Moving from Brooklyn, Mi to BHC, AZ: The Game Plan! (Phoenix: insurance, mobile home)

[sneal46]

Originally Posted by SmurfOnABoat

I frequently "visit" our home in AZ, and everytime I am there its harder and harder to come back to the real world in Michigan. Given this winter I wont complain much, because it has practically been non existent, at least over here. Less than 6" total snowfall. Mild temperatures to say the least. But, this is the year I am finally permanently making the switch. The temperatures do not bother me at all, like others have said, I would rather spend a day in the AZ sun than here on a 90-100 degree day with 90-100% humidity. If your an avid boater like myself you do sacrifice boating opportunities, but there are many places in AZ to boat, and you being in BHC, you get the almighty Mead and HAVASU! lol AZ is not for everyone, just like Michigan. But most everyone I have ever talked with (not originally from AZ, but moving to AZ) said they would never look back. I feel the same way.

Good luck on your decision, it seems as you are well prepared!

I agree the winter this year has been very mild. I think I have only shoveled snow 3 times. But we all know this is an anomaly that will eventually change. What is so appealing about AZ is that the weather is predictable. Lots of sun and heat. Some clouds and wind. Little rain. No snow. Can just about bank on never needing a rain check at the golf course. They probably dont even have slips to print them on....

As for boating, here is the one I am selling in Michigan. 1978 Ski Nautique. Just too far to move. Gut wrenching that I cant take it with me.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/425997_1838572821198_1746865016_885662_705397112_n .jpg (broken link)

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424354_1838581461414_1746865016_885668_783964263_n .jpg (broken link)

[kdog]

Gorgeous boat. Why can't you take it with you? Bullhead is a boating town.

You might also consider Kingman. The commute would be about 40 minutes, but it's an easy drive with little traffic. Same county as Bullhead, in fact the county offices are there. My impression is that the schools are better in Kingman (we had our kids in school there for 5 years). The hospital is definitely better. I'm pretty sure the house rental market is good there as well. Might be worth at least taking a look.

[sneal46]

Originally Posted by kdog

Gorgeous boat. Why can't you take it with you? Bullhead is a boating town.

You might also consider Kingman. The commute would be about 40 minutes, but it's an easy drive with little traffic. Same county as Bullhead, in fact the county offices are there. My impression is that the schools are better in Kingman (we had our kids in school there for 5 years). The hospital is definitely better. I'm pretty sure the house rental market is good there as well. Might be worth at least taking a look.

I could take the boat but two things are holding me back from doing that: It would be very costly to ship and I don't think trailering it 2200 miles is a good risk management decision. Also, it is not that big and may be too small for Lake Mohave. Only has a 12 gallon gas tank. Cant get far on that. Bigger boat may be in the cards.

My job will require me to live in the fire district so Kingman is not an option. Besides, I commute an hour to work every day here and it will be refreshing to live 10 mins away from work now.

Been looking at some homes in Desert Foothills and Laughlin Ranch. Very nice!

[GSXRScott]

I'm from Kansas City and although I dont miss the cold gray winters I do miss the green trees and grass. Everything's the same fricking color out here..Kakhi/tan!!! I'm in Phoenix but I cant imagine BHC is any more lush.

[sneal46]

Originally Posted by GSXRScott

I'm from Kansas City and although I dont miss the cold gray winters I do miss the green trees and grass. Everything's the same fricking color out here..Kakhi/tan!!! I'm in Phoenix but I cant imagine BHC is any more lush.

You are correct...other than the golf courses, BHC is about the same. Scenic in its own way but certainly not green. There is an old Sam Kinison bit that comes to mind where he talks about the desert.

[ArkansasSlim]

This will not add to the good responses already posted, but I will post what this "outsider" found in AZ. For several years I made an annual trip to AZ to locate and explore ghost towns and old mines. Those were wonderful years and leaves me with many fond memories. When I returned home and told of my trip, the normal response was; "but there's nothing out there except the same brown nothingness". And my response was always; "but you gotta get off the interstate, and look". In the spring time and after the annual monsoon (back then they still had them) the desert became one huge bouquet, and even in other times of the year there was lots to see. I truly miss those times.

[JetAgeHobo]

Had a house in Ft. Mohave for a few years until work took me elsewhere, my mom still lives there. The bit about the people not being friendly, were you talking to snowbirds/RV'ers that were just passing through? Or long term residents. Have a feeling locals aren't as friendly to the snowbirds passing through. Not hostile, just not going to make long term friends with folks that are just temporary. After I moved down there and settled in I found people tended to be rather friendly, have made quite a few friends I still keep in touch with, between clubs, church and such.

If you don't have to live in BHC proper, you might look into Ft. Mohave, around Dessert Lakes, houses on the golf course are a good deal about now. Also some good deals on rentals from what I hear.

One thing no one's mentioned that you need to be prepared for, is the wind. The saying goes the wind only blows twice a year, six months from the north, six months from the south. Blows dust around and into about everything.

All in all I'd move back, found the sunsets and sunrises against the mountains beautiful, but the wife likes trees, woods, forests and such, so -- as they say, if the wife ain't happy no one's happy.

[scocar]

Originally Posted by sneal46

First of all I have to say this site has been a wealth of knowledge and entertainment. I have read the AZ/NV forums to get knowledge about our (family of 4) impeding move from MI to AZ. Pretty confident I have all of the details about the area....good, bad, and indifferent.

This move is taking place as a "too good to turn down" job offer has come up and we have decided to make the move. This will be a 10-11 year commitment. So how do we plan on handling this monumental, life-changing move?

We will start with the schools first. Yes, they are rated #50. Yes, we have not read much to give us confidence our two sons (10,7) will be given the best education the country has to offer. However, we will be meeting with the principals at both elementary schools in our area of interest. We will find out what the short comings are and work to provide support in correcting them. What our kids don't get in school, we (as parents) will fill in the gaps. Consider this the "anti-entitlement" approach.

Next we tackle the weather. Yeah, I've spent several hours on threads about how HOT it is. Im sure we will find it hotter than anything we have experienced in Michigan. It will be an adjustment but between a pool, the river, the lake, boating, AC, mister, ice, trips to Sedona or somewhere higher in elevation, etc... we will manage. Remains to be seen how each of us handles it.

Ive read many times we there is nothing to do here. Well between the kids sports (basketball, baseball, soccer, golf) Im sure that will keep us busy. I found the town spread out and compartmentalized while I was there a few weeks ago but had every convenience I could want. Coming from a town of 5000 in rural MI, this is a metropolis.

Ive also read that people aren't friendly and nobody socialized. Well in the 3 days I was in BHC, I met some nice people in passing. Having kids in school makes it inevitable that we will meet other parents. Our current neighbors are luke warm so what we find out there in whatever subdivision we end up will be a crap shoot anyway.

Traffic. Winter time brings the snowbirds and BHC becomes a nightmare. Didnt see it while I was driving around a few weeks ago. Unless everyone was somewhere else during those three days... traffic was a non-issue.

No greenery... its all brown desert. Personally, Ive had enough snow, raking leaves, cutting grass, and pulling weeds out of the lake to last a life time. The desert seems maintenance free and I enjoy looking at the mountains for a change. Its like a postcard. The indigenous life doesn't scare us. More like a chance to experience something you only see in the movies. Im sure we will check out the scorpions and snakes from a distance.

Ultimately, someone said that AZ is what you make of it. We plan on making this a life experience, a new chapter in our lives. The easy button is to stay in Michigan and do the "same ole', same ole" but what fun is that? Once we move and settle in later this year, I will report back on this thread and give you my tangible thoughts.

See you all soon in AZ.....

I moved from Phoenix to St. Louis about 6 months ago. I lived in Phoenix my whole life prior to the move. One thing regarding the #50 in education tag that gets hung on Arizona all the time - it's completely unfair. Most ratings are either based on test scores, or money spent. If they are based on test scores then AZ is unfairly measured due to it's rather large amount of non-English speakers that are still required to take the test. Schools are secondary to parental involvement when it comes to education. ALL schools offer the opportunity to get a high quality education. The "bad" schools simply have more kids/families that don't care enough to take advantage of that opportunity.

[Chaindrive]

Originally Posted by JetAgeHobo

One thing no one's mentioned that you need to be prepared for, is the wind. The saying goes the wind only blows twice a year, six months from the north, six months from the south. Blows dust around and into about everything.

The wind where I live is only bad in the winter. It's downright brutal then. When the wind blows from the south (when it does blow) it's nice and warm.

There's plenty of dust though, even if the wind isn't blowing.

[gemstone1]

"I don't think trailering it 2200 miles is a good risk management decision"...

As a fulltime RV'er, who pulls a 5th wheel all over the country with a big truck, as well as a 20' cargo trailer behind a Dodge 1 ton, 2200 miles in "just around the corner"....I wouldn't think twice about pulling a boat that far, lots of folks do. Carry a spare and get a good Emergency Road Service policy and hit the road.

If you relocate to BHC/LHC and leave that boat behind ...IMO, you'll live to regret the decision.

Regards
Gemstone