click, I can see where it would be horrible living in a neighborhood like you described. Some people really don't want interaction with their neighbors, but my wife and I really enjoy it. We have plenty of friends off the block, but we still really enjoy spending time with our neighbors. It really depends on the people though. We just got lucky and really like most of the people on the block.
My sister, who is 10 minutes away from where I currently live in NY, has one neighbor who drives her insane. She's rude, constantly makes nasty remarks, lets her kids walk over and come in the house even when my sister is having a party. That's the kind of thing that can turn a friendly person like my sister, into someone who looks out the window before daring to walk outside, for fear she'll have to deal with the wacko next door. Then there are just unfriendly people.
So I think it's really just luck, and I guess trying to get to know the neighborhood and neighbors, by renting(like we plan to do), might help also. In these weird times, that's actually one benefit of all
the renting people are having to do.
You mentioned another thing that I think is a huge plus of Phoenix. I realize it's too hot to be outside in the middle of the summer, but there are definitely more nice months than in NY. Even on my block in NY, which is very friendly, we barely see anyone in the winter, except for 1 couple that we get together with regularly all year. In the summer though, we see everyone all the time.
The neighborhood you live in can really make a huge difference in your quality of life though, not to mention the fact that it defines a big piece of your kids' childhood experience. For example, we have loads of kids my daughters' ages on the block, but my son is the youngest boy. Fortunately, he's a very athletic and spunky kid, so the older kids enjoy him, but it's not really good, because he's only 5, and these kids he's hanging around with are 10.
I'm sure it will all work out, but that's the reason I'm obsessing a bit about where to live in Phoenix. I'm more worried about the exact neighborhood, and how many kids, the type of families, and all that, than I am about big differences between NY and Phoenix.
I hope I'm right and I'm not on here in a year complaining about Phoenix and the unfriendly people, the lack of culture, the heat, the chain restaurants.... If I am, someone please smack me and point me to this and the other post I've been making over the past few weeks
Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Linear Mode
