More Arizona

So thank you all for all the tips!  I need all the info I can get.  I have never bought property before so this is kinda scary to me (really scary actually)  And since I wrote that post I got an email from the Realtor on the mls site with and enclosed document on buying property in Arizona.  Lots of good info in there, she clears up a lot of stuff for me.  Like I do not want a pool, she says they are just a huge liability if you are gonna rent or be absent part of the year.  Which I am, the absent part, haven't decided about renting yet.  I wish I could attach it here, but have no idea how, although it should be possible it is an adobe document.

And so anyways the whole real estate buying process is kinda confusing to me although she does try to explain it, as far as I know here the Realtor does everything then the bank approves the loan and then you get a lawyer to sign papers (of course this is me who has never bought real estate remember so it may be slightly wrong) but she says no lawyers are involved an escrow agent is used (whatever that is!)  She also says not to look at short sales cause they take forever and often never do go through, so at least now I know what they are.  But apparently regular sales and foreclosures are easy and take between 2 weeks to 30-45 days.  So really not that long.

I have also talked to pretty much everybody I run into about it, apparently one of our neighbors just bought a house in Maricopa (with a pool) and spends most of his winters down there.  He just loves it.  And I know we have at least 2 other neighbors that have properties in the area as well.  I have heard all kinds of stuff and some of it I just throw out but most of it is still somewhere in my mind.  I have been thinking that this winter/ summer will just be a info gathering session and if gonna go for it it will be next fall.  I guess I am curious about water, and someone to watch it when I am not there, as well as whatever HOA fees are?  But am reluctant to ask the Realtor yet cause I am really not looking to buy yet.  oh and it throws me off when they list lot size in sq feet!  I am bad enough on how big acres are, But really square feet?  Had to Google them to change to acres, lol.  And an Arizona room, that just sounds odd, makes me think sun room, but I dunno.

On your comments, Ummm thanks LT for pointing out the distances  I never thought of all the traffic, and I guess I can not read aerial views cause I still don't see the power lines you are talking about (not that I doubt they are there, I am just not sure what I am looking for)  But I will definitely look at an area closer to where I want to cut.  Although to tell the truth I would probly be happy to just be able to ride, so I guess I need a place near where I can ride out.  Hard for me to tell what is too far away, to me they don't seem that far, but I also don't think of Arizona with mountains, even though I know that is not true.  Like I found some cool places near Show Low, is that far from stuff?  Or Florence and Casa Grande, even though it is farther south?  And seems like all the perfect places are farther away, although I am trying not to look at anything outside that area you and Cindy say.

Lisa, I am not worried about dry heat, that is what we have here all summer, and dry cold in the winter, so I am def used to dry,  lol.

And Lisa W.  if I go I will probly not take the hubby and if he does come someone will have to do our chores the whole time cause the cows still need to be fed and we are NOT bringing 185 cows down with us.  So no worries about stuff going on at home cause there will be someone here.  I would probly only bring 2 (or 3) horses down for a few months in the winter (4 or 5) if I could get away with it.  Neil has no desire to move even temp so that makes it a little harder on me and why I am so hesitant or I would prob be down there already looking at places.

Cindy, I am not expecting pasture, to have that would be awesome though!  I have looked on her website and yikes I found some places I really like!  I can see how this is gonna be harder to avoid than I was thinking ;)  And looking at the properties I guess I need to learn my geography a little better so I can know when looking at a place if its close to where i want it.  I will def ask more questions as this goes on.

And Janice I hear you, its the stuff left behind I worry about, both animals and property.....as well as snakes, sure don't care for them.

Well I have found a few properties I kinda like in all sorts of price ranges, so I guess when i go to look no worries on what I want will be available.  Kinda funny though how they put so much emphasis on the house, I am more interested in the property.  Not that I want to live in a dump, but gosh it sure dont need to be fancy!