Thinking of relocating to Arizona (Phoenix, Mesa: real estate, houses, find a job)

[ToyLuv313]

Thanks everyone! All responses are appreciated and helpful. I have been looking at homes in Avondale, Chandler, Tempe, and Mesa. Scottsdale and Glendale will also be on the list...

[observer53]

Originally Posted by SmurfOnABoat

Medical depending on what you do will land you a job almost anywhere... Usually always a place for an IT Professional...

The better job markets (with jobs that have decent incomes) will reside in the bigger cities, Phoenix and its suburbs (Scottsdale, Glendale, Surprise, Gilbert etc....)

Tucson has many jobs to offer to, just depends on what you do and/or are willing to do.

Many people believe there arent many jobs out there, its not the fact that the jobs arent available, its the fact that its not the jobs THEY WANT. If you look, and have a decent resume, you can land a job. Even if only a job to get you on your feet while your hunt for a more desirable job...

People often lose perspective of that.

Good luck with everything and trust (most) of the knowledge on this board. Its here and these people know what they are talking about!!! Great community.

I have survived the Detroit, MI to Arizona transition and back, and limbo between them for a few more months. AZ is where its at!!!

Originally Posted by ToyLuv313

Thanks everyone! All responses are appreciated and helpful. I have been looking at homes in Avondale, Chandler, Tempe, and Mesa. Scottsdale and Glendale will also be on the list...

There are relatively few employers in Surprise, far more in the other large Phoenix suburbs.

To the OP-- You are considering cities that are literally all over the map, 50 plus miles apart in some cases. Find the job first, and rent for a while before you buy anything... you need to get familiar with where you are living to know where you really want to live, and to avoid making an expensive mistake.

[ToyLuv313]

Originally Posted by observer53

To the OP-- You are considering cities that are literally all over the map, 50 plus miles apart in some cases. Find the job first, and rent for a while before you buy anything... you need to get familiar with where you are living to know where you really want to live, and to avoid making an expensive mistake.

Yeah I can see it from that standpoint as well, however, I was trying to look at what would be my home life (price range and the look of the property, as well as location), then look at jobs in the surrounding areas and consider the commute. I would hate to find a good job, then find housing; especially if I don't like the location, or look of the house. Convenience is great, but peace of mind and being comfortable is just as great, if not better. I guess its a flip of the coin either way.

[SmurfOnABoat]

Originally Posted by observer53

There are relatively few employers in Surprise, far more in the other large Phoenix suburbs.

When I stated surprise, I wasnt very clear. All I was listing was the suburbs of Phoenix, not meaning this is the best place to look for jobs. Simply stating the best places to find a job will be in the bigger cities and its suburbs (proceeding to list some of the suburbs of Phoenix).

Sorry for the confusion.... And there are still jobs to be had in Surprise! Esp if your a teacher!

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by SmurfOnABoat

When I stated surprise, I wasnt very clear. All I was listing was the suburbs of Phoenix, not meaning this is the best place to look for jobs. Simply stating the best places to find a job will be in the bigger cities and its suburbs (proceeding to list some of the suburbs of Phoenix).

Sorry for the confusion.... And there are still jobs to be had in Surprise! Esp if your a teacher!

Surprise is really far from everything to be honest. It's a nice community, but has fewer opportunities as opposed to (Phx, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Mesa,). It's really difficult to get a feel for an area through the Internet, especially an area as spread out as Phoenix. If I were you, I'd definitely try to secure a job here first. Having said that, it's a catch-22 because many companies no longer want to pay for relocation fees and some will not hire unless you are local.

[Steve Pickering]

Did the same thing. Don't move without a job carved in stone. Never "NEVER" quit a job to go where you don't have one. I did the Oregon to Michigan (Born there) to Texas to Arizona thing. Back to Oregon now with stops in Tennessee, Indiana, Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Others not necessarily in that order.

[sh9730]

Moderator cut: snip One other thing you havent provided at all is your budget? As a rule, the further out from the Phx downtown (in any direction) the more house you ll get. As others have said, the commute from chandler to North Phoenix wouldnt be a fun one, so it would be great to know if you had at least an idea where you might be working.

And you said you crossed off Maricopa because of the commute someone mentioned, but then later said area is more important than a commute? You also said you dont want to live in the middle of a big city. In Phoenix, there is no real break between suburbs like in the midwest - you literally go from city to city and dont even realize it. Maricopa or Casa Grande to MANY of the tech type jobs may not be that bad at all - 30-40 mins - and both of those cities are actually removed (because of Indian Reservation) from the Phx metro. That commute may or may not be too much, depending on how much house you want, or can afford.

Hence, back to the budget question - how much do you want to spend on housing?

[normcrok8]

Originally Posted by ToyLuv313

Good day all! I currently reside in Michigan but I am looking to relocate to a city with better opportunities for my children (lower crime rate, better education, sports and recreation, etc.). I was heavenly considering Texas, but further research is drawing me to Arizona! I am looking for all opinions on the many different states here that would be a better fit for the needs of my family.
I LOVE THE HEAT! I know it gets EXTREMELY hot here. I am AA, so I definitely want to be in an area that is culturally diverse.
What cities are up-and-coming? Where is the best place for great employment opportunities?

DO MORE RESEARCH AND LOOK OUTSIDE ARIZONA IF YOU WANT THOSE THINGS. It has no culture, no diversity, a very high rate of violent crime (even in many decent neighborhoods in the PHX area), no jobs to speak of unless U want to work at Walmart, and ranks almost DEAD LAST in education. There are many people like you who only THINK they like the heat and then think otherwise when the reality hits, especially when the heat lasts for over half the year. I seriously suggest you do more research. As for me, I will be moving from AZ back to Michigan within the next few months. AZ is HIGHLY overrated its not even funny. Colorado and Washington are much better alternatives to AZ..

[normcrok8]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

Arizona will continue to grow because it offers a different lifestyle than all of the other large cities--the desert!

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that isnt true anymore. U grossly over-estimate climate as a deciding factor where to move. According to USA Today last July, people are now moving for economic reasons. People know that sunshine, mountains and dry air dont give you a paycheck or standard of living. In using climate to determine where to live, AZ also falls way short. Most people do not like 115-degrees for 6 months at a time. AZ falls extrmely short on everything.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by normcrok8

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that isnt true anymore. U grossly over-estimate climate as a deciding factor where to move. According to USA Today last July, people are now moving for economic reasons. People know that sunshine, mountains and dry air dont give you a paycheck or standard of living. In using climate to determine where to live, AZ also falls way short. Most people do not like 115-degrees for 6 months at a time. AZ falls extrmely short on everything.

That is not what he said. He said we have something no other place does - the desert - and he is right. The Sonoran desert is UNIQUE in the entire world, much less the US. There is nowhere else you can move and find the flora and fauna found in the Sonoran. Everywhere has its oaks and pines and grass, but only we have saguaros and gila monsters. Living in a place like no other on earth is kind of fascinating for many of us.