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Can't wait to get out of S. Florida, it's down to NM Albuquerque area or Arizona Prescott area, any help will be greatly appreciated. Home prices, jobs, crime, shopping & outdoor activities, also not too hot or cold.
Angela - Both cities are great. Prescott is smaller yet just up the 17 from PHX. Albuquerque will offer more job opportunities, and more culture and some of the best weather in the nation. However, since you will be coming from FL you might want to think about what type of weather you can tolerate. While I consider ABQ's weather to be ideal, we do experience all four seasons (albeit nothing extreme except this past years snow). Now even though we do experience a Winter here, the sun is usually shining and you can expect the snow to melt away quickly. Other than that I personally think ABQ has more to offer than Prescott.
I have grown up in Az and while Prescott is very nice it has a lot of traffic and has lost that small town feel. Also Az has a major water issue and air quality problems. It has changed so much and is now rather crowded.
My vote is for Albuquerque... I've been to Prescott twice and both times was not impressed ...strange thing about Arizona...I like their scenery..etc...but their towns/cities don't excite very much...Albuquerque is a good sized city without being a monster like Phoenix....however the trick is chosing a nice area that suits your lifestyle (and budget) ...some areas in the northeast heights are great...with the Sandia Mtns literally in your backyard....on the west side are also nice areas too ....Rio Rancho is growing like crazy ...but there are also not so good areas to avoid too....
Can't wait to get out of S. Florida, it's down to NM Albuquerque area or Arizona Prescott area, any help will be greatly appreciated. Home prices, jobs, crime, shopping & outdoor activities, also not too hot or cold.
I have to admit I've never been to Prescott (pronounced Pres-kut), but I know people there and they love it. I have lived next door to, and traveled in, AZ for many years, and I once lived in Albuquerque. So to me the question would be Northern New Mexico or any part of Arizona, and Northern New Mexico would win hands down. I don't see much in Southern NM that would make me want to live there, but I've never seen any place in AZ that seemed all that livable. And in my opinion, although AZ has great scenery, the scenery in New Mexico is much better. The food in New Mexico is world class. I've never found any to get excited about in AZ. The culture, history, and art of NM is unmatched anywhere. The only thing AZ has got that gets me excited is the Grand Canyon, which is about the most beautiful sight on earth.
Hi angelafla I am also in So. Fla and am moving to Santa fe NM I'm sure you will also be happy in NM it is a great state with alot of history.
GOOD LUCK!!
Hi angelafla I also am in palm beach county and I agree with you comment on rudeness that is why we choose santa fe , we've been there about 4 times
and have always felt at home ..
Be sure to check the job postings on the various sites like career builder, hot jobs and jobbing.com (ABQ listings only) to be sure you can find work in your field and live on the area payrates. Rate of pay varies dramatically between Phoenix and ABQ, not sure about Prescott & ABQ. And I've found ABQ jobs (in my field) to pay less than jobs here in Tampa, and the lower cost of living in ABQ does not compensate enough. (But I'm still considering ABQ anyway:-)
A good friend of mine's brother has lived in Prescott for 30+ years and is now considering getting out. Real estate is hideously overpriced and growth out-of-control. He is a "small town" type person and says that any feeling of that is pretty much lost there.
As far as Arizona goes, about the only areas I would consider are some of the towns in or close to the White Mountains. Phoenix and Tucson are going to become unsustainable when the water and cheap energy run painfully short. It's just a contest to see which resource depletes first.
In New Mexico, I wouldn't consider Santa Fe, unless you have a ton of money burning a hole in your pocket to buy a hideously overpriced "dream house." The best description of today's Santa Fe (coined by a fellow I knew who lived there for 40 years and happily left a couple of years ago) is Aspen, the Hamptons, or Palm Beach built with adobe, with iron bars on the windows, and Range Rovers parked out front that have never seen a gravel road.
Albuquerque is, of course, the major city in New Mexico. To me, it is just that--just another modern sprawled suburbanized American city. Yawn . . .
Most of the rest of New Mexico contains places that either are expensive "resort" type areas or towns where jobs and income are limited. Personally, I prefer the latter places to the former. If getting rich isn't in your plan, there are some great smaller communities in New Mexico. There also is a lot of poverty, too, but money isn't everything. At least money isn't wrecking New Mexico as fast as it is in Colorado and Arizona.
Although it is good to get ideas from people when deciding
Prescott vs Albuquerque it is best to check things out yourself.
Spend a week in a hotel in Prescott and then do this in Albuquerque.
If you hate winter, then do this in winter and compare which
is less bad for you. Alternately, if you hate the heat, go to
these places in summer for the same reasons.
Even if you are there during a week of abnormal weather, you
can ask questions from the locals as to whether the weather
is normally [better] or [worse] than you are seeing it.
If you are just picking up and moving and you don't do this
then you are nuts.
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