Looking 4 Sierra Vista info (Tucson: crime, house, buying)

[zthatzmanz28]

As we continue our search for employment, I came across a teaching position in Sierra Vista at a residential facility--

Three Springs in Hereford, AZ.

Any info on the area or the facility?

Housing availability / costs?

[nursej007]

Hereford: Right in the heart of cartel trafficking.

[nursej007]

Here: Many of these pictures come from Hereford, AZ: CochiseCounty

More photos and videos - many from southern AZ.
Border Invasion Pics - Videos and photos of suspected border intruders entering the US

[LordBalfor]

zthatzmanz28 -

Don't be scared off by "invasion" talk. Sierra Vista has LOWER than average crime compared to the country as a whole. The Hereford area itself is very rural with INCREDIBLE views and shares Sierra Vista's terrific weather (some of the best in the entire US in my opinion).

Ken

[LordBalfor]

PS -

Be sure and check out the Sierra Vista data page (if you've not already):

http://www.city-data.com/city/Sierra-Vista-Arizona.html

Ken

[zthatzmanz28]

so can a couple survive in the Sierra Vista area on 35K a year??

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

so can a couple survive in the Sierra Vista area on 35K a year??

I would think so - but it really depends on your current standard of living where you are now.
Take look at this and see if that helps you figure it out:

Cost of Living comparison calculator

Ken

[zthatzmanz28]

that cost of living tool is neat...but I find it hard to believe that most cities in the USA have average housing cost over $250K....

Not rally helpful for us common people....our current place cost just a bit over 100K and that is just slightly below typical average here. Most common average for a house is around $125K (especially now). The $300K is new construction that is now setting empty trying to sell at $200K...

[desertdetroiter]

35k in the Sierra Vista area aint much, but i suppose you could live on it if you had to. This area has a reputation for having a low cost of living, but i can't for the life of me understand how it got such a reputation. I love living here, and i wish that i'd bought in Hereford when it was much cheaper 11 years ago (when i moved here).

[crazyme4878]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

so can a couple survive in the Sierra Vista area on 35K a year??

We are a family of four (young children) living on $38,000/year. We did get a great deal on our rental, but that is because it is through a co-worker. We had a difficult summer, but for several reasons: food costs went up at the same time I decided to try buying organic food (didn't work too well ); our gas bills went up tremendously because the last place we lived I literally walked everywhere, but here I have to drive 10 miles one way to the grocery store...and then, of course, gas prices went through the roof; and Target is my nemisis--I do much better when it is located one hour away from me! So now we are back on track and doing okay, so I think a couple at $35,000 should do okay.

I don't like Sierra Vista, but that is because I like small towns with active communities, trees, water, and some cold mixed in. Obviously, Sierra Vista isn't a good fit for me. My biggest complaint is that it is almost entirely strip malls/chain stores and restuarants and that you can't walk anywhere. However, they keep increasing the bike paths and I have one acquaintance that lives in the city and is able to bike everywhere.

The illegal situation isn't a problem for the most part, as long as you take a few precautions. The most interaction I get out of the situation is seeing a few busts as I'm driving along, the incessent (sp?) helicopters during the summer, and going through the checkpoint on the way to Tucson.

It is beautiful weather right now--jeans and light-weight long sleeve shirt weather. My favorite!