Might move to GV AZ - anyone have input

[SemperVee]

Why I am considering seriously MOVE to AZ versus buying in this overpriced squalor of Western WA.
What a difference in quality of life beyond the heat. Shit overpriced homes here and VERY high property taxes 1/3 of what AZ pays. Only the Realtors and Government get rich from overpriced homes. Avg property tax here is $3500 - $8,000 yearly!

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[AzScorpion]

Why I am considering seriously MOVE to AZ versus buying in this overpriced squalor of Western WA.
What a difference in quality of life beyond the heat. Shit overpriced homes here and VERY high property taxes 1/3 of what AZ pays. Only the Realtors and Government get rich from overpriced homes. Avg property tax here is $3500 - $8,000 yearly!

That's one of the main reasons I moved here from MA. My property taxes were approaching $5K back there and here with a newer house the same size they are 2/3 less and the COL is much cheaper too.

The heat is tough at times to deal with but with the savings you can get away several times throughout the summer to cooler areas. Flagstaff is a short 2.25 hr drive away where summer temps are mid 80's and upper 50's. Great for getting away from the heat even for just a long weekend. Moving here gave me the chance to semi retire and not stress about everything. The problem is to many have figured this out and are now inundating the area.

Have you had a chance to talk with any of the realtors yet?

 

[SemperVee]

That's one of the main reasons I moved here from MA. My property taxes were approaching $5K back there and here with a newer house the same size they are 2/3 less and the COL is much cheaper too.

The heat is tough at times to deal with but with the savings you can get away several times throughout the summer to cooler areas. Flagstaff is a short 2.25 hr drive away where summer temps are mid 80's and upper 50's. Great for getting away from the heat even for just a long weekend. Moving here gave me the chance to semi retire and not stress about everything. The problem is to many have figured this out and are now inundating the area.

Have you had a chance to talk with any of the realtors yet?

Yes. Thanks for your referrals to realtor Dave. Trying to figure out just where we want to be. I like being near miltary base for shopping and I am already retired so looking specifically at +55 community.

 

[AzScorpion]

Yes. Thanks for your referrals to realtor Dave. Trying to figure out just where we want to be. I like being near miltary base for shopping and I am already retired so looking specifically at +55 community.

It is a large spread out area here but there are many 55+ around me. Luke AFB is only 10 minutes away and then there's Sun City, Sun City West and Sun City Grand which I think is the newest one. I think there are a few 55+ up in Vistancia which is in northern Peoria but that would put you farther away from a military base.

Pebble Creek and Palm Valley are nice gated communities near me too. There's Canta Mia up in Estrella Mountain Ranch but you're pretty far out from most amenities up there. It's a great area and I do a lot of work up there and if you don't mind the extra 10-15 minute drive it might be worth looking into.

 

[SemperVee]

Prices are exploding up like they did in Ca in the 80's and 90"s... Harder and harder to find what we want at at reasonable price just now. Need to visit and feel the vibe from different locations. Sun CIty and SCW look very doable just now. Would like to find a homne that can house an RV also along with my MC's and Ranger!

 

[AzScorpion]

Prices are exploding up like they did in Ca in the 80's and 90"s... Harder and harder to find what we want at at reasonable price just now. Need to visit and feel the vibe from different locations. Sun CIty and SCW look very doable just now. Would like to find a homne that can house an RV also along with my MC's and Ranger!

I know there are several communities that allow RV garages but not all do. There are a couple up in Estrella Mountain Ranch that do and the realtors would be able to tell you which ones. Because of the HOA's you can't just park it on your property so most have to store them at storage places outside. You should defiantly come down for a couple weeks or more to look around. My first trip back in 2011 I intended on staying for about 10 days but extended it to 21 because there was so much to see.

Buckeye is another nice area and is growing fast, there's still some reasonable property there. They have several areas where there are no HOA's and many have RV garages too. It might be worth looking there too seeing as you're retired and commuting won't be a priority.

There are plenty of places to stay in both Buckeye and Goodyear and both are very safe areas. If you have any questions or need anything just let me know.

 

[SemperVee]

I know there are several communities that allow RV garages but not all do. There are a couple up in Estrella Mountain Ranch that do and the realtors would be able to tell you which ones. Because of the HOA's you can't just park it on your property so most have to store them at storage places outside. You should defiantly come down for a couple weeks or more to look around. My first trip back in 2011 I intended on staying for about 10 days but extended it to 21 because there was so much to see.

Buckeye is another nice area and is growing fast, there's still some reasonable property there. They have several areas where there are no HOA's and many have RV garages too. It might be worth looking there too seeing as you're retired and commuting won't be a priority.

There are plenty of places to stay in both Buckeye and Goodyear and both are very safe areas. If you have any questions or need anything just let me know.

Thanks Dave, You've given me lots of info and I greatly appreciate using you as a sounding board as questions come up.

 

[FoD]

Why I am considering seriously MOVE to AZ versus buying in this overpriced squalor of Western WA.
What a difference in quality of life beyond the heat. Shit overpriced homes here and VERY high property taxes 1/3 of what AZ pays. Only the Realtors and Government get rich from overpriced homes. Avg property tax here is $3500 - $8,000 yearly!

Yeah, I hear ya. We bought our house in 1976 in CA and voters passed prop 13 shortly afterwards (freezing tax property growth to 1% a year). Our taxes are now up to $1200 a year and if we sold, someone would be paying well over 4-5-6-7-8K and since most of CA moved north first, Oregon and Washington became the children of the "CA Way".

One note, $15k for a lawn is not a bad deal considering ... j/k ?

 

[SemperVee]

I'm reading how bad the Air Quality is there - Hard to imagine for me here in WA how you deal with that if it is as bad as reported?

 

[AzScorpion]

I'm reading how bad the Air Quality is there - Hard to imagine for me here in WA how you deal with that if it is as bad as reported?

I have asthma and have never been bothered by it. I see the air quality warnings on the news and the weather app but haven't noticed it out here. There are some days in the summer that look more "hazy" than others but it's never affected my breathing. I'm guessing if you were closer to downtown Phoenix it would be worse than here in the suburbs.

 

[GTGallop]

Yes there are air quality issues but no where near as bad as anywhere I lived in Texas.
Dallas, Longview, Huntsville, Houston - all much worse.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Yes there are air quality issues but no where near as bad as anywhere I lived in Texas.
Dallas, Longview, Huntsville, Houston - all much worse.

Hi Greg,

Yep. Mostly Dust here in Green Valley....

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[mustang marty]

Lived in Seattle long ago have family there and I know it is overvalued , get out now first be sure of AZ. Got to admit Arizona sounds great except the old " dry heat is not so bad " story . Ac cures all . I must add either ocean is a must with me .

 

[GTGallop]

Hi Greg,

Yep. Mostly Dust here in Green Valley....

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Took a friend from out of town up to "The Hole in the Rock" in that mountain in the middle of Tempe (I forget the name). We were in a hurry because a dust storm was coming but he wanted to see it.

We got to the top as a the storm hit. So we decided to wait out the storm in the top tucked into a crevice in the rock. When lightning stated hitting the mountain and area around us we changed our mind. Bolted down the mountain in the storm.

I wear wrap around sun glasses so I was fine but his aviators were open on the sides so we had to go to Walgreens and get him an eye wash kit to get the sand out of his eyes. That's my worst "air quality" day in Arizona and you might say we were asking for it.

 

[AzScorpion]

Took a friend from out of town up to "The Hole in the Rock" in that mountain in the middle of Tempe (I forget the name). We were in a hurry because a dust storm was coming but he wanted to see it.

We got to the top as a the storm hit. So we decided to wait out the storm in the top tucked into a crevice in the rock. When lightning stated hitting the mountain and area around us we changed our mind. Bolted down the mountain in the storm.

I wear wrap around sun glasses so I was fine but his aviators were open on the sides so we had to go to Walgreens and get him an eye wash kit to get the sand out of his eyes. That's my worst "air quality" day in Arizona and you might say we were asking for it.

We don't get many dust storms out here in the west valley, seems like all the ones you see on tv are out in the east valley. We have had some small ones right before a big summer storm but nothing like those 3 story high ones that roll through the east. But seeing how they are there's no way I'd be willingly going out to be in the middle of one.

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