Is it really Hell.... Should I move to Phoenix? (Scottsdale: travel, income)

[prizm]

I'm shaking in my shoes. I can't believe how people hate Phoenix.

So here's the deal. I live in Manhattan. Love it This city is sooooo amazing. Don't want to leave, but the almighty dollar calls. Phoenix opportunities are calling. But ****, is it really worth it? I love the culture, people, vibe of New York City. I'm guessing Phoenix is just an incredible hell hole. That is the vibe I'm getting from long time residents.

Just shoot straight. Would I regret every second of living in Phoenix if I moved from NYC? Is there really no culture? Cool areas to live? Is it THAT awful?

-d

[Iggy]

Wow! That would be a time shock coming from NYC. If you have to move come in Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb or Mar. Cooler
I was born and raised in Queens and left when I was 18.
I have lived all over the world but to answer your question about AZ.
Well yes it is hot and dry half of the year. Super weather the other 6 months.
We are consider desert so you don't have alot of green grass year round. You don't have polution like in NYC, the sttreets are much cleaner and don't stink. Housing is afordable compared to NYC. We do not have a subway or L.
Please speak mostly english or spanish.
Sunrises and sunsets are amazing. The closest lake is north of Phoenix about 40 minutes.
We do not have White Castles, Coney Island or Nathans.
I can go on forever...
We do not have any snow not like the dirty stuff in the city.
We do not pee in the streets
We have many less people and cabs.

Ask me any question that comes to mine...

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by prizm

I'm shaking in my shoes. I can't believe how people hate Phoenix.

So here's the deal. I live in Manhattan. Love it This city is sooooo amazing. Don't want to leave, but the almighty dollar calls. Phoenix opportunities are calling. But ****, is it really worth it? I love the culture, people, vibe of New York City. I'm guessing Phoenix is just an incredible hell hole. That is the vibe I'm getting from long time residents.

Just shoot straight. Would I regret every second of living in Phoenix if I moved from NYC? Is there really no culture? Cool areas to live? Is it THAT awful?

-d

I'm from NY I've been here since 1988. I've loved it for many years. I might not be the best NY'er to give you advice because I've always hated NY.

The novelty here in AZ is coming to an end for me. I'm headed to NC.

I have to tell you it's gonna depend on what you like. I'm thinking if you like NY you may not like AZ.

It's not awful but it will depend on what you are looking for in a city.

[Lehi]

Originally Posted by prizm

I live in Manhattan. Love it This city is sooooo amazing. Don't want to leave, but the almighty dollar calls. Phoenix opportunities are calling.

If you love Manhattan as much as it sounds like you do, my bet is that you would be absolutely miserable here. Money isn't everything. If you are making a living and you're happy, stay there. There is nothing "cool" about Phoenix in any meaning of the word. My suggestion would be to come visit the Phoenix area and check it out for yourself, otherwise if you decide not to come here based on the opinions of a few locals, you will always wonder if you made a mistake. Be sure to visit during July, August or September.

[steve22]

If you like the true big-city experience of living in Manhattan, with all the cultural and entertainment attractions, night life, etc. that it offers, then stay FAR away from this place. You will absolutely not believe the difference in lifestyle compared to what you're used to, and not in a good way.

As far as I'm concerned, Phoenix is essentially L.A. in terms of the crime, traffic, pollution (Phoenix's pollution IS, in fact, worse than NYC's; our air quality received the lowest grade of any major city in the U.S. last year), lack of any centralized downtown, and sprawl; but without the beach, Hollywood, or any of the other quirky pop-cultural eccentricities that make L.A. a fun and interesting place in spite of its problems. The people here are actually more shallow, superficial, and less intelligent than they are in Southern California, which doesn't seem like it could even be possible, but trust me, it's true. If big-city culture and entertainment are your thing, they're nonexistent here. You're going to be bored out of your skull. Oh yeah, and the weather here is also completely unbearable for half the year.

Remember, you can always put on more clothes to stay warm in NY, and it's a very walkable city with a phenomenal mass transit system, so when the weather's bad, you can still get out and get where you're going fairly quickly. There's only so much clothing you can take off to keep cool, and Phoenix is probably the least pedestrian-friendly city in the country. If you try to walk anywhere you're going to be walking for a very long time, and you'll probably collapse from heat stroke before you get there. Mass transit here is basically non-existent, and the city's so decentralized and gridlocked with traffic that to drive anywhere takes forever. Translation: you're going to spend a LOT of time both in your car and indoors here. If that appeals to you as little as it does to me, then you won't like it much here.

Three words for you: don't do it. Not unless the income hit you'll take is in the 6-figure range. I made the mistake several years ago of moving here for a financial opportunity as well, leaving behind a terrific city in Denver that I would really have loved to settle down in. I've been kicking myself ever since, and regret what I left behind to come to this wasteland. Given the choice, I'd never make that trade again, not unless it was for a far more significant amount of money.

The truth is, if you make enough money, you can live anywhere and have a pretty high quality of life. But in this situation you'd have to make a LOT of $ to justify that tradeoff.

[prizm]

Ouch.... considering I lived in Atlanta for a couple of years and HATED that, I can only imagine what Phoenix is like. I've had the chance to land at sky harbor and drive to Flagstaff a couple of times, but I never stopped in Phoenix and checked it out. It was always too ugly and oppresive looking around the airport. (read- I got the hell out of Phoenix as fast as humanly possible.) If the rest of the city and the surroundings looks like that, YIKES.

Sounds like Phoenix really is the city of tomorrow. Overpopulation. Polution. Hell on earth.

****... what a drag.

[SpeedyAZ]

Ouch.... considering I lived in Atlanta for a couple of years and HATED that, I can only imagine what Phoenix is like. I've had the chance to land at sky harbor and drive to Flagstaff a couple of times, but I never stopped in Phoenix and checked it out. It was always too ugly and oppresive looking around the airport. (read- I got the hell out of Phoenix as fast as humanly possible.) If the rest of the city and the surroundings looks like that, YIKES.

I love it here. Some people try to point out every bad thing a city has to offer and none of the positives. The sunsets are gorgeous, people are very friendly, weather is great 9 months of the year, and it's a very art-oriented area. Native American culture is very evident throughout the area. The crime is bad in some parts, and non-existent in others. There are lakes, mountains, and 320 days of sunny weather.

If you travel throughtout the Valley, you will find it's very different then downtown Phoenix. Scottsdale is great, many high-end botiques and a great area to walk. Fountain Hills has a massive fountain that shoots every hour I believe. You won't find many old homes here, most are new. We're the #1 area for golf in the United States, there area over 200 private/ semi-private/ public courses throughout the area.

I love it here, you need to visit it for yourself and see what you think.

[Lehi]

Originally Posted by steve22

The people here are actually more shallow, superficial, and less intelligent than they are in Southern California

I'm not sure, but I think I'm offended.

[SpeedyAZ]

And also if it was so bad, then would all these sports stars live here? I don't mean our poor Cardinals but rather people like Mike Tyson, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Aniston etc chose to live in Phoenix/ Scottsdale/ Paradise Valley rather than Seattle, San Fran etc? They can afford to live anywhere but they chose to have their main or second residence in this area. Phil Mickelson lives literally 3 blocks from my home, I see him golfing in the winter!

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

And also if it was so bad, then would all these sports stars live here? I don't mean our poor Cardinals but rather people like Mike Tyson, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Aniston etc chose to live in Phoenix/ Scottsdale/ Paradise Valley rather than Seattle, San Fran etc? They can afford to live anywhere but they chose to have their main or second residence in this area. Phil Mickelson lives literally 3 blocks from my home, I see him golfing in the winter!

Your area is not the norm. You need the big bucks to live where you live now. I know you got in at a good time but now it's pretty $$$.

It's not as bad as some people are making this city.

Gilbert is nice too. You can't judge the area by the airport surroundings.

I can say if this person likes NY he will probably not like it here.