Fountain Hills - Gay Friendly (Neutral)? (Phoenix, Tucson: HOA, neighborhood, buy)

[Ponderosa]

You should quit worrying about it and go live wherever you want to. Real card-carrying bigots are far and few between in these parts. And your garden-variety bigots are not going to do any more than whisper behind your back for a while till they get used to the idea. Seriously, unless you are actually looking for a community where GLBT is the norm then I would not give a second thought to living anywhere in the metro.

[BabsJohnson]

Ponderosa has it right. Live where you want. I don't see much for young people in their 30's to do there. A night on the town in Payson? Beware of people who tell you that they are, "Strict Constitutionalists." That's code for their view of the constitution. I would think you could find more friends in Tempe, Phoenix or Scottsdale. Avoid areas with white churches with tall pointy steeples or vehicles with, "God bless America," bumper stickers. The last time I saw Fountain Hills was decades ago. I saw the geyser geys and asked, "Is that all there is?"

[ExChicagoan]

Originally Posted by BabsJohnson

Ponderosa has it right. Live where you want. I don't see much for young people in their 30's to do there. A night on the town in Payson? Beware of people who tell you that they are, "Strict Constitutionalists." That's code for their view of the constitution. I would think you could find more friends in Tempe, Phoenix or Scottsdale. Avoid areas with white churches with tall pointy steeples or vehicles with, "God bless America," bumper stickers. The last time I saw Fountain Hills was decades ago. I saw the geyser geys and asked, "Is that all there is?"

Haha, good info! Most of our friends are in Scottsdale so the 20 minute drive down Shea isn't a big deal when we want to socialize. We probably will end up staying in Scottsdale but saw a couple houses in FH that looked intriguing enough. Decisions, decisions...

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by ExChicagoan

Haha, good info! Most of our friends are in Scottsdale so the 20 minute drive down Shea isn't a big deal when we want to socialize. We probably will end up staying in Scottsdale but saw a couple houses in FH that looked intriguing enough. Decisions, decisions...

I think the advantage to FH is that it is a little less city and has more small town feel to it than much of the metro. It is a real plus if you are the outdoor type as it is a stone's throw from Saguaro Lake and an easy drive to the Rim and beyond.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

....remember Arizona is the only state that had a popular vote to approve an MLK Day...admittedly, the state also voted to amend the constitution to a man-and-woman marriage thing, too....

In fairness, Arizona has been on both sides of both of those issues. The holiday was voted down before it was approved, and the marriage deal was also voted down once before approved.

[jiminaz]

Originally Posted by CheyDee

Whoa! Where did I write that you said they are bible-thumpers?

I spoke about my experiences and interpretations, just as you spoke about yours. Many Democrats do indeed equate Arizona Conservatives as similar in type to many found in the bible-belt; I posted to say that while some may be, since I don't pretend to know everyone, the ones I have met are not.

Many of the ones that I have met don't claim to be Bible Thumpers either. But they sure don't like gays.
I only got angry with your stereotyping of Democrats. Democrats do it to Republicans as well.

That's why this country is such a freakin mess.

Anyway...peace and love. No hard feelings.

[SpeedyAZ]

Originally Posted by ExChicagoan

I'm not the PDA type because that simply makes me uncomfortable, but I really hate that double standard. It is what it is, but it bothers me because that always seems to come up.

It is a double standard but our lives are plagued with double standards...you just have to accept them. It's still customary for men to hold the door open for a lady, I grew up in a household where men earned the money and women were supposed to clean/cook/take care of the household, etc. Some things will never change.

I wouldn't entirely discount Fountain Hills because it IS such a beautiful area but there are quite a few retirees who live their full time or snowbird to FH in the winter. It's a wealthy, conservative enclave by any definition. The cost of living isn't necessarily cheaper than Scottsdale either...the housing market is FH may not go to the eight figure range but I'd hardly call the area "affordable". If you can afford Fountain Hills, chances are you could find a nice place in Scottsdale if you look hard enough. What exactly is your budget? If it's anything north of $400K, you should find a decent house in Scottsdale somewhere and honestly...below $400K isn't going to buy a lot in Fountain Hills either.

Many of the ones that I have met don't claim to be Bible Thumpers either. But they sure don't like gays.
I only got angry with your stereotyping of Democrats. Democrats do it to Republicans as well.

I'm a fiscally and socially conservative Republican and many of my friends are the same but there's also a large portion of the laissez faire conservatives in this state who are liberal on social issues.

[ExChicagoan]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

It is a double standard but our lives are plagued with double standards...you just have to accept them. It's still customary for men to hold the door open for a lady, I grew up in a household where men earned the money and women were supposed to clean/cook/take care of the household, etc. Some things will never change.

I wouldn't entirely discount Fountain Hills because it IS such a beautiful area but there are quite a few retirees who live their full time or snowbird to FH in the winter. It's a wealthy, conservative enclave by any definition. The cost of living isn't necessarily cheaper than Scottsdale either...the housing market is FH may not go to the eight figure range but I'd hardly call the area "affordable". If you can afford Fountain Hills, chances are you could find a nice place in Scottsdale if you look hard enough. What exactly is your budget? If it's anything north of $400K, you should find a decent house in Scottsdale somewhere and honestly...below $400K isn't going to buy a lot in Fountain Hills either.



I'm a fiscally and socially conservative Republican and many of my friends are the same but there's also a large portion of the laissez faire conservatives in this state who are liberal on social issues.

We're looking up to $550K. I know we can find a nice place in either area. I just don't want to live next to the "socially conservative" type that is going to have a problem with me before even getting to know me.

[SpeedyAZ]

Originally Posted by ExChicagoan

We're looking up to $550K. I know we can find a nice place in either area. I just don't want to live next to the "socially conservative" type that is going to have a problem with me before even getting to know me.

In the $500K range, you should be able to buy a nice place almost anywhere in the Valley, I don't necessarily agree that you'll get a bigger place in FH than you will in Scottsdale. The closer you are to downtown Scottsdale, the more liberal/artsy the atmosphere will be and perhaps you'll be more comfortable in a community closer to the downtown area than you would in a suburb in either city.

I'm socially conservative and I don't have a problem with gays...I just have a different point of view. I have a strong Catholic background which has shaped my social views and I tend to stick to those views because they're part of my religion. I'm not an intolerant person though and as long as you have no problem with me or my point of view, I have no problem with you or your lifestyle.

Live and let live.

[jiminaz]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

It is a double standard but our lives are plagued with double standards...you just have to accept them. It's still customary for men to hold the door open for a lady, I grew up in a household where men earned the money and women were supposed to clean/cook/take care of the household, etc. Some things will never change.

I wouldn't entirely discount Fountain Hills because it IS such a beautiful area but there are quite a few retirees who live their full time or snowbird to FH in the winter. It's a wealthy, conservative enclave by any definition. The cost of living isn't necessarily cheaper than Scottsdale either...the housing market is FH may not go to the eight figure range but I'd hardly call the area "affordable". If you can afford Fountain Hills, chances are you could find a nice place in Scottsdale if you look hard enough. What exactly is your budget? If it's anything north of $400K, you should find a decent house in Scottsdale somewhere and honestly...below $400K isn't going to buy a lot in Fountain Hills either.



I'm a fiscally and socially conservative Republican and many of my friends are the same but there's also a large portion of the laissez faire conservatives in this state who are liberal on social issues.

I agree with SpeedyAZ about the cost of living in Fountain Hills. It is not much cheaper than Scottsdale.
Usually the good deals are on older homes that will end up costing you money down the road.

And if you live deep in Fountain Hills, you will find that the commute to Scottsdale down Shea Blvd. to do anything gets to be a real pain in the butt over time. Not to mention the cops just waiting to give you a ticket. That's why the old folks love it here. They almost never leave town.