Touring Homes in Arizona? What Buyers From Back Home Miss

Not to be dramatic, but touring homes in Arizona is a different sport than touring homes in Ohio or Oregon.

When my Midwest and Pacific Northwest clients start touring here, they look for the basement, the furnace and the mudroom. Most houses here don't have any of that. What they do have are a few things buyers from back home don't think to check, so I point them out on every tour.

Which way the backyard faces

A west-facing backyard gets the full afternoon sun, and that changes how much you'll use the patio in July. A north- or east-facing yard usually stays more usable on summer evenings. Some people love a west-facing yard for winter sunsets, and that's a fair choice. Just know what you're choosing.

The roof, and what's under the tile

Tile roofs are everywhere here, and the tile itself can last a very long time. The underlayment beneath it usually doesn't, and that's the part that gets expensive. On an older home, I want to know when the underlayment was last replaced, not just how the tile looks.

Solar: owned or leased

This is a big one. Owned solar can be a real perk. Leased solar usually transfers to you, payment and paperwork included, and it can affect your loan. We read the solar agreement before you fall in love with the kitchen.

The AC

In Arizona, air conditioning isn't a comfort feature. It's a system you depend on for about five months of the year. I want to know the age, the size for the house and when it was last serviced, and I want your inspector looking at it closely.

Hard water

Those white spots on the faucets are normal here. They don't mean the house was neglected. I'll show you whether there's a softener loop in the garage, which makes adding a water softener easier.

The garage

There's no basement, so the garage is your storage. It also gets hot, really hot. Candles, paint, wine and anything that melts will need a new home inside.

And yes, scorpions

We talk about them, calmly. Ask whether the home has had regular pest control, and know that it's a normal part of desert living, not a reason to walk away from a house you love.

None of this is a dealbreaker

These are just the things that are easy to miss when you're used to buying somewhere with snow on the ground half the year. Knowing them up front means you can compare homes with clear eyes.

If you're still deciding where in the East Valley to look, start with my Gilbert vs Queen Creek comparison or my take on new construction vs resale. And if you're moving here from somewhere green or somewhere cold, call or text me at (602) 359-4749. I'll send you my East Valley guide: suburbs, restaurants, schools, all of it.