By Request - Important Features of an Arizona Home

January 5, 2009

Request via email:

I would love to see a blog entry or entries on the theme of "here are some features you should look for in an Arizona home, and here’s why they’re important.". Maybe the opposite too, things to avoid? For example, is a pool good or bad? How important is a covered area near a patio? I’d just be very interested in hearing from a native and a realtor about the features they’d personally value in a home.

Speaking for Southern Arizona and Tucson - weather is an issue. It’s hot here. Most people would consider a covered patio essential, and covered parking is a plus. Think about the position of the house and windows and patio in relation to the sun. Will the patio be shaded morning or night? If it is on the Southern side, it may be mostly sunny, even under the cover, most of the day. We tend to live outdoors a lot - will there be shade to sit in?

Same thoughts go for windows. Is the sun going to be streaming into the rooms you’ll spend the most time in? If the windows are newer, good quality, then that’s not a huge deal but with an older home with poor insulation and old single pane glass windows, those rooms are going to be warmer than the rest of the house, and you’ll be turning down that A/C to stay comfortable.

And speaking of the A/C - you’re looking for appropriately sized units, with a decent SEER rating. Newly installed systems have to be 13 SEER or better now, but many older homes have far less efficient units, which can be more costly to run.

Pools - most people seem to love or hate them. There’s a few that don’t really care either way, but by and large, people either MUST have a pool, or absolutely hate them. Unless we’re talking luxury or vacation type housing, I could go either way on pools.

The advice also depends on the type of housing. If you’re looking for a large parcel, and want a fenced landscaped yard area, be aware you’ll probably get lots of critters into your fenced yard unless you’ve got a solid block wall around that yard. That may not be as much as a problem with a smaller lot in a well-developed area.

Tucson also has termites - the saying around here is you either have them or you’ll get them eventually. It’s important to understand what kind of conditions encourage termites, and fix those things quickly - wood to earth contact, water draining towards the foundation, plants close to the foundation, landscape rock piled too high at the foundation.

Other than those things, it’s mostly a style decision, and we have a wide variety of styles. Personally, I want light but not too much direct sun. I want a large shady patio. I want efficient A/C and covered parking and a sound structure that doesn’t encourage termites with a solid fenced yard.

Other Information That Might Be Helpful

Arizona Rooms and Tucson Homes (July 3, 2009)
An Arizona room can be a wide variety of things - it is sort of a catch-all term. Most often, an Arizona room started life as the original patio off the back of the house, usually covered, and then someone eventually closed it in. Sometimes, a new covered patio is added off the back of the Arizona room.
Should I Ask For the Home Warranty? (February 12, 2008)
There’s a little section in the real estate contract here in Tucson where a Buyer gets to decide if they want to ask for a home warranty or not, from which company, with what coverage, and who will pay for it.
A home warranty is different from your home owner’s insurance. Home owner’s insurance protects [...]
Finding the Right Home - Considering Trade-offs (January 15, 2008)
I’ve been working with a couple of first-time home buyers recently, and we’ve had lots of discussions about how to pick the right home.
One of the big considerations is the age of the home. In Tucson, older homes tend to be smaller and sit on bigger lots than a newer home for the same money. [...]
What’s an Arizona Room? (January 13, 2008)
Good question. An Arizona room can be many things.
Generally, an Arizona room is a room off the back of a house that is either open to the outdoors, or has a lot of windows and light, usually with access to the backyard. Many times, Arizona rooms are patios that have been enclosed. Some are screened [...]
FHA, Termites, and Dry Rot, Oh My! (March 21, 2008)
Good news is that FHA limits were raised for Tucson, and that sort of loan only needs 3% down, which means it is becoming more popular among local home buyers.
Bad news is that FHA has more strict requirements than conventional financing for the condition of the home.
For example: we have Termites in Tucson. I’d say [...]