Moving in 2020 and wondering if Phoenix might be for me (Glendale: to rent, houses)

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by bawac34618

But I'd be looking at $1500+/month for that vs a studio for around $800.

Very difficult to rent a regular apartment without a verified job with paystubs

[gliu953]

@AndroidAZ
Traffic is a breeze? Maybe if you live way out in Timbuktu but where I am it's pretty heavy most of the time.
The design of Phoenix streets make driving less difficult but the Phoenix drivers, they're another story.

[gliu953]

@bawac34618
I rent a 1 bedroom for $1300 a month and studios in my building are around $800.
Welcome to Phoenix, I think you're going to like it here a lot better than where you're from. I know I do.

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by gliu953

@bawac34618
I rent a 1 bedroom for $1300 a month and studios in my building are around $800.
Welcome to Phoenix, I think you're going to like it here a lot better than where you're from. I know I do.

Not bad! I'm currently in a studio in OKC for $700 and a studio is all I will need starting out.

If I am unemployed, do you think three months of rent up front will work?

[yukon]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

One reason traffic is worse in Dallas is it's a larger metro area. This is mainly because it includes another fairly large city (Fort Worth), as well as the many suburbs surrounding both Dallas & Fort Worth. Still, traffic in Phoenix is not especially easy, and we're fooling ourselves if we think it's a breeze during the peak commute times. It's not so bad during other times of the day, but it has gotten noticeably heavier. I'm actually a proponent of toll roads, so long as they're paid for with private money only. With ADOT in charge of our tax money, not all the freeways have been built as originally promised. With toll roads, there is usually greater efficiency as far as cost & construction timelines.

The Dallas metro is actually separate from the Ft Worth metro. The two only come into play if one happens to live in one and work in the other (rare but it happens). The suburbs around the two cities have grown and expanded making it into one metro for statistical purposes but they are separate when it comes to daily living. The bulk of the toll roads are also on the Dallas side. Even parts of I-35 and I-6335 are toll. I'd rather pay the $280 tag fee here in AZ and have freeways, thank you.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by bawac34618

Another question on renting an apartment; if I move with no job how difficult will it be to rent? My plan was to maybe take a trip out there while still officially employed here, rent an apartment, come back to OKC and give my two weeks notice, and then move. This way I won't run into the issue of being unemployed, since apartment owners generally won't rent to unemployed people. Of course my job is still in OKC but I can just say I'm telecommuting. Can I get away with that?

Your employer may know before you give notice that you're moving - the tip off will be when an apartment complex in AZ calls for a confirmation of employment. And what happens if the apartment calls to confirm after you've given notice?

You say you work in IT/ Support, seems like there should be temp work available in that field here. Sign up with a temp agency as soon as you get here. Once they have you on assignment, they become your employment reference. I've never had an apartment complex turn me down because I was working skilled temp, which is what you would be.

Look at AirBnB prices and see if you can make it work for a month or two. A decent extended stay place is going to run about $250 a week, possibly more (I haven't priced lately).

You might be able to get a rental from a private owner if you want to prepay rent, but I don't think a complex would do that. Have you called any apartment locators here yet and explained your situation, to see what advice they give you?

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by yukon

The Dallas metro is actually separate from the Ft Worth metro. The two only come into play if one happens to live in one and work in the other (rare but it happens). The suburbs around the two cities have grown and expanded making it into one metro for statistical purposes but they are separate when it comes to daily living. The bulk of the toll roads are also on the Dallas side. Even parts of I-35 and I-6335 are toll. I'd rather pay the $280 tag fee here in AZ and have freeways, thank you.

I don't know about that, there are plenty of people that live in Arlington, Grapevine and H-E-B (Hurst-Euless-Bedford) which are all in Tarrant County who commute to Dallas or Dallas County suburbs like Garland or Plano. It's all interconnected

[DougStark]

Reading all these posts, it strikes me ironic (and odd) that the Metroplex has lots of tollroads (yes, I know they have them.)

Reason it strikes me as odd is that Texas is the most populous red state, and I associate toll roads with blue states (IL being the most familiar to me.) Thank God we don't have them. That's what the frickin' gas taxes are supposed to pay for!!

I feel a little sorry for OKC getting "beaten up" by everyone though. Home prices there are lower there than Phx, and the metro looks fairly prosperous IMO (driving through it on the interstate.) It's crime rate is lower than Tulsa's. The OP didn't mention southern hospitality of Oklahoma, but maybe he didn't feel that vibe.

[beez74]

Originally Posted by bawac34618

Thanks for this assessment on Phoenix vs Dallas! Are there any other Dallas advantages you can think of other than the higher salaries if you are in the right field?

And I can't wait to be out of tornado alley, though the risk in Dallas is nowhere near what it is in OKC.

Another question on renting an apartment; if I move with no job how difficult will it be to rent? My plan was to maybe take a trip out there while still officially employed here, rent an apartment, come back to OKC and give my two weeks notice, and then move. This way I won't run into the issue of being unemployed, since apartment owners generally won't rent to unemployed people. Of course my job is still in OKC but I can just say I'm telecommuting. Can I get away with that?

Tell them you work from home....when you fill out applications for apartments they are gonna want paystub which you will have since when you come look in AZ you will technically have a job so the unemployment thing shouldn't matter. As someone who moved across the country and got a new job I can say that part was pretty easy.... I sent resumes with when I could be in town to interview and when I was willing to move and start in the header of my resume and pretty much every interview I got responded based on that header and worked with me on interviews and such.

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by beez74

Tell them you work from home....when you fill out applications for apartments they are gonna want paystub which you will have since when you come look in AZ you will technically have a job so the unemployment thing shouldn't matter. As someone who moved across the country and got a new job I can say that part was pretty easy.... I sent resumes with when I could be in town to interview and when I was willing to move and start in the header of my resume and pretty much every interview I got responded based on that header and worked with me on interviews and such.

Thanks!

I actually called a complex, near Melrose actually, and the agent said that I'd have to pay a higher security deposit if I didn't have proof of income but she didn't see why I wouldn't be able to rent. That makes me feel much better about the situation.

And yes, that was my initial plan. I'm going to take a trip before I move while I'm technically still employed here in OKC and I'll use the "I work from home" excuse. Thanks for the resume tip! I'm going to do everything I can to have a job before I move, but I'm moving one way or another.