Relocating to Surprise, AZ (Phoenix, Mesa: rent, crime, motorhomes)

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by steenskees

I lived in 4 different homes there and owned a restaurant there. I also grew up in Peoria. I KNOW Surprise. Also had a moms group of 100 moms in Surprise. Yes, "trashy", where your neighbors have pitbulls running loose and have 5 cars packed out front. Anywhere houses are 100k, you're going to attract these kinds of people.

Again, when did you live in Surprise? I didn't ask how many homes you lived in, your occupation, or your net worth.

[steenskees]

Well, that wasn't very nice. I didn't say anything about my "net worth", as you call it. I bought my first home there in 1999, and lived on and off in many parts of Phoenix, last living there about 2-3 years ago. Owning a business in a particular city also gives you good insight to what kind of neighbors you have.
If traffic is an issue for you, I would just stay away from Bell Rd. Most of the newer building is more south or way west on Bell towards the White Tanks which is also very far away.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by steenskees

I lived in 4 different homes there and owned a restaurant there. I also grew up in Peoria. I KNOW Surprise. Also had a moms group of 100 moms in Surprise. Yes, "trashy", where your neighbors have pitbulls running loose and have. 5 cars packed out front. Anywhere houses are 100k, you're going to attract these kinds of people.

I'm sorry to hear that your restaurant failed and that you lost your house.

If you lived in 4 different homes in Surprise, does that make you "trashy" too?

[steenskees]

Oh honey, I didn't lose my house. I was living in my mom's rentals on and off when I was in college in my 20's. Surprise was a great place to buy homes for rentals for a while because of the low prices and the high foreclosure rates. Yes, a small percentage of people in Surprise have a Bachelors Degree and look at the median household income. Ouch. Anyone that is FROM Az will tell you about Surprise and El Mirage.
The thing is, people that move from another state and go visit Surprise see it as a nice, clean neighborhood but it's what's IN the homes that is not what it seems on the outside!! Oh, btw, if you're a born again, you'll fit right in. And, we didn't lose our business, dear, we sold it and moved back to the Arrowhead area where it's really nice....but still too hot. I thought people from MN were all "Minnesota Nice". Everyone I've ever met from MN has been so nice....

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by steenskees

I lived in 4 different homes there and owned a restaurant there. I also grew up in Peoria. I KNOW Surprise. Also had a moms group of 100 moms in Surprise. Yes, "trashy", where your neighbors have pitbulls running loose and have 5 cars packed out front. Anywhere houses are 100k, you're going to attract these kinds of people.

Never seen what you describe. Pitbulls running lose? LOL

Also doubt you owned a restaurant. Based on your post you do not seem like a people person. Anyways a hot dog cart isn't a restaurant.

[steenskees]

Aw man, you have hot dog carts there now?? Wow, it's way worse than I remember!!! It's sad when you pay more in business taxes than YOUR house is worth for that junk of a city with cardboard cookie cutter homes.
Thank you for reminding me of the people I am SO happy I am not around anymore!!!

[CodyW]

Originally Posted by steenskees

Anyone that is FROM Az will tell you about Surprise and El Mirage.

I'm from Arizona. Born and raised. Grew up in Glendale.

Let me tell you about Surprise:

Surprise is a product of the housing boom and as such has miles and miles of newer subdivisions. They are, for the most part, well kept and safe. The people who live in them range from working class to upper middle class, and are generally younger families buying their first or second home.

El Mirage is more of the same.



I'm done feeding the troll.

[DR2012]

Steenskees - how do/did you like Peoria?

We stayed with family in Surprise till we got our rental, and my husband expressed how miserable his drive was to his school downtown - he knew it's be a drive, but he always liked a commute. He NEVER minded driving an hour somewhere - but he despised this drive! Complained daily. We have know moved out and cut it in half and then some. But, we needed to stay with family, and that is where they lived - close to Surprise Farms area. So yeah if you need to get to another area quick, like center, etc, think about that commute.

I never noticed anything trashy in Surprise, but I was only there 3 weeks, LOL!! Some of my in-laws had an experience with one trashy neighbor, but otherwise they've all done OK and been there for over a decade with little to no issues, to my knowledge.

[theyreinphx]

I know Surprise VERY well as I have lived here for 8 years and my parents have lived here for 15. Surprise has gone downhill so fast it is crazy to me. The city does a great job of hiding it by keeping Bell road and major city streets looking aesthetically nice. The city is in huge financial trouble.

I am the only original owner left on my block and my next door neighbors are section 8. Two houses down from me have an old motor home in which family members live in. Look on azcentral and you will find a very recent story about two pitbulls escaping and killing a dog and biting the dog's owner while they were on a walk. There are pitbulls running lose ALL the time.

The demographics of Surprise are VERY low. Most of the schools here are below average (with a few exceptions) and the median income is extremely low as well as education.

I wish we could move but we are stuck in our house since we bought in 04 and unless we short sell we cannot move. Our neighbors have been burglarized twice and the house on the other side of us is vacant with broken windows. Houses are selling extremely fast here because investors are swooping them up and then renting to section 8. My kids' school went from a 10 to a 7 in three years.

At least you don't have kids but I agree with steenskees, I would maybe look somewhere else.

Oh yea, we now have our 4th Walmart about to open but we cannot get a Whole Foods because the median income is too low.

[DR2012]

Originally Posted by theyreinphx

I know Surprise VERY well as I have lived here for 8 years and my parents have lived here for 15. Surprise has gone downhill so fast it is crazy to me. The city does a great job of hiding it by keeping Bell road and major city streets looking aesthetically nice. The city is in huge financial trouble.

I am the only original owner left on my block and my next door neighbors are section 8. Two houses down from me have an old motor home in which family members live in. Look on azcentral and you will find a very recent story about two pitbulls escaping and killing a dog and biting the dog's owner while they were on a walk. There are pitbulls running lose ALL the time.

The demographics of Surprise are VERY low. Most of the schools here are below average (with a few exceptions) and the median income is extremely low as well as education.

I wish we could move but we are stuck in our house since we bought in 05 and unless we short sell we cannot move. Our neighbors have been burglarized twice and the house on the other side of us is vacant with broken windows. Houses are selling extremely fast here because investors are swooping them up and then renting to section 8. My kids' school went from a 10 to a 7 in three years.

At least you don't have kids but I agree with steenskees, I would maybe look somewhere else.

Oh yea, we now have our 4th Walmart about to open but we cannot get a Whole Foods because the median income is too low.

That is scary about the pits. I had no idea it was that bad. My in-laws had a neighbor whose rotts got out and killed a dog, attacked a woman, attacked her dogs too and refused to acknowledge it. They were pursuing it but they just up and left. I heard there are a lot of open houses too. I'm glad the hubby's commute was awful so we could move in closer. My MIL would swear by Surprise, but she's in her gated retirement community.

I admit I didn't walk my dogs much there out of paranoia. I hate not too, but I was worried about an attack. I've moved, but I still worry about it.

I do agree, going around Bell and stuff it looks nice, and the housing is nice so maybe it's a good front. Also, where I came from was almost ghetto looking everywhere, it makes anything out here look high class. So, for me looks really can be deceiving.