Questions on Scottsdale (Phoenix, Gilbert, Fountain Hills: mortgage, loans, estate)

[SpeedyAZ]

How? One of my good friends moved from Scottsdale to Houston and would love to go back to Arizona, or anywhere else just to escape Texas! Houston is filthy and overcrowded. Dallas is a major snob town, and dirty too, and everywhere else in Texas is B-O-R-I-N-G. And HOT. What's the appeal??????? Don't tell me it's cheap, because if I wanted to live cheap I'd have gone to a trailer park in Alabama.

Oh please! How can Houston be overcrowded? It's a very spread-out city and it's definetly not "filthy". What areas were you in?

Dallas is not a snob-town, another one of your brass generalizations. Yes there are some snobby people in Dallas but EVERY city has residents that think they're better than everyone else. Dallas has some very down-to-earth people; look at Momof2dfw! And it's also not a dirty city at all.

Everywhere else is boring? Have you seen the San Antoine Riverwalk or been to Austin at all? Obviously you haven't otherwise you wouldn't have made such a ridiculous statement.

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

Oh please! How can Houston be overcrowded? It's a very spread-out city and it's definetly not "filthy". What areas were you in?

Dallas is not a snob-town, another one of your brass generalizations. Yes there are some snobby people in Dallas but EVERY city has residents that think they're better than everyone else. Dallas has some very down-to-earth people; look at Momof2dfw! And it's also not a dirty city at all.

Everywhere else is boring? Have you seen the San Antoine Riverwalk or been to Austin at all? Obviously you haven't otherwise you wouldn't have made such a ridiculous statement.

With the exception of Austin, Texas IS boring. Again, it just depends on where you've been. There is no Chinatown or Ocean Beach here, my favorite things to do. Oh sure, there is Lee Lee's on Dobson and Warner, which is about as ethnic as this place gets. The only thing that keeps me here is the quiet and I have no mortgage. But that isn't enough, when all is said and done. Getting back into the rat race beats this. But that's just me. Gosh, how I long for the squeal of a BART train zooming through the Transbay tunnel. Ugh.

P.S. My apologies for the negativity. I have tried, I have really TRIED to appreciate this place (for years), but the truth is I belong in a City, and this whole area doesn't resemble a city, in any way shape or form, nor is it, unless one believes in population stats. It is one giant suburb that likes to think it's sophisticated, and that goes for the whole Phoenix metro area, including Scottsdale.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by Nature Girl

Can you tell me what is wrong with the south side? Is there crime? I am confused because we looked online at a few different realtor sights, and we pulled up a fair amount of good homes in the $300K window? Our price range is between $300-400K. Is this not likely then? You mentioned Fountain Hills having the best views, that was something we were hoping to find! I would love a neighborhood with mountains/hills surrounding us!! Are there any other nearby cities with pretty scenery all around? It was mentioned by another poster that Scottsdale is not very friendly. This is a huge problem for us, we really want to get to know our neighbors without comparing our checkbooks! Is Fountain Hills the same way? All we want is a reasonable commute into Phoenix (the children's hospital), good schools, a safe area, affordable housing, and pretty scenery. Is that a lot to ask for, or still managable?
Thanks for all your input, it has been very helpful!

Ah, its interesting seeing what people are willing to spend out west!!! Come here to Louisville and see what 400k will buy you in an upscale area with great restuarants, arts, and amenities. Phoenix is a great town though, there is lots to do. It just amazes me there are all these great cities in the region where I live but everyone is moving to places like Atlanta and Phoenix which really seem to be getting expensive and full of traffic!

I have to agree, as nice as Phoenix is, Scottsdale is my favorite area there. Its just so nice, clean, has good shopping and culture. It is just so expensive I am not sure if it is worth it!

[AOYAS]

Originally Posted by TurcoLoco

The secret is called "Option Arm" my friend, don't let NeverColdCall fool you, unless you got boat load of money or generating bookoo bucks every month, living in Southern (or pretty much any other part) California will likelt to be not feasible for anyone. Many people are living in debt, I did work as a loan processor and jr underwriter for 2nd Home Mortgages and back in the late 90s that was the case, I can only imagine things gotten a lot worse. Some analyst believe more and more people who bought a home in OC, CA in the recent years will be defaulting on their mortgage payments and some of them already had!

I have been checking the rentals in Fee-niks area and they are at least half as costly! Some parts of Scottsdale might have houses that cost similar to the prices in Orange County BUT not for the same house.
Any similar house would cost much more in any part of Orange County. My friend register her car and she said it was about the same. Sales tax can be anywhere from 7.75% to 8.25% in CA and I believe it is close to what it is in AZ, someone correct me if that is not the case.
The weather is a little warmer (in AZ) or about the same during the FALL, Winter and early parts of Spring. Summers are definitely toastier in AZ for at around 3 months at an average of 17-20 degrees higher in AZ but about 30%-40% less humid as well....
For someone who like the weather in Seattle, Fee-niks would seem like hell and not a good place to live.
Imho, NeverColdCall seems a bit too biased and opinionated towards certain things, not saying he's totally incorrect but seems a little exaggerated or contradicting in some ways which makes it hard to take him too seriously.
I feel that he tends to belittle others or at least prove himself right by bragging about his book being "#1 seller", etc..

Why would the author of a #1 seller be so passionately and consistently talking down about a city? Even create an Internet hate-site about it?
What would that prove or help?
Not trying to insult by any means but it doesn't make any sense to me.
I generally ignore or move away from things that bother me and don't even think about them...

Exactly! I lived in Southern California for three years, before I got the heck out of there. Believe me, IT'S NOT all that nevercoldcall has cracked it up to be. It's CHOCK-FULL of snobs and superficial jerks, overpriced EVERYTHING, people with "new money" who like to think that their new-found wealth makes them classy people (READ: It doesn't. Perhaps this is why a *certain un-named person* feels so at-home there?), indebted people who like to pretend that they have money and that they're classy people, mudslides, earthquakes, brush fires, traffic, MUCH higher cost of living, etc etc. Of course, there are nice things about Southern California, but they certainly don't outweigh the negatives for most people, including me.

--In Phoenix/Scottsdale, you can get a MUCH newer, larger, nicer home on a larger plot of land, for MUCH less money than almost anywhere in Southern California.

--Phoenix/Scottsdale has almost no natural disasters to speak of (occasional monsoons during August, and infrequent brush fires that are usually located in more rural areas). Southern California frequently experiences earthquakes, mudslides, and brushfires, which can each be very devastating to homes and lives.

--One can argue that Scottsdale has snobby people, but you're sure to find some snobby people in every city in America. However, Southern California definitely has more than its fair share of snobs...the majority of them don't even have a (financial) reason to be snobby in the first place (not that there's a good reason to be snobby, but you know what I mean)...many Southern Californians just want people to think they're wealthy and high-class, and to them, acting snobby fills he role more convincingly.

--Sales taxes and property taxes in Southern California are not less than the Phoenix metro, as a whole. One of the few instances where they are higher in Phoenix metro is the sales tax in Newport Beach is 7.5%, and sales tax in Scottsdale is 7.95%...not much of a difference at all. Many Maricopa County municipalities have even lower sales tax rates, and the basic Arizona sales tax rate is lower than the basic California sales tax rate (before individula localities add on their own percentage point or two). Vehicle license taxes in both states are very similar. I don't know the exact rates, but our annual payments there were roughly the same there as they have been here. It's a negligible difference, if any.

Bottom line is, many (not all) Southern Californians seem to enjoy bad-mouthing Phoenix, and make it out to be this ugly, dirty, overpriced snobtown that they would rather die than live in. In all reality, Phoenix is a naturally beautiful, economically robust, culturally flourishing city, with a wonderful climate and tons of entertainment options, that is still relatively affordable, ESPECIALLY compared to the outrageous cost of living in Southern California. My husband and I always comment about how it's so easily observable that the people in Phoenix are so much friendlier and more down-to-Earth than the people in Southern California...plus, Phoenix gets all the *nice* Southern California transplants, when they finally get sick of living in CA. )

Over 140,000 people moved to Maricopa County last year....highest in the nation. That many people cannot be wrong....there's gotta be something that's bringing them all here. And yes, TurcoLoco, you are correct that it's ridiculous for a person to be so he**-bent on trashing a city in which he no longer lives. If Southern California was so perfect and wonderful, I have a feeling he wouldn't be on this forum so often, wasting his time writing negatively about Phoenix. He'd be out enjoying his "perfect" new home. People like that don't really have any credibility on forums like this. I, too, am a NY Times Best Seller, and I'll tell you that it really doesn't mean squat. Who cares? I'm sure none of you do. I think it's laughable when someone tries to prove credibility by blatantly "name-dropping" a profession/accomplishment/source of income...like that makes a difference, or somehow validates an opinion.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

Oh please! How can Houston be overcrowded? It's a very spread-out city and it's definetly not "filthy". What areas were you in?

Dallas is not a snob-town, another one of your brass generalizations. Yes there are some snobby people in Dallas but EVERY city has residents that think they're better than everyone else. Dallas has some very down-to-earth people; look at Momof2dfw! And it's also not a dirty city at all.

Everywhere else is boring? Have you seen the San Antoine Riverwalk or been to Austin at all? Obviously you haven't otherwise you wouldn't have made such a ridiculous statement.

I know someone who was in Houston last year and said that it was crowded and dirty, mainly due to the Katrina victims being homeless and such. Thousands were sent over there and I guess they have no where to go.

I have also heard about Dallas being snobby, never been there but have read a lot on it.

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by AOYAS

I, too, am a NY Times Best Seller, and I'll tell you that it really doesn't mean squat. Who cares? I'm sure none of you do. I think it's laughable when someone tries to prove credibility by blatantly "name-dropping" a profession/accomplishment/source of income...like that makes a difference, or somehow validates an opinion.

Great post. I absolutely believe that you are a best seller. I think you're a great writer!

[AOYAS]

Originally Posted by sablebaby

Great post. I absolutely believe that you are a best seller. I think you're a great writer!

Well, thank you! It's very sweet of you to say that, and I truly appreciate the compliment. I enjoy your posts, as well!

[AOYAS]

Originally Posted by nevercoldcall

Like you, I used to believe that Newport was full of rude snobs. Then I spent some time here and realized that nothing could be further from the truth. The myth of Newport snobbery was created by jealous Scottsdale people who feel the need to denigrate anything and everything they can't afford.

Wow. I'm interested in knowing what your definition of "snob" would be. Seems as though this so-called "myth" surrounding Newport Beach might be correct, if your attitude is any indication of the type of people who live there. I'm truly interested in knowing what, exactly, you consider to constitute snobbery. I guess my definition of a snob is different from your definition. Maybe we ought to look up the true definition in the dictionary. Here, I'll do it:

snob

–noun
1. a person who imitates, cultivates, or slavishly admires social superiors and is condescending or overbearing to others.
2. a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field.

Originally Posted by nevercoldcall

At least here in Newport Beach it's well known that the millionaires are the guys in the t-shirts and jeans, not the guys in the Prada suits. They're the "jerk0ffs with jobs" as they're known in Newport.

(I'm sure the insecure Scottsdale people here will try to paint a picture of Newport being full of fake men and golddigger women, but everyone reading this who has spent time here knows it's not true. It's a myth perpetuated by loser Scottsdale people who are jealous that they can't afford to live here.)

Scottsdale golddigger women are SO stupid because they're too dumb to know that rich guys don't work. They go for the guys in suits and designer clothes, and snub the guys in jeans. If they want rich men, then why do they go for men who are dressed like they have jobs?

Originally Posted by nevercoldcall

The myth of Newport snobbery was created by jealous Scottsdale people who feel the need to denigrate anything and everything they can't afford.

And no, I wasn't quick to judge Scottsdale. I wasted 7 years of my life there. I'm more than qualified to comment on it.

Interesting....

[nevercoldcall]

Where is anyone getting the idea that Scottsdale is a better deal when it comes to cost of living? This week we looked at several houses in the $2.5 million range in Newport Coast (the nicest part of Newport Beach). They were amazing 4000 sq ft+ super luxury homes that would cost AT LEAST $2.5M, if not MORE, in Scottsdale.

I think Scottsdale is the most overpriced place in the nation when you consider what you're getting for your money.

Also, having moved my business, the corporate tax rates in AZ and CA are almost identical. My car insurance went down $1,000/year and my car registration went down $800/year. Sales tax is lower here.

Now you tell me which place is overpriced?

[nevercoldcall]

Originally Posted by TurcoLoco

The secret is called "Option Arm" my friend

Scottsdale had the highest percentage of the risky option-arm loans in 2006 and is on track to now have the highest foreclosure rate. As for the people around here, I can't speak of all of OC, but the area where we live in Newport Coast is full of people who can most definitely afford it and who can pay cash for a house, not use a loan. I can see Dean Koontz's house from my yard. I see Kobe Bryant in my grocery store. The guy across the street is a seriously rich developer. My next door neighbor is an uber-expensive personal trainer whose clients have included people like Mark McGuire. The exclusive dress designer to Angelina Jolie has been to barbecues at our house. And so on. Newport Coast is most definitely not a bunch of rookie realtors and long-distance salesmen and other sorts of wannabes who "bought" houses on option-arm loans in mickey-mouse Scottsdale.

Why would the author of a #1 seller be so passionately and consistently talking down about a city? Even create an Internet hate-site about it?
What would that prove or help?
Not trying to insult by any means but it doesn't make any sense to me.
I generally ignore or move away from things that bother me and don't even think about them...

It's called publicity and web traffic. Do you know what 3,000 site visitors a day does for book sales? Using publicity stunts to market has been a big trend lately, and I've even used my Scottsdale blog as a case study in publicity stunt marketing. It's certainly no secret to people who understand marketing and PR.

It's things like this that enabled me to do things like launch my book on the same day as Ann Coulter's (June 6, 2006) and keep her at #2 the entire week while I sat at #1 on Amazon the whole time.

Oh yeah, and on top of everything else, it's about lightening up and having fun in life. Something people here do all the time, unlike Scottsdale were everyone was so serious and introverted. I don't miss it at all.