Physician moving to Phoenix- tips? (Mesa, Glendale: transplants, real estate, apartments)

[jlzpo1]

I'm a single person moving to Phoenix from Boston in June to work as a physician in a hospital in Glendale- any tips? Where to move? Should I rent vs buy now? What's the patient environment like in Glendale? How are the major players in healthcare regarded in Phoenix (ie. MIHS, BHC, MC, etc)? Is there typically a "culture shock" I have to be aware of?

So as not to re-invent the wheel:

1. I know Phoenix is hot and that "you can fry an egg on your car hood" during the summer...

2. I've been to Phoenix, so I know geographically how different it is from Boston/NYC/Philadelphia/etc...

3. Just because I'm a doc doesn't mean I prefer to serve wealthy patients, want to live in a gated community and play golf in Scottsdale. I work in a city hospital, I prefer not to live in a gated community because it goes against my principles, I don't play golf, and I don't want to necessarily live in Scottsdale.

[synapse]

> I'm a single person moving to Phoenix from Boston in June to work as a physician in a hospital in Glendale- any tips? Where to move? Should I rent vs buy
> now? What's the patient environment like in Glendale? How are the major players in healthcare regarded in Phoenix (ie. MIHS, BHC, MC, etc)? Is there
> typically a "culture shock" I have to be aware of?

Glendale's nice. That's where the Super Bowl is going to be, and the Phoenix Coyotes stadium isn't far. There's a shopping / housing development called Westgate nearby, and Glendale is becoming a hot sports area with easy access to the 101 Loop Freeway, thus attracting young people. But Peoria and Sun City are nearby, with their retirement communities. Old and young in mixed communities - can't imagine a better atmosphere for a physician.

Phoenix is a good environment for physicians because the city is growing, and thus there's a need for doctors. Malpractice insurance costs are relatively low compared to places like Massachusetts. And, because there are fewer teaching hospitals - or hospitals in general, really - the competition isn't as fierce as Boston. As a result you don't have to round at fifteen hospitals just to survive. And, the housing costs are lower.

If you're going to be working in Glendale, you could certainly consider that area to live in - it's nice - but just east are the nice neighborhoods of Arrowhead Lakes and Desert Ridge, and just south is Avondale and Goodyear, also pleasant.

Rent vs. buy is such a big argument - but in general, at the moment, it's a buyers market. Housing costs are lower than previously.

The big, major player in the Phoenix hospital market is Banner, a conglomerate that owns several major hospitals in the area. HCA also has a presence, I believe, and there are several big hospitals that exist as part of the University of Arizona residency program, such as Good Samaritan. There are also several well-respected free standing hospitals like Del Webb and John C. Lincoln.

And it terms of culture shock - yeah, to some extent. Phoenix has a lot of the things that Boston has - pro sports teams, good theater, restaurants, music, art, etc - but it's newer, so not quite as culturally "known" as, say, the Red Sox or the Museum of Fine Arts - and far more spread out, one of the more annoying things about Phoenix as opposed to the walkable Boston. But once you get used to driving everywhere, there's culture to be found.

[HollyhockGarden]

Hello! Welcome to Phoenix and Glendale. My husband and I are originally from a Chicago suburb and have lived here many years. The Phoenix area is very large and spread out so it does take time to get to know the different areas. Glendale is a large city with over 200K residents. Like Scottsdale, the city has a long north-south spread in terms of mileage. A few years ago hubby and I did the opposite of many people, and moved south instead of north. We chose Marbrisa Ranch, which is an in-fill subdivision built in 1994. It is near 59th Ave and Peoria, right across the street from the main Glendale Library, the Glendale Adult Center, Saguaro Ranch Park, and near the Glendale Community College. We can literally walk anywhere, which I like -- grocery stores, Post Office, Walgreen's, Home Depot, etc. It is a little closer to Old Town Glendale, which has a nice assortment of antique shops and reminds us of our hometown in Illinois. There are band concerts every Thursday evening in the summer in the bandshell in the town square. The Arrowhead Ranch area is very nice, and there are many neighborhoods aound town. I would suggest renting for a while just to get the area a little better. There are many nice homes, apartments, and patio/townhomes homes for rent in the area. I have been a patient in Banner Thunderbird Hospital eight times in the last three years. Patient-wise, you get a variety of people. Ourselves, we are college graduates. We have a neighbor who is a Harvard grad. You also will find recent immigrants from a variety of countries ranging from Mexico to Bosnia. They live all over the Phoenix metropolitan area. 1/3 of the births in AZ were illegitimate last year, paid for by AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid alternative. Hopefully you will find a neighborhood where you can walk, and get to know the neighbors. We met many of our friends through our church. There are nice people everywhere -- you just have to get to know them.

[MotleyCrew]

My plug for Peoria: We found Vistancia Village to be the best place for us to land. We happen to live on the "family" side and enjoy the kids and younger beat to the neighborhood. We have doctors on our street along with many nurses. Dell Webb hospital is our favorite, and it is roughly 15 to 20 min down the 303 loop. There are many different levels of housing here, from starter homes/ town homes, to million dollar customs in the new golf community called Blackstone. Go to Arizona Real Estate - Vistancia - Peoria AZ - Master plan Community and see some of the ammenities.
Best of luck in your search.

[healthcaresafety]

As a single guy, if you get too far west you'll limit your availability to meet young ladies. I'd check out Fireside by Del Webb for living - new, nice, great community center, easy access to Glendale. AZ doubles in size every 20 years - good situaiton for doctors of all specialties. Banner owns the largest hospitals in west valley - thorugh there are a few smaller ones. Like most places, insurance and Medicare pricing drives earnings unless you are fee for service such as plastic surgery or into BOTOX / hair transplants, etc. There is an excellent geriatrics society in the valley and a real demand for geriatricians or internists who will focus on the elderly.

It's a decent time to buy- lots of availibility and you'll find the 'right' place with patience. No matter what happens in the market - AZ doubles every 20 years - real estate eventually goes up if you make a reasonable decision to begin with.

There are many single activity groups for people - tennis clubs, hiking clubs.... lots of ways to meet new people and connect. As for gated communities, it is the wave of the future. Phoenix is the 5th largest city in thecountry - with that goes riff raff - and gates slow down the troublemakers. It doesn't protect you, but it does make the person really want to enter .... so gates are a deterrant. It has less to do with snobbery than simple safety and maintaining home values.

Have fun .... and remember, San Diego is a 6 hour drive west - and it's cool there in the summer... so no matter how hot it gets your weekends can still be tolerable :-)

[joepastori]

Hello,

Glendale is a great west valley location with easy access to central Phoenix when the occasion arises.

There are a lot of good housing options depending upon your price range and tolerance for a commute. Glendale itself has a lot of new building going on, particularly around the stadium which is located just off a major freeway.

Housing prices have dropped dramatically in a lot of areas so there has never been a better time to buy. The market is showing some signs of life now, the demand is staying steady as Phoenix is still one of the fastest growing cities in the US. The affordability index has us ranked as 121st but we are the fifth largest city...that gap is sure to close over the next couple of years.

I would recommend staying away from the depressed areas like Goodyear and some areas of Avondale, Litchfield Park is a good option with fairly new housing stock and nice neighborhoods. I've shown a number of houses in that area and had some clients buy a 2,000 sq. ft one story home in December for about $50,000 less than the last unit that sold in that subdivision. Good deals abound because of the vast available inventory.

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[from nv]

Glendale is a great city. We moved from there last August. You may want to check out San Prado Luxury Apartments out on 59th Avenue & Union Hills, just off of the Loop 101. They have other properties throughout the city. check out marktaylor.com to see their listings. San Prado was a gated community, with a pool, fitness center, business center, and you have carports that are not really carports, but like garages without a door; nice quiet, extremely clean complex.

[petlover8]

My husband and I moved to arizona in 1991. We have lived in phoenix for 11 years and if I were a doctor, I would locate to Litchfield Park. It is a Great place to live and work.

[Elmonellie]

Originally Posted by jlzpo1

I'm a single person moving to Phoenix from Boston in June to work as a physician in a hospital in Glendale- any tips? Where to move? Should I rent vs buy now? What's the patient environment like in Glendale? How are the major players in healthcare regarded in Phoenix (ie. MIHS, BHC, MC, etc)? Is there typically a "culture shock" I have to be aware of?

So as not to re-invent the wheel:

1. I know Phoenix is hot and that "you can fry an egg on your car hood" during the summer...

2. I've been to Phoenix, so I know geographically how different it is from Boston/NYC/Philadelphia/etc...

3. Just because I'm a doc doesn't mean I prefer to serve wealthy patients, want to live in a gated community and play golf in Scottsdale. I work in a city hospital, I prefer not to live in a gated community because it goes against my principles, I don't play golf, and I don't want to necessarily live in Scottsdale.

Now is a really interesting time to by a house. Who knows what is going to happen to the economy in the future...I think it is going to level out pretty soon and am looking at investment properties now. Anyway, here is an idea for you that you probably won't get from anyone else on this board. If you are single you might want to think twice about moving into one of the many cookie cutter developments. Nothing wrong with them, just totally family oriented. Just because you work in Glendale doesn't mean you have to live there. Again, nothing wrong with it, but it is very suburban. Here are some things to look into that are a bit different: The Sunnyslope area. It is at the north end of Central Avenue. A very downtrodden area mostly, but it is being gentrified and parts of it, the hilly area.... just fantastic if you are into archetecture. Specifically mid century. A lot of single professionals (dr's, lawyers, architechts, writers/artists) are buying in this area and there is a cool sense of community. The views are stellar and the prices low. Kind of reminds me in a wierd way of Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles. Same vibe although looks nothing like it.

If you are open to a condo there are some neat ones near Old Town Scottsdale (expensive). The drive to Gendale is a drag, but it wouldn't stop me if I enjoyed living in this area. The downtown Scottsdale area is pretty nice, with lots of restaurants, galleries, clubs, shopping etc. You can even walk or bike to most things which is pretty impossible in the suburbs. Some people think its kind of "plastic" down there. I'm not bothered by it, but it is something to be aware of.

Downtown phx. It is changing. Not really my cup of tea, but if you are into a more hip urban thing, there are condos popping up all over.

North of Downtown Phx...historic district. If you like older homes with a lot of greenery, check these areas out. They aren't cheap. Nice sense of community, CUTE/elegant neighbohoods. Boarders on some iffy areas.

Arcadia....suburban, but some of it is "single" oriented. Look around 40th street south of Camelback. This is where I want to invest. I see great potential. A '60's 1800 sq. ft. ranch that needs some tlc in a good location will be worth much more in a few years, IMHO. Of course this is a highly desirable area so you aren't going to find anything cheap here.

Just some ideas for you. Good luck.

Oh, re: culture shock. Yes, I imagine there will be a good bit of it coming from Boston. Try to get involved with some group or club or service organization soon after you get here as it is a great way to meet like minded people. If you are into exercise, etc. there are plenty of cycling, mtn climbing, etc. clubs. They are fun.

I don't know much about your other questions other than Glendale is a pretty middle class city with the northern part wealthier and the southern part poorer with a big population of spanish speaking immigrants.

[amatrine]

We do need more doctors out here. If you had the cash, you could start your own practice out here and be booked up in no time. More people than doctors out here.

I know they are need Physicians out at the new banner in East Mesa, Queen Creek area.
Its a nice facility. They just moved there. It used to be Mesa General but they moved.
It only been open a few months and they are short staffed. You could pretty much have your pick of anywhere to live and work here.

Of course I think Barrows hospital ( St. Joes) has the best doctors hands down.
The best patient treatment. I even sent their docs and nurses a thank you card
for the care I received while I was there. Two doctors offices blew me off, while i was very ill, not wanting to take the time. I finally went to the ER there, and they took the time, and diagnosed and treated me. Changed my life and I will never forget it.