Denver To Phoenix - How Do You Feel About The Move (Tucson: houses, job market)

[Catosmato]

Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are no comparison to Whole Foods in my opinion. At least the Whole Foods stores in Denver.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by locolife

Okay then perhaps the 16 sprouts locations works? I actually mentioned TJ by mistake, I meant to say Sprouts.

Yeah, I think Sprouts is a closer comparison. I like Sprouts a lot and actually shop at Whole Foods less, because of Sprouts.

[Silver_Surfer]

Originally Posted by Catosmato

I moved from Denver 5 years ago. There is good and bad in Phoenix like everywhere else. Here are my observations:

1. Almost everyone in Phoenix has a home alarm system - it took me a while to figure out why.
2. Lots and lots of burglary type crimes - car/home
3. Lots of dogs running around in neighborhoods - still don't understand why.
4. People in Phoenix are extremely friendly
5. You can walk your dog year round in Denver - not in Phoenix - my very small dogs get exhausted in Summer even though I walk them very early in the morning.
6. Phoenix has a great entrepreneurial environment. Lots of opportunity here to own your own business. I love supporting family businesses.
7. Drivers in Phoenix are horrible
8. Phoenix is spread out - lots of driving required to get to places. Nothing like going from Denver to Aurora.
9. Public transportation is lacking in Phoenix - definitely need a car in most ares. Traffic is horrible.
10. Lots of pit bulls in Phoenix
11. Phoenix is very dog friendly as far as being able to take your pet to various stores/events
12. Not a lot of Whole Foods stores - not sure why

Overall, I like Phoenix although still struggle during the summers. Denver seemed safer to me. Phoenix is a lot more urban than Denver which I dislike, but Phoenix is a decent place. I haven't noticed a huge decrease in COL although real estate is definitely more affordable. Not sure about renting. Also, there seem to be a LOT of homeless folks in AZ. Not sure what the statistics are, just my observation.

Good luck.

I lived in Tempe back in '01 briefly, and I'm sure the homeless situation has worsened since then. And I have no doubt that Phoenix has a homeless issue as does every major city. But Denver also has a huge homeless problem. Drive down broadway or near Civic Center Park and the capitol, and you will see hundreds of people lined up on the sidewalks with their bikes and shopping carts. It's reminiscent of LA's Skid Row. I may be exaggerating a little but not much. Denver folks can confirm this.

[TimAZ]

Originally Posted by Jnvlv247

Could you say that Flagstaff is like a little Denver?

Flag was started by folks who ran brothels, Denver was built by silver magnates.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Catosmato

Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are no comparison to Whole Foods in my opinion. At least the Whole Foods stores in Denver.

Lucky for you we have plenty of all 3, so take your pick.

[deepblue38]

Thanks for the responses regarding moving from Denver to Phoenix. I sincerely appreciate it. I will making a decision within the next couple of months on if I will relocate are stay put.

[grad_student200]

Originally Posted by deepblue38

I'm looking for people who have moved from Denver area to Phoenix area. How do you feel about the move now? Is it better or worse than living in Denver area, and why. What are some of the pros and cons. I'm aware of the weather differences, but would like to know more how you feel about daily life since moving to Phoenix area from Denver. Has it changed for the better, or would you move back if you had the chance.

I am considering a move soon from Denver to Phoenix. I've lived in Denver for 10 years. I have been to Phoenix several times. The move would be more of a financial one for me, as I am 47 year old divorced male struggling with high cost of living in Denver. I have a job offer in Phoenix. I've enjoyed Denver so it is a very tough decision for me. I would love to hear your experience.

I am from Arizona but lived in Colorado for four years off the Boulder Turnpike. I've lived in Broomfield, Boulder, and Westminster. So, I know Denver. I moved there after I got out of graduate school at ASU twenty years ago. It was great to leave behind the Phoenix heat in late July and move to a new job in Denver. I started out at a brief contract at DTC then moved to Boulder immediately.

My lifestyle twenty years ago was that of an extreme mountain runner. I was in my 20s and in my prime athletically - strong knees, good flexibility, and quick recovery periods. In Phoenix I was able to run up Piestewa peak in 18 minutes which was good for me. So, I upped the temp of mountain runs in Boulder. I went up Mt. Sanitas hundreds of times. I became a "14er" guy and ran up to Longs Peak, Mt. Elbert, Mt. Bierdstadt, Sierra Blanca, Pikes Peak, etc. I loved the Rocky Mountains.

But the engineering job market crashed badly in the recession around 2000-2001. By 2002 I was forced (against my 100% wishes) to leave Colorado and move to Florida. I was there for about 14 years but returned to my home state over a year ago. I love being home.

I am aware of several "growing pains" of Denver:
* The housing market is very expensive along with cost of living. In 2017 I seriously considered returning to Boulder but was shocked by how much housing had gone up (rental or mortgages on homes) since 2002. Boulder is becoming like Los Angeles price-wise.
* The city is more congested and the "fresh Rocky Mountain air" is no longer prevalent. There is a pollution problem there.
* I never settled down when I was in Denver. At the time, I couldn't care less about marriage. But now that I am middle-aged I am aiming to settle down, but the Boulder/Denver Metro Area is not a good place to do it. The men far outnumber the women, and Denver is also known as "Menver" for that reason. The odds are not good for a middle-aged guy of settling down in Denver. Even 20-something yuppies have a tough time dating in Boulder or Denver.

But Phoenix has to be considered carefully. The job market is roaring here, and it's a good time to buy a home in places like Gilbert, Surprise, Goodyear, Chandler, etc. If you get a high paying job, you might consider Scottsdale, North Phoenix, etc.

However, since moving back, I have heard of stories of people moving here from colder places. Some leave because of (1) the heat, (2) lack of community/family connection, (3) culture shock, or (4) job reasons. If you can handle the heat and have friends/family in Phoenix then the odds of you genuinely enjoying the move are much higher. I am from AZ, so returning from FL has been euphoric for me.

I still love the Rocky Mountains and would love to go back for a weekend mountain hiking expedition and be with the marmots above treeline. It's just that those mountain towns are mostly male. The dating odds are very low - lol. "So you're telling me there's a chance?" Florida did not have any mountains, but the dating odds were ridiculously higher - even for me . Colorado has a lot of dateless guys on Fridays if you read those forums. For every guy going out there must be 2 or 3 who are rejected and alone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFB2akLh4s

Phoenix is better for me. But you may also consider Austin/San Antonio which also has very good job options and cost of living. I have family here, so it's best.

[LS Jaun]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

You'll see more ex-Coloradans moving to Phoenix and other cities in the future for a while. According to this article, AZ is #3 migration.

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/n...re-moving.html

Yep, moved there, along with other family members, then moved back to phoenix (East Valley). Family members moved elsewhere, but no one stayed. Old time Native Coloradans seem very similar to the old time Arizonans. Too many Californians moving to Colorado, making it look more like that state.

[new2colo]

Moved from Lakewood:

Traffic: Must worse in Denver. Freeways in the Phoenix area are no less than three lanes and sometimes as wide as 7 or 8 lanes. Freeways in Denver always felt outdated, congested, and worn.

Food: Food is much better in Phoenix. Even though Denver is a much more traditional urban city, Phoenix has managed to attract a very good array of restaurants over the sprawl. Mexican food is much different in Phoenix (Sonoran Style vs. New Mexico/Colorado Style). Use Yelp to help find the best.

People: The people in Phoenix are much better. When I was Denver, I found people to be standoffish, passive aggressive and cold. In Phoenix, you will come across every personality possible on a daily basis. There a people here who chat you to the point of tears and people who pretend you don't exist. The racial stats for Denver and Phoenix seem to be pretty similar. Denver is over 32 percent Hispanic, Phoenix is 41 percent Hispanic. Phoenix's Hispanic culture is MUCH more palpable than Hispanic culture in Denver. While in Denver, I met many Hispanic people whose families could trace their roots back by many generations. Here, many of the Hispanics I met are either immigrants themselves or second/third generation.

Housing: Certainly much cheaper in Phoenix than in Denver. Denver's prices have shot up precipitously since I left.

Jobs/Economy: The economy of Denver is much stronger and more diverse. Phoenix has an economy very atypical of a large city, in that it is mostly dependent on the service sector and tourism. Phoenix is a low income metro compared to most major US metros, which is not as evident because of the overall lower COL here.

[Jnvlv247]

Originally Posted by Catosmato

Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are no comparison to Whole Foods in my opinion. At least the Whole Foods stores in Denver.

Whole Food is overpriced trendy crap food