Why should we move to Phoenix? (Flagstaff, Sedona: transplants, homes, landscaping)

[moxiefox]

Originally Posted by gsm113

As far as big cities go, Phoenix has a low cost of living. But you also don't feel like you're in a big city here. It feels more like a large collection of neighborhoods.

Lots of outdoor activities, great shopping, entertainment. Culture is around but you have to look for it a little harder. Hispanic and native American culture is all around. Chinese cultural center is interesting.
.

Can you expand on the outdoor activities with a few examples and where they are located (which neighborhoods)?

Thanks...

[Jukesgrrl]

Originally Posted by AzDesertRat86

In my opinion, a new Museum is the last thing on the minds of the county clerk.

In the VAST majority of cities I've mentioned, their museums were NOT built with tax dollars. They may operate today with only a small portion of their operating budgets from donations. But they were built from the ground, brick by brick and painting by painting, by gifts from private citizens. They were endowed. Rich people who live in those cities care that the place where they raise their families has culture. In Phoenix, the rich are more likely to donate to political candidates who can help them get richer and hospitals that can help them live longer. There is little regard for building a city with cultural amenities that could make everyone's life richer.

Names like Frick, Gardener, Mellon, DuPont, Guggenheim, Whitney, Frick, Heinz, Dayton, Demenil, Widener, Elkins, Phillips, Stokes, Kress, Bass, Hirshhorn will live on long after their fortunes are dissipated because of what they contributed to the cultural life of their cities.

And I'm sure that some libertarian will come on here and say if I love art so much I should buy my own paintings in 3, 2, 1 ...

[observer53]

Originally Posted by crmorgan7

Well water isn't something I HAVE to have, I really just want to find out why you all live there and what you like about it. If you guys don't really like it then why do you live there? I'm confused lol.

Forums like this attract people who love to accentuate the negative. And yes, most of those people still live here! No place is perfect. Take everything you read here with a grain of salt.- the overly negative and the overly positive.

There are many liberal to moderately liberal people who've managed to do just fine here. No, we are not in the majority, and the state house here can be a very frustrating place to watch operate, but on balance, there's a lot of people happy to be here. It's a different world than SF, but way cheaper. (Question-- I haven't looked, but have you started threads about the other places you are considering in those forums??If not, why not?) Good luck to you in your decision!

Moxiefox-- outdoor activities aren't in "neighborhoods" necessarily. Yes, there's readily available hiking in the outskirts close to the mountains, but it's an easy drive to that hiking from other neighborhoods. The point is, if you like outdoor activities, (tennis, hiking, running, walking, whatever) the climate here is certainly conducive to any of them. Yes, you have to modify the schedule for those things in the summer, or take a short drive to a cooler spot for recreation.

[crmorgan7]

Thanks to everyone for your informative comments. I've practically been living on these boards since January and I have posted all over the place. Last mth we even went so far as to meet a realtor in Tampa, etc. We like Tampa, but we got to thinking about how similar it is to SC. We are young, don't want kids, and honestly we are looking for a new adventure. Everything I have seen about San Fran is that it's way expensive, for a cross country move that makes me really nervous. It seems that Phoenix could be a great place to start our new life because besides the heat it is SO different from what we are used to. We may come out to visit soon. What are some things we should do when we come, to give us an idea if we really like it?

[crmorgan7]

Another question, in SC my husband and I make about 100k a year. Of course we hope to improve our salaries a little in the move, but if not, would that be enough to live in Phoenix quite comfortably? We still want to have enough wiggle room to vacation and support our outdoor hobbies. We have no kids and don't want any, only 3 cats!

[observer53]

The two of you together make 100K? You'll be OK, if you can improve your salaries, so much the better.

You really ought to come out and spend some time IN the hot weather, but my guess is if you can survive the humidity in SC, the drier heat here will not be an issue. Come out, drive some neighborhoods in different parts of town to get a feel for it. When it comes down to it, you will want to live at a reasonable distance from where you work. This is a VERY spread out metro area, and commutes can be long.

[moxiefox]

Originally Posted by crmorgan7

Thanks to everyone for your informative comments. I've practically been living on these boards since January and I have posted all over the place. Last mth we even went so far as to meet a realtor in Tampa, etc. We like Tampa, but we got to thinking about how similar it is to SC. We are young, don't want kids, and honestly we are looking for a new adventure. Everything I have seen about San Fran is that it's way expensive, for a cross country move that makes me really nervous. It seems that Phoenix could be a great place to start our new life because besides the heat it is SO different from what we are used to. We may come out to visit soon. What are some things we should do when we come, to give us an idea if we really like it?

I currently live in NJ and we are considering relocation to AZ for many of the same reasons. I've been wanting to do it for years but the economy (as of late) is prompting us to GET OUT of NJ thus making AZ very likely.

I can vouch for the adventure that you will experience in AZ. I lived in Globe, AZ (look it up on the map) as a teen and we were smack-dabb in the middle of adventure. It was a little bit of a drive to the adventure (this is true for just about anywhere in AZ) but adventure is always around. Globe is a good 90 minutes or so from the city -- so if living near the city is important or necessary then living in Globe is probably not an option.

I will always remember hiking in the vast variety of canyons, camping in the various mountains, swimming in the creeks and lakes (definately a drive away from the PHX metro area), enjoying the fresh mountain air, taking pictures of the beauty in the natural rock formations all around you, learning about the different dessert vegitation including trees/shrubbs/cactus/etc., lurking around at very old adobe ruins, and the thrill of driving down roads like the Apache Trail.

I also agree about the adjustment to the heat. The summers are long and hot. Where I lived in Globe the heat was not as much of an issue as it was in the PHX metro, or VALLEY, area... There is absolutely no escape from the heat in the valley during the summers (all 5-6 months of it). When we get a stretch of 90+ degrees in NJ of 3 days or more then it becomes a drag (but we, in NJ, are used to getting breaks from the heat during the summers. I understand that PHX will offer 90+ degrees for many weeks or months at a time without breaks -- this is a major adjustment which we need to strongly consider before the move. I've personally experienced it so I do understand the heat -- it's something very hard to share with my spouse without a visit during the summer. We have a daughter who lives in TAMPA and we've visited during the summer. It's HOT and HUMID but do-able. I would imagine that "business attire" would be very difficult to wear in that CONSTANT HOT AND HUMID (OR EVEN JUST HOT) weather...

best of luck. Love AZ!

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by AzDesertRat86

Arizona has more culture than you can even comprehend. Have you ever heard of the Herd Museum?

Ahem.. the "Herd" museum?

Like I said, our educational system rockZ!

Only in Arizona can Dan Quayle's son... ADMIT that he's Dan Quayle's son and have lots of people vote for him.

Luckily, the Feds own the Grand Canyon, or our "conservative" legislature would have sold it off to the highest bidder - like we recently have done with nearly $1 billion in public property.

Arizona State Capitol Building for Sale - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 9/15/2009 - Video Clip | Comedy Central

[Nanny Goat]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

You will meet lots of nice people throughout Arizona -- most that I come in contact with in my suburban white environment have brought the tastes and values of their Wisconsin and Michigan roots with them. They are not sophisticated. I DO NOT mean that as an indictment -- many people consider that a great asset. But it's a fact that neither Phoenix nor Tucson could ever earn the tag "sophisticated." Politically, it is conservative and not likely to change in the near future. People here who qualify as screaming liberals would be considered moderate in many other states. I would agree with a previous poster who said the majority of conservatives here are fiscal conservatives with their "I take care of my own and to h@ll with you attitude," but you cannot dismiss the idea that much of the conservatism is also influenced by the fact that there are many Mormons and evangelical Christians in Arizona. They are a very vocal influence on local communities.

You didn't mention having children, but please note that education is an issue that constantly haunts Arizona. If you are leaving SC because of poor schools, you are going out of the frying pan into the fire. You will find some good schools in Phoenix if you look for them. But overall, while people pay lip service to education, they are totally unwilling to pay cash.

True, true and more true. The lack of sophistication for such a large city is kinda embarrassing. I can't put my finger on it completely either. But, I've been in small towns that are much more sophisticated. Interesting anyway.
And, education--there's only lip service given to that. The seniors don't want to pay for it and the rest, I guess, just don't care.
But, this is heaven for a certain group of retirees, along with younger people, maybe, who want to fly and flitter around for awhile. The rootlessness of it here, too, is very appealing for some.
But, everywhere you live can be a great opportunity for self-study, which is good for those who are interested.

[crmorgan7]

So I applied for a job at Catholic Healthcare West admin building in Phoenix...any insight on CHW as a place to work? I'm nervous, but glad I decided to go for it! If it looks promising I will definitely be flying out in the next couple weeks to see for myself.