Living in Prescott? (Phoenix, Flagstaff, Prescott Valley: real estate, crime rate, houses)

[KarmaPhx]

I actually decided not to move to Prescott, I need at least some what of a night life, and I don't really like old people or snobby people.

I just got promoted so I am actually staying in Phoenix until at least March 10.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

As far as Prescott, my personal experience (coming from a "country/rural" background is that Prescott is Laid Back, Uncongested, and Friendly. When I visit Phoenix for the day, I can hardly wait to get back up to having smiling people in the stores and on the streets. (Nothing against Phx, just the difference between "city" and Prescott).

The other side of that coin is that everyone is up in your business in Prescott. Being a "small town", you run into people you might NOT want to run into. Employee's, bosses, people you don't like, eventually you cross paths in such a small area. Then you have the "Mayberry" effect, where everyone talks about other people and their business. Small town gossip is big in Prescott.

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

Youthful - maybe not so much, but there are plenty of things for kids to do. My own kids (in their 20's now) are always doing stuff and having a good time. Never once have I heard them complain "there's nothing to do around here."

Again, this is a personal preference. Trust me, there are thousands of kids who say that Prescott is a boring town. Many can't wait to get the h*ll out of there, at least for a day trip to Phoenix, if not forever.

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

If you love the outdoors, I don't think it matters whether you're young or old, you'll like Prescott's location.

I agree with that.

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

No we don't have the Dessert Ridge type hangout complexes that Phoenix does, so if that's what somebody wants they won't find it at Prescott. If somebody loves city lights and action, that's not Prescott, but there's plenty to do that's fun around here.

Fun in Prescott is outdoor stuff. Everything gets "played out" pretty fast in Prescott when it comes to indoor shops and activities. Gateway Mall, BLAH!

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

I just really don't get the drug comment. Boulder in the late 60's was really bad. While drugs are pretty much in every town in America now, I've never seen evidence of any major problems in Prescott.

I disagree with you. Drugs are very problematic in the tri-city area. For such a small town, meth is out of control. Read the Courier, check the police reports, every day someone is on drugs committing a crime. For such a small town, the ratio is high for Prescott. Almost every other day, some meth head makes his or her way into my workplace.

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

Are all our retirees on meth or something? It's kind of a contradiction in terms to say that Prescott has a lot of retirees but that there is a huge drug problem. I would be naive to say that drugs don't exist here, but our crime statistics would indicate that we do not have a major problem.

It's Prescott Valley, Dewey, Chino Valley and some areas of Prescott that have HUGE meth heads living there. Every go to the trailer park area of Prescott? Better bring a gun. Prescott, like Flagstaff, is a huge hangout for transients. I despise going near the Courthouse Square because the homeless and drug addicts just hand out all around that area. Like fly's. Every take a walk down the creek area's near downtown Prescott? It's like gypsies everywhere. Meth heads, homeless, transients, hippies, runaways, drug dealers, and every other thing you can think of.

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

I don't think you'll find any nice place that's like any town of the '60's. And I can't imagine that someone would expect to find that. Things have just changed too much. But I would definitely take Prescott over a large metro area any day. At least it still retains some small town charm.

There out there, but the best kept secret is by keeping it a secret. There are actually quite a few towns that are gems, like Prescott once was, but the people keep it quiet, in order to prevent it from no longer being a gem. In Prescott's case, once Prescott hit the magazines, and all the press it got, it was doomed. The migration began and it killed Prescott. I talk to many residents who lived here back in the 1970's & 1980's, when Prescott was really a small town, and it was a much nicer town than it is now. Those residents really, really miss the 70's & 80's Prescott. It started to go down hill in the early 90's and then by the late 90's and early 2000's, its fate was sealed. Too much growth & bad planning = Prescott of today.

Talk to someone who has lived in Prescott since the 70's and early 80's, that was the true Prescott, not what stands today. Photo radar, drugs everywhere, overbuilt, Southern Californian's & developers who built homes on the formerly pristine and virgin hills and mountains of Prescott, concrete, asphalt, big box stores, hotels everywhere, street lights, parking lots, ripping apart mountains, destroying pristine land, etc.

[DellNec]

While prices have come down somewhat since 2006, it is still overpriced, and will remain that way. As the majority of homeowners in Prescott proper were retiree's with large cash reserves. So the hit was small when compared to other areas.




The desecration of Prescott, in progress, with more to come. Sad.

[smilinpretty]

DellNec,

I am bewildered as to why you live in Prescott?? You seem to bash it given every opportunity. If I was a business owner with your atitude, I would be chasing employees and customers away. The majority of people living in the Tricity area, live here by choice. I am surprised that one of the "old" people hasn't taken their cane and wrapped it over your head.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

DellNec,

I am bewildered as to why you live in Prescott?? You seem to bash it given every opportunity. If I was a business owner with your atitude, I would be chasing employees and customers away. The majority of people living in the Tricity area, live here by choice. I am surprised that one of the "old" people hasn't taken their cane and wrapped it over your head.

I suspect you are a new resident here. Being vocal and examining what is going on in Prescott is not "bashing". Being quiet and apathetic is not my thing.

As far as the "old" people, most would like to "wrap" their canes over the heads of new residents, developers, and the politicians of Prescott. There is a history to this town that has been destroyed and the newbies have no clue.

As far as my business. All of my employees live in either Chino Valley, Prescott Valley or Dewey. They know the "reality" of living here. My customers, well, I don't discuss such things with them, that is what this forum is for. Once in a while I do discuss these issues and they seem open to hearing the other side of the coin.

Are you critical and vocal of the U.S. and its politics? If so, then according to your definition, you are "bashing" the U.S.

[smilinpretty]

Oh, come on you little rascal, Dell Nec, you can tell us ..what business do you own in Prescott? Wondering minds want to know?

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

Oh, come on you little rascal, Dell Nec, you can tell us ..what business do you own in Prescott? Wondering minds want to know?

I am not going to say. I don't need people coming around bothering me.

I come into contact with a lot of people. My perspective of what Prescott was and what is it today, is shaped by residents, information, and the what I see.

Nobody likes to admit that something is gone, that Prescott is no longer what it once was, that it has changed for the worse. Human nature does not like to admit to this. Prescott try's and play up to its past, what it was, but it claims that today, in 2009, it's still the same "small-town charm Prescott" of 1982. Well, it's not.

[smilinpretty]

Dell Nec, please do not think for a minute that Prescott is the only town or city that lays claim that they are not the same from years ago. Our whole society has changed, thus nothing stays the same , constant change is occuring.
I grew up in the Redondo Beach area of southern California. The Redondo Beach pier was my hang out. Incredible times.

I have heard about how wonderful Prescott use to be. Everyone knew each other. It was a close knit community. And then the Californians came and of course, they wanted Prescott to have some of the same ammenities as they were use to. Walluh!! Introducing Costco, Sam's Club, etc.

Change is hard. We all want the happier times, the use to be's, to exist.

I am sorry for your loss. I live in Chino Valley and even though I haven't lived here long, I don't want it to change. I love the country feeling.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

Dell Nec, please do not think for a minute that Prescott is the only town or city that lays claim that they are not the same from years ago.

I have heard about how wonderful Prescott use to be. Everyone knew each other. It was a close knit community. And then the Californians came and of course, they wanted Prescott to have some of the same ammenities as they were use to. Walluh!! Introducing Costco, Sam's Club, etc.

The problem I have is that Prescott still totes and makes that claim of - Small Town Charm. Yet, it no longer is. Let's say 10+ years goes by, Prescott has a population of 150,000+ people, I bet you that Prescott will still use that phrase. When will it stop using it? 1/2 million people? My answer is that it will never stop using. The reality is that is should have stopped using it back in 1993.

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

Change is hard. We all want the happier times, the use to be's, to exist.

I am sorry for your loss. I live in Chino Valley and even though I haven't lived here long, I don't want it to change. I love the country feeling.

I really had no loss. I have been in the area for around 10 years, and the reason was business related, I never got to experience the real Prescott, it was already gone by 1998.

As far as Chino Valley goes. You should be safe for at least the next 3-5 years. Once the economy changes, Chino will be the next growth area. Land is cheap, plentiful and good for development. Prescott is land locked, expensive and hard to develop due to the terrain. Chino Valley will see a huge growth spurt in the next decade. Developers are already planning for the next movement.

[RIEGSVILLE]

Prescott totally has a small town feel to it...plenty of nice people and varied people from hippies to Am.Natives, Yavapai Reservation right in the middle of town, a wonderful community to get involved with,lots of artists to geeks at Embrey Riddle to Vets to recovery people of all kinds to the majority of our population over 65, which living in other places this community feels like a retirement place.
It is an unique area with the Granite Dells and two small lakes, I see that the city council in past 15 years have not treated it with concern. Building in the past 8 years have changed the natural beauty, they allowed houses to be built in area your never thought building could occur! And on top of each other, not much open land except in the forests... Sad...a few very good resturants, nite life is very quiet after 10:00 pm except for Whiskey Row, but being in school will get you contacts to where to go...
I have never been stopped so much by police for little incidents, I now know they are looking for drugs and drunk drivers, lots of recovery here, so beware! And ambulances all the time... I was told by a police officer that Prescott was a capital for Meth. I haven't seen it, my kids haven't but I know it's here...good luck