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Old 06-16-2013, 01:52 AM
 
2,174 posts, read 4,374,983 times
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I live in Seattle WA and I'm self employed and can live anywhere. I'm a 43 year old single male. The Seattle winters are kind of rough on me so I'm looking for a warmer/sunnier location Nov-April. Will I be able to find a furnished rental in Tucson from Nov-April that isn't exorbitantly expensive? Is Tuscon a fun place to be for 4-5 months in the winter for a single guy in his 40's? I would be living kind of like a retired snow bird, but doing it at 43 years old vs. 65 years old. I would enjoy the hiking in the Tucson area a lot. But I'm not sure if Tucson would be be too boring for me. I would love UofA basketball games, but I'm sure getting tickets to games is really difficult. What do people think of buying vs. renting a house in Tucson for someone just living there for 5 months in the winter? How do snow birds secure and protect their homes when they are gone for 6 mos of the year?

I will definitely make a trip down to Tucson as I have been since 2006. Other places I'm looking at are Phoenix, Hawaii and San Diego. Arizona is cheaper and that is a attraction. What do people think about Phoenix vs. Tucson for my situation? San Diego I know very already well having lived there for 7 years.

Thanks!
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Old 06-16-2013, 05:30 AM
 
Location: Tucson
205 posts, read 727,370 times
Reputation: 378
How much of a party animal are you? While the college kids have fun, as they do universally, they have no use for a 43 year old and you probably little for them. Beyond that youth group, I'm not sure that Tucson exactly "rocks". If you're more into physical activity (hiking, biking, tennis, golf) then it offers a lot of varying opportunities. It has the added advantage of being relatively inexpensive compared to somewhere like Hawaii which is just incredibly expensive.

Phoenix has more culture, nightlife, professional sports and a much bigger singles scene in just about any age group (we may have them beat in the 65+ category ). However, it also has all the issues associated with big city living (and that's really all Phoenix is, one more big city). People in Tucson sometimes act as if Phoenix is on another planet when it comes to going up there for professional sports, most notably, football. While yes, it's a good little ways up the road, it's open road and the drive really isn't bad. I haven't been yet but when my beloved Redskins play Phoenix, I will be hunting tickets and attending a game decked out in my burgundy and gold.

If I was 43 and single, straight, professional, then I probably would put Tucson a ways down on my list, think I would just find it a tad boring. Don't know that Phoenix would be my next choice either. In any case, don't buy real estate until you've spent a couple years wintering there just to make sure. I think it's a fantastic place to be retired and active at 65 but my needs, goals, desires and interests have changed dramatically since I was 43.

BTW, the straight comment was only because if someone is gay, I think Tucson is a pretty accepting place from what I've observed. Some places in the West can't make that same claim.
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Old 06-16-2013, 11:03 AM
 
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Hi tom4416, thanks for the comment, and yes I am straight. I would not be much into the nightlife scene as I am beyond those years. I do a ton of hiking and I would love the local trails around Tucson for that. I have been hiking around Tucson and in the Chiricahua's and loved it. I do really love the look and feel of the desert southwest in winters/springs. I also like to do a lot of social networking and get out to meet new friends and activities, I'm not sure Tucson would have a lot of professional & educated people my age to meet and mingle with.

(Mod cut-- off topic)

Last edited by observer53; 06-22-2013 at 11:26 AM..
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Old 06-17-2013, 09:10 AM
 
4,235 posts, read 13,997,565 times
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you may not find Tucson to be hip and cool enough....it's definitely got happenin' spots, but is not wealthy or trendy enough for many...more of a laid-back, unpretentious, regular place...still a small-town feel in some ways....easy to get away from the college crowd.....lots of meetup groups, of course

however, as you know, the hiking is fantastic and there are all kinds of choices from easy to rough....also, great biking and many come from around the world to tackle the Catalina Highway's 27 miles and 6000' gain....

1 million people in the metro area....yes, cool to cold at night in the dead of winter, but warms up quickly in the direct sun because of low humidity.....

there are a lot of 40-something single people here....working, having fun, etc....
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Old 06-18-2013, 08:28 AM
 
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Thanks azdr0710...hiking is my #1 favorite thing to outside. Tucson I'm sure has some exceptional winter and spring hiking.
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Old 06-18-2013, 02:29 PM
 
Location: Tucson for awhile longer
8,869 posts, read 16,240,703 times
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I'm older than you are and my first instinct is to say, "Tucson isn't lively enough for you." BUT. I'm not into the outdoor physical activities that are so popular here. Many people like hiking because of its meditative qualities, but it certainly can also be a way to meet people and get a social life here. Biking, too. Lots of serious cyclists in Tucson.

Have a look at how many Meetup groups there are that are specifically organized around group hiking and backpacking. Some are directed at a specific group (Dads, dog owners, LGBTs, particular nationalities) but most are for general membership. If you have other interests, just go to the Tucson Meetup page and put other topics in the search engine. I've done Meetups and have found them to be a good and low-pressure way to pursue interests if you don't know a lot of people here. Maybe you could rent here this winter and just try it out.

Find Meetup groups near you - Meetup
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Old 06-22-2013, 11:28 AM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix, AZ USA
17,914 posts, read 43,192,912 times
Reputation: 10719
Several posts deleted. If you are going to discuss other cities in other states, take it to the City vs City forum, please.
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Old 06-22-2013, 02:57 PM
 
2,174 posts, read 4,374,983 times
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Observer53 don't understand you deleting my posts at all. This is a post talking about living in Tucson and part of the post has to talk about other areas in relation to Tucson. I don't get this whole hard core attitude to move things to city vs city. This is much more relevant to Tucson. Jeez.
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Old 06-23-2013, 04:21 PM
 
344 posts, read 547,647 times
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Speaking as someone who has moved many times, the only way to know if you're going to like a place is to go there and try it out.

If you buy a house here, you can rent it the rest of the year via a property manager. There are furnished rentals, but there are events in the winter like the gem show that fill those up. Reserve early, like now.

There are many places to hike and explore, you'll need a guide, and that's just the trails. The Arizona Trail runs through nearby Vail, there's Mt Lemmon, two Saguaro National Parks, and then all the usual places like Sabino and Catalina, and then there are longer trips like to the Chiricahuas.

Look on Meetup.com for hiking groups, join, and see where they go. I think you could hike somewhere different every day if you applied yourself, but part of my enjoyment is to notice the subtle changes that occur in a desert environment day to day.

I live out in the boonies and have hundreds of acres at my doorstep to explore, just need to decide which way to go. But some folks like town.
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Old 06-27-2013, 12:27 AM
 
Location: GoJoe
713 posts, read 1,454,309 times
Reputation: 322
goto Phx.
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