East Coast to Sierra Vista or Tuscon or bust! (Tucson: bank owned, for sale)

[crazyme4878]

The problem is the difference in what people consider good grocery stores, good stores, what they want in entertainment.

Rent first (in SV)--there are several nice options. This will allow you to explore the town and see how you feel about it. Maybe even doing a TDY rental for a couple months. I'm sorry I can't advise you on different developments--I really don't know which ones are better than others and there are so many that I can't remember all their names.

If my camera wasn't full, I would take photos for you. There is a nice movie theater in town, although I have heard that the teenagers get a bit rumbuncious during the weekend shows. I don't think there is much for nightlife, though.

Take a deep breath and enjoy the adventure. Renting will allow you to see if you will feel better in Tucson or SV. But a word to the wise: you are moving here at probably the worse time. The heat will be intense, it is the peak of fire season, and the bugs will soon be coming out. Keep this in mind when you first settle in! Try to realize you might be miserable for the first month (or two) and that you will need to give Arizona a good few months before deciding whether you like it or not.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by south_east2west

I am the originator of this thread and after several months of waiting my wife has received an offer for Ft Huachuca and we will be relocating sometime in June. However, I am sorry to report that neither of us are happy. Her job prospects were between GA, AL, and AZ and although I have posted on the other forums, Arizonians by far have been the nicest and the most willing to help but based on many thoughts, ideas, and opinions we've read on the AZ forums, we were hoping for AL or GA. We have concerns about our quality of life living in AZ. Although we have always looked forward to leaving the DC metro area, we will miss having access to simple things we have taken for granted until now. Simple things such as nice grocery stores, movie theaters, shopping malls, strip malls, etc. From what we read, most of these things seem nonexisient in SV unless one is willing to drive many miles for it. I have searched the internet high and low looking for information or pictures on Sierra Vista residential communities, strip malls, night life, day life, any life and all I seem to find are people who recommend driving to Tucson because it is the closest big city.

Besides becoming one with nature what else does SV have to offer?

Does anyone have any pictures of SV that shows pictures around town, etc?

Should we look to buy/rent in SV or save ourselves the trouble and move to Tucson and commute back and forth?
etc?


I am fully aware that part of my apprehension may be a resistance to change which can be attributed to having lived on the east coast my entire life.

As always your help/advice is appreciated!

Well, there is NO doubt that the change from DC to SV will be substantial. DC is a large metro area right in the midst of the DC-Boston Megalopolis. SV is a small city of under 50,000 that's a pretty long drive from the nearest "big" city (Tucson is over 1 million, but seems much smaller - so even THAT would like seem provincial to YOU).

SV is big enough to have pretty much all the goods and services you'd expect to find in any city - but your number of different options will be much more limited. For example, instead of multiple movie houses you'll have 1 (10 screens though). Certainly there is nothing in the way of museums, theater or other world class attractions to anywhere match the DC area. There plenty of shopping options (big box stores, a couple of modest strip malls etc) but no really large malls in SV.

Still, for most people SV seems to have the main goods, services and basic entertainments necessary - but since you are coming from such a cosmopolitan area SV will most certainly seem pretty provincial to you.

That need not necessarily nor entirely be a bad thing though.

Ken

[south_east2west]

crazyme4878 and lordbalfor as always thanks for your help!

"If my camera wasn't full, I would take photos for you."

crazyme4878, If you are willing to snap a few pictures, I have no problem sending you a SD card for your camera. Or if you have a paypal account I can deposit $20 for the card...either way.


This morning I read "Sierra Vista Outlook 2008" that I found on the SV visitor's website. It was probably the most helpful doc I read thus far as it broke down employment, crime, education, expansion, healthcare, etc etc.

"Renting will allow you to see if you will feel better in Tucson or SV"

My wife wants to live in Tucson instead of SV but i think she is underestimating the hour plus commute each way. As someone who has commuted 3 hours a day (hour and a half each way) for two years, I continue to tell her it will get old really fast! Don't think she believe me though. ;-)

Since we both will probably work at the Fort, I need to find a community thats safe (relative I know) and has somewhat of a neighborly feel. By neighborly feel I mean a community where the houses are not miles apart! Yeah I know most people scramble for land and separation but coming from the East coast where developers arent so generous with land, we have gotten use to having our neighbors somewhat close. For us it is a sense of security but I will be the first to admit, probably a false sense.

"That need not necessarily nor entirely be a bad thing though."

lordbalfor don't get me wrong, we are "big citied" out so in many ways we are looking forward to a smaller, calmer, slower, lifestyle. ;-)

[LordBalfor]

south_east2west -

SV has many new developments with houses pretty close together. As is typical in the SW a lot of these homes (maybe even most) have cement block walls around the backyards for privacy and security (rather than wood fences - since trees are a lot less common) so you won't have a problem finding a home there that is pretty close to your neighbors. Use either Google Earth or this this link (Web Sierra Vista) to use the Microsoft Live website to zoom in on SV and take a look for yourself at the developments. Sadly the "birds eye" view is not available for SV the way it is for Tucson (that would bring you down REALLY CLOSE to the ground to get a real feel for the town) but even the "aerial" view is pretty good - and allows you to zoom in close enough to get a feel for how close together the houses in developments in and around SV are. Look around Snyder Blvd for example and you'll see lots of homes that are pretty close together but separated by walls.

As I implied, SV is not a Podunk little town - at least not by most people's standards. Arizona has LOTS of those, but SV isn't one of them. In my opinion actually SV is a VERY NICE size - large enough to have pretty much anything you need (sans big city "culture") but small enough to avoid big city traffic, crime and congestion. I'd try REAL hard to get your wife to reconsider her plan to live in Tucson and commute to Fort Huachuca. It's not a grinding commute in the sense that traffic will be pretty light rather than heavy, but it's still a LONGGGGGGGGG haul to do twice a day - especially when you consider that (aside from Vail - which is pretty sparse when it comes to shopping/dining/entertainment itself) the nicer parts of Tucson are NORTH of the city rather than along the southern approaches along I-10.

For what it's worth.

Ken

[crazyme4878]

I would say that any part of SV is safe, with maybe north of Fry Blvd. being the exception (for clarification, because when I first moved I thought, "How the hell do I know where that is": it is north of Fry Blvd, between Coronado Street and Buffalo Soldier Hwy., although I would even confine it more to between Buff. Sold. and 7th. However, you will notice that all of the housing north of Fry is older than the rest of the town, with the exception of some apartments/complexes by the college). On that note, I met a very nice woman through Freecycle who lives in the Port Royale apartments by the college. She really likes living there and says it is nice a quiet. However, it is on the outer edge of town and away from the rest of the neighborhoods (although it is a large, gated complex in of itself).

If you can afford, TDY for a couple months. Then you can spend one whole week eating dinner out in Tucson. That way, you and your wife can experience the commute you would have to do every day, as well as enjoy Tucson and check out neighborhoods there. Then, while living in SV, you can also check out neighborhoods here and see how you like the town. Another positive is that if you find a house you like, you can drive by during the afternoon monsoons to see if there is any flooding!

No worry about the photo card. If it really means that much to you, I will try to do it this week. I will have to make a new thread labeled "SV photos." I think it would be a good deed to do, as so many people move to this area, and you are right, there are no good photos of the town. I just have spend a couple hours at the photo kiosk to print off a year or so of photos (I know, I'm horrible). This is something I have to do before my parents come in two weeks anyhow.

Let me know if there are any specific developments you are interested in, as well.

[knappl]

To OP:

I lived on and off in Sierra Vista for a total of 7 yrs (not continuous) as I am in the military still.

Overall, it is BY far my favorite place I have ever been stationed, and I have lived in Denver, Clarksville, Killeen, among others.

When I lived there I did make a trip to Tucson 2x per month for more shopping, but all the basics are in town.

My hobbies are hiking, cycling, triathlon, and SV is a perfect place for all of those. Great active community and tons of great places for it.

I personally would live in SV; you could get a place along Hwy 90 in Whetstone or Benson to position yourself closer to Tucson, but then you would be far from any grocery stores, etc and more 'in the country'.

I did have a friend who moved to Vail so they could be closer to Tucson; that still gave her a 45 minute (or so) commute to and from work at the fort, and she did still have to drive closer into Tucson on the weekends.

good luck

[south_east2west]

"I'd try REAL hard to get your wife to reconsider her plan to live in Tucson and commute to Fort Huachuca. It's not a grinding commute in the sense that traffic will be pretty light rather than heavy, but it's still a LONGGGGGGGGG haul to do twice a day - especially when you consider that (aside from Vail - which is pretty sparse when it comes to shopping/dining/entertainment itself) the nicer parts of Tucson are NORTH of the city rather than along the southern approaches along I-10."

LordBalfor after my wife read your post she no longer wants to live in Tucson and commute to the fort. Man I hope you and my wife dont have a thing going on cause she wouldn't listen to me! ;-)

[south_east2west]

crazyme4878 you may be on to something. This morning we discussed flying out to AZ in May to take a look around but for right now we are looking at neighborhoods online just to get a feel for what's available. Thanks for snapping a few picture for me and if you change your mind I will be more than glad to slip you $20 if for nothing else, gas. Heck times are hard in this lackluster economy.

[goliadlady]

Thinking about moving to SV and have been reading everyone's thoughts..thanks
How are the medical services in SV? My Mom will be coming with us and she is 86, but is
currently living on her own.

[desert_miniac]

South...........We're spoiled, I'm from Chicago and very picky about where I shop but you will find once you start exploring the area that there are alot of cool places to shop. Bisbee has The Old Bisbee Roaster's. Seth roasts fresh coffee beans and sells them to you still warm. AWESOME! The Copper Queen Hotel Restaurant makes a delicious Chicken Mango Chutney sandwich. I'm not a big fan of Safeway Foods (union busters) but its a decent store. My suggestion is to plan large stock-up shopping trips maybe once a month and head up to Tucson to get the things you can't find locally. I've been to SV and found it to be like any other burb, lots of strip malls, fast food, gas stations, no different than what you'd see in D.C. burbs. I was in Benson in Oct. 2007 and 1 year later there was a Super Walmart in town. As for safety, the Border Patrol Officers are every where, I'm looking at property further east, near Chirachua Monument, out there, everything is 25 miles away. I'm more worried about hitting a cow in the open range areas than I am illegals. You might want to think about short term leasing until you get a feel for the area. and where you might want to live. If you love nature AZ. has more than you can see in a life time.
P.S..........loved the pics Ken.