Posted on 02/16/2009 2:24:42 PM PST by Lorianne
See link below to story
Thanks again everyone, I will be sharing your comments not only with my family but with some of my friends who are possibly making the journey with us.
We've been using "Realtor", "Realty" and other sites to search the area in conjunction with the AZ school board's school rating site.
Those are very nice locations...I don’t know how the drop in the market has affected that area.
I have several friends living up that way; mostly folks whose kids are grown and gone.
Great search tool, direct access to realtor MLS listings. She's not a bad realtor, either - though I used a different one in the end, her stuff helped a lot with info and searches.
Only thing missing is the status (sale pending, active with contingencies, etc), but it was the best free search tool I found.
I bought in Anthem, by the way...
The biggest concern I would have about moving here is the HEAT! Make sure that you can deal with it and you’ll be happy. Second, this really is becoming an Hispanic part of the country - that means Arizona has lost its libertarian/conservative outlook to be replaced with Obama lovers. That’s the part that breaks my heart. The housing industry will recover because we are always fast growing (that is if the nation still stands after Obama is done).
You can research a property in Maricopa County here:
Property taxes by Parcel number:
http://treasurer.maricopa.gov/
Search for recorded deeds by seller name:
http://recorder.maricopa.gov/recdocdata/
“More than 991,584 people living in Arizona last year were born in other countries.”
No nation has ever survived this kind of influx. Never. And in case anyone wants to claim the big immigration waves earlier were wonderful, just remember, that got out of hand and we put a stop to it!
The Anthem on I-17 or the Anthem along the Hunt Highway?
The population of the Phoenix area is rising 3% per year. Just like the population growth of the whole country in its first century. Not only has this nation "survived" such growth, it was built by it, from a backwater of dirt poor farmers into the richest society in human history.
Population growth and wealth go hand in hand. Always have, always will, in free societies. Malthusians never get it and they never will. It is too simple for them to understand. Other men who work for their keep benefit me, they do not harm me in any way, and they support themselves. Government parasites are another matter, but the only problem we have.
I’m with you - looking for $100 sq foot is a good plan - I lived in Kingman, AZ for a few years - in 2001 housing were being built for $100 a foot with a few extras thrown in (tract houses). The cost went up to $200 a foot by the time a left in 2004 - now everything has gone to hell in a handbasket in the housing market.
Actually, $100 per foot is a great benchmark with anything over that number only worth it if there are valuable extras, such as several acres - privacy, pool, view and, of course, location - location!
“Population growth and wealth go hand in hand. Always have, always will, in free societies.”
Yeah? That’s workin’ real well right now, right? Lol...whatever.
It’s about balance...and we’ve lost ours. This country was MOST prosperous and heading in the right direction when it had fewer people.
Look you have every right to live like rats in a maze, plenty of cities looking like 3rd worlds in this country for that. I plan on keeping my wide open spaces and sanity.
The idiot Arizona Republic newspaper has been on this “smart growth” hobby horse for about 15 years now. You can pretty much ignore everything they pontificate about. They never pay any homage to the free market or acknowledge its existence. They’d have all of Phoenix living in highrises built between 15th Avenue, Bethany Home Road, 12th Street and the Salt River. To leave the rest of the desert “pristine.”
I had considered Anthem, but I'm concerned about commute time to Northern Scottsdale. If I can manage a commute from Anthem, I imagine Glendale and other areas are open to look into into.
Half my family is American-hispanic anyways. My kids are all-American, part Latino. We'll infiltrate and then educate by example. If not, at least we'll enjoy the food - LOL!
FYI: These aren’t American Hispanics . . .
There is a medical center still to be built on the north outskirts that is brownfield at the moment, and might be delayed by financial issues. But no big deal. If you mean the quality of the actual housing, I saw one non-Pulte house that had cracks from settling, but it is easy to spot and avoid such things, and they are rare here. Most of the houses are recent and high quality construction.
As for commute times, there is currently construction on I-17 north from around 101, and that can make for a heavy rush hour. (Which personally I don't have to fight). Outside of rush hour I've not seen any problems, and the construction is due to be completed (with a wider highway as a result) in the fall of 2009.
As for Glendale, not nearly as nice an area in my opinion. Scottsdale is, particularly the area right up against McDowell mountain, outside of the 101 loop. Much nicer than the old-town area inside 101, frankly. That area is nice, but pricier than Anthem.
And there is tons of wide open spaces. Drive from St. Louis to Phoenix, as I just did, and then tell me there isn't any room and it is all mazes. It is just utter tosh from start to finish.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.