Maricopa, Arizona Pros and Cons!

[@lisapcrafts]

I find your videos on Maricopa excellent. I would love to see a pros and cons for Casa Grande. Maybe a comparison video of the two.

[@LivingInMaricopa]

Hey Lisa! Thank you so much for saying so, that's really encouraging! Are you planning a move to Maricopa or Casa Grande soon? I had some videos planned for exactly that, probably a couple of months down the line. But ask and ye shall receive! I'll get to work on that and try to have the first about Casa Grande out in a week or two, and the comparison video after that. 😁

[@lisapcrafts]

I am in Canada. My husband applied for a job in the US so we are looking just in case he gets it.

[@lisapcrafts]

Also, is there a huge difference in air conditioning/heating bills for a 2 story compared to a bungalow?

[@lisapcrafts]

One more, is it really worth having solar panels

[@LivingInMaricopa]

Excellent questions, keep 'em coming! 😁 I may have to get a little long to feel like I'm answering sufficiently, so bear with me. 2-story compared to a bungalow, as in a (mostly) 1-story? A 2-story can be a little harder to cool, but it will greatly depend on a few other factors. A newer home, for example, will typically have better insulation and dual-pane windows, as well as fewer air leaks around windows and doors (90's and later tends to be best, and some of the newest can be really good). There have been some important improvements to cooling tech in recent years, so a newer AC unit is typically significantly more energy efficient and effective than an older one. And if a two-story home has two ACs, that can help as well, since you can cool one story of the home to the right temp without overcooling the other story. So all of those things can affect the difference between 1 and 2 story home. It's hard to get everything perfect right out of the gate unless you're buying a new or nearly new home; but the more you have the better off you'll be to keep summertime costs low. Depending on where you end up moving, you can ask the power company that serves it about the power use history at a specific address, and they can typically tell you at least the highest cost and the lowest cost for the previous 12-month period. As an example, I have a 2-story home, about 2,200 sq-ft, built in 2012, with one AC unit. Our summertime electric bill is about $300. Some people with a less desirable setup can get bills as high as $700, but some people stay around $150-$200. But then, my winter bill is closer to $80 (with gas heating which we don't use a ton). As for solar, do you mean adding solar to a home or getting a home with solar already on it? First, solar can either be financed/bought or leased. Personally, I wouldn't advise leasing solar, but if the home you love has solar leased I wouldn't let that stop you by itself. If you're buying a home that has solar, you'll be responsible for either taking over the loan or the lease, which means you'll have to qualify for those on top of the home loan (assuming you're financing the home). Typically, transferring those over to you can be a small pain, in part because solar companies aren't very responsive for that process. It is usually easier for a loan than a lease- and it's a piece of cake if the solar is owned outright. Those same things will come into play if and when you sell the home, so an extra layer of financing that your buyer will need to qualify for can complicate things a little bit. Another thing to be aware of.. When you have solar panels installed, they can help protect the roof. But if the roof needs to be repaired, that will often mean removing the solar panels and then reinstalling them. As a note, I've had a number of deals that have had solar, and we've had some speed bumps as a result.. but have been able to successfully close all of them. So don't let my warnings scare you too much. 😁 As for price advantages, they can definitely help significantly. In most cases, at current power rates, a good solar system will pay for itself in about 6-10 years (if purchasing). Interest rates aren't always great, so if you have the resources it may be better to purchase them outright if you're planning on being in the home for a long time. There are plenty of leasing options or "you pay nothing" options, but tend to be a bit higher-cost per month (which greatly reduces your savings), and you'll have to figure out if you'll have them removed (damaged roof?) at the end of the lease. Despite being the perfect environment for it, solar hasn't been embraced here (like it has in some other places) by politicians or power companies. That means we tend to have smaller subsidies (which means higher costs to you) and power companies that are less friendly to buying your extra power (usually excess only happens during the winter). With all of that said, even with the hassles, I still think solar is a good idea. Ultimately, it can save you a lot of money in the long term, especially if you couple it with a battery. I would just advise that you, again, purchase instead of lease.. As well as make sure to shop around for the right solar company. There can be big differences in prices and terms, and the ones with the biggest ads aren't always the best. There are even self-install options that can be significantly cheaper, if you're willing to take that on. With all of that said, good luck with the Arizona job, I hope he gets it! That would be a big change, but not an entirely uncommon one. If it would be helpful, I would love to hop on a Zoom with you to answer any more questions, help you find a great place locally, and/or set you up with an excellent local lender. 😁

[@bpack88]

I Love Maricopa!

[@LivingInMaricopa]

Me too, Mr Pack! What's your favorite thing here?

[@bpack88]

@@LivingInMaricopa The cost of living is where it is at!

[@liberato757]

Thanks for all your information!!,I got an offer to work there in the medical field ( Dr Office),actually I’m living in Florida,I like quiet style of life,but anyway as any person like go out for diversions,dinner,etc, amenities,what about the rent prices for a single family?, im not planning buy yet awaiting to have my own experience. Thanks,, regards

[@LivingInMaricopa]

Hey, happy I could offer useful information to you! 😁 Congratulations! I really hope you like it here as much as I do! Do you know how many bedrooms/bathrooms you'll need? *Here's a few possibilities that might give you an idea:* 2-3 bedrooms, average rent: $1,864 www.flexmls.com/share/AYIKt/Selected 4+ bedrooms, average rent: $2,168 www.flexmls.com/share/AYILI/Selected There's also this newer community of just rental homes. They're a little on the smaller side similar to some apartments, but look pretty nice. evrporterhomes.com/ I don't "typically" work rentals, but I would be happy to give you a hand with this if I can. Florida to Arizona is a big move, but I've helped families make that happen before.

[@liberato757]

Thank you very much!!

[@Mikeybdarealest]

I enjoy the city. I personally do a lot within Maricopa but if I am looking for more of a nightlife I simply drive 30 minutes up to Tempe or Chandler.

[@jinx174]

as someone who has lived in Copa their whole life...DO NOT MOVE HERE ITS NOT WORTH IT! 💀😂 other then that great informative video!

[@LivingInMaricopa]

🤣 Hey, I appreciate the perspective! It's good to hear all the sides. I've lived throughout the Phoenix area, small town Arizona and Utah, Kansas, and North Carolina, and technically Afghanistan a couple of times. In my experience, I think Maricopa looks pretty good. It's not the best in every way, but it has some great things going for it. But then, if you ever want to move out of Maricopa, let me know and I'll see how I can help out!

[@kirbyfaulkner7113]

It's the Akchin Harrah's Casino not Gila River

[@LivingInMaricopa]

That's a great point! Thank you so much for the correction, that was a slip of the tongue because I talk about them both a fair amount. 🤦‍♂ I'll see if I can add in a text correction to the video. Edit: Looks like KZbin doesn't allow a way, unfortunately. I'll make a note in the video notes at least, and be careful about that in the future. Thanks again for the correction!