Sophia_S

Question for expats in Arizona...especially Maricopa County...my husband works in a max. security prison here in Illinois but he's been seeing ads at work for jobs working for the Sheriffs dept. in Maricopa County,and he's kind of interested as he will be able to retire from the prison in just a few years,he's wondering what the place is like,the cost of living,crime rate etc,and the weather,of coyrse!,he's been looking at it on the internet but obviously the only way to get an idea of what it would be like to live there is to ask someone who already lives in the area....I'm pretty sure one or two of you guys live in the general area...don't you?.....Thank you in advance...Sophia

Partystar

What size house would you need? I would say a decent size 3 bedroom house in a pleasant part of town would cost about $240,000, with the city about a 30-45 minute drive away. Only move here if you can stand intense heat, in the summer it averages about 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit, this lasts for months. Winters are lovely & mild, usually sunny days, but a tad chilly, but not frosty or icy. It also hasn't rained in about 80 days either.

evoal2003

What he said. I personally like the *overall* climate, yes the summers are real hot but the other 8 months are great. When I was in the uk there were 3-4 months I didn't want to leave the house due to the cold it's just in reverse here.

I have been here since July and find the economy here to be growing well. The area as a whole is growing at an incredible rate new houses and roads seem to be everywhere.

Personally I think it's a great place.

Alan

Partystar

I'm a girl!

Big D

What's an 'S' between friends!! Do you have any proof?

Partystar

Yes, I have lovely REAL bapsickles!

Pimpbot

Maricopa county is one of the biggest in the country I believe, so cost of living is very different depending on what part you wish to live. The more expensive areas are (North)Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills closely followed by Scottsdale(mid and south) and central Phoenix. A $240,000 3 bedroom 1700 sq ft house with a pool in Glendale will set you back about $350,000 in mid to south Scottsdale and probably $500,000 plus the further north you go. Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert are very fast growing areas to the east. but the prices there are now rising. I live in Scottsdale, Partystar lives in Glendale and Fatbrit lives in Tempe so there are a few people who can give you an idea on their perticular areas, plus a few others that I don't know where they are based.

I personally think the weather is fantastic. 3 to 4 months of solid 100 degree plus weather is more than made up for by the incredibly mild weather we are having right now(highs in the 70s lows in the 40s) It totally makes you forget whats it's like to burn your hands on the steering wheel in august!

The only problem with being one of the fastest growing areas in the country, is the traffic. the 101 that loops around the east valley all the way over to the westside, is gridlocked during rush hour, as is the 51 and the 17. The roads just haven't kept up with the expansion.

Pimpbot

P.S. Sherrif Joe is the biggest tax paying waste of space publicity hound in American law inforcement. If it wasn't for the retirerees out in Sun City, he'd have been voted out a long time ago.

P.P.S. We have two Brit pubs and a Brit store

skybluesue

Smashing weather, TWO pubs and a bloody supermarket....Good lord man you have it made!!!!We have to rely on vegas for our nearest entertainment

HoosierDaddy

He runs his "tent city" on a pittance and any publicity is free. Seems like he's doing the taxpayers a service, no?

Pimpbot

Well. last year he spent two million dollars on a one day sting opertation of massage parlors and the people who frequent them for "extras". The attorny general had to throw out all the arrests, because sherriff Joes undercover cops were seen on tape feeling up the ladies and getting themselves felt up. Now you tell me if thats doing the tax payers a service. You can read more about Joe here http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/speci...aio/index.html

Pimpbot

Hi Sue!

Vegas is just 45 minutes away as well or 4 hours in the car.

Sophia_S

Ok guys,thank you all for the info I'll get my husband to read it all....but for me the Brit pubs would be the best!lol
We've seen the Sherrif on tv several times but I don't think that is the whole reason my husband has been thinking about retiring to AZ...the weather sounds SO nice,not the deep summer,but we could certainly live with the milder winters!,and I assume it's a 'dry heat' in the summer as well?!,we both really hate the humidity here in the summer...thats why we're second guessing a move to Florida,course the huricanes don't really have a big appeal either!,when we lived in northern CA the temps sometimes got up to the 100F mark,but it wasn't humid and it really didn't feel as bad....Well thanks again guys.....Sophia

fatbrit

No

evoal2003

and evoal is from Chandler.