Introducing Phoenix, Arizona
Close your eyes and imagine your ideal place to live. Does it have lush golf courses? Year-round sunshine? Loads of entertainment? Breath-taking architecture? A booming housing market? Highly-ranked schools? If any of these features pique your interest, then Phoenix, AZ is undoubtedly a fitting place for you to live.
Due to its location in the Salt River Valley and its median temperature of 75 degrees year-round, Phoenix has been given the nickname, The Valley of the Sun. There’s a reason that Phoenix is the United States’ fifth most populous city with plenty of room to grow. When considering a move to the Valley of the Sun, it is essential to know what kind of homes are available, the quality of the schooling system, and what there is to do for fun.
The Housing Market
Phoenix is expected to be the second-hottest housing market in the United States in 2021 and there are great reasons why. People from out of state are being driven to the area to establish their new place of living. It is a rare occurrence to find a place that has an extremely affordable cost of living while also being a hot commodity with a booming Phoenix housing market. Some housing market forecasts for 2021 predict that mortgage rates will stay grounded. Historically low rates are sweeping the area, making it an optimal time to purchase a home. While inventory may seem sparse in the area, a vetted real estate agent can help you get into your dream home. First-time homebuyers and young families will be drawn to the Phoenix area. Lastly, it is predicted that home rental prices are on the rise. This makes now a great time to hold onto your Phoenix home and rent it out or to stop putting your money in your landlord’s pocket and invest in a home.
Become A Home Buyer
Let’s start a conversation today. We want to address all of your concerns and answer all of your Phoenix Home Buying questions.
Median Home Pricing & Cost of Living
The median home price in Phoenix is just above $300,000. $300k will generally get you a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom single-family home. In addition, the cost of living in Phoenix is about 5% lower than the national average. Cost of living refers to the amount of money needed to maintain a specific standard of living in a certain area. It includes essential costs such as housing, utilities, food, clothing, health care, and taxes. It is used to compare the affordability of different areas. The state of the housing market combined with the affordable cost of living makes Phoenix a smart economical choice of location.
Top Communities in Phoenix
In 1979, the city of Phoenix was divided into 15 urban villages. Each one of these villages has a city-appointed planning committee devoted to identifying expansion needs, stabilizing housing and employment, and promoting its unique features. Of these 15 villages, here are 5 of the most-established or fastest-growing communities in Phoenix.
Ahwatukee Foothills. This golf-centered community features 3 golf courses, a variety of restaurants, shopping centers, bars, and a movie theater.
Arcadia. Arcadia is designated as the historic district. It features plenty of older ranch-style homes that prove to be much more affordable than some of the newer developments in the area.
Coronado. In Coronado, you’ll find a plethora of bungalow and ranch-style homes, parks, and shopping centers.
Eastlake Park. This village is known for its food scene, cultural richness, old parks, and central location.
Downtown. The downtown area is a hit for young professionals. They’re drawn into being the center of everything, the light rail for transportation, and endless retail and dining options.
Due to its size, Phoenix is not a walking city by any means. However, there are convenient and affordable means of transportation throughout the city. So keep your commute in mind when selecting the perfect neighborhood for you and your family.
Home Styles
When it comes to home styles, you may picture Phoenix as having rows and rows of cookie-cutter homes that lack diversity and style. This is not the case! Throughout the valley, you’ll find a wide range of home styles from quaint cottage-style homes to elaborate luxury houses and everything in between. The majority of homes are single-family residences, though condos and townhouses are plentiful as well. Check out our in depth article on Phoenix Home Styles for a deep dive into what the architecture of Phoenix homes really looks like!
The most popular types of homes in the valley are:
Pueblo Revival. This type of home has flat roofs, thick walls of adobe or stucco with rounded exteriors. Inside, they usually have heavy doors and exposed wooden beams.
Ranch-Style. These are known for their L-shape or U-shape layouts and pay tribute to the American Western period. They typically have sunken living rooms, extensive landscaping, and different roof styles.
Bungalows. Bungalows have a more artistic feel to them. They contain natural elements and hand-crafted artistry in their architecture.
Contemporary/Mid-Century Modern. This type of home is easily recognizable by its clean lines and conceptual designs. They feature a unique aesthetic and advanced technology.
Mediterranean Revival. A lot of newer developments in Phoenix feature this style. These romantic homes feature red-tiled roofs, arched or circular windows, and wrought iron details.
Spanish Mission. These homes are often marked with an enclosed courtyard, adobe brick walls, large arches, and detailed points on the roof.
Condominiums. Especially found in the downtown area of Phoenix, condos are a great option for single business-people or couples who don’t need a lot of room.
The Job Market
Phoenix was recently chosen as a top emerging industrial market by Colliers International. They were selected because of the flourishing population, stable labor pool, and expanded highway system. It is also home to Arizona State University and Luke Air Force Base, both of which employ a lot of people. Due to the ideal weather, tourism and recreation industries both thrive year-round.
The Arizona Commerce Authority is a great resource for a peek into the growing job categories in the city. Which includes aerospace and defense, the tech industry, manufacturing, movie-making, and digital marketing, bioscience, and health care.
What to do in Phoenix
They say that you’ll never run out of things to do and explore in Phoenix and we wholeheartedly agree with this statement. In Phoenix, you’ll find both world-class and casual dining, endless entertainment, parks, sports, golf courses, bars, and places to express the arts. Plus, if you’re a frequent flier or have friends and family that want to visit, the Sky Harbor International Airport is located three miles from Downtown and offers both domestic and international flights. Phoenix is also home to one of the largest municipal parks in North America. South Mountain Park and Preserve covers over 16,000 acres and has more than 50 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. There are also 6 different lakes within a 75-mile radius from Downtown Phoenix, making the area an outdoorsman’s paradise.
Dining
Phoenix’s food scene has received a lot of attention recently. The Valley of the Sun has mastered the dining scene when it comes to the following categories.
Fine Dining. If you’re ready to dine and be dazzled by unique culinary delights and impeccable service, make a reservation at Kai, Different Pointe Of View, Quiessence, or Binkley’s Restaurant. These are a few of Phoenix’s top fine dining establishments.
Casual Dining. When it comes to casual dining and fast food, Phoenix has heaps of options. Quick Mexican food, Asian-Mexican fusion restaurants, dessert shops, and pizza parlors are among some of the most popular choices.
Modern ways to dine. Phoenix is keeping up with the times in regards to different ways to dine. Pop-Up Restaurants come and go all throughout the valley. These temporary dining establishments feature fresh, ever-changing menus and local ingredients. Don’t want to leave your house? Phoenix has all major food delivery services with endless restaurants to choose from.
Nightlife
Now that you’ve wrapped up dinner, it’s time to hit the town for a drink or two. Phoenix hosts a large array of bars, local breweries, and dance clubs. The Roosevelt Row Arts District Downtown is home to Phoenix’s most popular bars such as The Churchill, Sazarac, Crescent Ballroom, and plenty more. This makes it the perfect place for your next bar crawl! Downtown Phoenix provides many great places to eat and drink, along with a convenient map of Phoenix’s hot spots such as Bimbo Bakeries, Valley Bar, Bar Bianco, and The Arrogant Butcher.
Sports
The valley is home to teams in four major professional sports leagues: The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, NBA’s Phoenix Suns, MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks, and NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. In addition, Phoenix is home to the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers. And soccer fans have a local team to root for with the USL’s Phoenix Rising FC. No matter what time of the year it is, it’s always sports season in Phoenix!
Beyond those sports, the valley is also home to plenty of other events, races, and games. Award-winning golf course TPC Scottsdale hosts the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Open aka “The Greatest Show On Grass!” With nearly 700,000 spectators and the greatest players in the game, this is one of the most sought-after events to attend. You’ll also be able to attend NASCAR races in the spring and fall and Cactus League Spring Training.
Golf
Phoenix and its neighboring communities are home to over 200 golf courses. Whether you are looking forward to playing a round of golf or socializing with friends, you’ll find a nice atmosphere at one of the many courses in the area. You can choose to stay at one of the lush golf resorts or course hop around the valley. When you play at one of Phoenix’s world-renowned golf courses, you will understand what all the hype is about. Did we mention that you will be able to golf year-round? When it is 75 degrees and sunny almost every day of the year, it is hard to find a day where the course isn’t perfect.
Welcome to the Valley of the Sun
Needless to say, tourists, locals, and passerby’s alike all love Phoenix. Never worry about shoveling snow, head Downtown for a night of food, drinks, and entertainment, rent a mountain bike and ride the miles of trails, throw on your ballcap and catch some spring training, polish up your golf game at a world-class course… You get the point! Come visit the Valley of the Sun and see what this beautiful desert has to offer.
Photo by Nathan Fertig on Unsplash
