If I could afford a multi million dollar home, I would move to Sedona, AZ in a heartbeat, but I can't. It's climate is a nice mix. Both mild in the summer and the winter.

Close friends moved to Phoenix(Sun City West, on the golf course). Winter was great, summer was murder, so they sold and moved back to the Midwest. My friend's next door neighbor in Sun City West had two homes. During the winter, he stayed at his home in Sun City West. During the summer, he stayed at his home in Flagstaff

But most retired people can't afford two expensive homes.

Elijah,
Just two suggestions - subscribe to the daily "local" newspaper for several months; you'll get a better feel for the area(s) that you may be interested in. Second, take a road trip for a few weeks. When my wife and I decided to move out west, but just weren't sure where, we found our trips to be invaluable - some things you just need to see firsthand. Good luck.

I'm not old enough nor rich enough to retire anytime soon but we're thinking of the next few years.

We were out in Vegas (not my scene) and drove to grand canyon. Loved the dry heat and sunshine but one thing i did not like was no shade. Not a lick off years and no relief from the sun. Same as mossy roads here in MD. Loved that it was not congested. I'm thinking this summer of going back and checkout places after i do some research.
Thanks for all the input everyone.

We have considered moving to Arizona for the last dozen years, I've spent a fair amount of time there in all the seasons, but here are the things that keep us in the (ugh) distant Chicago suburbs:

Friends who moved to Gilbert (Phoenix suburb, nice place) two years ago thought their living expenses would go down $200-$500 per month, but they have stayed about the same. Just different items costing more.

Heat in summer is not as bad as cold/snow in winter, but it's still a major issue.

Right now Illinois does not tax my pension/SS, Arizona does partly.

We are members of a Corvette club here that we enjoy immensely, both the activities and the people. Our 'vette friends in Gilbert are ok with the local clubs, but not enthused.

In Chicago, we can hop on a United airplane (retiree passes) and go nonstop to almost any place in the world. In AZ, most places are two legs or more away. Especially nice since both our kids are on the East coast.

Unless you live out in the boonies, the urban/suburban houses all have tiny back yards full of rocks surrounded by a concrete/stucco wall. Reminds me of a prison yard.
Right now we have 2.5 acres of green with trees at the back and deer wandering through the yard daily.

Wife and I are in our 70's and have lived here for 35 years. Will we remain healthy enough to enjoy Arizona for very long? I've know a lot of people who retired to someplace warm and died two years later.

We may yet move to AZ, heading there soon for a winter vacation. But not ready to make it permanent.
If I win the lottery next week, we would use the money to buy a second home someplace just outside of Phoenix.
YMMV.

I thought it pretty funny too. I was stationed in San Diego and the traffic there (even 17 years ago) makes the current rush hour traffic in Phoenix seem like a walk in the park.

There are good and bad places to pretty much any place when you get down to it. I've lived in Scottsdale, Tempe, Gilbert and now Phoenix proper over the years. I ended up buying my house in South Mountain area 3 years ago.

I think it really depends on what you are looking for, if you plan to work (and where), and what you plan to do before anyone can give a good suggestion on the location.

Agree completely! I moved here a year and a half ago from Orange County / LA County. You want traffic congestion go there. Phoenix traffic is a NON ISSUE.

We are still exploring all that this area has to offer but North Phoenix east of the 17 is good, Cave Creek, Carefree, and North Scottsdale are beautiful areas. Fountain Hills is really nice but a little too away from the action for me. I haven't explored too much down south but hear Chandler is nice.

Just bought an income house in Prescott, about an hour N of PHX, with eyes on moving fully, ASAP. The elevation is 5000'+/- so summer heat is 20-30* lower than the PHX basin, w/o the humidity of the east. It has seasons; snow is lots less than Flagstaff and melts 95% in a day or so. 10 minutes from the quaint town square, there's log cabins if you want forest living, or many choices between. We found more choices, from horse spreads to Victorian homes in town, of about any size and manor, but being mid-60s, opted to be near more medical.

Residents are way more friendly and helpful than SoKal, echoed by folks here, and a seemingly active Vette bunch. Drivers are more small-townish, not harried like big cities. Some of the local twisties are wonderful, if you like lateral G's.

It snowed last week for us (late Jan), then melted, as above, leaving clear mountain air and 50's top-down Corvette weather in the sunshine.

Home pricing is escalating in this seller's market. Lots of retire folks, but not too many blue-hairs snailing thru town.

Hated Vegas; disliked Reno less; found angry, rushed drivers in both

Yeah Prescott is very nice and nice people. They do have a rather large Corvette event every year in Sept. It is a weekend Corvette display. The town center will have Vettes parked from end to end. You can probably google it.

Yes, Thanks. This one: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ow-2018-a.html :flag:

I live in the farthest east and south in Mesa as one can get. My main street to get into our house subdivision dead ends about an 1/8th mile south of where it is. No traffic noise or congestion what so ever. I also work the night shift so traffic is a non issue for me as well. The main traffic on the interstate is always going the opposite of me so that's a non issue also. If my retirement investments keep doing what they're doing, I'm hoping to be able to get out of here during the summers in about 4 - 5 years. I love most winters here but we have yet to have that season here this year. It's frickin the 2nd of February and it's going to be in the mid 80's this weekend and all next week. I WANT MY WINTER, DAMN IT....

There are a lot of good places to live out here in AZ. The closest "big" airport is Las Vegas if you live where I do in Lake Havasu. 2.5 hour drive, but....there is a shuttle to and from the airport. Summer heat is hot? Yes, but we don't stand outside. I have lived here since April and it is better than expected coming from rainy wet Portland, Or. And you can get a big house with triple garage for less than 300K. I jog and ride bicycles. I get up at 5 AM in the morning in the summer to beat the heat. Our idea of humidity here is 40 percent in August during monsoon season. No big deal.
In summary I would say a lot of good places here and in Lake Havasu we have no traffic issues. There is so much I can say here, but Google will be your friend.
I'm old, turning 70 in March, and the heat is no big deal. Just stay inside and look out the window and see the sunshine. Oh, and low property taxes here. :cheers:
One more thing. The hot weather is only from the middle of May until the middle of September. :thumbs:
If you want to visit before you move let me know and I'll give you a tour. I have done this with two other couples and they ended up moving here.

Az is a great place to live and I really hate currently being stuck behind enemy lines (CA). My vote for nicest small towns would be Catalina and Oracle in Pima County or Prescott or Flagstaff in Coconino county. No smog checks! No background checks on private gun sales! No permit to carry concealed or openly needed! Motorcycle helmets optional, and driver's licenses essentially never expire.

That's a coincidence. I (we) were just shopping properties in Oracle. I ended up buying two income properties in San Tan Valley instead. One just built Feb 1st and another won't be done until October. Bought them anticipating the Phoenix/Gateway Airport announcement a couple weeks back. 17,000 new jobs should bring interest from tenants.

https://azgovernor.gov/governor/news...order-commerce

i second the Prescott recommendation. Mile high desert living so dry climate and not too hot. Lots of mountains, a few lakes a huge Corvette Club (200+ members). Prices are reasonable.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...772e557b82.jpg
Moved From Gilbert to Cave Creek 3 years ago and wouldn't want to live any where else. My two neighbors are snowbirds so they are only here for a couple months. We love the peace and quiet.... Good luck with your choice.

How's Sonny Barger doing? Haven't seen him in a while.

LOL.....haven't seen him either, unless on the discover or ID channels. Don't know if their club house is still even active.

Do your own homework.:toetap: IMOP you would NOT like it here, all desert, too hot to drive.

The unique feature of Arizona is the altitude changes which most people East of the Mississippi don't know about. You can go from 1,000 feet or less in elevation to over 8,000 feet near Flagstaff. Right outside Flagstaff is the San Francisco Peaks at almost 13,000 feet with Tundra at the top. How many people know there is Tundra in Arizona.

You can find towns at intervals along all the elevations, so you can pretty much pick the climate you want to live in. California also has the elevation changes and temperature changes, but California also has earthquakes, mud Slides and wildfires. Arizona also has some of the most extreme and unusual scenery on the planet and a ton of National Parks, especially in Northern Arizona.

I've lived in Flagstaff for 28 years at 7,000 feet in the largest Ponderosa Pine Forest in the world. Just up the road from Sedona and the Grand Canyon. You gotta be OK with snow at 7,000 feet though......
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...402ec24501.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...1c5115cc53.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...46496a5771.jpg

Wife and I cruised up to Kanab, UT last year end of May and there was still snow on the SF peaks.
Love cruises with the club all over AZ, awesome changes and scenery. Also doesn't take that long of a drive to escape the heat for a day or.....