Moving to Phoenix and need help (Scottsdale, Tempe: rental, theater, living)

[observer53]

Agree with everyone. Embrace Prescott, which has a lot going for it for a small city. Lots of us would live there gladly, even for just a year. Come down and spend a weekend in Phoenix once in a while to get the city fix. The commute would NOT be worth it.

[AZgarden]

I second and third and fourth the same opinion. The drive is not a straight on highway where you can speed and be there in an hour. Prescott has much to be cherished, including the tall pines, the homey downtown, the history, the friendly people. You won't find any north Phoenix homes that will allow you to work in PV on a daily basis. AND you will be cooler in the summer. Big big plus.

[Psychgal]

Thank you all for your insight and advice! I am prepared for the commute, my current commute is about an hour and I would assume that the commute in the desert can't be much worse than an NYC commute. Plus I would be commuting 4 days a week. We are looking to live in close proximity to a city with lots of things to do, while we're still young and energetic don't want to feel stuck in a small town, even though it might have a vibrant downtown. Also, there aren't a whole lot of options for renting either and what we've seen we haven't really liked. If one WAS to be set on residing in one of the northern Phoenix urban villages, where might one look?

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Psychgal

Thank you all for your insight and advice! I am prepared for the commute, my current commute is about an hour and I would assume that the commute in the desert can't be much worse than an NYC commute. Plus I would be commuting 4 days a week. We are looking to live in close proximity to a city with lots of things to do, while we're still young and energetic don't want to feel stuck in a small town, even though it might have a vibrant downtown. Also, there aren't a whole lot of options for renting either and what we've seen we haven't really liked. If one WAS to be set on residing in one of the northern Phoenix urban villages, where might one look?

That commute will not be like a NYC commute. Not the same at all. Worse.


Have you researched Prescott Valley at all other than the size of the population? You may be surprised at all there is to do, and that it has everything you really need.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by Psychgal

Thank you all for your insight and advice! I am prepared for the commute, my current commute is about an hour and I would assume that the commute in the desert can't be much worse than an NYC commute. Plus I would be commuting 4 days a week. We are looking to live in close proximity to a city with lots of things to do, while we're still young and energetic don't want to feel stuck in a small town, even though it might have a vibrant downtown. Also, there aren't a whole lot of options for renting either and what we've seen we haven't really liked. If one WAS to be set on residing in one of the northern Phoenix urban villages, where might one look?

I totally get it, but what you're missing is that the areas that have lots to do and have a young and energetic feel are not within reach. Far north Phoenix is going to be a terrible commute and won't have what you're looking for, so what's the point? North Phoenix, while a decent place to live, is fairly bland, boring suburbia.

[SageCats]

Originally Posted by Psychgal

Thank you all for your insight and advice! I am prepared for the commute, my current commute is about an hour and I would assume that the commute in the desert can't be much worse than an NYC commute. Plus I would be commuting 4 days a week. We are looking to live in close proximity to a city with lots of things to do, while we're still young and energetic don't want to feel stuck in a small town, even though it might have a vibrant downtown. Also, there aren't a whole lot of options for renting either and what we've seen we haven't really liked. If one WAS to be set on residing in one of the northern Phoenix urban villages, where might one look?

I'm from NYC and all I can say is "lmao"

"I'm from NY and I wanna move elsewhere that is just like NY and if it's not, I'll make it be like NY. wah wah wahhhh"

No where.. .and I mean NO WHERE in the valley is there anything remotely resembling Manhattan... not even downtown Phoenix. And that's OK.. every place in the US has it's own flavor and character.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

I totally get it, but what you're missing is that the areas that have lots to do and have a young and energetic feel are not within reach. Far north Phoenix is going to be a terrible commute and won't have what you're looking for, so what's the point? North Phoenix, while a decent place to live, is fairly bland, boring suburbia.

Good point. To get downtown from far north Phoenix, for example, is another 45 minutes at least!

[observer53]

I would think that while you are young is exactly the time to experience something different for a relatively short, finite period of time.


If you are dead set to do the commute, then you need to be as far north as possible, which would be Anthem. And, you will be driving long distances in both directions, then, get to some of the "things to do" in metro Phoenix you value so much. Have fun with all that.

[Mister-A]

Originally Posted by Psychgal

Plus I would be commuting 4 days a week. We are looking to live in close proximity to a city with lots of things to do, while we're still young and energetic

I don't think you'll be young and energetic anymore after doing this four days a week for a year. Have you ever seen those before-and-after pictures of what happens to Presidents after 8 years in office?



I can sympathize with your point of view, we are northeasterners and "city people" as well, I work for a company in Manhattan, we have been planning a move to the area and we did look at Prescott. It's not easy to get your head around how different the layout is in the valley from anything you see in the northeast. I would point out that the northern Phoenix metro is, itself, far from the Phoenix metro. When we visited, we did the run from south Scottsdale to Cave Creek and back. It was 45 minutes, and parts of it actually felt sketchy on a dark, rainy night. This is a similar distance from Anthem.

It's another hour+ from Anthem to Prescott. If you try to compromise in order to be within reach of both Prescott and the heart of the city, you may end up hating all three places. You'll be tired and bored in Anthem after the commute to Prescott and back, and lose nearly a waking day out of every week to the road.

To put it another way, Anthem is 61 miles from Prescott Valley. Your criteria, "not a place like Anthem", "under 80 miles from Prescott Valley" and "in civilization" are really best met in the Prescott area. Still close enough to Phoenix to make a day out of it, even find a nice hotel room and make it a weekend. Save yourself the grief and suffering, and save up some of your enthusiasm for those highway miles to visit Sedona, Flagstaff, etc., which will be that much closer from Prescott.

[sandy6879]

My husband's uncle commuted from Dewey to Tempe 5 days a week for a few years. It was beyond brutal, and Dewey is closer to the freeway than Prescott/Prescott valley is.

An hour is possible, maybe, if there are no accidents. But what you need to understand is that the 17 is a 2 lane freeway and accidents happen all.the.time.

It's up a mountain so if you have a tractor trailer that breaks down or can't get up to speed, you are crawling the whole way. His uncle had a least a 90 minute commute, many times 2 hours on the way home.

We are normally never all in agreement on this board, on any issue, so the fact that all posters so far have said the same thing should tell you something.