Scottsdale "plastic" people... (Phoenix, Chandler: mortgage, credit, income)

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by johnfthorley

Ok but that's been one of the central themes here. Over the past year the clean upper class look has been leaving Scottsdale and is being replaced with ghetto and junk cars and riff raff and gangsters. Especially now with the credit crash and all the luxury cars and homes that are being repo'ed in Scottsdale. Proving that it was one big credit-fueled illusion all along.

Same thing is happening in OC. In addition, you have the folks that kept the Hummer and are living in a 1 bedroom apartment overlooking the freeway. A lot of those...actually.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by johnfthorley

Ok but that's been one of the central themes here. Over the past year the clean upper class look has been leaving Scottsdale and is being replaced with ghetto and junk cars and riff raff and gangsters. Especially now with the credit crash and all the luxury cars and homes that are being repo'ed in Scottsdale. Proving that it was one big credit-fueled illusion all along.

Even if that credit crash/repo issue was that wide spread, I do not see how the 'undiserables' would make their way into an upper-scale neigborhood?
It is not like gangsters got great credit or do they?

[johnfthorley]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I completely agree with this! What many people fail to understand is that a good share of these so called "rich snobs" are people who own businesses and create jobs for everyone else. And so what if they live in larger homes & drive fancier cars? Sections of the Valley which are famous for being a little more upscale (e.g. Biltmore Estates, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, etc.) have ALWAYS been targets for slander by the jealous types in the less affluent sections.

Unfortunately, these kind of childish insults occur all over the country. Look how much bashing that wealthy California communities (Beverly Hills, La Jolla, etc.) have to endure. It's nothing but class envy, and all it does is create more hostile attitudes (us vs. them).

True but I have a hard time believing that people like this actually reside in Scottsdale. My experience is that it's a ghetto of realtors and mortgage brokers who got lucky for a few years and made a bunch of money but now their income has stopped and they're defaulting on the mortgage & BMW payments. Paradise Valley has wealthy people, yes, Biltmore Estates, definitely, but not Scottsdale, sorry. That's where the wannabes who can't afford P.V. or Biltmore Estates live.

I also blame the parents for having kids when they can't really afford it in the first place. These are the types who sponge off of taxpayer dollars for FREE public education, and then bellyache about the schools being less than standard. If the system was privatized, there would be much higher literacy & graduation rates than there are now.

Agreed 100%. I'm all for privatization. It's wrong for someone without kids to pay tax dollars into the school system. Plus privatization would drastically increase the quality of education, something that is sadly lacking in Arizona.

[markablue]

Everybody is welcome to share their opinion here. Discuss them, please, not the people. Thank you.

[SpeedyAZ]

Paradise Valley has wealthy people, yes, Biltmore Estates, definitely, but not Scottsdale, sorry. That's where the wannabes who can't afford P.V. or Biltmore Estates live.

Not everyone wants to live in Biltmore Estates or Paradise Valley, they are neither as big as Scottsdale or offer as much as Scottsdale. You're just being ignorant if you think there aren't wealthy people in Scottsdale.

[Elmonellie]

Originally Posted by johnfthorley

Ok but that's been one of the central themes here. Over the past year the clean upper class look has been leaving Scottsdale and is being replaced with ghetto and junk cars and riff raff and gangsters. Especially now with the credit crash and all the luxury cars and homes that are being repo'ed in Scottsdale. Proving that it was one big credit-fueled illusion all along.

This ghettoization of Scottsdale has been one of the central themes here? Huh?

The "clean" upper class look has been leaving S. and is being replaced with ghetto and junk cars and riff raff and gangsters? What area in Scottsdale has gone into such decline in the last year? I'm not seeing it anywhere, not in North Scottsdale and not even in the more modest, but nice areas of South Scottsdale. Every city has it's problems, but I don't see the gansters moving into DC Ranch or Greyhawk. I think you are just trying to scare people and wonder why. Where do you live now? Did you ever live in Scottsdale? I'm just curious, as I bet others are. Why the disdain for Scottsdale and realtors? I'm not a realtor, so that is not why I'm asking. I'm genuinely interested why this is such a bitter subject for you.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by Elmonellie

This ghettoization of Scottsdale has been one of the central themes here? Huh?

The "clean" upper class look has been leaving S. and is being replaced with ghetto and junk cars and riff raff and gangsters? What area in Scottsdale has gone into such decline in the last year? I'm not seeing it anywhere, not in North Scottsdale and not even in the more modest, but nice areas of South Scottsdale. Every city has it's problems, but I don't see the gansters moving into DC Ranch or Greyhawk. I think you are just trying to scare people and wonder why. Where do you live now? Did you ever live in Scottsdale? I'm just curious, as I bet others are. Why the disdain for Scottsdale and realtors? I'm not a realtor, so that is not why I'm asking. I'm genuinely interested why this is such a bitter subject for you.

Yes; by even S Scottsdale standards, I do live in a 'sketchy' neighborhood------but it flat blows away Maryvale, etc.

In other words: I agree with Elmonellie line for line

And; too, the Scottsdale PD does not screw around-------they are rather effective in keeping this city clean.

As for myself: the ultimate irony was that I was a major league Scottsdale basher-------yet I keep winding up back here time and time again to live. Go figure.

[joninaz]

Scottsdale is a great place to live in the region. And much of the "attitude" reputation is inaccurate. Firstly, it's arguably the region's top nightlife destination that draws people from all over the valley. The bimbos and himbos you might see at a bar or trendy eatery are just as likeley to be from Chandler or Glendale as Scottsdale. I have friends all over the valley who have their fave local restaurants and watering holes, but when they want to "go out" it's often here (or Tempe). I don't know many people who get dolled up for a night on the town in Mesa - and I'm not bashing Mesa, just pointing out that there aren't many clusters of nightlife in the valley and Scottsdale happens to have the largest and most diverse. Some might chuckle at that last statement, but there all are sorts of scenes drawing all sorts of people from around town. Certainly you can catch the "tude" scene at places like Axis/Radius and others catering to the "Save Paris Hilton" crowd, but you don't see many plastic types at places like Anderson's (which has a goth dance floor), the punkish Rogue Bar or cowboy/biker Greasewood Flats. I'm not saying the city doesn't have it's share of bling bling residents, but most of the actual citizens are pretty normal, if not mostly low key and/or boring in a sense. It just happens to have the venues that draw the "look at me" crowd" from all over. Personally, I find it to have a nice mix of a lot of scenes.

[PhxGal07]

I am a New Yorker. I moved to Scottsdale in 2002 and lived there for 3 1/2 years (renting). I hated ARIZONA and moved back to Brooklyn, NY and only last 10 months. I also LOVE/HATE New York. I couldn't take the fast pace/stress anymore so moved back to Arizona (family is here). So, I decided to find the Good in Arizona and stop looking at the negatives. I could not afford Scottsdale rents when I moved back (I am single parent and have good job) so I am now living near Paradise Valley (not in, near). Anyway, I loved Scottsdale at the time I lived there but it is a bit overrated. There is plastic and fake there but I find Arizona has a lot of that. There are also very nice people who are real and Arizona has some of those too. People say New Yorkers are rude, nasty, etc. I am a very friendly caring person who thinks of others feelings. So bottom line is there is GOOD BAD AND UGLY in ALL STATES. Life is what you make it. There are filthy rich that don't know what to do with their money and there are starving children/people that are lucky if they get a bowl of rice to eat. So what's your point?

[Stumblina]

Originally Posted by PhxGal07

I am a New Yorker. I moved to Scottsdale in 2002 and lived there for 3 1/2 years (renting). I hated ARIZONA and moved back to Brooklyn, NY and only last 10 months. I also LOVE/HATE New York. I couldn't take the fast pace/stress anymore so moved back to Arizona (family is here). So, I decided to find the Good in Arizona and stop looking at the negatives. I could not afford Scottsdale rents when I moved back (I am single parent and have good job) so I am now living near Paradise Valley (not in, near). Anyway, I loved Scottsdale at the time I lived there but it is a bit overrated. There is plastic and fake there but I find Arizona has a lot of that. There are also very nice people who are real and Arizona has some of those too. People say New Yorkers are rude, nasty, etc. I am a very friendly caring person who thinks of others feelings. So bottom line is there is GOOD BAD AND UGLY in ALL STATES. Life is what you make it. There are filthy rich that don't know what to do with their money and there are starving children/people that are lucky if they get a bowl of rice to eat. So what's your point?

I couldn't agree more! Sometimes people who "don't have" just need to bash on the people who "do have" - even if all the "do haves" have is lots of credit. And why pick on just Scottsdale? Isn't Cave Creek/Paradise Valley/Carefree full of the "have" people? Most of my friends in Scottsdale have way more money than I'll ever have. They all live in beautiful homes, drive the fancy cars, wear the expensive designer clothes, etc., but not ONE of them is a snob, fake or plastic (although a few of my girlfriends have had "surgical enhancements" - but so what? More power to them). And why is it so necesssary to bash on them anyway? My suggestion is if you hate Scottsdale and its citizens so much, just don't go there!