Possible move to AZ? Good Idea or bad! (Phoenix, Scottsdale: best neighborhoods, transplants)

[No Strings Attached]

Hi everyone!

I have an opportunity to transfer to the
Phoenix area with my job and am looking for advice to take the plunge or not.

OK so a little about me: I am 28 year old single white male and looking to settle down. My job will pay mid 50's to low 60's (depending on transfer cola). I currently live in Philly and am fortunate for this opportunity since I cannot afford to live here let alone start a family. So here are the questions:

What are some of the best neighborhoods around Phoenix to raise a family?

I see the housing is cheap, but why are there so many houses available for sale? Is the economy really that bad or is there some kind of exodus going on??

Is everyone really laid back? Or so that is what my friends say, that life is a little slower and the attitudes are nicer. Originally from NJ and now in Philly, people can be rough here...no one says thank you when you open the door, people don't say hi or smile...its go go go, but that is normal to me!

Here's a big one! Are there any single eligible women around and of so where!?!?!

Is there any type of night life?

I understand the heat is insane, how specifically in the Phoenix area is it? Are there any cooler parts? My buddy tells me that 2 mos out of the year its do-not-go-out weather but that for the rest of the year its not so bad.

How is the air quality? I have eczema and with the dry winters here it flares up, does anyone have a similar experience? Is the dry heat bad for your skin?

That pretty much sums it up! I just don't want to end up regretting my choice, baking in the sun with nothing to do and no gf to visit!

Stay cool!

[observer53]

You're single now. There are lots of neighborhoods throughout the Phoenix area that would be good places to raise a family. But you don't need to be choosing specifically where to live based on that, yet.

There's not a major exodus at all-- even in the lousy economy, more people moved here than moved out. Yes, there's a lot of homes for sale, this is the fifth/sixth largest city in the country, not counting the very large suburbs surrounding it.

The general disposition of the place is more laid back than east coast cities, but don't expect your neighbors to come to the doorstep to welcome you when you move in.

Of course there are single women around, all over the Valley. Your choice of which part of this very spread out area to live in should be based primarily on where you are working, as commutes can be very long here. You'll find things to do in lots of areas. Yes, there is "night life". Have you ever been here even to visit? You need to do that before you make any decision. And, you should rent before you buy, to get more familiar with where you want to be over the long haul.

There are really no significantly "cooler parts" of the Valley with respect to daytime temps. It may cool off more at night on the fringes of the Valley, where there's less of a heat island effect from all the concrete, and, to the north, where the elevation is slightly higher. People do what they have to do all summer, avoiding the heat of the day if they can. You either adjust to it, or you don't, it's an entirely personal thing.

I can't tell you about the eczema issues--it's dry here in the winter, too, but not as cold as Philly, so that might help. As far as the heat effect on that, perhaps others can tell you more.

[goolsbyjazz]

Well, if your job is going to transfer you that definitely makes the move a lot easier to make. As for the heat, to escape it you have to either go to Flagstaff or Pine Top, both around three hours away. Many Arizonans drive or fly to California. The good thing is you have options!
As for the eczema, the air is extremely dry and over the years I developed minor eczema on my neck and elbow. I would think it could possibly be aggravated, but I combat mine by constantly keeping those areas moist with oil or lotions.
Now, as far as life in the Phoenix area I have no complaints. I have found the people to be friendly and laid back. Honestly, the other issue is that there are so many transplants here the culture is hard to define. However, there is plenty to see and do. Good luck!

[FMC2012]

I am looking to move to Phoenix in the future and can’t really offer any advice on your questions except for one thing. From what I have read and heard I would say that what observer53 had to say sounds about right, he/she usually offers very sound advice. One piece of advice I would offer which lends itself to any market, with Phoenix being a case in point. Buy something now, pretty much anything would do, just best to get in now.

No one can tell the future and something could happen and the Phoenix housing market could tank, but in all likelihood it will go up as it has just started rebounding after the housing market crash of recent years. If you move to Phoenix and rent for a year or two, as the market rises, you could find yourself priced out later on.

If you buy now, depending on what you can afford, a small house, a condo, you kind of lock yourself into the market. Different houses or condos, as well as different areas around Phoenix might not appreciate at the same rate, but will appreciate and keep up with the market in general. In a year or two of living here you would have a better idea of exactly where you want to live and what kind of residence you would like.

When that time comes you might be looking at a house that then will sell for $210k, but could have been had now for $150k (40% increase). By buying something now, it should more or less also appreciate about 40% and the equity you have gained will make it possible to buy that house at $210 without really having lost out. The other big thing is that what you get for the first year or so will also answer many questions for you…you need bigger or smaller, like to be closer to downtown or want the quieter feeling of the burbs, you want to be away from the college atmosphere or be more apart of it…etc.

Just my advice and something to consider.

[ReadyFreddy]

The general disposition of the place is more laid back than east coast cities, but don't expect your neighbors to come to the doorstep to welcome you when you move in.

I agree. I lived in Philly for a while. It didn't strike me as being as unfriendly as some eastern cities (like DC or NY) but I do think the west is more friendly and laid back. Though it's not downright cordial like the south tends to be.

[Nanny Goat]

Originally Posted by No Strings Attached

Hi everyone!



Is everyone really laid back? Or so that is what my friends say, that life is a little slower and the attitudes are nicer. Originally from NJ and now in Philly, people can be rough here...no one says thank you when you open the door, people don't say hi or smile...its go go go, but that is normal to me!


I understand the heat is insane, how specifically in the Phoenix area is it? Are there any cooler parts? My buddy tells me that 2 mos out of the year its do-not-go-out weather but that for the rest of the year its not so bad.

How is the air quality?

Stay cool!

Honestly, I just don't think any large metro area is that friendly. This is no exception. As far as people opening the doors for you, when I first moved here it was more midwestern and that type of thing happened, but I don't find it too common now.
Cooler parts of Phoenix in the summer?? Northern Arizona is cooler. 2 months out of the year?? Late May to late October in the 100 + range. You can look at weather underground. com to see the temps those months.

[Zathras]

Originally Posted by No Strings Attached

Hi everyone!

I have an opportunity to transfer to the
Phoenix area with my job and am looking for advice to take the plunge or not.

What are some of the best neighborhoods around Phoenix to raise a family?


I understand the heat is insane, how specifically in the Phoenix area is it? Are there any cooler parts? My buddy tells me that 2 mos out of the year its do-not-go-out weather but that for the rest of the year its not so bad.


That pretty much sums it up! I just don't want to end up regretting my choice, baking in the sun with nothing to do and no gf to visit!

Stay cool!

How soon do you have to make your decision? If you have awhile you should make a weekend visit and look around.
As for the neighborhoods- there are good ones in nice suburbs in every direction. You should concentrate on the areas that are near where your job will be. The Phoenix metro is one of the largest in the country and very spread out. While the highway system is pretty decent here relatively speaking, it makes sense to try to keep the commute as short as you can.

The heat will be blazing- but keep in mind that when it hits 100 here it is not really that uncomfortable. It will 'feel' quite a few degrees cooler than what you're used to thinking 100 is. You'll walk outside at 4pm and think 'holy crap it's hot it must be 95 degrees out here!' and then you'll find out it's 105.
Of course when it hits 115 that's a different story.. Time to find a pool and some Dos Equis....

But the tradeoff is that you won't have to shovel snow and scrape ice off your car in the winter.

[AZgarden]

You need to schedule a week's vacation for this summer, in the heat of the fire. Take a look around, see if you like what you see, then buy a place to live, pronto. Prices are rising. TV said Phoenix prices are trending up and will rise 6% by next March. Whoopee !

[AZPam]

I agree, come out for a visit first! I really do think moving to the west coast from the east coast is like moving to a totally different country. It's just that different, at least in my opinion.

[43north87west]

I came from back east. In my opinion, there is a big difference between people. It's not something that you can trust someone else to explain to you, as much as it is something you'll realize after living here for a while. Because where you live is normal for you, explaining "normal" elsewhere is very difficult. Generally speaking, people are more courteous and less officious out here. What you might consider rather normal, could be construed as brash or offensive, in Phoenix.

Also, people out here keep to themselves more than back east. That's just how it is.

IMO, everything 100 degrees or under is fine. There are a couple of months where temps go well beyond that, and it is hot. There is some on and off humidity during summer (monsoon storms) but it's nothing like what you are used to in the Mid Atlantic states. I'm pretty much a snowbird, but I do spend some time here in summer, traveling back and forth very frequently. No amount of heat keeps me from walking around downtown or hauling my rollaboard to and from the light rail stop, even in the middle of summer at 5 in the afternoon. Even when it's smoking hot outside, I always think back to those rotten winter days back east or in the Midwest. I'll take the heat any day.

Scottsdale is the place if nightlife is your thing. I lived in Scottsdale for a few years when I first moved out here, and it was an excellent choice. Plenty of singles too. If you work downtown, you might consider living downtown. There are a number of very nice places to live, and there is plenty to do, if you like the sort of things available downtown. There are plenty of places to get a drink and some food, because of all of the sports venues, hotels, convention center, etc. Downtown ranges from very quiet at night, to very busy. It all depends on what is happening on a given evening. It's not a nightlife destination like Scottsdale though.

Air quality ranges from good to bad. Particulates are a common air quality problem out here, for obvious reasons. We have plenty of urban area air quality issues too.

Edit: Agree with above posters who say come out for a while. You need to, because it is pretty much the opposite of where you are coming from.