Detroit or Phoenix? (Tucson: real estate, mcmansion, apartment)

[4shannan]

Originally Posted by reckoner

it seems too close to call. clearly, neither are the most desirable of cities, but - if forced to choose - where would you move?

I just moved from PHX. and Im here to tell you it was horrible living there. It took me 4 years to be able to get OUT..... PLEASE dont go to PHX. It was full of drugs, and other problems. PLUS the day I left it was 117 degrees.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by 4shannan

I just moved from PHX. and Im here to tell you it was horrible living there. It took me 4 years to be able to get OUT..... PLEASE dont go to PHX. It was full of drugs, and other problems. PLUS the day I left it was 117 degrees.

Where are you now?

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I love Arizona, thats why I post here. Its just a shame that Phoenix is there. Were it not, Id move to AZ in a heartbeat.

Well, there is Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Ajo, Tucson, Flagstaff, Show Low, Pinetop, Tombstone, Tubac, Green Valley, Nogales, Yuma, Ajo, Gila Bend, Tuba City

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Greatday

Well, there is Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Ajo, Tucson, Flagstaff, Show Low, Pinetop, Tombstone, Tubac, Green Valley, Nogales, Yuma, Ajo, Gila Bend, Tuba City

Flagstaff? Not crazy about it (other than the scenery and smell of the Ponderosa pines). Tempe? Blah. Mesa? What I saw of it? Nasty. Gilberts? Pretty decent I suppose. Tucson? Nice scenery, ick town. Show Low? Tiny but off-the-beaten-path, which I liked. Tubac? Never been there, same for Green Valley. Nogales? Worst town Ive ever seen, totally nasty!!! Gila Bend and Tuba City were not flattering either. Phoenix? Horrible in most places, really nice in a few pockets. Crap downtown, but we all know that.

My faves are north Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, PV, Fountain Hills, Tombstone.

[Stumblina]

Originally Posted by azkylady2

I have lived here almost 6 years, If i haven't lost count. lol. I envy the fact that you got to get out of this horrid weather, I look forward to my time for leaveing it all behind, I dream of a nice brick house with a fireplace you can use, lush green yard filled with all the trees and flowers I use to know how to plant and when to plant them, running the water hose and not getting dirty looks for washing off the dirt on your walkway, not having to worry about always having bottle water stacked in your garage. And not having to think about water and how little there is, never enough rain, etc etc. I never ever had to give water so much as a thought till I moved here, oh well I could go on and on, but I will leave you to enjoy your new environment lol still need sun glasses here, oops I mentioned another thing

Well, if you don't want to worry about those things, don't move to Detroit. We have during the summer what are called "ozone action days." On these days, they recommend you don't fill up your car with gas, water your lawn, use the grill, etc. We definitely worry about water here, albeit not as much as you would in Phoenix, but our lake levels are low and we are urged to practice water conservation. As for lush green yards - sure you'll have that from May to September (as long as you water every single day) for a whole five months. But since the leaves start to fall off the trees in September, you have about seven months of looking at dead looking, leafless trees and brownish grass. There are plenty of evergreens, but more of the leafless, dead stick trees standing around. As for bottled water, most people here keep cases of it in their garage/basement. The quality of our water is not that great (comes from the City of Detroit or it's well water) and it either smells like chlorine or rotten eggs. So, as far as water - I guess it's safe to say that neither Phoenix nor Detroit have an abundance or or great quality water.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by Stumblina

Well, if you don't want to worry about those things, don't move to Detroit. We have during the summer what are called "ozone action days." On these days, they recommend you don't fill up your car with gas, water your lawn, use the grill, etc. We definitely worry about water here, albeit not as much as you would in Phoenix, but our lake levels are low and we are urged to practice water conservation. As for lush green yards - sure you'll have that from May to September (as long as you water every single day) for a whole five months. But since the leaves start to fall off the trees in September, you have about seven months of looking at dead looking, leafless trees and brownish grass. There are plenty of evergreens, but more of the leafless, dead stick trees standing around. As for bottled water, most people here keep cases of it in their garage/basement. The quality of our water is not that great (comes from the City of Detroit or it's well water) and it either smells like chlorine or rotten eggs. So, as far as water - I guess it's safe to say that neither Phoenix nor Detroit have an abundance or or great quality water.

That is news to me: to hear the pro Midwest crowd tell it; they have essentially 'unlimited' supplies of water.

Unless the difference being is that we are geared towards water conservation, storage, sources, etc. whereas Michigan, etc. are more helter skelter.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Stumblina

As for lush green yards - sure you'll have that from May to September (as long as you water every single day) for a whole five months. But since the leaves start to fall off the trees in September, you have about seven months of looking at dead looking, leafless trees and brownish grass

Ya see? We get the best of both worlds. For 5 months the year we have a lush, green yard, followed by 2 months of wonderful oranges, reds, yellows, greens, etc, which is then followed by 4-5 months of dry, brown, sticks and crunchy grass, which can make you feel like youre in AZ.

[hokiehigh]

i would go to detroit if i had the choice. i am biased b/c i like the seasons and hate temps over 85. plus, i like the trees and grass over desert. you can try phoenix and move back if you don't like it.

[Stumblina]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

That is news to me: to hear the pro Midwest crowd tell it; they have essentially 'unlimited' supplies of water.

Unless the difference being is that we are geared towards water conservation, storage, sources, etc. whereas Michigan, etc. are more helter skelter.

We often have drought conditions during the summer months when we don't get enough rain. City ordinances dictate even-numbered houses water lawns on Mon, Wed, Fri and odd-numbered houses water on Tues, Thurs and Sat. It is actually against the law to water when you're not supposed to, and washing your car in the driveway is certainly frowned upon. Believe me, there is not an abundance of water. All of the lake levels in southeast Michigan are way down. But going back to comparing Detroit to Phoenix, Detroit's water is nasty and tastes nasty, and it is pumped out to the suburbs, where I live. So I go to Costco and stock up on bottled water and store it in my garage!

[desert student]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Flagstaff? Not crazy about it (other than the scenery and smell of the Ponderosa pines). Tempe? Blah. Mesa? What I saw of it? Nasty. Gilberts? Pretty decent I suppose. Tucson? Nice scenery, ick town. Show Low? Tiny but off-the-beaten-path, which I liked. Tubac? Never been there, same for Green Valley. Nogales? Worst town Ive ever seen, totally nasty!!! Gila Bend and Tuba City were not flattering either. Phoenix? Horrible in most places, really nice in a few pockets. Crap downtown, but we all know that.

My faves are north Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, PV, Fountain Hills, Tombstone.

I just love when people post on a forum, about a place they hate and really have no idea what you are talking about half the time. I really love when they use personal anecdotes, opinions and thoughts, (that don't match the general view of the public), and act like it is regarded so highly by everyone. It really makes me feel warm inside when the same people have almost half of their posts cut and altered by the moderators of city-data.com because they are so rude and crude. (Can we say temper?) Besides the fact that those same people live next to huge dumps like Aurora and Joliet, Illinois, and consider them and the endless, "twlight zone" sprawl towns on the outskirts of them to be perfection. Meanwhile Tempe and Mesa are trash. Believe me, take the worst part of either of those cities, times it by five, and you get Elgin, Aurora, and Joliet, which are the main staples of western, southwestern, and northerwestern Chicagoland. But hey, when the same people put Detroit above Phoenix you'll have that!