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I dont want to start a riot here, but after having lived in Phoenix for 3 years, I felt like it was a big mistake, so I wanted to warn people that might be thinking about moving to Phoenix. When I first visited Phoenix, it was kinda neat, the palm trees, the desert etc, but when you actually move there, it is a different story. The heat, it does not matter how much ppl try to say that it is a "dry heat", it is just horrendous! I am currently living in Minnesota and not even a -15 F winter day in Minnesota is worse than a 115 F day in Phoenix. Because Phoenix is mostly a transplant town, it is a place with no culture! People dont say hi, how are you or good morning, and try saying Hi to people, many will look at you like you are out of your mind. It is a very plastic place, men made lakes and very superficial people. If you go to the "upscale" areas like Scottsdale, it is mostly 30K millionaires with leased BMW's trying to impress you with their mindless talk. Also, Phoenix similarly to Vegas is a "crap magnet", for whatever reason, all the trash from the South goes to Phoenix, thinking that they are going to strike gold, this migration only creates an underclass of homeless people, strippers, white supremacists,criminals, shady people, drug dealers, meth addicts, white trash etc! It is just horrible!! I dont know how the economy is now, but a few years ago, it was very weak, even jobs with the state of Arizona paid 9-10 dollars/hr, terrible!! This is by far the most plastic, soulless, cultureless, cookie cutter city in this country. If you are looking for a "lower cost of living", Dallas and Houston are much better than Phoenix, bearable heat and much better job market. Phoenix in 20 years will be just like LA, even the gangs have moved to AZ because the laws are less stringent, it is a very chaotic metro area growing outwards without planning and infra structure..I most certainly do not recommend this metro area to anybody!
AMEN. I actually was the poster of "Hate this place? Me too!"-
People are either in denial, or just don't know any better. Thanks for your posting.
Location: Sunny Phoenix Arizona...wishing for a beach.
4,300 posts, read 14,951,960 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lukeache
Hey all:
I dont want to start a riot here, but after having lived in Phoenix for 3 years, I felt like it was a big mistake, so I wanted to warn people that might be thinking about moving to Phoenix. When I first visited Phoenix, it was kinda neat, the palm trees, the desert etc, but when you actually move there, it is a different story. The heat, it does not matter how much ppl try to say that it is a "dry heat", it is just horrendous! I am currently living in Minnesota and not even a -15 F winter day in Minnesota is worse than a 115 F day in Phoenix. Because Phoenix is mostly a transplant town, it is a place with no culture! People dont say hi, how are you or good morning, and try saying Hi to people, many will look at you like you are out of your mind. It is a very plastic place, men made lakes and very superficial people. If you go to the "upscale" areas like Scottsdale, it is mostly 30K millionaires with leased BMW's trying to impress you with their mindless talk. Also, Phoenix similarly to Vegas is a "crap magnet", for whatever reason, all the trash from the South goes to Phoenix, thinking that they are going to strike gold, this migration only creates an underclass of homeless people, strippers, white supremacists,criminals, shady people, drug dealers, meth addicts, white trash etc! It is just horrible!! I dont know how the economy is now, but a few years ago, it was very weak, even jobs with the state of Arizona paid 9-10 dollars/hr, terrible!! This is by far the most plastic, soulless, cultureless, cookie cutter city in this country. If you are looking for a "lower cost of living", Dallas and Houston are much better than Phoenix, bearable heat and much better job market. Phoenix in 20 years will be just like LA, even the gangs have moved to AZ because the laws are less stringent, it is a very chaotic metro area growing outwards without planning and infra structure..I most certainly do not recommend this metro area to anybody!
I met a girl from Eden Prairie MN, she became one of my very best friends. She lived in PHX for 5 years and her and her husband sold their house and moved back home 2 years ago. I thought they were nuts for going back but now I see they were just burnt out and not suited for desert living. We still keep in touch via-internet.
You wouldn't be her husband would you? I did tell her about this forum
Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, but we can't wait to relocate in Arizona and say good bye to the winter months we have here in Chicago. I have lived here all my life, can't say I have enjoyed winter or even late fall here since I was a kid. We have been to Az many times- from Tucson where we had a relative, to friends in the Scottsdale area, to vacations all over, and even up into northern AZ- and I love it! I have been out in 118 days in AZ, and would take that over the -20 below winter, snow, wind and ice here any day! I totally disagree too, about the friendliness of people in AZ- I find it to be exactly the opposite, everyone is very friendly, very helpful, just as they are on this Forum. I have only been to Minnesota once, and that was to go to Mayo Clinic, so not a vacation and didn't see very much of the state. Minnesota is beautiful in its way, and to me, Arizona is beautiful too, but in a different way, i could say the same for Colorado where my brother has lived for 25 years- it is beautiful as well.
by the way- if you go too far east in chicago you are IN Lake Michigan... can't loop the lake!
Phoenix, and the surrounding Metro area are not for everyone. Then again, what city / state is? Just like those who have personal preferences for automobiles, the same holds true for where to live.
But, seems some facts needs to be set straight here: Yes, temperatures do get somewhat high 3 months out of the year. The other 9 though are mild. Hence the reason that from October to late April, the "snowbirds" arrive -
The metro area was planned using a concept known as the Urban Village Concept - a major employment / shopping area in the center and then radiating out from there. It has worked pretty well since initiated in 1950 (with frequent updates)
The Valley of the Sun has beltways going around the city - the 101, 202 and 303. There are the arterial freeways including the 143 and the 51 with I-10 connecting all of them.
The poster who complained about the distance from Apache Junction to Goodyear did not make sense to me: If he worked in AJ and CHOOSES to live in Goodyear, that is his problem
The Valley of the Sun has become a Hi-Tech mecca - lots of hi-tech companies here - and the resulting manufacturing - with Boeing, Intel, Gen Dynamics etc. The Valley is also a mecca for education - with numerous colleges and universities offering courses from the very basic to the "highest of the high" - med schools, law schools, engineering schools etc. ASU and UofA have patterned with a new Med School in Downtown Phoenix. The ASU research park is world renowned.
Recreation abounds for the residents - there are 5 large urban lakes within a very short drive. Golfing second to none - people come from all over the world to golf in the Valley. Sports - you name a sport - it is here.
Things that make the quality of life so good - the arts (including Taliesin) - Theater. The Symphony.
Transportation issues are present - but are being addressed. The new light rail is ahead of its construction schedule and will connect West side with East side. And, plans for expanding it north and south are in the works.
Access to airports has just gotten easier with the introduction of commercial air from Gateway Airport (East side) as well as Sky Harbor International.
Are there problems to be had in Phoenix? Of course. But, as I noted earlier, tell me one other major city in this great nation that does not have problems to address -
As I said - it is a matter of personal preferences -
Phoenix, and the surrounding Metro area are not for everyone. Then again, what city / state is? Just like those who have personal preferences for automobiles, the same holds true for where to live.
But, seems some facts needs to be set straight here: Yes, temperatures do get somewhat high 3 months out of the year. The other 9 though are mild. Hence the reason that from October to late April, the "snowbirds" arrive -
The metro area was planned using a concept known as the Urban Village Concept - a major employment / shopping area in the center and then radiating out from there. It has worked pretty well since initiated in 1950 (with frequent updates)
The Valley of the Sun has beltways going around the city - the 101, 202 and 303. There are the arterial freeways including the 143 and the 51 with I-10 connecting all of them.
The poster who complained about the distance from Apache Junction to Goodyear did not make sense to me: If he worked in AJ and CHOOSES to live in Goodyear, that is his problem
The Valley of the Sun has become a Hi-Tech mecca - lots of hi-tech companies here - and the resulting manufacturing - with Boeing, Intel, Gen Dynamics etc. The Valley is also a mecca for education - with numerous colleges and universities offering courses from the very basic to the "highest of the high" - med schools, law schools, engineering schools etc. ASU and UofA have patterned with a new Med School in Downtown Phoenix. The ASU research park is world renowned.
Recreation abounds for the residents - there are 5 large urban lakes within a very short drive. Golfing second to none - people come from all over the world to golf in the Valley. Sports - you name a sport - it is here.
Things that make the quality of life so good - the arts (including Taliesin) - Theater. The Symphony.
Transportation issues are present - but are being addressed. The new light rail is ahead of its construction schedule and will connect West side with East side. And, plans for expanding it north and south are in the works.
Access to airports has just gotten easier with the introduction of commercial air from Gateway Airport (East side) as well as Sky Harbor International.
Are there problems to be had in Phoenix? Of course. But, as I noted earlier, tell me one other major city in this great nation that does not have problems to address -
As I said - it is a matter of personal preferences -
Dude, 'somewhat high for 3 months'? Where do you live?
Phoenix has 7 months that have average max temps of 85 or above! 4 months with 100 or above! 170 average days a year with temps over 90! It is ridiculously and relentlessly HOT...end of story.
Also, having worked in the so called 'hi tech' industry in the Phoenix area most of it is semiconductor manufacturing related...true innovation via actual electronic component level design leading to high volume end products being produced is really limited.
Wow! I guess someone does not like Phoenix! That's OK - there seem to be plenty of others who do
The tempetures are what actually attract many to the valley. Oh, I agree, some of those 115 degree days can be brutal. But, I will take one of those days, with its 9 / 10% humidity, over 85 degrees and 80% humidity any time! Then again, there are those who feel the opposite - and that is OK
Gangs? Sure - we have them. But, then again, name me one, just one, major metro area that does not. Druggies? Yep, we got them too. But, once again, name me one major metro area that doesn't - and the list goes on.
Want to see "Goldiggers"? Go to Las Vegas - it is the land of Gold diggers.
Phoenix is not right for everyone. No city is. Phoenix has its faults - but, it also has lots of pros -
Interesting stuff here...I live in Nor Cal and am deciding whether or not to make a move to Phoenix for work. I am used to 110+ (lived in Redding) and can handle the heat. So the weather is not an issue. ( I agree with posters that everyone is different. I HATE cold weather. Snow is only good for a day trip to Tahoe for some skiing...)
Traffic would not be an issue as I have lived in SF (crossed the Bay Bridge daily) and So Cal. I want to find more positive things here about AZ. I wish there weren't so many negative postings. (Then again, there are soooo many negative things about CA and I love living here. Honestly.) I've been to AZ a lot and my brother lives there but I'm scared to make the move. I'm currently living in suburbia and think that Scottsdale would be similar to the area I live in now. Any words of advice from those of you who enjoy living there? I really don't need the over-generalized negatives as I lived in downtown L.A. in college and have seen it all-seriously...
Interesting stuff here...I live in Nor Cal and am deciding whether or not to make a move to Phoenix for work. I am used to 110+ (lived in Redding) and can handle the heat. So the weather is not an issue. ( I agree with posters that everyone is different. I HATE cold weather. Snow is only good for a day trip to Tahoe for some skiing...)
Traffic would not be an issue as I have lived in SF (crossed the Bay Bridge daily) and So Cal. I want to find more positive things here about AZ. I wish there weren't so many negative postings. (Then again, there are soooo many negative things about CA and I love living here. Honestly.) I've been to AZ a lot and my brother lives there but I'm scared to make the move. I'm currently living in suburbia and think that Scottsdale would be similar to the area I live in now. Any words of advice from those of you who enjoy living there? I really don't need the over-generalized negatives as I lived in downtown L.A. in college and have seen it all-seriously...
Visiting Phoenix is one thing, living in Phoenix is a totally different thing. I can see how for a Californian, Phoenix might be an attractive location, lower cost of living etc, but I am a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". California is super overrated in my opinion, but everytime I have been to California, I have always had a great time and found interesting things to see and do, cant say the same about Phoenix. Worst thing about Phoenix? The heat! Believe me, 110 F in Redding is not the same as 110 F in Phoenix. I would not recommend Phoenix to anybody, but once again, different ppl like different things!
I think what I need to remind myself of is that even if I like the heat-I currently only deal with it in small doses a for two months out of the year. So, last summer it hit 115 here and we were dying-but next week down to mid 90's...the heat is not consistent and mentally we know the Delta Breeze is on its way. I think it would be hard for me to leave the Fall here. Contrary to popular belief we have a lovely Autumn here in Northen CA (may start a little late but I love it...) In fact, the leaves are just starting to change ever so slightly...pretty soon the smell of chimney smoke and crisp mornings. Ahh...I don't want to convince myself to stay! There are pretty desert sunsets in Phoenix right?
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I did tell her about this forum
