Maybe it's time to consider Tucson (Phoenix, Sedona: appointed, house, job market)
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I moved out to Tucson in about 1992. I only stayed for about 6 months. My brother told me how great it was there and so we loaded up my '70 Bug and made the trip from South Florida. One thing I remembered was that practically every restaurant was all-you-can-eat. Even ACE Mcdonalds and ACE Long John Silvers. So we moved into some trailer park on Oracle Rd. We happened to live on the top floor of the only "building" there. I remember stepping out onto the porch in the morning with my coffee, the concrete was cold under my feet as it was winter. I had a picture perfect view of the Santa Catalina Mountains. When the sun would set you'd get these dramatic shadows off the mountains. The place felt magical.
My parents wound up coming out to Tucson and dragging me back. They convinced me to go to college. Where I'm going with this is that for the past few years I'm been obsessesed with Los Angeles. Non-stop google mapping and reading posts. I'm actually flying there this March. But I'm always looking at these dry inland areas like the San Fernando Valley and Inland Empire. Maybe Tuscon could deliver what I want and be a more achievable goal than LA. I've always dreamed of owning a nice ranch style home from the 60's. I've been google-mapping Tuscon and I'm seeing tons of them! My my mom and brother like Tuscon too and would be down for moving there. We've all been in Florida now for nearly 40 years and we're ready for something different. We're kind of over the beach and the Florida crackers with their boats and fish this and fish that. Enough of the water people and on with the land people.
I'll just put in my two cents here. I would actually consider Tucson as a place to maybe move to. I haven't been there yet but I briefly visited Arizona in 2006 and I have to say that it is a very nice looking state. Yes, even the desert has its own beauty too. Yes the summer weather in Tucson is hot but that's why there is the air conditioning. Tucson has more comfortable summers than Phoenix which is why it is a consideration of mine. The only issue for me would be if I could secure employment there. I wish you the best of luck in your decision.
Well I just moved here 8 months ago and so far I love it! I can't believe I've been here almost a year already! I love Tucson and I'm glad I came here. So I say do it!
I have recently moved to Tucson and I love it. I used to live in Milwaukee and I got tired of the cold weather there. So I decided to move here and I don't regret it and I'm sure you will love it here as well.
Getting ready to move away from Tucson. If you like the libs this is the place to go. I am a country girl at heart and this place just doesn't do it for me. As far as culture, our place is in Sedona. I love Mt. Lemmon and the scenic parts but this is not the place I would choose again. So happy to be moving away from here. No sports, no downtown, no art....(grew up on the east coast) I have to say I love the Wildcats and will support them when I move but that is about it. Good luck to you and your search.
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matt_sfl
I moved out to Tucson in about 1992. I only stayed for about 6 months. My brother told me how great it was there and so we loaded up my '70 Bug and made the trip from South Florida. One thing I remembered was that practically every restaurant was all-you-can-eat. Even ACE Mcdonalds and ACE Long John Silvers. So we moved into some trailer park on Oracle Rd. We happened to live on the top floor of the only "building" there. I remember stepping out onto the porch in the morning with my coffee, the concrete was cold under my feet as it was winter. I had a picture perfect view of the Santa Catalina Mountains. When the sun would set you'd get these dramatic shadows off the mountains. The place felt magical.
My parents wound up coming out to Tucson and dragging me back. They convinced me to go to college. Where I'm going with this is that for the past few years I'm been obsessesed with Los Angeles. Non-stop google mapping and reading posts. I'm actually flying there this March. But I'm always looking at these dry inland areas like the San Fernando Valley and Inland Empire. Maybe Tuscon could deliver what I want and be a more achievable goal than LA. I've always dreamed of owning a nice ranch style home from the 60's. I've been google-mapping Tuscon and I'm seeing tons of them! My my mom and brother like Tuscon too and would be down for moving there. We've all been in Florida now for nearly 40 years and we're ready for something different. We're kind of over the beach and the Florida crackers with their boats and fish this and fish that. Enough of the water people and on with the land people.
Since you have lived here before, you've got an advantage over the many people who dream of living here, finally move here and then are disappointed with its lack of "everything". Tucson has changed since you were last here. It's much bigger, but not necessarily better. It's in a financial downturn, jobs are hard to get, property values are distressed (good if you're buying, I guess), schools aren't so hot due to lack of money and the downtown area isn't as vibrant as it could be. City management is in a shambles, but somehow, its intrepid, western spirit prevails, and it is still a beautiful place to live (in my opinion, anyway).
Many people think this will be their Utopia, and then they find that like many other little sister cities, all the goings on are in the big sister cities like Phoenix, or Denver. Same with suburbs of most large cities. You have to go to Chicago, or LA, or Seattle, or Portland or Atlanta, etc. to find the sports, arts, theater, whatever, and when people who've been told that a zillion times, and have still moved here, finally realize we weren't kidding, they start whining and complaining that there's nothing to do.
It's like a Wet Paint sign. Some people will not believe it and still touch the paint anyway and then wonder how they got paint on their hand.
If you read these boards most of us have made it abundantly clear what Tucson has as far as recreation, parks, downtown, sports, theater, arts, restaurants, jobs, universities, hospitals, schools, housing, climate, landscape and any other thing anyone wanting to live here can think of asking us. And yet people still become over exuberant, move here, and then want to get out as fast as they can and go back home.
Back to your desire: The best way to find a home here is realtor.com, or tar-mls, one of the board realtors here, or the classifieds at www.az-starnet.com. Coming from Florida, you'll probably be surprised at the lower cost of living, and the landscape is definitely different, but if you take your time and do your research, you'll be able to decide between Tucson or California pretty easily. And as far as beaches and beach people, they're about 500 miles west of here.
Excellent post from Marcy1210. One of the most important issues I constantly see ignored by the "come on down" crowd is the question, "Are you bringing your job with you?" You do understand they are few and far between here, don't you?
I was enthusiastically encouraged to move to Tucson five years ago by a group of family and friends. All I was told was, "Pima County is growing by leaps and bounds. With your work experience, you'll have no trouble finding a job here. And the housing prices are the cheapest in the Southwest."
The truth for me? My many years of job experience came from Fortune 100 corporate work. My skills were of no interest to anyone I met here. I was constantly told I was "overqualified" and no one believed that I was willing and prepared to accept a significant pay cut. I finally took a job in a field only marginally related to what I used to do, but I was fine with it. The 75% pay cut hurt, but I did, indeed, adjust. I happily worked at that job for two years, only to have the firm abruptly declare bankruptcy and put all of its employees out on the street. I would just leave and seek employment elsewhere, but the house I bought has decreased in value by between 25-40% (depending on which Realtor I talk to), I lost additional money on the house I sold back east, AND I have my elderly mother with me and she's in no condition for another move. These are financial considerations that it's very hard to be prepared for when one has misinformation and no crystal ball. And even if you are prepared for every personal contingency, the entire nation's situation can change abruptly -- and for the worse.
So if you have your heart set on lovely scenery and good weather and you (1) are retired, (2) self-employed, or (3) work in the medical field or retirement financial services, Tucson will probably work out great for you. If you aren't independently wealthy, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SECURE JOB LINED UP BEFORE YOU COME.
Excellent post from Marcy1210. One of the most important issues I constantly see ignored by the "come on down" crowd is the question, "Are you bringing your job with you?" You do understand they are few and far between here, don't you?
I was enthusiastically encouraged to move to Tucson five years ago by a group of family and friends. All I was told was, "Pima County is growing by leaps and bounds. With your work experience, you'll have no trouble finding a job here. And the housing prices are the cheapest in the Southwest."
The truth for me? My many years of job experience came from Fortune 100 corporate work. My skills were of no interest to anyone I met here. I was constantly told I was "overqualified" and no one believed that I was willing and prepared to accept a significant pay cut. I finally took a job in a field only marginally related to what I used to do, but I was fine with it. The 75% pay cut hurt, but I did, indeed, adjust. I happily worked at that job for two years, only to have the firm abruptly declare bankruptcy and put all of its employees out on the street. I would just leave and seek employment elsewhere, but the house I bought has decreased in value by between 25-40% (depending on which Realtor I talk to), I lost additional money on the house I sold back east, AND I have my elderly mother with me and she's in no condition for another move. These are financial considerations that it's very hard to be prepared for when one has misinformation and no crystal ball. And even if you are prepared for every personal contingency, the entire nation's situation can change abruptly -- and for the worse.
So if you have your heart set on lovely scenery and good weather and you (1) are retired, (2) self-employed, or (3) work in the medical field or retirement financial services, Tucson will probably work out great for you. If you aren't independently wealthy, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SECURE JOB LINED UP BEFORE YOU COME.
Ditto all this.
I came here with a job in hand (actually had my choice between two), but between being totally bored out of my mind and nervous about pending county budget cuts, I left and tried to start my own business. Foolishly, I just figured that if that didn't work out, I would just get another j-o-b and go on with life. Yeah... it didn't work out, and trying to get back into the job market is like trying to stuff toothpaste back in the tube. And I have an advanced degree and a solid 15 year job history.
I'm still looking, but I'm spending the majority of my time and energy looking elsewhere and am fully prepared to leave Tucson behind (not that looking for jobs here is all that time-consuming; there just isn't much to look at). I absolutely love the scenery, and the weather, and that I can play tennis all year round, but unfortunately those things don't help me eat or pay my bills. I'm lucky I don't "own" an underwater house or have other circumstances that keep me tied down here.
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