February 9th, 2009 by Michael Oliver

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Buying a condo in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills makes sense for a number of reasons, if it’s your first home you can own a piece of the Foothills for a very reasonable price (condos start in the low to mid 100k’s). Tucson Foothills condo’s also make a lot of sense for the person who wants a well located and the “in demand” district the Catalina Foothills brings to the Tucson Valley. Furthermore upkeep in minimal, for both first time buyers (busy young professionals) and winter residents who only spend ½ the year in the Tucson region make buying a condo in The Catalina Foothills a natural and logical choice. Hopefully this post will serve as a buying guide for both segments of the Tucson condo market.

When buying a condo as most people realize you’re buying into more then just “your condo” you’re buying a portion of the entire development. Part of this development will include the location, amenities, lifestyle, curb appeal, essentially everything that development has going for it, but also you will be receiving everything it doesn’t have going for it as well. Was the condo development originally an apartment? If so that can lead to very basic floor plans and the minimums for construction standards. Remember apartments are built with only “cash-flow” in mind and items such as architectural innovation and improved efficiencies (through well constructed buildings) will not be present in most apartment conversions turned condos. Try to stay with condo developments in the foothills that were originally built to be sold as Condo’s not apartments. What else to pay attention to?

Pay attention to the condition of the property/ condo community, if the condo development is being maintained to its highest level you should be able to tell right away. Pay attention to how the units look and how the grounds are maintained. If you choose to buy in a condo development that either isn’t charging enough to cover good maintaince or isn’t being managed properly by the condo board your investment will be in jeopardy. It’s best to stick with condo developments in the foothills of Tucson that have flawlessly maintained common areas, and where all the units look crisp, and in great condition this will in most instances protect your investment. Keep in mind with a condo development in Tucson AZ its not just about whether or not “you” take good care of your unit and areas but whether the other owners and the overall condo board keeps things in proper condition and order. In general condo dues are pretty high in The Catalina Foothills (of Tucson Arizona) condo fees can run from $150/month to over $500/month make sure your getting what you pay for or don’t buy in that condo development/ neighborhood. Also don’t be afraid to pay a higher then average amount in condo dues if the development is being well maintained and managed. Believe me this is exactly what you as an owner want in a condo board all the upkeep/ management is not cheap or easy when carried out correctly.

How do you select the right unit? When buying (making a purchase) a Tucson Arizona (AZ) condo it’s important to buy the best located condo you can afford in the best condo development (neighborhood) that fit your needs and lifestyle requirements. When picking units try to buy a unit towards the back of the complex/ development. Towards the back is generally where you will see the least amount of traffic and congestion. Also go for the unit that offers the best views, people that buy condos generally do so because of the cost and in the Tucson Foothills views carry a lot of value with them. If you can obtain a condo that offers incredible views this will always make your unit “in-demand” regardless of many other deterrent factors. It is ok to buy for views with a condo and make other considerations assuming you’re able to make repairs/ fix-ups on the condo. After the overall development I would rate views as a second in terms of what will help protect your condo investment, this is very specific to The Catalina Foothills though. In Tucson’s ritzy Catalina Foothills views sell at a premium, lots of second home owners/ winter visitors buy winter property in The Foothills purely for the views the unit offers. As a first time condo buyer you may not value the “view” as much but don’t be ignorant to the fact that they matter immensely in this section of town. The better the views the more demand your unit will have when you decide to sell at a further date. Other things to keep in mind about buying a condo in Tucson AZ?

One last item for condo buyers to keep in mind when buying a condo in Tucson is that Tucson golf condo’s are always in high demand and in most cases if you’re a buyer who wants some security purchase a Tucson Golf Condo. Tucson Arizona is a golf wonderland world renown the local Golf Condos in Tucson Arizona (AZ) that are for sale always seem to attract a lot of attention and buyer activity. Buying a golf condo in a golf resort or a resort area condo will give you as the owner all the amenities of the resort/ golf club. (Separate cost of golf/resort membership typically not part of condo dues) Residents really like to own condo’s in resort communities and in Tucson this is no different, keep this in mind when making your condo purchase in the Tucson AZ area and more specifically the Tucson Foothills. (Catalina Foothills) If you keep these ideas in mnd should be able to maximize what you get for the money at the same time as protecting your condo investment.

If your looking for help to locate and help represent your interest when buying a Tucson condo feel free to contact us as we understand a lot of the complexities of Condo buying in the Tucson Arizona area.

Condo Developments/ Communities in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills. (Also known as North Tucson)

Skyline Springs Condos

Sunrise Springs

Reflections in the Catalina Condo Units

Twelve Hundred River Rd Condos

Veranda at Ventana Condominiums

Villas at Sabino Canyon Condominiums

Pinnacle Canyon Condos

Ventana Vista

Placita Escondida

Canyon View @ Ventana Condos

Reflections in the Catalina Condo Units

Tierra Catalina Condominiums

Greens at Ventana Canyon

Dakotah Hills Condominiums

River Park At The Foothills

Catalina Foothills Condos

The Villas at Hacienda Del Sol