Moving to Prescott? (Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey-Humboldt: houses, rent, hotel)

[Gretchen B]

Originally Posted by thedfly

Downtown on the square of Prescott might be a good venue too when they have some of their arts and crafts shows. We get LOTS of visitors escaping the heat and strolling in the shade of the big trees around the courthouse.

I think the anything in downtown Prescott (whether a shop/consignment store or the Courthouse square) would get the most traffic. Isn't Peddler's Pass on Hwy 69 between PV and Prescott? As far as foot traffic, definitely downtown Prescott would have the most.

[esselcue]

If you live in Prescott it sounds to me like you shouldn't...and if you don't, then give some credit to those who do. I actually live in Chino Valley and work in Prescott...I like the landscape in Chino, lots of grazing land (not flat desert...it's grassy and is home to antelope, cattle, range horses), and rolling hills around, nice views, plenty of juniper and cedar trees in the foothills... and while I am not nuts about Prescott Valley it does have a nice landscape (but I will agree that the extremely tight housing and strip malls have sullied it a lot.)

Many retired people are extremely nice and many retired people are Arizonans...not all wealthy Californians. Be patient...you may be retired someday, too.

As for jobs...the best jobs are government: City, County & State. I work for Yavapai County and we have trouble FINDING employees. Why? Because young people nowadays can't pass the background checks! Too many drugs! There's work here but the best jobs will go to the qualified people.

And the climate? Yes, we have four seasons...we get summers in the 90's, we get colorful autumns with sunny days and cold nights, we get winters with a bit of snow and we get flowery springs, which is happening right now! They are not as distinctly seasons as in other areas of the country but we do get all four seasons.

My .o2 cents

[havasulady]

I lived in Chino Valley and I think it was a great place to live.
Housing in Chino Valley is very reasonable. I like Chino Valley over Prescott Valley.

Chino Valley offers wonderful scenery and wildlife. It is horse country.

[thedfly]

Originally Posted by havasulady

I lived in Chino Valley and I think it was a great place to live.
Housing in Chino Valley is very reasonable. I like Chino Valley over Prescott Valley.

Chino Valley offers wonderful scenery and wildlife. It is horse country.

Just know that if you are looking at Chino, and have children, check into the schools. I don't know firsthand, but that is one of the major complaints that I have heard from several mommies that moved their children into the PUSD.

It is much more affordable, but does not have the shopping that PV or Prescott has. You have a wide mixture of farm/ranch land, a few subdivisions, and plenty of trailer parks.

[rjlowe]

I'm moving to Prescott from Albuquerque next week and here are my observations so far during the moving/research process.

Crime is MUCH lower in Prescott compared to ABQ - which is just way over the top. I moved to ABQ ten years ago from L.A., CA, and I felt safer in L.A. to be honest. ABQ is the biggest town in NM, and it's smaller than Tuscon AZ.

Climate is very similar to ABQ - perpetual Spring and Fall, they never get Winter nor true Summer. Winter to me, as a Salt Lake native is high temps in the 20's - if you're lucky, and snow from Halloween to Easter. Summer, also in Salt Lake, arrives when day time temps are consistently over 100+, usually June-September, so you get about a month of spring and a month of fall there.

I don't think ABQ even hit 100 once last summer. In ABQ, the schools close if there's even snow in the forecast - it doesn't even have to actually snow, just have a chance of snowing, LOL. When I was going to school in SLC, schools NEVER closed for snow, even if it was 3ft deep! I'd never heard of "snow days" until I moved south, hehe.

Having also lived in Phoenix for a couple years, their version of Summer is utter Hell for me with daytime highs consistently in 110+ range.

Jobs - I'm IT and I got a job from my first application in Prescott. I don't think that's typical, but who knows. It pays noticably better than ABQ. But the cost of living is a tad higher in Prescott - esp. Housing. The diff. in price between my house in a desirable ABQ location (NW Heights, comparably low crime, close to all amenities like schools, shopping, restaurants, on a cul-de-sac, etc), compared to similar in Prescott is ~$50K higher in Prescott.

Things to do: Prescott seems MUCH more social than ABQ ever dreamed of being. Everyone I've dealt with so far has been very friendly and easy to talk to, from future landlords to city employees, to my new employer. Everyone has been great! Not sure if that's typical, but my experience has been very positive so far. And it seems like there's something fun or interesting going on in the town square almost every weekend. Plus lots of hiking, mtn. get-aways, day trips, etc. And if you really need to hit a big city, Phoenix is "just around the corner." I liken Prescott to Santa Fe, NM or Park City UT - an hour+ into the mountains from the "big city." It strongly reminded me of Park City - same type of architecture, old mining town, etc.

Anyways, I gotta move this weekend, so I'd better go finish packing. I'm really looking forward to my new town! As an avid gardener in ABQ, I can't wait to start working the dirt over there!

[Gretchen B]

rjlowe - Welcome to Prescott!!

[esselcue]

Welcome and good luck to you! You are a prime example of the type of person who will do just fine in Prescott: motivated, up-beat and friendly. I have always found that we get back what he give out in life.

[Ria Rhodes]

Pres-cott is mostly Caucasian-cott. Lots of redneck-cotts. Lots of transplant California-cotts. Lots of pickup-cotts, more traffic-cott than in past-o-cott. You'll find plenty of out-of-work real estate and construction-cotts, a small cross section of Hispani-cotts, lots of retirement-cotts, and if you're young you need to get involved with peers so you're not bored to death-o-cott. It's actually getting better in Pres-cott than it used to be to be young, but it's still mostly a place for your parents and grandparents. Best to organize your own soccer group with hispani-cotts cause most Caucasian-cotts like USA style football on TV (and getting drunk) because most of them are overweight lazy-o-cotts. Emory Riddle-cott and Yavapai-cott are ok if you got mom and dad tuition buck-cotts, but other than blowing buck-cotts in the Pres-cott Valley in the big box-o-cotts and at the local mall-o-cott, get out and go hike and bike or it's just a big damn bore-a-cott. Don't forget to pig out at In-n-Out-o-cott on your way back from Super WalMart-cott.

[havasulady]

You will love living in Prescott.

[LBear]

One should FIRST rent a home or apt. for a year and see IF they will like Prescott. Some will, some won't, only a "trial run" will determine where you stand.

I don't like it, for many reasons, but each person must determine that on their own. Stating that one will love it is making an absolute statement, which is not only false logic, but sets up a person for a huge fall when they don't like it...