Why Live in Phoenix Instead of LA? (Tucson, Miami: home, pros and cons)

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by eastontracks

I'll give my few cents on the two cities as I currently live in Houston but lived in LA, spent time in Phoenix and recently vacationed in both cities;

I wanted to visit Phoenix as Im considering Arizona as a relocation spot & also around this time of year since I knew it'd be hot.

I had a good time in Phoenix but it's definitely hot. Even coming from Houston with 90's temps and humidity, it's pretty brutal. We did some hiking in south mountain and caught a great sunset. The outdoor activities is a big plus but I just don't see myself living there anymore. We went to a dbacks game (baseball fan) and just wasn't into it. Rude McGee sat right next to us and said "these are my seats, scoot over" while waving his hands to motion us over. Sorry for accidentally sitting in one of your seats lol. Some had flags they'd wave which I've never seen before at a baseball game. I just wasn't feeling the vibe. Even elsewhere I didn't feel the friendliness as I imagined. The city itself doesn't feel progressive enough to live there.

Los Angeles was awesome as usual. You really can't compare phx and LA. Weather is cooler, even more inland. Progressive city, more things to do all around. I just love the vibe, beaches, outdoor attractions, etc.

So after my vacation it made me think how I'd love to be back in LA but with the cost of living, it's unrealistic at the time. Before the trip I considered phx since it's close by and has many attractions too. Instead, id rather stay in Tx and live in the texas hill country (SA-Austin) as they're both on the same level as phx and move to LA if/when the opportunity/timing comes.

Thanks for your honesty. Sorry you had to experience the rudeness at the baseball game, but glad you got clarity on what move you should make. By the way, I briefly lived in Austin and worked in the hill country and it is beautiful. Good luck!

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by jmac84

Wrong.....

Better quality of life, correct. There are variables other than money that gives you a better quality of life....... A lot of other variables!!!

I just came back from Boise Idaho.....

Everything clean, clean, and clean. Lakes, rivers, trees, plush lawns, nice fantastic neighborhoods, clear skies, mountains, rolling hills, Snake River (what a site!!) and super affordability.

LA people believe LA is the end all and be all city of the U.S. and if you move it is purely because you can't afford it

I think if the people of LA left LA sometimes (if they could afford to!!) and traveled to different cities, then they would see why a lot of people move.

LA has a high today of 79.

Phoenix will be 109.

I love how some people sneak that into the middle of their posts that LA does have better weather, because it does.

Not everyone wants to spend months on end going from the A/C house, to A/C car(which better be kept in a garage if you like your paint and the inside of your car to last), to the A/C store, to drive back to the garage to get into the A/C house.

Phoenix is great in the winter months, sorry I find it uninhabitable for a good portion of the year.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

I once heard the term "Golden triangle" used to describe the Southwest U.S.

The Golden Triangle is unique in that it is the area with the fastest growing population of elderly, middle aged and young people. It goes roughly from the LA-SD-Palm Springs Area over to Phoenix/Tucson and back up to Las Vegas/Henderson. The Golden Triangle is an area that is interconnected in a triad of geography, population and economics.

It's part of the Sun Belt, but is distinct from other Sun Belt places like Texas, New Mexico and Florida.

Interesting, I have never heard it referred to in that way before

[asufan]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

LA has a high today of 79.

Phoenix will be 109.

I love how some people sneak that into the middle of their posts that LA does have better weather, because it does.

Not everyone wants to spend months on end going from the A/C house, to A/C car(which better be kept in a garage if you like your paint and the inside of your car to last), to the A/C store, to drive back to the garage to get into the A/C house.

Yep, weather is definitely better there. Although a large part of "LA" that many upper income people enjoy is actually in the San Fernando Valley where it can be much warmer. Most of my posts in this thread have been about OC which I prefer to LA and also has better weather than LA (I lived in the San Fernando Valley prior to OC so I have experience with both).

Having said that, many people such as myself don't wuss out of outdoor activities here in the Summer. I still jog many mornings, my 6 year old just completed an 8 game football season last week, and I get lots of pool time in, typically 5 days a week or more. It's not like Louisiana or Missouri or countless other states with the suffocating humidity, it's actually not that hard to deal with the heat here if you aren't elderly or severely out of shape.

[eastontracks]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

Thanks for your honesty. Sorry you had to experience the rudeness at the baseball game, but glad you got clarity on what move you should make. By the way, I briefly lived in Austin and worked in the hill country and it is beautiful. Good luck!

No worries but def will be back for another visit. I still love that area, the scenery, casinos and spring training baseball

[motormaker]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

Not really, lately. We've got water from Lake Mead (which we share with Arizona). We've also got water stored in the reservoirs that surround L.A. which originates in Northern California or the Eastern Sierra.

You might be thinking of Las Vegas, which is locked in a battle with ranchers in Northern Nevada over water use?

Lake Mead water level is not looking to good.

Lake Mead Water Graphs

[deboinair]

I lived in LA as til my teen years than to Miami. I have friends in the Phoenix area and I've visited several times on extended vacation. AZRiver hits on all the points WHY I would take Phoenix over Miami or LA. It depends on what you want out of life. To me, it's easy to just hope on the plane and enjoy those cities for vacation than to deal with the daily aggravation living there. Right now I'm stuck with this condo, but the market is looking good. Plan on putting it up for sale in September, than off to Phoenix.

[jmac84]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

Everyone whose bashing LA over air quality probably hasn't been here since the 1980s. L.A.'s air is so much cleaner now thanks to new emissions standards in California. The only area around LA with any smog issue is usually the foothills around San Bernardino. On the contrast, I have been in Phoenix when there is heavy smog to the point where you can't even see Camelback.

I'm not going to judge Phoenix's air quality, though, because I understand that it's a growing city and it hasn't caught up to the reality that more people equals more emissions, which equals more smog.

I can see Camelback everyday from South Mountain, every day. I can Glendale Stadium everyday. Visually (can't measure the PM10) our quality is definitely better than LA.

[jmac84]

Originally Posted by asufan

Water sustainability is actually a bigger problem in Southern California though.

It is. I was just there and they (KTLA Morning News) talked about the water shortage and drought for the entire week.

[jmac84]

Originally Posted by sunluv

Interesting that everyone seems to think that the LA Mediterranean climate is so much better than the desert weather here.

As far as I'm concerned, speaking for those who came here in large part though not entirely for the climate, who are NOT blaise about the weather here unlike the vast majority here who are, I can say that other than the current summer heat from about 11 am - 6 pm daily, all the rest of the year the weather is better here than Cali. The winter weather in California is not nearly as good, both because of the cold temps and high chill factor due to high humidity coupled with storms off the ocean there, most of which burn off before they get to Phoenix. Other than the abovementioned heat issue listed above, the weather is better most of the year-far less clouds and rain, and clearer skies. And the dryness here is fabulous-LA doesn't have that.

Unfortunately, it's usually though not always the transplants here who appreciate the weather, as opposed to the long-time residents here who never go outside and are oblivious to it, never getting to the back yard let alone walking or riding a bike. Incidentally, Mike Orr of the Cromford Report agrees with me, and moved here from California in part because of the superior weather here in comparison with Cali. Another foreigner who grew up with bad weather, who appreciates the great weather here and throughout the SW.

LA would be better for someone, often but not always younger, who wants to experience the big city, which comes at costs as the traffic there is horrendous, as are the rents.

BTW I lived in NYC for a long time and would take the summers here over those in NYC. NYC like LA, is filled with young 'uns who are willing to put up with low qualities of life, cramped accomodations and horrible commutes in order to live the big city life, which makes sense at the time. Only to move on to more pleasant environs in middle age.

Close on the 11am-6pm, I'd say (for me) 9-9:30 until 6pm. But in the summer SoCal is waaayy better.