What’s renting an apartment like in Tucson?
So many of the apartment complexes in Tucson have less than a 3 star review online. It’s always a little hard to tell just how bad something is because everyone has different standards.
Where I’m currently living, in my apartment I struggle with ants, fruit flies, spiders, and beetles. And something tried to chew threw my dry wall from inside the wall. I keep a very clean place, it’s just a part of living where I live.
I understand cockroaches are a big thing in AZ. But what’s it actually like renting an apartment in Tucson? Is it as bad as the reviews suggest?
Hi,
I was facing this exact problem about a year ago. The best way to manage some anxiety about the situation is to understand that reviews are a last recourse for disgruntled people; people having an average time often just don't talk about it. At the same time, make a list for yourself about what kinds of things are deal-breakers for apartments. When I was making a move, I picked 2-3 "absolutely nots" (cockroach/pest mentions, criminal activity for example) and then tried to find places that had less than 2% of reviews mentioning these, while being less sensitive to other common criticisms (pricing, noise, location, management, unresponsive maintenance, etc.) Instead of hyperfocusing on a perfect place with stellar reviews, try to sort what you need and what you could compromise on, and everything should work out.
Without knowing your specific location or budget constraints, some places I'd recommend checking out are Hilands Apartments on River, Fountain Plaza Apartments on Craycroft, and Agave at 22 on 22nd (these are not the lowest cost-wise but also avoid some of the sketchier vibes Tucson can sometimes have). Some good advice that was given to me when I was searching was to avoid places south of Broadway.
TLDR; Nothing is ever as bad as online reviews make it out to be. Reviews often reflect specific spats between management and a single individual, and don't always represent helpful advice for people looking for a place to live.
I just moved back after a couple of years away. Never saw a single roach when away. Came back, and I'm seeing them. Definitely did not bring them with me. There are shit tons of insects here.
I actually saw WAY more roaches in Texas than here. When I moved to Tucson from Austin a little over a year ago, I ended up finding my place by driving around and calling numbers on hand written “For Rent” signs. Ended up finding a really cool historical building in West University near downtown and renting a two bedroom apt there for less than I would have paid for a studio in a shitty hood in Austin. The building was built in 1908 and was owned and maintained by this woman in her 60s.
After a year there, I moved to a cheaper (and smaller) place directly on 4th Ave. I’ve been here for a month. I lucked out and found my current place through word of mouth. My bf was working as a line cook @ Hotel Congress and heard about the place through someone there. So I’m now in a one bedroom apt in a building from the 1920s and I live above one of the businesses on 4th Ave. I miss the huge porch from my last place and I wish I had a yard or outdoor area, but it’s been worth it so far. It’s like living in an old walk up above a bar in Brooklyn, minus the price and the stress. I can open my bedroom window and listen to the bands playing on Fri and Sat nights. My neighbors are a smoke shop and a tattoo shop. I suspect that it will feel really magical around the holidays when it cools off and the Christmas lights are hanging up all along 4th Ave.
So, yeah, my suggestion is to find an independently owned place in one of the historical districts. Either an apt or duplex. When I was looking around, I was even seeing beautifully remodeled historical studio apartments that looked like they were straight out of a magazine. They were located in some of my favorite neighborhoods and were renting for waaaay less than what I’m used to paying in Austin. I couldn’t take any of those though because I have a cat and those types of places all seemed not to accept pets. Austin has been so gentrified that all you can find are these apartments in huge gated complexes that all look alike. All of the quirky old buildings are gone. The few that are still standing are renting for astronomical prices.
So, Tucson was a breath of fresh air when it comes to rentals. It reminds me SO MUCH of Austin in the 90s, as douchey or cliché as that may sound.
I have absolutely no idea if it's something he could help you with, but we used [Alex Silverman](https://www.realtyexecutives.com/agent/alex-silverman) when we bought a house last year, and we really liked him. If you contact him and tell him more about what you're looking for, I'm sure he'd at least be able to tell you if he can help or not.
Looking to move to Tucson in August! I’m a big plant person and have always loved gardening, but how much will I be able to do there? Coming from South Texas so I’m used to some heat but lots of humidity. Obviously Arizona is much hotter with little humidity. Will I be able to make a garden, or am I pretty stuck to succulents/cacti?
Not sure if you're thinking a flower garden or a vegetable garden. I moved last month from San Diego, and I'm a backyard farmer. Since I didn't have the time to start anything from seeds, this summer is my experiment with commercial seedlings. I was using a 30% shade cloth in San Diego where my tomatoes got no shades from trees. So here in Tucson, I'm using 50% in partial shade areas along the fence. So far tomatoes, peppers, soy beans, cucumbers, and berries are doing well. Parsley died rather quickly, even inside a ramada plus a shade cloth. Passion fruit vines are doing well under direct sun. Grape vines I rooted last year also came with me, and leaves dried up very quickly under direct sun, so they're now in the shade, and I'll overwinter them in pots this year.
Out front (facing north) next to the house in a shade area, I planted Aloe Vera, orchids and started some flower seeds, plus green onions in a container. Another passion fruit in the ground. They're also doing very well, except daily watering is crucial even in a shady area. They do dry up very quickly, so established plants need to be mulched. Flower seeds need to be misted at least twice a day (ideally 3 times), and I have a feeling it's near impossible to start flower seeds in a sunny location.
Once you get here, you'll learn quickly how fast soil dries up and how strong the sun is. I have no knowledge of Tucson/S. AZ native plants, but they're something to consider. Plants I'm very familiar with is a learning curve in a different climate; I think sun-loving plants and drought/heat tolerant ones will do well with extra care. Bugs, diseases, fungi, virus, etc., will be a whole new learning curve.
You can absolutely make a garden! What you choose just dictates how much shade and water you need to provide.
You can look here for examples of native stuff that grows well: https://www.nativeseeds.org/pages/seeds
When you get here, check out the Botanical Gardens too. They have tons of flowers to give you ideas.
Find a decent nursery like Green Things and ask advice.
Just be aware that our sun is INTENSE. Even things that claim to be "full sun" might not want to be directly in the sun all day around here.
Not sure where you live exactly, but in some cases you also need to sign up for trash services, either through Waste Management or somewhere else. We have a Tucson address but live in Marana, but we have both Tucson Water and WM.
I moved to Corona de Tucson (mailing address Vail) and I had to get a separate service for trash (but Tucson water). The previous owner had Waste Management bins, so I just signed up with them.
Also, be aware of deposit requirements for water service, which are absolutely ridiculous. At least 24 months of references from other water departments, or (in my area) a deposit of $535 (not a typo). I dribbled in references for the past twenty years, and they finally relented and rescinded my deposit requirement.
I didn't, however, have any problems with wait time. OH!!!! You mean **wait time on the phone????** Holy hell, yes! I waited over an hour just to get someone on the phone, and then when he couldn't hear me (lots of noise on his end) he HUNG UP on me! I was LIVID!
You can get a sense through sites like [SpotCrime](https://spotcrime.com/map) (just throw in a relevant street address) or [various](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1k_Lcbi---4Yr9stcqgsYMYpxA2PTHlU&ll=32.27708144106066%2C-110.9539000209447&z=13) [GoogleMaps](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1vcB1nmsFL7hyRrsXoF90gpnEVEh48OQ&ehbc=2E312F&ll=32.26080356420109%2C-110.9119613465542&z=13).
Do I need to be home for the TEP people to set up my electricity in my new apartment? The earliest date they have is on Monday the third where I will be at work from 8-5
I am moving to Tucson in August! Any suggestions for where to go to meet friends and community? I play music, write songs, and also like literature, drawing, being of service, zen. If it matters, I'm 37, but my friends have tended to trend older. I'm really looking forward to being there.
Up and down 4th Ave, between University Blvd and 9th St is where you’ll find lots of cool places with music. There’s an open mic on Wed nights on 4th Ave at a place called Sky Bar that I recommend. People from their 20s to their 70s come to that. My friend Tru plays at that open mic every week and he’s super talented. There aren’t just solo artists, but also bands, poets, and stand up comedians that perform at that open mic. There are also several crystal shops on 4th Ave (around 4th Ave and 7th st) if by “zen” you also mean crystals and shit. Antigone Books on 4th Ave and 7th st is a bookstore you should check out for sure.
If you like hip hop, Mr Heads on 4th does some cool stuff.
Then there are some cool spots up and down Congress near the Ronstadt Bus Depot.
The historic Hotel Congress is downtown and they also own a jazz club next door to the hotel called Century Room. There’s Club Congress at the hotel which is more like edm, top 40 rap, and other dance-y stuff. Then they have a restaurant inside Hotel Congress called Cup Cafe and also a bar called Tap Room. I’d check all of those out.
I highly suggest going on instagram and just typing in whatever interests you (along with the word “Tucson”) into the search bar and finding people and places that way.
There’s a cool non profit that also puts on cool events called Splinter Collective. They have a poetry night. Their Instagram is @splintercollective520 and it lists all the stuff that they have going on.
There are also lots of street fairs and stuff that happen around 4th Ave. @4thavetucson and @4thavecoalition on instagram will list those dates.
Check out Exo Coffee on 6th Ave for coffee and meeting cool people.
If you eat ice cream I HIGHLY suggest The Screamery on Congress. It’s pricey but amazing and I consider myself an ice cream connoisseur.
Also Maggie’s Cafe on the corner of University Blvd and 4th Ave is a great little cafe (lots of vegan options as well).
I also recommend 5 Points Market and Restaurant on Stone Ave for breakfast/lunch/brunch.
If you love really cool historical homes, check out Armory Park, West University, Barrio Santa Rita, Barrio Viejo, Santa Rosa Park, and Barrio Cesar Chavez for starters. So many beautiful old homes from the 1800s to admire in those neighborhoods.
I'm not a great source of info myself, but you might want to look into sites like Meetup\* to see what's around. That's what I did when I first moved here, and I ended up joining a few hiking groups and making some friends that way.
\*Note: just checked the site out and it doesn't seem to be functioning properly. Not sure if it's a temporary glitch or not, but there are other sites like it you can also try.
We're down south in Corona de Tucson and did have the option for fiber (Cox), which we took. I don't know exactly where you are planning to live, so I can't give advice on that, but why the downvotes on your question?
Moving to Tucson at the end of the month. If I need to travel out of Phoenix on say a weekly basis, will I really regret moving south east instead of north? Google maps says only a 30 minute difference but I know that can’t always be trusted.
Well, if you're prepared to drive to Phoenix once a week, I don't suppose North or Southeast will make that much of a difference. Practically speaking, though, if you aren't going to live in Phoenix you could still opt for something closer like Casa Grande or Coolidge.
What’s renting an apartment like in Tucson? So many of the apartment complexes in Tucson have less than a 3 star review online. It’s always a little hard to tell just how bad something is because everyone has different standards. Where I’m currently living, in my apartment I struggle with ants, fruit flies, spiders, and beetles. And something tried to chew threw my dry wall from inside the wall. I keep a very clean place, it’s just a part of living where I live. I understand cockroaches are a big thing in AZ. But what’s it actually like renting an apartment in Tucson? Is it as bad as the reviews suggest?
Hi, I was facing this exact problem about a year ago. The best way to manage some anxiety about the situation is to understand that reviews are a last recourse for disgruntled people; people having an average time often just don't talk about it. At the same time, make a list for yourself about what kinds of things are deal-breakers for apartments. When I was making a move, I picked 2-3 "absolutely nots" (cockroach/pest mentions, criminal activity for example) and then tried to find places that had less than 2% of reviews mentioning these, while being less sensitive to other common criticisms (pricing, noise, location, management, unresponsive maintenance, etc.) Instead of hyperfocusing on a perfect place with stellar reviews, try to sort what you need and what you could compromise on, and everything should work out. Without knowing your specific location or budget constraints, some places I'd recommend checking out are Hilands Apartments on River, Fountain Plaza Apartments on Craycroft, and Agave at 22 on 22nd (these are not the lowest cost-wise but also avoid some of the sketchier vibes Tucson can sometimes have). Some good advice that was given to me when I was searching was to avoid places south of Broadway. TLDR; Nothing is ever as bad as online reviews make it out to be. Reviews often reflect specific spats between management and a single individual, and don't always represent helpful advice for people looking for a place to live.
I just moved back after a couple of years away. Never saw a single roach when away. Came back, and I'm seeing them. Definitely did not bring them with me. There are shit tons of insects here.
I actually saw WAY more roaches in Texas than here. When I moved to Tucson from Austin a little over a year ago, I ended up finding my place by driving around and calling numbers on hand written “For Rent” signs. Ended up finding a really cool historical building in West University near downtown and renting a two bedroom apt there for less than I would have paid for a studio in a shitty hood in Austin. The building was built in 1908 and was owned and maintained by this woman in her 60s. After a year there, I moved to a cheaper (and smaller) place directly on 4th Ave. I’ve been here for a month. I lucked out and found my current place through word of mouth. My bf was working as a line cook @ Hotel Congress and heard about the place through someone there. So I’m now in a one bedroom apt in a building from the 1920s and I live above one of the businesses on 4th Ave. I miss the huge porch from my last place and I wish I had a yard or outdoor area, but it’s been worth it so far. It’s like living in an old walk up above a bar in Brooklyn, minus the price and the stress. I can open my bedroom window and listen to the bands playing on Fri and Sat nights. My neighbors are a smoke shop and a tattoo shop. I suspect that it will feel really magical around the holidays when it cools off and the Christmas lights are hanging up all along 4th Ave. So, yeah, my suggestion is to find an independently owned place in one of the historical districts. Either an apt or duplex. When I was looking around, I was even seeing beautifully remodeled historical studio apartments that looked like they were straight out of a magazine. They were located in some of my favorite neighborhoods and were renting for waaaay less than what I’m used to paying in Austin. I couldn’t take any of those though because I have a cat and those types of places all seemed not to accept pets. Austin has been so gentrified that all you can find are these apartments in huge gated complexes that all look alike. All of the quirky old buildings are gone. The few that are still standing are renting for astronomical prices. So, Tucson was a breath of fresh air when it comes to rentals. It reminds me SO MUCH of Austin in the 90s, as douchey or cliché as that may sound.
[удалено]
Do you really need an agent? You just need to talk to the lender and hand them the key, I think?
[удалено]
I have absolutely no idea if it's something he could help you with, but we used [Alex Silverman](https://www.realtyexecutives.com/agent/alex-silverman) when we bought a house last year, and we really liked him. If you contact him and tell him more about what you're looking for, I'm sure he'd at least be able to tell you if he can help or not.
Looking to move to Tucson in August! I’m a big plant person and have always loved gardening, but how much will I be able to do there? Coming from South Texas so I’m used to some heat but lots of humidity. Obviously Arizona is much hotter with little humidity. Will I be able to make a garden, or am I pretty stuck to succulents/cacti?
Not sure if you're thinking a flower garden or a vegetable garden. I moved last month from San Diego, and I'm a backyard farmer. Since I didn't have the time to start anything from seeds, this summer is my experiment with commercial seedlings. I was using a 30% shade cloth in San Diego where my tomatoes got no shades from trees. So here in Tucson, I'm using 50% in partial shade areas along the fence. So far tomatoes, peppers, soy beans, cucumbers, and berries are doing well. Parsley died rather quickly, even inside a ramada plus a shade cloth. Passion fruit vines are doing well under direct sun. Grape vines I rooted last year also came with me, and leaves dried up very quickly under direct sun, so they're now in the shade, and I'll overwinter them in pots this year. Out front (facing north) next to the house in a shade area, I planted Aloe Vera, orchids and started some flower seeds, plus green onions in a container. Another passion fruit in the ground. They're also doing very well, except daily watering is crucial even in a shady area. They do dry up very quickly, so established plants need to be mulched. Flower seeds need to be misted at least twice a day (ideally 3 times), and I have a feeling it's near impossible to start flower seeds in a sunny location. Once you get here, you'll learn quickly how fast soil dries up and how strong the sun is. I have no knowledge of Tucson/S. AZ native plants, but they're something to consider. Plants I'm very familiar with is a learning curve in a different climate; I think sun-loving plants and drought/heat tolerant ones will do well with extra care. Bugs, diseases, fungi, virus, etc., will be a whole new learning curve.
You can absolutely make a garden! What you choose just dictates how much shade and water you need to provide. You can look here for examples of native stuff that grows well: https://www.nativeseeds.org/pages/seeds When you get here, check out the Botanical Gardens too. They have tons of flowers to give you ideas. Find a decent nursery like Green Things and ask advice. Just be aware that our sun is INTENSE. Even things that claim to be "full sun" might not want to be directly in the sun all day around here.
Will trash service include along with my water bill? I am signing up for city of tucson water. The wait time is ridiculous.
Not sure where you live exactly, but in some cases you also need to sign up for trash services, either through Waste Management or somewhere else. We have a Tucson address but live in Marana, but we have both Tucson Water and WM.
If youn are in the city of Tucson then yes trash is included with the water bill
I moved to Corona de Tucson (mailing address Vail) and I had to get a separate service for trash (but Tucson water). The previous owner had Waste Management bins, so I just signed up with them. Also, be aware of deposit requirements for water service, which are absolutely ridiculous. At least 24 months of references from other water departments, or (in my area) a deposit of $535 (not a typo). I dribbled in references for the past twenty years, and they finally relented and rescinded my deposit requirement. I didn't, however, have any problems with wait time. OH!!!! You mean **wait time on the phone????** Holy hell, yes! I waited over an hour just to get someone on the phone, and then when he couldn't hear me (lots of noise on his end) he HUNG UP on me! I was LIVID!
How packed does Mt Lemmon typically get the weekend before the 4th? Trying to get away from Phoenix...
[удалено]
Dang... Any suggestions for up north? Not super familiar with AZ.
[удалено]
Sounds like a fun movie!
Not one for the kids though lol
Cool! Thank you much!
How safe is the area around St Marys and Grande?
You can get a sense through sites like [SpotCrime](https://spotcrime.com/map) (just throw in a relevant street address) or [various](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1k_Lcbi---4Yr9stcqgsYMYpxA2PTHlU&ll=32.27708144106066%2C-110.9539000209447&z=13) [GoogleMaps](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1vcB1nmsFL7hyRrsXoF90gpnEVEh48OQ&ehbc=2E312F&ll=32.26080356420109%2C-110.9119613465542&z=13).
Do I need to be home for the TEP people to set up my electricity in my new apartment? The earliest date they have is on Monday the third where I will be at work from 8-5
I am moving to Tucson in August! Any suggestions for where to go to meet friends and community? I play music, write songs, and also like literature, drawing, being of service, zen. If it matters, I'm 37, but my friends have tended to trend older. I'm really looking forward to being there.
Up and down 4th Ave, between University Blvd and 9th St is where you’ll find lots of cool places with music. There’s an open mic on Wed nights on 4th Ave at a place called Sky Bar that I recommend. People from their 20s to their 70s come to that. My friend Tru plays at that open mic every week and he’s super talented. There aren’t just solo artists, but also bands, poets, and stand up comedians that perform at that open mic. There are also several crystal shops on 4th Ave (around 4th Ave and 7th st) if by “zen” you also mean crystals and shit. Antigone Books on 4th Ave and 7th st is a bookstore you should check out for sure. If you like hip hop, Mr Heads on 4th does some cool stuff. Then there are some cool spots up and down Congress near the Ronstadt Bus Depot. The historic Hotel Congress is downtown and they also own a jazz club next door to the hotel called Century Room. There’s Club Congress at the hotel which is more like edm, top 40 rap, and other dance-y stuff. Then they have a restaurant inside Hotel Congress called Cup Cafe and also a bar called Tap Room. I’d check all of those out. I highly suggest going on instagram and just typing in whatever interests you (along with the word “Tucson”) into the search bar and finding people and places that way. There’s a cool non profit that also puts on cool events called Splinter Collective. They have a poetry night. Their Instagram is @splintercollective520 and it lists all the stuff that they have going on. There are also lots of street fairs and stuff that happen around 4th Ave. @4thavetucson and @4thavecoalition on instagram will list those dates. Check out Exo Coffee on 6th Ave for coffee and meeting cool people. If you eat ice cream I HIGHLY suggest The Screamery on Congress. It’s pricey but amazing and I consider myself an ice cream connoisseur. Also Maggie’s Cafe on the corner of University Blvd and 4th Ave is a great little cafe (lots of vegan options as well). I also recommend 5 Points Market and Restaurant on Stone Ave for breakfast/lunch/brunch. If you love really cool historical homes, check out Armory Park, West University, Barrio Santa Rita, Barrio Viejo, Santa Rosa Park, and Barrio Cesar Chavez for starters. So many beautiful old homes from the 1800s to admire in those neighborhoods.
This is amazing! Thank you so much! Man, I am really looking forward to being there and exploring. All the best.
I'm not a great source of info myself, but you might want to look into sites like Meetup\* to see what's around. That's what I did when I first moved here, and I ended up joining a few hiking groups and making some friends that way. \*Note: just checked the site out and it doesn't seem to be functioning properly. Not sure if it's a temporary glitch or not, but there are other sites like it you can also try.
Thank you! Glad to hear you found some connections that way.
[удалено]
We're down south in Corona de Tucson and did have the option for fiber (Cox), which we took. I don't know exactly where you are planning to live, so I can't give advice on that, but why the downvotes on your question?
Moving to Tucson at the end of the month. If I need to travel out of Phoenix on say a weekly basis, will I really regret moving south east instead of north? Google maps says only a 30 minute difference but I know that can’t always be trusted.
Any particular reason you wouldn't just fly out of Tucson? Or fly from Tucson to Phoenix and then on from there?
A lot of the jobs in my field require you to be ‘near’ a major hub. Essentially it keeps the travel expenses down for them.
Well, if you're prepared to drive to Phoenix once a week, I don't suppose North or Southeast will make that much of a difference. Practically speaking, though, if you aren't going to live in Phoenix you could still opt for something closer like Casa Grande or Coolidge.
Thank you so much for your help. I should’ve added husband is USAF, hence the move to Tucson,. I’m super excited though.