For those of you thinking about moving to Phoenix

[Outnumbered]

C'mon, there are some nice mobiles that back right up to the freeway. You konw, the ones that have so much junk in their backyards that you can hardly see the trailer? The ones that have a yard sale going everyday. Welcome to Buckeye.
Bingo

[PHX ATC]

So we decided to buy in one of the upper-middle price areas and give up the big lot for now. But I live in an area where there is no mobile homes and no low income housing for miles,.
We came out thinking we were going to buy a big house, on a big lot, in a nice convenient area for under $300k--it didn't happen.
Just like someone said already, the nice places are getting spendy. But I will admit that the prices and traffic are not as bad as Cali.
I think you are dead on. Big lots are a thing of the past, waaaay far out, or you are going to pay dearly for them. Ask me, I know. :shift:
Mid/upper class, if you will, hoods are the best bang for the buck right now. Find a spot with houses that fit your style, schools that are good, and the conveniences you need close by.
I agree, the prices on these pockets of hoods are going up very quickly. That's good for me, because in 2 months or so, I'm putting my current house up on the market. It's 5 minutes away from the freeway (60), you can walk to the elementary school, the middle school is a 4 minute drive, high school a 8 minute drive, plenty of stores around, and 3 malls within 20 minutes. Saguaro Lake is 30 minutes away and downtown PHX is 35-40 minutes away with no rush hour traffic.
I live in a cul-de-sac lot, 2 story house, just under 3500 sq ft, pool, above ground spa, and plenty of goodies in the house and the prices of those similar houses around me have skyrocketed in the past 8 months!
I've already had 3 couples come look at my house, just because they've heard through the neighborhood/religious/school mom network that we're selling in March/April. 1 is not really serious (they've issues/commitments with their church), 1 was really a lookie loo in my opinion, but the other 1 sounded pretty serious about crunching some numbers and throwing something together soon.
I'd be more than happy to sell it without a real estate agent (no offense to anyone)...even my agent tells me to give it a whirl. My agent says we will have multiple offers within a day of going on the market at the price I'm suggesting to ask. It's about $15K less than all the comparables out there that are on the market right now. Maybe I'm not accepting of the frenzy, but man, everyone needs to find the right spot for them.

[cdog]

I'm really hoping all the ca people moving out their don't ruin it. Phoenix is an awsome place. Just remember what happens when intrest rates rise. Remember the late 80's and early 90's. Property value plummited. I think if you look at the history of growth and expensive housing you can expect to hit a wall expecially out there. My home here in OC has already gone down in value from 700k to 600k. I think alot of people who recently moved out there have'nt been through a couple of 120 degree summers yet. And I see that Phoenix has grown way too fast because of californians that cashed out of Ca.. The nice established areas will always hold a certian value but some of those new homes are out by buckeye. I worked out there for a couple of years in the late 90's and considered moving there before we moved back to OC. Personally I feel that Phoenix has a couple more growth cycles before it can maintain those prices. Consider depreciation a Tsunami that come"s in from the pacific, those higher rates will first slow down the costal homes then move inland.

[Outnumbered]

I'm really hoping all the ca people moving out their don't ruin it. Phoenix is an awsome place. Just remember what happens when intrest rates rise. Remember the late 80's and early 90's. Property value plummited. I think if you look at the history of growth and expensive housing you can expect to hit a wall expecially out there. My home here in OC has already gone down in value from 700k to 600k. I think alot of people who recently moved out there have'nt been through a couple of 120 degree summers yet. And I see that Phoenix has grown way too fast because of californians that cashed out of Ca.. The nice established areas will always hold a certian value but some of those new homes are out by buckeye. I worked out there for a couple of years in the late 90's and considered moving there before we moved back to OC. Personally I feel that Phoenix has a couple more growth cycles before it can maintain those prices. Consider depreciation a Tsunami that come"s in from the pacific, those higher rates will first slow down the costal homes then move inland.
Actually, the prices are more stable here in AZ. I will have to dig up the stats but So Cal values are way more volatile and saw huge drops in the early to mid 90s where Az values were just chugging along. I did tons of research before I bought here. I see the market here doing well. Time will tell.
OL

[PHX ATC]

What OL said.
I've done research too. Limited pea brain type research, but rooted around the numbers nonetheless.
Maybe I could get a govt grant to do some more?

[cdog]

Well I want you to know that I did'nt mean that offensively toward AZ. We own my mother inlaws home in Tucson. I know a lot of people who live there and have considered moving there many times. In 1997 you could buy a home in chandler , mesa and tempe for a little over 100k in a nice new home development. I just see that the pay scale is'nt really as good as it is here. When I was out there I was making 5k a week and living in scottsdale. Most of the people I met were amazed that you could make that much in construction. I was stupid for not buying everything up then but hey I was 22. I see there has been a huge influx of Ca people moving out there. I can see it on the 10 frway when i'm on the way back home. They don't know you can do 90 mph. In the early to late 90's Phoenix property value was real bad, but it's just a cycle. Who know's , we'll see.

[Kurtis500]

I think they're second only to Paradise Valley.
Probably, especially the real 'Town of Paradise Valley'. Most everything south and east of shea and tatum to Scottsdale road is out of control. Mummy mountain for example. But then again, it always has been. Most people confuse 'Paradise Valley' with the real Paradise Valley. The 85253 zip code is the boundries for the real Town of Paradise Valley. I dont think I could live in there. People get bit by scorpions all the time in those mountainside/desert homes.
My friend lived at 40 st north of Lincoln. Very nice mountain side home, but way too expensive.

[Outnumbered]

Well I want you to know that I did'nt mean that offensively toward AZ. We own my mother inlaws home in Tucson. I know a lot of people who live there and have considered moving there many times. In 1997 you could buy a home in chandler , mesa and tempe for a little over 100k in a nice new home development. I just see that the pay scale is'nt really as good as it is here. When I was out there I was making 5k a week and living in scottsdale. Most of the people I met were amazed that you could make that much in construction. I was stupid for not buying everything up then but hey I was 22. I see there has been a huge influx of Ca people moving out there. I can see it on the 10 frway when i'm on the way back home. They don't know you can do 90 mph. In the early to late 90's Phoenix property value was real bad, but it's just a cycle. Who know's , we'll see.
No offense taken. Ya, the values were hurt nationwide in the mid 90s but they didn't drop that bad in AZ when compared to CA. I was working as an appraiser in SoCal at the time and the values were dropping fast. Foreclosures were on just about every street. I can see that happending again in SoCal in the next several years but not quite as bad. Values in most parts of AZ are not totally out of control like Cali right now so it seems like a safer investment right now.
OL

[blackcloud75]

Kurtis500 check your PM
thanks
BC75

[Jordy]

Probably, especially the real 'Town of Paradise Valley'. Most everything south and east of shea and tatum to Scottsdale road is out of control. Mummy mountain for example. But then again, it always has been. Most people confuse 'Paradise Valley' with the real Paradise Valley. The 85253 zip code is the boundries for the real Town of Paradise Valley. I dont think I could live in there. People get bit by scorpions all the time in those mountainside/desert homes.
My friend lived at 40 st north of Lincoln. Very nice mountain side home, but way too expensive.
I like the latest hobby in PV. Buy houses for the lots, tear the houses down and build bigger and more modern than the last home that was there. I'm 2 miles from PV Mall, in what is considered "Paradise Valley" however, not 85253.