What do YOU like abou living in the Phoenix area? (Tucson: cul-de-sac, house)

[AZ Bandit]

1. Drivers aren't annoying like in MN (seniors driving 15 below speed limit in the left lane)
2. People are insanely friendly
3. In my opinion, the weather cannot be beat anywhere in the US
4. Absolutely wonderful restaurants
5. If you like shopping there are plenty of nice, upscale malls within driving distance

I'm currently packing up all of my belongings and am moving in a couple weeks. After my visit in March, I really got to know the area and can really appreciate all it has to offer. I cannot wait to get out of Minnesota and really spread my wings out in Phoenix!

[marriedfor 11]

Oh, this thread makes me even more homesick. I LOVE Phoenix. After living overseas I can´t wait until we move back in 2010. I have had 6 hard, cold winters and I can barely stand one more. I lived in Scottsdale and Chandler and both were nice, different charm..
Good luck on your move..even if July is hot trust me that heat makes up for years of frostbite. Food, weather, sandals, pedicure, shorts, pool, lime, margaritas with salt, Kona Grill, shopping, nature, Sedona, Native American art and culture, cowboys and old west, big sizes, nice roads, air conditioning, palm trees, saghuaro cacti, gekkos ahh get me out of here!!!!!!!

[NJ2AZSusan]

Originally Posted by tgmn

To each their own, I don't think the drivers are that bad.

I don't think so either. But evidently not everyone agrees with us. As I said in the column, I only wrote it because quite frequently I hear other people complain about the driving styles here.

[Wyoming Darrell]

YES!!!YES!!!YES!!! My son is a fairly new high school teacher, and a very good one according to the evaluations written by his supervisors. He says the number one problem is parents who leave it up to the school to raise their kids, and the resulting attitude this encourages in the student. The next to the worst problem is the law "mainstreaming" kids that really should be in special education classes, disciplinary programs, or vocational school (some kids WANT to be mechanics, carpenters and welders), because they take so much time that the teachers have no time left for the ones that really want to learn.
GOOD teachers love GOOD parents!
To those that are not doing it already:GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR KIDS AND THEIR EDUCATION!

P.S. Don't bother flaming me, I already know that what I said about "mainstreaming" is not P.C.

[jessyadams]

Well,
I can't wait to get back to Phoenix area. Me and my future husband working avtually to go back home ,on the hopi rez.
I know how the feeling is to be home sick. I had it alot.
So we are looking forward to go back.

[purplepalace]

i personally looked at moving away from phoenix but when you get down to the details. Phoenix has a good blend of jobs, (family for me), housing affordability, and commute time.

[maverick974]

Wow, I thought this thread was dead. Seems like most of what is on here is negative stuff. Too many people, too hot, crime, blah, blah, blah......... We always hear about the bad stuff. Since I am planning a move to the Phoenix area as soon as I can get rid of my place here in Oregon, I like to hear the good things about the Phoenix area. Particularly about the east side as that's where I'm planning to move.
Anyone else??? (Yes, I'm trying to bump this thread but only because I want to know more good things about my future home....)

[AliveandWell]

Originally Posted by maverick974

Wow, I thought this thread was dead. Seems like most of what is on here is negative stuff. Too many people, too hot, crime, blah, blah, blah......... We always hear about the bad stuff. Since I am planning a move to the Phoenix area as soon as I can get rid of my place here in Oregon, I like to hear the good things about the Phoenix area. Particularly about the east side as that's where I'm planning to move.
Anyone else??? (Yes, I'm trying to bump this thread but only because I want to know more good things about my future home....)

Hello maverick974! I am just like you, contemplating a move out of the place where I am once the economy picks up as nothing lasts forever. I only briefly visited AZ in 2006 when I went to see the Grand Canyon. I have never been to Phoenix though. I don't even pay attention to the negative stuff that some people have a tendency to post. I am attracted to AZ because it is close to where I live. Flights back home to LA would be short. Also, I love Mexican food. And yes, I know AZ gets lots of sunny days and they sometimes can get boring but at least we get our Vitamin D exposure. I suggest you come on over and check it out, you might like it enough to stay long term. AZ is a beautiful state. Good luck

[las vegas drunk]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but it is a big deal to me. I like the fact they let people assemble their own hot dogs in the convenience stores in Phoenix. In Vegas, the hot dogs are behind the counter, and you have to have the cashier assemble the hot dogs, which is very time consuming. Last night I went to 7 Eleven after work to get a couple beers. There were three sets of people getting hot dogs in front of me. I had to wait over 15 minutes in line, when in Phoenix I would have waited a minute or two. This happens quite often (especially late at night), and it really pisses me off since I never even eat those nasty hot dogs myself!

[SarahGen]

Friends of ours finally made the long-awaited leap from the California central coast to here. And I think they did a smart thing - they rented first. We know two couples who are renting for a year or more first.

You say you need to get to Tucson, and you want to get out on some lakes... I would try renting here for a month or more and seeing how easy it is to get where you need to go.

When we first needed to move to Phx, we just had a few places we wanted to get to (downtown for 1) and being close to the 51 was a serious blessing. And we kept raving and raving to people about how big and wide and awesome the freeways were, and never crowded.
It's a different story if you need to get from downtown to Chandler/Gilbert/and the like, or even over to Scottsdale. The 17 feels like a whole other world.

You know your whole experience could be different depending on finding an immediate neighborhood you like - close proximity to stuff that matters to you (need a coffee shop 2 blocks away? library? walking trails) - and an easy drive to wherever you need to go on a regular basis.

I know people are miserable who are stuck in the car in this heat and sun on the most crowded freeways.

And I know people who specifically wanted the urban feel of downtown and moved there - close to restaurants and the light rail, and easy to get to Tempe (which was a need for them).

So - I would really vote on knowing the place you're moving to. And don't be afraid to rent! I think there are some great deals around here.