Small Yards - Any Transplants Missing Larger Yards (Phoenix, Mesa: cul-de-sac, fit in)

[cyberbehms]

I LOVE Arizona - the weather, good road conditions, mountains, desert, authentic Mexican food, and SOOOO much more!!! We absolutely LOVE to visit and cannot wait to move there someday. We currently have family in Chandler and El Mirage. The ONLY thing that turns me off (and I repeat "ONLY") is the size of the backyards. Our current lot size is 100' x 175' and our current development has so much space and privacy (but the added benefit of still having neighbors so you can borrow a missing ingredient from a neighbor, or have a neighbor pick up your paper or mail while you are on vacation).

My question to the newly relocated residents (who have moved from areas where yards were much larger), how are you dealing with it? Do you desperately miss your larger yard?

Do you hear a lot from inside your neighbors houses (radios, conversations, arguments, etc.)? Do you feel that you have to keep your windows closed (at least on the sides)?

Some of the houses we have looked at are located on lots that are SO small that you could shake hands with your neighbor out the window.

Just curious how small lots are dealt with out there. Thanks in advance for your replies

[AZJoeD]

Move to a home that has a larger yard or one that has open space around it. Problem solved.

[cyberbehms]

Originally Posted by AZJoeD

Move to a home that has a larger yard or one that has open space around it. Problem solved.

Larger yard?? Easier said than done Joe Just by looking on any close up map, it is house on top of house in most of suburbia Phoenix.

I always appreciate your replies and insight on things, but truthfully, can you tell me of good neighborhoods that have decent size lots that the average person can afford? As a realtor, you would be the one to ask. Would love to hear about some of these neighborhoods around Chandler specifically.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by AZJoeD

Move to a home that has a larger yard or one that has open space around it. Problem solved.

Gotta agree on this one. Look to houses that were built before 2005. Look for communities that have ranches, not just two story homes. Look to areas like Far East Mesa, and many sections of Chandler that were built between 1970-2005.

[pbenjamin]

NE Phoenix had a lot of R1-14 zoning, which resulted in lots that were approximately 1/3 acre. Look for homes built before the mid-80s when most of remaining parcels were rezoned for smaller lots. You can also find some 1 acre horse properties in that area.

[timtemtym]

Why are the lots smaller (other than the obvious of putting more houses for more profit)? Is it because of proximity to California where small yards are a necessity because of land value? I think Phoenix land is probably similar in value to Houston and Dallas where average lots are much larger and other than mountains that Phoenix spreads around, there doesn't seem to be much limit to growth like in LA.

[Ponderosa]

80x110 was the standard tract home lot here up until the early 90s. Then they shrunk to 65-60 wide and now some are only 45x100. In the 80x110 lots you can always look for "premium" lots on cul-de-sacs and corners and adjacent to open space that are bigger. I have a 16K plus lot in a subdivision where the standard lot is half that size. You can occasionally find a cul-de-sac lot of pretty decent size even in the new subdivisions.

If you have the money, you can find plenty of homes on larger lots outside the tract home developments. They are probably going to start in the mid $300s and rise quickly from there, though.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by cyberbehms

Larger yard?? Easier said than done Joe Just by looking on any close up map, it is house on top of house in most of suburbia Phoenix.

I always appreciate your replies and insight on things, but truthfully, can you tell me of good neighborhoods that have decent size lots that the average person can afford? As a realtor, you would be the one to ask. Would love to hear about some of these neighborhoods around Chandler specifically.

Chandler is popular, lots of people want sprawling,updated, energy-efficient homes on huge lots that are "affordable".. what can you do differently than those other buyers? - you can't honestly blame the realtor because he doesn't have a magic wand. Bring more money, take an older house in rougher shape, or move further out. Or just wait for that "once in a decade" deal & hope you can beat all of the specuvestors to it.

[AZJoeD]

Originally Posted by AZJoeD

Move to a home that has a larger yard or one that has open space around it. Problem solved.

I realize that many new homes have smaller yards because the builders are trying to maximize profits. Depending on your budget there are options. Of course if you can afford it the higher priced homes may offer you larger yards and as others have said lot sizes have been shrinking so an older home may offer you more choices for a larger yard.

But another factor can be the design of the development. Many developments place all there homes back to back in neat little rows and leave open space for the common areas. Something you have no doubt experienced. But there are builders who design their plats so that homes do not back to back (you know those damned places that you drive around and get lost in all the time) or have open space behind or on the sides of houses to give the illusion of more space, even if the lots are not any bigger.

My first suggestion if you are doing MLS searches is to search using lot size as a parameter. Or view the maps to see where the house is in relation to other homes. You could also use keywords like "NAOS" "open space", "corner lot", etc.

I do not know your criteria for a home, but I will DM you a couple of examples.

[sandy6879]

I just said virtually the same thing to my husband today. There is the benefit in that there is less to maintain but I REALLY miss having more space in between houses. Front, back, sides, all of it. Next house we get (if it's in AZ) will be one that either backs to a common area or outside an HOA.