Where can you find Phoenix area homes with Basements?

For many of my clients moving the Gilbert and Phoenix area from the East Coast or the Pacific Northwest, or heck basically from anywhere but California and Florida, they all wonder “Where are all the basements?!”

It’s pretty hard to find basements in Arizona for a couple reasons.  First of all we don’t have any hills, so there’s no such thing as a walk-out basement, although I have seen a few in the foothills of Ahwatukee.  Second, about six feet underground is a layer of incredibly hard rock that basically has to blasted through, making constructing a basement pretty expensive. 

Demand also makes them more expensive.  More and more people are moving here expecting them and more and more people want them as a cool place to hang out in the summer time.  Your cooling costs for a one story home with a basement are much lower than your cooling costs for a two story home. 

You can find Gilbert Homes for Sale with Basements

Luckily builders are trying to meet the demand through some really beautiful neighborhoods, many of them in Gilbert and Chandler.  Be aware that the majority of basements in the Phoenix area mean this:  completely finished, a large “rec room” or “family room”, some with mini-kitchens, then one or two bedrooms with a bathroom.  Those bedrooms are included in the bedroom count for the whole house. 

The first that comes to mind is Jakes Ranch.  This is a beautiful, gated neighborhood near the lower loop 202.  The majority of the community are all single story homes, about half with basements.  It’s a very friendly neighborhood with lots of parks, sidewalks, cul-de-sacs, etc.

Near Jakes Ranch is Vintage Ranch, it was built by the same builder but there are two story homes thrown into the mix.  What you won’t find in Arizona, well extremely rarely, is a two story home with a basement.  I don’t know why the builders won’t do those but they are very hard to find.  Basically you have to find a custom home, usually built by someone from the east coast and use to those homes. 

Can’t forget about Agritopia.  Not only is the neighborhood gorgeous with tons of green grass, parks, white fences, craftsman-style homes, but their basements are wonderful.  The majority of them have mini-kitchens and many even have movie theatre rooms, what better use for a basement?!

Also a new build community in South Gilbert that is currently being built has the same basement floorplans as Jakes Ranch, plus a few more.  I really like that community, it’s attracting some very family friendly residents, it has beautiful water features, and the lots are big. 

There are a few beautiful neighborhoods in the Chandler area as well, mostly around Ocotillo, that has basements.  If you are moving to the Gilbert and Chandler area, and can afford it, I highly suggest you find a home with a basement and maybe even a pool.  They are great for resale value, plus the kids will always have a place to cool off and keep busy.

To find current homes for sale in those neighborhoods you can click on the “Search for Homes” button above, and insert the neighborhood name for “subdivision”.  If you find some you like, I can arrange a private tour just for you!