Scottsdale "plastic" people... (Phoenix, Mesa: apartment, rent, credit report)

[Seattleborn]

I think it has the "appearence" of the Have's vs. the Have Nots. And there are plenty of those everywhere. I think (IMO) that AZ 10 years ago it was different. When I mean different , I mean most people were making average salaries and so forth. When we moved there 7 years ago we could get a house in Scottsdale (Legend Trail) for 260k. Not now! It's like 600k for the same house. I think some people resent bringing the Phoenix area up to rest of west coast city living. When we left Seattle for Az our Condo was more than our house in AZ and twice the square footage. When alot of people found out they could buy a house for 300k back 7 years ago it was cheap. I mean cheap for people coming from LA, OC, Seattle and so forth.

So I think that may be the cause of tension if the current folks in AZ thought 300k was expensive, and it was back then to most I think living there but not to outsiders.

The same thing happened in Seattle in the 90's you could buy a house for 150k. Now the same house in those neighborhoods in 650k+.

Scottsdale does have the yuppie types, but so does every where else. It doesn't bother me. If people are happy, great! But why spend so much time bashing a place, especially if you never go there?

[SpeedyAZ]

Lets start off with a fact:

Scottsdale is a city of appx 240,000 people. Where you have that many people in one city, there is going to be a wide variety of income levels and personalities. Not every single person on Scottsdale lives on credit nor tries to show off their wealth. There are some of these types of people and I have met my fair share. BUT there are also people who have actual wealth and find no need to show it off.

The average home price in the city of Scottsdale is around $450K but we can break it down more. South Scottsdale would be around $300K, Central Scottsdale around $400K-500K, and North Scottsdale $600K and up. Of course there are many exceptions to this but as a whole it's fairly correct. To afford a 1/2 million dollar home, YOU MUST have a upper 6 figure income. Yes there are "liar loans" but even to make payments on these, you must have a high income.

The wanna-be's you may see at the supermarket driving a new H2 or BMW probably don't live in one of these homes. There is only so much debt you can go into before it catches up with you. It's all about priorities. I've seen houses in Mesa where the house is in disrepair yet in the driveway there's a Cadillac Escalade and a BMW.

But there is REAL wealth in Scottsdale. Look at those living in $2+ million dollar mansions, they have real wealth. My parents bought their 2nd home here a couple years back and paid cash. Do they dress wealthy? Nope, most of the times my dad will wear jeans and a regular old shirt. Do they drive nice cars? He drives an F-150 and my mom drives a Lexus. Nothing special or that screams "look at me, I'm rich". I know a couple who both have very regular jobs; nothing special or high paying but his parents passed away a while back and left him a very large inheritance. Guess what he does with it? Invests it and treats himself to a new Toyota Camry and his wife buys a Lexus. He doesn't go blow it on a huge home, go buyout fashion square, or anything trivial. These are the type of people who have real money, not ones that drive leased Beemers and Mercedes.

I guess I was raised to not care about what someone drives, wears, etc. I'm not going to look down upon someone because they don't "keep us with the jonses", I could really care less. On the flip side I don't care if I see someone wearing Armani, driving a Hummer, and trying to look like someone special. It's THEIR business, not mine. If they want to dig themselves into a mountain of debt, I'll let them. I'm happy with my house (paid-off), Yukon (make payments every month), and my non-Gucci clothes.

[SMG]

Originally Posted by Mach50Thunderdart

Scottsdale is for people who couldn't make it in OC-CA, OC-CA is for people who couldn't make it in Beverly Hills, that is my take on it.

They all have the "I'll go in debt before I look bad" complex.

Let the rats race...laugh at them and enjoy your life.

LOL, you don't think maybe you stereotype and paint with broad strokes, do you? I have lived all over theValley for the last 30 years. I have heard many posters like the person whom I just quoted who use a one size fits all mentality for an entire city...I do not get it. I have always like Scottsdale and think it is a nice city, nice people, etc. I live in Gilbert and enjoy that. I have never really understood why people feel the need to be so judgemental...

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

Even our "poor" areas are cleaner and safer than many parts of Phoenix and the surrounding cities.
Back off on the fakeness of the Scottsdale people. Like I've said before - the entire city of Phoenix and the surrounding areas fall into that catagory. It seems to be "the thing to do" here. I think it's just the image of the "new" Southwest. Go on some of the websites that mock Scottsdale and Phoenix. You will see that the people who end of on the websites are generally from all over the valley.

It is amazingly well kept, in fact. That is something that you don't find except in affluent areas. Safe too. I've really softened up on the stereotypes since I got here, since it is everywhere. It isn't just the New Southwest either, it is the "Everywhere". Some suburbs in every major city.

However, people from urban areas with long-established suburbs where wealthy people live, tend to be a lot less showy, while being even more affluent. I can see what is being said about Boston and NYC. On the whole, they are more conservative and there is a very established society, an established culture of more upscale, refined events. But, when you get out to Long Island, you get the "Growing Up Gotti" (Worst Show Ever) types. The word trash comes to mind.

In my opinion, Scottsdale is largely new, and isn't fully established or developed yet. That's what I've come to realize. The things I bash about Scottsdale are the trashy types, who may or may not have money. I suppose many of them may not even be from Scottsdale either. The clubs everyone likes to go to are in Scottsdale, so that would make sense. I don't like trash--regardless of race, sex, or finances.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

I guess I was raised to not care about what someone drives, wears, etc. I'm not going to look down upon someone because they don't "keep us with the jonses", I could really care less. On the flip side I don't care if I see someone wearing Armani, driving a Hummer, and trying to look like someone special. It's THEIR business, not mine. If they want to dig themselves into a mountain of debt, I'll let them.

My thoughts exactly! I might have made judgemental comments about certain cities or people but I really couldn't care less after all to each his own!

Sometimes I even argue with myself (it's hilarious, I call it 'my own cookoo debates') about why I even bother thinking or talking about stuff that others wear, do, drive, etc.
After all, isn't this the land of free (free to be ignorant, be stupid, be lazy, free to smoke weed all day, free buy stuff you really can't afford, etc. - I am sure you caught my drift)?

We can't and shouldn't try to control anyone in that respect, it won't work anyhow.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by SMG

LOL, you don't think maybe you stereotype and paint with broad strokes, do you? I have lived all over theValley for the last 30 years. I have heard many posters like the person whom I just quoted who use a one size fits all mentality for an entire city...I do not get it. I have always like Scottsdale and think it is a nice city, nice people, etc. I live in Gilbert and enjoy that. I have never really understood why people feel the need to be so judgemental...

I was speaking under the context of plastic people, I know that not everyone from the aforementioned areas fall under that criteria. I have good friends in Scottsdale who are normal down to earth people, but they too complain about the Dale Boys and Girls. Just like we here in Cali complain about the Snobs in Newport Beach or BH.

All are nice areas, but the phonies are what we are talking about here, they are a common breed and they migrate until they can find their level of snobbery in a location.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by Mach50Thunderdart

I was speaking under the context of plastic people, I know that not everyone from the aforementioned areas fall under that criteria. I have good friends in Scottsdale who are normal down to earth people, but they too complain about the Dale Boys and Girls. Just like we here in Cali complain about the Snobs in Newport Beach or BH.

All are nice areas, but the phonies are what we are talking about here, they are a common breed and they migrate until they can find their level of snobbery in a location.

You kinda remind me of the 'Scottsdale Hater' NeverColdCall, he is in NB too.
May be you two should hang out?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by nomorearizona

Well one of my friends who used to live here and really really hated the Scottsdale people moved to Newport Beach where, let's face it, nobody in Scottsdale could ever afford to live. Newport Beach was named the #1 most expensive city in America, and to put that in perspective, Paradise Valley is #117 and Scottsdale didn't even make top 500.

To say that Scottsdale haters are jealous is the last illogical argument of the self-centered people who live there.

I agree that Scottsdale has natural beauty and some very nice places to live along with great restaurants. And yes the people are flashy and have fake boobs, but that's not why I dislike them, I dislike them for their general rudeness and insistence on always bragging about how great they are.

Sorry but if you look at the demographics, Scottsdale isn't rich, nor is it even upper class, it's middle class people who live large on credit.

Oh no! I thought you sounded a little like a broken record I had heard before. You're not referring to that poster who never failed to remind us how he was a best selling author, how much money he had, about his cars and his house here and in NB, CA all the while belittling the good people of Scottsdale? Takes me back. You are not one and the same by any chance?

[Elmonellie]

Originally Posted by Seattleborn

I think it has the "appearence" of the Have's vs. the Have Nots. And there are plenty of those everywhere. I think (IMO) that AZ 10 years ago it was different. When I mean different , I mean most people were making average salaries and so forth. When we moved there 7 years ago we could get a house in Scottsdale (Legend Trail) for 260k. Not now! It's like 600k for the same house. I think some people resent bringing the Phoenix area up to rest of west coast city living. When we left Seattle for Az our Condo was more than our house in AZ and twice the square footage. When alot of people found out they could buy a house for 300k back 7 years ago it was cheap. I mean cheap for people coming from LA, OC, Seattle and so forth.

So I think that may be the cause of tension if the current folks in AZ thought 300k was expensive, and it was back then to most I think living there but not to outsiders.

The same thing happened in Seattle in the 90's you could buy a house for 150k. Now the same house in those neighborhoods in 650k+.

Scottsdale does have the yuppie types, but so does every where else. It doesn't bother me. If people are happy, great! But why spend so much time bashing a place, especially if you never go there?

Very interesting perspective. Wow, you could buy a house in Legend Trail for 260K? That does put things into perspective. I usually don't like "developments" but the big street in Legend Trail.... and the area is nice...I always take a short cut through it and like the feel of the place.

[ptbrennan]

Some of my favorite people live in Scottsdale. I like a couple of the restaurants there. My wife and I registered for wedding gifts at the Crate & Barrel (only in Scottsdale). I frequently have business meetings there.

That said, I'm not truly a fan of Scottsdale and would not choose to live there. But that has nothing to do with hating the city. I have simply found better value elsewhere in the Valley for what I want. I agree completely that pure vitriolic hatred doesn't serve anyone's purposes here, least of all the "haters." Just zone them out and look for what will make you happy - forget about trying to analyze their latent insecurities.