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Hello Arizonians!
I currently live in a suburb of SLC, UT and while I love the beauty of the mountains and the arid desert-like climate, I need to move on. I grew up in PA and moved out here with my husband and children. I am now divorced, the ex has moved to another state, and I am here alone with no extended family. Moving back east is not an option due to my health. Speaking of which, here's a little about me:
* I am 42 years young, but have a very arthritic back due to scoliosis; I'm pretty twisted! Throw in some fibromyalgia and you can see why my doctors say I need a mild, warm climate. I need a place that has more stable barometric pressure weather patterns. I feel my best in the hot, dry summers here. (75-95 degrees) The sun is my friend; it warms the muscles and keeps my pain low. The cold and snowy winters here hurt.
*Family: I have 2 daughters, 16 and almost 18. They will be in 11th and 12th grade, respectively. They are major introverts and do most of their schooling online. Neither one is happy here, so moving anywhere else is fine by them. I don't want to be negative, but we just don't fit in here. We are not LDS, but 75% of the people in our city are. My girls have had a huge problem fitting in and finding genuine friends. I only bring this up to illustrate that moving them away from here will be a positive thing, and they are on board.
*Occupation: I am on Social Security Disability, but I also work part time as a Dental Assistant. I have to keep it at 20 hours/week or less. My body can't handle more than that. My boyfriend and partner has no health issues and can work anywhere. His area of expertise is automotive; he currently works at Big O Tires. He's a workhorse and does best when his job is very physically demanding. The down side to this is that he prefers cooler weather (he's from Portland, OR) and overheats very easily. A/C is his best friend, which brings me to my next point:
*Temperature: I assume almost everything down there in the beautiful desert of AZ is air conditioned. A/C really hurts me if it's too cold or blowing directly on me. I'm wondering if this will actually be worse on my body than if I live someplace cooler and can get by with fans and swamp coolers. How do you deal with it? Do you need to take a sweater everywhere for indoor activities? Lol- it seems like a dumb question, but I'm trying to imagine going from 100 degrees outside to 65 degrees inside repeatedly.
*Housing: We have a lump sum saved and are looking for 3 bed/2 bath one level home, 1100-1600 sq. ft. for around 150,000. We could go higher, but I'd like to do a 7 year mortgage and not have too much debt. My BF can also do demo and remodel, so upgrading won't be that big of a deal, if we find a place that has good bones and character. I don't want to live in another subdivision in the burbs where all the houses are made of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same... lol
*Aesthetics: I love nature in all forms. It's very relaxing and grounding for me. I'm hoping for views of some kind of nature, whether it's mountains, palm trees or cacti. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets are one of my favorite things! I'd also like cleaner air and water. Here in SLC, we live in a bowl; the valley is surrounded by gorgeous mountains, but we get bad inversions and it's hard to breathe sometimes.
*TRAFFIC: This is one of my BIGGEST issues. I know big cities have suburbs, and that usually means horrendous traffic and road rage. At least here it does. I don't even work in SLC, but the traffic from commuters coming home in the evening is awful. Too many people and rapid growth = rude, selfish and unsafe drivers. Everyone is in a big hurry to go nowhere, IMO. I've lived here 13 years and have been in 4 very BAD accidents that totaled each vehicle. I'm thinking a smaller town would be better for my sanity and my PTSD, if you know what I mean.
In conclusion, my question is this:
With all of the above info in mind, is there any area in AZ, in your opinion, that meets any of these "wish list" criteria? What general areas should I research? My other favorite site (besides City-data) is Sperling's best places. I've been on there a lot looking at places like Sun City, Peoria, Gilbert, Tuscon and Yuma. I feel like I'm wandering aimlessly though, and could use some direction. Thank you, friends!!
Of the choices you list, Tucson will most likely be your best option. Not as hot in the Summer as the Phx area or Yuma, but colder in the winter due to its slightly higher elevation. Az winters are beautiful, but the summers can be brutal.
If your BF doesn't like/can't tolerate the heat, are you sure AZ is the best choice for your new home? I'm a retired Auto teacher, I spent plenty of summers working on cars in the desert heat, it is not a pleasant experience.
Regarding your question about A/C vs Swamp coolers, swamp coolers work very well until our humid season starts, generally late June/early July. Then you will really want a/c or you will never get cool. Lots of older homes had both, most new construction doesn't include a swamp cooler. In the summer, most places (businesses) will run the A/C at 75 or so. I've never been anywhere where the inside temp has been cooled into the 60's. 75* feels cooler because refrigerated air has been dehumidified, the drier air helps cool you down faster.
Good luck with your search.
Curly
[quote=curly5759;39736295]Of the choices you list, Tucson will most likely be your best option. Not as hot in the Summer as the Phx area or Yuma, but colder in the winter due to its slightly higher elevation. Az winters are beautiful, but the summers can be brutal.
If your BF doesn't like/can't tolerate the heat, are you sure AZ is the best choice for your new home? I'm a retired Auto teacher, I spent plenty of summers working on cars in the desert heat, it is not a pleasant experience.
Thank you for the info, Curly! I know it will be hard for my BF to acclimate, but he insists on going where I will have less pain and have a better quality of life. He's a gem ❤️ I'm thinking of moving around October, so hopefully we'll have 6-7 months to thin his blood out, so to speak 😉 I'll take a closer look at the Tuscon area.
Hello Arizonians!
I currently live in a suburb of SLC, UT and while I love the beauty of the mountains and the arid desert-like climate, I need to move on. I grew up in PA and moved out here with my husband and children. I am now divorced, the ex has moved to another state, and I am here alone with no extended family. Moving back east is not an option due to my health. Speaking of which, here's a little about me:
* I am 42 years young, but have a very arthritic back due to scoliosis; I'm pretty twisted! Throw in some fibromyalgia and you can see why my doctors say I need a mild, warm climate. I need a place that has more stable barometric pressure weather patterns. I feel my best in the hot, dry summers here. (75-95 degrees) The sun is my friend; it warms the muscles and keeps my pain low. The cold and snowy winters here hurt.
*Family: I have 2 daughters, 16 and almost 18. They will be in 11th and 12th grade, respectively. They are major introverts and do most of their schooling online. Neither one is happy here, so moving anywhere else is fine by them. I don't want to be negative, but we just don't fit in here. We are not LDS, but 75% of the people in our city are. My girls have had a huge problem fitting in and finding genuine friends. I only bring this up to illustrate that moving them away from here will be a positive thing, and they are on board.
((*Occupation: I am on Social Security Disability, but I also work part time as a Dental Assistant. I have to keep it at 20 hours/week or less. My body can't handle more than that. My boyfriend and partner has no health issues and can work anywhere. His area of expertise is automotive; he currently works at Big O Tires. He's a workhorse and does best when his job is very physically demanding. The down side to this is that he prefers cooler weather (he's from Portland, OR) and overheats very easily. A/C is his best friend, which brings me to my next point: (Finding work should not be hard for either of you here. If this is the place you ultimately decide to relocate to maybe he can get a transfer to a Big O shop here?)
*Temperature: I assume almost everything down there in the beautiful desert of AZ is air conditioned. A/C really hurts me if it's too cold or blowing directly on me. I'm wondering if this will actually be worse on my body than if I live someplace cooler and can get by with fans and swamp coolers. How do you deal with it? Do you need to take a sweater everywhere for indoor activities? Lol- it seems like a dumb question, but I'm trying to imagine going from 100 degrees outside to 65 degrees inside repeatedly. (There are homes with swamp coolers, but all the newer homes have A/C. It can be pretty cold walking into some buildings during the summer do a sweater may not be a bad idea.)
*Housing: We have a lump sum saved and are looking for 3 bed/2 bath one level home, 1100-1600 sq. ft. for around 150,000. We could go higher, but I'd like to do a 7 year mortgage and not have too much debt. My BF can also do demo and remodel, so upgrading won't be that big of a deal, if we find a place that has good bones and character. I don't want to live in another subdivision in the burbs where all the houses are made of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same... lol (I'm not going to say you can't find what you're looking for, but, depending on the area, your BF may have to put those remodeling skills to use!)
*Aesthetics: I love nature in all forms. It's very relaxing and grounding for me. I'm hoping for views of some kind of nature, whether it's mountains, palm trees or cacti. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets are one of my favorite things! I'd also like cleaner air and water. Here in SLC, we live in a bowl; the valley is surrounded by gorgeous mountains, but we get bad inversions and it's hard to breathe sometimes. (Not sure it will be much better here. We too are situated in a valley and the air quality can get bad. Lots of people suffer from asthma)
*TRAFFIC: This is one of my BIGGEST issues. I know big cities have suburbs, and that usually means horrendous traffic and road rage. At least here it does. I don't even work in SLC, but the traffic from commuters coming home in the evening is awful. Too many people and rapid growth = rude, selfish and unsafe drivers. Everyone is in a big hurry to go nowhere, IMO. I've lived here 13 years and have been in 4 very BAD accidents that totaled each vehicle. I'm thinking a smaller town would be better for my sanity and my PTSD, if you know what I mean. (You mentioned a smaller town, however, the more popular small towns here are in the mountains where traffic can be annoying due to fewer lanes)
In conclusion, my question is this:
With all of the above info in mind, is there any area in AZ, in your opinion, that meets any of these "wish list" criteria? What general areas should I research? My other favorite site (besides City-data) is Sperling's best places. I've been on there a lot looking at places like Sun City, Peoria, Gilbert, Tuscon and Yuma. I feel like I'm wandering aimlessly though, and could use some direction. Thank you, friends!!
Location: The edge of the world and all of Western civilization
984 posts, read 1,192,551 times
Reputation: 1691
Quote:
Originally Posted by cuda128
Hello Arizonians!
I currently live in a suburb of SLC, UT and while I love the beauty of the mountains and the arid desert-like climate, I need to move on. I grew up in PA and moved out here with my husband and children. I am now divorced, the ex has moved to another state, and I am here alone with no extended family. Moving back east is not an option due to my health. Speaking of which, here's a little about me:
* I am 42 years young, but have a very arthritic back due to scoliosis; I'm pretty twisted! Throw in some fibromyalgia and you can see why my doctors say I need a mild, warm climate. I need a place that has more stable barometric pressure weather patterns. I feel my best in the hot, dry summers here. (75-95 degrees) The sun is my friend; it warms the muscles and keeps my pain low. The cold and snowy winters here hurt.
*Family: I have 2 daughters, 16 and almost 18. They will be in 11th and 12th grade, respectively. They are major introverts and do most of their schooling online. Neither one is happy here, so moving anywhere else is fine by them. I don't want to be negative, but we just don't fit in here. We are not LDS, but 75% of the people in our city are. My girls have had a huge problem fitting in and finding genuine friends. I only bring this up to illustrate that moving them away from here will be a positive thing, and they are on board.
*Occupation: I am on Social Security Disability, but I also work part time as a Dental Assistant. I have to keep it at 20 hours/week or less. My body can't handle more than that. My boyfriend and partner has no health issues and can work anywhere. His area of expertise is automotive; he currently works at Big O Tires. He's a workhorse and does best when his job is very physically demanding. The down side to this is that he prefers cooler weather (he's from Portland, OR) and overheats very easily. A/C is his best friend, which brings me to my next point:
*Temperature: I assume almost everything down there in the beautiful desert of AZ is air conditioned. A/C really hurts me if it's too cold or blowing directly on me. I'm wondering if this will actually be worse on my body than if I live someplace cooler and can get by with fans and swamp coolers. How do you deal with it? Do you need to take a sweater everywhere for indoor activities? Lol- it seems like a dumb question, but I'm trying to imagine going from 100 degrees outside to 65 degrees inside repeatedly.
*Housing: We have a lump sum saved and are looking for 3 bed/2 bath one level home, 1100-1600 sq. ft. for around 150,000. We could go higher, but I'd like to do a 7 year mortgage and not have too much debt. My BF can also do demo and remodel, so upgrading won't be that big of a deal, if we find a place that has good bones and character. I don't want to live in another subdivision in the burbs where all the houses are made of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same... lol
*Aesthetics: I love nature in all forms. It's very relaxing and grounding for me. I'm hoping for views of some kind of nature, whether it's mountains, palm trees or cacti. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets are one of my favorite things! I'd also like cleaner air and water. Here in SLC, we live in a bowl; the valley is surrounded by gorgeous mountains, but we get bad inversions and it's hard to breathe sometimes.
*TRAFFIC: This is one of my BIGGEST issues. I know big cities have suburbs, and that usually means horrendous traffic and road rage. At least here it does. I don't even work in SLC, but the traffic from commuters coming home in the evening is awful. Too many people and rapid growth = rude, selfish and unsafe drivers. Everyone is in a big hurry to go nowhere, IMO. I've lived here 13 years and have been in 4 very BAD accidents that totaled each vehicle. I'm thinking a smaller town would be better for my sanity and my PTSD, if you know what I mean.
In conclusion, my question is this:
With all of the above info in mind, is there any area in AZ, in your opinion, that meets any of these "wish list" criteria? What general areas should I research? My other favorite site (besides City-data) is Sperling's best places. I've been on there a lot looking at places like Sun City, Peoria, Gilbert, Tuscon and Yuma. I feel like I'm wandering aimlessly though, and could use some direction. Thank you, friends!!
I think in general most of the principal towns in southern Arizona might suit you because of scenery, less traffic and cooler temperatures compared to Phoenix and Yuma, though jobs might be somewhat harder to come by. Vail and Benson are somewhat close to Tucson. Sierra Vista is a decent option, but Bisbee and Willcox may have what you need. If you don't mind border towns, Nogales is an option too. I think if you could dedicate 3-4 days to exploring the area, it would be beneficial and you can see these towns for yourself. I'm not certain, but based on your criteria I think you would want to avoid the Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma areas, plus western cities like Lake Havasu and Bullhead City. Kingman might be okay, but in general I think most of southern Arizona is better for you based on your criteria. You didn't list amenities you want/need, but those towns are close enough to Phoenix and Tucson that you could make a trip if needed.
You didn't list amenities you want/need, but those towns are close enough to Phoenix and Tucson that you could make a trip if needed.
dvxhd: Thank you for your suggestions- I'm excited to research those towns!
Regarding the amenities, I don't need much more than nature and sunshine except for live music. I love live rock music and try to go to one concert every year. I figure I can drive an hour or two to Phoenix for that
Location: The edge of the world and all of Western civilization
984 posts, read 1,192,551 times
Reputation: 1691
Quote:
Originally Posted by cuda128
You didn't list amenities you want/need, but those towns are close enough to Phoenix and Tucson that you could make a trip if needed.
dvxhd: Thank you for your suggestions- I'm excited to research those towns!
Regarding the amenities, I don't need much more than nature and sunshine except for live music. I love live rock music and try to go to one concert every year. I figure I can drive an hour or two to Phoenix for that
Yes, Phoenix would be more than sufficient for that if you don't mind the drive. You can always look up the Phoenix New Times online and see who will be performing.
Except for the heat aspect - think about Casa Grande. Its right between Phoenix and Tucson, is growing - and there will be work for you - but the best part is housing is much cheaper than in the big metros themselves. 150K can still get a decent house here. I realize Sierra Vista also has inexpensive housing - but not the benefit of being an hour from BOTH Phoenix and Tucson. But, CG will be hotter than Sierra Vista - that is true.
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Throw in some fibromyalgia and you can see why my doctors say I need a mild, warm climate. I need a place that has more stable barometric pressure weather patterns. I feel my best in the hot, dry summers here. (75-95 degrees) The sun is my friend; it warms the muscles and keeps my pain low. The cold and snowy winters here hurt. 
lol
Thx dvxhd!
