Fiancé & I planning on moving to AZ - Advice? Feedback?

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Fate Foretold

I'm sorry, I just feel like I am repeating myself again. As I originally stated in my initial post here, I (in addition to my fiancé and my family) have been researching this for quite a long time. My father especially has gone through quite a lot of research for place for him and my mother to retire. My family and I have already been to Arizona in the summer time (in addition to New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Mexico - all in one long trip), and I got to experience firsthand 120 degrees when our plane landed. It was unbelievably hot, but like nothing I've ever experienced, since there was no humidity like there would be here in the midwest, so I felt as if I could stay outside all day and not break a sweat. Traveling all around that year, we got to experience all types of weather, in addition to obviously different environments and scenery. My dad has been all over the country (for business), which has helped him in their decision for a place to live, and he's also been a huge help to us as well in deciding on a state. By no means is this just a whim decision that I alone came to. Trust me, I've spent many days and hours personally doing my research into not only jobs but the many states themselves. I'm sorry if you do not feel we are welcome in your state.

You've done your homework, you know what you are doing, don't let the people who don't like it here and would like to leave get you down. No place is for everyone! Good luck to you, keep us posted on your plans.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by Fate Foretold

I'm sorry, I just feel like I am repeating myself again. As I originally stated in my initial post here, I (in addition to my fiancé and my family) have been researching this for quite a long time. My father especially has gone through quite a lot of research for place for him and my mother to retire. My family and I have already been to Arizona in the summer time (in addition to New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Mexico - all in one long trip), and I got to experience firsthand 120 degrees when our plane landed. It was unbelievably hot, but like nothing I've ever experienced, since there was no humidity like there would be here in the midwest, so I felt as if I could stay outside all day and not break a sweat. Traveling all around that year, we got to experience all types of weather, in addition to obviously different environments and scenery. My dad has been all over the country (for business), which has helped him in their decision for a place to live, and he's also been a huge help to us as well in deciding on a state. By no means is this just a whim decision that I alone came to. Trust me, I've spent many days and hours personally doing my research into not only jobs but the many states themselves. I'm sorry if you do not feel we are welcome in your state.

I hope you realize my prior post was in no way unwelcoming. It was an angle to consider. I have to comment though... if you are under the impression that you could stay outside in 120 degree weather and not break a sweat because its dry, its time for me to bust that myth right now!

Maybe you can tolerate it yourself, but if you are thinking of starting your young family consider this. My kids come inside after 15 minutes of trying to play basketball in the summertime beet red, exhausted and covered in sweat. If they don't spend the day in the pool, there is nothing to do with all this wonderful dry heat. You will be consigning your children to summers full of playing video games indoors unless you have the means to escape.

Similarly, if you like to hike and do outdoors things, its usually not advisable to do rugged hiking in such extreme temperatures. You would have to be a real early bird to get up and out before the sun gets too strong which starts about 10am. And FYI, it gets humid here from about mid June through Sept. It doesn't take a high percentage of moisture to make 115* seem muggy. Come visit in August, do a little hiking, and report back on that experience.

Your most active times will be in the winter months... forget being outdoors in the summer unless it involves ALOT of water.

You can only research so much, the rest has to be learned by living the life, and by carefully considering all opinions, and not only those that say what you want to hear.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by cmist

I hope you realize my prior post was in no way unwelcoming. It was an angle to consider. I have to comment though... if you are under the impression that you could stay outside in 120 degree weather and not break a sweat because its dry, its time for me to bust that myth right now!

Maybe you can tolerate it yourself, but if you are thinking of starting your young family consider this. My kids come inside after 15 minutes of trying to play basketball in the summertime beet red, exhausted and covered in sweat. If they don't spend the day in the pool, there is nothing to do with all this wonderful dry heat. You will be consigning your children to summers full of playing video games indoors unless you have the means to escape.

Similarly, if you like to hike and do outdoors things, its usually not advisable to do rugged hiking in such extreme temperatures. You would have to be a real early bird to get up and out before the sun gets too strong which starts about 10am. And FYI, it gets humid here from about mid June through Sept. It doesn't take a high percentage of moisture to make 115* seem muggy. Come visit in August, do a little hiking, and report back on that experience.

Your most active times will be in the winter months... forget being outdoors in the summer unless it involves ALOT of water.

You can only research so much, the rest has to be learned by living the life, and by carefully considering all opinions, and not only those that say what you want to hear.

The heat advice, is, of course, good to remember even for those of us who live here! And, cmist is right, you will only really know what living here is like when you do it. He's decided he doesn't like it, you may, too, or you may not. As far as "saying what you want to hear", I am neither going to be one of those people who jumps on every thread started by someone who wants to move here saying how awful it is that people keep moving to this awful place taking away jobs from those who live here and can't find one, nor am I going to be one of those who say it's all great here and jobs are plentiful and life is all sunshine and rainbows.

You seem to have given the idea a lot more time and effort than others who want to move here and have NO idea what it is like. You are young, just starting out, if you want to start here, come ahead.

[Zathras]

Well I would also suggest a visit to the area of several days minimum, and drive around and look at things- get to know a little of what the differences are between various towns and suburbs. We've made several visits and finally settled on the Fountain Hills area. About 20 miles outside of Phoenix, but the Beeline hwy gets you in there pretty quick. Hopefully we'll be moving out there by June!

[cmist]

Originally Posted by observer53

The heat advice, is, of course, good to remember even for those of us who live here! And, cmist is right, you will only really know what living here is like when you do it. He's decided he doesn't like it, you may, too, or you may not. As far as "saying what you want to hear", I am neither going to be one of those people who jumps on every thread started by someone who wants to move here saying how awful it is that people keep moving to this awful place taking away jobs from those who live here and can't find one, nor am I going to be one of those who say it's all great here and jobs are plentiful and life is all sunshine and rainbows.

You seem to have given the idea a lot more time and effort than others who want to move here and have NO idea what it is like. You are young, just starting out, if you want to start here, come ahead.

I hate to carry on here, but I want to explain my position.

When I do my research of where I want to live, once I decide on it, there is NOTHING anyone can say to change my mind. I don't care if they tell me its hell on earth. I chalk it up to personal preference and move on.

People considering moving here are going to do the same thing. Their decision is already made and nothing I say or anyone else is going to change their mind.... so while others will drone on about how fantastic it is, I throw some things out that someone may not have considered.

When I write into other city forums to inquire, the earliest responses are usually extremely positive. If its not very active, I hear NO negatives. I actually have to say, PLEASE tell me some bad things, shake me up a little, don't let me come thing thinking everything will be perfect!! Whats the catch???

More people in Phx take an insistant stance that "YOU WILL LOVE IT HERE" where I might try to suggest a little more thinking before deciding.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by Fate Foretold

Hello, all!

My fiancé and I were both from an area known as the Quad Cities, him on the Iowa side of the river, and me on the Illinois side. For the past 2 years now though, we've lived in a suburb of Chicago so that I could go to school here. We'll be getting married July 17th of 2010. By then, I will have graduated, and our lease will be up at our current apartment, and we are planning on moving elsewhere (as we very much dislike the Chicagoland area). I am a Video Game Art and Design major - however - I am not very fond of it, as it is not what I expected it to be, so I may be reconsidering my future career, so I do not want to move to an area based on where the most gaming companies are located (which would easily be California).

We've been looking into a number of places to live for a long while now, and finally we've settled on Arizona. My own parents and brother plan on moving out to Arizona or New Mexico in a couple of years when my dad retires, and they've already been out to both states to look at homes and neighborhoods there. We like AZ because of the weather (and lack of high humidity), the very low cost of living, the beautiful landscapes, and the fact that there is a lot of open country in addition to a few big cities.

We've been looking at moving to the Phoenix area. I was just curious which suburbs were considered nice. My brother was really impressed with the gated community of Estrella, but that's something more what we'll be looking at when we start looking for houses. Right now, we just want to find an apartment and good neighborhood that isn't right in the the city. I was looking at Avondale and Surprise yesterday, but I honestly don't know much about any of these suburbs. My fiancé and I plan on going out to AZ next year to look at various neighborhoods and apartments, but having an idea of which places would be good to look at would be wonderful.

Also, I was just curious what Arizona residents thought of the state! :]

Thanks!
[/color]

My advice would be to get married first. There is nothing quite so miserable as being far away from home, not knowing anyone and breaking up. I believe, if you do a search here on CD, that there is a poster from PHOENIX who had this happen. Even marriage is not forever, but its a whole lot more secure than being engaged.

20yrsinBranson

[observer53]

Originally Posted by cmist

I hate to carry on here, but I want to explain my position.

When I do my research of where I want to live, once I decide on it, there is NOTHING anyone can say to change my mind. I don't care if they tell me its hell on earth. I chalk it up to personal preference and move on.

People considering moving here are going to do the same thing. Their decision is already made and nothing I say or anyone else is going to change their mind.... so while others will drone on about how fantastic it is, I throw some things out that someone may not have considered.

When I write into other city forums to inquire, the earliest responses are usually extremely positive. If its not very active, I hear NO negatives. I actually have to say, PLEASE tell me some bad things, shake me up a little, don't let me come thing thinking everything will be perfect!! Whats the catch???

More people in Phx take an insistant stance that "YOU WILL LOVE IT HERE" where I might try to suggest a little more thinking before deciding.

I didn't think your position needed explaining; I thought your perspective was perfectly understandable. But, I think the OP has done a lot of thinking. And, he's actually BEEN here, which is more than we can say for many, if not the majority, who get it in their heads to move here.

[Discovery1]

Originally Posted by Fate Foretold

I'm sorry, I just feel like I am repeating myself again. As I originally stated in my initial post here, I (in addition to my fiancé and my family) have been researching this for quite a long time. My father especially has gone through quite a lot of research for place for him and my mother to retire. My family and I have already been to Arizona in the summer time (in addition to New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Mexico - all in one long trip), and I got to experience firsthand 120 degrees when our plane landed. It was unbelievably hot, but like nothing I've ever experienced, since there was no humidity like there would be here in the midwest, so I felt as if I could stay outside all day and not break a sweat. Traveling all around that year, we got to experience all types of weather, in addition to obviously different environments and scenery. My dad has been all over the country (for business), which has helped him in their decision for a place to live, and he's also been a huge help to us as well in deciding on a state. By no means is this just a whim decision that I alone came to. Trust me, I've spent many days and hours personally doing my research into not only jobs but the many states themselves. I'm sorry if you do not feel we are welcome in your state.

After reading quite a few of your posts i think you and your family especially your dad all make the right decision to move to Arizona.