How's life in Mesa, AZ?

[snoopdoug1]

I'm considering switching to a position in Mesa. I currently live in Missouri. Is Mesa a nice place? Housing expensive? Anyone wanna toss their opinion out there?

Thanks for the help!

 

[maximus maximus]

It's is a total messa...

 

[slsmnaz]

I lived in Tempe for 7 years and parts of Mesa are pretty nice. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. You're not too far away from Phx and there is plenty of housing in the east valley.

 

[vi edit]

Mesa is kind of hit or miss. There is a lot of new construction way way east off the 202 & the 60 and that's where the nice neighborhoods and better school districts are. Crappy commutes though and pretty high prices.

The closer you start getting to Phoenix proper, the more "downscale" and older the neighborhoods get.

In the east valley, the biggest growing areas are Gilbert and Chandler, which are south of Mesa. Most of your new construction is down that way.

I don't know the west valley very well, PM Adul for that since he lived in Avondale for quite a while.

If you haven't visited there, you'll find it *A LOT* different than Missouri

If you would actually be working in Mesa itself, that is nice since you'll be driving against traffic. Most people are driving out of Mesa to get to work since it's largely a residential area. You could live in the surrounding areas and have a pretty easy drive so long as you stayed in the east valley.

 

[vi edit]

Also, it's really difficult to compare houses between the midwest and there. We are so used to have basements around here and take that for granted. A lot of people can get by around here with a 1600 sq/ft ranch and have a full basement(finished or unfinished) to stick their crap in.

Not so down there. Very, very, very few homes have basements down there. When it says 1600 sq/ft...they mean 1600 sq/ft. Your only storage is a garage stall or a spare bedroom.

Plus don't expect a back yard. You'll have a 20x10 patch of gravel and a 6'-8' block privacy wall seperating you from your neighbors.

 

[vi edit]

Another post - you are buying at a decent time right now. The AZ real estate market just took a major kick to the crotch. There was a period from 2004 to late 2005 where you could sell your house in a matter of hours and get above asking price for it if you had a nice place in a desireable location. Prices appreciated anywhere from 50%-100% in a two year period.

That came to a crashing hault over the last 8 months or so and prices are actually regressing now. Lots of speculators and investment buyers are forced to sell far below asking and it's flipped to a buyers market.

It's like that in many places in the US, but even more so in AZ.

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Another post - you are buying at a decent time right now. The AZ real estate market just took a major kick to the crotch. There was a period from 2004 to late 2005 where you could sell your house in a matter of hours and get above asking price for it if you had a nice place in a desireable location. Prices appreciated anywhere from 50%-100% in a two year period.

That came to a crashing hault over the last 8 months or so and prices are actually regressing now. Lots of speculators and investment buyers are forced to sell far below asking and it's flipped to a buyers market.

It's like that in many places in the US, but even more so in AZ.

That's excellent, since I would be looking for a house. In an apartment now but have a good downpayment saved up. Thanks

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Also, it's really difficult to compare houses between the midwest and there. We are so used to have basements around here and take that for granted. A lot of people can get by around here with a 1600 sq/ft ranch and have a full basement(finished or unfinished) to stick their crap in.

Not so down there. Very, very, very few homes have basements down there. When it says 1600 sq/ft...they mean 1600 sq/ft. Your only storage is a garage stall or a spare bedroom.

Plus don't expect a back yard. You'll have a 20x10 patch of gravel and a 6'-8' block privacy wall seperating you from your neighbors.

Yeah, I'm really used to that basement. Might be a stupid question, but is the reason they don't have basements there because it's a desert? Not many garages there either?

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Mesa is kind of hit or miss. There is a lot of new construction way way east off the 202 & the 60 and that's where the nice neighborhoods and better school districts are. Crappy commutes though and pretty high prices.

The closer you start getting to Phoenix proper, the more "downscale" and older the neighborhoods get.

In the east valley, the biggest growing areas are Gilbert and Chandler, which are south of Mesa. Most of your new construction is down that way.

I don't know the west valley very well, PM Adul for that since he lived in Avondale for quite a while.

If you haven't visited there, you'll find it *A LOT* different than Missouri

If you would actually be working in Mesa itself, that is nice since you'll be driving against traffic. Most people are driving out of Mesa to get to work since it's largely a residential area. You could live in the surrounding areas and have a pretty easy drive so long as you stayed in the east valley.

Thank you very much for all the posts vi_edit I get from what you're saying that it's a decent place. And yes, I believe the position is actually IN mesa.

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
I lived in Tempe for 7 years and parts of Mesa are pretty nice. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. You're not too far away from Phx and there is plenty of housing in the east valley.

I'm looking for a change from the midwest

 

[vi edit]

Several reasons they don't do basements - ground is too hard to dig and the fact that they don't really freeze are the big ones.

As far as garages, it's pretty typical for them to have 2 stalls but they are dinky 2 stalls with some places having a third that's just big enough for a golf cart

But you get to free up some garage space because you don't need a lawn mower or a snow blower. :sun:

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: snoopdoug1

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
I lived in Tempe for 7 years and parts of Mesa are pretty nice. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. You're not too far away from Phx and there is plenty of housing in the east valley.

I'm looking for a change from the midwest

The best part about living in AZ was you are close to just about anything. If you want snow you can go up north (2-3 hours) and get all you want. You're very close to Vegas (thanks to SW Airlines), Mexico, San Diego, etc. October to March is some of the best weather you'll find anywhere and the summers aren't "that" bad. Being from TN, I had to get used to the lack of green (trees and grass).

And don't forget to go on a sight-seeing tour around ASU campus

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
And don't forget to go on a sight-seeing tour around ASU campus

And raid the bars on Mill Ave. :beer:

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz

Originally posted by: snoopdoug1

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
I lived in Tempe for 7 years and parts of Mesa are pretty nice. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. You're not too far away from Phx and there is plenty of housing in the east valley.

I'm looking for a change from the midwest

The best part about living in AZ was you are close to just about anything. If you want snow you can go up north (2-3 hours) and get all you want. You're very close to Vegas (thanks to SW Airlines), Mexico, San Diego, etc. October to March is some of the best weather you'll find anywhere and the summers aren't "that" bad. Being from TN, I had to get used to the lack of green (trees and grass).

And don't forget to go on a sight-seeing tour around ASU campus

haha, is the ASU main campus in Mesa? Or is it tempe?

Also, how bad is "bad" in the summers?

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Several reasons they don't do basements - ground is too hard to dig and the fact that they don't really freeze are the big ones.

As far as garages, it's pretty typical for them to have 2 stalls but they are dinky 2 stalls with some places having a third that's just big enough for a golf cart

But you get to free up some garage space because you don't need a lawn mower or a snow blower. :sun:

2 car garage is good... I was looking at houses on realtor.com and saw a bunch of carports(which I hate). Garages FTW! Thanks again for all the info vi

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: snoopdoug1

Originally posted by: slsmnaz

Originally posted by: snoopdoug1

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
I lived in Tempe for 7 years and parts of Mesa are pretty nice. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. You're not too far away from Phx and there is plenty of housing in the east valley.

I'm looking for a change from the midwest

The best part about living in AZ was you are close to just about anything. If you want snow you can go up north (2-3 hours) and get all you want. You're very close to Vegas (thanks to SW Airlines), Mexico, San Diego, etc. October to March is some of the best weather you'll find anywhere and the summers aren't "that" bad. Being from TN, I had to get used to the lack of green (trees and grass).

And don't forget to go on a sight-seeing tour around ASU campus

haha, is the ASU main campus in Mesa? Or is it tempe?

Also, how bad is "bad" in the summers?

In Tempe but it depends on where you are in Mesa since ASU is only a couple miles from the Tempe/Mesa border. Worth the short drive to see some real talent.

Summers can get miserable, 115 deg is damn hot even if it is "dry heat". However, I would take a dry AZ summer over a humid TN summer any day.

 

[snoopdoug1]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz

Originally posted by: snoopdoug1

Originally posted by: slsmnaz

Originally posted by: snoopdoug1

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
I lived in Tempe for 7 years and parts of Mesa are pretty nice. It really depends on what you are looking for in a city. You're not too far away from Phx and there is plenty of housing in the east valley.

I'm looking for a change from the midwest

The best part about living in AZ was you are close to just about anything. If you want snow you can go up north (2-3 hours) and get all you want. You're very close to Vegas (thanks to SW Airlines), Mexico, San Diego, etc. October to March is some of the best weather you'll find anywhere and the summers aren't "that" bad. Being from TN, I had to get used to the lack of green (trees and grass).

And don't forget to go on a sight-seeing tour around ASU campus

haha, is the ASU main campus in Mesa? Or is it tempe?

Also, how bad is "bad" in the summers?

In Tempe but it depends on where you are in Mesa since ASU is only a couple miles from the Tempe/Mesa border. Worth the short drive to see some real talent.

Summers can get miserable, 115 deg is damn hot even if it is "dry heat". However, I would take a dry AZ summer over a humid TN summer any day.

So it sounds no worse than vegas... I agree about humid summers... St. Louis FTL

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Eeezee]

Mesa is mormon town for the valley. If you don't mind mormons knocking on your door every few months, then there's really no problem living there.

I'll be the first to insist that ASU sucks :thumbsdown:

 

[vi edit]

The worse part about the summers is the first time you try to walk out to the pool without a pair of sandles.

Blistered feet FTL!

Car interiors can get pretty wicked too. Especially little metal trim pieces on shifters and the metal surrounds that you stick the key into. Window shades are a *must*.

August is pretty miserable. Contrary to belief there is a bit of humidity during monsoon season. Combine even 30%-40% humidity with 115 degrees and that's miserable.

Phoenix has some of the best sunsets in the country though. I lived just off of south mountain and saw this on almost a daily basis:

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/viedit/smsunset.JPG

Sedona absolutely rocks to.

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/viedit/sedona1.JPG
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/viedit/sedona3.JPG

 

[snoopdoug1]

Wow. Those pictures are beautiful... especially the one of the sunset :thumbsup:

 

[Rob9874]

It's all one big city here...you don't have to live in Mesa. I would look in Gilbert and/or Chandler. Might be a 10-20 min drive. I'm in Maricopa, and drive 20 min to work in Chandler.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: Rob9874
It's all one big city here...you don't have to live in Mesa. I would look in Gilbert and/or Chandler. Might be a 10-20 min drive. I'm in Maricopa, and drive 20 min to work in Chandler.

Maricopa's really grown in the past few years. Used to be nothing out there but empty fields. Hope they got more/better roads though.

 

[daveshel]

Big Mormon presence in Mesa. Huge population - something like 120K now, sprawls out forever. Miles and endless Generica.

 

[kaizersose]

i was there in business in the spring. it's really just part of phoenix (sprawl). it struck me as lower end suburbia and a bit boring. just square blocks as far as the eye can see. but then again, i am from the bay area so maybe i am a snob.

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: kaizersose
i was there in business in the spring. it's really just part of phoenix (sprawl). it struck me as lower end suburbia and a bit boring. just square blocks as far as the eye can see. but then again, i am from the bay area so maybe i am a snob.

Bingo. Tucson is the only place in Arizona for people with Bay Area sensibilities. (OK maybe Bisbee and Jerome, but they are not population centers.) Bay Area taste on an Arizona budget.

 

[elbosco]

Originally posted by: savoyboy

Originally posted by: daveshel
Big Mormon presence in Mesa. Huge population - something like 120K now, sprawls out forever. Miles and endless Generica.

120K? Try 455K

Try less than 50k. Not everyone in Mesa is Mormon.