Moving to AZ - any school/town info pls? (Phoenix: property taxes, housing)

[Nancy Lynne]

Hi. I am moving from NJ with a 10 year old boy and am looking to find a family-friendly, kid-oriented neighborbook in a safe town with good schools. I am picking up and starting from scratch --- simply taxed out of my home here in NJ --and laid off from the tech world that used to be out here -- thank you very much for your help/guidance/response/opinion????

[ev314]

Hi Nancy;
Depends on what your looking to spend (buying or renting?), but I would suggest North Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria. Lots of nice homes, cheap (compared to NJ). We moved from L.I. 5 yrs ago with our daughter (she was 6 at the time) and it is a nice place to raise kids. I would suggest checking out the school districts online. Paradise Valley is good, so is Glendale and Scottsdale.
Just be prepared, the people are a little different out here. Nice, but different. Also, we've found alot of predjudice against New Yorkers, I'd imagine it won't be much different for NJ. (We are actually going to be moving back east in a year or two-we've had enough).
But if you can tolerate some discrimination (and alot of heat!) its really not a bad place.
If you need to know anything else (more specific) feel free to ask. Good luck!
Nancy S.

[Nancy Lynne]

Dear EV314,

Thank you for your quick and informative response. It's unfortunate, but it seems there is a resentment/bias against NYNJ folks no matter where you want to live (outside of the NE area). I would like to know more if you can provide: specifically, your daughter is no 10/11...what school did she go to (if you can say) ...or what school would you have preferred for her -- and how is she feeling about moving from her friends and school at her age now - which is my sons age. Why did you move to AZ and why are you moving back. What is it exactly that just seems too much for you to handle?

Thank you very much.

Nancy

[Nancy Lynne]

EV314 -

Also, if I can help you with thoughts on where to move back to the NY?NJ area, please let me know. Our property taxes have priced alot of us working folks right out of our homes. My home was just reassessed, and went from $14,000 a year to $22,000 just like that! Can you also give me an idea of property taxes in the Arizona area?

thanks again

Nancy

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Nancy Lynne

EV314 -

Also, if I can help you with thoughts on where to move back to the NY?NJ area, please let me know. Our property taxes have priced alot of us working folks right out of our homes. My home was just reassessed, and went from $14,000 a year to $22,000 just like that! Can you also give me an idea of property taxes in the Arizona area?

thanks again

Nancy

I have a hard time believing that anyone here treats people from NY/NJ badly. If we don't like people from a state, that state is CA or from Mexico. People in PHX come from everywhere. This is a midwestern state in makeup and not a southern state with all that Yankee/Reb nonsense. I have neighbors from New York and never thought twice about it. We had several people from NY where I worked and it never came up. I think that some folks just have thin skin or a chip on their shoulder. Maybe they expect to be treated special cuz they came from NY and they get ignored like everyone else and it upsets them. Who knows.

As for property tax, it is one of the lowest in the country. Figure about 1% of assessed value or about 3/4 of 1% of what you pay for it. My house is assessed at 220 and I pay $2200. We got new assessments for next year that are way higher and so will have to see what taxes do.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Nancy Lynne

Hi. I am moving from NJ with a 10 year old boy and am looking to find a family-friendly, kid-oriented neighborbook in a safe town with good schools. I am picking up and starting from scratch --- simply taxed out of my home here in NJ --and laid off from the tech world that used to be out here -- thank you very much for your help/guidance/response/opinion????

If you want/have to work then you really have to forget about anything but Phoenix and Tucson. Of the two, Phoenix has a better job market, more to do, freeways to help you get around, and, in my opinion is far more attractive (more greenery, water, etc). In Phoenix area, I think the best - low/no crime, kid mentality, good schools - is Gilbert. Gilbert has pretty much every variety of housing option and a spectrum of prices. I would focus on that. Jobs are plentiful, but you may not get the pay you are used to. On the other hand, costs are lower too.

[ev314]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I have a hard time believing that anyone here treats people from NY/NJ badly. If we don't like people from a state, that state is CA or from Mexico. People in PHX come from everywhere. This is a midwestern state in makeup and not a southern state with all that Yankee/Reb nonsense. I have neighbors from New York and never thought twice about it. We had several people from NY where I worked and it never came up. I think that some folks just have thin skin or a chip on their shoulder. Maybe they expect to be treated special cuz they came from NY and they get ignored like everyone else and it upsets them. Who knows.

Case in point!! Just read this response and you'll see what I was talking about.
Rude is as rude does!
See.........I wasn't lying!!!!!!

[MotleyCrew]

Hi Nancy!

We moved to AZ two years ago from evil CA. We live in Vistancia, Peoria, AZ. Please come up and see this development it is like a resort and very affordable. There is a school on site with walking trails, swimming pools, golf courses, a basketball court inside a full sized gym. We have an awesome clubhouse that was designed by an award winning architect. The high school is either the new Liberty high or Sunrise Mountain High which scored the highest in AZ. The houses start in the mid to high $200's and there are some incredible resale homes on the market.
Most of our new friends are from N.J and we love their accents. They like our accent too. Please check out www.vistancia.com

[MotleyCrew]

Taxes here are far better than we were paying in N. CA even with prop.13. We paid only $2,000 for a 2,065 sq.ft home that we purchased two years ago for $220,000.

[NYCtoWarm]

If you are worried about people not liking you because you are from "Soprano Land" then you really won't be able to move anywhere. Half of Phoenix and Miami is from NY. If someone doesn't like you then just talk to the person next to them. They will probably be from NY/NJ.