🤔Thinking of moving to Phoenix Arizona? Let us help! 📱 Call or Text: 541-517-3238 📨 Email: brian@azdreamin.com 💥Let's meet on Zoom! Schedule your consultation here 👉 calendly.com/arizonadreamin/30min
For 22 years I live AZ. Very beautiful state. During those 22 years (left in 2020) temps, population, traffic and cost. All changed drastically and unfortunately not for the better. Definitely worth a visit Nov-April.
It's a great place to visit, but utilities are very, very expensive. I don't miss paying a $300.00 electric bill on top of my 1000.00 dollars rent for a two bed,one bath house. That's without A/C Gas and water are equally expensive.
My heating bill is close to $400 in an older townhouse in Illinois. I would rather deal with 120 than-54 and all the snow. Moving soon getting too old for the cold weather
@Jacquits14 that's nice. I did not say anything about the high heating bills in winter. Yes, you will never spend a lot of money on the electricity or gas required to heat 🥵 🔥 your house in Arizona, and snow sucks. I'll give you that. I lived in Phoenix for 37 years and never had a problem with my heating bills in winter. What's your plan for cooling your house for the other 9 months, especially the 120 days a year that are over 100 degrees?
I absolutely should have included "we don't change time" in the list of pros. It's probably one of the least talked about benefits, but it's SO nice to not change time anymore. Thanks for watching, and let me know if I can ever help you make the move!
Love Phoenix area owned a home we bought for $147,000 and sold it in 2012 for $356,000. My old home is now estimated at $534, 200. It was a 3 bdrm, 2 bath, in Scottsdale. Live in the Denver area now and am hoping to do the snowbird thing. Snow and cold is too much in Denver and the heat is too much in Phoenix. My son and grandkids live in Mesa so I spend a lot of time down in the Phoenix area. I have been in Phoenix when it was 114 degrees outside and it still isn't as hot in Phoenix at 114 as it is in the Denver area at 98. In Denver in the summer there is no breeze and it feels like a pizza oven. In Phoenix it is really hot but there is always usually a breeze. Haven't been in the 120 degree heat though. I picked up a scorpion once. Didn't get bit just took it outside. The nasty one is the brown recluse spider. Always check your shoes.
It is SO expensive and overpopulated here now. It takes a lot of driving to get anywhere, and you need a very good car to handle the heat or to drive to other cities. It is hard finding good paying jobs.
Visited from PDX a month ago and can't WAIT to move to PHX - I'm from Texas, I'm not used to living in trash and paying this much for it. My partner may contact you soon, I'm disabled and he's busy trying to work, we could use all the help we can get
Thanks so much for reaching out! I moved here from Oregon myself and can tell you it's been a wonderful change. PDX was once a really cool town, but sadly those days are long gone. But yes, please have your partner reach out as I'd love to help!
@Tonyray Vito You can call/text me at 541-517-3238, send an email to brian@azdreamin.com, or schedule a Zoom call with me using the link in the description.
I’m 21, currently living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and I was born and raised here. The dark, gloomy and cold winter months that last 5-6 months of the year is really starting to take a toll on me. Thinking about relocating because I do better with the hot than I do with the cold. Never been to Phoenix but I’ve booked a trip mid December to check it out. The job I work at has many transfer opportunities down there as well which is nice.
Was gonna say the same come here July and you will see if you can put up with the heat. I want out where are you from would be interested in exchanging useful information
Do a a video about the shopping centers .Seafood markets / restaurants Local colleges education. Night life strip clubs .Even regelious centers churches Buddhist temples . Thanks
Those topics - save for the strip clubs and religious centers - are all covered in my videos on the different cities/suburbs around the valley. I have one for Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek, Mesa and Tempe are in the works, and then I'll be branching out to Scottsdale, Phoenix and the west valley over the coming months. Thanks for watching!
And don’t forget ppl always getting stuck up the mountains while hiking during 110+ degrees than having to get rescued almost every wknd 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
Tough to find a climate that's perfect. And if you do, the housing usually is insanely expensive. For those of us who had to deal with the cold and snow the heat is a very good trade off. Thanks for watching!
Hmmm. So much depends on how much money you have and what you like, I suppose. I don't disagree with you, but after living here for most of five decades with brief interludes in Chicagoland and Montreal - let me bring some other things to people's attention: 1. Public transportation is still dismal, and Phoenix metro ) is very spread out. Realtors on RU-vid tend to say it's only a 20-minute drive to wherever you want to go. Those drives are frequently over an hour. 2. EVERYTHING costs money here. All enjoyment (other than walking around in the dirt when its 115F in the shade and 130F in the sun) is going to cost you money. If you don't have a lot of money, don't expect entertainment. 3. Cultural amenities like free museums and free concerts in the park almost never happen here. 4. 90% of the homes built here since 1990 are almost identical beige stucco cubes, often made of chicken-wire over styrofoam and slathered in a thin veneer of concrete. Usually, there will be some sort of arch in order to make it seem somehow "Mexican-y." Often, the design features the garage in front and the home is barely visible behind the garage - which is great for those who think garages are cool. Experts say that the homes are built to last 30 years here - or just about the time a 30-year loan would be paid off. It might be wise to move or die before you pay it off. 5. Remember, politicians are elected to serve special interests, not consumers. Arizona operates on the premise: "Every man for himself" and is proud of its dog-eat-dog history. 6. If you have respiratory problems, don't move to the Phoenix area - period. Your doctor may soon tell you that you have to move again. During weekdays, there is heavy traffic and an army of leaf blowers kicking dry dirt and debris into the air. It eventually settles somewhere else at night, but it gets kicked up again the following day. We get lots of warnings from the federal government, but we don't care. For an accurate picture of weekday pollution, see 0:12 in this video; yes, that's the air you'll be breathing. 7. We'll probably run out of water in a few years.
I appreciate all perspectives, but I do respectfully disagree on quite a few of these. 1. Yes, public transit is very minimal for most of Phoenix. Commute time will depend largely on where you're going as well as where you live in the valley. Where I live in the East Valley, most places are 20 minutes away. Downtown is 35 minutes. 2. There are tons of free (or very low cost) options. We get nine months of great weather, and that means you can go for a walk or hike outside. The only time that will ever cost anything is if you park at a place where a day use fee is paid, which is quite common anywhere in the western US where you have a lot of public land. 3. My neighborhood hosts free concerts in the park every month. Gilbert Regional Park and downtown Gilbert host free concerts every week. The Chandler Nature Center is a free museum/cultural center. There are a TON of free concerts and museums. 4. Homes here are the same as homes everywhere else - some are better than others, but if cared for properly they'll last as long as you need them to. 5. Not going to get in too deep to the political discussion, but both sides have representation here. 6. One of the cons listed is the air quality, but again, it will largely depend on where you live in the valley. I just had a family from LA in town this week, and all they kept talking about was how much better the air was here. 7. Phoenix has 30 years worth of water stored. Its not news that we live in a desert, and they began planning for massive population growth with respect to our water supply long ago. www.arizonawaterfacts.com/water-your-facts
@@ArizonaDreamin Thank you for your detailed rebuttal. I realize, Brian, that you will probably find it necessary to hide or delete this response - and that's okay with me (not that it would matter if it weren't). The following responses are in no particular order. Wow. We must live in a different place. Regarding traffic, I was referring to where a lot of people actually live, work, and when most people are commuting (rush hour, not the off times). Over the past decades, I've never had a commute that was less than half an hour to work - and most were about an hour. And since I was working at places that drew their employees from all over the Valley, I often heard from coworkers that their commutes were even farther away. Because people live where they can afford to live, this often meant moving closer to work was simply not a practical solution. LA is probably a really low bar to set when it comes to air pollutions LOL; Maricopa County gets an "F" from the American Lung Association (www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/arizona) and consistently rates in the very top tier of sucky air quality regarding particulates and ozone. I had a friend who had to move to Ohio from the valley on the advice of her doctor, who told her the air was just too bad here. . I also sense that there is a great divide between the often white-collar "East Valley" and much of the bluer-collar "West Valley" (unless you go pretty darn far west to Goodyear). Most of us in the West Valley (which also has millions of people, often ignored or forgotten about - except when it comes to shootings) don't go all the way to Gilbert for something free that seems worthwhile. Last year, we had 113 days over 100F (in the shade, but feeling much hotter in the sun), which comes out to almost four months. Yeh, it's a dry heat at 100, but at 115 degrees, it's just plain hot. But yeh, you can hike around in the dirt with a water bottle at the wrong time of day or year and get rescued by a helicopter, if you like 😀. Different experts predict different water futures for the state, specifically here in the Valley, for whatever reasons. I will give you that. If there are 30 years of water left, good for everyone living here! They'll run out of water when their mortgage is paid off. Fortunately, the developments seem to be replacing agricultural land - which take about 40% of our usage and homes take less water than fields - but even that will increase the heat island effect, apparently - so pretty much all meteriologists say we can expect a lot more 120F days over the next decades. Great for the power monopolies, though. LOL. Not to get into the weeds regarding politics, but both sides have representation here? I guess it depends on how you define "sides" and "representation." There are reasons that we still have a massive teacher shortage and nurse shortages, for example. And even though many states do, Arizona consistently ranks among the worst. Phoenix Metro has been selling the weather for decades - and it is nice not to have to shovel snow four months of the year. Lots of people move here, but how many people leave? Answer: Almost as many leave as move here as leave (patch.com/arizona/phoenix/more-people-moved-arizona-left-2021). Half of those leaving say they want to be closer to family, though - which they apparently didn't care that much about when they moved out here in the first place. But the NET increase in population IS driving both home prices and rents up -WAY UP, which is not great news for people who have actually lived/worked here for a while and whose income is not increasing proportionately. And the fact of the matter is that home builders, investors, and employers here do pretty much have free reign to do whatever they like - and it shows in both positive ways and negative ways.
Tim I appreciate the engagement and discourse. We will simply agree to disagree. It's quite clear you don't like it here, which is 100% your right. I really do feel for the folks who live somewhere and don't like it yet feel trapped there for various reasons (fear of change, feeling stuck at a job, etc). I was that way for years, but I thank my lucky stars every day that I found the courage to move here and start over. My family and I absolutely love everything about this place and it's changed our lives for the better. I sincerely hope you can find that for yourself. Hope you have a happy Easter, and now it's time for me to spend the day with my family 😀
@@ArizonaDreamin Thank you, Brian. And do have a happy Easter with the family! Our situations have been very different over the years, apparently. Fortunately, I DO love the neighborhood where I live now and I am content enough. Three years ago, I sold my prior patio home in north Phoenix (near Union Hills) and, because it had been a foreclosure in 2010, I made a huge profit - which I used as the down payment on a condo in the North Central Corridor, which I love. Now, all of my costs are considerably less than they were and I get to enjoy the broad lawns, historic homes, and walkability of a pretty historic neighborhood with a lot of character and folks considerably wealthier than I am. Also, the sound of gunfire and police helicopters is A LOT less here than anywhere else in the Valley where I've lived in the past 30 years (regardless of the teacher who was shot to death recently while walking his dog two miles east of me or the gas station attendant two miles west who was shot to death a week or two later). And since I just retired, I no longer have to drive to work near the Capitol. I remember getting out of my car in a parking lot and approaching the door to my work building on my 60th birthday. At first, I couldn't tell what was by the door, but as I got closer, I made out two butt cheeks and, as I drew even closer, I saw poop dropping out right next to the door I had to go through. I simply ran my card through the reader and entered. I didn't say anything to the man. He had to poop somewhere, apparently. But that's been my experience as a westsider. I've also worked in North Scottsdale, which is great. And who doesn't love Tempe? I recognize that there are two different Valleys - yours and the one I've lived in most of my life here. So, except for the overarching issues that impact the whole Valley - I will accept that you are right about your area and I am right about where I have lived.
I'm from Oregon, born and raised. But I'm heading to Tucson in 2 days and I cannot wait. I've visited before and I absolutely loved it. I'm really big on sunny days and being outside. I can't wait to make AZ my home!!!
The heat is an obvious one I know but I cannot express that enough. Unless you are up super early you won’t wanna hike or do anything in the summer just going for a 10 minute drive to get food you’ll be drenched in sweat, it’s often that ac’s go out in buildings I’ve worked at and of course with many cars making things even worse. I’ve never really had a problem with bugs which is a good thing lived here all my life never really seen a scorpion that’s more so if you live near the mountains. Scottsdale is pretty but often called “Snobsdale” because of how rude the people can be especially while driving. I do think the homeless situation is getting worse and I see quite a lot around Phoenix but not as bad as other cities. The lakes also may be over populated and gross at times but I suggest salt river tubing in the summer not to far a drive from Phoenix and it’s super fun! I do think the air quality is pretty bad though it’s a very populated city- depending where you move from allergy season hits hard and you won’t wanna go outside for monsoon seasons it’s just dusty bad for you and your pets to breath in. Most days are just straight sunlight with no clouds at all - you’ll forget what rain is like but it will be a blessing when it does rain. As you can tell I’m not to fond of Arizona but if you’re from a colder state and don’t like the snow you’ll probably love it! 🤷♀️ Best of luck!
Hi Diego. Not on purpose at all - just would be impossible to cover the entire area in just one video due to the size of the metro. Lots of people live downtown. There are some beautiful condos as well as some single family homes. There are areas of downtown that probably aren't the ideal location for some - typical of any large city. I'm happy to chat more with you anytime!
Hi Myles. There are a ton of options for apartments downtown, and yes, it's safe. Like any large city there are some parts that are safer than others, but it's a far cleaner and safer downtown than many cities of a similar size of Phoenix.
@Myles Prather First and foremost I'd say thank you for your service! Might be a long conversation via the comment section. Why don't you shoot me an email and we can schedule a time to chat? Thanks!
I really like this video, one thing that bothers me tho is the comment on homelessness, it’s good how Phoenix have it, but instead of complaining how other cities have homeless camps, maybe mention how Arizona do a good job of keeping low rates of homelessness rather than other big cities in North America. It’s a huge problem all over, but just complaining about it and calling other places dirty doesn’t help anyone. It’s down to city, state & federal governments to change policies and figure out a solution.
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, Arizona does a far better job than most of the neighboring states in keeping the homeless population as low as possible. Wasn't really meant to call the other cities dirty as much as it was to simply say that the homeless situation here is far less than what you'll find in most cities of a similar size. Thanks for watching!
My husband and I are from the PWN and we’re thinking of moving to Phoenix. The transient issue is out of control here. The last straw for me was when my mom who is from out of state asked if she could take our only son (5 months old) to a park in downtown. We told her absolutely not because we know how dangerous it can be. There are lots of camps nearby because it’s close to the river, I heard of a transient either on drugs or having a mental breakdown waiving a knife around scaring local residents. Just a few days ago there was one who overdosed in a park nearby that’s supposed to be in a “nicer neighborhood”. I don’t want my kid (and hopefully future kids) growing up in a place where we can’t go to the park for fear of being poked with a used syringe. It’s just not an ideal environment to raise children in. My biggest concern about Phoenix is the air quality, is the bad air quality all year round? Or just the summer months? Here we have great air quality aside from a few weeks in the summer because of the wildfire smoke.
Your story sounds just like ours. I even caught a homeless guy in my side yard going through our cans in the recycle bin. Never felt safe letting our son play alone in our backyard after that. The air quality is actually quite good if you live in the suburbs around the valley. Downtown gets the majority of the bad air, but I've never noticed much of an issue with air quality. And the wildfire smoke is also really rare. In fact I just smelled some the other day for the first time in three years, and at first I thought our neighbors might be using their barbecue before I realized it was smoke from a wildfire 😂 But it really is a wonderful place to live, and it removed all the things we didn't enjoy about the PNW. Hope this helps you!
@@ArizonaDreaminthank you for your quick response! I’m sorry that happened to you, that is so scary. It’s no way to live when you can’t even let your kids play in your own backyard. My husband and I are still just exploring this topic but Arizona is looking nicer the more we do our research.
@@iBlameAnonymous You're very welcome! If you ever have any questions please feel free to email me anytime. You can also schedule a video call with me for a deeper dive on what life is like here if that would be helpful.
On any given summer day (mid May through end of October) Phoenix area can have the worst particle pollution (PP) on Earth. That is different than Smog but much more dangerous. On many normal days the PP ranks in the top 10 areas of the world. Right up there with the oil fields of Nigeria and other "near disaster" zones. Secondly, the metro Phoenix area is very lax with speeding cars going 20-30 mph over the limits...both on the freeways and surface streets. Some people may like this.
It can be if places aren't treated for pests. There are roaches here and you definitely need to spray for them. I'd just make sure you ask any potential landlord what they're providing in terms of pest control.
Looking to move to either chandler or gilbert...we want somewhere quiet but drive available to close downtown. Looking to rent a house...any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, thank you
The Islands and Val Vista Lakes both are good neighborhoods in Gilbert that are close to downtown. Pecos Ranch is a good choice in Chandler. And both downtown Gilbert and Chandler have quite a few rentals close to the downtown cores.
There are quite a few. Not nearly as many people using them in the summer, but if they have a lot of shade and misters then people will. I hit on that a lot more in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HSopL8RVdsk.htmlsi=WDrIjpQdH28T3Vbe
I have not been stung by a Arizona scorpion but from my understanding regardless what species the Scorpion is they do not have enough Venom to kill a human only those that been reported of being killed by a scorpion or people that are allergic to Venom it much like a bee sting but I don't exactly make it a habit of picking up rocks without knowing what under it.
I know a few people who have been stung, and while each said it was painful they also didn't suffer any other complications. Not to say that can't happen as I'm sure there are a lot of variations in how someone would react to it.
Insanely hot for months. Have to live with constant AC. Brown. Drought. No trees. No four seasons. High crime. Not much culture - everyone is a transplant. Sun cancer. Poisonous creatures outside. Mountains are more like crusty dry tops and not very scenic. Lack of water. Air pollution. Traffic. But it is a nice place to visit for a weeks in the winter after the holidays.
Hot for three months. Easy to cool off with AC or a pool. Extremely low crime for a city of its size. Lots of culture due to a transplant population and people from around the world moving here. Thank goodness we get to see the sun on a regular basis...wear sunscreen or a long sleeve shirt and a hat. Largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the US is in our mountains. Water supply stored for the next 30+ years with no added precipitation (its not news that we live in a desert. We've been preparing for population growth.). Some air pollution but it's infrequent and pales in comparison to many of the big cities in the US (especially any city in CA). And I was on the 202 not far from downtown PHX at 5:20 last Thursday and was cruising at 70 mph. Everything is relative 😉
#1 - It is HOT af for at least 5 months out of a year so if you think 5-6 months of overcast and cold is bad, then in Phoenix you will experience the polar opposite. #2 - Due to #1, at least 5 months out of a year, your electric bill will give you a mini heart-attack. #3 - God awful drivers and unpredictable driving. Bunch of transplants from different parts of the country who also bring their own odd driving style and habits causing chaos in traffic and when you add the tweakers and medicated drivers to the mix, it is an effing roller-coaster from hell. #4 - Overall scenery and the color of the area is DIRT. Everywhere looks like desert and dirt because it is the desert. If you are not a fan of that look (like me), you will think general look of the area is ugly and bland (and it is). #5 - People rave about "there is so much to do in Phoenix, especially outdoors". Well, I disagree. Half the year it is too effing hot to go out or do anything outside for more than a few minutes so you are indoors sucking on your thumb. The weather transitions from scorching hot to cold within a week. During the Winter, it may seem nice when the Sun is up but once the Sun sets, it will feel like North Pole. #6 - Your car insurance is likely to go up (even if you are coming from California) #7 - You will need a freezer bag or cooler to keep your groceries from getting spoiled if it takes you more than 5 minutes to get home from the store. #8 - Have immediate access to cold drinks/water whenever you are outside. If you move to Phoenix between May and October, your throat will feel dry and you will feel thirsty less than a few minutes after sipping on a drink. #9 - Unless you live out in the boons or in an area that was very recently built, do not worry about snakes and scorpions, they are likely to have moved away months or years ago already. They are more wary and intimidated by your presence than the other way around so shortly after humans invade and area, they f off. #10 - The MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember: You NEVER EVER honk your horn in traffic when someone cuts you off or being a dick!
I hear this from time-to-time from people who grew up here. While central Phoenix has its warts - just like any big city - the homeless population is absolutely nothing compared to places like Portland or San Francisco.
A horrible place to live I was trapped there for over 40 years Severe air quality issues I got allergies, asthma and had valley fever I also got skin cancer The road conditions are terrible and it's no longer a cheap place to live Climate change has Phoenix keep setting records for excessive heat Sprawling Phoenix is a dystopian nightmare
@@ArizonaDreamin for every three people that move there, two move away You must be getting paid by the chamber of commerce or someone that will benefit financially to continue the sprawl. You didn't address or dispute anything I said 🤔 I looked you up and I was correct. A real estate agent with an Oregon Area Code?
@@John-pz6nm If only we had data to settle this...oh wait...we do! www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/subcounty-metro-micro-estimates.html And you clearly didn't pay much attention to the video if you somehow missed that I'm a Realtor. But thanks for the comments and pleasing the RU-vid algorithm for me 😀
@@PoliticallyIncorrect90 I guess you can't read or comprehend English I lived there for over 40 years Phoenix used to have a spring. Rose from 65 in March 70-80's Through April and May Now it goes from winter to 90's The first week of November was in the seventies. Now its the third week. You don't know what you're talking about
Crime is super high in Phoenix. That should have been in your cons. Driving in Arizona as a whole is awful. Speed up, slow down, over and over on the freeway.
Crime in Phoenix is actually quite low for a city of its size. Forbes put out an article of the 15 most dangerous cities based on FBI crime data rates, and not one city in the Phoenix metro was on the list. Mesa actually made the list of the safest large (over 300k people) cities coming in at #7, and Glendale made the list of the safest cities over 100k people. www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2023/01/31/report-ranks-americas-15-safest-and-most-dangerous-cities-for-2023/?sh=38cc603a309a
Depending on where you go in the state you'll find bears and (mountain) lions...no tigers except for the zoo. The most notorious insects are the scorpions and the spiders.
@@ArizonaDreamin For sure. Casino and show entertainment, fishing, swimming, jet ski and boating, four wheeling trails, and fantastic Springtime, yes I’ll stick with Bullhead City/Laughlin.
Isn't Bullhead City even hotter than Phoenix in the summer? I'm from Colorado, so I don't know. But I've been to Phoenix in January and it was 70 degrees while it was upper teens in Colorado Springs at the same time. But, that summer heat is bad and actually a health hazard.
@@Primitive_Code A little hotter yes, but the breeze prevents smog mugging up the air like happens in Phoenix and Vegas. Also, the river runs through the Bullhead/Laughlin oasis.
Mexico is definitely a "proceed with caution" area, and yes, there are really dangerous parts to avoid. But in general the tourist spots - and Rocky Point qualifies - are safe, and we know quite a few people who go there often and have never had an issue other than the occasional run-in with the Mexican highway patrol trying to shake em down for a speeding ticket.