Ping: Phoenix-area residents

[Galaxy]

I've been looking at the idea of relocating to the Phoenix area sometime during the fall/winter of this season, once I take care of some stuff here. I just wanted to get some ideas/thoughts from those who live in the area.

1) How "bad" is the heat? Is it humid, or dry? How are nights?

2) It seems like Phoenix is really booming, with a lot of wealth (Scottsdale is one of the wealthiest places in country, correct?)

3) How are the people of Phoenix? How is the lifestyle? Is it relaxed, fast-pace, or both?

4) How is the business environement of Phoenix and Arizona? Is it friendly towards businesses and start-ups?

5) How good is the job market in relative to the rest of the country? When the fall rolls around, do you think it will pick up at all? I'm looking at the hotel/restaurant/food and beverage (which would include the wine, spirits, and beer industry as well).

6) What's the cost of living? What would one expect to pay for living expensives in a safe neighborhood (one-bedroom apartment or so) with rent, electric, water, auto insurance, ect.? What's the "starting" salary one would be need to be above water, to say?

[SnDvls]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

I've been looking at the idea of relocating to the Phoenix area sometime during the fall/winter of this season, once I take care of some stuff here. I just wanted to get some ideas/thoughts from those who live in the area.

1) How "bad" is the heat? Is it humid, or dry? How are nights?

it's a dry heat, your first summer here will be brutal, but you do get used to it. You go from AC in the house to AC in the car to AC in the store. At the hottest in the day the nights are still in the 80's or so.

2) It seems like Phoenix is really booming, with a lot of wealth (Scottsdale is one of the wealthiest places in country, correct?)

business wise yes Phoenix is booming, the housing market is really down here if you are a seller. North Scottsdale is very wealthy along with the areas around it Paradise Valley ect. South Scottsdale isn't so much.

3) How are the people of Phoenix? How is the lifestyle? Is it relaxed, fast-pace, or both?

lots of transplants here from the midwest (I'm one of the few natives of AZ that you'll find, althought there are more and more of us each day) I'd say the lifestyle is relaxed, but the freeways are very fast paced, again mostly due to California transplants.

4) How is the business environement of Phoenix and Arizona? Is it friendly towards businesses and start-ups?

I'd say yes, but I'm not an expert here

5) How good is the job market in relative to the rest of the country? When the fall rolls around, do you think it will pick up at all? I'm looking at the hotel/restaurant/food and beverage (which would include the wine, spirits, and beer industry as well).

those are all good jobs here in AZ as we have a lot of visitors in the cooler temp. times. Right now most people who are going to hotels are locals trying to get away for the weekend at a resort with very discounted prices.

6) What's the cost of living? What would one expect to pay for living expensives in a safe neighborhood (one-bedroom apartment or so) with rent, electric, water, auto insurance, ect.? What's the "starting" salary one would be need to be above water, to say?

$700 for rent, about $1,000 a month total for all bills roughly. $36-40,000 a year assuming you don't have hugh credit card or student loan debt and you'd be "above water" IMO

[cartman]

What happened to the Texas plans?

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by cartman

What happened to the Texas plans?

The company that I was working with hasn't opened up it's operation. I guess they either are delaying or shelving plans for Texas. So I'm going to give a few other areas I like a shot. Plus, some of family will be gone out of DFW now. Plus, some of the hospitality companies I've looked at are sort of cooling off, or either nixing any new plans in the DFW right now.

I might have some offers up where I am right now, but to be honest, I really like to move to the southwest metro areas. I might look into the offers more seriously here. It's a tough spot. The cost of living is a big sell here for an entry-level position (for a college grad). I might stick it out for two or three years, build some experience, save, and get myself into a position with better prospects. With the economic slowdown, it's kind of interesting. I just wanted to check out Phoenix however.

[BYU 14]

I would agree with SnDvls for the most part, however the Job industry is very tight right now, though you should be OK in the areas you are looking at.

Also start ups are not easy to get funding for ATM, due mostly to the baths lenders are taking due to the literal collapse of the housing market here. Arizona is now the #4 State in the country in number of Foreclosures and it is having a ripple effect on business.

[Buccaneer]

It's funny that one can simply characterize a metro area of 3 million(?) people and the 7th largest in the country.

[Blade6119]

The only thing i would add is to #1:

The summers can get hot, but like he pointed out your always somewhere where AC is on. But the winters are simply unbeatable. The winters in phoenix are just perfect.