Why move to Tucson? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: real estate, crime, houses)

[ImmuneSortOf]

Hello everyone! My husband and I are in our 30s and a bit tired of the ridiculous, fast pace of the East Coast. We are seriously entertaining the idea of moving to a new place and starting fresh. Tucson is very high on our list for the obvious reasons: gorgeous desert, dry weather, outdoor activities, decent colleges... But, why else? We know -with proper planning- we'd have no problems in finding new jobs (we are both in the IT field) and we'd like to start having children in a place that is not insane! Any ideas on why or why not Tucson? Totally open to brutal honesty.

[Chinolala]

Tucson was featured on the Fine Living Network yesterday on the "What You Get" show. It's a real estate show. One of the homes featured was in the $500k range. It was a nice home on the inside. But what really struck me was how brown and drab the neighborhood looked on the outside. The owners' backyard backed up against the desert, which they love and their 2 small children play in it. I just could not get passed the lack of greenery and all of the dusty wind. I visited Tucson once years ago and had the same feeling.

[mdtoaz]

My husband and I moved here in July from the East Coast. There's a lot about Tucson that we like... it's got more of a "town" feeling than a "city" feel. Hopefully that makes sense. We're the outdoorsy types, so this is a great area for hiking, mountain biking and all things outdoors.

We moved here during monsoon season and although it was hot and somewhat humid (relative to the East Coast), the awesome storms were a great trade off. I've never seen lightning like those during the storms here.

We had expectations that Tucson would be more environmentally focused, but I've found that not to be the case. There's also quite a bit of grafitti everywhere. Something else that I've notice (and this may just be a personal pet peeve) are shopping carts left abandoned everywhere.

The above poster mentioned the "brown and drab neighborhood". A lot of houses are painted earth tones. I kind of like the way it looks, but it may not be for everyone. Tucson's not much for a crazy night life, but we're not into that scene anymore, so that wasn't an issue for us.

We don't have kids, so I don't really know much about the school systems... although from what I've read on the forum, it leaves a lot to be desired. Crime is another issue that I'm sure people will chime in about. The bad areas are fairly easily recognized, and we steer clear of those... it's not like crime-ridden Baltimore where you can be in a great neighborhood, and the next block over be carjacked.

Tucson's definitely got its good and bad points... and I'm sure you'll get very brutal honesty from forum members.

[michael krotchie]

Yes I'd have to agree with lisak64 about the lack of greenery, but c'mon, it's the desert!

In a nutshell here are my pros and cons of Tucson:

Pros
- Beautiful environment
- Winter weather is amazing
- Relaxed atmosphere
- Many touristy/sight-seeing options
- A short drive to Phoenix, San Diego, Vegas, Flagstaff, Rocky Point
- University of Arizona
- Continued growth

Cons
- Summer heat (big surprise)
- Freeway system.. or lack thereof (for more info click here)
- Transit system is severely lacking

I'm sure others will chime in here and I would recommend a visit to Tucson for a weekend if you and your husband haven't yet been here yet!

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by mdtoaz

I'm sure you'll get very brutal honesty from forum members.

Not really. There's enough reading material already. I for one don't feel like being a broken record for the most part.

[LordBalfor]

Well, I'm going to throw in a contrary view (to a certain degree at least) regarding the "greenness" of Tucson. Our first trip to Tucson was last winter, and we found it to be surprisingly green - now don't get me wrong we're not talking lots of green leafy trees or fir or pine trees, and the typical landscaping (at least in the front yards) was quite sparce and barren. However, plants like the many saguaro and other cactus and bushes are green year-round so the desert itself (covering the hills and valleys around the city) are actually quite green - especially compared to the deserts of Nevada and Eastern Washington (which I some familiarity with). In addition I remember stopping in the Picture Rocks area and being struck by the fact that there were sooooooooo many birds everywhere. The small cluster of trees nearby sounded like a jungle and since the day was sunny and rather mild (65 or so - typical for January down there, but warm for us) I kind of felt like I was back in the tropics.

... and don't get me started on how green the desert was when we returned in late July during the monsoon season.

So, compared to most of the US it does look a bit barren because of the lack of trees - but it really depends on what time of year you are making your comparison. If you are comparing Tucson in January to most other places in January (when there are no leaves on the trees and bushes) then Tucson will actually be greener than most of those other places.

And even if the town itself is not as green as other places in the summer (because of the scarcity of leafy trees) the desert is still very green even then.

View from the Tucson Mountains in July: http://image64.webshots.com/464/9/92...0dSwPUJ_fs.jpg

Ken

[xwideopenskyx]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

Well, I'm going to throw in a contrary view (to a certain degree at least) regarding the "greenness" of Tucson. Our first trip to Tucson was last winter, and we found it to be surprisingly green - now don't get me wrong we're not talking lots of green leafy trees or fir or pine trees, and the typical landscaping (at least in the front yards) was quite sparce and barren. However, plants like the many saguaro and other cactus and bushes are green year-round so the desert itself (covering the hills and valleys around the city) are actually quite green - especially compared to the deserts of Nevada and Eastern Washington (which I some familiarity with). In addition I remember stopping in the Picture Rocks area and being struck by the fact that there were sooooooooo many birds everywhere. The small cluster of trees nearby sounded like a jungle and since the day was sunny and rather mild (65 or so - typical for January down there, but warm for us) I kind of felt like I was back in the tropics.

... and don't get me started on how green the desert was when we returned in late July during the monsoon season.

So, compared to most of the US it does look a bit barren because of the lack of trees - but it really depends on what time of year you are making your comparison. If you are comparing Tucson in January to most other places in January (when there are no leaves on the trees and bushes) then Tucson will actually be greener than most of those other places.

And even if the town itself is not as green as other places in the summer (because of the scarcity of leafy trees) the desert is still very green even then.

View from the Tucson Mountains in July: http://image64.webshots.com/464/9/92...0dSwPUJ_fs.jpg

Ken

Completely agree with your post. It always amazes me when I hear people comment about how AZ is so drab and brown. It makes me wonder which location they visited? The climate in AZ is widely diverse and so is the vegetation. M

My property is green all year round. Granted, no grass (nothing to mow----Yay!) but all the cacti and several bushes are green all year long. Lets not forget the palo verde trees that are completely green, even if they loose their leaves, they are still green. I have several 40' trees and even a pine tree ( yes! they can grow in the desert ) The area I live in is not barren by any means, in fact, the diversity of species on my property is higher than back east. It surprised me too!

[lvsseasand]

Hi Everybody,
I've lived in Arizona off and on for about 20 years now... 2 years in Tucson...the rest in Phoenix...I now live in Phoenix...& I actually wish that....in some ways that I could move back to Tucson....Here's a list of reason why...

Pros
-Beautiful Weather...It is about 4-10 degrees cooler in Tucson than Phoenix in the summer...and yes, you can bet that you will feel the difference!

-Mount Lemmon, Pusch Ridge....Just nothing can compare to the greenery & scenery of the mountain ranges here!...especially the Pusch Ridge Mountain Range in Oro Valley!...Breathtakingly Beautiful!

-Off-Beat Culture....especially on 4th Avenue near the university...yes, there are a lot of homeless people in this area....but I really do love the hippie,vegan vibe down there and around town...since I am "kind-of" a vegan...and kind of off-beat myself

-I also love the Mexican Culture here....and have made friends who feel like family to me...but then again...I also lived in Mexico for quite some time..and these friends are family of family down there...in Nogales, Sonora...But, anyway, I still love this culture...and these are professional, mid to upper class Mexicans....who are very proud of their culture...they are also quite powerful in the local government....ie Linda Rondstadts' brother is on the city council...I think......

-University of Arizona....The events at and around this college are wonderful and take place most of the year....Tucson even gets major Broadway plays and major major singers come here to the venues!...

-Plenty to do...Again, there is so much!..

-Hiking in Sabino Canyon...at night(with a guide) or during the day

-Stargazing...Tucson has a law against billboard signs since it is a major location for astronomers to come to from all over the world to study the stars...the Kitt Observatory is about 20 miles south from Tucson!

-Football!...Basketball!...Go Cats!...If you can get tickets

-Upscale shopping and dining...About two years ago...La Encantante opened...and this outdoor shopping complex rivals Scottsdale's Kierland Commons or Scottsdale Fashion Square!

-Dining....The best food ever!...plus, you actually get the c
chef making the food at most restaurants...not some college kids or illegals

-The Spas.....There are day spas aplenty. plus there is...The Red Door...Miraval...Oprah goes to this one

-Daily AirShows......You might see a Stealth in the sky one day...(I did) or an F-16, but everyday you will enjoy the jets that streak overhead from Davis-Monthan AFB which is right in town...They are the major employer in Tucson....and the University of Arizona follows in a close second....

-Nice Drivers....Believe me, compared the #$$% always on-the-cell phone drivers in Phoenix that make me want to hurl...when people get into accidents in Tucson...it is a lot like that "gellin commercial"....people are very very nice..and give you the right of way here!....very few kooks!

-Small town feel...but you have access to a BIG city...which is Phoenix...so I know a lot of people who live in Tucson and commute to Phoenix [u]everyday[u]....just so they can live in Tucson...and avoid the craziness of Phoenix....also, the perfect day trip for Tucsonians is to go make an "IKEA run" which is right on the outskirts of Phoenix...and only 2 hours away ...then they can hightail it back to Tucson with their Ikea goodies....

-It's a "blue town" and believe me these Democrats express their views about the current administration very dramatically...from the bumper stickers on their cars....to pies in the face ....as Ann Coulter found out one year

Cons
-Out of all of these wonderful things to do & see...the only cons I can tell you about is that some parts of Tucson are depressed....and the view from the highways aren't that great....with the landfill being there ....You also may feel that Tucson is less "sophisticated" than Phoenix....but there are places there to get dressed up and go dancing.....but not nearly as much as "The New York Desert=Phoenix"....So if you are really into the "bright lights, big city"...than you will definitely miss that feeling in Tucson, as it is more laid back.....

Gosh, I know this was quite long...but I hope this info helps!

[lvsseasand]

To ImmuneSortof...

that I am actually thinking about moving back to Tucson in about 3 to 4 years...I plan to open my medical practice there ....and raise a family....


Good Luck to You!

[BillyBaroo]

Originally Posted by lvsseasand

that I am actually thinking about moving back to Tucson in about 3 to 4 years...I plan to open my medical practice there ....and raise a family..

I had a lot of fun in Phoenix when I was young and single, but I like it better down here around Tucson now that I'm married and raising kids. I especially like the northwest area of Tucson, Marana, Red Rock.