Why should we move to Phoenix? (how much, live, moving) - Arizona (AZ) - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

crunchtime · 09-26-2010, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crmorgan7

My husband and I are looking at relocating this spring. We've been strongly interested in Tampa, FL, but we have started swaying toward perhaps San Francisco or Phoenix, AZ. Being from SC, I know absolutely nothing about the west coast. So my question to you is, why should I want to move to Phoenix?

Things that are important to us: sports teams to root for, lots of outdoor activities, water sports (kayaking, boating), museums, nice malls, shopping, historic areas, we want to live somewhere with character, nice people, preferably more liberal than conservative, I am 26 and my husband is 30 and we just want to live in nice modern housing within a city with lots to do.

Things that aren't important to us: school districts (not planning on having kids)

Any input would be great, and more than I know right now! lol

Thanks!

Having lived in the Bay Area for 20 years, San Diego for 2 and Phoenix for 7, based on what you are looking for, San Fran. would be my 1st choice by a mile. Everything you need is within a bus ride away no matter where you live within the city limits. Great food, weather, museums, historical neighborhoods, zoos, scenery, just everything that a person living in a multi-cultural demographical setting wants to do is at your disposal. No such thing as being bored in San Fran. Regretted moving away from friends, job security and relatives but accepted a job that paid more in San Diego. As I found out later money cannot replace friends and ended up being laid-off. Thats for another thread so I would close saying that S.F. is pricey but a wonderful place to live.

sidrah · 09-26-2010, 04:21 PM

I have not read all 7 pages, but I would say no to Phx. It is not all that great. I am moving back to NY or over to San DIego next summer when school is out. I have tried it here and really do hate it. I am not sure what you enjoy, but there is not much to do here. I would suggest SF if you can afford it.

kdog · 09-26-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidrah

I am not sure what you enjoy, but there is not much to do here.

Just curious, but with the obvious exception of going to the ocean, what do you do in other places that you can't do here? I'm from the SF Bay area myself. And for me, there's much more to do here.

sidrah · 09-26-2010, 05:01 PM

Beach and boardwalk are up there on my list. I really like going into the city for the day and going to museums, plays, the park..I miss San Genarro and China Town. For me, a lot has to do with the education. I find it hard teaching in this state when so much of what I see is lowered standards (where I am working). I know it is not the same all over, but I went to private schools for 12 years and value education and it bothers me that I have invested so much time in education (my own and others') that it is difficult for me. I also have family to go to and feel like the same things, such as they are, that are here, I can also find there, so I am not missing anything. I am not a fan of scorpions and spiders and am appalled that I can get bit by something just walking around! If I had more family here, maybe, but I like what I know. It is hard for me to compare CA to Phx. and not have CA win out.

kdog · 09-26-2010, 05:52 PM

Thanks, Sidrah. I suspected we had different interests, and was right. I do like the ocean, but of course one cannot swim there because the water is too cold. I was an avid sailor on the Bay, and I do miss that. Although, we actually have far more lakes for swimming in AZ than we did in SF. I agree with you on the lack of arts here. I'm not a big fan of the arts except for live music, and I do miss that. SF has a wonderful music scene. We value education for our children as well and are fortunate to have some wonderful schools in our small town. Some friends who moved here from Phoenix say the schools here are much better, which I found surprising as we live in a small town. All of the teachers we've met here are wonderful so far. Maybe I'll have a different opinion when the kids get into high school, but for now, things are good.

Mainly I'm an outdoor person. We hike and drive off-road vehicles and explore the mountains and deserts. The Bay Area is particularly bad for that as every inch of property is private with no trespassing. What little state land there exists is so precious that of course most of the time they don't allow vehicles or bicycles either. Mountain biking is similarly poor there for that reason. One must drive to get to a place to ride your mountain bike which really takes the fun out of it, especially with the oppressive bay area traffic. We also like camping, which again is pretty limited in the bay area. For an outdoors person, I think AZ is much better. Fortunately we don't all have the same tastes because we'd all wind up in the same place.

hart4july · 09-27-2010, 02:26 PM

I would suggest San Fran area also to the OP. I think you have to have a love for the SW or it will be just another relocation. Very little here is historical with Mid Century being the start point, and its a trade off in terms of weather, which keeps you less active unless you thrive on heat. We appreciate the desert beauty, but the heat does limit activity.

A good suggestion is the valleys East of San Fran, near Sacramento. We looked into areas such as El Dorado Hills, Roseville, Rocklin and Folsom in the beautiful foothills of Sierras. You are within driving distance of San fran, the Sierra mountains and Napa wine tasting. Plus, the housing market has dipped, just not as much as Phoenix. He was unable to relocate their, no job offers, and its probably for the best as CA is more expensive and we have children. But if I had no kids and wanted to buy a home , that is where we would choose. Nice suburban area esp. Rocklin we drove around there, and more temperate climate.

Jonny50 · 09-29-2010, 03:31 PM

It's to HOT! 6 or 7 months of 100 plus temps? I have lived here for over 30 years and If I could I would run not walk but the good job and nice home and great friends make it hard to escape. but if I could have asked the question "Why should I move to Phoenix?" 30 years ago, I would have been grateful to someone who would have told me there is no good reason the heat trumps most everything else. Yes we have more boats for a land lock state per capita because we do have some nice lakes. So what? There is very little culture here. It is full of fast food and strip malls selling crap. Half of the billboards are in Mexican, no, they are not in Spanish, there is a difference. I've been to Spain many times and I love to go to Mexico too, so don't even go down the road you are thinking. But I can't read the billboards. In short everthing good here you can find in another town and you could go outside in the summer. But I agree with NickW252 it would be nice to have more liberal people here. Wait! I thought of something, you can get a very nice home for cheap... See you soon,
Jonny

Ritchie_az · 09-29-2010, 05:10 PM

Quote:

It's to HOT! 6 or 7 months of 100 plus temps?

Um, no. Usually, the 100+ days are from early-to-mid June through mid-to-late Septemeber. We can get them as early as late May and as late as early October, although that is not really the "norm". So it's really 4-5 months where the temps can exceed 100 (not 6-7).

twiggy · 09-29-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritchie_az

Um, no. Usually, the 100+ days are from early-to-mid June through mid-to-late Septemeber. We can get them as early as late May and as late as early October, although that is not really the "norm". So it's really 4-5 months where the temps can exceed 100 (not 6-7).

So, 6 or 7 months depending on the heat waves, or out of the norms which is pretty normal for Phoenix most of the time, to be, out of the norm.

I've lived here 30 some years as well and the heat cannot be debated to me either. Why do you think we are so thrilled to have 80 degrees in Nov? It's because it's better than 100 something any day.

I'd just say, you better like the heat if you are going to move here, a lot of people prefer it.

crunchtime · 09-29-2010, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twiggy

So, 6 or 7 months depending on the heat waves, or out of the norms which is pretty normal for Phoenix most of the time, to be, out of the norm.

I've lived here 30 some years as well and the heat cannot be debated to me either. Why do you think we are so thrilled to have 80 degrees in Nov? It's because it's better than 100 something any day.

I'd just say, you better like the heat if you are going to move here, a lot of people prefer it.

I agree about better like the heat before moving and when we first investigated the area at the end of May, 8 years ago coming from San Diego I thought I can handle it. But after moving here in July, 2003 I was wrong. The 7 years of not looking forward to summer and dealing with 100 degree weather day after day for 5+ months took its toll on my attitude about living here. Thankfully we always rented and can move by next May after my daughter finishes 9th grade. So its difficult for some to know ahead of time whether they will get used to the heat or not. In my opinion based on my experience it's a crapshoot moving here.