AZ vs. The Pacific Northwest? (Phoenix, Tucson: buying a house, landscaping, transfer)

[moshywilly]

I am a junior in college as an IT major and I live in New Jersey. I plan on moving somewhere out West when I graduate college. I had the Pacific Northwest in my mind as a primary thing (not sure if either Oregon or Washington is better), but I had AZ in my mind as a secondary choice. For some reason, this week, I am starting to feel obsessed with AZ something makes feel like I want to live there. Both places have nice climates (except the eastern PNW and except Phoenix) and both have equally beautiful and dramatic scenery that this country is blessed with. in my opinion. I love the gorgeous evergreen trees of the PNW, the smell of it, the mountains, etc. It looks completely different than the ugly greenery of the East Coast. Arizona has a beautiful blend of colors, beautiful desert plants, and beautiful terrains like the Grand Canyon and the terrains in the general scenery. Both places look like they suit my outdoorsy lifestyle.

I visited Seattle and Mount Rainier in August 2016, I visited AZ back in middle school, which was probably around 2009 time. I wouldn't remember much about it, except for visiting the huge crater, Grand Canyon, and seeing the general scenery.

This week, there is something that makes want to live in AZ. I explored AZ on Google Earth and looking at neighborhoods that don't get very hot (and don't get too much snow I don't mind getting mild snowstorms that are only 2 inches) such as Prescott/Prescott Valley and Chino Valley area. I like how spaced out the homes were in certain streets in AZ (not the kind of the streets that are still being developed). I would love to have a home that's a little spaced out from the neighbors, especially in the desert, where you don't have to mow grass. I hate landscaping and that's one of the benefits of living in the desert. I wouldn't mind putting some rocks to make my front lawn look nice and neat. The downfall of the Pacific Northwest, is that I can't find streets where are homes are spaced apart and where I can get very little land, greenery would be a pain on the ass to take care of. I wish I can get turf grass, I can't see how millions of people enjoy landscaping and taking care of a huge ass lawn every week.

Anyways, I heard bad things about living in AZ. I heard that only Phoenix really has job opportunities and you would have to end up living somewhere brutally hot. I heard that jobs don't even pay well to even afford the cheap living of AZ. Also, I am worried that AZ will have too many old people since it's a warm climate. I feel that NJ has an aging population and somewhat a lack of young people even though NJ isn't a warm climate.

I know this forum isn't the right forum to post a comparison, but Arizonans, how do you like AZ compared to the PNW? There's just something about AZ that is exciting me.

[gemstone1]

AZ is exciting....so is the PNW. But unless you are wealthy, not concerned with a career, maybe you should temper your excitement and look for the best place to use the skills you are paying to learn. Not to say that there are no IT jobs in AZ, every medium to large company/municipality will have an IT department, but the PNW is known to be an IT hotspot, so that would be my first choice. Generally, where there is greater competition for talent, wages will be higher....as will the COL.

Regards
Gemstone1

[meo92953]

If you could start out in the PNW, build up a reputation then try for positions where you could work at home, you could have the benefit of both places.

I'm one of those old retired folks so don't know all the procedures involved. Look at the moving forum to see what folks have to say. I know some say they work at home, find out how they are doing it.

Good luck. It's got to be exciting to start out and plan your life.

[Colt AZ]

Potanta...

Absolutely, go with the Pacific Northwest! Arizona is NOT for you!

[johnp292]

I’m in IT. I’m also originally from NJ.

If you want to live in AZ and work in IT, your only realistic option is Phoenix. Especially at entry level and frankly this is not an area I’d move to if I were looking for entry level IT jobs. There’s not that many of them (compared to other areas) and the pay is below average.

If you are going to limit yourself to those two choices I’d recommend PNW. Not cheap to live there though.

I 100% get not wanting to stay in NJ, but if I were you I’d get a few years of experience there first and then look to move. Ideally try to find work with a company that will let you transfer somewhere else. Or gain experience in a field where you can work remotely. I never recommend to anyone moving without a job.

[goolsbyjazz]

I have to echo whatsome of the others have said. I reccomend giving the PNW a try first, especiallyif you're just starting out. Unless you have some money stashed away I wouldn't think about buying a house right away, especiallyin the PNW! Pay is likely to be a bit higher than in AZ but so is housing.

You will have to deal with rain...lots of it in the PNW. Having said that, AZ is not a bad place to land and Phoenixis the job center so you would have to come to grips with that. Summers are brutally hot at times, but you can still do outdoorsy stuff early morning or when the sun sets so it isn't all bad. Housing, for now, is also cheaper but that is rapidly changing.

[agorski]

If you don't mind going where the jobs take you, specialize in something. In my case, I had an engineering degree and then programmed flight simulators, which later got me a sweet job at Johnson Space Center.

If you prefer to settle in one place, then you probably want to be a generalist.

Sadly, you'll eventually get replaced by younger folk who get paid less, so look for an exit strategy like management.

[kitty61]

I am attracted equally by both AZ and WA. Never thought about anywhere else actually
Maybe Ontario, Canada. I love desert scenery but the heat is not for me. I'd rather live where temperatures are milder both winter and summer and a place where there is no shortage of water. WA has that in abundance and with it plenty of lush vegetation like you mentioned.

Check out Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site and indeed.com .

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by potanta

I am a junior in college as an IT major and I live in New Jersey. I plan on moving somewhere out West when I graduate college. I had the Pacific Northwest in my mind as a primary thing (not sure if either Oregon or Washington is better), but I had AZ in my mind as a secondary choice. For some reason, this week, I am starting to feel obsessed with AZ something makes feel like I want to live there. Both places have nice climates (except the eastern PNW and except Phoenix) and both have equally beautiful and dramatic scenery that this country is blessed with. in my opinion. I love the gorgeous evergreen trees of the PNW, the smell of it, the mountains, etc. It looks completely different than the ugly greenery of the East Coast. Arizona has a beautiful blend of colors, beautiful desert plants, and beautiful terrains like the Grand Canyon and the terrains in the general scenery. Both places look like they suit my outdoorsy lifestyle.

I visited Seattle and Mount Rainier in August 2016, I visited AZ back in middle school, which was probably around 2009 time. I wouldn't remember much about it, except for visiting the huge crater, Grand Canyon, and seeing the general scenery.

This week, there is something that makes want to live in AZ. I explored AZ on Google Earth and looking at neighborhoods that don't get very hot (and don't get too much snow I don't mind getting mild snowstorms that are only 2 inches) such as Prescott/Prescott Valley and Chino Valley area. I like how spaced out the homes were in certain streets in AZ (not the kind of the streets that are still being developed). I would love to have a home that's a little spaced out from the neighbors, especially in the desert, where you don't have to mow grass. I hate landscaping and that's one of the benefits of living in the desert. I wouldn't mind putting some rocks to make my front lawn look nice and neat. The downfall of the Pacific Northwest, is that I can't find streets where are homes are spaced apart and where I can get very little land, greenery would be a pain on the ass to take care of. I wish I can get turf grass, I can't see how millions of people enjoy landscaping and taking care of a huge ass lawn every week.

Anyways, I heard bad things about living in AZ. I heard that only Phoenix really has job opportunities and you would have to end up living somewhere brutally hot. I heard that jobs don't even pay well to even afford the cheap living of AZ. Also, I am worried that AZ will have too many old people since it's a warm climate. I feel that NJ has an aging population and somewhat a lack of young people even though NJ isn't a warm climate.

I know this forum isn't the right forum to post a comparison, but Arizonans, how do you like AZ compared to the PNW? There's just something about AZ that is exciting me.

Eastern Washington like Spokane is really similar to Flagstaff and 80% of Arizona lives in the Phoenix-like climates of Southern Arizona (Tucson being 5 degrees cooler doesn't change anything). You automatically dislike more than 80% of the state's climate and yet you still are considering living here? Eastern Washington is basically high desert with is a lot of Northern Arizona.

The places that aren't like those two climates are Prescott and Sedona and BOTH are full of retirees and new age hippies (Sedona) and retirees and staunch conservative libertarians (Prescott) none would match your concerns.

Arizona clearly is not for you.

[moshywilly]

Originally Posted by gemstone1

AZ is exciting....so is the PNW. But unless you are wealthy, not concerned with a career, maybe you should temper your excitement and look for the best place to use the skills you are paying to learn. Not to say that there are no IT jobs in AZ, every medium to large company/municipality will have an IT department, but the PNW is known to be an IT hotspot, so that would be my first choice. Generally, where there is greater competition for talent, wages will be higher....as will the COL.

Regards
Gemstone1

That is true. PNW is stereotypically loaded with IT jobs and other tech savvy jobs. Wages are higher there and COL is higher too, but wages usually pay enough there to live, while I heard AZ's pay can suck to even afford living in AZ.