WHY I HATE PHOENIX! Or is it Feeniks? (Scottsdale, Globe: debts, income)

[ArizonaBear]

Back to the original intent of this thread:

I hate the fact that we do not have back east winters.

I hate the fact that our summers------110F and all; are more pleasant than the muggy ones that accompany the above winters.

I hate the fact that the housing market is deflating like a pricked ballon and I will be able to buy a home soon.

I hate (insert 'complaint' here).

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

Back to the original intent of this thread:

I hate the fact that we do not have back east winters.

True. Pretty much anything about the east that we don't have (especially the blunt attitudes & harsh winters) is fine with me.

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

I hate the fact that our summers------110F and all; are more pleasant than the muggy ones that accompany the above winters.

This is where I disagree. 110 degrees and higher is normal here ... but not 31 days in a single year! That's closer to the average of a hell hole like Death Valley. Many years ago, Phoenix used to be rather pleasant year round. Even the hottest days in July & August had significant cooling during the late night & early mornings because there was less of this urban heat island.

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

I hate the fact that the housing market is deflating like a pricked ballon and I will be able to buy a home soon.

Don't you realize that the inflated housing market was GOOD for our economy? 2004 & 2005 were boom years for the Phoenix area. The state of AZ saw a budget surplus as a result of a high amount of tax revenue stimulated by a good economy.

The housing market was a plus to owners like me, and it also improved neighborhoods for the most part. When the home prices were at a high point, there seemed to be less riff raff lurking around trying to get the cheap prices. Instead, it encouraged people with money, status, and high paying jobs to buy houses & condos. But those who bought real estate during that time with little or no money to spare only have themselves to blame. Now, they're faced with devalued properties and possible foreclosures.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Don't you realize that the inflated housing market was GOOD for our economy? 2004 & 2005 were boom years for the Phoenix area. The state of AZ saw a budget surplus as a result of a high amount of tax revenue stimulated by a good economy.

The housing market was a plus to owners like me, and it also improved neighborhoods for the most part. When the home prices were at a high point, there seemed to be less riff raff lurking around trying to get the cheap prices. Instead, it encouraged people with money, status, and high paying jobs to buy houses & condos. But those who bought real estate during that time with little or no money to spare only have themselves to blame. Now, they're faced with devalued properties and possible foreclosures.

Pay now or pay later........a 50% increase in average housing prices in a single year puts too much longterm strain on the economy.

So: the housing crash will be hard.......and, probably longstanding.

I 'sense' 1988-91 all over again.

[Leaving AZ]

Originally Posted by Artliquide

Well if you really do believe that the grass is greener on the other side, then have at it. I've seen a fair amount of this country and the world too, and I've come to realize through my travels that there's good and bad everywhere. It's how you choose to see your surroundings that will make you love or hate it. As far as your ownership of this thread is concerned, there are plenty of other positive, pro AZ posts in here. I don't see you attacking any of those.

Good luck selling your house. The market's not great right now.

I understand life is what you make it and where you make it but I do believe there is that perfect place for everyone. Everyone has there opinions on what they like or dont like I personally think anything above 90 is hot you may not think that and that is fine thats why you live here and I hopefully soon will not. I didnt attack you, I just dont like it when people try to justify why they love this state that is fine you do its not for everyone!

[odinloki1]

I moved to Arizona as a for a teaching job because the economy in MI was killed by greedy cowardly companies whose profits weren't big enough. Before I list my reasons I will state that for a lot of people here this is ideal and thats great but its not for me and I just need to vent.

1. The housing costs: As a teacher housing in your district (unless its poor and crime ridden) is unaffordable, at least in other states if you work hard and put in time (do extracurriculars and such) you get paid for your time. Here if you put in 200 extra hours on a project you get maybe 500 bucks. I didn't go into teaching for the money but I did want to be able to get by and you can't unless you don't eat or don't have health insurance. I just left teaching for the healthcare field (and I was a good teacher and my kids had good test scores and I never missed a day in 2 years) and I don't regret leaving teaching here, but I know if I was somewhere where the culture and policy made me feel worthwhile I would have stayed.

2. The long drives: this goes to finding a decent apartment because I can't afford a house and there's no safe apartments (no major crimes) nearby, the public transportation doesn't go to my school because its on the edge of the urban sprawl.

3. The lack of community: everyone moves in and out so fast that you don't get to know your neighbors. I don't know any of my neighbors and the last time I tried introducing myself just to be friendly, I was given the cold shoulder and a look like I had 3 heads. I've been here 2 years and know none of my neighbors. Its hard living anywhere when everyone is so closed off you can't make friends.

4. The dry overpowering heat: You have to take a big bottle of water everywhere it seems especially because tap water has a weird taste. Skin cancer (yeah I know everyone loves the sunshine, but I like my skin better). You really can't go out and do anything outside from May-October because of the heat and oppressing sunshine. I like to hike and backpack but you can't for the majority of the year because you can't carry enough water. At least back in the midwest I could go outside for the majority of the year and all I need is a light coat here you can't go out because you can't carry enough stuff to survive.

5. Pollution: long commutes, no trees to eat up the smog LA, here we come!!

6. No trees. THere really aren't trees here, they're bushes. Trees are taller than houses and provide shade.

7. No grass, I understand why you don't have it, but there are days where I enjoyed laying outside and having a nap on a warm 75 degree day. Its kinda hard to lay on rocks and dirt. Especially when you have to worry about rocks and scorpions.

I can go on but obviously you get the idea, for me this is hell on earth. I wil say that I have known some good people and at least the public radio stations are good and the sushi restaurants are also good, but there's not much else that I can say is great. I will leave at first opportunity but unfortunately the economy is not allowing me to. For all of you that do love it here thats great and I'm glad you have a situation that you enjoy.

[backtochitown]

This was in today's Rep:

We are going through our first Arizona summer after moving here from Michigan. Can you tell us when it starts cooling off around here?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "cooling off." For a lot of us, temperatures in the high 90s means it's cooling off. But for newbies from Michigan, I suppose that's still kind of warm.


According to the National Weather Service, the average date for the last reading of 100 or higher in the Valley is Sept. 28. The record for the latest 100 or higher is Oct. 23, set in 2003.

And the Valley's average high temperature for September is 99. For October it's 87.7, and for November it's 75.

So hang in there. We've got a ways to go

[cactus jumper]

I hate Arizona because every time I visited here in November and sometimes January, it made me hate even more the state I was living in. Especially when I went back and there was 3 inches of sleet on the ground that "stayed" on the ground for three weeks!

[acheron2006]

Reasons Phoenix, AZ Sucks:
1. Hotter than Hell!!!!!
2. Demographics- 2nd heighest in particular, everyone with brown skin is thought to be of this demographic; thus, you will become a landscaper and janitor within the racial social perception of Phoenix
3. Multifarious *******s
4. Materialistic woman- read more at The Ladder Theory
5. ****ing *******s one inch from the caudal aspect of your car- the offspring- Bad Habit, listen and you'll understand; although, California wins in this category.
6. Lackluster entertainment
7. Illegal Aliens- good for Mexico's economy and America's upper class
8. Inc. number of retroviral diseases, perhaps number 4 is positive if you're a poor student.
9. Elimination of the zygomaticus major and risorius muscle contraction- look up and you'll understand
10. Dead devitalized necrotic centralized core
11. The feeling that you get when you look toward the desert after the sunset, complete and utter emptiness and isolation.
If I hate Phoenix, AZ so much why don't I just leave, when I finish my degree I will, that will ameliorate my perdicament. ASU is the only positive- my shashank redemption.

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by acheron2006

Reasons Phoenix, AZ Sucks:
1. Hotter than Hell!!!!!
2. Demographics- 2nd heighest in particular, everyone with brown skin is thought to be of this demographic; thus, you will become a landscaper and janitor within the racial social perception of Phoenix
3. Multifarious *******s
4. Materialistic woman- read more at The Ladder Theory
5. ****ing *******s one inch from the caudal aspect of your car- the offspring- Bad Habit, listen and you'll understand; although, California wins in this category.
6. Lackluster entertainment
7. Illegal Aliens- good for Mexico's economy and America's upper class
8. Inc. number of retroviral diseases, perhaps number 4 is positive if you're a poor student.
9. Elimination of the zygomaticus major and risorius muscle contraction- look up and you'll understand
10. Dead devitalized necrotic centralized core
11. The feeling that you get when you look toward the desert after the sunset, complete and utter emptiness and isolation.
If I hate Phoenix, AZ so much why don't I just leave, when I finish my degree I will, that will ameliorate my perdicament. ASU is the only positive- my shashank redemption.

Wow, you sure are clever! lol

I've defended Phoenix in here, but I'll disagree with you that ASU is the one redeeming thing in Phoenix. It's one of the largest universities in the nation, so I suppose it makes sense that ASU acts like a mega corporation which doesn't care about its customers. I went there, and there are a lot of things I love about ASU, but paying for the cheapest parking permit, which happens to be for the biggest lot, and not being able to park there numerous times because the administration decided that car dealerships have more right to use the parking lot than I, a student, did...kind of pissed me off since driving around looking for a spot made me late to class (a little warning might have been nice). ASU is technically a public school, and so receives funds from the state (tax money), so you'd think that the students would be the highest priority. Obviously not so. Also, raising tuition by 7-13% every year is ridiculous, especially when administrators make a lot more money than members of the Arizona executive branch.

I'm still going to go to homecoming, but if the alumni foundation calls me one more time for money, I might cuss them out. They've drained me enough.

[tscrilla]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

I moved to Arizona as a for a teaching job because the economy in MI was killed by greedy cowardly companies whose profits weren't big enough. Before I list my reasons I will state that for a lot of people here this is ideal and thats great but its not for me and I just need to vent.

1. The housing costs: As a teacher housing in your district (unless its poor and crime ridden) is unaffordable, at least in other states if you work hard and put in time (do extracurriculars and such) you get paid for your time. Here if you put in 200 extra hours on a project you get maybe 500 bucks. I didn't go into teaching for the money but I did want to be able to get by and you can't unless you don't eat or don't have health insurance. I just left teaching for the healthcare field (and I was a good teacher and my kids had good test scores and I never missed a day in 2 years) and I don't regret leaving teaching here, but I know if I was somewhere where the culture and policy made me feel worthwhile I would have stayed.

2. The long drives: this goes to finding a decent apartment because I can't afford a house and there's no safe apartments (no major crimes) nearby, the public transportation doesn't go to my school because its on the edge of the urban sprawl.

3. The lack of community: everyone moves in and out so fast that you don't get to know your neighbors. I don't know any of my neighbors and the last time I tried introducing myself just to be friendly, I was given the cold shoulder and a look like I had 3 heads. I've been here 2 years and know none of my neighbors. Its hard living anywhere when everyone is so closed off you can't make friends.

4. The dry overpowering heat: You have to take a big bottle of water everywhere it seems especially because tap water has a weird taste. Skin cancer (yeah I know everyone loves the sunshine, but I like my skin better). You really can't go out and do anything outside from May-October because of the heat and oppressing sunshine. I like to hike and backpack but you can't for the majority of the year because you can't carry enough water. At least back in the midwest I could go outside for the majority of the year and all I need is a light coat here you can't go out because you can't carry enough stuff to survive.

5. Pollution: long commutes, no trees to eat up the smog LA, here we come!!

6. No trees. THere really aren't trees here, they're bushes. Trees are taller than houses and provide shade.

7. No grass, I understand why you don't have it, but there are days where I enjoyed laying outside and having a nap on a warm 75 degree day. Its kinda hard to lay on rocks and dirt. Especially when you have to worry about rocks and scorpions.

I can go on but obviously you get the idea, for me this is hell on earth. I wil say that I have known some good people and at least the public radio stations are good and the sushi restaurants are also good, but there's not much else that I can say is great. I will leave at first opportunity but unfortunately the economy is not allowing me to. For all of you that do love it here thats great and I'm glad you have a situation that you enjoy.

You stole alot of things out of my mouth on this one. Glad I'm not the only one who can't stand PHX. BTW, I moved away a year ago and haven't looked back. Couldn't be more happy. In fact, living in Phoenix made me appreciate the 4 seasons even more. Good luck to you.