whats up with phoenix? (Mesa, Gilbert: apartment, to rent, insurance)

[LEVOW]

How are the schools in phoenix, more or less how much are rents?How much would i be able to rent a nice house[3 bdrs][2baths] in a modest area in phoenix.My wife and i have alot of call center experience, both her & i have worked in the cable company, we have experience in billing, collections, retention, cust serv,right now we make ok money here in el paso,shes at the 13 dollar an hr range, just curious, considering maybe relocating.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by LEVOW

How are the schools in phoenix, more or less how much are rents?How much would i be able to rent a nice house[3 bdrs][2baths] in a modest area in phoenix.My wife and i have alot of call center experience, both her & i have worked in the cable company, we have experience in billing, collections, retention, cust serv,right now we make ok money here in el paso,shes at the 13 dollar an hr range, just curious, considering maybe relocating.

It depends on what part of the Valley you move too.
Peoria
Gilbert
Kyrene

I can only speak for these districts since my kids went to them. A smaller house in a decent neighborhood would be at least 1000 and up. You may be able to get one of those cute 3 story condos in Gilbert or Augusta Ranch in Mesa which is the Gilbert school district for under 1000. They have a one car garage but no yard.

Check craigslist

[MaxPower123]

You are probably going to pay around $1000-$1400 in rent for a decent home in a decent neighborhood. Another option would be to rent an apartment for maybe 6 months so you can have a first hand look at the metro area before you decide were you want to settle down. I've seen apartment communities that have up to 4 bedrooms for around $1500/month (luxury apts).

As for jobs, there are plenty in customer service here.

[GT350]

If you're into service related work....you shouldn't have a problem here. The whole valley is probably close to 80% service related jobs....

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by GT350

If you're into service related work....you shouldn't have a problem here. The whole valley is probably close to 80% service related jobs....

I would love to see your source for your percentage above -

[DetroitExodus]

Anyone interested in sharing the cost of a U-haul truck from Detroit to Phoenix write me. Phoenix or bust!

[GilbertMom]

Originally Posted by Greatday

I would love to see your source for your percentage above -

Just look at the "Help wanted" ads in the local papers and on Craigslist. They are mostly low paid position in Call Centers, Insurance offices and credit/collections. Compare the postings to a major league western city like Denver and you'll see the difference! We only have one-two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the entire state!! It is definitely not the place to move to if you want to get ahead of the game. Much better if you have already made some money, are retired or own your own business.

[AngelfaceAZ]

Its a TON better out here than it is in Detroit right now (or the rest of Michigan for that matter)...I say, come on down!

[sheena]

Originally Posted by AngelfaceAZ

Its a TON better out here than it is in Detroit right now (or the rest of Michigan for that matter)...I say, come on down!

Seems to beat the Carolinas as well, in the work dept anyway.

[HX_Guy]

Originally Posted by GilbertMom

Just look at the "Help wanted" ads in the local papers and on Craigslist. They are mostly low paid position in Call Centers, Insurance offices and credit/collections. Compare the postings to a major league western city like Denver and you'll see the difference! We only have one-two Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the entire state!! It is definitely not the place to move to if you want to get ahead of the game. Much better if you have already made some money, are retired or own your own business.

So, 80% is just a guess from you then, an eyeball figure? Not actual statistics? Please.

While Arizona does not have many Fortune 500 companies, it does have more then two. namely Avnet, Phelps Dodge, US Airways Group, and Allied Waste Industries. While only the four listed are in the top 500, there are 11 total companies that fall in the top 700 nationwide. Additionally, there are many regional headquarters here in Phoenix.

It's true that the numbers aren't impressive especially when you compare to a city like Denver who has 12 companies in the top 500, but it's not quite as bad you make it sounds at only two.