Thinking of moving to Arizona

[canudigit]

When we lived in AZ, we found the property taxes to be very cheap, as compared to Ohio and Michigan. Things like clothing and food are comparable to where you live now, in fact, you will find the exact same stores with the exact same items for sale, lol.

The things that we found to be especially expensive in AZ were electric rates and auto registrations and insurance. Our electric bill for a house just under 3,000 sq ft. was $449 one month!!! Although, that was during this past summer, when July in Phoenix broke the record for being the hottest July on record, so take that into account, plus we had to run a pool pump. As far as automobile registrations, in MI, we paid right around $100/vehicle for a one yr. registration. In AZ, my three y.o. minivan cost $289, and my dh's truck was just under $400!!! Plus, auto insurance is very high in AZ, because of the high rate of auto thefts there. In fact, my dh got his truck stolen there, so we can attest to that first hand. It was locked and in broad daylight in a "good" area (Bell Rd. and 79th in Glendale) to boot. Ah well...but our auto insurance, for three drivers with excellent driving records and vehicles being average, American-made cars, the newest of which was a 2006, would have been $6,000/yr.--and that was after we shopped around a lot!! We ended up moving back to MI after dh lost his job in AZ, so we never ended up getting auto insurance there, but the same exact coverage for the same vehicles and drivers in MI is about $2,800.

There are pros and cons to both AZ and PA. Just make sure to secure good employment and do a lot of research before making the big move!

[kdog]

Originally Posted by canudigit

When we lived in AZ, we found the property taxes to be very cheap, as compared to Ohio and Michigan. Things like clothing and food are comparable to where you live now, in fact, you will find the exact same stores with the exact same items for sale, lol.

The things that we found to be especially expensive in AZ were electric rates and auto registrations and insurance. Our electric bill for a house just under 3,000 sq ft. was $449 one month!!! Although, that was during this past summer, when July in Phoenix broke the record for being the hottest July on record, so take that into account, plus we had to run a pool pump. As far as automobile registrations, in MI, we paid right around $100/vehicle for a one yr. registration. In AZ, my three y.o. minivan cost $289, and my dh's truck was just under $400!!! Plus, auto insurance is very high in AZ, because of the high rate of auto thefts there. In fact, my dh got his truck stolen there, so we can attest to that first hand. It was locked and in broad daylight in a "good" area (Bell Rd. and 79th in Glendale) to boot. Ah well...but our auto insurance, for three drivers with excellent driving records and vehicles being average, American-made cars, the newest of which was a 2006, would have been $6,000/yr.--and that was after we shopped around a lot!! We ended up moving back to MI after dh lost his job in AZ, so we never ended up getting auto insurance there, but the same exact coverage for the same vehicles and drivers in MI is about $2,800.

There are pros and cons to both AZ and PA. Just make sure to secure good employment and do a lot of research before making the big move!

Sigh. Might I remind you that you're in the Arizona forum, not the Phoenix forum. So please don't say AZ when you mean Phoenix. Phoenix is a big city and NOT indicative of the rest of Arizona. We pay an average of $350/year for full coverage on each of our late model vehicles (2007, 2005, and 2004), and that includes a ton of extra liability insurance. I don't mean to be harsh, or pick on you, but this is very typical of the misinformation we see here in the Arizona forum. The OP said nothing about Phoenix which in my mind is a special case. There's a reason why many of us choose not to live there.

[canudigit]

Good point, and my apologies for offending a native Arizonian.

I am glad to learn that there are places to live in AZ where having a car doesn't bankrupt you. ; )

[goolsbyjazz]

When I first moved to AZ I didn't like it. Coming from Charlotte, NC, I thought it was a step backwards. However, with each year I have learned to appreciate the beauty and diversity offered in this wonderful state. It's true that summers are brutal! But, you have the option of traveling to the mountains where temps tend to be more in line with what us East Coasters are used to during that time of year. It's also true that it can be dusty at times. It's also true that the economy is greatly struggling, but all the overinflated stories of crime and immigration being so horrible are not true. It's no different here than any other large metropolitan area. Right now we are enjoying 70-degree weather while watching others around the country deal with snowstorms, ice storms, flooding, ect. It's all in what you're looking for. I happen to think AZ is a great place with lots of potential!