Need the TRUTH about Phoenix before relocating? (Tucson, Scottsdale: 2014, renting)

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by YAZ

Gotta love the previous post citing Maryvale. Compton is likely a walk in the park compared to it.

Actually, from first hand experience, Compton is a lot like Tolleson NOW in the present, a lot of Warehouses and Distribution Centers.

I call it the Tolleson of California

[raindrop101]

Originally Posted by MissMouse111

Thank you. That makes me feel much better.

Scorpions can be an issue depending on where you live. We are near a preserve, spray every month without fail, and hunt them in our yard with a black light 2-3 times a week and still see 3-4 each year in our home. I have been stung (they don't bite) once and my husband has been stung a couple of times. He had no reaction, but I ended up in the hospital with a severe reaction.

I am a 40-something woman and there are things I love and things I hate about Arizona. I have wonderful friends, a safe neighborhood (except for the scorpions ), and a great job. I love the restaurants, the shopping, and the people. I am not a fan of the heat in the summer, but I love the winters.

I came from the Bay Area, so I can't really complain about the cost of living. I make about the same salary that I did in California, but my husband makes more.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by raindrop101

Scorpions can be an issue depending on where you live. We are near a preserve, spray every month without fail, and hunt them in our yard with a black light 2-3 times a week and still see 3-4 each year in our home. I have been stung (they don't bite) once and my husband has been stung a couple of times. He had no reaction, but I ended up in the hospital with a severe reaction.

I am a 40-something woman and there are things I love and things I hate about Arizona. I have wonderful friends, a safe neighborhood (except for the scorpions ), and a great job. I love the restaurants, the shopping, and the people. I am not a fan of the heat in the summer, but I love the winters.

I came from the Bay Area, so I can't really complain about the cost of living. I make about the same salary that I did in California, but my husband makes more.

I have a friend in Gilbert who has been stung 5 times by scorpions. They have exterminators, etc.... - maybe that area is more prone, who knows.

[Bungle]

Scorpions sting. They don't bite.

[Al Joad]

MissMouse, I'm in the exact same boat as you. Live in South Florida (WPB area), planning a move to AZ and have it narrowed down to Tucson and Phoenix. I'm 34 and single. I started a thread about my move a couple weeks ago in the AZ general forum. It's gotten some great responses that you might find helpful as well.

FYI, you don't want to move to Raleigh or anywhere in NC if you're over 30 and single. Actually, you could extend that to anywhere in the South outside of South Florida, which, culturally, is not southern. I lived in Nashville for six years -- arguably the trendiest city in the country right now for young, single people -- and the dearth of people 30+ never married and no kids was staggering.

I send you a friend request. Would love to stay in touch as we both plan this AZ adventure.

[ShampooBanana]

Originally Posted by Bungle

Scorpions sting. They don't bite.

Yep. That's why you won't hear about a scorpion bite, like, ever. But yeah, people can and do get stung, but where they are located in and around Phoenix is pretty hit or miss. Some neighborhoods are teeming with them and other areas you'll likely never see a single one even if you live there for decades. It's best just to ask others who live there if they have them or not.


As for Phoenix and what it's like here, just a few more things to add:


It's not like a lot of cities where there is a real large downtown core. Phoenix does have a small downtown core (very small for it's size), but really it's a collection of smaller cores spread all around. Downtown Phoenix, Camelback Corridor, Biltmore, Old Town Scottsdale, Downtown Tempe/Mill Ave, Downtown Mesa, Downtown Chandler, Downtown Gilbert, etc, just to name a few. Most of Phoenix is more suburban than urban. You will almost certainly need a reliable car to get around (though that's slowly changing to some degree).


Job growth is decent, but a lot of it is call center type jobs. There are some decent startup and tech jobs that have relocated here recently, however, so that's a growing sector. Real estate is big here, as well. With your skillset and experience I don't think you'd have a problem at all finding work here. An out-0of-stater like yourself shouldn't be at a big disadvantage. In fact, probably less so than most other big cities because of the already high number of transplants out here.


As a mid-40s woman I don't think you'll have any problems fitting in. As I said, there are plenty of transplants here, a lot of whom are "starting over" or moving here to get away from high cost of living somewhere else but still want warm weather and sunshine. I'd suggest joining a Meetup group or something so you could meet other people with similar interests or who are also new to the area. It's an excellent way to start to fit in and make it start to feel like home. In fact, it's how I met my wife a few months after I moved out here by myself.

[MissMouse111]

Originally Posted by raindrop101

Scorpions can be an issue depending on where you live. We are near a preserve, spray every month without fail, and hunt them in our yard with a black light 2-3 times a week and still see 3-4 each year in our home. I have been stung (they don't bite) once and my husband has been stung a couple of times. He had no reaction, but I ended up in the hospital with a severe reaction.

I am a 40-something woman and there are things I love and things I hate about Arizona. I have wonderful friends, a safe neighborhood (except for the scorpions ), and a great job. I love the restaurants, the shopping, and the people. I am not a fan of the heat in the summer, but I love the winters.

I came from the Bay Area, so I can't really complain about the cost of living. I make about the same salary that I did in California, but my husband makes more.

Awe. Thank you for letting me know the scoop. I wonder if one is renting an apartment on an upper floor, would the scorpions still be a problem?

Sounds like you have it all. Lucky you!

[dvxhd]

My responses in bold. But you also mentioned "limited funds" and I'd strongly urge you to focus more on saving up a lot before moving, because it's risky to move without any cushion, and if you find yourself out of work you may struggle to find something quickly. I moved here for a job at a company that was horribly mismanaged and downsized just a few weeks after I moved here. I found a temporary thing after a couple months, and my current job a couple months after that.

Originally Posted by MissMouse111

Hello everyone, I have narrowed down my search to Phoenix. I have a few reservations I need to clear up first?

Will being "bilingual" be required for MOST jobs in Arizona?
Helpful, especially Spanish, but no.

Will a middle aged single 40 something woman feel out of place in Arizona? Since some communities/cities are totally geared towards families.
That criteria, no. Other aspects of your personality we can't see might though.

Will it be difficult for an out-of-stater to find work there? My skill set includes being a legal secretary for 8 years and legal receptionist/administrative assistant for two years. I have excellent references. I also have a college degree in political science and a certificate in medical transcription.
Yes. As with anywhere. Keep in mind that Phoenix isn't a major legal center in the way cities like LA, New York and DC are, so those jobs will be more limited in comparison to other places. Either living here or using a local address on your resume and application will be more beneficial, otherwise most employers won't seriously consider you.

I called a few employment agencies and I didn't find them very friendly or helpful. Just blah. Normally when you're new to a city, they are pretty kind and give you lots of pointers, but that was not the case. Are you better off going through Craigslist or Indeed?
They aren't helpful. Indeed is fine, but if you can find a niche site more in line with your profession you'll probably find more relevant postings.

Is the heat any worse than South Florida? We have pretty bad humidity here.
Subjective. I hate heat, dry or humid and I can't really tell the difference of which feels "worse" when they both feel equally miserable to me.

Are you afraid of being bitten by a scorpion? That's a big fear of mine.
People are mocking you because they sting, and don't bite. I've seen them here, but haven't been stung. I really wish people would get over that, because scorpions live all over the country, though they're more common in the Southwest.

Is crime as big of a problem as it's made out to be? Are there some fairly safe neighborhoods you could recommend? Granted, no matter where you live you have to play it safe.
I haven't had anything happen to me, but the rate here is higher than the national average. "Safe" neighborhoods depend on your budget. I worked with a woman who insisted on safety and lived in Gilbert, which she couldn't afford (real estate and hidden costs, such as transportation to downtown Phoenix), and needed two jobs.

Will the rents be reasonable in relation to the salaries? Or will you have to get a roommate?
Depends where you live and what you do. I had a roommate when I first moved here, and now my expenses are lower living alone. I found the "hidden" market of affordable apartments, but they take longer and more work to find.

I must admit I have a case of "cold feet" before taking this jump so I want to have a CLEAR picture as to what to expect.
That's a good idea, because you shouldn't rush into this.

My other option is Raleigh-Durham but I've been told that it's very family focused/college student/youth focused and a rather small city, but there are jobs there and a lot of people are moving there. If you could choose between the two at this point in time, which one sounds better?
I'd have to think long and hard, because I haven't looked into Raleigh-Durham, and wouldn't move there on a whim. I personally don't want to stay in Phoenix though. That's because of my needs at this point in my life, and Phoenix can't meet them.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by Bungle

Scorpions sting. They don't bite.

Im glad someone caught my point.

[MissMouse111]

Originally Posted by Al Joad

MissMouse, I'm in the exact same boat as you. Live in South Florida (WPB area), planning a move to AZ and have it narrowed down to Tucson and Phoenix. I'm 34 and single. I started a thread about my move a couple weeks ago in the AZ general forum. It's gotten some great responses that you might find helpful as well.

FYI, you don't want to move to Raleigh or anywhere in NC if you're over 30 and single. Actually, you could extend that to anywhere in the South outside of South Florida, which, culturally, is not southern. I lived in Nashville for six years -- arguably the trendiest city in the country right now for young, single people -- and the dearth of people 30+ never married and no kids was staggering.

I send you a friend request. Would love to stay in touch as we both plan this AZ adventure.

Wow! Thanks that's really good to know. I really appreciate it. I moved to Florida with ZERO research. I just wanted to be close to my family seven years ago. It's been a tough road here, but I'm not giving up. I want to explore the world before I get to a stage in life where that's just not possible.

I agree with your Raleigh comment because if you google single life, dating, etc. in Raleigh it ranks the WORST in the nation. I guess some people may sink or swim but if you want to do your research be careful. I read some 40 something lady's story and she moved in her late 40's to Raleigh and regretted it as she turns 58. You really have to do your research, especially if you can't afford to move about. Thanks again.

I'm a conservative churchgoer and I would definitely get involved in a church in Phoenix as well as social clubs. No matter where you go after 30 I think SOME people kind of dismiss you if you aren't married by a certain point. I think that's dumb coming from the Northeast. I was born in Connecticut where a lot of people marry later in life. At this point, my priority is to have a JOB and be in an area where I can THRIVE, SURVIVE and be HAPPY!

Sounds great! Thank you for the friend request.