Mesa, AZ real estate: buy or sell with a local AXEN agent
Mesa sells you your own natural gas, and in a small downtown core, your electricity too. No other city in the Valley does that. The city also runs a tiny flood irrigation system for about 300 homes. Which utility bills you here depends on your exact address, not the city limit.
Mesa neighborhoods buyers ask about
Every one prices differently. Ask your agent for the latest sales in the ones you like.
Also near Mesa:
Buying a home in Mesa: what to know
The rules that apply everywhere in Arizona are on the Arizona page. These are the Mesa details that trip people up.
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The gas bill comes from the city. Mesa's natural gas utility serves over 82,000 homes and businesses across 95 square miles of Mesa, plus the separate Magma system covering 235 square miles in parts of Queen Creek, San Tan Valley and Pinal County.
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City electric covers only 5.5 square miles. Mesa's electric utility serves about 18,000 customers in roughly 5.5 square miles centered on downtown. Outside that box you are on a different provider. Confirm the meter before you assume the rate.
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City flood irrigation is a 300-home club. The City of Mesa delivers irrigation water to roughly 300 customers inside the box bounded by Mesa Drive, Country Club, 8th Street and 8th Avenue. Outside that box, irrigation is SRP, not the city.
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Eight local historic districts, and changes need approval. Evergreen, Flying Acres, Fraser Fields, Glenwood/Wilbur, Robson, Temple, West Second Street and West Side-Clark. Work on a designated property needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
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Four school districts serve Mesa addresses. Mesa Public Schools, Gilbert Public Schools, Higley Unified and Queen Creek Unified all cover parts of the city. The district on your parcel sets the biggest line on your tax bill, so check the parcel rather than the subdivision name.
Selling a home in Mesa
You have more accounts to close than most sellers.
Water, sewer, trash, city gas, and possibly city electric and city irrigation all run through Mesa. Close them in one pass or the final bill chases you.
Short-term rentals need a Mesa licence.
Required for stays of 29 days or less. You have to name an emergency contact, notify adjacent neighbors with the licence number, and show proof of liability coverage at renewal.
Check sewer before a buyer plans a septic fix.
Maricopa County advises getting a sewer determination when a parcel is a county island inside city limits or sits in a sanitary sewer district. Get that answer before it becomes a repair request.
Mesa real estate questions
Which school district taxes a Mesa home?
Four districts serve Mesa addresses: Mesa Public Schools, Gilbert Public Schools, Higley Unified and Queen Creek Unified. The district on your parcel sets the biggest line on your tax bill, so pull the parcel rather than trusting the neighborhood name.
Where does Mesa's water come from?
The City of Mesa puts it at about 53% from the Colorado River through CAP, about 40% from the Salt and Verde Rivers through SRP, and about 7% from groundwater. Mesa runs the Brown Road and Signal Butte treatment plants and the distribution system. Val Vista is jointly owned with Phoenix and operated by Phoenix.
I want flood irrigation. How do I know if a house has it?
Ask who delivers it. Inside the small downtown box it is the City of Mesa. Outside that box it is SRP, and the buyer opens their own account. Either way it is not automatic at closing.
Does Mesa have airport noise to worry about?
Mesa has two airports, Falcon Field in the northeast and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway in the southeast. The city runs a Falcon Field noise comment program. Ask your agent to pull the current noise map for the specific address.
Why is the utility situation here so complicated?
Because Mesa is its own gas company, and in a small downtown area its own electric company, on top of water, sewer and trash. Add city irrigation for about 300 homes. Two houses a few blocks apart can have completely different bills.
Buying or selling in Mesa? Talk to a local agent.
An AXEN agent who works in Mesa answers your questions for free. No cost to talk. No pressure to sign anything.