Phoenix or Colorado?? (Tucson, Mesa, Glendale: low income, sales, apartments)

[frogandtoad]

Looks like we may have a choice between these two. Our price range is up to about $1Million so we can afford decent housing both places. I find it hard to choose b/c they both seem like GREAT places!! Here's what I'm wondering:

*If you had the choice, which do you think is better for raising kids and why? We'd like an area where people are not obsessed with money and are not snobby. I don't want my kids growing up w/a sense of entitlement or feeling superior, so although we have some money I want an area which isn't going to place value on that.

*We love outdoor activities and could care less about shopping. Well, to clarify, I would not want WalMart in my back yard (or anywhere nearby) but I also do not care about boutiques. I don't shop unless I have to! We love to hike and swim and want to be around like-minded people with that.

*Do not want a ton of plastic people around...people who value high-fashion or masses of makeup or plastic surgery are not the role models for my kids I want around. I realize a bit of this is everywhere, but I'd like to minimize it.

*I LOVE heat and I've lived in tucson in the past and loved it. So weather in Phoenix is not an issue. Winter in Boulder or Longmont or wherever out there might be an issue....

*For schools I would really love a non-religious, non-montessori private school with progessive teaching, but I don't see a lot of that. So for public, a really good system academically with good fine arts and music and hopefully again low snob value. We specifically did not live in the "best" district in Tucson (Catalina Foothills) b/c of the snob factor.

Are these things to be found in areas of Phoenix (or surrounding area)? Or are they better found in CO (if anyone has lived in both)? I REALLY love the heat and want to be in Phoenix but I do want to make sure our situation is what I want for the kids too.....

Thank you!!

[shiphead]

here is a Denver vs Phoenix thread. Hope it helps.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoen...s-phoenix.html

[frogandtoad]

Thanks--I appreciate that!!

[jonna30]

Definitely take Colorado!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a native of Mesa, lived in Colorado Springs and now live in Northeast Mesa. We would much rather raise our kids in Colorado than here.

People here seem to be "disconnected". No one looks anyone else in the eye. There are a lot of plastic people here. It is about what you drive & what your house looks like. We chose to move back to northeast Mesa to be near my family. It is the "best" school district for the area. Today, I took my kids to the local Junior High to use their tennis courts. The man in the next court said the f word about 20 times while we were there. People here don't have manners nor do they have respect for anyone but themselves.

Also, we as a region historically don't have high college graduation rates. Most students do a year or two at ASU, but then quit.

In Colorado people at stores actually said hi and thanked you for coming to their store. Neighbors come introduce themselves to new neighbors. Parents actually dicipline their kids - AND - their kids are respectful and nice. Also, it is SOOOOOO much more casual there. The person next to you could be a billionaire and you would never know it. Here, the person next to you wants you to think they are a billionaire but are really in debt beyond comprehension due to their plastic surgery (openly talked about), their Hummer, their kids international travel for a club sports team or the fact that they eat dinner out 4 nights a week.

A word about schools here. The bar is continually set low. My kids received VERY little history at school. When my son's reading was a year & a half behind (due to a disability which we later found out) the school said it wasn't a big deal. HELLO!!!!!

Clearly, I am extremely opinionated on this. However, we just absolutely hate it here - I can't hide it. Best of luck in your decision!

[frogandtoad]

Wow, thanks for that input. If it's anything like what you're describing, you may have just sold me on Colorado!! I love the heat but I may have to deal with some cold based on what you're saying!!

[jonna30]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Wow, thanks for that input. If it's anything like what you're describing, you may have just sold me on Colorado!! I love the heat but I may have to deal with some cold based on what you're saying!!

When we were in the Springs the cold never "really" got to us. The longest we ever had snow on the ground was 6 days, in May no less. The constant change of weather was always interesting. Most of the time when it would snow the snow would be melted by the next day. However, it can get very windy there.

Again - I am biased. People here never can relate to what I am saying about people from the valley - until they leave for a few months and come back. Then they notice the rudeness, fakeness and general craziness.

[CA_Dreaming]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Looks like we may have a choice between these two. Our price range is up to about $1Million so we can afford decent housing both places. I find it hard to choose b/c they both seem like GREAT places!! Here's what I'm wondering:

*If you had the choice, which do you think is better for raising kids and why? We'd like an area where people are not obsessed with money and are not snobby. I don't want my kids growing up w/a sense of entitlement or feeling superior, so although we have some money I want an area which isn't going to place value on that.

*We love outdoor activities and could care less about shopping. Well, to clarify, I would not want WalMart in my back yard (or anywhere nearby) but I also do not care about boutiques. I don't shop unless I have to! We love to hike and swim and want to be around like-minded people with that.

*Do not want a ton of plastic people around...people who value high-fashion or masses of makeup or plastic surgery are not the role models for my kids I want around. I realize a bit of this is everywhere, but I'd like to minimize it.

*I LOVE heat and I've lived in tucson in the past and loved it. So weather in Phoenix is not an issue. Winter in Boulder or Longmont or wherever out there might be an issue....

*For schools I would really love a non-religious, non-montessori private school with progessive teaching, but I don't see a lot of that. So for public, a really good system academically with good fine arts and music and hopefully again low snob value. We specifically did not live in the "best" district in Tucson (Catalina Foothills) b/c of the snob factor.

Are these things to be found in areas of Phoenix (or surrounding area)? Or are they better found in CO (if anyone has lived in both)? I REALLY love the heat and want to be in Phoenix but I do want to make sure our situation is what I want for the kids too.....

Thank you!!

Check out Anthem. We are moving there in Aug. and people love it there. Redirect.

[drb85650]

Having lived in Denver 23 years, then Phoenix for about 14, I'd not return to Denver merely because of the unpredictable weather. I hated cold july 4ths and 70' Christmas days.
The only area of Phoenix I would recommend per your specifications would be Central Avenue, north of Bethany, south of Glendale, between 3rd avenue on the west and 7th street on the east. There is an enclave of upper 6 figure(and above)homes, large yards, kid friendly streets, exclusivity without the snobbery of north Scottsdale/Fountain Hills. You're likely to run into a former state Governor, retired State Supreme Court Justice or TV news personality in Nates Barbershop or at a little league game at North Phoenix Baptist(great facility open to local leagues). John McCain recently sold his house in the area, that tells you something depending on your politics I guess....The garage of the house next to you made hold a top end SUV, a Prius, even a old VW bug, but rarely a Ferrari or some other exotic. Neighbors walk without fear and have yard sales without shame even though their last names decorate large business' in the metro area and streets downtown. Kids go to schools like Valley Classical Christian Academy or Xavier prep, then ride the city bus home after stopping off at some burger hole on 7th street near Camelback.
Typical Phoenix, a venture no more than a few blocks in any direction will take you into low income neighborhoods, apartments and a south of the border flavor at the nearest Wally World(15th avenue and Bethany Home, along with Costco). But that's Phoenix and unless you want to isolate up north(Cave Creek area, Fountain Hills, North Scottsdale), you're going to find that.An example.... Jerry Coangelo, owner of the Phoenix Suns and former owner of the D Backs lives on Manor Drive at 12th street and Osborne. Across the street is a burgeoning Mexican barrio, south across Thomas is a historic neighborhood that has never escaped the criminal element. Yet the historic neighborhood I lived in to the east of him continues to increase in home sales, I never was a victim of crime while living there, even tho multiple murders were committed less than a block away over the years I lived there. That's Phoenix!

[sablebaby]

Since just replying to your PV thread, I'd say definitely look closer at Colorado. I've never been there, but have thought about moving there myself. You will find everything you do not want in PV or Scottsdale. Not everyone is like that, but many are.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by drb85650

The only area of Phoenix I would recommend per your specifications would be Central Avenue, north of Bethany, south of Glendale, between 3rd avenue on the west and 7th street on the east. There is an enclave of upper 6 figure(and above)homes, large yards, kid friendly streets, exclusivity without the snobbery of north Scottsdale/Fountain Hills. You're likely to run into a former state Governor, retired State Supreme Court Justice or TV news personality in Nates Barbershop or at a little league game at North Phoenix Baptist(great facility open to local leagues). John McCain recently sold his house in the area, that tells you something depending on your politics I guess....The garage of the house next to you made hold a top end SUV, a Prius, even a old VW bug, but rarely a Ferrari or some other exotic. Neighbors walk without fear and have yard sales without shame even though their last names decorate large business' in the metro area and streets downtown. Kids go to schools like Valley Classical Christian Academy or Xavier prep, then ride the city bus home after stopping off at some burger hole on 7th street near Camelback.

I know the area you're talking about (North Central Phoenix) and it's a very nice area... but I find something ironic about Phoenicians who cite that stretch of Central Avenue between Bethany and the canal as their favorite part of Phoenix. That part of Phoenix is probably the least typical Phoenix-like, desert-like, southernwestern-like part of Phoenix! That area resembles the Midwest (old money, established, tree-lined neighborhoods) more than it does the southwest. You can find a whole lot of where that came from... and more, in other parts of the country.

And how can you compare a city with a state? It's "Arizona or Colorado," "Phoenix or Denver" or "Phoenix or Colorado Springs" or whatever.