To all current residents of ARIZONA....WHY NOT US??? (hot)

[crystalys]

Originally Posted by Chaindrive

I've lived here over 20 years. Outside of BHC (and yes, that's how we abbreviate it).

I don't want to live anywhere else. I love it here.

But it's like anywhere - visit first before you decide to move here. Winters are awesome, but it's hot in the summer. Visit then, during the extreme temps, and then make your decision.

If I won the lottery and had the wherewithal to move anywhere, I'd still stay here.

Same here, just over 20 years here. I despise ( that is a mild term for my feelings ) cold and snow. I was born and raised in the Boston area. 'Nough said. I love it here so much that I too would stay here if I won the lottery. I agree with the fact that we have to live in reality and the monsoon season can be a little hard to bear with the humidity on top of the heat, but I've been to New Orleans and southern Florida in August and our monsoon season is a piece of cake over that any day! It is definitely personal preference on how one can get through the summers here, I don't even have a pool, but it would be a disservice to not mention to newcomers the reality of life here. And those that say we do not have culture here are not interested in the kind of culture we have here like an appreciation for Native American history or the local arts venues. People from other parts of the country need to be open to our rendition of big city life and yes, they really need to visit many times or for an extended period of time to make a decision on a permanent move.

[Prickly Pear]

I'm usually the one who says "visit in the summer" because a lot of people aren't aware of what it's like. I don't think it's terrible since I've grown up here, but someone from the NE is more likely too for an example. Our weather is fairly "hot" for a long time. Of course, if they have visited in the summer (hopefully for an extended amount of time), then I encourage them to make the move now that they have experienced the heat. Arizona has a lot of great things to offer that are favorable. Really the only cons to Arizona would the lack of a nightlife because it does affect the younger folks like myself. Arizona is very family-friendly.

Arizona is a very beautiful state. I currently have an amazing view of Mt. Lemmon and I appreciate that every single day as I watch the sunset while I do my homework. I love seeing the unique desert plant life we have here. There really is no other state like this one. It's beautiful and underappreciated, I agree.

[Minneconjou]

LOL---I fit in the category of someone contemplating an Arizona move. To be honest, I want to hear most of the negatives first. Generally if most complaints go beyond the weather, the traffic, or an occasional complaint about the local government/media then that's often an indication that something's radically wrong with a certain place, that a prospective resident should know about.

Not checking on the downsides was how I got stuck in this cesspool of a city I'm trying to extricate myself now. Let's just say the advertising and the reality are substantially different. LOL

[omaraz]

When I moved to Arizona, I moved at the end of June, I love the sun and the heat. I think people that advise others to visit in the summer is because they do so out of concern not out of contempt for Phoenix or Tucson. Unfortunately there are some people who want to move to Arizona fall in love with the idea of "no winter weather" but they might not give full consideration of exactly how hot it gets in the summer. I don't think Arizonans who advise of the heat do so because they're being negative, they just don't want people to move here and then complain about how hot it is

[chazk14]

shhh. arizona sucks

[homebeyer2013]

the poor job market is worse than the high heat. Best thing AZ has going for it is California is a fiscal train wreck, Las Vegas is slowly swirling down the toilet bowl, and New Mexico is habitually poor.

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by Minneconjou

LOL---I fit in the category of someone contemplating an Arizona move. To be honest, I want to hear most of the negatives first. Generally if most complaints go beyond the weather, the traffic, or an occasional complaint about the local government/media then that's often an indication that something's radically wrong with a certain place, that a prospective resident should know about.

Not checking on the downsides was how I got stuck in this cesspool of a city I'm trying to extricate myself now. Let's just say the advertising and the reality are substantially different. LOL

I'm from the PNW. Moved here a couple of years ago. Took me 4 years to sell my house in Oregon so I had LOTS of time to do some research. I also visited a few times but only in winter. Most of my research was from this forum. Lots of good information here.
What I was warned about was, of course, the heat. Also some of the HOA nazi's as they were called. I was warned about bad air quality and rude people. They warned me about horrible drivers, daily dust storms, critters that would bite you until you are dead, dead, DEAD. Warned about the being kidnapped for no reason at all, how the illegal immigrants would break into any home I lived in, take my stuff and beat the hell out of me. I was told that Apache Junction was a drug infested, crime ridden dump that only hookers and drug crazed maniacs lived in. I was warned that, during the summer, my flesh would be instantly branded by anything metal. That working in the sun or even going out in the sunlight during the summer was impossible. That the snowbirds would come to town in the winter and ruin everything, crowding the restaurants, clogging the freeways while driving too slow in the fast lane and not contributing much to the local economy. They said the city/county/State services sucked HUGE and that there was absolutely nothing to do here, that everyone is bored as hell because there was little to do and no interesting places to go. The houses all looked the same and were poorly constructed.
Do I need to go on?
I'm over generalizing a little of course but, surprisingly, not by much.
Anyway, I moved here and found most of the above mentioned stuff to have no basis whatsoever. Some things have a grain of truth but overall, I'm very, VERY happy here. Compared to the PNW, there are few problems living here unless you come here with no work or money.
Do a little research, check this place out a few times and make sure it's the place for you. I did all that and so far, I can say it's the best move I've ever made.

[Nordicnomad24]

Originally Posted by maverick974

I'm from the PNW. Moved here a couple of years ago. Took me 4 years to sell my house in Oregon so I had LOTS of time to do some research. I also visited a few times but only in winter. Most of my research was from this forum. Lots of good information here.
What I was warned about was, of course, the heat. Also some of the HOA nazi's as they were called. I was warned about bad air quality and rude people. They warned me about horrible drivers, daily dust storms, critters that would bite you until you are dead, dead, DEAD. Warned about the being kidnapped for no reason at all, how the illegal immigrants would break into any home I lived in, take my stuff and beat the hell out of me. I was told that Apache Junction was a drug infested, crime ridden dump that only hookers and drug crazed maniacs lived in. I was warned that, during the summer, my flesh would be instantly branded by anything metal. That working in the sun or even going out in the sunlight during the summer was impossible. That the snowbirds would come to town in the winter and ruin everything, crowding the restaurants, clogging the freeways while driving too slow in the fast lane and not contributing much to the local economy. They said the city/county/State services sucked HUGE and that there was absolutely nothing to do here, that everyone is bored as hell because there was little to do and no interesting places to go. The houses all looked the same and were poorly constructed.
Do I need to go on?
I'm over generalizing a little of course but, surprisingly, not by much.
Anyway, I moved here and found most of the above mentioned stuff to have no basis whatsoever. Some things have a grain of truth but overall, I'm very, VERY happy here. Compared to the PNW, there are few problems living here unless you come here with no work or money.
Do a little research, check this place out a few times and make sure it's the place for you. I did all that and so far, I can say it's the best move I've ever made.

Hit the nail on the head.

[wit-nit]

OP it's no different than someone in Minnesota telling someone in AZ contemplating a move to MN about their severe winters and they should come and experience it firsthand in January.
Some people can't visualize what a dramatic change could be and need information about their new destination.
When I moved to AZ 60 years ago it was 107 degrees the day I arrived. Have loved it ever since. You could not pay me enough money to live in MN in the winter.

[bonni0827]

Nicely put Maverick974. My husband and I visit Arizona several times a year. Most of the time its in the middle
of the summer. We just love it and we enjoy the beauty of the desert and mountains. When we tell people who have never lived in or visited Arizona that we love it there-they say the same thing as your post. Good, more for us should
we decide to buy a home there. I am from Michigan. It has been very, very cold and we have a lot of snow. I am
missing Arizona right now! Tired of the cold here! Enjoy!