Help me decide where to move (Phoenix area) (Lake Havasu City, Prescott: sales, homes)

[ashanski85]

Hey everybody I am interested in moving to Arizona but, am having trouble finding what would suit me best.

Here's a little about my self, I am in my twenty's and love outdoor activities like dirt biking, hiking, and swimming if there is somewhere nice to swim(I know there isn't many places to swim in near Phoenix but, I figured I would include that just in case anybody has good suggestions)! I really enjoy the mountains and the scenic views they have to offer. I am not interested in any night life or partying so, that would not be an important factor when deciding on an area to live. The most important factors would be being close to the mountains, trails to explore/scenic areas, areas I would be able to ride my dirt bike, and last but not least no freezing winters such as flagstaff.

I was looking at various towns in the areas and a few that caught my eye were New River 35 miles north of Phoenix and possibly Apache Junction as it seems to be very close to some awesome mountains. What caught my eye about New river was the size of the lots/rural out door feel and many of the homes seem to butt up right to mountain areas. It would be nice to have a home butt right up against the dessert/mountains so I would be only footsteps away from hiking and other outdoor activities. I wouldn't mind commuting into the phoenix area for work.

I am open to other suggestions in other areas of Arizona. So far in my research it seems that Sedona is overcrowded and the homes are expensive but, the summers are a bit cooler than the Phoenix area. I was looking at the Cottonwood area not far from Sedona as it seemed cheaper but, I'm not sure if that area has what I'm looking for (Hiking, mountains, dirt biking).

I am open to suggestions on areas that you think would fit the bill and am not stuck on moving to the Phoenix area. I appreciate any input-Thank you!

[JohnZ963]

Do you have a job lined up? If so, what area is it in? I'd figure that out first unless you will be working from home or not working at all for whatever reason.

[ashanski85]

I do not have a job lined up. I have been able to save a good amount of money over the past years as I originally was going to buy a home in the area I live in now but, have decided I want to move. I was hoping to be able to narrow down the areas that would suit me best.

[popwar]

You sound just like me. Wow. Nice to meet you.

[popwar]

Send me a message whenever you find a location . I will be moving there this month and just doing the room mate thing for now. Im 29, love hiking and outdoors. Not into parties or nightlife . Moving from SC.

[wase4711]

dozens of threads here that address your exact question, so look around and see what others have said..
main thing to figure out is where you might be working, as you dont want to spend a couple hours every day going back and forth from work..

[BIG CATS]

AJ would be a good place to check into. I'm not sure if the meth problem is still rampant or not, but you'll be close to the mountains.

[KurtAZ]

Typical question arise...are you going to be working at a particular location? Working from Home? Independently Wealthy? If you are just looking for locations to tear off into the desert...AJ is not a bad location and the rural areas of New River can be do-able. Understand that you will still be putting up with the Phoenix area heat in the summer. If location is not a factor...there is always Prescott (more temperate climate) or some of the mountain towns along the Rim. Then the question becomes....how important is reliable Internet service to you. Prescott isn't an issue but there are some pockets of the state where reliable Internet is a concern.

[vfrpilot]

You should also look at Lake Havasu City. The city is surrounded by accessible desert and mountains for hiking, biking, or off-roading. The lake is huge, and has many options for boating or swimming. Summer temps are similar to Phoenix but winters are very nice. Vegas is 3 hours away, Phoenix 4 hours, and SoCal is 5 hours. Good or bad, the place has a 'Resort' feel to it, with a lot of regular visitors from L.A. or Phoenix, who like to party. Many have homes in Havasu to keep their toys, and maybe to eventually retire there. The city has grown tremendously in the last 20 years, so I would think you could find employment fairly easily. Good luck on your search.

[ashanski85]

Thanks everybody for the input! To answer some questions currently I work in sales and have a Bachelors in marketing for whats it worth as far as potential jobs; so, I would be working hopefully for a business in that field of work. I understand that the phoenix summers are brutally hot and saw a suggestion about Prescott and have been researching that area. Would Prescott be a good fit for me as far as outdoors and ease of access to dirt bike riding spots? I see that Prescott has a Costco which is a plus!