In contrast, while it is ridiculously hot in the summer, I love the weather other times of the year. 90s in February, fantastic.
There are plenty of places around campus to live. I live in a house two miles from campus (to the west) and it's been a quiet place to live that is still plenty close enough to campus that I can ride my bike. I would say, if you can, don't drive to campus. The parking isn't very close and it's expensive! You'll get a free metro pass that you can use on buses and the light rail, so if you want to live further you might consider getting a place close to the light rail line or a bus route. Most places in Tempe you can either take a metro bus or the orbit (the free Tempe neighborhood bus) to campus. Plus Tempe has a lot of bike lanes, making this an easy way to get to campus without having to worry about bus schedules or staying late on campus.