Tucson AZ Real Estate A Real Bargain
June 11, 2008
Post Tags: Harsh-Winters , Heating-Oil-Prices , Hurricanes , Tornados , Tucson Real Estate , Tucson-AZ-Real-Estate , Tucson-Sunsets
Opening the morning paper and listening to news on the radio this morning:
- I hear about high energy prices. The cost of home heating oil over $4 a gallon and some people loosing their homes because they got behind on payment buying heating oil to keep the house warm.
- I hear of people paying well over $4 a gallon for gas for their cars and trucks
- I hear of people about to be flooded out in Iowa and Minnesota just to mention a couple of places
- I hear of tornadoes destroying property and homes
Then I think about living here in Tucson. Yesterday is was somewhere between 104 and 106 degrees. As we love to say around here “But it is a dry heat”, it is.
It got me to thinking about what a bargain it is for me to live in Tucson, Arizona.
When talking about Tucson Real Estate I’m talking about more than just the price of a home. Tucson home prices have declined in recent months which is a good thing. The purchase price of a home is only one part of the “value” of a home. I know there are some homes in other states you can purchase for under $50,000. But to bring them up to code so you can occupy them will cost you another $200,000. These homes might appear to be a bargain but what will it cost you to live in the home and community?
The median home price in Tucson, AZ as of May was $201,000. This might seem high or it might seem low, it depends on where you are coming from. This alone might seem like a bargain.
Tucson and Energy Costs
Given the state of the economy these days, speaking specifically to the cost of energy. Tucson has a lot going for it.
We have the lowest gas prices in the country. Right now I can get a gallon for $3.75.
We heat our homes with natural gas or heat pumps. There might be some heating oil homes here; if there are they are few and far between.
We have a lot of solar heat here in the winter as well as the summer. We don’t have to spend much to heat our homes in the winter.
Most homes have 12 seer air conditioning units and the new requirement is 14 seer. We have a 12 seer, we cool 2500 sq. ft. of home and at night we cool it to 74 degrees. Our highest monthly bill has been $277. In winter to heat our home and water heater with natural gas has never been above $100. In the spring and fall it is usually around $20.
Most homes in Tucson do not require Flood Insurance. We are in a desert and learning to conserve the water resources we have is an ongoing effort. Water harvesting and gray water recovery systems for landscaping are increasing in Tucson all the time as former wetlanders are leaning how to live in the desert.
We Don’t Have
- We don’t have Tornadoes to destroy our homes
- We don’t have Hurricanes to flood and destroy our homes
- We don’t have Harsh Winters which will bankrupt us trying to heat our homes
- You don’t need snowsuits, boots, shoes or snow shovels.
- You don’t need high water pants, waders or boots.
- You don’t need a lawn mower, snow blower, or bug zapper.
We Do Have
- We do have a rich culture
- We do have fantastic mountain views
- We do have Lots of places to play golf, hike, bike, photograph and enjoy
- We do have the lowest fuel prices in the country
- You do need shorts, swimsuits, sunscreen, sandals, an appetite and golf clubs, if you want to play golf.
- You do need a bike, roller blades, hiking boots, a camera and be ready to have a lot of fun in the sun.
Tucson AZ Real Estate is a Bargain when you take all things into consideration. Oh, did I mention the incredible sunsets?
