So confused- If you were moving to AZ, where would YOU go? (Phoenix: crime, house)

[Great Joy]

You're welcome for my help. As I'm sure of others here, we're just wanting to kindly help newcomers because we've been in your shoes. I wish I would have known about this website when we were relocating.

Prescott Valley is definitely cooler than Gilbert (and the rest of the greater Phoenix area). It is beautiful up there too....lots of pine trees and mountains. Here's a comparison:
https://www.city-data.com/city/Presco...y-Arizona.html
https://www.city-data.com/city/Gilbert-Arizona.html

I've heard housing in/near Prescott is expensive with few jobs, but don't know first hand details. I'm sure other wonderful people here will reply to you with those details.

Best wishes to you in your search!

[june]

Originally Posted by chicagocarol

I had thought we were zeroed in on Gilbert, but now, as I look around the Interent & this forum, I am getting so confused! A friend that lives in Sun City West recommends it, Sun City Grand, and Surprise. Says our $$$ will go further there? We are retiring, ( in our early 60's)need the 'basics' close-by, maybe a mall within driving distance occassionally,a good hospital is a must. Here's our starter list... what am I missing? Where would you go?
Must haves: 3 bedrooms, 2 car garage, 2 baths, lg. kitchen/family room area,pool, easy outside upkeep (desert landscaping?) fenced yard, price range: $250,000- $325,000 tops. Thank you for your input. Carol

Sun City Grande is awesome, try it.

[Leaving AZ]

Originally Posted by chicagocarol

Thank you all so much for your help. As we won't be limited as tto where we buy, in some ways, it does make it more complicated to zero in where to go. Does that make sense? Can anyone tell me abit more about the Prescott Valley area? Is it really abit cooler there in the summer than say, Gilbert would be? (Read that somewhere) Are homes pricey? Sometimes I wish that we didn't have so many choices... We know what we want in a [i]home[i] it is just where! Thanks again.

Oh my gosh Prescott is way cooler! in the summer they will get up to 100 but the nights and mornings are pretty much always in the 70s. They have a great little Downtown that always has something going on like concerts and parades. There mall is tiny but if I was retireing that is the kind of life I would want to sit on my porch have some coffee enjoy a downtown area go for walks. Its really nice up there and its only like 2 hours from Phoenix. The only downfall is homes are pricey we looked up there they have newer homes and communities in the Prescott Valley area that I believe are in the 200's I personally liked the older part better and the homes there were way to expensive one home we looked at was 750,000 and it was really old!

[steve22]

You get what you pay for. Unfortunately, the more desirable a place is to live, the more pricey the real estate is likely to be. On the positive side, a place like that is more likely to hold its real estate value relative to somewhere less "resorty". You won't see as much instability in the market in a place like Prescott- if the real estate prices go up, they'll probably stay up. It's all supply vs. demand. And in a place that small and excusive, the demand will always exceed the supply for those who can afford it. Particularly considering the refreshing difference in weather compared to the megalopolis just a few hours south.

[chicagocarol]

Thank you for your help. I think I will investigate Prescott Valley area more and see if it is beyond our means completely. We can spend more for a home if we need to, but I would much rather be able to have some of the money from the sale of our home here put into the bank, since we are both retired now. Showing my lackof knowledge here, but how far north does one have to go before it does get a bit cooler? If we do end up in the east or west valley, we know that we will have an adjustment to make, plan our days better to avoid being out in the highest heat of the day,etc. as much as we could. But- still am looking so forward to not having to deal with the hard winters and the dreary days we have now.

[Bill-]

Originally Posted by chicagocarol

Showing my lackof knowledge here, but how far north does one have to go before it does get a bit cooler?

Elevation is more the determining factor on temperatures than latitude in AZ.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by Bill-

Elevation is more the determining factor on temperatures than latitude in AZ.

Correct:

Rule of thumb is anything below 2,500 ft would be considered Low Desert as in Phoenix, Tucson and points S and W from there as in Casa Grande, Bullhead City, Yuma, etc.

3,000-5,000 ft emcompass Kingman, Verde Valley including Sedona, Sierra Vista and so on. High desert.

5,000-6,500 ft would be Prescott, Williams, Payson.....4 seasons climate but mild winters compared to back east.

7,000 ft up is essentially Flagstaff------cold winters but sunny at least with gorgeous summers

NOTE: 4,500 ft in southern Arizona is milder in the winter than that same elevation N of the Phx area.

[chicagocarol]

Thank you both very much-coming from the midwest where it is really,really flat, I didn't even think about elevation.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by chicagocarol

Thank you both very much-coming from the midwest where it is really,really flat, I didn't even think about elevation.

Yes indeed, elevation is the most important factor for climate down there. You may want to check the monthly average highs/lows for the various towns and cities around the state to get an idea of how they compare (weather.com is good for that). This was how I narrowed down my focus to SE Arizona (I'd looked all over the SW US). Because of the elevation, places in SE Arizona - like Sierra Vista - have a MUCh milder climate than places at the same latitude in SW Arizona (where elevation is very low). That little corner of the state has a very nice climate indeed - less scorching in the summer (highs in the low-mid 90's instead of the 100's), but still quite mild in the winter (highs in the low 60's). In addition, they are also a bit greener (Sierra Vista for example gets 14 inches of rain a year) with some areas being more grassland than outright desert.

Ken

[doeadeer]

I've lived in the Valley since 1972..the last 20 years in the NW area (near Arrowhead). Wanna buy my house??? hehe....I'm wanting to move to Prescott myself. I have wanted to live there ever since I was a teenager! Prescott Valley is BOOMING, but if you can find a little place in Prescott, I think you would love that. That is what I'd like to find. I'm not of retirement age yet, but time flies...and that is where I want to be when I do! I have an interview up there on Monday...crossing my fingers!