Sydney to United States move... (Phoenix, Gilbert: employment, school district, taxes)

[oaw]

Hi All,

My wife and I are planning on a move to the US for work and family, but are unsure on where we would be the best place to move, amongst other places, Pheonix is one of the areas that seems to be a reasonable place for work. I am a business intelligence consultant and my wife is a designer, we have been advised that Visa's shouldn't be a problem, only dependant on getting a job offer.

From a location point of view we currently live in Sydney, Australia so we love the ocean, but we also love the mountains and Desert (we are both photographers by hobby). I would be interested in any feedback on Phoenix and the suburban area's around it from a livability point of view, safety, schools, etc. We also have 4 pets that we would be bringing with us.

Cheers and thanks in advance.

[Ritchie_az]

(we are both photographers by hobby).

Arizona is your playground.

I would be interested in any feedback on Phoenix and the suburban area's around it from a livability point of view, safety, schools, etc.

Schools can be good or bad. There are some very good schools here, but Arizona in general has a reputation of not-so-good schools. There are plenty of resources available should you choose to live here where you can move into an excellent school district.
Much of the Phoenix suburbs are safe. Gilbert and Surprise, for example, have national repuations as safe suburbs. Many of the other suburbs are not far off. Obviously, there are some areas you want to avoid, as well, but, overall, Phoenix metro is quite safe.
Livability? That could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. There are tons of great restaurants and shops. There are tons of parks and museums. Professional sports all across the valley. Summers can be rough (by that, I mean hot) but you deal with it. The rest of the year the weather is great, better than most of the rest of the country.

Just wondering, what about Phoenix made you consider moving here?

[joninaz]

Look at California and Colorado as well.

The former will be more familiar to you in terms of climate, business, etc. - but also pricey.

Colorado is pro-business, cheaper to live than Calif., and is chock full of scenic wonders. It's also a weekend trip to AZ and New Mexico, not to mention Vegas, Wyoming, Montana, etc.

Arizona is a dead zone right now. Cheap to live, but nothing happening in terms of business. People and companies are just wanting to get by.

If you want to really thrive, jump into the bay area, NY, Toronto and other places.

[Ritchie_az]

Arizona is a dead zone right now. Cheap to live, but nothing happening in terms of business. People and companies are just wanting to get by.

No reason he can't look for employment here and accept a job offer here if he gets one.

If you want to really thrive, jump into the bay area, NY, Toronto and other places.

A pay through the nose in taxes and high cost of living. Really sounds like "thriving" to me....

[phxgreenfire]

If you want a similar climate, San Diego or Los Angeles may be the best fits as I believe they're more similar to Sydney. Plus, both are close to mountains and deserts. The past few times I went to LA I got by fine without a car. It has a subway and commuter rail system, though it isn't as good as anything on the East Coast. Another benefit to LA is that it has an Australian consulate if you need it for any reason. One thing to consider in Phoenix is that you will need to carry your documentation with you at all times because of a bill that passed.

[Phxguy]

Originally Posted by phxgreenfire

One thing to consider in Phoenix is that you will need to carry your documentation with you at all times because of a bill that passed.

Psh, like this person would be pulled over. You don't have to worry about being arrested. If your a legal citizen here in the U.S then you don't have to worry about a thing.

[Ritchie_az]

One thing to consider in Phoenix is that you will need to carry your documentation with you at all times because of a bill that passed.

That's federal law. No matter what state you are in you'll be required to carry your documentation.

[phxgreenfire]

Yeah, but I knew foreign students who didn't carry it around at all times. It would be easier to blend in with the crowd in a place like LA though.

[LeavingReno]

Originally Posted by phxgreenfire

Yeah, but I knew foreign students who didn't carry it around at all times. It would be easier to blend in with the crowd in a place like LA though.

You must be very young and immature based on your responses. Just because the students did not carry documentation does not mean that they are not required to do so.

[AZJoeD]

Originally Posted by phxgreenfire

One thing to consider in Phoenix is that you will need to carry your documentation with you at all times because of a bill that passed.

This type of a post just shows your ignorance of both Federal Law and SB1070. Turn off the news and go read the law.