Relocating

[mpartovi]

Well folks...seeing how I love to plan things out...I would love to hear back from some of you AZ residents.

Im looking to relocate to AZ...possibly Scottsdale...in the next year and a half.

I know real estate there is on the rise...and I've only been to AZ once.

So...heres where all you come into play.

Any general things to know for a new resident?
Where/how are the airports? (gotta fly of course)
Weather?
What can I expect?

You know...give me the heads up!

I've lived in florida and Chicago for most my life...so im used to the extremes.

 

[Brian Austin]

Oh, goodness. Where to start?

There are seven smaller airports outside of PHX in the area: Deer Valley (north), Scottsdale, Glendale (west), Goodyear (southwest), Chandler (southeast), Gateway (east) and Falcon Field (east). All of those are Class D. There are a few private/public airparks, too, but those are the primary GA airports in the area.

Scottsdale is pricey on all fronts. Wherever you go, new construction is cheaper than older homes but they're a bit of a drive from central Phoenix. Traffic sucks for those folks.

Weather is very nice 8-9 months out of the year. There are a few months of really hot, uncomfortable weather but I've actually come to enjoy it now. No big deal and I've only been here six years from Michigan.

Lots to do. More than I have time to write. Very few places in the country where you can have breakfast on your patio, drive a few hours and ski in a 36" base, then come back and lie next to the pool in your bathing suit getting a tan.

Cost of living is reasonable. Not on CA scales but not quite as cheap as some midwest areas either. Our renovated 1,700 sq ft ranch house on a cul-de-sac lot with a larger yard and separate shop/kennel recently appraised at $250K. Personally, I think it's overpriced for what it is but that gives you an idea on the house cost scale. Groceries aren't out of line for most metro areas. Diesel is at $2.59 right now (don't pay attention to gas prices). Rental rates for a C172SP are in the $105-110 range, wet.

Economically, we don't really get hit with the ups and downs that a lot of cities see (especially in Michigan). It tends to be gentle changes with a constant upward trend. Not sure what industry you're in but most seem to be doing well here.