East Coast to Sierra Vista or Tuscon or bust! (horse, rain)

[south_east2west]

desert_miniac so you know where I am coming from being from Chi-town! My wife and I are not looking for extravagant big city luxuries but rather a place that has all the basic necessities one would need. I know everyone has commented about traveling to Tucson for more variety but I will be the first to admit I am a creature of habit meaning that if SV satisfy my basic needs I am fine making Tucson a "get there when I can" destination. ;-) In the last few days crazyme......, lord......., and yourself have made my wife and I feel a lot more comfortable about calling SV our home. We even called a few real estate agents today just to get a feel for personalities, etc. When asked about the safest place to live, they all commented that SV in general is a very safe place but west of S Hwy 92 is the place of choice. Based on brief conversations with agents and our precursory look online, we are thinking about two communities The Legends at Valiente and LaTerraza. Hopefully I got the names right.

[crazyme4878]

Where is LaTerraza? I'm about halfway through my photo year...only six more months to go! Actually, I might start deleting now and start taking photos of town tomorrow.

[desert_miniac]

Sierra Vista web cam

Randy's Web Cam

[south_east2west]

This is one of the communties we are considering.


MLS #
125483
Status
Active
Type
S/B
Address
3657 La Terraza
City Data
Sierra Vista
State
AZ
Zip
85650
City
Sierra Vista
Class
RESIDENTIAL
Asking Price
$425,000
Sale/Rent
For Sale
Carport/Garage
3 Garage
# of Bedrooms
4
Baths
2.5
GENERAL
Bank Owned Property
No
# of Fireplaces
0
Listing Date
10/27/2008
Expiration Date
5/30/2009
Taxes
TBD
Tax Year
2007
Subdivision Name
La Terraza
Heated/Cooled Sq Ft
2860
Total Sq Ft
2860
Year Built
2004
Builder
Buckingham
Original Price
$545,000

ADDITIONAL PICTURES








DISCLAIMER

[Northanna_2001]

Originally Posted by wfurm

Crazyme...that's OK. Not everyone enjoys the same thing. I happen to love it here. I've been here for four months and I feel like I'm finally home. I run my dogs down at the river, we have a great agility trainer that just relocated here, and there are a ton of horse barns....I ride, and I am now getting into agility training with my cattle dog. It's a small city, but nothing compared to where I just moved from. The strip malls don't bother me as I'm from southern CA.

Everyone I've met here have been so nice and there always seems to be something to do here, whether running to Bisbee, or maybe driving into Tuscon....there really is a lot to do here and around us. Hubby and I couldn't be happier.

I lived in Sierra Vista from 1992 to 1995. I loved it there. My husband was active duty Army. I met very nice people and it was probably the happiest years of my life. We're 60 now and still working but looking toward SV for possible retirement ~ hoping that it is as friendly and wonderful as it was back then...

[mandibis]

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!

Dear south_east2west:

I am from NM, lived in Tucson, AZ for 6 years, then moved to the DC area for 2 years, now living in Fayetteville, NC for 4 months now, and will be moving to Sierra Vista this May.

I had a really hard time living in the DC area and to be honest it was the TRAFFIC that killed us. We would get up at 4 am to make it to work and then rush out of work by 3 pm to make sure that we hit the HOV before 3:30.

As you have mentioned, the people in AZ ARE Nicer than the majority of people I met in DC. That was one of the reasons that I did NOT like the East Coast; I felt like I got an attitude from everyone and when I said please, thank you, or excuse me I was looked at like I was being a smart ass.

However, there were things that I grew to like - even love - about the East Coast. WEGMANS being on the top of the list, so I understand your needing to have nice grocery stores and neat city things to do. I totally get that, b/c even I, a true South West girl, wanted to move to Tucson over Sierra Vista b/c I felt there was going to be more to do. (I also have my old friends and hangouts there as well, so I was going for the more comfortable choice).

We made it through DC b/c we befriended people that understood our dislikes and wanted to show us that there was more to DC than spending the majority of your time in your car, rude people, and that constant feeling of having to be on the go!

With that said, I think that it may be a difficult struggle for you and your wife to acclimate if you are born and bred East Coasters, but hopefully you will take time to try things that you have never done, stop and smell the monsoons and the desert, and you have no idea what beautiful sunsets you are going to see!

And, if you really hate it I know of a great place with great service and an awesome margarita (trust me; I have travelled all through Mexico and it is still my favorite) in Tucson

Good luck and maybe we will bump into each other in SV

[south_east2west]

Mandibis thank you so much for your kind words. As a fellow DC metro area suburbanite, you can relate to being turned off from big city living but still drawn to big city offerings and amenities. We still have mixed emotions about our move, but at this point it doesn't matter because we will be calling SV our home in a few short months. Truthfully my wife has become a bit giddy as she shop for us a place to stay (rent or purchase....havent decided yet )while I tackle the job market. Through it all I constantly reassure my wife that we will do just fine especially if the people on this Arizona forum is any indicator. Oh by the way, my wife is from NM so she is use to the south west!

[Arizona Mike]

"East Coast to Sierra Vista or Tuscon or bust!"

Maybe this should be the city's official slogan:

Tuscon: America's Most Mispelled City!"

(Glad you got the advice you needed, though.)

[south_east2west]

Just think, 1,952 views and 57 replies and no one caught that but you! Hhhhhmmmm ;-)

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by south_east2west

Just think, 1,952 views and 57 replies and no one caught that but you! Hhhhhmmmm ;-)

For what it's worth, Gila Bend's motto should probably be "The Nation's Most Mispronounced City!"