Flagstaff is possible but a couple questions? (Phoenix: for sale, houses)

[Taz22]

Flagstaff is on the list for possible places to move. My spouse grew up in Hawaii and Phoenix and is unhappy with the rain and gloom in Washington. He’s also recently taken a greater interest in watching Sister Wives and it’s very sunny there. That scenery is gorgeous! I hate hot summers, and Flagstaff has cool summers, so that’s a plus.

Ok, we lived in Phoenix since 2000 and moved to Washington three years ago. Spouse gets very unhappy in Winter, when the rain starts coming down, although being a gardener, rain is fine with me. This brings me to the first question, why are so many Flagstaff yards bare? I like greenery and wonder why so many houses I’ve looked at online have very little planted in the yard. Is this like Phoenix where people have gravel yards? I’ve only been to Flagstaff a couple of times and don’t really remember how it looked, except for lots of pines. Raised beds are fine, but wherever we move, I want a variety of flowering plants, trees and a garden. Grass is optional.

How difficult is it to get a couple of guys over to do some handyman or contractor work? Here in Washington, you’re lucky if one person comes over in two weeks, then you get a very expensive bid. Things are apparently the same in Bend. I’m hoping that Flagstaff takes after Phoenix where you could easily get several bids in a week if you wanted to. Housing prices are expensive, and buying a fixer upper is the way to go. We have a decent budget for a horse property with land and doing renovations on the house, fencing or barn. Fortunately, we’re not helpless and can do much of the work ourselves, but having the option to hire without emptying the back account is nice too. A kitchen reno will definitely be one of the first things I do and having some moderately priced contractors to choose from would be great. It’s time to get away from contractors who are the only game in town and charge accordingly.

There are a decent amount of stores in Flagstaff, along with restaurants. Good Mexican food is a bonus. Vegas is a day away and that’s a fun place to visit. I can’t think of anything else to ask right now, but any answers are appreciated!

[Kickinmule]

Yards are bare because it's cold in the winter and everything dies plus it's typically dry and windy in May & June. Flagstaff has more nights below freezing than any other city in the lower 48. Stuff will green up some in late summer but if you want a dependable garden you will have to irrigate quite a bit. It's not really sensible or cheap to have a lawn, but they are fairly common in some areas (like Foxglenn / County Club).



There are a lot of contractors around but most of them are working on building houses during the short busy summer. Truth be told a lot migrate from PHX when it gets too hot down there. Not really a buyers market IMO, more luck of the draw.

[Slater]

If your spouse is weather-sensitive, then he might not be happy with shoveling snow in the winter or driving around on icy streets and highways.

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Kickinmule

Yards are bare because it's cold in the winter and everything dies plus it's typically dry and windy in May & June. Flagstaff has more nights below freezing than any other city in the lower 48. Stuff will green up some in late summer but if you want a dependable garden you will have to irrigate quite a bit. It's not really sensible or cheap to have a lawn, but they are fairly common in some areas (like Foxglenn / County Club).



There are a lot of contractors around but most of them are working on building houses during the short busy summer. Truth be told a lot migrate from PHX when it gets too hot down there. Not really a buyers market IMO, more luck of the draw.

No, a green lawn isn’t a must, I can use water for a garden. Wow, that’s something about Flagstaff having more freezing nights than any other city in the lower 48. I like cold weather though, so it’s not a deal breaker.

Yes, it sounds as though Flagstaff is getting ready for a surge in the population. Don’t know if you’re a local or newcomer to the area, but more people moving into a place is not necessarily a bad thing. They often bring in new shopping, restaurants and areas that need it often get gentrification. Some people want things to stay the same though.

I’ve been looking at houses on Zillow and Realtor and some houses sell within a month, other houses I saw for sale in December and January are still for sale. If there are handymen and contractors around, that’s a start. You’re right about the luck of the draw, you have to hope you choose the right house from the current supply. Sometimes that works out, other times not so much.

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Slater

If your spouse is weather-sensitive, then he might not be happy with shoveling snow in the winter or driving around on icy streets and highways.

Ok, can you tell me how long snow and icy streets last? Today it snowed a couple of inches in the morning, now the snow is almost gone. I’m fine with months of snow, while he’s ok with some snow.

[Slater]

If you recall, the Thanksgiving Day snow dropped about 39 inches on the Flagstaff area. It was quite a mess and some streets were treacherous for days. The freeways were kept fairly clear, though.

It's kind of hit-or-miss these days. Lately we've been getting two or three "Snowmageddons" per year.

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Slater

If you recall, the Thanksgiving Day snow dropped about 39 inches on the Flagstaff area. It was quite a mess and some streets were treacherous for days. The freeways were kept fairly clear, though.

It's kind of hit-or-miss these days. Lately we've been getting two or three "Snowmageddons" per year.

Don’t recall hearing about the Flagstaff Thanksgiving snow, but it sounds like fun! Working at home takes the stress off of trying to drive on bad roads. I remember reading that when it snows there, the sun melts the snow pretty quickly. Don’t know if this is fact or fiction.