IS Arizona really bad as everyone says???? (Phoenix, Tucson: house, lease)

[Jshank88]

Originally Posted by BiggsHomes

Perhaps this forum should be renamed to "Is Phoenix really as bad as everyone says?" I for one LOVE Arizona. My neighbors are fantastic. Everyone in my community is friendly. They wave at you with all five fingers when you drive by. The weather is great - 90 in the summer 50 in the winter. My property taxes went down from last year. The state budget is balanced with reserves.

Definitely. I love most places I've been in AZ besides Phoenix (and there are parts of Phx that I actually do like)
Sedona is probably the most beautiful place I've ever been - too bad its so expensive....the people who live there are extremely lucky.

Flagstaff is beautiful too and a nice small city, with great weather and a great college atmosphere.
I love Tucson; grew up there....
Never been to Prescott but everyone I know who has says they love it....
Even smaller towns like Camp Verde are nice.

The heat in AZ isn't all that bad, the awesome winters make up for it.....and I've always found people to be extremely friendly in this state (except for Phoenix, once again, but it gets enough flak so I'll stop trashing it)

[NanaGail]

Arizona is a great place to live. Outdoor living 8 months of the year out shadows any of the negatives about hot summers.

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by NanaGail

Arizona is a great place to live. Outdoor living 8 months of the year out shadows any of the negatives about hot summers.

I agree this weather is awesome!! Back in my home state it is 50 degrees and raining!!!

[heaton]

Live in Phoenix and I understand about the illegal's that are here. I'm sick of it too. I feel like I should learn spanish. Wasn't like that when I moved here 20 years ago, but with 3,000 illegal crossing daily it's only going to get worse. Phoenix is heading toward being the next LA.

I do LOVE Sedona and Prescott. Great places to visit...

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by heaton

Live in Phoenix and I understand about the illegal's that are here. I'm sick of it too. I feel like I should learn spanish. Wasn't like that when I moved here 20 years ago, but with 3,000 illegal crossing daily it's only going to get worse. Phoenix is heading toward being the next LA.

I do LOVE Sedona and Prescott. Great places to visit...

Well, I will defend the illegals here, even though in theory I don't. You probably don't know the people I do who come here only wanting a better life. I do speak Spanish and I think they (anyone who speaks a foreign language who is here) should make an effort to learn English, but English is a lot harder to learn than Spanish. I've been speaking it for 20 years now, and it serves me well. Heck, I think all Americans should learn another language.

I tell you who I do have a problem with are Americans who have an attitude of entitlement, and I see 'em every day in my work. There was a very sweet woman who was so kind and non entitled, and she thanked me profusely for any small thing she got (in Spanish, no less). So, I guess I like decent illegals more much than a lot of Americans I meet.

I tell you who else really bugs me are the white, American women who have 5 kids and use the ER like an urgent care. Oh sure, they qualify for AHCCCS, but egads. Gimme a break.

P.S. Decency and character really have no race, color, or language. And I'm white and American, in case anyone is wondering.

[jaada]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I'll go along with the 8 months of heat - it's hot by most people's standards from roughly Easter to Halloween. As far as crime, that is a bunch of hooey. Anyone who thinks PHX area is among the most dangerous cities in America hasn't been around much. I'm not talking about someone stealing your bike from your garage or stuff from your car. I mean the risk of being a victim of a violent crime. In 2004, Chandler was 287th in cities over 100K with a violent crime rate 3/4 national average. Gilbert AZ, frequently touted on this site,had a rate 1/4 the national average making it one of the safest places you can live regardless of size.

omg are you serious? honestly there is a murder just about everyday in the phoenix area! its all you hear on the news anymore, there was just a serial killer there a month ago.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by jaada

omg are you serious? honestly there is a murder just about everyday in the phoenix area! its all you hear on the news anymore, there was just a serial killer there a month ago.

The cities of the SW are generally relatively low to moderate in crime.

The doom and gloom folk always quote the murder a day or similar. This is of course anecdotal and has little bearing on anything.

The older rust belt cities of the east and many cities of the south have much higher crime rates.

The Suburban areas of virtually all the large SW cities are quite low in crime. If you want the absolute minimum go rural.

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by olecapt

The cities of the SW are generally relatively low to moderate in crime.

The doom and gloom folk always quote the murder a day or similar. This is of course anecdotal and has little bearing on anything.

The older rust belt cities of the east and many cities of the south have much higher crime rates.

The Suburban areas of virtually all the large SW cities are quite low in crime. If you want the absolute minimum go rural.

I thought you didn't like Phoenix and were trying to sell everyone on Vegas, since it's very low crime.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by a1m1700

I thought you didn't like Phoenix and were trying to sell everyone on Vegas, since it's very low crime.

I don't have any objections to Phoenix. Particularly some of its suburbs. I prefer Tucson or south of there but Phoenix is on my list of livable places. I suggest to anyone looking for a high tech career that Phoenix is a much better choice than Vegas.

I think I may have pointed out that we have a couple of ex-Phoenix types who hate the place in Las Vegas...but that was more to demonstrate the existence of an exact dual of your views with the cities reversed.

Crime is lower in Vegas than Phoenix. Not by a large amount though.

[Nea1]

According to the lastest studies Las Vegas is more dangerous than Phoenix. Must be the gamblers getting mad when they lose! lol