Hubby fell in love with AZ. Are there any New Jersey transplants that feel the same way? (Phoenix: rent to own, home)

[CPDL]

Hubby visited Tucson recently and says it is an awesome place. He felt so refreshed out there and said he got depressed when he came back to cold New Jersey.

Now he is on the move to Peoria, AZ area kick. He works for CSC-Computer Sciences Corporation and can most likely transfer.

I need to hear from people who made the big hike from NJ or any North Eastern seaboard state to Arizona. Pros and Cons?

I know there are some AZ bashers on here, so hopefully I won't hear from them. AZ is hot, I get that

NJ is ok, but we dont visit Philly much and dont do the beaches. Family is here that is the only thing. My 2 year old will be an only child and I suppose happy parents=happy child....right?

AZ seems like a nicer, cleaner, and spiritual place to be. I am tired of the 4 seasons, SUPER rude people and my $5k annual property taxes.

This whole move depends on if we can sell our 3 bedroom rancher style home here....heres hoping!!!

Thanking you in advance,
Chrissy

[NYorkFeinix]

what part of NJ are you in?

[cmist]

Originally Posted by CPDL

Hubby visited Tucson recently and says it is an awesome place. He felt so refreshed out there and said he got depressed when he came back to cold New Jersey.

Now he is on the move to Peoria, AZ area kick. He works for CSC-Computer Sciences Corporation and can most likely transfer.

I need to hear from people who made the big hike from NJ or any North Eastern seaboard state to Arizona. Pros and Cons?

I know there are some AZ bashers on here, so hopefully I won't hear from them. AZ is hot, I get that

NJ is ok, but we dont visit Philly much and dont do the beaches. Family is here that is the only thing. My 2 year old will be an only child and I suppose happy parents=happy child....right?

AZ seems like a nicer, cleaner, and spiritual place to be. I am tired of the 4 seasons, SUPER rude people and my $5k annual property taxes.

This whole move depends on if we can sell our 3 bedroom rancher style home here....heres hoping!!!

Thanking you in advance,
Chrissy

I could be seen as an AZ basher, but I will refrain from outright skewering the place. I'll only comment on your current remarks and perceptions.

I would never use the word spiritual to describe Phoenix. Sure there are plenty of churches, but the real popular churches here are built on a very grand scale, and seem impersonal and materialistic. Looking in the parking lot reveals fleets of expensive cars, and every other car has a church provided bumper sticker. To me it feels like many of the most popular churches out here are more like a large cult than genuine spiritualism. Again, my opinion only. I also realize you may find the desert to just be in general a "spiritual" place, but you wont feel like you are in the desert. Most views, as I have read in other peoples threads are going to be of "the front yard of your neighbor".

As far as nice people go, I am from Long Island myself so I have a little bit of directness to me (without the NY accent though since Ive been here about 30 years.) Im not really fond of dancing around subjects and taking 30 minutes to say what a New Yorker will say in 3 seconds. I've since learned to bite my tongue, and just smile and agree at risk of making enemies. (I do this in real life but not among strangers in a forum)

You may have to do that as well, since there arent many people here that like bluntness, its a much more PC crowd here. You may enjoy the niceties for awhile, but if its in your blood to say it like it is, you will probably be viewed as a rude East Coaster. But on the brighter side, even if they cant stand you, they will still wave to you from their driveway rather than start a confrontation.

On some positive notes, I live in Peoria and I can see my kids genuinely enjoy their school. They have great friends, get good grades and there are almost all families up here. Its a good place for families.

Property taxes are a complete bargain too --- compared to most places.

I have a relative who just moved from Old Bridge, NJ right down the street from me and he absolutely loves it. Many of the relatives I have moved here long ago and love it as well, but there are others who want to go back too.

Those that love it cant rave enough about clean streets, dry heat, low humidity, and the like. Those that dont like it, miss the seasons, the beaches, cheap mass transit to the city, even little things like hot dog stands, knishes, etc. Small things that are easy to get there are hard to find here.

Regardless, If you are intent on making a go of it here, nothing anyone can say will stop you. If you want to like it here, you will. Over time you will be able to formulate your own opinions and compare for yourself what you prefer.

As a side note, I started a thread in the Long Island forum asking if anyone there had moved to AZ thinking it was the ticket, but came back to Long Island with a renewed appreciation. It might be an interesting thread for you to follow as well to see that angle.

Best of luck!

[CPDL]

Originally Posted by NYorkFeinix

what part of NJ are you in?

We are in Southern NJ, 30 mins SE of Philadelphia.

[tymike]

We moved from Basking Ridge,NJ to Cave Creek,AZ about 4 months ago
(I am a born and raised NY'er / NJ ite). We could not be happier. My wife is a stay at home mom ( 2 boys - one in middle school and one that just started high school when we moved ). We sit outside at the pool over the weekend and have a glass of wine looking at the mountains the sunset and we are still amazed. To quote my wife she feels like she is still on vacation 4 months later.

I do not know a lot about Peoria but Cave Creek is a great place to live. My kids have really gotten adjusted quickly ( all they knew was Basking Ridge,NJ ). New friends / involved in school and the YMCA / etc. Cave Creek is considered Scottsdale.

We purchased a great home and the taxes are 1/4 of what we paid in NJ
E-mail me if you want to talk private or want more info

Scott

[CPDL]

We will probably do a rent to own house, since we will break even if lucky on this house. I know you get what you pay for [higher taxes = better public education], but is AZ really the dumb state?

My daughter is only 2 and we will rent for awhile so should we just plan on sending her to Catholic school since public schools don't sound to "hot"?

I am enjoying doing research on the area everyday being a stay at home mom.

[CPDL]

Spiritual in a way of nature, warmth, he felt healthier. I didn't mean in a religious way.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by CPDL

but is AZ really the dumb state?

Im interested in hearing views on this too rather than just statistics. AZ does tend to shift around between 46-50th on those charts but I dont know what that means. Statistics are a poor indication, and I have nothing to compare it to since my kids seem fairly smart to me and have never gone anywhere other than the Peoria School District.

Heres the thing though, and Im curious on your perspective of the schools THERE to make a comparison since almost everywhere is up from here in the education dept statistically...

My wife & I have jobs that allows us to mostly work from home, so I think we have the opportunity to oversee everything they do as far as homework etc. more than a family with 2 working parents that come home exhausted with little time to perfect their childrens schoolwork before handing it in.

To me, it always felt like we were actually DOING their homework because they would come home and not understand the assignment even though they spent 7 hours there. I always just attributed it to normal parenting.

When I kept hearing the complaint of the education system, I realized that we do exert a pretty large share of energy in helping them. We do spend alot of time digging into the recesses of our own early education to teach them things that maybe should have learned in the classroom. Both of us have east coast educations so that may help too!

It doesnt bother us as much as it just dawned on us that other families may have an entirely different arrangement that doesnt allow for so much attention to the kids schoolwork. This is purely an observation and wonder if your kids are currently getting good grades with minimal assistance from you in the NJ system?

However, the buildings are nice, the kids seem nice, the teachers are nice, so no complaints there. I could think of quite a few more states that have a reputation for being "dumb" before I think of AZ, but statistically it is always hovering at the bottom of the charts.

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by CPDL

Spiritual in a way of nature, warmth, he felt healthier. I didn't mean in a religious way.

LOL, I was going to comment about this as cmist assumed you meant religion but it was understandable that you didn't.

I'm not from NJ, although I was stationed at McGuire, lol, still that doesn't qualify me. As someone who was born here, and whose entire family is native to Arizona I will tell you to know that the culture is different and to NOT expect what is convenient in NY/NJ. No, we don't have great hot dog stands, etc that you can get in five minutes, but NY/NJ doesn't have great chile and spicy food available within five minutes. You can't get a great "picado" just down the street if you know what I mean.

It is all relative. Do not expect to find New Jersey in Arizona as cmist apparently wishes for; after 30 years you'd expect he'd understand that. Just as my Arizona attitude is quick to want to say that pizza and skyscrapers aren't culture (they do contribute), it is just as ignorant to believe that the desert environment and tamales do not contribute to culture here.

And don't worry, Arizona natives are quick with the tongue and are not sensitive and many of our transplants are from the NE so you'll be in pleasant company, LOL! There are some "gentle" midwesterners here however that are used to much nicer speak, so that is very respectable. From what you write, you seem like a good fit. Just know there isn't a Great Papaya on the corner, even in downtown Phoenix; but there is a Coney Island and Ed the Hotdogger (many 'dog stands are run by North Easterners).

[CPDL]

My daughter is 2 so no school yet. However I attended public highschool here and had average grades in college prep courses. My parents helped when then could...I guess they would say that I received a normal education for their $5k a year taxes.