Phoenix Nesties
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Help Please
Hi Ladies,
I am hoping you can help me out. My DH and I are considering moving to Phoenix in the next few months and we are headed out there in Sept. to look at some area's. The thing is, Phoenix is so big that I don't know what area's are good and where we should stay away from.
I was hoping some of you could tell me what area's you would suggest we check out. We will be there for 2 days, so we don't have a ton of time and I don't want to drive around and waste time.
Thanks for your help and I look forward to hearing your advice!
Jenn
Re: Help Please
Phoenix is one of those places that almost no matter where you are you have the potential of being in a really nice area, next to a not so nice area. It's just the nature of the city.
That being said, I've lived in Scottsdale, Tempe and now Peoria - and have really liked all of those areas. Scottsdale and Fountain Hills are what can be considered the "ritzier" places, and much more expensive. Tempe is a college town, so unless you are checking out south Tempe, there are a lot of kids! On the East side of the city there is also Mesa which is a bit older, Chandler which is really nice and still relatively close to most things, and Gilbert, overall very new, also nice but much further out.
For the West side, we love Peoria, it's laid back, and growing very fast. Hopefully others will expand on the West side more since I haven't lived over here that much to talk up the rest of it.
Then of course there is the downtown areas, with residential historical districts. I love it downtown especially near Encanto Park - it has really great access to public transit, lots of culture, museums, great restaurants, but it is expensive for what you get, and you have very high chances of being next to shady areas North Phoenix is also a good area, family friendly and relatively new.
Do you guys have any idea what your work situation will be? The valley is very large, so pinpointing work/home relatively close together is important. You wouldn't want to live out in east Mesa and work in Glendale - Eek the drive!
Exactly this. It really does no good to drive all around the valley if you don't know where your jobs will be (and I would not move here unless at least one person has a job lined up- our job market is one of the worst in the country). DH and I both work in the east valley and live in South Chandler. We absolutely love it and are very partial to the east valley- we would never consider living in the west valley (for silly personal reasons) but other people love it out that way.
While you are here I would just drive some of the freeways and take in the sights. To get an awesome bird's eye view of the valley, follow Central Ave as far south as it will go, up to the top of South Mountain (just don't go at night!). The view is amazing!
Thank you so much! The area's at the top of our "list" are Peoria and Anthem. However I have heard Anthem is pretty far out there. Are there any area's in Peoria in particular you recommend? That's our first stop! We would prefer to be in a more "suburban" area as we hope to start a family soon.
As for our work situation, my husband will be transfering jobs, he is a restaurant manager and there are plenty of locations all throughout Phoenix. As for me, I will have to find a job once we get out there. Hopefully it won't take forever to find something.
Thank you again!
Anthem is very far, my mom used to live up there. There's only one way to and from (the 17) and that freeway is a nightmare during rush hour traffic. As far as your DH getting a job at locations throughout Phoenix- keep in mind that even without traffic it can take an hour to an hour and a half to drive from one side of the valley to the other.
Peoria is pretty big - there is the very new area, which is more North/West of the Loop 101, but definitely a further hike. We live inside the Loop 101 freeway and even though it's still far from the east valley, it doesn't seem that far to me, plus it's easy high way access. I love it because I feel it's suburban enough to raise a family, but very close to every amenity. Housing is also very cheap out here right now, and you can get quite a bang for you buck.
Anthem is FAR out. The main constraint on this is that there is only one main access to Anthem, and it's an interstate that is always under construction and has 2 lanes at best. Also, in general, I'm biased against Anthem from when I was an Urban Development major - drama of it being built so far from the residential infrastructure back in the day.
Since you know DH will be transferring to a new restaurant, I would pull a few of the locations that interest you and look in those areas specifically, or at least nearby. There are good and bad parts of every municipality of Phoenix!
Do you have a real estate agent lined up? We love, LOVE ours, and when we would fly out here from CA, she would reserve the entire weekend for us. Let me know if you need a recommendation.
Thanks again for all your help ladies! I really do appreciate it.
Candice, we do not have a real estate agent yet, that was going to be my next question. I would love for the name of your's, especially since you loved her so much. We live in CA right now, where did you live when you were out here? How do you like AZ compared to CA?
Sent you her contact info in a PM!
I am from Manhattan Beach, born and raised in the South Bay. AZ is an adjustment, but I like it. Just not the extreme heat.....but I deal! I went to ASU, so I was familiar with the area before we decided to house hunt out here...but my husband LOVES it here! Where are you living?
Ahwatukee!
I grew up there and love it. Very family friendly, great schools, close to everything. lots of resturants/shopping, 10 min. from 2 malls and the aiport and has a very good community feel.
DD #1 {04-19-2004}
Secondary IF: Severe MFI (low testosterone, low count, low morph, & very low motility) & Annovulation
After 22 months IUI # 3 Clomid + Follistim = BFP
DD #2 {12-31-2009}
2 more years of failed IF treatments and a failed adoption TTC #3
TTC Journey Over~ Not By Choice
Lisa, thanks for the rec., I will check Ahwatukee out. Sounds like my kind of place!
P.S. your little lady is adorable!
Ahh, don't tell me you are dying to come back!! I have lived in SoCal my whole life, so I am ready for a change. My DH is from Texas, and he isn't a big fan of SoCal either. Where in SoCal do you want to move?
I just looked at your bio and your house is beautiful! We can just swap, I will buy your house and you can come to San Diego!
If it makes you feel any better, DH is from Nor Ca, and will never move back to California. We are both CA natives