Need Some Help
12-21-2005, 05:14 PM
#1
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I'm seriously looking to relocate from the north east to the south west. I can't take the New England weather anymore!! We are currently looking at Arizona (Tuscon or Phoenix) area and Nevada (somewhere outside of Las Vegas). I would appreciate any info or opinions anyone has to offer about these areas. It's a huge decision seeing as I have a wife and three kids to think about and we would be moving far away from our families. So I need all the info I can get. Seems as though housing is relatively inexpensive there and the cost of living is moderate. But I don't know what the job market is like.
Thanks for any help!
Thanks for any help!
12-21-2005, 06:51 PM
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Tucson is a POS. The only nice thing there is the university. It's quite cheap to live there, but good luck finding things to do.
Phoenix is worlds better than Tucson but still has its faults.
There's been lots of growth lately, so "affordable" living usually means living kind of far out the in suburbs if you want to buy a house. Renting is still quite affordable almost anywhere in the city - although you have to pay attention to where you move. There are some nice neighborhoods, but 15 mins in any direction and you can wind up in a not so good neighborhood.
Like most any big city theres tons of traffic during rush hour. We do have nice roads though wink1.gif . Car theft is one of the highest in the nation. No one has touched my hyundai since I've had it, but I still use the alarm all the time.
There's tons of shit to do here. I'm not sure how old you are or your tastes - but there plenty of hot ASU chicks at all the clubs and bars downtown, in Tempe, and in Scottsdale. There's always a sports game going on - the Suns are fun to watch and the new football arena is almost done (just about garunteed superbowl woot). There's a couple race tracks to go to, lots of community support there. There's also a few indoor go kart tracks, those are quite fun. Several casinos close by. Skiing/snowboarding in the winter is 2.5 hours away up in Flagstaff, Mexico and Vegas 4 hours, San Diego 5 hrs or so. There's also different lakes and rivers to go tubing, boating, fishing, etc.
I'm not sure what industry you work in, but at least to start off you can find any pos job pretty quick for 9$/hour, then take some time to look around for a better paying job. There's no lack of good jobs, you just have to have the right skills and knowledge. Every business I've talked to is looking for people to hire here.
Phoenix is worlds better than Tucson but still has its faults.
There's been lots of growth lately, so "affordable" living usually means living kind of far out the in suburbs if you want to buy a house. Renting is still quite affordable almost anywhere in the city - although you have to pay attention to where you move. There are some nice neighborhoods, but 15 mins in any direction and you can wind up in a not so good neighborhood.
Like most any big city theres tons of traffic during rush hour. We do have nice roads though wink1.gif . Car theft is one of the highest in the nation. No one has touched my hyundai since I've had it, but I still use the alarm all the time.
There's tons of shit to do here. I'm not sure how old you are or your tastes - but there plenty of hot ASU chicks at all the clubs and bars downtown, in Tempe, and in Scottsdale. There's always a sports game going on - the Suns are fun to watch and the new football arena is almost done (just about garunteed superbowl woot). There's a couple race tracks to go to, lots of community support there. There's also a few indoor go kart tracks, those are quite fun. Several casinos close by. Skiing/snowboarding in the winter is 2.5 hours away up in Flagstaff, Mexico and Vegas 4 hours, San Diego 5 hrs or so. There's also different lakes and rivers to go tubing, boating, fishing, etc.
I'm not sure what industry you work in, but at least to start off you can find any pos job pretty quick for 9$/hour, then take some time to look around for a better paying job. There's no lack of good jobs, you just have to have the right skills and knowledge. Every business I've talked to is looking for people to hire here.
12-21-2005, 07:03 PM
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Thanks for the info. I have a wife in 3 kids so no use for the club scene. Don't mind being out of the city life as long as it's not far away.
I am adding New Mexico to my list. Rio Rancho placed 83 out of 1300 cities surveyed in a Best Places to live survey on CNN. Looks pretty central and has extremely affordable housing. Where are my NM boys at? ABQ, Redz...What the situation in NM?
I am adding New Mexico to my list. Rio Rancho placed 83 out of 1300 cities surveyed in a Best Places to live survey on CNN. Looks pretty central and has extremely affordable housing. Where are my NM boys at? ABQ, Redz...What the situation in NM?
12-21-2005, 10:52 PM
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QUOTE (kb5133 @ Dec 21 2005, 07:03 PM)
I am adding New Mexico to my list. Rio Rancho placed 83 out of 1300 cities surveyed in a Best Places to live survey on CNN. Looks pretty central and has extremely affordable housing. Where are my NM boys at? ABQ, Redz...What the situation in NM?
Well, what can I tell you? New Mexico looks a LOT like Arizona, but doesn't get as hot in the summer.
You can live near Albuquerque in a smaller town and still enjoy the big city whenever you want (Albuquerque is the 31st biggest city in the US).
Rio Rancho is FANTASTIC. I'm actually looking at moving there very soon. Rio Rancho is basicly a suburb of Albuquerque. The tax rates are much lower, housing is even cheaper, and the schools are fantastic, not to mention brand new. You can get a 5 bedroom house, with 2700 sq feet of space, on a 1/2 acre lot in Rio Rancho for $190,000. They have no smog test in Rio Rancho (Sandoval County), and it's right on the outskirts of Albuquerque. There is a INTEL plant in Rio Rancho, and the job market is really picking up out here.
Brotha, hit me up on IM tomorrow or sometime this week, I'll have you wanting to move here within a week.
Why do I love it here?
1. The people. Most of them are extreeeemly friendly.
2. The sights. This is the 300th Anniversary of Albuquerque, our Tricentennial. We have some very historical places here.
3. To do! There is a TON to do. The Albuquerque Zoo (Koalas!!), Botanical Gardens, the Petroglyphs, Albuquerque Volcanoes, the Sandia Crest, Old Town, the museums... I could go on and on.
4. The outdoors. There is some fantastic hiking and skiing in this state. They opened the Ski area on Sandia Mountains today, it's about a 30 minute drive from my place.
5. The food... Enough said.
I could go on and on here. But if you are in doubt, gather the family around the PC and show them these...
http://photobucket.com/albums/v131/REDZMAN...%20Anniversary/
^^^
Red River New Mexico. Up Northeast of Taos New Mexico.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v131/REDZMAN...ll%20ABQ%20BBQ/
^^^
2004 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v131/REDZMAN...0Show%20Photos/
^^^
Albuquerque International Auto Show.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v131/R...Fathers%20Day/
^^^
Albuquerque Volcanoes and Petryglyphs National Monument.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v131/REDZMAN/Sandia%201/
^^^
The Sandia Mountains behind Albuquerque.
Need me to send you some home magazines and a bottle of New Mexico wine?
12-22-2005, 09:25 AM
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Oh, and here's a few more notes my man.
We average 280 CLEAR days a year. That's 280 days with no clouds or less than 25% of the sky with clouds.
In the summer we get up to about 95 to 100 degrees for a month, but there is, on average, 5 to 10% humidity. In the winter we get down in the 20's and teens, but today it's going to be 60 degrees outside and clear.
We don't get tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunami's.
We DO occasionally get hit with a decent "blizzard", or 5 to 10 inches of snow in one day, but usually it's gone within a day or so.
Albuquerque is at 5000 to 6000 feet in altitude.
The speed limit on freeways here is 75MPH.
All car lighting is LEGAL.
We have the best tint laws in the US.
You can hunt almost anything here in New Mexico. Bear, Elk, Deer, Duck, Antelope, Ibex, Obex, Rabbit, Jackelope (LOL), and the fishing up in the mountains is insane. Rainbow Trout... MMmmmmm....
What questions do you have? What can I answer for you?
And I'm completely serious man. Give me your address and I'll send you a stack of home magazines and a bottle of wine.
We average 280 CLEAR days a year. That's 280 days with no clouds or less than 25% of the sky with clouds.
In the summer we get up to about 95 to 100 degrees for a month, but there is, on average, 5 to 10% humidity. In the winter we get down in the 20's and teens, but today it's going to be 60 degrees outside and clear.
We don't get tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunami's.
We DO occasionally get hit with a decent "blizzard", or 5 to 10 inches of snow in one day, but usually it's gone within a day or so.
Albuquerque is at 5000 to 6000 feet in altitude.
The speed limit on freeways here is 75MPH.
All car lighting is LEGAL.
We have the best tint laws in the US.
You can hunt almost anything here in New Mexico. Bear, Elk, Deer, Duck, Antelope, Ibex, Obex, Rabbit, Jackelope (LOL), and the fishing up in the mountains is insane. Rainbow Trout... MMmmmmm....
What questions do you have? What can I answer for you?
And I'm completely serious man. Give me your address and I'll send you a stack of home magazines and a bottle of wine.
12-22-2005, 10:18 AM
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move to abq
join crooked h
eat lots of chile
nuff said
oh and redz we do get the rare tornado but usually thats up north lmao.gif
seriously mang we have a low crime rate, we can get a concelled carry permit rather easily, and apparently the only life threatening stuff happens to me....see the robbery thread lol
housing is CHEAP i pay like 600 for a 2 bedroom 1 bath about 900 sq ft aparment in probably the best part of town my apartment is gated, has security, 2 pools, a hot tub, 4 pool tables, pingpong, 2 laundry mats, tennis court, playground, weight room etc...
here is the downfall
since cost of living is so cheap so are the wages it may not seem like your making much but you actually are my area of employment (nissan warranty) in chicago would dish out about 5 bux more a hour MINIMAL
since were so high up were about a second slower than anywhere else at the track (i hit 16.9 with a 2.5 reaction...with mods)
redz will constantly try to seduce you
for some reason(and this is starting to change) test scores for school kids were kinda below average but like i said its changing due to added tax money going into schools in one year we raised like 5 states in the nation
join crooked h
eat lots of chile
nuff said
oh and redz we do get the rare tornado but usually thats up north lmao.gif
seriously mang we have a low crime rate, we can get a concelled carry permit rather easily, and apparently the only life threatening stuff happens to me....see the robbery thread lol
housing is CHEAP i pay like 600 for a 2 bedroom 1 bath about 900 sq ft aparment in probably the best part of town my apartment is gated, has security, 2 pools, a hot tub, 4 pool tables, pingpong, 2 laundry mats, tennis court, playground, weight room etc...
here is the downfall
since cost of living is so cheap so are the wages it may not seem like your making much but you actually are my area of employment (nissan warranty) in chicago would dish out about 5 bux more a hour MINIMAL
since were so high up were about a second slower than anywhere else at the track (i hit 16.9 with a 2.5 reaction...with mods)
redz will constantly try to seduce you
for some reason(and this is starting to change) test scores for school kids were kinda below average but like i said its changing due to added tax money going into schools in one year we raised like 5 states in the nation
12-22-2005, 11:05 AM
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QUOTE (Lil_Tiby @ Dec 22 2005, 10:07 AM)
Dang, nice weather, hot air balloons, volcanoes, beautiful scenery....you got me wanting to move to NM. I wonder how many, if any, SATCOMM jobs there are in the area.
Are you still in the service or government contract? There are TONS of jobs out here for military contractors. Northrop Grumman, you name it. GOOD paying jobs.
QUOTE (faithofadragon @ Dec 22 2005, 10:18 AM)
oh and redz we do get the rare tornado but usually thats up north lmao.gif
What did they call it last year? A Gustnado? Basicly a nasty dust devil. LOL
QUOTE
redz will constantly try to seduce you
Werd.
QUOTE
for some reason(and this is starting to change) test scores for school kids were kinda below average but like i said its changing due to added tax money going into schools in one year we raised like 5 states in the nation
Well, you just have to look at the population. There are a lot of hispanics here, and a LOT of them are first or second generation from illegal immigrants. So you have a bunch of kids who aren't just learning the normal stuff in school, they are learning how to SPEAK english, and teaching their family some too.
Same with the native american population.