Arizona folks. Have questions

[LilD]

So I know theres gotta be some folks on here from the land o sunshine. How are things out there right now as far as jobs and state budget situations? There are nothing but retail, part time type jobs here right now and the state is tanking. We are looking at moving to AZ over the end of summer possibly. Talked about it for years and now our jobs are going down hill and we are thinking now is the time to get things in order.

 

[DJ3100]

Depends on the kind of work you do, somewhat. If you're a techie, there's Intel, Honeywell, Avnet, Freescale, etc. But most folks I know that work in those industries get furlough days at least once per month - read that "not hiring". Construction is non-existant. State local and county Governments are reducing personel. The local grocery chain closed several stores and took bankruptcy. Tourist industry is down. Not sure what that leaves. Taco Bell?

For the most part we're hurt as badly as everyone else in the country. The good thing for you is that property values are in the tank, so buying or renting could be affordable. Except taxes are going up and utilities are trying to increase rates. Sounds like everywhere else, doesn't it?

 

[Reverend D]

If your in southern cal. then cost of living is probably cheaper. The state is in the hole here too and unemployment is hovering at right about 10%. Housing would probably be cheaper, real estate is in the tank. My wife lost her job at what was once a very lucrative high end real estate company that used to be unaffected by the economy. Its affected as anywhere else in the country I suppose. It's not a bad place to live. I moved here after a divorce 8 years ago and except for the traffic at rush hour Phoenix isn't bad. It does get hot of course, and then humid during the late summer but from oct. to mar. its one heck of a nice place weather wise. Jobs are rebounding a bit, but as was mentioned it depends on what you do for a living. It truly is a employer's state, in that employee's have little in the way of rights and can be fired for no particular reason. Oh sure you still have EEOC which can find the case in your favor but its drawn out enough to make it tough on you. Because of this employer's love the state. Oh yeah, we have good Mexican food..

Regards,

Rev. D.

 

[Thunder1]

The southwest sounds like someplace I would like a lot! Tennessee gets less appealing to me with everyday that goes by. I don't like the climate in the summer or the winter here. 75% to 80% humidity in the summer and rain or snow with no sun for three months in the winter. A lot of people like Nashville but I'm really bored living here. It just doesn't have much of what I like. The unemployment is about the same as yours is too. Except we are a right to work state. I wish somebody would remind them of that though. Seems like they forgot??

Thunder

Ah doo dee dee doh doh doh, Ah dee dee dah dah doh, Ah dah doo doo doo doh dee! I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! Ah doo dee doh doh doh!

 

[chipper]

hey thunder the oil fields are picking up again but dang is the scenery around here fugly

 

[51FordF1]

I am vacationing in Casa Grande (between Phoenix and Tuscon) right now for 6 weeks......From what I can see, there is not much industry around here, mostly retail, but, I am not really looking either....I am staying in a motel with a kitchenette type place and a lot of the people that live here work locally, which tells me that the workforce is pretty transient.........just my thought...

It seems like a great place to live however....weather wise etc.

 

[dmw56]

Phoenix area is a great place to visit in the winter. Hotter than 7734 in the summer. Has pretty much turned into as extension of LA though IMO.

I don't don't know what the job situation is like but have you considered Tuscon?

Hey Pat, move to NM and we'll build that truck for you!!!

 

[Thunder1]

hey thunder the oil fields are picking up again but dang is the scenery around here fugly

You know what Don?? - I'd give anything to be able to do just that!! As a matter of fact - I was talking to my Dad just last night about how much I wish I could move out there. Funny how things happen that way? I think I'd like that a whole lot! You know how bad I want my truck built and building it with you would be awesome! Three months from now I'll be done with this situation here. Seriously - sounds like I need to get busy on this. Careful what you ask for Don! It might very well happen.

Hey Chipper - Fugly is, as fugly does!! I like fugly actually. Might be one reason I married who I did? [S As nice as the scenery is around here, I grew up in Kansas and never have gotten used to feeling all closed in by the landscape here. When I was a kid I used to go outside and see for 50 miles in any direction. Now I go outside and can only see 50 feet because of all the hills and trees in the way.

A change would be nice!

Thunder

 

[Sam_Fear]

Funny, I've been wanting to move south of here for quite awhile. Been thinking TN - not 1/2 as much winter as IA. T1 - maybe we can set up a trade - Anybody wanna move to Davenport IA?

 

[Thunder1]

I'm positive you would like it here compared to IA winters for sure Sam! Get ready for some intense heat and humidity in the summer though. Thanks but no thanks on the trade! If I go anywhere it's New Mexico from here. Done made up my mind on that.

Thunder

 

[Sam_Fear]

How about this:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/top25s/financial/jobgrowth.html

Actually, DesMoines IA suburbs rank fairly high in a lot of catagories on that. Our neighboring town of Bettendorf IA, got on the top 100 list. Davenport actually has very affordable housing.

I think Pinal County AZ was the only thing I saw from Arizona on any of those lists.

 

[LilD]

I generaly try not to post our occupation because 99% of the time we get bashed. We both work for the school district here(Yeah, you know, we only work 6 hour days and get all summer off and have huge pensions. Yeah, all a crock! If we did it for that we wouldve gotten out looooong ago!) and would like to stay in the same profession. I have a sis in-law in Tucson and a bro in-law in Chandler. We like Chandler better than Tucson. When most people think of AZ they invision sunshine and blazing hot summers. I invision parts for the 47 that dont look like swiss cheese![dr

 

[DJ3100]

LilD,

Does that mean you're teachers? I think checking out Gilbert, Chandler, and Mesa Public Schools might be worth while. You would not want to move here unless you had a contract for next fall. Most of the school districts are having funding issues. Mesa has closed several schools, but Gilbert and Chandler are growing (although very slowly right now).

When you find out where to get those rust free parts, let me know.

 

[LilD]

Wifes a teacher. Im a broom pusher but I like it. My sis in-law said Tucson schools are ok but havent talked to my bro in-law yet around Chandler. If it comes down to grinding through another year here then we will but Im ready to go now.

 

[Dvapteam]

AZ is tuff

We are smack dab in the middle of AZ and it's just as hard here. You get use to heat believe it or not. Oringaly from NJ, and hated it at first but now I love it! I rather be hot and dry then deal with 90% humidity
On employment, things are pretty bad in the "growth" industry, so construction, land development, home trade industry is all laying off badly! How we are keeping doors open here is a surprise to me write now but it is what it is.
Homes are pretty cheap at the moment but that is an adverse to effect of the people loosing there jobs. I would think twice about moving unless you have the funds put away to live off for good amount of time. You see a lot of out of state residents write now buying up the property because banks want to turn the foreclosures. Until last year you couldn't get a in state loan on a house unless your main residency was at that address, so now they are buying the homes and putting them back up as rentals. 2 years ago if you were any were in north phx, glendale, perioa you were getting $200 a square foot with no real property space...were talking you average cookie cutter home, scottsdale $300-$400, now its anywere from $75-$90. My parents house was apraised 3 years ago at $550k now it is $225 an an acre and half, thats a huge lot here intown????

just a little insight from the north valley of PHX
~B~

 

[screw]

Hey folks, Here's a thought for you to ponder. ( I know, I know, you won't ponder it for long but ..........) WHY don't y'all move up north here to Canada . Then we can ALL be unemployed and build cars and collect Pogie together, What do ya say??? We got warm wet springs, warm summers, cool falls and dam cold winters with tons of snow to play in. Maybe we could build some rat rod ski-doo's or something???!!!

 

[CR55]

Screw, do you have room for all of us?.....CR

 

[LilD]

Hey folks, Here's a thought for you to ponder. ( I know, I know, you won't ponder it for long but ..........) WHY don't y'all move up north here to Canada . Then we can ALL be unemployed and build cars and collect Pogie together, What do ya say??? We got warm wet springs, warm summers, cool falls and dam cold winters with tons of snow to play in. Maybe we could build some rat rod ski-doo's or something???!!!

Thanks but Im as far north as I wanna be.

 

[screw]

Well CR55, now that you mention it, I do only have a four bedroom house and a two car garage..................[S