Moving to Az. places NOT to live? (Phoenix, Tucson: relocating, house)

[adam85225]

Originally Posted by tori

Thanks. Do you think that there are places withing a 30 minute drive of the airport that we could afford? My daughter's theory is this: right now she is earning about $15,000 per year. This new job will start her at $26,000. She said she's the poor person now and doesn't want to go someplace where she'll be in the same boat. She's trying to advance her life. Also, we wouldn't be willing to accept mobile homes. Right now she has a mobile on private land.
thanks for everything.

I moved here from Michigan in June of 2005. The cost of living here is MUCH higher than in Michigan (I lived in Grand Blanc, just outside of Flint).

[bigtye]

Casa Grande is about 25 miles south of Chandler and is now the fastest growing community in the area. I just bought into Robson Ranch, a gated community and love it. It is a little cooler than Phoenix but not so you would notice!! Lots of new housing and they just broke ground on a Million Sq. Ft. mall to be completed by Xmas.
Housing starts are all over the place and start in the low to mid $100's. Lot less traffic, more rural than Phoenix or Tucson. Cost of living here is 36% below Los Angeles which is where I'm from.
Met a lot of people here from the East and Mid-west who seem to really like it.
Check it out if your in the area

[chatty]

hi from ny also and looking for the right area to moved to also been there once husband is retiring and wants to become a police office out there went to gilbert and chandler area loved it have hight school aged kids I was wondering what area beside those to that are good also hope we get some responses. good luck - if I hear of some where else ill let you know going back to chandler in march to look again my son fishes so want to see the lakes

[anyone101]

For starters do you know where you and/or your spouse will be working at? Do you have a job lined up down there?

If so the places you do NOT want to live at is anywhere that would require you to commute long distances. You don't want to like live in Goodyear (out west off of I-10) and be commuting all the way to the east end of Mesa for example. The traffic is terrible and the area is one big suburban sprawl so the distances could be great.

So out of curiousity why did you decide to move from Seattle to Phoenix? FYI I am also in the predictment of deciding to move from Seattle to Phoenix. Seattle is great but the housing is getting expensive whereas PHX is still more affordable.

[LordBalfor]

... but as for us (we're in Seattle too), we just got totally fed up with the cold and rain.

This fall & winter did it in for us. Just too darned wet.

Flew down to Tucson and bought some land out near Benson.

Ken

[caterwaulin]

I currently live in El Mirage, and was going to rent in Avondale...I am very glad I didn't. There seems to be more crime the farther south you go. We are just south of Surprise, and West of Sun City. Depending on your cummute, it's a nice option.

[caterwaulin]

Originally Posted by no user name

What about the serial killer/rapist/sodomizer on the loose right now in the Phoenix area?

There is always at least one or more of the above loose in the Phoenix Metro area. Don't watch the news and you'll be fine. When you cram this many people, with our wonderful 2-season weather (hot & hell), there is bound to be crime, and lots of it. If you choose to live in the big city, those who prey on others will be there in droves. The pickings are better. Granted, better jobs, better pay, but at what price? I just took a job in a small town with a significant cut in pay to get my family out of here. I hate Phoenix, but I seem to be one of the few...

[caterwaulin]

Originally Posted by adam85225

I moved here from Michigan in June of 2005. The cost of living here is MUCH higher than in Michigan (I lived in Grand Blanc, just outside of Flint).

Within a 30 minute drive...during rush hour, that would be less than 5 miles or so. I wouldn't live within a 10 mile radius of the Airport. The average cost of rent I would say is over $900/month for a decent house. That's even for a shanti. Apartments may run a bit less. My x is from Michigan and the cost of living is much lower there...of course, the weather can be frightful!

[ohio dave]

My wife and I are interested in relocating from Ohio to the Phoenix area. We lived there for a couple of years in the early eighties and fell in love with the weather. We were back this past Dec. and spent a week in the Arizona sunshine! (verses Ohio cloudy skies 60% of the time). Can anyone give me a good starting point for checking out schools? We have one in middle school and two in high school. Thanks!

[ibarrio]

We are relocating from the Los Angeles Area to the Phoenix Area (we are buying a house in Surprise).

I have a lot of family that live in Phoenix and we spend a great deal of time in the area. We love the area so we are making the move even when it means a $15,000 pay cut.

Yes, Phoenix is a growing city and some consider it a "Mini" LA. That is where it ends though. Phoenix is nothing like L.A. in terms of traffic, crime, or cost of living.

You want to see bad? Move to South Central LA and pay $400,000 for a home in one of the Nations worst areas.