Ultimate Guide for Commuting From Downtown to the East Valley

In the last month I have received three emails from buyers that went something like this:

I am going to be working in Downtown Phoenix.  We know we want to live in the East Valley but are wondering how much of a commute it will be to live in a decent sized home, in a great family neighborhood, with wonderful schools.  And what's the difference between all of those East Valley cities?

So, here you go kids.  Your Ultimate Guide for Downtown employees and the commute to their East Valley homes.

First off, we can't talk commute without mentioning Laveen.  It is maybe 20 minutes from downtown.  Five years ago it was all cotton fields.  Now it's all new housing.  It's a 20 minute commute to downtown and the prices are fairly reasonable.  The downside is that it is within a few miles of some nasty areas of town.  So, basically three kinds of people have moved there:  1.  investors who rent the homes, mostly to Section 8 housing, 2.  Professionals who are never home anyway but wanted to own a home close to downtown, and 3.  Families who needed a house, a short commute, and are hoping it develops into a great area.  Currently the schools aren't great but they are playing catch up to the huge population boom in the last five years.  By the time your kids were school age, it could be much different, or you could be ready for a new home anyway.  In the meantime, you enjoyed a short commute. 

Next is the East Valley, which includes Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Queen Creek.  I'll go through each. 

Tempe is a college town.  Which is a bummer because it's old and green and an incredibly short commute.  You might be able to find an old house or a really nice, big townhome in a median price range.  Luckily, one of the two school districts is really good plus there are wonderful charter schools.  The library is fabulous.  But the fact is that it's a college town filled to the brim with college kids.  The good news is that it's the nicest place for a solid investment, since you know the college will always be there. 

Mesa - Mesa is huge and ranges from really old to really new.  Some schools are fantastic, others are not.  Two places to look for families and in  your price range:  older northeast Mesa (mountain view school district) or far southeast, might-as-well-be-Queen Creek Mesa.  Two major benefits of Mesa:  lower taxes and few HOA's mean you get more house for your money, and if you are in the older Northeast section, you are along the 202 freeway.  This is major because:  the biggest slowdown in the commute is called "Broadway Curve" out of downtown.  If you take the 202 you miss it and that is huge in commuting time.  But there is no new construction out there that is affordable.  That is the only section of the East Valley that isn't South of the downtown and therefore has to take the Broadway curve.  Northeast Mesa enjoys a 20-30 minute commute.  It's also older so it's green with large mature trees.

Chandleris home to lots of technology, Intel, Amkor, other semiconductors.  It is also home to a ton, and I mean a ton, of golf courses.  Chandler ranges from not so great to way overpriced holy cow and everything in between.  Schools for the most part are great and crime for the most part is down.  There is only a little bit of new construction in Chandler.

Gilbert is a new city.  10 years ago it hardly existed and now it's huge.  And still growing, new mall, new freeway, the list goes on.  And it is Family Central.  Very little crime and wonderful schools.  Which of course lends itself to higher prices.  Many people feel it's worth it.  There is new construction in Gilbert but in a median price range, you're getting a very small yard.

Queen Creek is what many people are saying is the new Gilbert.  If you saw Gilbert 10 years ago, you would never have believed that acres and acres of fields are now thousands and thousands of houses.  And if you did know, what would you have done 10 years ago?  That's right, buy.  Well now Queen Creek is acres and acres of either farmland or desert and the developers have started.  But it still feels rural to everyone around here and so far there are no real freeways through there.  So some people are taking the gamble and some aren't.  Regardless, it's still the furthest from downtown.  Especially the Johnson Ranch area, that would be like 11/2 hours.  Lots of money in gas, lots of house.   

So, let's break it down.  If you are within two miles of the freeway, there's no real difference between Chandler and Gilbert.  My husband and I live in the heart of Gilbert, 3.5 miles from the freeway.  He works downtown.  He says during typical rush hour, which he tries hard to avoid, it is 15 minutes to the freeway and 30 minutes after that.  If there is an accident or multiple accidents, it can go higher.  When he travels during non rush hour, he can do the whole thing is 35 minutes.   

Most people in the East Valley have a 30-60 minute commute.  Many people with families are fine with a 45 minute commute to live in Gilbert, with the schools, etc.  But it is truly a balance of space, money, and commute. 

When you go to Queen Creek, you are looking at definitely an hour and probably more because of the lack of freeway.  However you get much more house for your money and possibly a great investment. 

Aack.  I almost forgot.  We can't talk about commuting in Phoenix without mentioning the infamous Light Rail.  It will go from downtown to Tempe, to the center of Mesa.  Another thing to think about.  Find more information here. 

You can go to www.ElenaThurston.com and click on Property Search and then Search the MLS system.  Then you can search each of these areas and get an idea what you're getting for your money.  Then you email me and we'll narrow your search down even further to the best family neighborhoods in your desired area.  How does that work for you?