Potential move to Phoenix area from Oklahoma, some questions... (Scottsdale: to rent, how much)

[SouthernBelleFromHell]

My fiance has a job transfer offer on the table, to Phoenix. I have never lived in the desert before, but seeing as how I want to stay with my fiance and not have a long distance relationship, I will be coming with him. (It's not 100% yet, but very close.) It will be him, myself, and his 5 year old son, my future stepson. He will move February-ish, and I a month or so later.

We are looking to rent for a few years first (per advice on this board). We are interested in a townhouse, patio home, duplex, or home, at least 2b/2b (but 3/2 would be preferable) in a good school district, near to shopping, entertainment, etc. Suburban family neighborhood feel. Sprawl and cookie cutter neighborhoods are fine. We are very flexible on yard space, so long as there's neighborhood space for use (parks, pool, community center). Our son will also need afterschool care while we work, and I will need access to good doctors and healthcare. We would like to keep it to $1000-1200 per month, but can go up to $1400 if necessary. Fiance also does not have a good track record with HOA's.

Fiance's work is in the Camelback area? (2910 E Camelback), and I will transfer with my company and work in Tempe (8350 S River Pkwy). We do NOT want a long commute for either (30 minutes tops in traffic), both in the interests of family time, finances, and being able to pick the boy up from school in a timely manner.

From Google maps, it looks like Scottsdale might be a good compromise between the two of us, possibly parts of Tempe? North Phoenix might be too far of a drive for me? I really hate freeways, but will do it if I need to.

Yes, it will be hot. It's the desert, it's what you do there. My car is black with black leather interior. When it was 112 here this summer with 70% humidity, I regretted it. But, I really can't afford to replace it. Exactly how much am I going to regret having it in Phoenix? I will assume I'll have to get a seat cover and/or tint the windows. This summer I had to keep oven mitts in my car so I could drive home from work. My only weather frame of reference is visiting Las Vegas in August. I just loved how dry it was. My hair and skin looked great, lol.

Also, is there a public ice skating rink in the area? And is Ballet Arizona still in existance?

Thanks for all the answers, I've learned so much lurking around the boards for the past week. So much has already been answered, I guess I just need specifics now.

[SluggoF16]

I did just the opposite... lived in Phoenix (Scottsdale) as a kid through college, then to Enid (Vance AFB) in 1982. Culture shock. Then back to AZ, now back to OK.

If you can handle an Okie summer you'll do just fine in AZ. 110-plus is hot no matter where it is. "But it's a dry heat." Get used to hearing that.

You will miss the tornadoes. But the Valley has monsoon in the summer so you'll feel a little at home.

I grew up in Scottsdale, zip 85251. My mom still lives there. $1000-1200 seems reasonable, and the SUSD is one of the best around. Quite a few properties 40-50 years old for $200K.

I can't speak for the drives anymore, but there is access to a freeway from Scottsdale to Tempe. Frankly, the surface streets are well laid out, like OKC, Tulsa, Norman, Enid and Lawton, in a nice grid.

[SouthernBelleFromHell]

Thank you Sluggo! I take it that if I'm used to the grid system in Tulsa, then I'll figure my way around the Phoenix area ok?

As to the heat, I can handle an Okie summer, but that doesn't mean I necessarily like it. Due to a medical condition, I have trouble with either weather extreme, heat or cold, but the heat is a little easier to handle. I just stay indoors a lot in the hottest months, and the rest of the time I should be okay. Our other option for the transfer was Chicago, so Phoenix was kind of a no-brainer decision. Heat over snow, for certain. And dry heat does make a difference - humidity just kills me.

I think we can get a nice place near where FI will be working, I'm more concerned about how far away my workplace will be.

[DellNec]

A black car with a black leather interior in Phx is the definition of a masochist. You will have to place towels on the seats and the steering wheel will get so hot you will have to wear gloves to protect your hands from burns. While not humid like OK, Phx will see humidity during the monsoon season (July - Sep). It will get to 110F with humidity during those months.

You couldn't pay me to live in OK. Phx is much better than OK. Ideally Prescott, AZ provides a better climate but jobs are scarce up here.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by DellNec

A black car with a black leather interior in Phx is the definition of a masochist. You will have to place towels on the seats and the steering wheel will get so hot you will have to wear gloves to protect your hands from burns. While not humid like OK, Phx will see humidity during the monsoon season (July - Sep). It will get to 110F with humidity during those months.

You couldn't pay me to live in OK. Phx is much better than OK. Ideally Prescott, AZ provides a better climate but jobs are scarce up here.

Anyone who has ever lived in a truly humid climate like Oklahoma, the Midwest, or the South would laugh hysterically at a comparison with the monsoon season in Phoenix.

You can perform a search on this forum to see previous threads about black cars in Phoenix, and even the monsoon season. While not ideal, the level of hyperbole in the above comment is sky high.

Ballet Arizona is still going strong. Here's their website: Ballet Arizona

A quick Google search will show you locations of local ice skating rinks.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

Anyone who has ever lived in a truly humid climate like Oklahoma, the Midwest, or the South would laugh hysterically at a comparison with the monsoon season in Phoenix.

You can perform a search on this forum to see previous threads about black cars in Phoenix, and even the monsoon season. While not ideal, the level of hyperbole in the above comment is sky high.

A quick Google search will show you locations of local ice skating rinks.

Maybe I did not make myself clear... I said the monsoon would make a newcomer from the South a little at home. After having lived in Arkansas and Louisiana as well, AZ is a walk in the park in the summer.

regrading tornadoes, attached pic is from 7 Nov 2011. I took it from 3 miles west of where I work.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Maybe I did not make myself clear... I said the monsoon would make a newcomer from the South a little at home. After having lived in Arkansas and Louisiana as well, AZ is a walk in the park in the summer.

regrading tornadoes, attached pic is from 7 Nov 2011. I took it from 3 miles west of where I work.

My comment was regarding a comparison between our monsoon season and Oklahoma humidity. As you say, a piece of cake or walk in the park.

[DR2012]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Maybe I did not make myself clear... I said the monsoon would make a newcomer from the South a little at home. After having lived in Arkansas and Louisiana as well, AZ is a walk in the park in the summer.

regrading tornadoes, attached pic is from 7 Nov 2011. I took it from 3 miles west of where I work.

Wow, really? I hope so, your message gives me hope. I live in Louisiana now. The humidity oh good god. Now the OP said she loved how her hair looked... I am hoping. Here in the summer, well still even not just the summer... I can't even fix my hair, the humidity gets it. I am a permanent ponytail, but I wear a hat 75% of the time.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by DR2012

Wow, really? I hope so, your message gives me hope. I live in Louisiana now. The humidity oh good god. Now the OP said she loved how her hair looked... I am hoping. Here in the summer, well still even not just the summer... I can't even fix my hair, the humidity gets it. I am a permanent ponytail, but I wear a hat 75% of the time.

I was planning to move to OK a couple years back, even bought some property there, but the economy killed my plans. I did spend quite a bit of time there (near Lake Tenkiller) in summer, though. The bad news, the heat here is worse IMO. There's a couple reasons for that. Even though the humidity is miserable there it is still 20 degrees cooler. It cools down faster at night and reaches a lower temp. And the biggie is you have shade. You can get under a big old oak or a hickory or whatever. The shade keeps the ground cooler and stops the radiation from hot surfaces that goes on well past midnight here. Also, there is water in green country. There are lakes here in the desert, but it takes hours to get to one and they too have no shade. We do have mountains with forests and lakes, and that is something that OK does not really have anything like. You need time and money to get to them though.

On the pluses , the bugs in OK are gawd awful. We don't have bugs to speak of compared to there. So you can enjoy the evenings without being eaten alive.

Jenks is probably the closest thing to Phoenix in terms of "feel" except Phoenix looks newer and goes on forever. It's one huge modern suburb. You don't have the downtown that Tulsa has even though it is a much larger city.

The religion thing is missing here too. There is not a church every other block like in OK. There are far fewer parochial and private schools. We do have a religious university here, though it is certainly not as significant as ORU.

[Nanny Goat]

The monsoon isn't humid like other places, but I did yard work all summer and early 6:30 am to maybe 7 :30 am. Every time I was out there July-early September, I was covered in sweat--and I don't mean a little. I don't remember that when I moved here years ago. So, no it's not like 90 % humidity, but with temps in the 100's it doesn't take much humidity to make it very, very uncomfortable.