Ward 3 might not be Tucson's most trendy neighborhood. But it offers some appeals to first-time buyers who are working on a budget that many other budget-friendly neighborhoods lack. "The convenience of the commercial business there is appealing," says Realtor Thomas Krieger of Keller Williams Southern Arizona, who has sold homes in Tucson for more than 30 years. "The Tucson Mall is there, plus lots of restaurants in the area."
Ward 3 takes its name from the city council ward it belongs to. The area sits north of the city near the Oracle Road industrial corridor. It is a scattershot cluster of older homes that tend to be more popular for renters than buyers due to its ample stock of manufactured homes. "You can buy more for your dollar there, but the gain in resale value won't be as significant as other areas," says Krieger. "Make sure you realize that there will be maintenance issues because the homes are so much older in this area." In general, homes are priced far lower than most of Tucson, with many manufactured homes listed at well below $100,000 and single-family homes, such as mid-century ranch-styles, selling for between $160,000 and $320,000.
Students living in the area are zoned for the Amphitheater Unified School District, which has an overall Niche score of B-plus and is the only district in the Tucson area that offers an International Baccalaureate program. Most young students begin at either E.C. Nash, Prince or Rio Vista Elementary Schools. Nash and Prince have Niche scores of C or higher while Rio Vista has a B-minus score. The next step is either La Cima Middle, which has a B-minus Niche score, or Amphitheater Middle, which has a Niche score of C. Finally, Amphitheater High takes in students from across the area, boasting a C-plus Niche score overall and a score of A for diversity.
Residents are very close to some of Tucson's highest commercial areas. A quick northbound drive along Oracle Road will bring locals to the Tucson Mall, which houses over 100 stores and restaurants. There's even more shopping within the immediate vicinity of the mall, including a Target grocery, dollar stores, furniture outlets and big box home improvement stores. But if locals would prefer not to sit in traffic around the mall, a location for Lucky Wishbone, a local fried chicken chain restaurant, is centrally located on Roger Road.
There are some bus routes that run along major roads in Ward 13, which can be taken to the Mall and other areas south of Ward 13. Most residents will need a car to get around and reach essential services, as most walking routes are indirect and not very well maintained. But Tucson is also seeing an increase in rentable scooters that can be used to get around the area without relying on a car.
According to Krieger, "There's not a lot of public activities" in Ward 13. "This is more of an open the garage door, go to work and come home at the end of the day type of community."
There are not many parks in Ward 13. The main attraction is Jacobs Park, which provides visitors with a shaded playground for those hot Arizona summers, baseball diamonds and a dog park for socializing furry friends. Across the street, the Nicolas P. Ochoa Soccer Complex offers three regulation-size soccer fields for rec games, practice and free play, as well as shaded ramadas to cool off under. When looking for an activity that doesn't require standing under a blazing sun, St. Hubert's Hatchet House offers locals the chance to have fun and work their muscles from axe throwing.
Jose Campillo
Tierra Antigua Realty
(520) 263-8765
621 Total Sales
1 in Ward 3
$200,000 Price
Thomas Krieger
Keller Williams Southern Arizona
(520) 900-1838
328 Total Sales
2 in Ward 3
$240,000 Price Range
Gerardo 'Jerry' Acosta
Real Broker
(520) 214-3093
48 Total Sales
1 in Ward 3
$259,000 Price
Sheila Myers-Moore
S A Moore Realty Services, LLC
(520) 783-6988
168 Total Sales
1 in Ward 3
$115,000 Price
Christina Esala
Real Broker
(520) 900-9016
391 Total Sales
1 in Ward 3
$130,000 Price
MC
Melissa Coate
Realty Executives Arizona Territory
(520) 500-1217
160 Total Sales
1 in Ward 3
$310,000 Price
On average, homes in Ward 3, Tucson sell after 104 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Ward 3, Tucson over the last 12 months is $274,000, up 7% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
$736 - $942 per month
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