Thoughts from CA transplants... (Scottsdale, Chandler: real estate, rental, how much)

[lylelovett]

Hi all,

Once again, love the community here...

With an potential upcoming family move (wife, 3yr old, 6mos old) to Scottsdale from Los Angeles, I wanted to reach out to other CA transplants and get their thoughts on their move to the PHX area (and Scottsdale if that's where you moved to).

I've read lots of great posts about housing and neighborhoods and have more or less settled on the Central/North-Scottsdale/Carefree area and am looking for more "quality of life" and hindsight-is-20/20 type thoughts...

What do you miss and not miss?
Things you didn't realize you'd miss?
What did you find after the move that surprised you?
How's the sushi selection?
How's the micro-brew beer scene?
Important/specific questions to ask the real estate agent that you didn't think of asking when you were buying?

Sort of like if you were a mentor for a move and wanted to impart all of your wisdom.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to your insights!
J

[MyBad1]

Boating on the delta. I still have the boat in a marina there, but miss going down to the boat, most evenings.

After that, not to much. For me [tiny rant^] California, is a legislative nightmare.

Where I live now in AZ, is very much like where I lived in Calif. Low key, open spaces, farms, ect. for a lot less money. I am very happy to have moved here. I can't speak for all areas, but homeless camps? haven't seen one here yet. Roaming homeless, with signs, asking for money, all over the Bay Area. I don't commute now, so that's no issue, but where I was in the East Contra Costa County, you have never seen a mess on the freeway HWY 4 like that.

Sorry I can't speak to all of your questions, but as for the Realtor, my wife is a Realtor, and she covered about everything !

I am sure it is a personal thing, like most forums, it is a 50/50 thing. OMG how could you leave Calif, and OMG how can you live in Calif.

Very pleased with AZ and it's people so far!

MB

[LeavingCA2016]

We've only been here a short time, granted, so take this with a grain of salt. Also we are in Chandler/Gilbert area, not Scottsdale.

So far we've found that we have no trouble finding everything we are used to in terms of shopping/dining/services/activities for the kids, within a very reasonable drive. We've yet to find anything we truly miss. Except friends and family we left in CA. What we don't miss is how much we were paying to live in CA, battle constant traffic, tourists, noise and high gas prices. It is a lovely place to visit, we never really loved living there. It is so quiet here!!

I was surprised how quickly we adapted to the heat and how the kids, being used to living in a cool beach climate, could care less how hot it is and still want to play outside. I expected we'd be holed up indoors, miserable outside but it's a nice change from dreary marine layer.

Routine pest control is a necessary expense and not something you want to skimp on. That is something we never gave a second thought to in CA. At worst we had a few ants.

The roads. They are so smooth! Good grief where we lived (Huntington Beach) it was like off-roading on city streets. And traffic is a breeze, rush hour seems to last barely an hour or two, not the all day constant freeway traffic we are used to.

Everyone we have encountered has been extremely friendly and helpful, from school/district staff, to neighbors to grocery store employees, to the guy at the rental desk at Home Depot. Like exceptionally friendly.

We don't do sushi, and aren't big on micro-breweries so I can't speak to that.

The one thing we asked the realtor was if the house we were looking at had a known issue with pests, be it scorpions, roaches, whatever. They have to disclose a scorpion problem, and I understand that can be a tough one to get rid of once you have it.

[AZJD]

Bay Area to Scottsdale here. Also a family of 4.

California is amazing, and the Bay Area is the best place in the world to live.....if you are a millionaire.

We love Scottsdale. It's so affordable compared to California. Everything in Arizona is new and nicer. Our roads in AZ are much better. Food scene and beer scene in central Phx, Biltmore, Arcadia and Scottsdale is fantastic.

No regrets at all.

California is a great place to visit....awful place to live unless you make $200,000 a year or more just to a middle class life.

[AZJD]

Originally Posted by MyBad1

Boating on the delta. I still have the boat in a marina there, but miss going down to the boat, most evenings.

After that, not to much. For me [tiny rant^] California, is a legislative nightmare.

Where I live now in AZ, is very much like where I lived in Calif. Low key, open spaces, farms, ect. for a lot less money. I am very happy to have moved here. I can't speak for all areas, but homeless camps? haven't seen one here yet. Roaming homeless, with signs, asking for money, all over the Bay Area. I don't commute now, so that's no issue, but where I was in the East Contra Costa County, you have never seen a mess on the freeway HWY 4 like that.

Sorry I can't speak to all of your questions, but as for the Realtor, my wife is a Realtor, and she covered about everything !

I am sure it is a personal thing, like most forums, it is a 50/50 thing. OMG how could you leave Calif, and OMG how can you live in Calif.

Very pleased with AZ and it's people so far!

MB

Ha....truth.

Highway 4 is awful.

Bay Area is beautiful (nature wise), but there is a major homeless and infrastructure problem. It's quite grungy in most areas.

[AZJD]

Originally Posted by lylelovett

Hi all,

Once again, love the community here...

With an potential upcoming family move (wife, 3yr old, 6mos old) to Scottsdale from Los Angeles, I wanted to reach out to other CA transplants and get their thoughts on their move to the PHX area (and Scottsdale if that's where you moved to).

I've read lots of great posts about housing and neighborhoods and have more or less settled on the Central/North-Scottsdale/Carefree area and am looking for more "quality of life" and hindsight-is-20/20 type thoughts...

What do you miss and not miss?
Things you didn't realize you'd miss?
What did you find after the move that surprised you?
How's the sushi selection?
How's the micro-brew beer scene?
Important/specific questions to ask the real estate agent that you didn't think of asking when you were buying?

Sort of like if you were a mentor for a move and wanted to impart all of your wisdom.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to your insights!
J

By the way - look at McDowell Mountain Ranch, Grayhawk, or
Desert Ridge. MMR and Desert Ridge are best for young families. Houses are $400k and up. Top schools, great locations.

[MyBad1]

One other thing struck me as well. The amount of positive, Veteran/Police/FF/Grade School, articles, support and news stories here.

Not so much in the Bay Are.

[ElleTea]

Craft beer is really good here, lots of breweries to choose from!

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

Craft beer is really good here, lots of breweries to choose from!

Its decent for sure. My problem with the breweries here is their inconsistency. Four Peaks is the prime example. Their Kilt Lifter can be horrid or decent. Same goes for San Tan with their Devils Ale. Then you have Huss (who might be my fave so far) who can kick out stellar brews like Scottsdale Blonde and West Coast Style Pale Ale and then brew the WORST tasting beer ever (Koffee Kolsch). I don't get it.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Its decent for sure. My problem with the breweries here is their inconsistency. Four Peaks is the prime example. Their Kilt Lifter can be horrid or decent. Same goes for San Tan with their Devils Ale. Then you have Huss (who might be my fave so far) who can kick out stellar brews like Scottsdale Blonde and West Coast Style Pale Ale and then brew the WORST tasting beer ever (Koffee Kolsch). I don't get it.

I LOVE the Koffee Kolsch and I don't even like coffee! It's one of my favorites, made with real coffee and a refreshing kolsch style which is great for hot days. the Husses are friends of mine. The new taproom on Camelback and Central is really cool, great food, too!

I don't consider Four Peaks to be local at all anymore since they were bought by AIB.

I like North Mountain Brewing as well.