Realtor · Tempe, AZ · Member since 2026 · 14 posts · 10 votes
Hi everyone,
I recently came across a potential opportunity to make an assisted living home, but I'd love advice from someone who has been down the road before me.
The home is located in North Phoenix and has several features that made me think it could be a good fit:
2 miles away from a 24/7 full service medical center
Approximately 2,680 sq. ft.
3 bedrooms, each with its own full bathroom
Separate home office
Single-story with no steps
Large kitchen and living/common area
Newly remodeled
If anyone here has experience with assisted living—especially in Arizona or the Phoenix market—I’d really appreciate the opportunity to connect and learn from you.
Boston, MA · Member since 2026 · 18 posts · 4 votes
1mo
This is a solid layout for a small assisted living home. Single story with no steps and each bedroom having its own bathroom checks two of the boxes that matter most for both resident safety and physical plant review.
A few things worth digging into before you go further. First, confirm which jurisdiction actually governs that address. North Phoenix can mean City of Phoenix or unincorporated Maricopa County depending on the exact parcel, and zoning treatment for a home this size differs between them. Homes with four or fewer residents generally get treated as ordinary single family residential under fair housing protections, but once you're in the five to ten range some Arizona cities allow it by right and others want a conditional use permit. With three bedrooms you're probably looking at a home in the four to six resident range, so get that answer in writing from the local planning department before you get attached to the property.
Second, Arizona requires a Manager Training certificate, minimum 80 hours, plus a passing exam score before your license gets issued, and that has to happen before you submit the facility application, not after. If you haven't started that yet, it's worth doing in parallel with your due diligence on the house rather than after you're under contract.
Third, the medical center two miles out is a real asset, but for referrals it matters less than proximity to hospital discharge planners and placement agencies like A Place for Mom. Worth reaching out to a few of those now so you have a lead pipeline building before you open, since lease up for a new home usually takes 3 to 6 months even in a strong market like Phoenix. I work with RAL Roadmap and we walk new Arizona operators through this exact checklist, happy to point you toward the zoning and licensing specifics if it's useful.