AK to AZ this summer! (Phoenix, Tucson: for rent, sex offenders, house)

[aurora bell]

After leaving Death Valley, CA to move to Anchorage, AK 8 years ago, I am finally done with snow, ice and below zero temps! In spite of the awesome summers....winters are inevitable and it's just not worth it anymore.

Am moving with my best friend and 2 big dogs. We are in our 40-50's and don't want to live in a metropolitan area like Phoenix and have pretty much decided on Tucson. I made the mistake of perusing the different threads on here looking for some insight about what areas to live in, what areas to avoid, and I think I have 'information overload', so I decided to start my own thread with our specific requirements, limitations, needs, etc.

We are doing this move on a 'shoestring', which, in moving from AK means, we are scaling down our combined household goods because we have to use a 'shipping company' (since throwing everything we own in a UHaul and hitting the road isn't a viable option from up here, for a multitude of reasons). We will be shipping one vehicle to Seattle, and will fly there and drive to AZ. We both have started looking for jobs, sending out resumes and will keep it up, with increased aggressiveness as our 'target date' approaches. I think we have decided on either July 1 or August 1 as our target. We will be looking to rent a house (because of the dogs) and are thinking of a range of $1000 to $1300 per month, but would be delighted if we found something nice for less! Since we are coming with only one vehicle, public transportation availability would be helpful (but not an absolute). In order to live in affordable housing, in a relatively 'safe' neighborhood, in a reasonable proximity to shopping, with minimal traffic congestion we do not have a problem with commuting a moderate distance. Does such an area exist in or around Tucson?

What I have found from the research I have done is this; we have gangs here in Alaska, we have crime, albeit 33% less than Tucson which I guess is kind of relative since we have about 46% less people, we have in Anchorage 829 registered sex offenders whilst Tucson has 392, we have a HUGE homeless problem (yes, even during our sub-zero winters) which leads me to the conclusion that every place has it's pros and it's cons and there really is no perfect place.

All that said, any advice, suggestions, recommendations? I would really appreciate hearing what people have to say...good as well as not-so-good!

Thanks!

[Ponderosa]

Wow, I don't know. I think that Tucson is a metropolitan area. Why would you not think so? It is just smaller, but still very much metro. I know people from there like to go on about how they are different from Phoenix - it's a Tucson neurosis. I lived in Tucson for several years and had the same self-delusion, then moved to Phx area. To be honest, its pretty hard to tell the difference. The mountains on the horizon may be different but the similarities far out number the differences. There is sprawl, congestion, pollution, and traffic is worse than Phoenix there.

How about someplace like Yuma? Pretty good size, has many of the amenities of the big cities like Tucson and Phoenix, but not all of the problems that congestion brings. If you lived in Death Valley then the heat is something you have tolerated before. Of course the problem with Yuma would be a job - also can be an issue in Tucson as it is just not the economic engine that Phoenix is which is why I ended up in Phoenix after graduation from the best university in the state (there is no debate about that )

Anyway best of luck on your move wherever it is.

[Idaho]

Stay north of River Road, if you can, and you should be a happy camper here. You might have some luck finding a place with a yard in your price range for renting just west of Thornydale / Linda Vista intersection, along those Linda Vista Rd. neighborhoods just beyond the Mountain View High School. Best of all wishes to you & welcome to the Sonoran Desert

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