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Old 10-23-2009, 03:40 PM
 
5 posts, read 12,276 times
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I am moving me and my three kids to Arizona in the spring of 2010... My dad lives in Mesa and I was thinking about moving somewhere near him.. What would be some good places to look around here... I need to keep in mind schools, employment, and overall good environment for family...
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Old 10-23-2009, 04:20 PM
 
682 posts, read 2,567,239 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ambassador57 View Post
I am moving me and my three kids to Arizona in the spring of 2010... My dad lives in Mesa and I was thinking about moving somewhere near him.. What would be some good places to look around here... I need to keep in mind schools, employment, and overall good environment for family...
If you are coming without a job, you might want to rethink coming here, especially with three kids to feed and house. The job market is terrible right now.

altus2006
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Old 10-23-2009, 05:19 PM
 
Location: Mostly in my head
19,855 posts, read 65,846,929 times
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Give people something to work with - rent or buy? Price range? What kind of jobs can you do? How long can you last without a job? What type of recreation do you and your kids like?
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Old 10-24-2009, 03:35 AM
 
Location: Phoenix
2,897 posts, read 10,420,663 times
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If you want to live near your dad, make sure you physically visit the neighborhoods before moving, a lot of people may disagree with me here but there are a lot of parts of Mesa you want to avoid.
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Old 10-24-2009, 12:03 PM
 
1,012 posts, read 2,561,255 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ambassador57 View Post
I am moving me and my three kids to Arizona in the spring of 2010... My dad lives in Mesa and I was thinking about moving somewhere near him.. What would be some good places to look around here... I need to keep in mind schools, employment, and overall good environment for family...
I cant stress enough how important it is for you to have a job lined up B4 moving. The job market here is very very very bad. It seems the only jobs available here (even in good economic times) are call center or retail positions that pay $10 an hour and dont offer much of a paycheck or a future. Heck, Walmart is the state's l;argest employer. Companies are definately not lining up to relocate here or expand their operations here. Arizona also ranks dead last--50th--in education, which may explain the above. And these are just a few things you may not know about AZ. Please conduct your research thouroughly B4 considering a move here. You could regret it big time, like I and many people do.
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Old 10-24-2009, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix, AZ USA
17,914 posts, read 43,431,214 times
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Originally Posted by krock1dk View Post
I cant stress enough how important it is for you to have a job lined up B4 moving. The job market here is very very very bad. It seems the only jobs available here (even in good economic times) are call center or retail positions that pay $10 an hour and dont offer much of a paycheck or a future. Heck, Walmart is the state's l;argest employer. Companies are definately not lining up to relocate here or expand their operations here. Arizona also ranks dead last--50th--in education, which may explain the above. And these are just a few things you may not know about AZ. Please conduct your research thouroughly B4 considering a move here. You could regret it big time, like I and many people do.
I agree with the idea to have a job, or a financial cushion, before coming here. However, take the rest of this post with a grain of salt. This person came here with a good job, got laid off along with a lot of other people, and hasn't found another job. Doesn't like Phoenix in most other respects either.

The "50th in education" (without elaboration) coming from an unhappy person with no kids needs to be considered accordingly too. Funding for education is very poor here, but funding isn't everything. People who grew up here (like myself and other family members) and who are watching younger members of their families going through the schools now, are not nearly as down on education, based on personal experience, as those who continually complain about it but "have no dog in the fight" so to speak, and never had anything to do with the schools here.

Make your own decision, but with kids to support, you have to be REALLY careful about deciding to come here, and then where you decide to live once you do. You can research the schools within any district on www.greatschools.com But, the income source issue should be resolved first.
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Old 10-26-2009, 01:32 AM
 
5 posts, read 12,276 times
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Thank you all very much for the info.. Right now I do caregiving in an assisted living up here in Washington...I cant stand the cold and have loved Arizona each time I've visited... I'm lovin the responce about having work and getting laid off cuz that is a very true statement... I am looking to rent.. The first of the year I will be sending out my resume.. I have contacted a few assisted living and know that the field will always be hiring... I have a little bit of a cusion that will get me through probably the first six months... I will be renting.. I don't mind communting.. after seattle traffic, it would be hard to top.. I just wanted to know the opinions of locals that actually live in this environment what I might be expecting... If you have ever been to Washington you would know just how expensive it is to live here...and as now I only make 10 an hour so if I matched that down there I would be in a very good boat... So who loves Arizona.. who went there by choice.. I'm in route to come down there either way so someone can boast about the state a least a little...
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Old 10-26-2009, 01:35 AM
 
Location: Phoenix
2,897 posts, read 10,420,663 times
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If you're making $10/hr, you should be able to afford a small apartment on your own depending on your other expenses.

I was making $10/hr when I was 18 and I had my own apartment, but usually I was living paycheck to paycheck.
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Old 10-26-2009, 06:31 AM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix, AZ USA
17,914 posts, read 43,431,214 times
Reputation: 10726
Quote:
Originally Posted by ambassador57 View Post
Thank you all very much for the info.. Right now I do caregiving in an assisted living up here in Washington...I cant stand the cold and have loved Arizona each time I've visited... I'm lovin the responce about having work and getting laid off cuz that is a very true statement... I am looking to rent.. The first of the year I will be sending out my resume.. I have contacted a few assisted living and know that the field will always be hiring... I have a little bit of a cusion that will get me through probably the first six months... I will be renting.. I don't mind communting.. after seattle traffic, it would be hard to top.. I just wanted to know the opinions of locals that actually live in this environment what I might be expecting... If you have ever been to Washington you would know just how expensive it is to live here...and as now I only make 10 an hour so if I matched that down there I would be in a very good boat... So who loves Arizona.. who went there by choice.. I'm in route to come down there either way so someone can boast about the state a least a little...
You are in a field that always does have demand, either in a facility or doing home care, especially coming into the winter season when the senior population goes up. If you are tired of the cold and the wet, and you have visited here so you are not coming in totally unaware, I think you will be fine.
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Old 10-27-2009, 05:45 PM
 
1 posts, read 3,222 times
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I would tend to agree that the financial situation should be reconciled.

I moved to Arizona in 95 and to Phoenix in 99, and have no regrets even after losing my very well paying job. I can tell you that the education system here is not as bad as some would have you believe. Take a look at the Kyrene school district as well as the charter schools. There is a decent school in a little place called Ahwatukee...Horizon Community Learning Center. It is ranked an "excelling" school but see the link for all excelling schools in AZ. http://www.ade.state.az.us/ResearchPolicy/downloads/2009Excelling.pdf (broken link)

I highly recommend the area. You would be about 20 minutes from Mesa, 15 minutes from downtown (without rush hour traffic). For some reason I have never liked the west side. Chandler, Tempe, and Ahwatukee (my favorite) would be my suggestion for you.

Good luck on your move!
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