<[1] Are most homes in Arizona| Arizona | (air-i'-ZON-u') | The State of Arizona comprises the extreme south-western portion of the United States. It is bounded on the north by Utah, on the east by New Mexico, on the south by Mexico, and on the west by California and Nevada. |
stick-built (wood frame) or block construction?>
It
depends on the age of the home. Most that are built pre-1975 are going
to be block, and others would likely be stick. The newer homes in general
are built with less quality than the older, not just in the framing. Demand
is so high for houses in Arizona| Arizona | (air-i'-ZON-u') | The State of Arizona comprises the extreme south-western portion of the United States. It is bounded on the north by Utah, on the east by New Mexico, on the south by Mexico, and on the west by California and Nevada. |
that the builders are doing everything they can
do to put out houses as quickly as possible. Such increases in production
often result in decreases in quality.
I'm looking to move to
a larger house now, and am looking for something that is made in the 60s
or 70s, because I like the quality (and charm) of the older homes.
<[2]
I imagine the homes there are usually on a slab foundation. Is this correct?>
Yes,
that's usually the case. However, if you find something that is pre-1950
it may have a wooden floor.
<[3] I don't recall seeing any
homes with basements, so basements are probably very rare unless the home
is built into a hill. Is this correct?>
Very few houses have
basements here.
<but roughly how much does it cost
per month to maintain a backyard lawn?>
Water conservation
is usually more of a feel-good help the environment issue, and not really
a cost issue. Watering costs can vary depending on your method (sprinklers,
drip system, etc), and the time of year (summer, winter). But really,
keeping grass watered probably doesn't cost more than about $10/month in
water.
The issue that most people have with grass in their yards
is the maintenance.. having to mow and trim every week to keep it looking
nice, whereas desert-like landscaping is virtually zero maintenance.
<[5]
How often do homes have double-glazed windows? Since everyone probably
runs air conditioning all the time like they do here in Tampa, I imagine
it would help a bit with
insulation and energy efficiency.>
It
does help a lot.. most of the newer homes have them, and the older ones
have them if the owner has decided to invest the money in them. There
are also a lot of great local companies that will replace your windows
for you with far more energy efficient ones.
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