What is Sedona really Like to live in? (Scottsdale: how much, living in)

[esselcue]

Just remember that for the many, many people who did not see Sedona 20 years ago, it will still be breath-taking today. Every place is like that...how it "used to be" compared to what it is "now". It isn't fair to our original poster to gripe about how it used to be...the same can be said for Prescott 20 years ago, or Tucson 20 years ago, etc. Right now, Sedona is a beautiful, rather pricey area, and for someone with "new eyes" it will be breath-taking.

[littleao]

Originally Posted by esselcue

Just remember that for the many, many people who did not see Sedona 20 years ago, it will still be breath-taking today. Every place is like that...how it "used to be" compared to what it is "now". It isn't fair to our original poster to gripe about how it used to be...the same can be said for Prescott 20 years ago, or Tucson 20 years ago, etc. Right now, Sedona is a beautiful, rather pricey area, and for someone with "new eyes" it will be breath-taking.

Thats right esselcue. That's why its not good to live to long. I for one which it was still practical to ride a horse across town.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by esselcue

Just remember that for the many, many people who did not see Sedona 20 years ago, it will still be breath-taking today. Every place is like that...how it "used to be" compared to what it is "now". It isn't fair to our original poster to gripe about how it used to be...the same can be said for Prescott 20 years ago, or Tucson 20 years ago, etc. Right now, Sedona is a beautiful, rather pricey area, and for someone with "new eyes" it will be breath-taking.

The most breath-taking thing about it anymore is the exhaust from all cars in the bumper to bumper traffic.

[azadehbd]

Bumper to Bumper traffic? People smashing out your car windows? Really, um, where? My mom lives out there, and I get out to visit as much as possible. I leave my keys in the car overnight, I don't think my mom even has a house key, I know we've never locked the house doors, and I would walk around any part of the town at night by myself. Occasionally there is a "back-up" of like 5 cars stuck behind a tourist that is driving 20 miles an hour on the road, but that is about it. Coming from CA I just laugh at the fact that my mom calls that "traffic". Sedona is amazing, a great place, and with your budget it should be no problem. Also, in addition to Red Rock High, there is the private school Verde Valley in the village that my younger brother goes to. He loves it.

[azadehbd]

Now that I think about it, the window smashing could have been in Rim Rock, which is nasty, and generally the place to avoid, but it is not actually in Sedona.

[LoneStarJerry]

Originally Posted by azadehbd

Bumper to Bumper traffic? People smashing out your car windows? Really, um, where? My mom lives out there, and I get out to visit as much as possible. I leave my keys in the car overnight, I don't think my mom even has a house key, I know we've never locked the house doors, and I would walk around any part of the town at night by myself. Occasionally there is a "back-up" of like 5 cars stuck behind a tourist that is driving 20 miles an hour on the road, but that is about it. Coming from CA I just laugh at the fact that my mom calls that "traffic". Sedona is amazing, a great place, and with your budget it should be no problem. Also, in addition to Red Rock High, there is the private school Verde Valley in the village that my younger brother goes to. He loves it.

Good post.

Sedona is my favorite place in Arizona, second favorite place in America next to San Diego which is where I live. Sedona is just lovely, maybe it did look better 20 years ago, but all I know is when I go there I find the scenery absolutely breathtaking. I could definitely see myself living there as well.

[poolgirl51]

Originally Posted by esselcue

Just remember that for the many, many people who did not see Sedona 20 years ago, it will still be breath-taking today. Every place is like that...how it "used to be" compared to what it is "now". It isn't fair to our original poster to gripe about how it used to be...the same can be said for Prescott 20 years ago, or Tucson 20 years ago, etc. Right now, Sedona is a beautiful, rather pricey area, and for someone with "new eyes" it will be breath-taking.

Very well said Esselcue. I agree Sedona is not what it was years ago...no place is and it is true the City could and should have done a better job with development and zoning. That said Sedona is still one of the most beautiful places in the US. We are lucky here in Sedona to be surrounded by National Forest and to have so much to see and do within a close radius.

[hollywoodaz]

Yes, traffic is really a relative term. I live in Cornville, and I have driven in PHX where it took and hour and 45 minutes to go 34 miles. We dont have a traffic problem.
Zoning- Zoning here is fine. Remember, Arizona hasn't even been a state for 100 years yet....we didn't even have building codes in this county until 1983.
When I moved to the Verde Valley ten+ years ago, there weren't any phone lines left. I was told by Qwest "I would have to wait until someone dies...or disconnects." It took 6 weeks just to get a phone line!!! We are just now developing...we have yet to go through an initial "redevelopment" or "revitalization" like many of our urban and more established parts of the country...We are going through that first renaissance right now.
In actuality, the municipalities in this area have done an absolutely AMAZING job with the growth they have had to contend with. What we have in the Verde Valley is a collection of small rural country towns and properties, formally and currently owned and operated by cowboys and country folk...and quite frankly, country folk don't care much about the length of their grass or a junk vehicle or two, because beauty has always surrounded them....naturally. Family, friends and good fun come first...tidy manicured lawns come last. Well, isn't that part of what you seek when you relocate to an area such as this? A complete and total reshifting of priorities?

I was born in Arizona and have been coming to Sedona for 34 years...I remember when there was no Village of Oak Creek, nor much at all in West Sedona...
True, the area should have been set aside for a National Park, but the NATION missed out on that boat,...dont blame the City of Sedona for that. And since there is very little vacant land left in the area, it will most likely never be a city on steroids. Our "ruined" community of Sedona is a town of approx 22,000 residents and quite quiet when the tourist season ends. And those "evil" developers only build because of folks such as yourselves want to share our little part of the world. If you didn't want it, they would not build it. We are happy to welcome you with open arms into our community, but please keep an open mind about preserving the existing way of life of the people who have been here for many generations...they have had an open mind to many of your urban ideals, please have similar respect.
And If you dare to venture off the pavement, away from the coffe shops and overpriced trinket stores, you will still find a multitude of places where you can enjoy all of Sedona's beauty and not see another living soul.

[Austinman]

I just moved to Sedona last month and I will die here...and I'm in my early 40s. I do not plan on moving away.

I feel at home no other place on Earth more than I do here in Sedona.

But yes, at this writing we have massive bumper to bumper traffic! The road between the Village and Sedona is being widened and improved and it takes about 30-45 to make the trip now. But I will say that I have not seen road workers work as fast anywhere I've lived. It should(it will) be done by the end of the year.

I have never met children, teenagers, more polite than they are here. It is actually shocking how nice they are in public.

Now the only thing I need to get use to are the crawling things I am beginning to notice in my backyard...

I saw my first rattlesnake today while out on Oak Creek at the end of Verde Valley road...that was fun.

In the past week I've seen a tarantula, many rabbits and these funny hopping mice in my backyard...but it's all good.

And now I await the arrival of the scorpions....

[opar]

Love or hate it depends on where you are coming from (not geographically). If you are retiring to sedona, if you are wealthy, or have a job that allows you to work from home and still pay you a very good salary, its the place for you. Keep in mind shopping and restraunts here leave a lot to be desired. For someone that needs to make a living here its awful! It is an expensive town (some statistics say 50% higher than the national average). As for income, its low, very low ( and I mean for those who actually work in Sedona). The most aggravating part is hearing local business owners brag about how low they can pay their employees here. I have heard this on more than one occasion. Bottom line, if you have a lot of money and don't mind a very small town roll the streets up at 9:00 pm lifestyle, then Sedona is for you. For the most part it's a greatplace to visit but not a great place to live; if you are working class.