Sac residents move here from Phoenix? (San Diego, San Francisco: apartment, for rent, home)

[popwar]

Moved from Greenville,SC to Phoenix for a change of pace , more opportunity out here in the west . Phoenix is cool , but the desert is getting pretty boring after 2 months of being here . The heat is not what I thought I desired either, but I hate snow and cold . Even up north AZ it doesn't have the same feeling as back in the Carolinas . I am looking at Sacramento and surrounding towns . I am in IT and have been actively applying to positions before I arrive the 3rd week of July . I am a 30yo male , single , no kids . Big hiker and nature lover . I know the COL is about 12% higher on average than Phoenix , which isn't too bad.

Would like some input on those thats moved here from the Valley of the Sun .

[roadwarrior101]

I lived in Phoenix previously and live in the Bay Area. While not in Sac, I've been there several times. Not sure what you're trying to get out of Sac that you can't get in Phoenix. Phoenix is about 2x the size of Sac. Sac is a little cooler in the summer than Phoenix, but still hot.

Phoenix is great for outdoors whether hiking Camelback or driving up to Northern Arizona. I'd say that you probably have more spectacular choices for weekend getaways from Sac (Tahoe, Yosemite, Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco, Monterey, etc.), but don't exactly think Phoenix is a slouch in that department. But, in terms of city amenities, I think Phoenix actually has more to offer than Sac.

[la_cavalière]

Hi Popwar,

I have been in Sacramento for seven years, and while I have never lived full-time in Phoenix, I go there 2-3 times per year to visit family and friends in Phoenix and Tucson. I just spent five days in Tucson, and I was so relieved to come home to Sacramento. I missed all the greenery and the cool mornings and evenings.

We have considered moving to Arizona for the lower cost of living and proximity to family and friends. But we keep resisting because it is just TOO DANG HOT there. The desert is uniquely beautiful, but the heat and the dirt and the thorns and creepy critters and especially the lack of shade wear me down quickly. Sacramento feels far more comfortable in the summer, thanks to the cool mornings and evenings, the magical Delta Breeze, and the majestic trees that offer welcome shade on hot summer afternoons.

As Road Warrior mentioned, there are incredible places to visit in every direction from Sacramento -- mountains, ocean, alpine lakes, wine country, redwood forests, chaparral, delta wetlands, waterfalls, and the incomporable San Francisco. If you are a hiker and nature lover, you will be in heaven. If it's too hot to hike in the foothills, you can head to the Sierras or the coast. But I would beg to disagree with roadwarrior about amenities -- Sacramento has a ton of options for culture/art/dining/nightlife/festivals, and is constantly improving. It's also less spread out than sprawling Phoenix.

Give Sactown a spin and see what you think!

[popwar]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

I lived in Phoenix previously and live in the Bay Area. While not in Sac, I've been there several times. Not sure what you're trying to get out of Sac that you can't get in Phoenix. Phoenix is about 2x the size of Sac. Sac is a little cooler in the summer than Phoenix, but still hot.

Phoenix is great for outdoors whether hiking Camelback or driving up to Northern Arizona. I'd say that you probably have more spectacular choices for weekend getaways from Sac (Tahoe, Yosemite, Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco, Monterey, etc.), but don't exactly think Phoenix is a slouch in that department. But, in terms of city amenities, I think Phoenix actually has more to offer than Sac.

Too many people in phoenix, looking for cooler weather also than Phoenix. I dont party or drink so in the "more to do" apartment doesn't apply , I just hike mainly. I want a smaller city than Phoenix almost 5 million people .

[popwar]

Originally Posted by la_cavalière

Hi Popwar,

I have been in Sacramento for seven years, and while I have never lived full-time in Phoenix, I go there 2-3 times per year to visit family and friends in Phoenix and Tucson. I just spent five days in Tucson, and I was so relieved to come home to Sacramento. I missed all the greenery and the cool mornings and evenings.

We have considered moving to Arizona for the lower cost of living and proximity to family and friends. But we keep resisting because it is just TOO DANG HOT there. The desert is uniquely beautiful, but the heat and the dirt and the thorns and creepy critters and especially the lack of shade wear me down quickly. Sacramento feels far more comfortable in the summer, thanks to the cool mornings and evenings, the magical Delta Breeze, and the majestic trees that offer welcome shade on hot summer afternoons.

As Road Warrior mentioned, there are incredible places to visit in every direction from Sacramento -- mountains, ocean, alpine lakes, wine country, redwood forests, chaparral, delta wetlands, waterfalls, and the incomporable San Francisco. If you are a hiker and nature lover, you will be in heaven. If it's too hot to hike in the foothills, you can head to the Sierras or the coast. But I would beg to disagree with roadwarrior about amenities -- Sacramento has a ton of options for culture/art/dining/nightlife/festivals, and is constantly improving. It's also less spread out than sprawling Phoenix.

Give Sactown a spin and see what you think!

Thanks, Great Reply!

[luckydogg]

I currently live in Sacramento, but also lived in Phoenix twice (Ahwatukee and Scottsdale), for a total of about 8 years. Personally I think Sacramento is more boring than Phoenix, and although the summers are cooler so are the winters (Winter in Sac is typically cool and rainy, vs mild and sunny in Phoenix - winter in Phoenix is spectacular which it doesn't sound like you were there for). BTW, last summer in Sac was awful and filled with day after day of choking forest fire smoke along with 100+ temps for what seemed like a month solid - I couldn't wait for the summer to end and I usually love summer. I also like to hike and have mountains in the city like Phoenix with Camelback or the other mountains, where in Sacramento it is totally flat unless you drive to the foothills or Sierras. I am also in IT, housing is more expensive in Sacramento but I only make slightly more than in Phoenix so net it is costing me more to live in Sac but without anything of substance to really justify the added cost. Eventually my plan is to move back to Phoenix or Vegas. You might like Sac it is nice hiking in the foothills and the Sierras are really amazing. But, if you think Phoenix is boring you might be just trading one version of boring for another more expensive version of boring...so beware.

[popwar]

Originally Posted by luckydogg

I currently live in Sacramento, but also lived in Phoenix twice (Ahwatukee and Scottsdale), for a total of about 8 years. Personally I think Sacramento is more boring than Phoenix, and although the summers are cooler so are the winters (Winter in Sac is typically cool and rainy, vs mild and sunny in Phoenix - winter in Phoenix is spectacular which it doesn't sound like you were there for). BTW, last summer in Sac was awful and filled with day after day of choking forest fire smoke along with 100+ temps for what seemed like a month solid - I couldn't wait for the summer to end and I usually love summer. I also like to hike and have mountains in the city like Phoenix with Camelback or the other mountains, where in Sacramento it is totally flat unless you drive to the foothills or Sierras. I am also in IT, housing is more expensive in Sacramento but I only make slightly more than in Phoenix so net it is costing me more to live in Sac but without anything of substance to really justify the added cost. Eventually my plan is to move back to Phoenix or Vegas. You might like Sac it is nice hiking in the foothills and the Sierras are really amazing. But, if you think Phoenix is boring you might be just trading one version of boring for another more expensive version of boring...so beware.

I get the boring for boring thing. It has to be less boring than upstate SC . and the winter should probably be a little better than there also. I'm not saying I'm going to stay in Sac, just feel It out for a little bit . I've spent a little time in Vegas. I like it and would move there for the right job, but its so dirty after being in Phoenix with all the new development. I just want to live in a smaller town close to the mountains with atleast a mild winter (no snow , some cold days).

Maybe Folsom , Auburn, etc. I usually drive around 2 hours for good hiking anyways .

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by la_cavalière

But I would beg to disagree with roadwarrior about amenities -- Sacramento has a ton of options for culture/art/dining/nightlife/festivals, and is constantly improving. It's also less spread out than sprawling Phoenix.

Give Sactown a spin and see what you think!

I didn't say Sac doesn't have any amenities. My point is that if someone is moving from Phoenix because they're bored and want a more vibrant city, Sac isn't more vibrant in comparison. This isn't a knock on Sac overall, just a comparison between the two cities.

[luckydogg]

Originally Posted by popwar

I get the boring for boring thing. It has to be less boring than upstate SC . and the winter should probably be a little better than there also. I'm not saying I'm going to stay in Sac, just feel It out for a little bit . I've spent a little time in Vegas. I like it and would move there for the right job, but its so dirty after being in Phoenix with all the new development. I just want to live in a smaller town close to the mountains with atleast a mild winter (no snow , some cold days).

Maybe Folsom , Auburn, etc. I usually drive around 2 hours for good hiking anyways .

If you have the freedom and option to move around and try different cities out I would say go for it, you only live once and that's what I did since I wanted to experience different cities. I actually lived in Auburn for about 3 years before moving closer to Sac and I really loved it there. The reason I don't live in there anymore though is that there's so few places for rent at any given time, and what is on the market is usually older, dumpy, and very overpriced. My landlord at the time raised the rents 30% across the board in one year which was ridiculous because the units were older and outdated so I left and couldn't find anything else in Auburn, there was literally only 4 two bedroom places on the market for under $2,000 a month at the time. Especially if you like newer housing developments like Phoenix has with lots of choices, this area is nothing like Phoenix. There is some newer housing in Rocklin and Roseville, but you pay a premium to live in those areas. Basically the housing situation is very competitive here for either buying or renting, especially with so much spillover from Bay Area people flooding the area because they have been priced out over there, competing with the people who have to live and work in Sac, and it's pricing out people here. Speaking of housing I also know what you mean Phoenix vs Vegas which is why I like Henderson or Summerlin over Vegas itself. But I think in general Phoenix is a very nice clean looking city which is very well laid out, by comparison.

Anyway I am personally here for at least 3 years due to my job situation it financially just makes better sense for me to stay put for now. I can think of worse places to live than Sac like maybe the midwest or the northeast so don't get me wrong. But it's not my idea of nirvana or paradise either, especially having lived in LA, San Diego, Phoenix, Vegas, and the Bay Area so I have experience in other places to compare it to. Unfortunately Sac ranks near the bottom of that list, only to be outdone by the Bay Area which I might actually rank below the midwest

[popwar]

I haven't spent time in the Bay area or San Diego, but I won't ever want to live there unless I make 100k+ a year. Even then, the traffic is rediculous from what I hear and read all the time. I want a town thats kinda slow paced , no or little snow/rain and great hiking nearby.