Flagstaff has changed...A LOT (Phoenix, Scottsdale: for rent, school, universities)

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by MortonR

According to a friend who has been a realtor in the Flagstaff are for several decades, the most recent influx has been "Phoenicians", not Californians. She said the Californians moved on a couple of years ago, maybe to Texas?

RM

I wonder if the Phoenicians who moved to Flagstaff were Californians who moved to Phoenix and couldn't handle the heat?

And I can't believe Flagstaffers wouldn't want the Texas climate after living in Flag unless they went there for employment purposes. But if you were moving for a job you wouldn't be going to Flag in the first place.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I wonder if the Phoenicians who moved to Flagstaff were Californians who moved to Phoenix and couldn't handle the heat?

And I can't believe Flagstaffers wouldn't want the Texas climate after living in Flag unless they went there for employment purposes. But if you were moving for a job you wouldn't be going to Flag in the first place.

True.

A friend who is a long time Phoenician said that the recent transplants are fleeing like maniacs over the current heat wave. Guess they didn't do their due diligence when they chose to move there?

RM

[kell490]

I heard recently though family up there it's gotten very crowded can't even go shopping because traffic is so bad. I knew traffic can get bad easily narrow roads haven't been up there since 2019.

[Slater]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I wonder if the Phoenicians who moved to Flagstaff were Californians who moved to Phoenix and couldn't handle the heat?

And I can't believe Flagstaffers wouldn't want the Texas climate after living in Flag unless they went there for employment purposes. But if you were moving for a job you wouldn't be going to Flag in the first place.

The only reason I'm living in Flagstaff is because of my job. Cost of living-wise, Flag and Phoenix are inching closer together.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Your beef should be with the other locals who sold property to the invading hordes.

Or is it that they profited and you just got the short end of the stick?

Exactly. People here complain about the evil gentrifiers buying and raising home prices forcing the old timers out.those old timers should be blaming there friends and neighbors who sold at a good profit to the detriment of them.

[Kid Ashbury]

Originally Posted by aslowdodge

Exactly. People here complain about the evil gentrifiers buying and raising home prices forcing the old timers out.those old timers should be blaming there friends and neighbors who sold at a good profit to the detriment of them.

why not both?

[Stempy]

The growth of Flagstaff is and has been mismanaged. The new building is happening mostly on the side of town near NAU. The east and westside of town need some new developments. However, it needs to be done sustainably. Once something is built you can’t go back, why not coordinate efforts? Maybe Flagstaff need to stop all new building for 2 years and actually start with proper planning and infrastructure.

[MortonR]

I think a big part of the problem is planning and management. While the city has attempted to control growth and provide affordable housing, the efforts have fallen well short of expectations. Developers simply won't go for having to build a certain percentage of their properties to be "affordable".

There was a developer who was looking to build an area of million dollar homes on the westside. When they realized they couldn't get around the requirement of a certain percentage of those home having to be sub $300k homes, they bailed.

RM

[brickpatio2018]

I'm in Flagstaff for the first time but my impression has been extremely positive. My expectations were in part based on postings on this website, which derided Flagstaff as kind of backwards economically and lacking in personality somehow, i.e. nothing but dope-smoking left-wing extremists out of touch with the world (type thing).

However, I came here and what has impressed me the most is how beautifully the city has worked on its aesthetics. The streets are lined with trees and shrubs in a way that gives it a woodsy vibe and softens the look of commercial developments along the main arteries, unlike most cities. New buildings and signs are being done in colors and materials that give the area a consistent overall look and personality, similar to what I've seen in places like Colorado.

I haven't found traffic to be an issue. The city has a nice interstate and the main commercial arteries move along pretty well. The downtown is tasteful and charming. The scenery is gorgeous and the climate is nice. What's not to love? I'm surprised that Flagstaff isn't as famous as places like Boulder and Asheville (and Scottsdale for that matter, which looks amazing). Maybe they will be once the word gets out as to how nice it is here.

In comparison I was disappointed in Prescott. Unlike Flagstaff, Prescott has done very little to soften the commercial sprawl with lush landscaping. The commercial signs are ugly. There is no interstate; drivers must go through dozens of traffic lights to get into town. The town square was buzzing with people but even there I didn't love it. The square in Prescott is cris-crossed with wide streets and angular parking, such that much of the square is covered in asphalt. There were some cute buildings but I didn't find the overlook look to be as sophisticated as Flagstaff or Scottsdale.

It felt to me that Prescott is stuck in the 1970s, whereas Flagstaff is living in 2022, just as Scottsdale and many parts of Phoenix are doing. Also, I'll add that I found the Catalina Foothills and Oro Valley/Marana to be gorgeous and blessedly low-key, largely unbothered by commercial sprawl. I've thought a lot about whether I'd rather live in North Scottsdale/Carefree or Catalina/Oro Valley/Marana.

I must admit to myself that I like how vibrant the Phoenix area is business-wise, while at the same time managing to plan the city and suburbs quite beautifully. What is says to visitors is that if they care this much about their community, then I want to care also.

There were things I didn't love about Phoenix. I found downtown and Tempe to be a bit like the old Fort Lauderdale, crowded but not in a sophisticated way. On the other hand Scottsdale was remarkable in the number of restaurants, yet it felt tasteful. I found many other areas of the Phoenix metro to be pretty. Ahwatuckee is lovely. Desert View and Paradise Valley are gorgeous. I also liked the look of some of the outer suburbs such as the North Gateway. There is much to love in Arizona.

[Slater]

I think Prescott prefers to have that "retro" vibe.