My story on why i relocated from LA to Phoenix (Scottsdale: selling a house, taxes)

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

I can't stand the summers in L.A. unless I have time for the beach. Can't imagine Phoenix..

Miami heat will eat you alive in summer

[Arizona Desert Rat]

I love the beach to but i doubt you even go more than twice a year.

I went to a movie premier in Hollywood in 2 weeks ago. It took 10 minutes to get to the airport from my house. I boarded my plane in less than 30 mins. I landed in LA 45 mins later, I rode the (FREE) shuttle to the Redline and I was in downtown Hollywood in 15 mins. Took me less than two hours from the time I left my house in Phoenix to get to downtown Hollywood. I was meeting friends there and one got stuck in traffic coming from Orange County and it wound up taking him longer to get to Hollywood than me.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Mr_Geek

Nothing could make me want to live in a place where the average high in the summer is north of 105 degrees.

Thank you. The first time I experienced Phoenix heat I was a teenager, we drove from LA to New Mexico in August. Remember arriving in Phoenix around 1am and it was stifling.

I thought is this a joke?

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

Left LA , don't want to go back yet feel the need to justify themselves with huge 5 paragraph post on LA forum for a bunch of people who could care less

LOL...Ryan. Also smart people if they leave a high COL place like Southern CA don't go crazy and live in big McMansions, they bank/invest the money they made of selling the CA house and live a similar lifestyle in their new state.

You can upgrade somewhat to justify the move, but it sounds like the OP didn't do that.

If this is even a real post, didn't even read the whole thing....LOL.

[Arizona Desert Rat]

Most of the people who live in L.A. live there so they can say "I live in L.A." These people are too naive and blind to recognize their quality of life is poor. They would rather live with roommates in a shanty apartment near the beach so they can say "Yeah, but I live near the beach" Or they will live in some shanty home that was built in the 1950's and is proximal to dangerous neighborhoods but they can then brag "Yeah I made it in LA" Most are wannabes who want to break into the entertainment industry. They work as bar tenders, waiters,realtors, bouncers, or some other service related job but feel that they are unique because they know some celebrity or interact with celebrities. They name drop and feel good about themselves. A lot of beautiful women will be courted by wealthy men. They may work in the Coach store or as a bartender but their boyfriend is a loaded trust fund baby who decides to fund their lifestyle while they make minimum wage. Nonetheless, these women have a false sense of success because of their significant other and "who they know"

What is interesting is to observe the "Change" So the above people live like this for about 10-15 years. It's usually from their early 20's to mid late 30's. By then, they finally recognize that it's all bul#@#2 At this point, they will leave L.A. They recognize that knowing celebrities really does not impact their life in any real way. Their career did not take off. They are still bartending and waiting tables in their 30's. They recognize they don't have a real job. They are no longer awed by Hollywood and being near celebrities. They realize the beach isn't that fun. They recognize they no longer want to live like college students going from one apartment to another with roommates and driving an 10 year old Honda accord. They want to own a home, get married and maybe have a family. But of course, they can do none of those things in L.A. because it costs too much. They want to send their kids to good school....oh wait...that means you have to live in a nice community proximal to schools which costs more money. They can no longer live in their shanty 1950's house.

The people who remain in L.A. are usually trust fund babies. Nepotism serves them well. They come from wealthy families. Despite lacking any real skills, education or job experience, their parents will hook them up. They will inherit some business or walk into some job with gift wrapping and a bow like an established family realty business, motels/hotels, gas stations, liquor stores, fast food, entertainment company, etc. Most people don't realize this and think these young people "made it" They didn't make it; they were just fortunate to have wealthy families to fall back on unlike yourself.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by saibot

This will sound like sour grapes but is absolutely true: I would have no interest in your house even if I could afford it or it was given to me. I grew up in a 3600-sq ft house, and would never want to live in such a big place again. Just too much wasted space. By the time we were down to three people living there, we only used a third of it.

Now, interior design and home improvements don't interest me in the least, I don't have a lot of stuff, and we don't host big parties. I just want my house to be a cozy space. On the other hand, I love the outdoors and the beach, so mild weather for outdoor activities like hiking and biking is a priority for me.

I think it's great that you have a big, modern house in Phoenix that you love, but I'm not tempted at all. Phoenix is too hot.

Exactly right. I never got having a huge house unless you have a large family.

Well you see when you live in places like AZ or FL you spend a lot of time in your house. That and running from the A/C car to the A/C store to the A/C office.

We have had some whacky weather here this year, and it got too hot for too long, but you know it won't last.

Places like Phoenix, Miami, etc are miserable a good part of the year.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by Arizona Desert Rat

I love the beach too but i doubt you even go more than twice a year.

I don't know whom you were specifically addressing, but if it was me, I go a lot more than twice a year. About once a week in the summer and at least once a month the rest of the time. Not sure why you think you know so much about the lives of strangers.

[Mr_Geek]

Originally Posted by Arizona Desert Rat

Blah blah blah

In summary, haters gonna hate.

[V8 Vega]

And Phoenix has a drag strio, LA dosn't.

[Finper]

Originally Posted by Arizona Desert Rat

I lived in LA for twenty years and in Phoenix for nine years, by CHOICE. I was not financially forced to move to Phoenix, which is the main belief (possibly true) people have about LA transplant living in Phoenix. Some Phoenicians are seen as bitter valley residents who could not hack it in LA and now they are a group bitter and jealous people dying to get back to LA, only if they could afford to. This does not apply to me, so I figured I would give the the most objective opinion possible and shed a little light on the flaws of LA, because many Los Angelenos believe LA in con free; and if you see anything wrong with it you are crazy.

I sold my L.A. home for a large gain, bought three rentals in the Mid-West and make a good sum of money. My wife is an RN and I teach,

I live in a brand new 3400 sq ft house on a 17k sq ft lot. I have a real theater room and 96 inch windows that make up the back of my house with a view of the mountain less than four hundred meters from my house, downtown Phoenix, and all of the other mountains that comprise the valley. I have an observation deck that overlooks everything. I watch the sunsets and planes take-off from Phoenix Harbor Airport with my 3 year old as the sun goes down. I have 8 ft doorways throughout and 10 foot arches in the hall ways. It is all single story with 15 feet ceilings. French doors off of the master, kit and Family room leading to the back yard with views of the city; I have french doors off of the study leading to the front court-yard. The Kitchen has an island and stainless steel appliances. It is an open floor plan with an enclosed court-yard in the front of the house. We are in the process of completing our backyard with the pool, trellis, gas grill and bar, and fire pit with sitting wall, playground, along with a garden for my wife. I am not going to talk about my 3 car attached garage, master bedroom w/ an enormous closet, pendant lights, floors et al....you get the point.

It is a five minute bike ride to L.A. fitness. It takes me and my wife two minutes to get to the bike trail (view of city and mountains). It takes my 12-15 minutes to get downtown. Things I have done Children's museum, Science Center, Heard Museum, City Scape, D'Backs, Coyotes, Cardinals and Phoenix Suns. Comedy Club, shopping, Dodge Theater, Canyon Lake, Salt River, First Friday's arts displays, restaurants, Civic Center; all the things L.A. but smaller and less of them. 10 minutes to the airport, 18 minutes to school (15 minutes for my wife to her job). The Mesa Natural Museum of History and Science. The Lost Dutchman mine at Superstition Mountain; with in a two hour drive: Jerome, Sedona: slide rock and hiking, Flagstaff (skiing), Camp Verde Wild Animal tour, Tuscon resort, Tombstone, the Biosphere. I have done the Phoenix Zoo, Payson Camping (with pines) Tempe Lake, the Circus, Prescott park in the mid-summer, ATV riding just north of the city (AWESOME) entertainers, Scottsdale Clubs blah blah blah. Oh and I drive 280 mile to Vegas for fun just like SoCal people. And I was at Santa Monica pier Friday, Old Town Pasadena Thursday, Magic Mountain Saturday, Griffith Today. I come to LA ANYTIME I need my jones filled.

The freeways are SMOOTH and free from graffiti. My daughter went to a top notch school (Chandler School District), never had to pick her up or drop her off . My little one will be in the Kyrene School district. Everything is so CLEAN and new. Chandler Fashion Square and San Tan Village, Scottsdale Fashion Mall, Arizona Mills, Tempe Market Place, Westgate in Glendale, The Phoenix Premium Outlet, and the Biltmore........ so clean from filth and riff rafts.

Sounds like you have a great life. You should have put this in the California forum though. Trying to talk to Angelenos about another state is like spitting into the wind

[Arizona Desert Rat]

Originally Posted by saibot

I don't know whom you were specifically addressing, but if it was me, I go a lot more than twice a year. About once a week in the summer and at least once a month the rest of the time. Not sure why you think you know so much about the lives of strangers.

it's a joke when Californians claim the ocean. The majority of people in L.A. live like Phoenix residents and never go to the ocean. It's nothing but an item to boast about and makes no real impact on their life. The exception of course are the people who live on the beach and actually make it a part of their day but that accounts for a very tiny percentage of their population.

But yes, the climate is better overall.