Issues to consider before moving to Prescott (Phoenix, Tucson: house, purchase)

[Hschlick84]

Question... is there Uber or Lyft in Prescott?

[inderocker]

Originally Posted by Scary places

I grew up here. I need to point out the theft here... Every time, I eat at a restaurant, my credit card is stolen. It happens a lot.. No bike lanes ( They've had a few people killed this way). Most of the locals are poor and resentful, they blame the retirees for sending the houses price sky high. No public transportation. They refuse to put something into place, this is why the roads are so scary..Things are spread out and you need to have a car here to live and get around. Big meth problem here as well..

Careful with the DR.s here if you have good insurance they will try to do needless surgery. If you call them on it, they will black ball you with all the dr.s in town. I had to go to Phoenix for a second opinion. I'm glad I did, saved me a lot of money. They say you can never go back..I'm sorry I did.

I'm selling my house and getting away from so much deceit.. I can't watch these people take advantage of the retirees anymore..There should be a law against it but the law is corrupt here also...

I've lived here since 1992, and I lived downtown from 2010-2013. During that time, we went out to eat at the restaurants and bars... a lot, and used a debit/credit card for the vast majority of those transactions. I've never once had my credit card stolen or numbers stolen. I left my wallet with all my cards and a fair amount of cash at the grill one time, but was notified by my bank the same day because someone found it and turned it in... with all the original contents.

There are bike lanes on almost all of the main roads where traffic is heaviest, I use them regularly. Prescott, might not be the most "bicycle friendly" place, but it's not too bad for a small town with limited resources.

Sure, not everybody I've met here has knocked my socks off, but the vast majority seem to be great people, including my neighbors. Most of my neighbors brought cookies and treats when we first bought our current house... not very "resentful" of them, that's for sure.

As for the public transportation gripe, this was thoroughly covered in another thread. There simply isn't the population and definitely isn't enough demand for it. Luckily, Prescott is small enough "square mile-wise" that you can bike just about anywhere if need be.

As far as doctors go, I've had nothing but good experiences, but I choose my doctors and dentists very carefully.

No city is perfect and there is some stuff to gripe about when it comes to Prescott, and most of it is probably just personal opinion. Mainly "rehab'ers", too many residents, underfunded schools, dirty hippies, etc. But, overall this really is a great place, and I consider myself very fortunate to call Prescott my home.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by Scary places

This is where you are wrong.. First, due to so many people coming here and NOT putting back into the community the average couple can't afford the houses here, some are being pushed out of the rental market. I have taken public transportation in most of the areas I have lived and never was it as expensive as here. They've people that volunteer with ride share but it's not consistent and it never has been. Some retiree's are home bound and stuck but I'm sure your knocking on doors and asking people. This IS a real problem here, it might not be your problem but it is for others..

Sorry, you can say all you want but if your going to move here, this was a community that everyone knew each other and helped each other. Your attitudes and others coming here have destroyed, what it once was...Walking away, shaking my head

Not putting back into the community? You can't be serious? We're now spending our hard earned money in the State of Arizona, Prescott in particular. Instead of it going into the cesspool of corruption which is the state and local government's of the State of New York. They've managed to squeeze the economic life out of the middle class because of the burgeoning socialist welfare state and it's insatiable demands for more money. Back there all we could afford were the basic necessities. That's not living, it's existing. Out here we can afford to buy many things that we've always wanted to buy whether we need them or not. We are not just hoarding our money. We patronize many of the local businesses. How can this not boost the local economy while helping to maintain jobs in the private sector? We are self employed and not dependent on any type or governmental assistance. We are certainly putting more back in than we are taking. Maybe all of us transplants should just pack up and leave taking all of our money with us. Do you really think you'd be better off then? How many jobs do you think would be lost? Who'd be left to support all of your beloved social programs?

Sure, sure it's always someone else's fault for the problems and misery of others. Just take a look in the mirror my friend. That's where your problems originate from. Unfortunately there are many people such as yourself that feel that they are entitled to reap the rewards from the labor of others. While resenting them with jealousy and anger all at the same time.

You're complaining about a $50 cab ride? I just spent $900 dollars putting a set of tires on my truck, since I need that vehicle, just as you need public transportation. Shouldn't I be entitled to have those tires subsidized too? Along with all the other required maintenance? How 'bout my home? I do need a roof over my head. Why should I have to pay for all the repairs and upkeep? Do you see where I'm going with all of this?

I do not believe that government entitlement programs are the answer to everything. Sure, there should be some sort of a safety net for those less fortunate. But eventually the safety net will get so full with freeloaders it will sink the boat that cast it. It's an attractive alternative to achieve anything in life. It's like that with every socialist welfare state. There is a difference between freeloaders and those that are truly needy. Why would anyone want to work to earn a living when they can just sit on their dead ass's if the government was to provide cradle to grave entitlements? I for one do not want to become a slave to government.

[Ex New Yorker]

Originally Posted by inderocker

I've lived here since 1992, and I lived downtown from 2010-2013. During that time, we went out to eat at the restaurants and bars... a lot, and used a debit/credit card for the vast majority of those transactions. I've never once had my credit card stolen or numbers stolen. I left my wallet with all my cards and a fair amount of cash at the grill one time, but was notified by my bank the same day because someone found it and turned it in... with all the original contents.

There are bike lanes on almost all of the main roads where traffic is heaviest, I use them regularly. Prescott, might not be the most "bicycle friendly" place, but it's not too bad for a small town with limited resources.

Sure, not everybody I've met here has knocked my socks off, but the vast majority seem to be great people, including my neighbors. Most of my neighbors brought cookies and treats when we first bought our current house... not very "resentful" of them, that's for sure.

As for the public transportation gripe, this was thoroughly covered in another thread. There simply isn't the population and definitely isn't enough demand for it. Luckily, Prescott is small enough "square mile-wise" that you can bike just about anywhere if need be.

As far as doctors go, I've had nothing but good experiences, but I choose my doctors and dentists very carefully.

No city is perfect and there is some stuff to gripe about when it comes to Prescott, and most of it is probably just personal opinion. Mainly "rehab'ers", too many residents, underfunded schools, dirty hippies, etc. But, overall this really is a great place, and I consider myself very fortunate to call Prescott my home.

Well stated!!!

[IceCat]

Originally Posted by keninaz

His comments after leaving Prescott lead me to think that he has not found his place just yet in life and is perhaps unhappy with his job and prospects too. And he seems very bitter about the retirement segment of the area that are enjoying life.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion I guess.

Often people who think old people are "slow" are themselves usually "young" ... but ... just wait a few years ;-)

[Celesteren]

Prescott is one of the areas my husband and I are considering for retirement. Being from the Los Angeles area, I'd kind of like to live someplace that has more than one and one-half seasons. I've seen posts where Prescott is described as having MILD seasons, but I look at the graphs and see 18 - 20" of snow????? That's mild? How accurate are those graphs? Yikes.

[agorski]

Originally Posted by Celesteren

I've seen posts where Prescott is described as having MILD seasons, but I look at the graphs and see 18 - 20" of snow????? That's mild? How accurate are those graphs? Yikes.

Not. Prescott gets at the most 20" of total precip a year. Snow amounts are a function of altitude. High up at 5500 feet I might see a single snowfall of 12" once every 2-3 years which melts off the pavement in a day or so. I usually don't see more than 3 total snow events the whole winter and they are mostly minor. Down at lower elevations like Prescott Valley and some parts of Prescott you'll see a whole lot less.

[NC Transplants]

Originally Posted by agorski

Not. Prescott gets at the most 20" of total precip a year. Snow amounts are a function of altitude. High up at 5500 feet I might see a single snowfall of 12" once every 2-3 years which melts off the pavement in a day or so. I usually don't see more than 3 total snow events the whole winter and they are mostly minor. Down at lower elevations like Prescott Valley and some parts of Prescott you'll see a whole lot less.

agorski is correct in his snow evaluation. Been here for 1.5 years and we're at 5530'; 12" now and then is gone by noon depending on how cold the day is. It's also powdery, none of this Eastern heavy frozen snow here. Don't even have a shovel.

Old timers here used to see 30" almost every year here lingering for weeks or even months but it's all gone due to changing climates.

cheers...

[crad]

As others have said the snow here melts off quickly, I never have to shovel. There are some houses in my area (5600') with steep north facing driveways which are shaded from the sun by the house, these folks sometimes have to shovel an inch or two if they want to keep their driveway clear.

[like-2-hike]

I'll be a contrarian - I live essentially one street over from agorski (hi quasi-neighbor!) and I was unable to use my driveway for a total of about 10 days this past winter. Had to park on the street (same for half of my neighbors). Got tired of shoveling heavy, wet snow this winter (we got it over on my street at least) so I broke down and bought a snow blower (and of course, no snow since).

As noted by crad, I'm at about 5600', although my driveway faces west. It's steep, and the way the snow worked this year, I had three (or four) times with accumulations over 3-4" - and at least one around 6"+. I could easily drive up my steep driveway ONCE in the morning, and I could even drive down it the same evening, but then I would be stuck for days because the tracks would turn to ice and I had no traction at all. Granted, my driveway sucks compared to many, but I could easily spend 1-2 hours shoveling the flat and sloped parts just to get in and out.

Just be aware if you're looking at properties at higher elevations, particularly with wonky driveways, it's a risk. I also have two colleagues at work who regularly get stuck for days - one lives up Mingus mountain, the other lives out past Thumb Butte. But those are definitely more rural areas.

Back to Celesteren's question, even with 18-20" of snow (if that's accurate - and that's only 2.5-3" of rain equivalent), and even with my own experience above, I'd still consider it to be a mild and nearly-ideal climate when you consider the year-round averages. So much sunshine, so few bitterly-cold or blisteringly-hot days.