Well folks I have finally had my fill of Washington State weather and especially politics. I have decided to move to Arizona somewhere around Phoenix/Scottsdale area. I need help to know which areas to look, lower crime areas ect. Any help from my Corvette brothers/sisters would be great!
Thanks for any help you can give!

 

Read through this thread...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/sout...enix-area.html

Also, research AZ monsoon summer weather (torrential rains, flooding, daily dust storms, high humidity, high winds) and partisan politics before you move to AZ.

Then research AZ crime rates as related to ID theft, car theft, gang activity, illegal aliens, drug/human smuggling, home invasions, kidnappings, etc.

If you have kids, research what the legislature did to school funding...and about the anticipated one billion dollar budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year. More funding cuts everywhere are inevitable even with the Republican governors tax increase of this fiscal year.

If you plan on working, research the unemployment rate in AZ.

The grass is always greener.

 

I understand there are drawbacks to all areas. I have heard to stay away from Phoenix proper as there is a bunch of bad guys there. I know there are good and bad areas just like most places. I don't mind the heat so much and plan on having a pool. We are moving to take care of my wifes father who lives in Lake Havasu. We thought about living there but I find the housing higher priced than other parts of Arizona but that may be changing? I work out of the house so I won't be commuting. Trying to sell a house in Washington may prove to be pretty tough so god knows how long it will be before we actually move.

 

There's "bad guys" in every community, including Scottsdale. It's bordered by a very large Indian Reservation with it's own "bad guys". "Bad guys" don't stop at city limits. Phoenix has the better police presence to deal with them than any other community in the state.

There are communities in the state that haven't been effected as bad by the economy. Those are communities where the residents are generally retired and financially secure. They brought their money with them so to speak, so the economy doesn't effect them as much. LHC may be one of those upscale communities. It has no large industry but has the tourism industry (London Bridge, proximity to Las Vegas and Laughlin, the Colorado River, etc) for revenue. That keeps the housing market healthier than other communities. http://www.golakehavasu.com/

Otherwise, this is a good time to buy a home or real property just about anywhere in AZ because of the glut of properties on the market. A large portion of the available properties available are now bank owned, ie short sales/foreclosures. Its a buyers market but in a sea of red tape.

AZ has been hit harder than many states. We're literally broke. AZ is dependent on construction for most of its revenue. That's why we've had such drastic cuts to the "big ticket" items (education, health, public safety, transportation). It's projected that it will take AZ at least another three to five years to recover to the point before the recession.

Find a GREAT real estate agent and take your time.

 

Thanks for the info. Yes there are bad guys everywhere. The worst ones in the friggn White House!
I am still looking hard at Lake Havasu but still like the Scottsdale/Phoenix area mainly for things to do and the ease of the airport. I will have to take a few days and drive around the areas and see what I like.
Thanks for the help.
Dale

 

Austin, TX, Sir.

Austin’s National Recognition
- Known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”
- Voted “Greenest City in America” (MSN)
- Voted “Least Stressful Large Metro” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Two “Best Cities” in the United States (Money Magazine)
- Voted Top Three “Hippest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Five “Safest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Ten “Sports & Fitness Cities” in the USA (Sports Business Journal)

 

Texas? My head is to small to fit in one of those great big hats!

Seriously though the reason we are trying to move to Arizona is to take care of my father in law. He is 86 and wants to stay in Arizona. I feel that he has earned the right to live where he wants for his remaining years.
I do like Texas though especially all the hunting opportunities. Does Austin have the humidity like Dallas and Houston?

 

YES - but it is going to have a Formula 1 track = trump card!!!

 

Scottsdale has very low crime and for the most part has few foreclosures as compared to other areas around the city. I have no idea what your requirements are but it is possible to buy a pretty nice house for less than $500K that will have a 3 car garage and a pool. That is a lot less than 2 years ago..

 

Yes, you would hate the humidity here...

Best of luck with the move. It's great that you would do something like this for your father in law!

 

If the OP doesn't like the politics of Washington state, he DEFINITELY isn't going to like the politics of Austin!

I can't stand living in Austin! The thing that I find most annoying about living in Austin is that everyone assumes you are a hippie liberal moron like they are, just because you live in this liberal cest pool!