Phoenix ???s

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

I think you need to come to Phoenix in July and see if you can tolerate the heat. I've lived here nearing 10 years now and I find the Phoenix summers to be much more tolerable than the humidity of Florida. In Phoenix, I can go home and take a cool shower and feel very refreshed but in a humid climate such as Florida, I can get out of that shower and still feel all sticky and sweaty. Dallas has humidity but not on the scale that Florida does. I've been in Dallas in August and it was really humid, I sat on a leather sofa in shorts and I had to PEEL myself off the sofa because of the humidity, you don't get that in Phoenix.

Denver is a great city but it gets too cold in winter for my liking, I lived in Iowa for 18 years and I've had enough of the snow and ice to last me a lifetime. I've never been to North Carolina and don't have any reason to go there so I couldn't comment about either city.

Come to Phoenix, stay for a few days and get a feel for LIVING here. Drive rush hour traffic, get a feel for the different cities, find out if it's a place where you can see yourself permanently. If you like it and can tolerate the heat for 3-4 months, you'll love it the rest of the year. It's especially fun to call your family/friends on Christmas and tell them you're grilling outside in shorts while they're knee deep in snow.

Very true. I would recommend, if you decide to move here and it fits your budget, that you get a place with a pool, even if its a small one. Nothing like coming home and cooling off with a quick dip in the pool.

Our summers tend to be like the winters up north - we cocoon and spend more time in our houses.

[jdub2447]

Thanks for the responses. I am still working on trying to convince my wife to let me add Phoenix to the list of areas we're applying to/hoping to live in.

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

....In Phoenix, I can go home and take a cool shower and feel very refreshed but in a humid climate such as Florida, I can get out of that shower and still feel all sticky and sweaty. Dallas has humidity but not on the scale that Florida does....

I know exactly what you're saying, and that drives me nuts! I hate getting ready to go somewhere, hopping in the shower, getting out, drying off, and sweating while getting dressed. I'm a Fort Myers, FL native, so I've lived in this humidity my entire life. I'm still not used to it, and I still barely tolerate it. 5-6 months out of the year, I'm absolutely miserable. The rest of the year, I'm half way miserable. I say half, because even in January, we'll have days that reach 85 and sunny w/80%+ humidity. As long as it's under 75 degrees, then the humidity doesn't bother me. If it was 80-85 w/out humidity, it wouldn't be bad at all. I don't mind the heat nearly as much as the sweaty, sticky, balmy humidity. I hate going outside with my dog during the 6 month long summer at 10pm, and it's still 85 degrees with 80% humidity. Terrible...

I don't think I'd enjoy living in an area that gets a lot of snow though, so Denver and SLC aren't really that high on our lists. I love what I read about Phoenix because the weather seems better than Florida, it's a major city with plenty to do, it's close to outdoor activities, Mexican food, the list goes on.

The economy there is the only thing that has me worried. It's rough everywhere, that's true, but I think Florida, Arizona, California, and Vegas have all been hit harder than the rest of the country. Dallas seems to have quite the advantage there. However, since Florida and Arizona were among the first casualties, I think they may recover a bit sooner. Who knows though.

I think I'm going to start applying to places in Phoenix, and see what happens. I'm going to visit whatever city we decide on before we move, so I won't be going anywhere sight unseen. I've got a wife, 3 kids, and 2 dogs. So, I've got a whole troop to move! I won't uproot everyone before checking a place out first.

One more question about life in Phoenix.....

Since a lot of the yards don't have grass there (or, at least appear not to have grass in pics/TV), that basically eliminates yard work then, right?! How awesome would that be! Regarding the quote about the greenery in the Southeast, it is nice, but it's alot of upkeep. It's especially bad in the summer. Here in Florida, you can set your summer clock by the rain showers in the afternoon. (Then the humidity gets worse after the rain.) That seemingly daily downpour keeps the plants healthy, but makes them grow like you wouldn't believe. I don't know many things that are worse than yard work every Saturday in order to keep your yard from looking like an Indiana Jones jungle scene location, then sweating for 2 hours afterwards waiting to take a shower, so you don't sweat after the shower is over! Is it safe to assume that yard maintenance is much, much less in Phoenix than Florida? I'd love to not include lawn machinery in my list of bulky things to move.

[sh9730]

Well, there are alot of places that still do have SOME grass in their yards, both front and back here in AZ, so dont get tooo set on no yardwork. Of course you can have yourself a maintenance free yard, but most people dont. I think it is because the natural landscape of the area (desert), though has its own amazing beauty, does lack in the deep greens of grass etc, so many here do as I said have at least small lawns. Some, have as much grass as anywhere else! Also, unless you want total rock with no plants, the best way to keep them watered is with a drip system so you have to set that up, and it can have problems on occassion also.

Bottom line - in the spring thru fall there arent many weekends Im not in the yard for at least part of the day (early in the morning of course!). But, I do have an 8200 sq ft lot with lawn front/back, 90+ plants on a drip, and 10 trees that need to be maintained. Most folks dont have quite that much, but Im sure they still have to do some yardwork (or pay someone to do it).

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by jdub2447

One more question about life in Phoenix.....

Since a lot of the yards don't have grass there (or, at least appear not to have grass in pics/TV), that basically eliminates yard work then, right?! How awesome would that be! Regarding the quote about the greenery in the Southeast, it is nice, but it's alot of upkeep. It's especially bad in the summer. Here in Florida, you can set your summer clock by the rain showers in the afternoon. (Then the humidity gets worse after the rain.) That seemingly daily downpour keeps the plants healthy, but makes them grow like you wouldn't believe. I don't know many things that are worse than yard work every Saturday in order to keep your yard from looking like an Indiana Jones jungle scene location, then sweating for 2 hours afterwards waiting to take a shower, so you don't sweat after the shower is over! Is it safe to assume that yard maintenance is much, much less in Phoenix than Florida? I'd love to not include lawn machinery in my list of bulky things to move.

Well a lot of people opt for the gravel yard with desert landscaping It still needs some upkeep, especially after a period of rainfall when weeds and stray grass start sprouting up through the gravel (like right now). The old school solution was to lay sheets of plastic under the gravel - eventually they degrade, and you get that ugly look of torn black plastic poking up through the gravel. Most people use a pre-emergent weed and grass killer with regular touch-ups with a weed spray. I have gravel out front and a yard out back (with curbstone around it) for the kids to play on. People with yards usually seed winter and summer grass, or just summer grass and let the yard die during the wniter. I opt for the latter and mow my yard in back about every 2 weeks or so during the summer (I use a drip and irrigation timer.) A lot of the most common desert trees (palo verde, mesquite) used in landscaping out here dump a lot of needles, bean pods etc. that can pile up and need to be blown away regularly, as well as some occasional pruning. Some prefer just cactus which are low water use and pretty much self-maintaining. The trees do provide some shade which, if properly sited, can reduce your house's cooling bill. There are a lot of palm trees around which require regular pruning (you know about those if you're from Florida, though.) I generally do some touch-up yard work for a couple of hours a month that keep things looking okay. A lot of people hire a yard-car service as well.

[jdub2447]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

....Most people use a pre-emergent weed and grass killer with regular touch-ups with a weed spray....

That sounds easiest, that would be me.

I've started applying to places over there, so we'll see what happens. From what I've seen online regarding the area, I think it's great. I think I'd love Phoenix. Hopefully, I can get some offers, then I'll hit you guys up for more specific information regarding the area.

Thanks for the info!

[Lovegun]

Originally Posted by Boomerbiker

It's hot in Florida and it's hot Arizona - theres no getting around that fact - but I think Phoenix is quite nice 8-9 months of the year.

Phoenix would be a lot better if it really was 8-9 months out of the year that is nice. I'm wondering if you lived in Phoenix before. I would say end of April to end of Sept is just to hot for me.