moving to Arizona (Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale: for sale, lease, houses)

[konp]

Hello,

I plan on moving to Arizona for health reason. I know Arizona is more peaceful in some part and I want move there. I have some savings. I need a quiet place that is stressed free.

Can anyone recommend on where to live?

Thanks

[infocyde]

First, come for a visit before and explore places yourself before leaping. Even after exploring and deciding to move here I would do a six month to a year lease / rent on in an area to make sure you like it before committing to an area.

That being said Arizona in general is more laid back than many other states. Phoenix has traffic issues and lot's of people, so if you find that stressful I would suggest one of the many smaller Northern Arizona towns. Depending on what you can afford a month, if you have medical issues, if you want to stay out of the heat in the summer or hate Winters will determine where you go.

Payson - Smaller, Winters somewhat cold, forested, mostly retirees with limited Medical.
Flagstaff - Mix of young and old, can get cold/windy in the Winter, expensive, forested
Sedona - New agey, expensive, hot in the summer, beautiful but desert with forest nearby
Cotton Wood - Gets hot in the summer, less snow, desert
Prescott - Fairly large, can get hot for about a month in the summer, some area forested, housing and medical shortage but both available
Phoenix Metro - Hot, crowded, lot's of medical resources and jobs if seeking, desert
Tuscon - Eclectic mix of people, crowded, hot, smaller than Phoenix but big, depressed economy

Other's can chime in with other smaller towns. There is the White Mountain areas (beautiful, small, more snow), Kingman, Sierra Vista, Yuma, etc.

You can always pick an area as a base for a year and explore the state further from within. Although you can find work anywhere, the conventional wisdom is that unless you bring your job with you to probably target Phoenix over anywhere else as everywhere else has economic woes and jobs can be scarce. But if lot's of people, heat, and traffic are stressful stay away from Phoenix.

I suggest reading through the forum and doing a lot more research on your own. Good luck

[keninaz]

Yes, do visit the area you are interested in.
My wife is a native, born in Tombstone.
When she first retired we were near the border with Mexico but got tired of the illegals and drugs and such that went with living near the border.
We explored Flagstaff, Payson and some other communities before setting on the Prescott/Prescott valley area in 2008. I did not care for the college crowd in Flagstaff or the prices and Payson was OK with the exception that medical was almost non existent and it was a long ways to anywhere to shop for almost anything.
Rural AZ is nothing like Tucson or Phoenix. The people are just different.
If heat is a factor note that my area is some 15°-25° cooler than the Phoenix metro area is on a hot day and still cools off nicely at night. Elevation is the key for heat reduction but don't go too high or you will have quite a bit of snow.

[Eriol]

Originally Posted by keninaz

Yes, do visit the area you are interested in.
My wife is a native, born in Tombstone.
When she first retired we were near the border with Mexico but got tired of the illegals and drugs and such that went with living near the border.
We explored Flagstaff, Payson and some other communities before setting on the Prescott/Prescott valley area in 2008. I did not care for the college crowd in Flagstaff or the prices and Payson was OK with the exception that medical was almost non existent and it was a long ways to anywhere to shop for almost anything.
Rural AZ is nothing like Tucson or Phoenix. The people are just different.
If heat is a factor note that my area is some 15°-25° cooler than the Phoenix metro area is on a hot day and still cools off nicely at night. Elevation is the key for heat reduction but don't go too high or you will have quite a bit of snow.

Hi, I'm looking at retirement options and looking at Prescott Valley and houses are affordable but not a lot of houses for sale, more land parcels. How do you shop for food? I guess there is no local food source? How is Internet service in Prescott Valley?

[keninaz]

Houses for sale in our area, Viewpoint North, seem to sell pretty quickly nowadays.
Food, not a problem. First of all if you don't know it Prescott and Prescott Valley meet at their borders, almost like one town.
For us Fry's and Wal Mart and such are just a short drive over to Glassford Hill.
We also have a Safeway and Sam's Club in PV.
Internet service in PV is fine. We use high speed via Cable One.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by Eriol

Hi, I'm looking at retirement options and looking at Prescott Valley and houses are affordable but not a lot of houses for sale, more land parcels. How do you shop for food? I guess there is no local food source?

Oh, the Prescott Costco is just as crowded as any other Costco anywhere.

I was kind of surprised that Prescottonians think nothing of driving 100 miles to Scottsdale to get medical care at the Mayo Clinic. I like to drive but not that much.

Speaking of medical care, better make sure you can get a PCP in Prescott as many of them, I'm told, are not accepting new patients. Specialist care can be tricky, too. I found only two practicing allergy/asthma specialists and one of them is in his 90s.

[keninaz]

I think our medical care is some of the best in AZ personally and had lots of it. I have been in all of the hospitals here including VA and both campuses of YRMC.
I have changed physicians a couple of times in the years since we moved here and never had a problem finding a new one but we are on BCBS and doctors acceptance of other plans may vary.

[infocyde]

The local YRMC health system is impacted. Sometimes you can get in fine, other times it takes months. Doctor's offices, the people who work there, say they are pretty much maxed out.

Experience from a few years back is not the equivalent of experience right now, things change.

Being proactive and securing a doctor and the specialist before coming cost you nothing but a minor inconvenience. Highly suggested.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by infocyde

The local YRMC health system is impacted. Sometimes you can get in fine, other times it takes months. Doctor's offices, the people who work there, say they are pretty much maxed out.

Experience from a few years back is not the equivalent of experience right now, things change.

Being proactive and securing a doctor and the specialist before coming cost you nothing but a minor inconvenience. Highly suggested.

In addition, while I respect Ken, most of us don’t have access to the VA.

I lived in a small town growing up and while we didn’t have trouble getting care for routine matters, anything more complex necessitated a trip to the nearest city 60 miles away. Still does, as a matter of fact, and I grew up 50 years ago. Don’t look for this to change any time soon.

I hear there are inexpensive Mediflight policies one can buy. If I were looking to retire in Prescott I’d look into it.