Originally Posted By ncnike7 My husband has the oppuritunity to transfer to Arizona if we want, but do we want to? I don't know if i can take the heat during the summer, but the rest of the year would be nice. Are there any Arizonians out there that would mind telling me why or why not Arizona is a good place to raise a family? What are the pros and cons? We live in Utah and I really hate Utah winters so that is the only reason I am considering the move right now. So tell me about Arizona please!
Originally Posted By Labuda Me, myself, and I all agree - we wouldn't live in AZ if you paid us, but that's because of our politics. I have a friend who lives in the Tempe area and she loves it.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 We visited Flagstaff and Sedona and found those areas to be VERY nice
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Parts of Arizona get cold (it snows) in the Winter. Not Utah cold, but my California self didn't dig it AT ALL. I would never move to the metropolitan Phoenix area, because that's just LA with the heat turned up, yuck. People who live in Tucson tend to love it there and Prescott and Flagstaff (cold and colder cities) are also nice.
Originally Posted By disney pete A friend of ours went to sedona (for a vacation) and she loved it but living and vacationing are 2 different things arent they.
Originally Posted By ncnike7 It would be in the Chandler area. I believe Chandler is not far from Phoenix. So I guess it gets pretty hot there? What about the bugs. I've never even seen a cocroach except on TV, and if I see one in my house, I might freak out. And scorpions.
Originally Posted By seafairy1622 I lived in Phoenix for 17 years. It is hot in the summer. Winter's are nice. It does get cold but not to bad. There is alot of things to do there. I used to take my kids to the fair every year, disney on ice shows,broadway plays and the zoo. The zoo is a really big one and we were members to it. At Christmas time they would do zoo lights at night. That was neat. Metrocenter is a great mall.Golf n stuff is cool. There are 4 minature golf courses and rides. I liked living there I wasn't crazy about the summers but our apt. had a pool. My daughter's dance school was down the street from us. that was nice. I have been in Redding Ca for 8 years now. My family is here. I miss the big city sometimes and go to Sacramento about every 3 months. I've got to go to work so I wrote this in a hurry if I think of more stuff I'll write it down.
Originally Posted By chickapin A very good friend moved from Utah to Mesa (which is right next to Chandler) many years ago and loves it. The summers are VERY hot, but everything is air conditioned. You just don't spend mid-day out side much. There is lots to do. I go visit every year and always enjoy my time there. If the job is a good opportunity I think I'd seriously consider it.
Originally Posted By LuLu I think Chandler would be considered Phoenix metro area, but is far enough away that you aren't dealing with big-city traffic, etc. I don't really know much about Chandler (weather would be same as Phx tho). I lived in Phx and Tempe for a few years and enjoyed it. You learn to deal with the weather - most of the year it's lovely. I never saw a scorpion but they do exist. And cockroaches are everywhere, aren't they? I never had a problem with them. If you buy a house, it'll probably get tented, so no bug worries.
Originally Posted By RidgebackLuver I was raised in Mesa and absolutely loved it. We live in the Bay Area right now, but if my husband could make as much money there as he does here, we'd move back there in a heart beat!!!
Originally Posted By skinnerbox My mom lived in Prescott for five years (2003-2008). I visited her several times each year, during all seasons. Winters are fairly mild for mile high elevation, with mild to moderate levels of snow. Summers are warm but nothing like the cauldron heat of the Maricopa valley. And driving to the Phoenix area generally took about 90 min during spring and fall, a bit longer during winter because of ice and summer because of thunderstorms/heavy downpours. The only real negative to Prescott/Prescott Valley is lack of medical practitioners and adequate medical facilities. Prescott Valley has been growing very rapidly this past decade, and the availability of doctors taking new patients tends to suck. Plus, the area isn't large enough (yet) to warrant HMO coverage; Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBSAZ) only offers their cheaper HMO plans in the Phoenix and Tucson regions. So, health care is more expensive in the Flag and Prescott areas. Otherwise, northern AZ is beautiful with livable climates. It's just too bad that the politics suck so hard for the state.
Originally Posted By Tink2002 Chandler is in the Phoenix area. I'm in Tucson and love it. However, I do not care for the Phoenix area. I find it hotter, busier and franlky not as attractive as Tucson. But, you have amazing destinations not far from you. Summers are terrible until the monsoons set in (but you make sure you have air conditioning and not swamp coolers), but Fall(all two days of it) and Winter are amazing. Christmas in So. AZ is incredible. Arizona is an incredibly diverse state - desert, high desert, mountains, canyons (we have a really big one) grasslands and meadows. After college in Seattle and a stint back home in the Bay Area, I chose to come back to Tucson (birthplace), and I don't regret it. Nothing, but nothing, smells like the desert after a rain.
Originally Posted By Pollyana I have lived in Mesa for 8 years now. I am not crazy about the state income tax. I am from Washington and found the tax a tough pill to swallow. I am getting used to it now. The summers are brutal, there's no getting around that. You learn how to adapt, and do things outside in the morning or evening. I just came back from a 2 mile bike ride and it is 92degrees right now. We moved here to "retire" but we are both still working. Love it here! We now go to Disneyland to cool off!!!
Originally Posted By ncnike7 I was looking into Glibert, is that a nice area? How are the crime rates there? I have small kids and I need a safe place for them. We also have two Australian Shepherds that I am worried about in the Arizona heat. They are outside dogs, and have never been inside. How would 2 long haired, outside dogs do?
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Gilbert is near Phoenix and if you move their you should allow your dogs inside during the warmer months (April through October, give or take) or get them an air conditioned dog house with some system for constant fresh water. Anything less would be animal cruelty. That breed of dog should not live in any part of Arizona south of Prescott and even there I wouldn't advise they be an outdoor dog in the Summer.
Originally Posted By disneydad109 I went to Arizona for the 1st time this spring. It is a very nice ,flat ,brown state.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Are you sure you weren't in Kansas? Arizona is many things, but it isn't flat. Prescott is a mile high city, Flagstaff is at nearly 7000 feet and there are a couple of largish holes in the ground there you may have heard of ;-).
Originally Posted By disneydad109 The area I was in was near Mexico. The ground was brown , the plants were brown , heck even the people were brown.
