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This is all good! I have just been reading over some of the threads and posts and am getting quite scared to move to the Phoenix area. My husband and I are moving there in about two months from Alaska and some of these posts make it seem like there is nothing redeemable about the Phoenix area! We have lived in a very sheltered, very safe community for over four years and I have to admit, even though I can't stand it here, I am terrified to move to Arizona. I grew up in northern California and even lived in Las Vegas for eight months, so I can deal with the heat (even though it just snowed four inches here today), but I don't know about the crime. How bad is it really? Do we need to put an alarm in our car? Should we not be outside in a neighborhood after a certain time? Are there just some areas you shouldn't rent, let alone buy a house in?
There were moments living in Sacramento and Vegas I didn't feel safe, but we have almost been in Mayberry for the last few years (well, maybe not that good, but I have just started to feel uncomfortable going to the store at 11:30 at night). We have young children and I am nervous about schools and areas. I hear Gilbert is really nice, but it seems kind of pricey. My husband will be working downtown and so we don't want too far of a commute with gas prices the way they are these days. We just want a house in a nice neighborhood that our kids could play in the backyard and feel as though they are safe while I am in the kitchen. Oh, and none of the three "r's"-- rattlesnakes, rats, or roaches! I know that last part will have to come in the form of pest control, but we don't have those up here!
I guess what I am asking is if you like Phoenix, if you feel safe in the area, and if there are places you would just stay away from. Please give me some hope!
Well, people on these forums tend to be a little over-dramatic. You can go to the forums for almost any city and see just about the same thing as in the Phoenix one.
I'd say if you lived in Vegas, you will be just fine here in Phoenix. The crime rate in Vegas is higher as far as I know.
I live in what many on this forum consider a "bad" part of Phoenix (South Phoenix/Laveen) and I've had no problems whatsoever. My husband is in the academy for the Phoenix Police and seriously, so many people are over-dramatic on this board. He gets first hand information on what it's like in this city. Even in what people deem horrible areas, aren't horribly bad compared to other cities this size.
I can go out at night and not feel unsafe. In fact, me and my husband bike ride at night sometimes and we are fine. It's quiet, and we feel safe. And again, we live in an area this forum has deemed as bad, unsafe, etc. So I would imagine in other areas of the valley such as Gilbert, Chandler, North Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, etc things would be just as quiet and safe and probably more-so. Don't be scared to come here. Seriously, crime can happen anywhere!
Edit to add: Oh, and as for pest control, I would worry more about scorpions than rats or roaches....BUT....plenty of kids grow up in Arizona and are able to play outside and are just fine! So again, I wouldn't worry so much about them that it keeps you from coming here. Phoenix is a great city in my humble opinion!
If you haven't noticed, this forum tends to be pretty negative toward Phoenix. There is a reason for that. It's occupied by ex-residents and others who wish they could move back to where they are originally from but are stuck here. They use this forum to vent. I check out this forum on occasion because the negative opinions are fun to read since you never hear or experience this negativity living in Phoenix. It's quite the opposite really. Everyone just raves about this city which can be sickening in its own right as people act like Phoenix is some paradise without any flaws.
Phoenix is safe. Okay, I understand every city has crime but cmon. Anyone who has lived in a real city would laugh at the perceived crime in Phoenix. How do you have crime in suburbia. Even the so-called crime ridden areas look like gated communities when compared to true barrios and ghettos found in similar sized cities. Phoenix isn't perfect and it's got its flaws but crime isn't one of them relatively speaking. Now I'm sure someone is going to respond with some crime stats but I don't care what those say. I live here and I don't feel intimidated or scared. If you check this city out, you will agree with me.
If you haven't noticed, this forum tends to be pretty negative toward Phoenix. There is a reason for that. It's occupied by ex-residents and others who wish they could move back to where they are originally from but are stuck here. They use this forum to vent. I check out this forum on occasion because the negative opinions are fun to read since you never hear or experience this negativity living in Phoenix. It's quite the opposite really. Everyone just raves about this city which can be sickening in its own right as people act like Phoenix is some paradise.
Phoenix is safe. Okay, I understand every city has crime but cmon. Anyone who has lived in a real city would laugh at the perceived crime in Phoenix. How do you have crime in suburbia. Even the so-called crime ridden areas look like gated communities when compared to true barrios and ghettos found in similar sized cities. Phoenix isn't perfect and it's got its flaws but crime isn't one of them relatively speaking. Now I'm sure someone is going to respond with some crime stats but I don't care what those say. I live here and I know what crime is and Phoenix doesn't have it. If you check this city out, you will agree with me.
I agree 100%!
As stated in my last reply, my husband gets first hand information working for the police department. He isn't out on patrol yet, but he talks to people everyday who are and have been for years. If anything, even the worst parts of Phoenix have gotten better over the years and continue to get better as time goes on.
I think you're overreacting just a bit, probably due to the stress of moving and also because you're moving from such an idyllic setting. Broaden your research before coming to any specific conclusions.
I was terrified of rattlesnakes and desert critters when we moved here. The only rattlesnake I saw in the first three years was at the zoo, and believe me I had my eyes open and our home backed up to desert. When I did see my first rattlesnake it was at night and the snake was on the road, so I wasn't scared at all. In fact, we slowed down to take a look. I've only seen two other rattlesnakes in 20 years and none crossed my path. I've hiked many a weekend during all seasons (including spring when rattlers are more active) and still haven't come across a rattler on any of my hikes in the Valley or up north. I must have been on 500 hikes in 20 years, many in the mountains, on remote paths. Not a snake, never a bear, never a mountain lion. The most onimous creature we encountered was a porcupine sleeping up in a tree.
As for scorpions, it depends where you live. Oddly enough, when we first moved here we used pest control because we thought critters would be a problem. Once in a while we would see a dead scorpion. My husband was bit by a scorpion once when he was moving rocks that were very moist underneath....he didn't have gloves on and he was the one who encroached on the scorpion's territory. He was just fine; it swelled up a bit and all he did was call poison control and keep an eye on it. Strangely enough, when we stopped using pest control (for health reasons) we never had critter problems again and nothing else had changed. But, believe me, I used to live in dread fear of them, like you, even making sure I tapped my shoes and boots upside down to make sure they weren't hiding inside. I was just like you. Never found one.
Roaches? Never a problem for me. We keep a clean home and I haven't heard of people having problems with them here. We have come across a black widow spider, but that can happen anywhere. The web was very apparent and my husband used a broom to scoot the spider out and then killed it.
We've mostly seen jackrabbits and bunnies, coyotes, hawks, desert gophers, and the rare javelina family while taking a night drive. Believe me, I can't stress enough that you really have to mess with these creatures to get in trouble with them.
I have a story that I'd like to share to put things in perspective for you. I used to walk our dog in the desert behind our house. One spring season a couple years after moving here I was on high alert to make sure I scanned the ground continuously for rattlesnakes. I was so diligent about it and stayed away from any dense brush, etc. I looked up during the walk and suddenly saw a dark "cloud" in the sky, only I knew it wasn't a cloud because it was a beautiful sunny day. It turns out the black cloud was a swarm of bees. I turned on my heel and ran with my dog the other day and was fine. Again, that can happen anywhere. The moral I learned from that story is that I was being overly diligent and frightened about something and ignoring the entire situation around me. You just have to use good judgment no matter where you live.
As for crime, I can't speak specifically to that because I don't know where you're moving. The Valley is a huge metropolitan area and the suburbs span many miles east/west and north/south. I would imagine that the crime in a larger metro city/suburban area would be higher than Alaska, but that would be expected in any city this size. There are areas of town to avoid, but the entire Valley is definitely NOT crime ridden. We live in a nice north Scottsdale location and the types of crime we hear about are people leaving their garage doors open and bikes being stolen OR people leaving town and not safeguarding their homes properly (papers piling up, etc.) The homeowners that leave for the winter might occasionally have their homes broken into if they don't have proper security and live in a more isolated area.
Many homes in the Valley are very close together on smaller lots with block walls between neighbors, often with neighbors close to you on both sides and behind you. That alone helps protect against home invasion, especially if your neighbors keep their eyes open. We have a couple dogs and they are our very best security system; even burglars agree they avoid homes with dogs. If someone even touched a window or door our dogs would go crazy. I do make sure our garage door isn't left open and I almost make sure our doors are locked, but I'm not afraid at all. I do have some concerns when we leave on vacation and have always discussed this with our adjoining neighbors, but still, nothing has ever happened.
If you haven't already, try to broaden the source of where you're getting all your information. This forum is great, but it's only one source of information. If you have a reputable real estate agent they should steer you to the very best community to meet your needs and your concerns.
Approximately how much can you spend on a home? You don't have to answer, but knowing this could help us give you an idea where you can get the best bang for your buck. There are many nice areas that are still within a reasonable drive to the city due to our freeway system. Some freeways are faster-flowing than others, so distance from the city alone isn't your only concern. Personally, I like the north and northeast side of the Valley and find it gives us nice/fast access to freeways across town and downtown.
One important point....do you plan to rent or buy when you arrive? It's definitely a buyer's market right now with some unbelievable deals even in the best neighborhoods. There are some peple who believe the home prices are goin to fall a bit more before coming back up, so I would make sure you either get a really good deal on a home. You may even choose to rent for a few months to give you time to get a good feel for the Valley and where you would actually like to live.
If you're never lived here before, renting is not a bad idea. You can spend weekends researching the Valley from one side to the other. Each area of town can be so distinct and you'll soon find what appeals to you. Research the schools at: Arizona Department of Education Home Page (AZ Dept. of Education) to school districts are best for your children.
As for going to the store at 11:30 at night, I live in north Scottsdale and often go out at 10:00 to hang out in a bookstore for an hour. I've never had a problem, but I never go to isolated areas. The large grocery stores are busy enough 24/7 even when I run out late for something I need in the morning. Many of my neighbors walk their dogs or job after dark (especially when it's hot out) or as early as 4:30 in the morning. I personally wouldn't do this, but that's just the scaredy-cat in me; I've never heard of a problem in our neighborhood.
Some suburbs are more "iffy" than others in terms of good and bad sides of the same town, and I believe Gilbert is one of those (someone please help me out here). I personally don't like that end of town (Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, etc.) because those areas used to be for cotton farming and there isn't as much of a mountain/desert/Arizona feel to them; also, I don't like the freeways in that part of town. Just my opinion.
I do think you're overreacting. Perhaps if you can share how much you plan to spend on a home we can help further in terms of recommending areas.
Hope I've helped a bit. I believe I know where you're coming from and I felt the same way, but soon found out I was just fine (other than missing family, who soon came out to visit and vacation every chance they got!) Good luck!
Thank you so much for your replies! I am not completely scared, it's just been kind of a whirlwind. We applied to the job my husband was hired for a year ago and it is just now going through. We thought it wasn't going to happen, so we are a little overwhelmed. Although my cousin, who moved to Queen Creek in December, just had a rattlesnake on her walkway... that's kind of scary. But I believe all of you with your comments. I see moose here all the time, they can be pretty scary even though they look silly, but I have learned to deal with it.
We are looking at houses $150,000 and less. There are some great houses out in Queen Creek, but that is too far, since my husband will work in downtown Phoenix. We saw a couple of large houses in Buckeye (?) for great prices. We are looking at renting for several months so that we can get to know the area better. I have looked over the school districts website. We are mainly interested in charter schools and there seem to be several high scoring ones in the Phoenix area.
It sounds like life in Phoenix, as far as crime is concerned, a exercise in common sense from what you all have said. I grew up by Folsom Prison so it can't be much worse. I think I have bought into the negative remarks on here and got scared watching the First 48 on A&E... ha ha. There is always much more negative stories than positive. I guess I could say the same about living in Alaska.
Oh, and does anyone know how long it takes to be considered a resident as far as ASU is concerned? I know most universities are taking the two year approach, but I am hoping they are still on the one year plan. If anyone can fill me in, I would really appreciate it!
Las Vegas has a higher transient population and more opportunities for criminal activity based on the city's main revenue source. No, I am not against gambling but gambling and related activities go hand-in-hand.
Phoenix is a big city where you have to be a bit more careful.
As to rattlesnakes, Queen Creek is on the edge of suburbia so you will see rattlesnakes. I bet you saw snakes and other assorted wildlife living in Alaska. I'd be worried about running into snakes, bears and the like up there.
I think AZ residency is based on 1 year with proof such as a driver's license or utility bill. Check ASU on the web for current residency requirements.
150K will get you a house in either a far flung location like Queen Creek, Maricopa, Surprise or Buckeye or in a close in (to downtown) location like SW Phoenix, Avondale or Tolleson. The main problem with the far flung is the commute which is awful - don't rationalize it away - it's bad. The close-in locations are theoretically less safe. By that I mean, people are going to tell you that they are unsafe because the crime rate is higher, the per capita income is lower, and their are more illegals living in those areas. Realistically it's mostly an image problem. You are probably not anymore likely to be a crime victim in the newer neighborhoods southwest of Phoenix downtown than anywhere else. Certainly kids in the back yard are safe and you can go to the Walmart and shops on Lower Buckeye anytime day or night.
One problem with the lower cost homes in SW Phoenix though is the schools. They are bad in that they are underperforming with many kids flunking the basic tests and not learning a lot. Most of that has to do with non-English speaking students and parents who don't value education, but it can hurt your kids education too.
If you rent, you will not be as concerned about the schools, of course and renting is a good idea for anyone who does not know the area at all. But, in your price range, you should start right away to look for homes and be able to move quickly (have the down payment, keep your credit in good shape) on a house. As soon as the market turns around, the supply of nice 150K homes is going to evaporate like a puddle in the AZ heat.
I bet you saw snakes and other assorted wildlife living in Alaska. I'd be worried about running into snakes, bears and the like up there
Ummm, minus bears, Alaska's wildlife is ultra-tame compared to AZ's. There are no venomous snakes in Alaska, nor scorpions nor anything dangerous. Your main worries up there are bears or running into a moose with your car. On a rare occasion you might see a wolf, but they dont bother humans. Just thought Id throw that out there because someone coming from Alaska to AZ might as well be moving from Earth to Mars theyre so different.
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There are no venomous snakes in Alaska, nor scorpions nor anything dangerous. Your main worries up there are bears or running into a moose with your car. 
On a rare occasion you might see a wolf, but they dont bother humans. Just thought Id throw that out there because someone coming from Alaska to AZ might as well be moving from Earth to Mars theyre so different.
