]

The great thing about Arizona is that we need landscaping year round, and he should be able to find work quickly if he speaks spanish, if not it might be tough since it's pratically a requirement out here.

Out of your choices, I would go with Scottsdale, and avoid Mesa at all costs since you have kids, Gilbert is alright but far from everything, I am sure your kids will hate living in the east valley.

[snowflake13]

Originally Posted by KarmaPhx

Out of your choices, I would go with Scottsdale, and avoid Mesa at all costs since you have kids, Gilbert is alright but far from everything, I am sure your kids will hate living in the east valley.

I am curious why you say this? My family and I are moving....and going to be living in Mesa (Dobson Ranch area)??? Any input would be appreciated, thanks!

[aoeu00]

Gilbert: If you hate traffic and if a member of your family will have a job around Phoenix, the commute will kill you. I've only been doing it 3 months and hate it. Commute times vary from (rare) 55 minutes to a horrible 1 hour and 20 minutes during the mornings.

But, if you are just doing landscaping, you can focus on just the east valley. However, doesn't landscaping somewhat relate to how the RE market is doing? I bet the landscaping fees are cut throat right now.

[AZ Tracy]

Gilbert will be getting a new Cancer Center (http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/138848 - broken link)due to open in late 2011. However, if you don't want to live in a large city, you may be looking in the wrong place! The cities and towns in the greater Phoenix area all run together. It's often hard to tell if you are in Gilbert, Chandler or Mesa. The population in Gilbert alone is about 220,000.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by KarmaPhx

The great thing about Arizona is that we need landscaping year round, and he should be able to find work quickly if he speaks spanish, if not it might be tough since it's pratically a requirement out here.

Out of your choices, I would go with Scottsdale, and avoid Mesa at all costs since you have kids, Gilbert is alright but far from everything, I am sure your kids will hate living in the east valley.

Originally Posted by snowflake13

I am curious why you say this? My family and I are moving....and going to be living in Mesa (Dobson Ranch area)??? Any input would be appreciated, thanks!

The above poster is a young adult with no kids who has generally disparaged the east Valley, particularly Mesa and Gilbert, in the past. What he likes and what your family would like may well be two different things.

You and your kids will be fine in Dobson Ranch. Living in Gilbert does add to a commute outside the east Valley, but it is a family friendly area to live, with good schools. Chandler and Tempe are also options on the east side.

[asufan]

Yeah, Dobson Ranch should be fine. There's newer communities a little to the South of that area if that is what they would prefer. I don't know any kids that don't like living in the East Valley. If anything, they prefer it, as there is plenty to do, plenty of shopping and restaurants, tons of young people. And the High School Sports are top notch, continually pummeling the rest of the valley in every HS sport.

[snkarpowicz]

Thanks for all the tips! It's good to know about learning Spanish...he will definitley need to brush up. It's funny, but the RE market where we live now is terrible, however, my husband hasn't had any problem with finding work in landscaping. He does a lot of commercial jobs and also has experience in irrigation which I would think might be in demand in AZ (?) As far as commuting, he drives about an hour each way to work now, so that gives us a little more choice in areas I suppose since he's used to the commute already.
Anyhow, I am excited to get out if the midwest with it's long, cold winters!