# Buying a house in Arizona **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353 "2021-02-07T00:47:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/41 "2021-02-08T21:41:40Z")
No worse here than anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/42 "2021-02-08T21:49:24Z")
Even if one avoids HOA in a city like Phoenix, city ordinances can have a similar effect, when I got my home I made sure that there were no HOA around; but neighbors can still pester you by calling the city and enforcing guidelines if you miss things like removing weeds on time or keeping an unmovable old car for a long time in a driveway (that last one was not true and I showed that that was not the case to the inspector, that car was going to be disposed soon anyhow and it was several years ago. Got a nice one now, but I must have an unreliable narrator for a neighbor.) So, check the city ordinances too. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/43 "2021-02-08T21:59:44Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > No worse here than anywhere else. I know! You can’t shoot guns in your back yard in most towns. I actually agree with that one. And you let that guard goose out without a leash and you just might miss out on my roast goose or foie gras dinner. And put that junk car up on blocks in the front yard. Don’t let The Man keep you down! ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/44 "2021-02-08T22:02:44Z")
My kids still reminisce about going out to feed the geese.You had to use a garbage can lid to keep from getting goosed. Dumb birds I am here with your food! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/45 "2021-02-08T22:50:57Z")
My parents lived north of Tucson near Oracle, but not in a development with an HOA. I liked the area as a visitor, and my parents were very happy there. Phoenix is a big “no” to me. It was just a concrete jungle. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/46 "2021-02-08T23:06:01Z")
> [@MrMrmrmr](#): > > Dumb birds I am here with your food! For some reason, I’m envisioning Napoleon Dynamite, trying to feed casserole to his family’s llama. “Tina, you fat lard, come get some DINNER!.. Tina, eat. Food. Eat the FOOD!” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/47 "2021-02-08T23:14:12Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > And put that junk car up on blocks in the front yard. Don’t let The Man keep you down! And there’s plenty of old refrigerators for the kids to play in. – Gilda Radner ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/48 "2021-02-08T23:15:16Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > No worse here than anywhere else. My understanding\* is that there simply aren’t many homes around that don’t have an association so they’re much more difficult to opt out of. Associations for single family homes are much less common here in Illinois and in Wisconsin where OP is. They exist but are easier to avoid within a given area. > [@GIGObuster](#): > > So, check the city ordinances too. Interestingly, amateur radio is protected against local restrictions at the Federal level. Towers and antennas must meet or exceed electrical and building codes but nothing more. HOA agreements are not included. \*Again, mostly gleaned from stories told by angry ham operators. Of course, the ones that are satisfied don’t have much reason to complain on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/49 "2021-02-08T23:19:44Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > …keeping an unmovable old car for a long time in a driveway (that last one was not true and I showed that that was not the case to the inspector… I’m imagining something like this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aWBzibfG1uk/maxresdefault.jpg "Flintstone Car Ticketed by Key West Police - Florida Police search for owners") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWBzibfG1uk) ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/50 "2021-02-08T23:46:09Z")
I bought a 1967 Camaro that was rotted as can be. I wanted the engine and turbo glide tranny. Parked it front of my first house (in the city). Wasn’t 24 hours in front of my house and the neighbors had the tires chalked. Moved to the farm after that. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/51 "2021-02-09T00:35:14Z")
> [@MrMrmrmr](#): > > the neighbors had the tires chalked Does that mean marking them to record whether it has moved? Isn’t that easily circumvented by pushing it a few feet? ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/52 "2021-02-09T00:52:51Z")
Yup and yup. ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/53 "2021-02-09T01:04:19Z")
Ha, thanks for the memories. Vote for Pedro. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/54 "2021-02-09T01:20:13Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I think Tuba City is too “big city”. I think Kayenta is a better fit. Still too big. My vote is for Many Farms. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/55 "2021-02-09T01:52:25Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I liked the area as a visitor, and my parents were very happy there. Phoenix is a big “no” to me. It was just a concrete jungle. On the one hand, Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the country. Of course there’s a lot of concrete. On the other hand, your statement is not true. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/56 "2021-02-09T02:01:28Z")
Phoenix is a huge pain to drive through. Every time you think you’re finally leaving it you come to another suburb. ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/57 "2021-02-09T02:05:15Z")
I did not like the razor wire on top of the chain link fences l saw in Phoenix. Seems like a place where people do not respect each other. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/58 "2021-02-09T02:09:27Z")
> [@MrMrmrmr](#): > > I did not like the razor wire on top of the chain link fences l saw in Phoenix. You mean [at the Capitol](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2020/06/10/arizona-protests-state-capitol-blocked-fences-razor-wire-protesters-dps/5333763002/)? Is that fence still up? ---
**Author:** ![MrMrmrmr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrmrmrmr/32/5828_2.png) [@MrMrmrmr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrMrmrmr)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/59 "2021-02-09T02:13:10Z")
No, it was at car shops, various businesses, block after block of razor wire on chain link fences, locked rolling gates, not a nice place. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353/60 "2021-02-09T02:17:10Z")
> [@MrMrmrmr](#): > > I did not like the razor wire on top of the chain link fences l saw in Phoenix. Where exactly were you? I’ve never seen residential razor wire. Sounds like going to Cabrini Green\* and saying “Man, Chicago sucks. Who could live here?” > [@MrMrmrmr](#): > > Seems like a place where people do not respect each other. That’s a completely overgeneralized and BS statement, but seriously, just do us a favor and don’t move here. We don’t need more people who hate it here and want to change it to make it more like the midwest. > [@MrMrmrmr](#): > > No, it was at car shops, various businesses, block after block of razor wire on chain link fences, locked rolling gates, not a nice place. They have razor wire on businesses throughout the country. Sheesh. \*yes I know it is gone [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-house-in-arizona/932353.md?page=4)