For People Leaving AZ...

[LeaveWI]

Originally Posted by Burning Madolf

Short answer: yes.

shorter answer: no

[GT350]

I'm in RE and talk to many people the move here, and leave here. I don't sell RE, just in the field. Maricopa county is a very transit place. In 2019, 222 people moved here every day on average. Many moved here from the Midwest to find a better job and better lifestyle. Some get offers to move to California and head west. Many move back from Cali after job/financial failure or just don't care for one states politics. Many older people move out due to heat, but I have seen many move back. They move to areas like Oregon or Washington and hate the rainy climate and move back. Lots move here to retire, hence areas like Sun City and Sun Lakes. Big turnover in those areas. It's cheap to live here. Where else can you own a $500,000 house and pay $2800/yr in property taxes. A $500,000 home in NY will cost you close to $18,000/yr in property taxes. Cali it would cost $4500/yr.

[Bert_from_back_East]

As a state, Arizona has many merits, such as abundant sunshine, excellent road infrastructure and an exceptionally new residential housing stock among others. However, the hot season in Phoenix, which is where over 70% of Arizona's population resides, is dreadfully long and very uncomfortable. Also, the risk of contracting San Joaquin Valley Fever, a highly debilitating illness with severe long-term complications, in Arizona is uncomfortably high for my liking. Finally, the general transience of the state's population means that it is difficult to build and maintain close, long-lasting friendships with other people. In my experience, areas with dynamic populations, such as Phoenix and Tucson, for example, usually have low levels of local civic engagement, which creates a host of other issues, including decreased economic activity and corporate investment and poorly funded public schools, libraries, museums and other community institutions.

Another pet peeve of mine about Arizona is that the state's politicians really cater to commercial and residential developers. When I cross into Arizona from another state, I usually observe numerous billboards advertising buildable land or newly constructed homes/neighborhoods, which is something you do not observe in state's that are less development-focused, such as California and Utah, for example. In my opinion, this proves that Arizona is a "developer's paradise," and the statewide economy is highly dependent on "FIRE" sectors (i.e., finance, insurance and real estate).

[AloePurell]

Originally Posted by Bert_from_back_East

As a state, Arizona has many merits, such as abundant sunshine, excellent road infrastructure and an exceptionally new residential housing stock among others. However, the hot season in Phoenix, which is where over 70% of Arizona's population resides, is dreadfully long and very uncomfortable. Also, the risk of contracting San Joaquin Valley Fever, a highly debilitating illness with severe long-term complications, in Arizona is uncomfortably high for my liking. Finally, the general transience of the state's population means that it is difficult to build and maintain close, long-lasting friendships with other people. In my experience, areas with dynamic populations, such as Phoenix and Tucson, for example, usually have low levels of local civic engagement, which creates a host of other issues, including decreased economic activity and corporate investment and poorly funded public schools, libraries, museums and other community institutions.

Another pet peeve of mine about Arizona is that the state's politicians really cater to commercial and residential developers. When I cross into Arizona from another state, I usually observe numerous billboards advertising buildable land or newly constructed homes/neighborhoods, which is something you do not observe in state's that are less development-focused, such as California and Utah, for example. In my opinion, this proves that Arizona is a "developer's paradise," and the statewide economy is highly dependent on "FIRE" sectors (i.e., finance, insurance and real estate).

I figured people didn't like being social because the weather made it too hot to go out. Very flaky people. I guess I don't blame them. I've lived in 5 other cities and all of them except Pittsburgh had friendlier and more sociable people (on average, from my experience).
As for the weather, Warmth is nice, not hellish triple-digit temps. Dust in the air makes the air smell dirty and triggers my allergies. Even when it rains it's not the nice "rain smell" you get in most other places. It just smells like dirt and makes it hard to breathe. Hate it and the ugly beige landscape that goes along with it.

[xrilander]

I moved to AZ in 2003, out in 2016. Loved the weather (high desert), but............... as the years rolled along, I watched the state, which was fairly neutral at first, take an abrupt turn to the right. Lots of residents with outrageous beliefs, the stupidity was killing me. I moved on to where I could have an intelligent conversion.

[xrilander]

Originally Posted by AloePurell

I always wondered why carts were called "baskets" here.

Back East we call them "carriages", and I still do. I get some strange looks if I ask for one

[rbwpi]

Originally Posted by xrilander

I moved on to where I could have an intelligent conversion.

California?

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by xrilander

I moved to AZ in 2003, out in 2016. Loved the weather (high desert), but............... as the years rolled along, I watched the state, which was fairly neutral at first, take an abrupt turn to the right. Lots of residents with outrageous beliefs, the stupidity was killing me. I moved on to where I could have an intelligent conversion.

This year has been really bad. Almost any time I've had a conversation with one of my neighbors they start interjecting their own politics. I've stopped going to HOA meetings, and no longer go out of my way to do more than give a perfunctory "morning" or "hi" when I see someone on the street. I don't need to be lectured about who they believe are communists, or have them relate to me the latest nonsense they read on their Twitter feed.

As you say, there is no such thing as an intelligent conversation any longer. Is there any place in the country where it's notably different?

[Woody01]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

although, I'm starting to search for a cabin on a creek in Colorado as a summer getaway.

Just curious......why not a cabin on a creek in AZ? Plenty of them up north.......