I want to move to AZ (Phoenix, Tucson: real estate, how much, home)

[KATIEDRUM29]

Hello, I am 21 years old and I have a dog with me and I Live in NJ right now but I really want to just move and start over all by my self and meet new people new job and start my new life with no body in my past talking to me.

I am good with animals and I want to work with animals my whole life but I don't know what to do.

please help

[UKWildcat1981]

I am thinking of moving to Arizona as well when I finish graduate school but I work in health care so I should be able to find a job pretty easy in Arizona. I have family in Arizona so that helps. I am living in Kentucky now. Arizona is one my fav states.. I love their scenery. You should try to get a job first.. the cost of living isn't super high but its still relatively expensive. The weather is amazing 9 months a year in Arizona.. summer can get a little hot but I don't mind a dry heat. Good Luck with your move. Arizona rocks thou.. its one the best states in my opinion.

[Steve-o]

Um, you'd kinda need to give us SOME info about your situation other than you love animals. How much can you spend on a home/rent, etc, etc, etc?

Sounds to me like you need to stay in NJ and think things through, and do at least a years worth of research before you take the plunge.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Um, you'd kinda need to give us SOME info about your situation other than you love animals. How much can you spend on a home/rent, etc, etc, etc?

Sounds to me like you need to stay in NJ and think things through, and do at least a years worth of research before you take the plunge.

I totally agree. People don't realize how hard it is to find a job in another state without help from family or connections. Rule of thumb is never move to a new place without at least 50k saved up or a decent paying job. If you lose your job in another city you could become homeless or have to pay to move back home. Its really hard just to find a decent paying job even with a college degree.. I had to go back to school to get my Master's.

[beTucsonan]

The type of job you will be seeking, and the types of things you enjoy/appreciate about life, in addition to what interests you in Arizona in the first place will be a big help to people who want to give you some advice, but here's some basics:

1) Phoenix is the best place to go based on employment. It's a big city, but you can still escape to the outdoors fairly easy, and you have good access to some of the spectacular things that make Arizona so interesting to so many people.

2) Flagstaff is in Northern Arizona. A lot of people don't realize how mountainous this region is, and Flagstaff is indeed a mountain town, sitting around 7000 feet elevation and surrounded by forests and mountains (as high as 12,000 feet). But it is a smaller town, dominated by the presence of Northern Arizona University, and jobs are harder to come by in addition to the cost of living being a bit higher.

3) Tucson is South, nestled half between Phoenix and the Mexican border. Also smaller than Phoenix, but not a small town, with about 1-million total residents in the metro area. Locals like to tout it's "small town" feel, and that is true to an extent. Much like Phoenix is suffers from sprawl, with subdivisions spreading out in every direction. Tucson is a great town if you love the outdoors, and it's a bit cooler than Phoenix owing to a subtly higher elevation and also the lack of the radiant heat effect that Phoenix's endless concrete and pavement have created.

Tucson is generally considered more liberal than Phoenix, which is the capital of one of the more conservative states in the union. It's been pointed out that what passes for liberal in Arizona, though, wouldn't cut the mustard in other places, but certainly there's at least a small division between Phoenix and Tucson politically.

Cost of living in Tucson and Phoenix is largely equable, depending on what you are seeking. Jobs are much more prevalent in Phoenix, though, and they are also closer to the national wage scale. If you move to Tucson, you will want to have a job first, or a good chunk of money saved to live on while you seek employ.

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Sounds to me like you need to stay in NJ and think things through, and do at least a years worth of research before you take the plunge.

I don't agree with this. A 21-year old ready to set off in the world is nothing new, and too often the task of getting ready to take the plunge results in never taking the plunge. You want to go? You hearty and ready to accept some difficulty? Then go!

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by KATIEDRUM29

Hello, I am 21 years old and I have a dog with me and I Live in NJ right now but I really want to just move and start over all by my self and meet new people new job and start my new life with no body in my past talking to me.

I am good with animals and I want to work with animals my whole life but I don't know what to do.

please help

Being 21 is already in your favor, however if you're just running away from something, that's not always the best motivation, unless it was an abusive situation. Perhaps you're evading law enforcement entities? Hopefully not, because those things eventually catch up with you sooner or later.

Arizona is an excellent place to live, and everyone who lives here (as anywhere else) needs to contribute in some positive way. As others have said, do a bit more research before coming here. You'll be more than welcome.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by BajaAZ

I don't agree with this. A 21-year old ready to set off in the world is nothing new, and too often the task of getting ready to take the plunge results in never taking the plunge. You want to go? You hearty and ready to accept some difficulty? Then go!

You might not agree with that, and thats fine. But encouraging someone to up and move away from family and friends, without a job lined up, etc, etc, is only encouraging potential struggles and hardships that the individual might not be able to handle. I upped and moved, almost on a whim, and it has cost me dearly. Ive dealt with more struggles and hardships than I ever thought possible, and thats WITH having a job lined up prior to my move here. If I didnt have a strong will and was the slightest bit a depressed person, I wouldve committed suicide, Im sure of that. I wouldnt tell anyone to move until they have a place to stay, and a job. I only say that because Ive done it a few times myself, and have been burned beyond belief.

[retiredtxn]

I can only tell you from my past experience(s) that starting over is NEVER easy, even with a job and a place to stay. It sounds to me, and I may be reading your post wrong, but it seems you're running away. If that's your motivation, then let me just say...your troubles will always follow you unless you resolve them before you leave.

Personally, I think 21 is way too young to make such a drastic move. You have no idea what "relocating" can entail. There's a lot of hardships that I'm sure you haven't even thought of. You sound very immature to me and need some time to grow up before you take such a step.

I left when I was 19. I moved away from my family and friends and my job and church. I had no idea what I was doing but I was rebellious and thought I knew it all. I was very naive and learned some ugly life lessons the hard way. I never did go back home to live. I lost connection with my family and I'll always regret my foolish decisions.

Get some education, get some work experience under your belt, and get some money saved before you just up and run away. If you're in a bad situation, get some help there.

[thinkalot]

What shape is your car in? How much do you have saved? Do you know anyone here? Lots of questions to ask yourself.

As to animals. How about groomer? Mobile groomers seem to be busy here.

[jamies]

When I was 21, back in the last century (70's) I packed up my Toyota pickup with everything I owned, which stll left me room to sleep. And I headed east from Cali. I ended up in Virginia, later on in Florida. I did have about $18,000 that I'd saved, probably about $30K today. I found work and bought real estate and built my life from there.

You can go, or wonder what if.