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hello Encinitas - think long and hard befor leaving sunny san diego. I did and I regret it. I am a california native and after 12 years in Phoenix I still have trouble with the climate and the people. It is very hot and although the west side is affordable, you will need to make sure you stay in the northern parts of the cities, Arrowhead and north phoenix with is next to Glendale would be a very nice comfortable and affordable lifestyle and the schools are good too. The summers are unbearable and although we are quite close to SD, sometimes life's responsibilities make it hard to get back to the beach for even a weekend. This is a very conservative state, the people don't come out in the summer - because it is so hot. I don't want to say the people are rude, but not overly friendly like you may find in the beach communities.
Let's just say there is a reason SD is so expensive, but you pay for what you get. Good Luck.
You get what you pay for, I believe is what you mean. San Diego routinely is ranked as one of the top cities in the country to live in, and for good reason. Near-perfect weather year-round, fantastic, vibrant and exciting downtown where people live, work, and have access to abundant cultural and entertainment activities, beautiful port and waterfront, the beach (of course) with the terrific associated communities, a predominantly educated and friendly adult population... I could go on and on. There are great communities and developments downtown and nearby like the Gaslamp District, Old Town, Coronado, and the University District. You won't find anything remotely resembling those types of areas in $&*^-ville, er, I mean Phoenix.
What you will find here is a small, mostly deserted and lifeless downtown with surrounding crime-filled and blighted neighborhoods, an overwhemingly uneducated, uncultured, and shallow young adult population (many of whom like to "pretend" that they're living in California), sprawl as far as the eye can see, pollution, much higher crime, dangerously uncomfortable weather for half the year, no beach, and a brown, dusty desert landscape. Hmmm, I wonder why it's so much cheaper to live here than San Diego? It's a big mystery to me.
You get what you pay for, I believe is what you mean. San Diego routinely is ranked as one of the top cities in the country to live in, and for good reason. Near-perfect weather year-round, fantastic, vibrant and exciting downtown where people live, work, and have access to abundant cultural and entertainment activities, beautiful port and waterfront, the beach (of course) with the terrific associated communities, a predominantly educated and friendly adult population... I could go on and on. There are great communities and developments downtown and nearby like the Gaslamp District, Old Town, Coronado, and the University District. You won't find anything remotely resembling those types of areas in $&*^-ville, er, I mean Phoenix.
What you will find here is a small, mostly deserted and lifeless downtown with surrounding crime-filled and blighted neighborhoods, an overwhemingly uneducated, uncultured, and shallow young adult population (many of whom like to "pretend" that they're living in California), sprawl as far as the eye can see, pollution, much higher crime, dangerously uncomfortable weather for half the year, no beach, and a brown, dusty desert landscape. Hmmm, I wonder why it's so much cheaper to live here than San Diego? It's a big mystery to me.
I totally agree here with Steve... BUT, now that prices have escalated out of control I wouldn't say its SO much cheaper to live here than San Diego...
At one time the ONLY thing Phoenix had going for it was cheap real estate, and now that it doesn't even have that anymore, you see the market is stagnating.
Furthermore, I wouldn't even say you get what you pay for in Metro Phoenix... Actually, you get far less than you should for putting up with this desolate landscape.
The only people I find that love it here are those people that are retreating from a lifetime of cold winters, but even after so long, most of them go back too saying they miss the seasons and the family they left behind.
Of course few live at the beach and few live anywhere near downtown SD or the tony Gaslight District, blah, blah, blah. That's tourist stuff. Most live in aging neighborhoods where they no longer can afford the taxes, special assessments, deal on a daily basis with unfathomable congestion, pollution, illegals, crime and (shudder) liberals. They can't afford to move up to a new home in a nice suburb in SD so they come to Phoenix for relief. SD county has lost thousands upon thousands to Maricopa County - aka Phoenix - and Riverside County, CA. In fact, the only growth going on there anymore is births and immigration. I suppose if you are staying, that is good news.
Tempe town lake? You mean the salt river flat bed that was dammed and flooded with a plane flying over every two seconds which isn't even a real lake? Yeah, they flooded the bed, and then due to concerns over West Nile Virus dumped a ton of pesticides in it. Yeah, I want to eat anything out of that stagnant hole or even stick my foot in it. Far as the other in town "lakes" you mention, it's just the same, although they may "look better."
Furthermore, what's with the canned response? You have to post chamber of commerce websites? ****. If you know of something good, share it. Otherwise, you can just post chamber of commerce stuff and then everyone will get your level of knowledge of this place.
Ha ha... couldn't agree more... that is the truth.
I do know this person is trying to sell their home right now from other posts they have written, so its important for others to understand there are *sometimes* ulterior motives behind some posts that offer nothing but peaches and cream.
Fact of the matter is you are living in the middle of the desert, and all forms of lush green grass don't belong, usually lakes don't either & certainly not lakes that are conveniently located in the middle of a community neighborhood.
I personally find it frustrating living in a place that is ALWAYS *simulating* somewhere else. The real identity of this place is disguised by neatly manicured flowery landscapes. I sometimes wonder how long it can go on before nature finally wins and take the land back for what it is.... (probably not too long... if everyones automatic sprinklers didn't go off for a couple days in the summer, it would all fry and return to the desert that it really is)
There is beauty in the desert, and I photograph it often, and the amazing sunsets too... but if you are going to want to bring san diego with you so you can try to forget where you really are, it will get old and you will long to go back to the real thing... I swear.
Ha ha... couldn't agree more... that is the truth.
I do know this person is trying to sell their home right now from other posts they have written, so its important for others to understand there are *sometimes* ulterior motives behind some posts that offer nothing but peaches and cream.
Fact of the matter is you are living in the middle of the desert, and all forms of lush green grass don't belong, usually lakes don't either & certainly not lakes that are conveniently located in the middle of a community neighborhood.
I personally find it frustrating living in a place that is ALWAYS *simulating* somewhere else. The real identity of this place is disguised by neatly manicured flowery landscapes. I sometimes wonder how long it can go on before nature finally wins and take the land back for what it is.... (probably not too long... if everyones automatic sprinklers didn't go off for a couple days in the summer, it would all fry and return to the desert that it really is)
There is beauty in the desert, and I photograph it often, and the amazing sunsets too... but if you are going to want to bring san diego with you so you can try to forget where you really are, it will get old and you will long to go back to the real thing... I swear.
Movin on refers to my post. I am not selling my house. I have been here for 35 years, raised two families in this area and do not long to go back to the "real thing". This is my real thing. I do long for a time when there were fewer people here and less of all the problems that growth has meant. I wish that everyone who whines and complains about Arizona and yearns for his roots in California, Illinois, Podunk or whatever would just get the ^%ll out so I could have my desert home back like it used to be. Ain't gonna happen. So I probably will have to go live in some humid Southern backwater to avoid them.
Last edited by Ponderosa; 11-23-2006 at 08:11 PM..
Movin on refers to my post. I am not selling my house.
No.. I thought I read you had either a home in Gilbert for 309K that should be $339 or you have a home near the Estrella Mtns and you are going to TX?
I have read conversations before with this screen name before that talked about one of those 2 scenarios... can't remember which one...
If I am wrong I apologize, but readers should be aware regardless that the market here is very bad, and MANY of the people that are spreading cheer about how wonderful it is here are selling their homes and have self serving purposes.
No.. I thought I read you had either a home in Gilbert for 309K that should be $339 or you have a home near the Estrella Mtns and you are going to TX?
I have read conversations before with this screen name before that talked about one of those 2 scenarios... can't remember which one...
If I am wrong I apologize, but readers should be aware regardless that the market here is very bad, and MANY of the people that are spreading cheer about how wonderful it is here are selling their homes and have self serving purposes.
Just a sidenote either way.
I live in EMR and toy with the idea of moving to Oklahoma. But my house is not for sale and my plans are a while off, if ever. I don't want to leave, but feel like I am being driven out by all the people who are coming and wrecking the lifestyle that I love(d) here.
Movin on refers to my post. I am not selling my house. I have been here for 35 years and not long to go back to the "real thing". I do long for a time when there were fewer people here and less of all the problems that growth has meant. I think that if everyone who whines and complains about Arizona and yearns for his roots in California, Illinois, Podunk or whatever would just get the ^%ll out, I could have my desert home back like it used to be.
I totally and completely agree... Believe me alot of people are trying!
There are somewhere near 58,000 homes for sale in the greater phx area.
We are the #1 place in the country for surplus inventory of homes for sale BECAUSE of stubborn home sellers that won't give up on what they *could have got* a year ago when INVESTORS were fighting for their homes.
My personal opinion is you can have your dream alot quicker if you can encourage the MANY people trying to get out of here to either get real about their selling price or get off the market.
Many people have even been on the market for a whole entire year without a single price reduction... C'mon!! People need to sh** or get off the pot because its ruining our market even further.
I live in EMR and toy with the idea of moving to Oklahoma. But my house is not for sale and my plans are a while off, if ever. I don't want to leave, but feel like I am being driven out by all the people who are coming and wrecking the lifestyle that I love(d) here.
I understand, and I want to apologize if I come off as sounding really hateful and harsh.
I was driven mad by the rush of investors & californians that made the local real estate too expensive for locals.
It makes me sick to see a 3000 sqft. home plopped on a lot that is smaller than my current patio cover for 750K surrounded by block walls with 2 stories peering over.
For me to upgrade out of my current home, I would have to pay MORE to get LESS of a home, and on top of that be FURTHER into nowhere land, and it doesn't make sense. And for that reason, it makes me, and many other locals consider places that are better and LESS expensive to boot.
So thats my biggest gripe... outside of that, the city is what you make it, but I believe you should love the desert if you are here, and not create a fake setting that tricks you into believing that you are somewhere else... the environment and water supply can only support that for so long.
I totally and completely agree... Believe me alot of people are trying!
There are somewhere near 58,000 homes for sale in the greater phx area.
We are the #1 place in the country for surplus inventory of homes for sale BECAUSE of stubborn home sellers that won't give up on what they *could have got* a year ago when INVESTORS were fighting for their homes.
My personal opinion is you can have your dream alot quicker if you can encourage the MANY people trying to get out of here to either get real about their selling price or get off the market.
Many people have even been on the market for a whole entire year without a single price reduction... C'mon!! People need to sh** or get off the pot because its ruining our market even further.
Unless they are moving to Texas or Youngstown OH or worse (is anywhere worse than Texas?) or fight off the bugs and live among the religious zealots in the south, they need the money for the next home. Phoenix is still cheaper than just about anywhere in the west. You can't buy a home in Chicago for what you get for yours here and NY and the northeast are far more expensive. California is too. We have long looked at the Branson area and even that is gone sky high in the last 12 months and is continuing to rise. So what do they do? Curious, though, why do you care? Are you looking to buy and waiting for a price drop?
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