If you are looking for apartments in Tucson, chances are you have come across more than a few listings that refer to a property with the name “casita” or calling the apartment units themselves “casitas.” This is a fairly common term in Southwestern real estate, so you probably already have at least an idea of what it means. Nevertheless, we decided to take a closer look.
By its Spanish definition, a casita is traditionally a little house, derived from the word casa. However, this is one of these multi-purpose terms that has some leeway in terms of its meaning in every instance in which it’s used. For example, if a casita is truly a small house, than you would probably expect it to have fully independent walls. But in some cases, casitas are actually condos, which is a term used for house-sized units that have attached walls. Perhaps they should be called conditas? Maybe not.
We’ve also noticed that many properties using the casita name are actually hotels or sometimes apartments. So, be sure to do your research when looking at a casita that’s advertised for rent. It could be anything from a guest house in someone’s backyard to a multifamily apartment building.
Tucson’s apartment options range from spacious, spread out, resort-style complexes to simple traditional multi-level properties. Many of those that call themselves casitas advertise amenities like great views of the surrounding natural beauty, high ceilings, energy efficient heating and air conditioning, electric fireplaces, large windows, proximity to restaurants and golf. So, it seems that the casita label is certainly an indicator of high quality of life.
One thing is for sure, they won’t be made of straw and mud as they might have been when the very first casitas were built. Today’s casitas and Tucson apartments are more likely to be environmentally friendly and good for the planet.