Neighborhood Advice - Central Tucson (2014, rentals, loft)

[jseakoi]

Hi there,

We are a couple in our 30's with two young children and will be relocating to Tucson from Texas. We are looking for advice on neighborhoods. I will be working near the University of Arizona and would love to have a very short commute.

We want an area that is safe and would prefer somewhere with other young families. Our kids are not school age yet but would still like to be near a good elementary school for when they do get to that age. Our ideal neighborhood would have easy access to a community pool, park, and places to walk to. We are thinking about renting but are also open to buying once we get to know the area better.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by jseakoi

Hi there,

We are a couple in our 30's with two young children and will be relocating to Tucson from Texas. We are looking for advice on neighborhoods. I will be working near the University of Arizona and would love to have a very short commute.

We want an area that is safe and would prefer somewhere with other young families. Our kids are not school age yet but would still like to be near a good elementary school for when they do get to that age. Our ideal neighborhood would have easy access to a community pool, park, and places to walk to. We are thinking about renting but are also open to buying once we get to know the area better.

Need a price range first.

Central/Mid Town Tucson is a hodge podge so I can't recommend generally as one neighborhood will have 30s bungalows going for 500k and then the next block will have run down shacks going for 120K.
Rent in Tucson will run from 800-1400 depending on what you want.

Central Tucson is old so your houses will be anywhere from 30s-80s.

Generally, East and North of the University is better than West or South of it, my favorite walking path is along the Rillito River Path, the area on Swan and Camp Lowell will have access to it as well as the areas along the River corridor like 1st & River, Campebll & River or Craycroft & River.
But again with the hodge podge, it is generally not good to live along Alvernon, nor is it generally good to live along Columbus.

[jseakoi]

Thanks for the info!

If we are renting our budget would be 1500-1800. If buying, 200-250k.

We don't mind older houses as long as it is updated. The main thing for us is that we want space too (1700+ sqft) as my wife works from home. And I've heard that large spaces can be hard to find in those areas.

[beTucsonan]

You won't have trouble finding something in your price range. A quick search on the local MLS reveals that most 1700+ sq ft. homes in your price range and near the UA are North of campus, in the Campbell and Grant area. I personally love the area and there are a number of rentals around there as well. I would definitely invite you to investigate the area schools though, since I am not a parent.

From that area you can walk, bike or even drive down Mountain Ave and end up right on campus. It's extremely convenient, and it's also near to many great restaurants and close to good shopping options.

[JGMotorsport64]

I'll agree with the area mentioned above, but don't get to close to 1st and Grant that's where it starts a decline.

[jseakoi]

Thanks so much again for the advice so far! It seems like we are able to find a lot of houses to buy but not seeing many rentals in the area. We would prefer to rent as we really do not want to buy a home prematurely without really getting to know the neighborhoods.

What's the best way to find rentals? It doesn't seem like there's much out there that meets our criteria when I look on Craigslist. Is there a better place to view rentals online? I've contacted a few rental management companies but their inventory is really low in this area too. Any help would be appreciated!

[RickTucsonHomes]

Originally Posted by jseakoi

Thanks so much again for the advice so far! It seems like we are able to find a lot of houses to buy but not seeing many rentals in the area. We would prefer to rent as we really do not want to buy a home prematurely without really getting to know the neighborhoods.

What's the best way to find rentals? It doesn't seem like there's much out there that meets our criteria when I look on Craigslist. Is there a better place to view rentals online? I've contacted a few rental management companies but their inventory is really low in this area too. Any help would be appreciated!

The Tucson MLS is also a good place for rental property search.
TARMLS-Property Search In the upper left hand corner of the search form click on "Property Type" then click on "Rental", add whatever other criteria you want to refine the search.

[beTucsonan]

Originally Posted by jseakoi

What's the best way to find rentals?

Definitely take advantage of the Tucson MLS, as RickTucsonHomes mentions. Padmapper seems to have a decent amount on it, and also Zillow is pretty good for such searches.

The best way, if it's possible, is for you to come down and look. Many local rentals, especially within easy commuting distance of the UA, are advertised by - believe it or not - front yard signage. When I moved back to town in 2014 I was pretty surprised to find that to be the case, since I figured Tucson's rental market had moved on along with the rest of the world and into the electronic future, but I was wrong and I soon found myself pedaling my bike up and down various residential streets and calling the numbers that were handwritten on the signs. That's how we found the house we ended up in, and it wasn't just an old-school owner, it was a property management company that had just neglected to list the thing online.

I checked the rentals out and it looks like there are plenty ($1800 is a pretty high rent for Tucson). Also look just East of campus, in the Sam Hughes and Blenman-Elm neighborhoods. It looks like there are some rentals there in your range and those are excellent neighborhoods, definitely worth looking into.

[jseakoi]

All great ideas!

Based on the research, we agree that Sam Hughes and Blenman-Elm neighborhoods are best for us. However, we have seen a few options that are just east of those neighborhoods (i.e. between Country Club Rd and Alvernon Rd). How are these neighborhoods? I know in some cities, just going over one block will completely change the neighborhood (e.g. safety, vibe) and other cities, it doesn't matter.

What is your take?

[beTucsonan]

Originally Posted by jseakoi

All great ideas!

Based on the research, we agree that Sam Hughes and Blenman-Elm neighborhoods are best for us. However, we have seen a few options that are just east of those neighborhoods (i.e. between Country Club Rd and Alvernon Rd). How are these neighborhoods? I know in some cities, just going over one block will completely change the neighborhood (e.g. safety, vibe) and other cities, it doesn't matter.

What is your take?

I've spent a lot of time in those areas and they are pretty great. The neighborhood bounded by Speedway, Alvernon, Country Club and 5th Street is one of my old favorites as far as access to great stuff in a relatively affordable area. You've got the 3rd Street bike route, The Loft Cinema, Zia Records, etc., all in a neighborhood with some pretty interesting mid-century architecture and a nice mix of very nice single-family homes, some condos and townhouses and some rental units as well.

I'd be remiss, since you have children, not to mention that there is a bit of a seedy element near the Speedway and Alvernon area. There's a strip club, a bar which has reformed but still maintains a bit of a reputation, etc.. In my experience I haven't seen this affect the neighborhood at all, but it's definitely worth noting. There's also BASIS Tucson which is regarded as one of the best schools in the country, easy access to the El Con Mall, lots of good dining options, proximity to Himmel Park and Reid Park (including the zoo), etc.. To say the good outweighs the "iffy" is a pretty dramatic understatement.