Anyone have opinions on Phoenix

Member since 2020 · 351 posts · 329 votes

Guys,

I got laid off and have an interesting opportunity in Phoenix and am considering relocating (job is in Chandler). What are some opinions on the area? I've heard it's hot there, but I am really trying to understand the real estate market.

Peter

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Aristotle Kumpis

Specialist · Long Beach, CA · Member since 2011 · 879 posts · 398 votes

3mo

Low income tax, good weather for 7 months out of the year, and you can carry a concealed weapon. Oh, and it's pretty affordable for housing

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Mason WeissBusiness Member
Realtor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2021 · 523 posts · 239 votes
3mo
It's a hot market, cooled a little this year as most of AZ has in the current housing market but with Intel and other big economic drivers supporting the area, all signs point to strong continued growth over the next decade. I like to see Redfin's data on specific cities, more data based than media headlines and gives you a better outlook on actual YTD housing numbers.
https://www.redfin.com/city/3104/AZ/Chandler/housing-market#...
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- Ken M.
  Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
  3mo
  Quote from @Mason Weiss:
  
  It's a hot market, cooled a little this year as most of AZ has in the current housing market but with Intel and other big economic drivers supporting the area, all signs point to strong continued growth over the next decade. I like to see Redfin's data on specific cities, more data based than media headlines and gives you a better outlook on actual YTD housing numbers.
  https://www.redfin.com/city/3104/AZ/Chandler/housing-market#...
  
  I and my students buy in Phoenix. Here's my take:
  It's HOT! and I do mean Hot! 109 degrees today. ;-)
  
  But 'it's great most of the year 80 degrees when it's freezing cold elsewhere.
  no tornadoes, no earthquakes, no hurricanes, no landslides, no tsunamis, no locust plagues, no T-Rexs, lots of ice cream.
  
  2 Reply
- Ken M.
  Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
  3mo
  Quote from @Ken M.:
  
  Quote from @Mason Weiss:
  
  It's a hot market, cooled a little this year as most of AZ has in the current housing market but with Intel and other big economic drivers supporting the area, all signs point to strong continued growth over the next decade. I like to see Redfin's data on specific cities, more data based than media headlines and gives you a better outlook on actual YTD housing numbers.
  https://www.redfin.com/city/3104/AZ/Chandler/housing-market#...
  
  I and my students buy in Phoenix. Here's my take:
  It's HOT! and I do mean Hot! 109 degrees today. ;-)
  
  But 'it's great most of the year 80 degrees when it's freezing cold elsewhere.
  no tornadoes, no earthquakes, no hurricanes, no landslides, no tsunamis, no locust plagues, no T-Rexs, lots of ice cream.
  
  And we are missing a great chunk of it since there is a big hole in the ground called the Grand Canyon. When I hiked the Grand Canyon, a hmm, long time ago, it was 4 feet of snow at the top where you drive in and blazing hot at the bottom by the river. Still the trail was packed.
  1 Reply
Aristotle Kumpis
Specialist · Long Beach, CA · Member since 2011 · 879 posts · 398 votes
3mo
Low income tax, good weather for 7 months out of the year, and you can carry a concealed weapon. Oh, and it's pretty affordable for housing
3 Reply
- Bruce WoodruffPro Member
  Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
  3mo
  Quote from @Aristotle Kumpis:
  
  Low income tax, good weather for 7 months out of the year, and you can carry a concealed weapon. Oh, and it's pretty affordable for housing
  "Low income tax, good weather for 7 months out of the year, and you can carry a concealed weapon. Oh, and it's pretty affordable for housing"
  You can actually open carry as well.... :-)
  ------------------------------------------------------------
  I love the Phoenix area....yes, it is, errr.....let's say. 'warmish' for about 4 months, but beautiful from Oct - May. And most people don't realize that it is barely warmer then the inland areas of Cali during the summer. So much better to be in AZ.
  
  And yes, the West side of the valley is growing like crazy. I never found the traffic to be that bad, not like San Diego, or certainly not like LA.
  
  Real Estate is generally about 50% of what you'd pay in SoCal, but more than other parts of the US....so is that a good opportunity? Depends I guess....
  
  The mile high area of Prescott is just over 1 hour up the 17, an easy escape from summer heat.
  1 Reply
Don KonipolBusiness Member
Investor · The Woodlands TX / Avon, CT · Member since 2009 · 6k+ posts · 10k+ votes
3mo
Quote from @Peter W.:

Guys,
I got laid off and have an interesting opportunity in Phoenix and am considering relocating (job is in Chandler). What are some opinions on the area? I've heard it's hot there, but I am really trying to understand the real estate market.
Peter
I lived in Phoenix for 3 years. 4 months of those years I lived in San Diego (June, July, August, September).
RE prices are triple their 2012 lows, which were 40% of their 2007 highs.
Affordability is only good when compared with “the coasts”. When compare with Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa etc. affordability is not good by comparison.

That said, people survive 120 degree summers because Phoenix has the second best air conditioning in the world (Houston is, by necessity first). For winter, Phoenix is about a 2 1/2 hour drive to ski areas (Flagstaff).

The west side of Phoenix is 30 - 50% less expensive (real estate) than the east side.

Traffic ranges from bad to awful.

Tremendous number of quality golf courses.
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- Ken M.
  Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
  3mo
  Quote from @Don Konipol:
  
  Quote from @Peter W.:
  
  Guys,
  I got laid off and have an interesting opportunity in Phoenix and am considering relocating (job is in Chandler). What are some opinions on the area? I've heard it's hot there, but I am really trying to understand the real estate market.
  Peter
  I lived in Phoenix for 3 years. 4 months of those years I lived in San Diego (June, July, August, September).
  RE prices are triple their 2012 lows, which were 40% of their 2007 highs.
  Affordability is only good when compared with “the coasts”. When compare with Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa etc. affordability is not good by comparison.
  
  That said, people survive 120 degree summers because Phoenix has the second best air conditioning in the world (Houston is, by necessity first). For winter, Phoenix is about a 2 1/2 hour drive to ski areas (Flagstaff).
  
  The west side of Phoenix is 30 - 50% less expensive (real estate) than the east side.
  
  Traffic ranges from bad to awful.
  
  Tremendous number of quality golf courses.
  Ah come on now 'That said, people survive 120 degree summers' normally it doesn't get past 119 degrees.
  
  Actually, in reality 107 degrees - 108 degrees is common. People travel from air conditioned home with air conditioned cars to an air conditioned office. Landscapers start at 4:00am and work until it's too hot for them. One contractor I had said it felt "cold" if it got below 100 degrees. One forest fire fighter told me he doesn't mind fighting forest fires in the summer.
  
  Still, it's plenty hot when you come from Seattle where a good summer day will hit 80 degrees and most of the year hovers around 50 to 60 with rain. ;-)
  
  2 Reply
Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
3mo
When it gets cold, you can always wear more/better clothing to stay warm.
When it gets AZ hot - what are your options once you've stripped down as much as you're legally allowed?
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- Ken M.
  Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
  3mo
  Quote from @Drew Sygit:
  
  When it gets cold, you can always wear more/better clothing to stay warm.
  When it gets AZ hot - what are your options once you've stripped down as much as you're legally allowed?
  
  Anywhere it gets below zero, no amount of clothing helps. When it rains all winter (Seattle) the rain penetrates your skin and 50 degrees feels like zero cold and nasty. Seattleites haven't heard of umbrellas yet, so there is that. It snowed in Phoenix a few years ago. A light dusting.
  
  But to answer your question, that's when walking down the street gets interesting. ;-) Some are stripped farther than you'd think would be allowed.
  
  We're at the tail end of the Rockies so it's an hour and a half to Payson, AZ where it's higher altitude and 30 degrees cooler. Or you can visit one of the ice hockey rinks. Lots of Canadians here. There's 3 feet of snow at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon until April pretty regularly.
  
  2 Reply
- Bruce WoodruffPro Member
  Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
  3mo
  Quote from @Drew Sygit:
  
  When it gets cold, you can always wear more/better clothing to stay warm.
  When it gets AZ hot - what are your options once you've stripped down as much as you're legally allowed?
  Well for one, it's only that hot a little over 3 months of each year, the rest of the year the weather is spectacular. Better than SoCal in my opinion.
  
  but there are these things called air conditioners, and pools, and misters, and fans, and ice cold beer and margaritas.
  
  I, and apparently a lot of other people, would happily take a few months of heat over any kind of chilly, cold, snowy or rainy weather...
  1 Reply
- Shiloh LundahlPro Member
  Rental Property Investor · Gilbert, AZ · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
  2mo
  I'm in Gilbert which is right next to Chandler. It is a good area to live in but I don't buy real estate Chandler or Gilbert. I buy in Mesa, Apache Junction, Florence, Coolidge, and Casa Grande. Arizona is like the Mecca of real estate investing, we have a ton of Real Estate support and gurus. we have the biggest and strongest REIA in the nation and normally have about 100 people attend the main meeting every month. I also host meet ups in the East Valley in Mesa every month. And there are several other meet ups every month throughout Arizona. some of the people who live here are Robert Kosaki, Ken McElroy, Cody Sperber, Pace Morby, Jamil Damji, Steve Trang, Brent Daniels, and several other people that are influencers in the Real Estate space. additionally we have a ton of wholesalers in Arizona, and you can build a real estate portfolio just buying discounted properties off of wholesalers and you don't need to build out your own direct-to-seller business. I I probably 10 to 20 properties a year from wholesalers at an average of 65% - 70% of value.
  
  if you are serious about moving to Arizona and you actual move here, feel free to reach out and connect. You're also welcome to come to my free monthly meet up in Mesa.
  
  Looking forward to connect.
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Patrick O'SullivanBusiness Member
Property Manager · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 536 posts · 206 votes
2mo
Chandler is actually one of the stronger bets in the Valley right now, the East Valley job base tied to Intel and the semiconductor buildout has kept rents and demand steadier there than in a lot of other Phoenix submarkets that leaned more on rooftop growth. If you're moving for the job, I'd rent your first year rather than buy immediately, it gives you flexibility if the role or the area doesn't end up fitting, and Chandler's resale market is liquid enough that you're not giving up much by waiting. The heat everyone's talking about is real but manageable, the bigger adjustment is usually the utility and cooling costs, worth building into your budget alongside rent.
[email protected]480-795-7938
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- Bruce WoodruffPro Member
  Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
  2mo
  Quote from @Patrick O'Sullivan:
  
  Chandler is actually one of the stronger bets in the Valley right now, the East Valley job base tied to Intel and the semiconductor buildout has kept rents and demand steadier there than in a lot of other Phoenix submarkets that leaned more on rooftop growth. If you're moving for the job, I'd rent your first year rather than buy immediately, it gives you flexibility if the role or the area doesn't end up fitting, and Chandler's resale market is liquid enough that you're not giving up much by waiting. The heat everyone's talking about is real but manageable, the bigger adjustment is usually the utility and cooling costs, worth building into your budget alongside rent.
  True about utility costs...... in the summer of 2024 I was paying $800 a month for electricity, largely to to the two condensers running 24/7......
  1 Reply
- Patrick O'SullivanBusiness Member
  Property Manager · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 536 posts · 206 votes
  2mo
  Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
  
  Quote from @Patrick O'Sullivan:
  
  Chandler is actually one of the stronger bets in the Valley right now, the East Valley job base tied to Intel and the semiconductor buildout has kept rents and demand steadier there than in a lot of other Phoenix submarkets that leaned more on rooftop growth. If you're moving for the job, I'd rent your first year rather than buy immediately, it gives you flexibility if the role or the area doesn't end up fitting, and Chandler's resale market is liquid enough that you're not giving up much by waiting. The heat everyone's talking about is real but manageable, the bigger adjustment is usually the utility and cooling costs, worth building into your budget alongside rent.
  True about utility costs...... in the summer of 2024 I was paying $800 a month for electricity, largely to to the two condensers running 24/7......
  
  That is exactly the kind of number newcomers may not expect. Cooling costs can vary a lot by home size, insulation, system efficiency, and thermostat settings. It is a good reminder to ask for recent utility history before signing or buying.
  
  [email protected]480-795-7938
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Leah WalczakBusiness Member
Specialist · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2026 · 18 posts · 7 votes
2mo
Chandler's a great area, good schools, tech/business hub (a lot of Intel/tech employees live there), safe, family-friendly. Prices cooled a bit from the 2021-2022 peak but stays in demand because of the job base.

If part of your thinking is buying instead of renting — even a home you'll live in — worth running the numbers on what it'd do as a rental down the line too, in case plans change. I use GemHaus for that kind of STR vs LTR check on specific properties before buying.

What's your timeline for the move?
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Peter W.
OP
Member since 2020 · 351 posts · 329 votes
2mo
Hey guys, thanks for all the responses. We ended up not moving, the compensation wasn't enough to justify the cross country move and I ended up with other opportunities close to where I lived, but all of your responses were very useful in judging whether it would be a good place to move your family.
Thank you all.
Peter
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- Patrick O'SullivanBusiness Member
  Property Manager · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2024 · 536 posts · 206 votes
  2mo
  Quote from @Peter W.:
  
  Hey guys, thanks for all the responses. We ended up not moving, the compensation wasn't enough to justify the cross country move and I ended up with other opportunities close to where I lived, but all of your responses were very useful in judging whether it would be a good place to move your family.
  Thank you all.
  Peter
  
  Thanks for coming back to let everyone know how it turned out. A cross-country move is a big commitment, so if the compensation didn't make sense, it's hard to justify. At least now you've got a better feel for the Phoenix market if another opportunity comes up down the road. Best of luck with your new role!
  
  [email protected]480-795-7938
  get MULTIfamily Property Management4.7221 Reviews
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