Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Hi All,
Been a while since I posted, everything went well with my move to Los Angeles, then I became single and it took a while to get back to a point of happiness in myself and being around here....

Anyway, skip ahead 2 years and my partner of 5 months has been offered a great opportunity in Phoenix AZ. I like her a lot, want to be supportive but I am fearful (more so than of L.A or even Vegas, which was another option).

I have never been to Phoenix, I know nothing about it, good areas to live, bad areas to live. Will I drive more, less, the same as in Los Angeles?

I am 30 she is 28 and we both like upmarket restaurants and craft beers, from what I can see about Phoenix its one big suburbs which is great if you have kids. Not so great for people wanting a bit of excitement, but maybe I am wayyyy off the mark.

I had a quick look at the IT job market out there and it seems people get paid much less than in L.A. But the cost of living is considerably less too.

Hoping the ever mindful sages among you can give me some insight on nightlife, neighbourhoods and IT career prospects. Especially as the areas biggest employer is Walmart :(

Thanks all!
Ned

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

As a Dinky? look at Scottsdale and Tempe, both have a broader nightlife than the rest of the burbs

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Ok thanks.

What's a dinky?

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Dual Income No Kids Yet

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Ahhh haha I like that. :-)

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Downtown Phoenix is trying to be the cool hip area to live, though I'm not sure how it defines its boundaries.

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Hi there!

I live in Mesa and work in downtown Tempe. Downtown Tempe has the kind of bars/restaurants/walkable area that you might enjoy, but is also a heavily student-populated area, as it's right next to the ASU campus.

My guess is that you will drive a lot less than you are doing in LA, although of course the Phoenix metro area is HUGE, and driving from the southeastern point to the northwestern point can take a couple of hours in non-rush hour traffic.

Scottsdale is more upscale than Tempe, but I don't go there too often so I'm not sure exactly which areas have bars/restaurants/walkable area, except for maybe the Scottsdale Fashion Mall area (Camelback and Scottsdale Road).

Yes, cost of living is quite a bit less than LA. My husband works most of the time in West Hollywood, and I stay at home here in Phoenix. We own a 1,010 SF condo and pay $530-ish for the mortgage. He rents a tiny 1-bedroom apartment in W Hollywood and pays $1,300 a month.

The only thing to be afraid of in Phoenix is the 100+ temps in the summer, but if you have access to a pool you'll be fine. :) Absolutely everywhere has air conditioning.

Rene

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

I liked Tempe when I lived in the area, good nightlife well back when I lived there anyhow, imagine it still is due to the university being there, but then you may not be interested in dealing with all the college age folks that go out as well.

I didn't care for Phoenix proper, seemed like a pretty boring city overall. I was only there for work (an airline) who is still a large employer, but will be moving most jobs out of state to Texas in the coming months.

You will likely drive less, Phoenix region while large still, each mini-region offers more or less all your daily needs, so you generally don't have to go far for errands and the like and wont find yourself most likely going from one end to the other on a regular basis unless you create a commute for yourself.

Tempe was fun though, but I was 21 at the time...lol

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Nip over for a weekend...

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Well you'll drive further most likely but it's not quite as crowded so the traffic isn't as appalling.

If you're working in IT you're probably going to be in the east valley, Tempe/Mesa sort of area which is typical American middle-class dross of shopping plazas and cookie cutter houses.

A lot of people will tell you how wonderful Scottsdale is, well it is mainly middle-class dross too, take it with a pinch of salt. What they really mean is that it is mostly white people, unlike the rest of the Phoenix area.

Well it's full of retirees puttering around golf courses. I doubt anyone would say it's as "exciting" as L.A.

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Downtown Phoenix has to be the most boring and dull downtown area of any major city in the US. Okay there is the convention centre and a few other odds and ends but it's pretty dire.

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Yeah, not saying I agree. Roosevelt row and that area where they do first friday.

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Sounds like it has Jacksonville beat already?

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

Check out some posts by Steerpike (or PM him.) He splits his time between No. Cal. and Scottsdale Arizona. He's also part of a couple, with no kids, who likes eating out (a lot). He also works in IT.

I'm sure he'd be happy to help answer some of your questions.

Re: Move to Phoenix, AZ???? Please Help!!
 

There's the Rose & Crown pub I think it is. Has some very pseudo British type food.