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Location: Sunny Phoenix Arizona...wishing for a beach.
4,300 posts, read 14,954,543 times
Reputation: 813
Quote:
Originally Posted by aj661
Stop picking on the Mormons. I'm not a fan of their religion but they generally make great neighbors. Their core values are family and community oriented, and strong supporters of law and order. The ones I know are more than willing to help their neighbors. The average Mormon is no less willing to help the poor than the rest of the citizenry. The "bad, run down areas of Mesa" are that way because of the people who live there, not because of self-centered Mormons.
You're stereotyping Apache Junction. There are some decent homes (the kind built on concrete foundations, not wheels) in Apache Junction that are not in the foothills. The same goes for Mesa. I agree east Mesa -within the city limits- is the best. I live near the AJ border and north of Southern, in a nice house, in a nice neighborhood. The Red Mountain area is way north and generally nicer than where I live. As for things to do, it depends on your lifestyle. It would not have appealed to me when I was in my twenties. It is a sea of homes, with many islands of shopping. 90% of what I need is within 3 miles and literally everything else from furniture to automobiles is within 6 miles.
Of the three cities listed by the OP, my favorite is Gilbert, hands down. I loved it there. But if your main focus is a decent home, raising a family and going to work, Mesa offers the best value of the three.
I lived by Mormons for years and I never had any issues, they make pretty good neighbors.
I disagree Mesa is the best value though. You can get an affordable house in Gilbert now and I'd rather raise my kids there than AJ.
I really like visiting downtown Mesa. It, at least, feels like a town with a center. There are some nice older homes near the central core. So, it is too bad that there are so many negatives about it. The city doesn't collect taxes properly, so the library has shortened hours, and the police are stretched thin. Mesa was friendly to Hispanic, mostly Mexican workers who had a document from the Mexican government. I can't remember the name of it. The result is that there is a huge Hispanic influx, and a proliferation of junky little tiendas, with groups of laborers congregating on the streets, and an increase in crime. It is simply deteriorating.
Location: 5 miles from the center of the universe-The Superstition Mountains
1,084 posts, read 5,789,127 times
Reputation: 606
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheena
I lived by Mormons for years and I never had any issues, they make pretty good neighbors.
I disagree Mesa is the best value though. You can get an affordable house in Gilbert now and I'd rather raise my kids there than AJ.
Sheena,
I think it depends on how you define "value". Roughly thirteen years ago the future spousal unit and I looked at a new home in Gold Canyon. The exact same house, same lot size (same builder), was selling for $20k less in the Red Mountain area of Mesa. It can be argued that GC was a better area (not at the time IMO), more scenic, better investment (true), etc. For us, GC meant more driving than the Mesa location because a child custody issue said my kids were going to school in Mesa regardless of where I lived. Red Mountain wasn't nearly as overbuilt as it is now and was even a better area to live than it is today. We preferred to views from GC a little more (hard to beat the Superstitions!), but not $20k more. Besides, adding a pool was important and the GC subdivision was sitting on rocky terrain close to the mountain which may have made it cost prohibitive for us to build. So when everything was taken into account, Red Mountain was by far a better value for us so....
We bought in Gilbert because we loved the area near Freestone Park where she had lived before, even though it was the longest drive of all with no view except the ugly stucco boxes on either side. Go figure.
Three and a half years later we moved to east Mesa. The nearly nonexistent parks suck compared to Freestone but there's far less traffic, we're much closer to her work and the kids could take the bus. Plus, our current home is built much better than that lopsided Fulton box we had and we have a view of the Superstitions and Four Peaks. Obviously, our priorities had changed.
Except for the pool .
BTW, Gilbert may have better rated schools, but AJ is not a bad place to raise kids. Lots of outdoor activites nearby.
Stop picking on the Mormons. I'm not a fan of their religion but they generally make great neighbors. Their core values are family and community oriented, and strong supporters of law and order. The ones I know are more than willing to help their neighbors. The average Mormon is no less willing to help the poor than the rest of the citizenry. The "bad, run down areas of Mesa" are that way because of the people who live there, not because of self-centered Mormons.
You're stereotyping Apache Junction. There are some decent homes (the kind built on concrete foundations, not wheels) in Apache Junction that are not in the foothills. The same goes for Mesa. I agree east Mesa -within the city limits- is the best. I live near the AJ border and north of Southern, in a nice house, in a nice neighborhood. The Red Mountain area is way north and generally nicer than where I live. As for things to do, it depends on your lifestyle. It would not have appealed to me when I was in my twenties. It is a sea of homes, with many islands of shopping. 90% of what I need is within 3 miles and literally everything else from furniture to automobiles is within 6 miles.
Of the three cities listed by the OP, my favorite is Gilbert, hands down. I loved it there. But if your main focus is a decent home, raising a family and going to work, Mesa offers the best value of the three.
No ones picking on the Mormons. Sounds like more people are picking on the Mexicans! And nice homes in AJ are usually more expensive because of the view, than down in Mesa, I'm glad you found a good deal but it takes more searching and these people are using the internet, long distance!
Article from Mesa Corruption report:
MESA MORMONS RULE THE LAND
(Sorry, but you are happier in Mesa if you are Mormon, at least downtown!)
Mesa's Mormon founding, economic and political roots remain fused to the colossal Mormon financial and political structure of Salt Lake City,Utah. It is not merely by chance that Mesa government has been dominated by Mormons since its inception. Just about all the seats of power throughout the greater Phoenix area are occupied by Mormons, or people who have had long, friendly relationships with the Mormon power structure. Mesa alone remains the most concentrated area of Mormon power and influence in the state. To put it bluntly, expectation to be elected, or reelected, to be appointed, or reappointed to the bench, to gain favor in business and commerce, etc., greatly depends on one's good relations with officials of the city of Mesa.
Here is a article on the history of Mesa. It was proudly founded by Mormons. Its not a bad thing, it has just shaped this city, its laws and atmosphere. You like it or you don't, your choice.
I've heard a lot of good and bad things about Mesa/Phoenix/ChandlerGilbert. If you ask me its 6 of 1 and 1/2 a dozen the other. Go there if you want to, living quality is great but like other posts said there is a crime problem that is starting to rise, but then again there's crime everywhere you go. The area is also becoming very hispanic, dont be surprised to see 80 - 90% of the population of hispanic origion in a few years time.
May i suggest Lake Havasu City. My favourite quality of the place is the Lake itself and Colorado river. its great if you like water sports or going to the beach but i must warn you it does get hot! However it has less humidity than Phoenix so i guess it feels about the same. The city is relatively crime free. Expect the population to rocket in the next 10 - 20 years with lots of migration from NV, CA, UT, CO, WY, OR, WA and even New York and Phoenix.
Its population is currently 60,000 but has plans to build lots of bech comunities in the nearby valleys. I'm househunting there this week.
Location: Sunny Phoenix Arizona...wishing for a beach.
4,300 posts, read 14,954,543 times
Reputation: 813
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben_Hooper
I've heard a lot of good and bad things about Mesa/Phoenix/ChandlerGilbert. If you ask me its 6 of 1 and 1/2 a dozen the other. Go there if you want to, living quality is great but like other posts said there is a crime problem that is starting to rise, but then again there's crime everywhere you go. The area is also becoming very hispanic, dont be surprised to see 80 - 90% of the population of hispanic origion in a few years time.
May i suggest Lake Havasu City. My favourite quality of the place is the Lake itself and Colorado river. its great if you like water sports or going to the beach but i must warn you it does get hot! However it has less humidity than Phoenix so i guess it feels about the same. The city is relatively crime free. Expect the population to rocket in the next 10 - 20 years with lots of migration from NV, CA, UT, CO, WY, OR, WA and even New York and Phoenix.
Its population is currently 60,000 but has plans to build lots of bech comunities in the nearby valleys. I'm househunting there this week.
That always sounded nice Lake Havasu, I don't think I've ever gotten out there. It's pretty busy I hear on Spring Break.
[SIZE=3]Most of the east mesa is safe(I think starting around Gilberd Rd you should be OK). But it is also very, very, very boring. Other than movie theaters and restaurants there is nothing to make life interesting-no nightlife to speak of and everything closes fairly early. You need to drive everywhere because of the distances and heat. And traffic is getting insane….so many people move here each year they can’t extend the freeways fast enough. The summers are getting worse (our dry heat is like living in a hot hair dryer) so make sure you’ve visited this area in July/August before you pack up. Pollution here is close on LA’s tail. And the monsoon season is nasty, horrible winds and dust storms (LOTS of dust here) that break trees and make a mess of the landscape. And we get frost in the winter as well so it kills a lot of landscaping. Traffic is bad and drivers are worse. If you are only looking to get a house with a pool (the water will be bath warm by mid summer) and spend your time with your family you might enjoy Mesa. I tend to feel like a prisoner in my beautiful home, a chunk of the year just isn't bearable. The winters and sunsets are great and there are outdoor activities during the cooler months-if you love golf this will be paradise for you. [/SIZE][SIZE=3]There are also beautiful areas for a nature lover-but again drive, drive, drive. [/SIZE]
Mesa is a large suburb, therefore, you will find anything from very livable parts to just total ghetto. Somebody here said that West Mesa is a dump, I do not agree with that at all. I used to live in West Mesa, MCC Area and I have never had any problems with crime or even feeling not safe. However, if you go up to Main Street, things change drastically. It can be a very boring place because it is very residential and mostly cookie cutter. If you drive around, you can pretty much tell what areas of Mesa are good, and what areas are not. Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, all look the same to me
phoenix is ok there are nice areas look in laveen or go north or the awatukee area
Quote:
Originally Posted by twiggy
There are parts of Mesa that are very nice, but Steve-o's right, the large Mormon Temple sits in the middle of old town Mesa. The nice houses are occupied mostly by Mormons and when theirs nothing wrong with being Mormon, they help their own and not really others in the community who are poor, etc. so the bad run down areas of Mesa are really yucky.
The newer developments in East Mesa are not to bad, like Gilbert. There really isn't much to do in Mesa either, that I'm aware of. Just a large see of homes. Some good shopping though, and the Mormons have the best thrift stores! (Desert Industries)D.I. I'll run out there for some nice collectables sometimes. They do have quite a famous barrio in old Mesa, but their is a barrio in every city in the Phoenix Metro area (Tempe, Chandler, even Scottsdale). Great food down in Guadelupe, that's the barrio in Tempe. Great tamales!!!!
If your going to move there via internet than stick to East Mesa, East of Stapley Rd. and South of Southern Ave. You should be fine. And unless you like trailer living stay away from Apache Junction, if you can't pay for a mountain side home you'll be renting a trailer. Hope you find what your looking for. lol
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