By Mike Bodeen · 19 September 2016
PHOENIX AND SCOTTSDALE IN THE NEWS
There was a very interesting article at Bankrate.com (check out the article here) that was referenced by the Arizona Republic in yesterday’s Sunday real estate section about Phoenix being the 2nd best city for homeowners. Portland, OR was numero uno.
In ranking cities from 1-10, with 10 being the best, Phoenix ranked an “8” in affordability, a “9” in property insurance, meaning far fewer insurance payouts due to insurance loss. It ranked 8.4 for property taxes (one of the country’s least expensive), 9.5 for home appreciation – we’ve doubled in the past 5 years. For foreclosures, a 9.5, the lowest since pre-bust 2006.
And what was the worst? We scored 5.3 in energy, no doubt due to our triple digit summer temps, but hey, look at the bright side – if we had 80 degree summer temps, the world would move here.
SCOTTSDALE IS THE 5TH BEST CITY TO RETIRE TO
Bankrate.com has also named Scottsdale as one of the top 5 cities to retire to. Phoenix and Mesa also scored well in their ratings. (check out that article here) Quoting the article: “You can’t beat Scottsdale, in the Phoenix suburbs, if you’re a retiree who loves America’s Southwestern desert. Seniors can enjoy hiking or taking a moonlit walk in 150-acre Pinnacle Peak Park, or a guided hike in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, which sprawls over 30,000 acres and almost 170 miles of trails.”
The winter weather was a plus for prospective retirees with low winter temps averaging 42 degrees and high winter temps averaging 65.
The article went on to mention that, “Residents feel good about life in Scottsdale, based on Gallup-Healthways data showing that they give high ratings to their health, sense of purpose and social lives.”