Looking for a Home or Apartment in Arizona to Rent?

We have rental information and resources to help you rent a house, condo or apartment in the Phoenix metro area.

Whether you need a short or long term lease, a house or apartment that allows pets, a furnished place, or need to rent a corporate condo or apartment, you’ll find information that can help you find what you’re looking for.

• Renters FAQs answers the questions you have when you’re looking for a place to rent.
• Rent Info covers fees, leases, requirements, and what you’ll need to bring with you.
• Utility Info is just that. It can be frustrating trying to find all the phone numbers you need – our guide can help.
• Transportation has the numbers you need to change your driver and car registrations, as well as info about public transportation available in the Valley.

• Vacation Rentals has sources for vacation homes for rent by owners in Arizona, as well as an idea of the costs and savings when you rent a house instead of staying at a resort hotel.
• Get some helpful ideas in Moving Tips that will make the move to your new house or apartment smoother and easier on everyone.
• Arizona Entertainment has some ideas for family friendly activities available to you in Arizona.
• Be sure to check out our Phoenix Driving Tips! You’ll get a big laugh, plus lots of the info is pretty much true to life.

Fines for Not Registering Your Car Are Steep

The penalties for driving without a proper license, registration or insurance in Arizona are quite serious. Driving without a license is a class 1 misdemeanor and penalties can include the vehicle being impounded, 48 hours in jail and a court imposed fine of $300 or more.

New residents to the State of Arizona are required to obtain an Arizona driver license and to register their vehicles in this State.

Arizona state law requires that a new resident obtain a driver license and registration immediately if any one of the following applies, if you:

• Work in Arizona (other than for seasonal agricultural work)
• Place children in school without paying the tuition rate of a nonresident
• Have a business with an office in Arizona, and that bases and operates vehicles in this state
• Obtain a state license or pay school tuition fees at the same rate as an Arizona resident
• Have a business that operates vehicles to transport goods or passengers within Arizona
• Remain in Arizona for a total of 7 months or more during any calendar year, regardless of your permanent residence

The statute for driving without registration says that being without proper registration on a vehicle is a class 5 felony (which can come with jail time, usually spent in Tent City with guys wearing Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s pink boxers):

A person who is the resident or nonresident owner or operator of a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer that is required by law to be registered in this state and that is not registered or does not display license plates assigned by the department for the current registration year and who operates or knowingly permits the vehicle to be operated on a highway is subject to a civil penalty of three hundred dollars.

The penalties are so harsh that if you’ve moved here, I urge you obtain current AZ registration and plates on your vehicle immediately!

Vehicle Registration Fees

So now you’re wondering what the car registration fees will run you…unfortunately, they’re a lot steeper in Arizona than in many other states, but at least they’re not as high as California.

Several fees are standard for all vehicles:

• Title fee – $4

• Registration fee – $8

• Air quality research fee – $1.50

The variable fee comes in the form of the vehicle license tax (VLT), which is assessed instead of the personal property tax that many other states charge. It is based on the manufacturer’s base retail price of the automobile, but takes into account amortization, so you will pay a little less to register your vehicle each year.

Let’s Do the Math

Here’s the formula – I suggest you break out your calculator (figures rounded):

Let’s say we’re talking about a 1 year old car that cost $25,000 new.

The VLT is based on an assessed value of 60% of the manufacturer’s base retail price:

$25,000 x .60 = $15,000

16.25% reduction for each year it has been registered in AZ:

$15,000 – 16.25% =  $12,563

Divide that figure by 100:

$12,563 / 100 = $1,256

Now you multiply that figure by $2.80 for a new car and $2.89 for a used car:

$1,256 x 2.89 = $363

So your vehicle registration fee will cost you $363 plus the standard fees for a total of $376.50. If you have an older car you’ll probably have to get an emissions test too.

If this math has driven you crazy, call the MVD instead and ask them for the registration cost.

Yep, it’s a lot, but at least you can use it as a deduction on your Arizona state taxes.

The good news is, many apartment complexes now allow pets, although many of them place a weight limit on dogs of 20 pounds. Some of the bigger, national companies will allow dogs up to 50 pounds.

There are often limitations on the type of dog you can have. Most will not allow pit bulls, German shepherds, Rottweilers, or Dobermans.

If you have a large dog, you may have an easier time renting a house than an apartment or condo. My large dog is so well behaved that I actually had references from a previous landlord for him, which made a difference when I had to rent someplace else.

You will have to pay a pet deposit and possibly an extra cleaning fee, some or all of which may not be refundable. Be very clear on that when you sign your lease. Sometimes the pet fees can be negotiated.

Under Arizona law the only circumstance in which a tenant can break or terminate a lease early is when the landlord has failed to maintain the premises in a safe and habitable condition.

So unless that was the situation, breaking the lease will cost you money. It doesn’t matter if you lost your job, are relocating, your roommate moved out, or any other situation that makes it impossible to continue to rent a house or apartment

You’re responsible for the balance of rent due under the lease until the end of the term. You can’t just find someone else to move in either, either, unless you’re allowed to do so under the lease agreement; most specify that you cannot sublease a rental.

The best thing to do is to contact the landlord and make every effort to work something out. Some will be more cooperative than others, but if you can get out of a lease making only partial payment count yourself lucky.

So, is any of this true?

Well, yeah, some of it, LOL.

The packing a gun part – yes, Arizona is a generally gun-friendly state, where people are allowed to carry a weapon on their hip without a permit as long as people can see it. I don’t see guns on hips all that much though, anymore, and it’s rather jarring and disturbing when I do, unless it’s on a police officer. I remember years ago the popular local supermarket, Smitty’s, had a sign that you had to check your firearms in at the front desk before grocery shopping.

I know people carry concealed weapon in their cars, but I don’t think that’s a particularly Arizona thing. Arizona law stipulates that concealed weapons carriers must be legally licensed to carry. Contrary to the humorous Phoenix Driving article, we don’t experience any more shootouts than anywhere else, and possible fewer.

We do have crime here, like anywhere else, but statistically, Phoenix has a lower crime rate per capita then most major cities. We have an auto theft problem, being so close to Mexico, where stolen cars are taken and stripped down, or whatever it is they do with them.

We still have a few unpaved streets in unincorporated areas of the city, and occasionally you will see horses being ridden down them, or more likely, at a bridle path ‘horse crossing’ across a busy (paved) street. Sometimes an entrepreneur will have a horse and wagon or buggy to take tourists for rides, but then, they do that in New York City, too.

Rattlesnakes, coyotes, Gila monsters – yep, we’ve got ‘em, but it’s unlikely you’ll see one unless you’re in a less populated area or in the desert (which is, by the way, quite green and beautiful much of the time).

Here’s a quote I came across on a forum:

I love the nightlife scene here. Mill Avenue in Tempe has to be one of the best spots. There are plenty people, clubs, and bars to have a good time in. Scottsdale has a very nice nightlife also. There are plenty of unique houses and neighborhoods, like that castle on the side of Camelback Mountain — not to mention the awesome desert landscaping and the rest of the neighborhoods around there.

I never find myself bored in Phoenix. There is always something to do. Whether it is hanging out at the clubs, heading north to Flagstaff skiing, or the Grand Canyon, Sedona, golfing in Phoenix, everything is awesome. I feel there is plenty of culture here, even with the urban sprawl.

In reality, if you want a taste of the Wild West, head out to Tombstone, or take a Pink Jeep ride to see the desert. Otherwise you may just be pleasantly surprised with Arizona’s casual, friendly, yet urban people and environment.

The name is a bit misleading – you can search for single family homes, condos and vacation homes as well as apartments. That’s a big plus! They offer photos that include grounds and interiors, and usually have all the rent and deposit amounts listed, as well as lease terms, furnished or unfurnished, floor plans, and whether pets are allowed.

Their site also offers moving and general apartment living info. They have reasonably priced landlord services if you want to rent out a home, condo, or apartment.

You can narrow down your search criteria by:

• State
• Region(s)
• Area(s)
• Community(ies)
• Price
• Bedrooms
• Type Of Housing

Oh yes – did I say that the site is free for renters? Give them a try:

	– Select a State - Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

State Of Arizona

• Any misdemeanor committed while wearing a red mask is considered a felony.
• There is a possible 25 years in prison for cutting down a cactus.
• When being attacked by a criminal or burglar, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon that the other person possesses.
• Hunting camels is prohibited.
• Donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs.
• You may not have more than two dildos in a house.
• It is unlawful to refuse a person a glass of water.

County Of Maricopa

• No more than six girls may live in any house.

City Of Glendale

• Cars may not be driven in reverse.

City Of Mesa

• It is illegal to smoke cigarettes with 15 feet of a public place unless you have a Class 12 liqueur license.

City Of Tombstone

• It is illegal for men and women over the age of 18 to have less than one missing tooth visible when smiling.

It’s a hotly-debated new policy that’s designed to increase the poor retention rate among freshmen who live off campus. However, many Arizona residents believe it’s only a tactic to fill on-campus housing, which can run from $6,000 – $12,000 per year.

ASU is hoping to to launch this new policy for the fall of 2009, which is when the new Barrett Residential College will open.

“We’ve said it for the last couple of years that we expect students to live on campus.  But we haven’t been able to do it,” said Vice-President Michael Coakley. “Now we’re at a point where we can do it.”

Freshmen will be allowed to apply for exemptions for things such as poor financial situations and non-traditional freshmen, which will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Can you imagine being a married, 40-something freshman being required to live on campus?

1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name, it is “FEE-NICKS.”

2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00 am to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00 pm. Friday’s rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

3. The minimum acceptable speed on most freeways is 85 mph. On Loop 101, your speed is expected to match the highway number. Anything less is considered “Wussy.”

4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Phoenix has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However, East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.

5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended, cussed out, and possibly shot.

6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It’s another offense that can get you shot.

7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day’s driving a bit more exciting.

8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, cats, mattresses, wheelbarrows, spas, shredded tires, squirrels, rabbits, crows, vultures, javelinas, roadrunners, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items.

9. Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and the “I-10″ are the same road. SR 202 is the same road as the Red Mountain Freeway on the north part of town and the San Tan Freeway on the south side of town. It travels mostly east and west.

Dunlap and Olive are the same street too. Jefferson becomes Washington, but they are not the same street. Rural Rd. becomes Scottsdale Rd. and vice’ versa, same with Hayden and McClintock.

I-17 is also called The Black Canyon Freeway as well as The Veterans Memorial Highway. And if all that isn’t enough to remember SR 51 has recently been renamed to Piestewa Freeway because Squaw Peak Parkway was too easy pronounce. SR 101 is also the Pima Freeway.

Lastly, traveling east, Thunderbird Rd. becomes Cactus Rd. Traveling west, Cactus Rd. becomes Thunderbird. But the reverse is not true as they both dead end at a mountain.

10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been “accidentally activated.”

11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be flipped off accordingly. If you return the flip, you’ll be shot.

12. For summer driving, it is advisable to wear potholders on your hands.

These are a new and rather cool way to move your belongings from one home to another.

Pods Maximize Space

One nice thing about moving pods is that, besides the fact that you can take your time packing and loading them, they’re designed for ease of loading. When moving day arrives, the pod is lifted into a trailer or truck and hauled to the new location. They can even be placed on a train for a cross-country move. They are much more efficient that having to rent a moving truck. Plus you don’t have to drive it!

Pods are designed to keep the elements out, so you can relax, knowing your furniture and other belongings will stay protected and dry when they are shipped to their new destination. Pods are extremely durable and will keep your things free of wind, rain, and mud.

Moving Pods is Easy

One of the advantages of using a pod is that since it is lifted onto a trailer or truck, it’s more protected and doesn’t absorb the hits, bumps and dips like a regular rental truck would. Because it’s placed on another vehicle, the underlying vehicle – truck, trailer, or train, takes the hit, leaving the pod resting easily. This means your belongings have more protection from breakage, dings and dents than they’d get in a rental moving truck or van.

Check out this option for your next move – pods are getting more popular and may be just the thing for moving your belongings to your new home.