Delaware to Phoenix (Scottsdale, Tempe: 2014, apartments, rental)

[exo5]

Hey thanks for taking the time to read this. I am currently living in Wilmington Delaware and work 45 miles south near Dover. I am about 35-40 miles south of Philadelphia. There may be a possibility that I will be relocated to Phoenix for work. I am in the Army so I will be working out of the base off McDowell road...The papago park military reservation? Because of how things are going with the military (budget personnel cuts), if I make this move, I may be stuck in the Phoenix area the rest of my career or at least the next 10 years.

I am 30, single, with no kids. I live in a riverfront condo so the urban lifestyle is more my pace. Id have to find a renter... I also am in Philadelphia once a week for one reason or another, Id love to live there but cant manage that kind of commute when I would work nearly 80 miles south of Philadelphia. I'm not a big fan of the cold so a warmer climate does appeal to me.

I've visited the military unit I may be working with and spent about 2 weeks in Tempe in August and nearly another 2 weeks in September. Honestly, the heat doesn't bother me. I was the guy driving around town in mid August with my windows down blasting Alice in Chains. While I was there, I checked out "A" mountain(almost daily), hole in the rock, the botanical gardens, checked out old scottsdale... went to some tourist trap gold mine town Goldfield?, drove down the apache trail and even went out to flagstaff for a few days. The people there seemed nice and I had an enjoyable time. Mill ave felt like home because of Main street down by the U of D. I tried to check out some day pool spa club place... I think Maya, and that's the only time I encountered anyone who was less that outgoing and cheerful.

I was really all about this whole move until I started looking online and seeing what others had to say about the area. Mind you I had an awesome time out there but its always different when you live in a place.

Housing:
If I did make the move I would probably try to live in north tempe or south scottsdale. Id like to stay close to work after having a long commute for the last 9 years. I am looking to rent for under 1000 dollars a month, but my concern is, this is easy to find now, its August, schools out and apparently the snowbirds haven't returned, I will probably be moving in the October time-frame if this does happen. What's the realistic chance I will find a decent place for under 1000 a month when everyone returns to town? Also are the areas I am looking at renting smart for where I will be working?

Dating:
It sounds like the Male to female ratio is a bit skewed. Im not a bad looking guy but I am not the 6 foot tall male model either. I have been hearing dating isnt that great for guys out here or not many people are looking to start families. So up front, how is the dating life here? How might it compare to say... philly?

Social Life:
I hear people can be stuck up jerks but there is no way they are worse than the Jersey Shore jack asses we have up here in the North East so that is not a concern of mine... BUT what is, making friends. I had a blast last time I was here but it started getting a little boring because everything I was doing was essentially by myself. I am moving out here by myself, no family or friends close by so I expect it to be a little overwhelming at first. Any advice on where/how to meet people? Ive seen meetup.com being an option but I figured I would ask the question for any other options.

Staying Busy:
I prefer staying mobile and exploring new places so I will probably join a crossfit gym, Crossfit blackstorm looks like a good one, probably live on Camelback mountain ( I love hiking), and probably buy a motorcycle at some point to have some fun.

I know I can find most of the questions I asked elsewhere on this forum but I wanted to reach out, get some feedback from people who have lived in AZ, or maybe someone from Delaware who moved to AZ. Also put my thoughts into text so I can make some sort of thought process. I probably have other questions but for now nothing else is coming to mind.

So any suggestions, advice, or questions are welcome.

[KurtAZ]

Well...welcome to AZ. I used to live in the Colonial Grand on 64th and Thomas when I was in my 20s...good distance to both Scottsdale, Tempe and the airport. Short (cheap) cab ride to all the fun spots. Looks like apartments (1 bedroom) are in your range. Now this was a few years ago so I can't speak to the current dating scene down there...I would assume probably about the same. One thing I will say from the tone of your post...if you are looking for a serious, leading somewhere to kids, etc typs of relationship and that is what you are focused on...women will smell the desperation on you. Go out, have fun and should the right one come along...great.

Enjoy AZ...there are a ton of meet up groups for younger single folks to go out and have fun.

[BuckeyeBoyDJ]

The dating scene is really what you make it. If you're outgoing and like meeting new people every chance you get then you shouldn't have a problem scoring dates. You have to keep in mind that Phoenix is a lot different than the northeast. The Phoenix area is a lot slower paced than what you're used to and it's more of a family, settling down type of place. I'm sure the nightlife in Philly is a lot better than Phoenix. I'm not saying you can't have a great social life here it's just not what the city is known for. However Tempe and Scottsdale is where the young and single can be found. Old Town in Scottsdale and Mill Ave in Tempe are the nightlife hotspots in the metro area. Scottsdale and Old Town Scottsdale will probably be more your speed if want to date and interact with women your age. Mill Ave in Tempe is a lot more college crowd oriented especially on weekend nights (Thurs-Sat) . A lot of the bar hoppers are in their earlier 20s. Some are mid 20s but it's definitely a younger crowd overall but if you like younger women then hey go for it. The comments you heard about people being stuck up and snobby more often than not refers to the Scottsdale crowd. Scottsdale is our Beverly Hills there's a lot of money there but it's not as snobby as it's made out to be. I have fun in Old Town but some of the guys at the bars are douchey but people in the Phoenix area are generally very friendly for the most part. As far as making friends go I would think you would have a strong network of military friends here possibly that you could hang out with until you start meeting people elsewhere?? Meetup.com is a great option and I don't know if you're religious but going to church is a good way to meet other people as well. Hiking is huge here I love hiking! The outdoor activities is phenomenal in Arizona! Welcome!

[AlohaFriday]

Phoenix is good for the outdoors and affordable, accessible living. I'm from So. Jersey and lived in Philadelphia for awhile, and so this is my take. Phoenix does not in any weight, shape or form offer an urban environment close to Philly.

Downtown Phoenix is getting better, but you can't spend hours walking around and exploring like you can in Philly. The biggest culture shock will probably be how car-centric it is. Good things, in my view, about the area include how laid back it is. It doesn't have an intellectual vibe like back East. The cultural amenities aren't as high quality, although they're here.

I've never gone out and partied here too much, but there aren't little lounges with DJ's- it's more sports bars or the big clubs up in Scottsdale. The live music scene also isn't as rich as it is back there.

Basically you can find everything you want, but there's less of and more spread out. Expect to be doing a lot of driving, no matter where you live.

[AlohaFriday]

Oh and $1k for an apartment is a healthy budget here. You'll be able to find a place no problem.

[PhxMan500]

Yes, welcome to AZ! From my perspective, it sounds like your perfect area to live, play, and commute would Old Town Scottsdale, though South Scottsdale/North Tempe fits more within your price range and would still be easy access to Scottsdale and Tempe. You might be competing more with college students if you are renting in October in that area, but you should still have no problem finding a place to rent.

I know the stats say otherwise, but I tend to know more single females who complain there aren't enough single men here than vice-versa. I don't see a culture of being "stuck up" around here, but you'll be hard pressed to find a woman who grew up in this area, and from my own observations, you might see a lot more shy girls around here than in DE, which might be confused with being "stuck up" from an east coaster.

Meetup groups are a good idea for the social aspect, especially if you love hiking and the outdoors. There are no shortage of people who have the same interests around here. I have been in a relationship too long to care, but the happy hour crowds always seem to be friendly at most places around here, and more in your age range.

I can't help with with cross-fit recommendations, but Camelback is great for fitness, and you may meet women there also.

Best hopes to you in your move!

[exo5]

Wow thanks everyone for the awesome advice. Definitely making the decision more appealing!

[caryberry]

I live within walking distance of the base location at Papago. It is hard not to love the location and the scenery. The locale is close to Tempe/ASU, downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale, the airport, the light rail is only a couple of miles away, trails & hiking - it is a great area with lots of restaurants, bars & clubs, parks, green areas, and shopping.

More than 1500 new rental units are in the construction phase in south Scottsdale Scottsdale's economic uptick reflected in construction

[caryberry]

Originally Posted by AlohaFriday

Phoenix is good for the outdoors and affordable, accessible living. I'm from So. Jersey and lived in Philadelphia for awhile, and so this is my take. Phoenix does not in any weight, shape or form offer an urban environment close to Philly.

Downtown Phoenix is getting better, but you can't spend hours walking around and exploring like you can in Philly. The biggest culture shock will probably be how car-centric it is. Good things, in my view, about the area include how laid back it is. It doesn't have an intellectual vibe like back East. The cultural amenities aren't as high quality, although they're here.

I've never gone out and partied here too much, but there aren't little lounges with DJ's- it's more sports bars or the big clubs up in Scottsdale. The live music scene also isn't as rich as it is back there.

Basically you can find everything you want, but there's less of and more spread out. Expect to be doing a lot of driving, no matter where you live.

There are many, many truths in this post. The amount you drive - can and will be a personal choice. In 8+ years, I can count the number of times that I have been compelled to visit the West Valley of Phoenix (not counting traveling I-10 East to California) on two hands. Its a choice. Living in Phoenix is the simplistic version of "urban sprawl".

Being from New Orleans - there is no music scene in Phoenix. Nor is there much collective culture - Phoenix is young, prefers new to old, future to history. The native Phoenicians are few and far between.

The best part...the weather. Maybe not the late summer months. But coming from Philly, summer will be a small price to pay for winters in Arizona

[exo5]

Thanks for all the advice guys! Just found out yesterday I got the job. I will be in phoenix by 1 Nov.