Good Lord it's STILL too hot!!! (Phoenix, Tucson: foreclosure, rental, condo)

[sheena]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Sheena, I suggest we start our own thread bitching about the cold! I'm sure it'll get a lot of hits on the main page and will bring a lot of out-of-staters chastising us and possibly offering us mental-health services!

No doubt I need mental health services.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by sheena

No doubt I need mental health services.

LOL . . . OUCH!

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by sheena

No doubt I need mental health services.

[xwideopenskyx]

Originally Posted by socrates1234

You don't see people migrating from blue-collar meccas like Phoenix and Vegas because they could not find blue-collar work as readily, and get compensated for the same as much. The reason it is one way is simple and two-fold. First, retirees move to where it's warm. They may even have a primary home in the north/east, but they will spend much time in area, and even many of them may go back for the summers. Phoenix and Vegas are meccas for outsourced/laid off blue collar workers from all over the USA. Rapid growth keeps them employed, and busy, unlike from whence they came. It is largely non-union, and does not pay half of what unions paid, but it is steady work. They are not going back because they have been economic outcasts of their respective cities, That is why you see so many low-end apartment complexes. The folks that come here are last-chance folks, looking for work they cannot find from where they came. With the Real Estate slowdown, they will be in almost the same position as the hispanic legal and illegal hispanic immigrants, from whom they fight an ever losing fight for a living wage, and lose.......desperation keeps them from going back, is all...

Wow! Let's see......I am a white-collar worker and I resigned from a good paying job in Cleveland for an even better paying white-collar job in Tucson. I have decades to retirement and was able to purchase a ranch on acreage.
So, I don't believe that I fit your stereotype, as you described above.

Retired folks and outcasts are not the only people relocating to AZ these days since I know many who relocate here for better job opportunities and overall a better quality of life.

I relocated here in 2006, that year 3 of my coworkers in Cleveland have also resigned and relocated to Phoenix. Each one of them has found better paying jobs. They live in better (new) houses here instead of 50-80 year old wrecks back east. Just like myself they are enjoying plenty of outdoor activities in the sunny state of AZ.

On the subject of heat ---- Only natives have the right to complain about the heat since they could use a change and they may or may not know how winters really feel like. Anyone from the midwest, northeast or the east coast who relocated here and is complaining about the heat, pleeeeeease! If you can't stand the heat get out of the frying pan!

[xwideopenskyx]

Originally Posted by heatwaveaz

Exactly, do they not watch the news? Did they really think the temperatures would drop by 20 degrees in the summer once they moved? Did they suddenly think it would start snowing in November so they coul do all these winter sports? If they hate heat and love winter activities then why would you move to Phoenix of all places. I not only ask why they moved here but why do they remain here? Okay, now you know what the heat is like and you hate it so leave!You hate everything about this city so why have you decided to remain here for the last 10 years? Yeah, I don't get it either. These people are crazy

HaHa! I totally agree!

[heatwaveaz]

Originally Posted by socrates1234

You don't see people migrating from blue-collar meccas like Phoenix and Vegas because they could not find blue-collar work as readily, and get compensated for the same as much. The reason it is one way is simple and two-fold. First, retirees move to where it's warm. They may even have a primary home in the north/east, but they will spend much time in area, and even many of them may go back for the summers. Phoenix and Vegas are meccas for outsourced/laid off blue collar workers from all over the USA. Rapid growth keeps them employed, and busy, unlike from whence they came. It is largely non-union, and does not pay half of what unions paid, but it is steady work. They are not going back because they have been economic outcasts of their respective cities, That is why you see so many low-end apartment complexes. The folks that come here are last-chance folks, looking for work they cannot find from where they came. With the Real Estate slowdown, they will be in almost the same position as the hispanic legal and illegal hispanic immigrants, from whom they fight an ever losing fight for a living wage, and lose.......desperation keeps them from going back, is all...

Your post lacks insight and accuracy. Phoenix is not a blue collar mecca by any means. Blue collar workers are concentrated in cities that rely upon manufacturing. Manufacturing jobs are located in cities like Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and several cities in New Jersey. Phoenix and Las Vegas are not manufacturing cities to say the least. The only blue collar industry in Phoenix is construction and that industry relies upon illegals so blue collar workers from other states are hesitant to move here and compete with them. Second, the cost of living is higher here than many other cities. This is also one of the more expensive rental cities in the country. The cost of living in Phoenix continues to increase as well. If the population growth consisted mostly of a rise in the blue collar work force, our cost of living would remain stable or decrease as the ability to afford goods and services would decrease thus prices would fall to meet that demand; this is macroeconomics 101. This is why your assertion couldn't be more false.

The increased number of jobs in the Phoenix market is occurring in the consumer and service driven markets like banking, real estate, law, healthcare, retail and food services. With the growth of the valley, the number of jobs to meet the demands of this growing population increases. When the primary industries in the midwest and northeast have deteriorated like the automobile and manufacturing industries, people don't have the income to purchase goods and services. Therefore, the real estate workers, restauranteurs, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and store owners that served those industries move to Phoenix where there services are still in demand. The blue collar workers in those manufacturing industries don't move to Phoenix where there are no jobs, they move to cities that employ their particular trade or skill set(ie: South Carolina employing ex-Detroit automobile workers)

[jessiesma]

Originally Posted by heatwaveaz

Your post lacks insight and accuracy. Phoenix is not a blue collar mecca by any means. Blue collar workers are concentrated in cities that rely upon manufacturing. Manufacturing jobs are located in cities like Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and several cities in New Jersey. Phoenix and Las Vegas are not manufacturing cities to say the least. The only blue collar industry in Phoenix is construction and that industry relies upon illegals so blue collar workers from other states are hesitant to move here and compete with them. Second, the cost of living is higher here than many other cities. This is also one of the more expensive rental cities in the country. The cost of living in Phoenix continues to increase as well. If the population growth consisted mostly of a rise in the blue collar work force, our cost of living would remain stable or decrease as the ability to afford goods and services would decrease thus prices would fall to meet that demand; this is macroeconomics 101. This is why your assertion couldn't be more false.

The increased number of jobs in the Phoenix market is occurring in the consumer and service driven markets like banking, real estate, law, healthcare, retail and food services. With the growth of the valley, the number of jobs to meet the demands of this growing population increases. When the primary industries in the midwest and northeast have deteriorated like the automobile and manufacturing industries, people don't have the income to purchase goods and services. Therefore, the real estate workers, restauranteurs, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and store owners that served those industries move to Phoenix where there services are still in demand. The blue collar workers in those manufacturing industries don't move to Phoenix where there are no jobs, they move to cities that employ their particular trade or skill set(ie: South Carolina employing ex-Detroit automobile workers)

heatwaveaz: you're right about the job situation and even more mfg. jobs are going away but I beg to differ about the cost of rentals. We are actively searching and I have to say they are on par with ANYPLACE that had jobs to offer that pay more than minimum wage. One thing driving renet prices is the unfortunate increase in foreclosures. Those folks have to live someplace and while they may not be able to afford say15k a month 11K may be doable. We have this problem in FL too only wages are still pretty low. e.g. my husband is currently just substitute teaching and only makes $70/day. That's roughly 7/hr. with the minimum wage here at 6.75. While some districts in the Phoenix area also pay that little, several pay much more up to 100/day. In addition, some of our schools are set to close due to dwindling enrollment. You pay a few cents LESS for gas this week than we do and your food is WAY cheaper if you don't buy a lot of packaged goods. I mean, because our oranges are juice oranges and there aren't enough of those, ONE navel, just one, single orange runs around $1.29. Other fresh produce is the same. We have a farmers mkt. but because it's on Sat. we can't participate. Oh, and utilities? someone posted that her 3/2 condo was running a combined total, elec. and gas about $40-45/mo. In our 1/1 we are running around $90-120 total elect.with no washer/dryer, frugal on heat (when needed) and a/c and very few electronics. (That big screen HDTV just has to wait)
The same poster said her sewer/water is I think $17/ mo. Ours is $25.
Thriving metro areas are pretty comparable in cost of living. Some aren't even thriving and ahve gotten outrageous. My daughter lives in New Orleans and it's actually cheaper for her to move to Hawaii!Now she's a bit off the grid but she wants a house and the shack she lives in, I mean a shack, is out of her range. It is one of the few Shotguns that didn't take water during Katrina. But are there jobs in N.O.? NO! not good ones that can pay 400K for a dump. Mobile may be affordable but last time we checked, subs were being paid $40/day, not even minimum wage.
BTW: he's subbing because we hit a bump in the road of life and are trying to get back up. OK I'm getting cliche-ish so time to go.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by sheena

No doubt I need mental health services.

Does anyone find this quote to myself insulting? Thanks for the red dot, I guess someone was trying to protect me from insulting myself

I just want to thank the person for having my back.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by sheena

Does anyone find this quote to myself insulting? Thanks for the red dot, I guess someone was trying to protect me from insulting myself

I just want to thank the person for having my back.

Ha, what a coincidence! We've been protected together, sista!

[sheena]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Ha, what a coincidence! We've been protected together, sista!

That's funny