Should you live in Chandler Arizona?

How to know if you should live in Chandler Arizona?

Chandler has excellent national rankings

National rankings are an excellent way to get a feeling for a place that is new to you, knowing the factors involved in the ranking system are unbiased and straight across the board. Chandler, AZ, ranks well in many categories. Each ranking is specific, such as Chandler being rated number one in “Best Places to Become Wealthy” or number three in “Best Places to Buy a Family Home.”Chandler also ranks number 8 in “Best Places for Women in Tech.”  Chandler is highly rated as one of the best places in the US to find a job, and one of the safest areas to live in Phoenix.  But you can look at the statistics and decide what sounds most important to you. 

Chandler offers luxury homes at a more competitive price than other PHX suburbs

As Phoenix has grown rapidly, new neighborhoods have popped up all over the valley to accommodate the increasing number of residents. Of course, people are coming for the weather, the jobs, and the affordable cost of living. But perhaps one of the biggest pros of the Chandler area specifically is the affordability of what most Americans would consider luxury housing.

Among these neighborhoods are many master-planned neighborhoods. These master planned communities are where luxury amenities such as pools, tennis courts, paved and lighted walking paths and more, are designed into the layout of the small community. They add an extra layer of comfort for its residents. Homes nearly identical in size and appearance can be as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars less in Chandler than in other parts of town.

The median home cost in Chandler is about $320,000, which is very affordable for increasingly expensive Phoenix. Homes nearly identical in style, size, and community amenities in the Scottsdale area, for instance, are usually at least two hundred thousand dollars more expensive. The same square footage in Scottsdale may cost you around $750,000, but only $450,000 in Chandler. Getting more for your buck is perhaps the biggest “draw” an area can have to potential home buyers.

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Chandler has great schools

There are two major school districts in the Chandler Area; Mesa School District and Gilbert School District. Wherever you fall on the district grids, Chandler has wonderful public schools. Most of these schools are rated very highly when it comes to graduation rates, extracurricular offerings, and attendance rates. Even if you find yourself living closest to one of the schools that isn’t the most highly rated of the bunch, there are many schools to choose from.

It’s fairly easy to find the perfect school for you and your family within a reasonable distance that offers exactly what you are looking for. If you can’t decide which school might be the best fit for you, there are plenty of resources where parents can communicate with other parents, such as online chats and message boards. If you have the opportunity, it’s always a good idea for prospective parents to tour a school and see what classroom sizes look like, or meet a few teachers.

There are lots of things to do in Chandler:

Shopping and dining

Whether you’re interested in going to a movie, or going out to eat at a fun restaurant, Chandler has plenty of great entertainment options close to home. Much like the neighborhood styles, Chandler has done an outstanding job of offering extremely similar experiences to its populace as they would find in a more expensive part of Phoenix. Chandler has aesthetically pleasing shopping centers, a great downtown with fun nightlife, and plenty of smaller local establishments to support a non-generic, unique vibe.

You’ll never run out of fun restaurants to try, or places to shop; and as Chandler grows, these areas only get nicer and nicer. While the shopping centers and restaurants are all high-end in appearance, another great thing about this area is that you can truly find something fun to do on any budget. Again, Chandler is surprisingly affordable for everything it offers. Enjoying a night out or a weekend jaunt doesn’t have to break the bank.

Parks and green space

Chandler is family friendly, and that means there are plenty of areas to let the kiddos get out and stretch their legs! The entire town has done an exceptional job of utilizing available space for parks and aesthetic areas. Chandler offers a great deal of pavilions and shaded shelters for hosting events and gatherings, like parties or meet-ups. If you would like to reserve a shelter at a park near you, you can make reservations online to secure your time and space.

Even landfills are usable green space in Chandler! The Paseo Vista Landfill, for example, was converted into a park once it was decommissioned as a dump site. If you are looking for a bit more of a natural experience, there are great areas to hike and enjoy the outdoors nearby. Veterans Oasis Park is a popular area with accessible trails for all levels of hikers, bikers, and trail runners. South Mountain Park and Preserve and San Tan Mountain Regional Park and Preserve offer an even more “off grid” experience just on the outskirts of Chandler.

Costs to consider if you are moving to Chandler, AZ

HOA fees

Chandler is considered to be a particularly beautiful neighborhood, and that’s due in part to the HOA’s. Almost all the neighborhoods in Chandler have Home Owner’s Associations. Some people dislike HOA’s because they “tell you what to do” so to speak; with your own property, but more importantly, they have fees, and they usually aren’t cheap (sometimes all the way up to $300 a month!)

The fees you pay into an HOA go into the neighborhood and its maintenance, but some people really don’t want to be a part of a subdivision with an HOA. If you are one of them, you’ll find it difficult to find an area in Chandler without one. This doesn’t mean it’s absolutely impossible to find a neighborhood in Chandler without an HOA, but it will be very difficult, and competition will be steep.

Pools in Chandler

With an endless summer, and even winter days full of warm, desert sunshine, pools in Arizona are extremely common. If you have never had a pool before, it can really be a learning curve. You might not be familiar with how expensive they are not only to build, but regularly maintain.

Like any home amenity, pools range from big to small, heated or not, a large area to entertain or just a hole in the ground with water in it….the list goes on, but regardless, they are expensive. On the lowest end, if you are putting in the pool yourself, estimate about $25,000 to have it built and ready to operate. The good news is, a pool is an investment into your home that you not only enjoy, but can reap the added home value of if you ever decide to sell your home.

You might find a pool to actually be more affordable than you had originally estimated, but it’s still an expense to consider before moving to Chandler. It’s a great way to beat the heat during those long summer days, and once you have paid for it and its maintenance, using it costs no more than you’re already paying. After all, you don’t want to be the only one of your friends without a pool!

Summer electricity costs

Whether you are just moving to Arizona, or have been living there forever, you are likely aware of the extreme heat the Phoenix area experiences in the summer months. If you live in Chandler, you can expect your summer electricity costs to be high.  Even if you don’t keep your AC blasting all the time, it’s really hot in the summer. If you have one of those wonderful pools we mentioned, the pump and filter will spike the bill too.

Budgeting the electric bill is an important skill for any Phoenician, but the good news is that you won’t experience extreme temperatures all year long. During the winter months, you will likely still need to turn the heat on, as it gets surprisingly cold in the desert at night, but it will not be ten degrees outside. The winter electric bills help to offset the summer bills, yet it’s still wise to prepare yourself for some sticker shock when you open your bill in the summer.

Ready to live in Chandler Arizona?

Are you thinking of moving to Chandler, Arizona? If so, reach out to me at AZLiveStyles today! I would love to help you find your perfect home in the valley.