Moving into your great city Tucson! How easy would it be? (Phoenix: apartment, for rent)

[Junyces]

We would lime to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your valuable comments, feedback, rcommendations and suggestions, thank you very much! We definitely feel more comfortable about our move, and we feel that due to all of you, will be better prepared. We are looking forward to moving jnto your great city.

Not sure who to thank, but this is one if the best forums i have seen! Kudos to the makers and sponsors of this site!

Cheers!

[Junyces]

Originally Posted by CheyDee

Hi,

You may be interested in reading about BASIS in Tucson, for education. It's not for everyone, but is very highly rated and respected.

I know it's premature, but you may be pleased to know there's a wonderful international supermarket here called Lee Lee's, which has a very large Asian food section. My Filipino friends all shop there, (as do I).

Yes, it is usually very dry here, which makes our high temperatures feel much cooler. Perspiration evaporates so rapidly in the dryness, you may not even realize you were sweating. The key to staying healthy in the dryness is to keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of water, even if you don't think you need to drink. Some people also use lotions and moisturizers on their skin and/or lips.

Winters can get cold enough where you may see some frost, particularly at night. On a rare occasion it snows too, but not enough to shovel or wear boots in; any snow that falls usually melts away just as quickly as it arrived and is rare enough that it seems to be considered a novelty.

There are areas prone to flash floods here, but a lot of it is contained to washes. Both hurricanes and tornadoes can also occur, but they are not common and not of the intensity most would associate with them. (I bet there are people who live here who don't even know we get them.) OnModerator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed, you can enter a street address, click on the "Natural Disasters" tab about 1/5 of the way down, and get some more information.

Best of luck with your relocation.

Thank you very much for your comment. We will definitely explore basis. We are very open to try new things.
We will definitely visit lee lees, but not before we visit establishments with lots of steaks first. Lol.,Very expensive in manila...given that it's a desert, i would imagine lobsters would be on the pricey side?

A couple of months of winter we can handle, as long as we do not experience too much snow. Had an opportunity in ohio as well, but due to the snow, we rejected the idea.

I guess because if the mountains, tornadoes or hurricanes are not common? My wife is extremely afraid of those wonders, i can say the same as well.

Thank you, we are looking forward to our relocation. We were skeptical at first, but thanks to all the wonderful folks in this forum, made us feel a lot more comfortable and excited to move in.

Cheers!

[Junyces]

Hello, it's us again.

We saw ads for farm land or ranch. Is there anyone in this forum who is currently in farming, or ranch? What is that like? What is normal to farm out there? Crops? Live stocks? Perhaps even fish ponds?

We have done some fish ponds, animals and crops, but nothing major or in large quantities.

I wonder if there are streams, if not what would the be the source of water.

Does it even make sense to buy farm land and build your own home?

Would it be correct to assume that seafood is a little more expensive?

[borregokid]

I dont think residential farming in Tucson is an option. There are some farms along the freeway towards Casa Grande and thats about it. The problem with Tucson and the desert is you have to have access to water and relatively good soil. One of the biggest problems in farming in the west is having water rights. Buying those rights along with the property can be expensive. Buying farmland and building a home sound like something that could be done in Yuma, El Centro, or Blythe, CA.

Sea food might be a little bit more expensive. Fish is typically transported by air to all major cities unless its frozen. Tilapia and Shrimp can be fresh from the Sea of Cortez or Mexico. There arent any big fish markets in Tucson like you might see along the west coast.

Water is an issue anywhere in the west. Rural areas in the west rely in large part on wells. In some areas you cant drill a well without water rights. The water rights are typically held by American Indians or farmers who obtained the rights more than 100 years ago. Phoenix and Tucson get a lot of water from the Colorado River. The water is pumped up hill from Page, Arizona. A huge coal fired power plant provides the electricity to pump the water up to Phoenix and Tucson. In contrast California get a lot of its water through gravity fed aqueducts from the north part of the state to the south.

[Serenity1944]

A friend of mine in Phoenix made raised boxes in his back yard, high enough that he does not have to bend down. He grows various veggies and herbs. He has tomatoes which grow good but some people have said it's hard to grow good tomatoes in Phoenix, Tucson.

[AZFLHigh]

A couple comments. As far as guns go, my wife and I are highly trained in the use of sidearms but, we just do not feel the need to open carry. As far as crime in Tucson, most is isolated to a few areas. If you look at crime maps of Tucson you will get a better idea. True of most cities.

Tornadoes and hurricanes are not something we worry about here. It would be highly unusual. Streets do flood during monsoon season. You need to be aware of that. Don't drive into water over 6 inches. The even made a law here "the stupid motorist law" For those that drive into a hazard and then need to get rescued. If a road is not passable, there usually is a way to get around it or just wait an hour or 2 to safely pass.

[Junyces]

Originally Posted by borregokid

I dont think residential farming in Tucson is an option. There are some farms along the freeway towards Casa Grande and thats about it. The problem with Tucson and the desert is you have to have access to water and relatively good soil. One of the biggest problems in farming in the west is having water rights. Buying those rights along with the property can be expensive. Buying farmland and building a home sound like something that could be done in Yuma, El Centro, or Blythe, CA.

Sea food might be a little bit more expensive. Fish is typically transported by air to all major cities unless its frozen. Tilapia and Shrimp can be fresh from the Sea of Cortez or Mexico. There arent any big fish markets in Tucson like you might see along the west coast.

Water is an issue anywhere in the west. Rural areas in the west rely in large part on wells. In some areas you cant drill a well without water rights. The water rights are typically held by American Indians or farmers who obtained the rights more than 100 years ago. Phoenix and Tucson get a lot of water from the Colorado River. The water is pumped up hill from Page, Arizona. A huge coal fired power plant provides the electricity to pump the water up to Phoenix and Tucson. In contrast California get a lot of its water through gravity fed aqueducts from the north part of the state to the south.

Got it. It makes perfect sense. I guess it is different from some ads i saw in texas where a there is a running stream in the property. Do you think there are tilapia farmers in tucson? It is very poular in manila.

[Junyces]

Originally Posted by AZFLHigh

A couple comments. As far as guns go, my wife and I are highly trained in the use of sidearms but, we just do not feel the need to open carry. As far as crime in Tucson, most is isolated to a few areas. If you look at crime maps of Tucson you will get a better idea. True of most cities.

Tornadoes and hurricanes are not something we worry about here. It would be highly unusual. Streets do flood during monsoon season. You need to be aware of that. Don't drive into water over 6 inches. The even made a law here "the stupid motorist law" For those that drive into a hazard and then need to get rescued. If a road is not passable, there usually is a way to get around it or just wait an hour or 2 to safely pass.

Thank you for your comments. Based on what i have read and comments from this forum, we do not feel the need to carry at all. We did see the map and can see the areas that may be a little more challenging compared to others.

Nce to know about the tornadoes and hurricanes. Floods, we are used to. Similar too manila.

[Junyces]

More questions, i understand that the median income in tucson is about 50k, not sure how accurate that is. Not having a good sense of the cost of living, what type of lifestyle does that kind of income buy? In my country, that type of income qualifies as upper-middle class. Can afford house, car, all the basic plus many of the wants.

[Junyces]

Tornadoes and hurricanes are not something we worry about here. It would be highly unusual. Streets do flood during monsoon season. You need to be aware of that. Don't drive into water over 6 inches. The even made a law here "the stupid motorist law" For those that drive into a hazard and then need to get rescued. If a road is not passable, there usually is a way to get around it or just wait an hour or 2 to safely pass.[/quote]


Speaking of floods, given that we get an average of 19 to 25 typhoons a year in manila, it is very practical to drive suv's, for those cases where we need to cross flooded areas. We do not have gushing streams for the most part, flooded areas are mainly streets that stand lower than sea level and water pumps are either nomt working or do not have them at all. Mostly two to three feet of water.

Is it more practical to drive an suv in tucson or regular cars work? Most people drive trucks, suv's than cars?