Flagstaff - Husband Says Yes - I Say No (Prescott: real estate, homes)

[rich67]

Originally Posted by Floridahater

I've got a deal for you! You can have this swamp called FL and I'll take Flagstaff!!!!!!!!!!

Here, here!! I have a few acres of the stuff too! I probably should have used your username instead!! Is it too late for me to change to Floridahater2?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by nowannamove

My husband wants to move the family to Flagstaff, Arizona. I am very opposed to this for many reasons. He, on the other-hand, has reasons that he wants to move. I am interested in your feedback to see if our perceptions of Flagstaff are accurate.

My husband wants to move for the following reasons. I think that he is misguided in his thinking:

1. We currently live in a small, conservative, yet very posh retirement city in Florida. He thinks it is too conservative here, so he wants to move to a 'funky' collegetown like Flagstaff.

2. He thinks that Flagstaff is pretty and outdoorsy.

3. We bought our house at the top of the market and can't sell it. The company that is looking at him has a house buying option. But even if they buy our house we will still have to come up with $20K, because we are upside down due to the realestate crash here. So in essence the only thing the company in Flagstaff is doing for us is paying our moving expenses (which we would not incur if we did not move) and paying our realtor fees - that means about $25K pop - big deal, that isn't worth disrupting my kid's lives for.

4. He thinks the company is 'cool' and that he will be happier there. I think he is in fantasy land. ALL companies have warts. We moved here to Florida three years ago because he was chasing this same dream of more money and a more exciting company.

I do not want to move, and here are my reasons:

1. I have been to Flagstaff and I think it is a dirty, run-down poor looking town. And yes, I did go to the 'trendy' downtown area to eat. I was not impressed, if that is all the town has to offer.

2. There are no jobs in Flagstaff for me. What the heck would I do?

3. Flagstaff has a substantially higher violent crime rate per capita than where I live. Particularly the Rape and Aggravated Assault rates. In fact their violent crime rate per capita is higher than the national average.

4. Flagstaff is f'n cold as heck. I prefer our hot sunny climate.

5. The houses in Flagstaff are more expensive than they are here. And there are less jobs in Flagstaff, more crime in Flagstaff, and it is a much less attractive city in my opinion. Why would houses be so expensive in such an unattractive town? It just doesn't make sense. IF we moved there I don't want to spend any more than 450K on a house. I don't think I can get much for 450K in Flagstaff. Here for that price you get a newer 2400 square foot house with vaulted cielings, 4 bedrooms, three baths, pool, landscaping, and nice neighborhood.

6. I have heard that there is a serious water issue in Flagstaff.

7. A big issue is that I have two teenage boys and I don't want to disrupt their lives, particularly to move to a city with such a high crime rate per capita and with such little opportunity. I don't see any payoff here other than the lousy $25k pop we would get up front from the company.

I just went on a three month cross country trip this past summer, and of all the cities we visited, Flagstaff was the dirtiest and the biggest disappointment. I just cant imagine why in the world my husband wants to move there.

If you think flagstaff is paradise and I'm full of crud, then please tell me how this is so given the crime, dirtiness and low opportunity in the city.

If you think that flagstaff is a yucky place to move and have something to add, then please tell me that as well.

I haven't yet read what others have to say, but it sounds like you have more problems than just deciding where to re-locate to or if you should period. Yes, Flagstaff is a little funky and very much a college town which means it is not as conservative as some areas, and no, it is not dirty, I do not where in the heck you came up with that. Whether you did a 3 month or a 10 month trip around the country i can't believe you had your eyes open or you certainly wouldn't think it is dirty...Try driving through other areas of AZ or NM for that matter??? As for crime, I don't think so. Remember when you are looking at stats and looking at a small city or town, it doesn't take much to throw the stats off. Flagstaff certainly doesn't have a reputation for being high crime.

It is frinckin cold, like you said and yes, property is quite pricey, that would be one reason to think twice about making the move, but what do you do for a living that makes you think you could not get a job? It isn't the end of the world.

It simply sounds to me like you and hubby are on two totally different wave lengths. Would this move further his carreer and do you have kids to consider?

We can all give our opinions, but this is something the two of you need to really think a long time about.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by codasgirl04

china doll~ you didn't have to say "white people" you could have just said people.... where i live that can be considered a "hate crime" if you are racist like that, being "white" I take offense to what you said.... i wish you the best of luck in Flagstaff for the short time that you are there

I guess this gives us a clue to her overall attitude huh? You are so right, racism can go either direction.

It is a shame anyone can be so negative...Responses like this really do not help anyone and just stir up trouble. If I were the OP I would totally disregard anything China Doll is saying, as most of what she is saying is just ranbling and ranting...

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by China Doll Me

Just to let you know- I call it as I see it kid's. That's my job/career to be detailed about all races & places & things. Good apples & bad apples it's like a toy works for some & not for others & color, some call it a toy & some call it a piece of ****.
Just to let you know kids in Hawaii they call the white people Haoles other places I've been they call you White Crackers, ******'s, Oaeky from the Scokey, Rednecks. Aristocraticly & poosh they can call you Caucasian, but not if you don't act like one. **** you're government form say's white for christ sake. You two," codasgirl04 & Zoney Poney & whoever else. You need to be more worldly get out & see the world or quit watching that crap tv programming, it's tainting you're brains. Am I in a looser debate team feel my needs group. I think it's my all girl school w/out religion lounge or lunch conversation-pathetic.
Duuuu I guess these post are actually that helpful debates of rationalization or information. You guys are better than Psychologist you're free. Like I said there are tons of outsiders & messed up people out here in Arizona healing in one way or another . The local born Arizonians are pist that other states are tainting there area but at the same time progressing it. In the good or bad depends on how you look at it. But some of the local born are dying to leave but have no money so there stuck home bound doing the same thing day in day out or job to job w/a little welfare program inbetween. Unless you inherited some dead grandparents or folks money which alot of you did & that's why you're here also in this arizona area. Or you can't make it in the metropolitan area because you're thinking is off.

do you realize how hard it is to follow what you are saying, when you write all in one paragraph with no breaks????

[codasgirl04]

thank you nmnita!

[jaada]

carecare7 good post i agree with you

[jaada]

china doll you make no sense. we understand you hate flagstaff -its not for you and its not for everyone. and to the person who told the original poster to get a divorce that is horrible advice. now if you all want to see a dirty nasty crime ridden town come on down to yuma - now that is hell.
my advice would be to talk this over with your husband let him know how much you dont want to move there and see if you all could compromise on another town to move to. its hard to move kids no matter how nice you try to make it. especially when its such an extreme move from sun and beach to mountains, cold and small town. i moved my kids and regret it.

[borborygmi]

Originally Posted by China Doll Me

nowannamove look at ellen k thread"what is flagstaff like"
You'll get a kick out of it & some better over view. I died of laughter good humor but it's utterly true. Especially jaywise65 & katie45. Some quotes you hear from posters & towns people straight from there mouths. Some like: Flagstaff Poverty With A View & "Flaghole" gosh kid's can't get any better.
Trust me I'm stuck here for a year. Like they say you have to deal with it the best you can, until then. Or as soon as you can get out of dodge. Even if I have to find & ride a horse out of here. Kid-o's I think I can hitchhike a ride with someone with a truck or a trucker faster out of this town if I really dare to subject myself to such abuse. But again maybe not the trucks seem to probably crap out before they hit the city limits. Maybe a trucker is better atleast they go into the city & stop somewhere.
out of this town probably quicker

Methinks someone could use a haldol injection.

[Nearborn]

and to the person who told the original poster to get a divorce that is horrible advice.

Wish someone would have reiterated that option to me a long time ago. I'd be somewhere nice and warm instead of murder city with 4 months per year of ice and snow and 6 or 7 months of lead-gray skies.

[country pride]

I still say its very pretty there, and if the thought of moving back to Az was even a twinkle from far away....I would live there. Love the 4 seasons there. Work might be an issue though, in the wintertime, thats the only drawback.