As more Americans find a moving company and make the trek from different parts of the country, they\u2019re sharing their own takes on how different the experience has been, misconceptions about living in Phoenix, truths, partial truths and overall impressions of what living in the city has been like for them. There are entire YouTube channels devoted to the topic of Phoenix and its surrounding cities (and the job market), due to the overwhelming popularity of the area<\/p>\n
You can expect most videos about life in Arizona to include the obvious. (Guess what? It’s is hot!) But some specificity is fun to learn, like in the case of\u00a0Richie West\u2019s \u201c10 Things I Wish I Knew\u201d<\/a>\u00a0video, where he let viewers know that if they left their car parked for too long in the baking sun, the clear coat of their vehicle would peel off.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to fall down a rabbit hole on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>, and when it comes to the topic of\u00a0moving<\/a>, there are plenty of videos. As more Americans make the trek from different parts of the country, they\u2019re sharing their own takes on how different the experience has been, misconceptions about the city, truths, partial truths and overall impressions of what living in the city has been like for them. There are entire YouTube channels devoted to the topic of they city and its surrounding cities, due to the overwhelming popularity of the area.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s fall down the rabbit hole, shall we? Here are some notable videos, what it\u2019s like to move there and what they wished they had known before coming.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first pro is that it is so massive and it has a flavor for everyone. There are dozens of cities with different price ranges, criteria and vibes. If you want to go hiking or if you want to live near a mountain, we have five or six mountains you can hike. If you like to go fishing, we have two or three lakes in the area. If you\u2019re looking for suburban family life, all of these towns \u2014 and including some areas in the city \u2014\u00a0have newer houses and good school districts. The reason why I think it\u2019s so popular is because there\u2019s such variety here.\u201d<\/p>\n Vidana brings up the point that the popularity has driven up the cost of living, prices are still affordable when compared to other metros.<\/p>\n \u201cGranted, it has grown a lot more expensive over the past year or two, but even so, it\u2019s still really affordable here. Even to this day, when I tell someone our [property] taxes are $1,200 to $1,500, they [say], \u2018What, a month?\u2019 No, a year. Less than $2,000 per year. And because of that, our monthly payments tend to be a lot lower. For a decent house you might pay $1,300 to $1,600 [in taxes] for a starter home. In my opinion, $2,000-plus means you\u2019re already living in a decent area with a great school district and whatnot. Whereas in other areas of the country, $2,000 is just entry level stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Jay and Ashlee talk about many features of living on their channel, called\u00a0\u201cRaye \u2018n\u2019 Jay.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0In this video, they answer questions from their channel subscribers about what it\u2019s like.<\/p>\n One subscriber asks, \u201cI\u2019m looking to relocate with my wife and two kids. Where are the best areas to purchase a single family home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think there are two questions you have to consider,\u201d said Ashlee. \u201cOne: What is your budget; and two: Are you active people looking to get out to do things or are you OK with living far away from the city?\u201d Jay adds: \u201cOn a bit of the pricey side, I would say South Chandler, Gilbert and Scottsdale. [Less expensive options] are parts of Queen Creek, Buckeye and parts of Awatukee.\u201d Jay also mentions that Queen Creek and Buckeye have\u00a0excellent schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jay and Ashlee then took a question about being whether an interracial couple would be comfortable in the city (the channel creators are a BIPOC couple). Jay and Ashlee respond that interracial couples are very common and mention that the area is \u201cbecoming more diverse every single day.\u201d They reassure the person that they should feel \u201cright at home.\u201d<\/p>\n The next question is from a single mother of one \u2014 she\u2019s also interested in moving but is unsure what the experience might be like.<\/p>\n Jay pointed out that the couple have friends who are single moms and \u201cthey get by just fine.\u201d He continued, \u201cThere are a lot of different programs and avenues to take if you are looking for help. I would say you\u2019re completely safe [as a single mother] living in the outside areas \u2014 the suburbs of the city.<\/p>\n Sam Santiago is an east coast transplant who\u2019s been living there for over a decade. His\u00a0Arizona Living<\/a>channel covers a multitude of topics on moving, living and even dating in the city. He covers all of it in a humorous fashion \u2014 both the good and the bad.\u00a0In Santiago\u2019s video, he listed \u201cno natural disasters\u201d as one of the city\u2019s biggest selling points.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, every 10 years there\u2019s a flood, or we get a\u00a0haboob<\/a>. But for the most part, there are [few] natural disasters.\u201d He also claimed it has \u201ca lot of fantastic restaurants and a really good foodie scene.\u201dSantiago stated the lack of daylight savings time to be a great selling point. \u201cSix months out of the year, we\u2019re the same as Mountain Standard Time and for the other six months, we\u2019re on Pacific Standard Time. But our clocks never change.\u201d<\/p>\n What are some of Santiago\u2019s other selling points? Great sunsets and an\u00a0Amazon distribution center<\/a>\u00a0in the city \u201cthat usually gets packages [to him] within one day.\u201d<\/p>\n Santiago also does videos that cover some of the city\u2019s most popular suburbs and neighborhoods. In his \u201c10 Things You Didn\u2019t Know About Mesa\u201d post, he mentioned that the suburb is the home of the Major League Baseball\u00a0spring training stadiums<\/a>\u00a0for both the Oakland A\u2019s and the Chicago Cubs.<\/p>\n Mesa is also serviced by the light rail<\/a>\u00a0and includes plenty of Mexican influences, especially restaurants. Tech has already arrived in Mesa, adding more jobs to the area.<\/p>\n \u201cGoogle is looking to build a $1 billion\u00a0data center\u00a0<\/a>in Mesa. Apple already has [one] here.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, Santiago brought up\u00a0Mesa\u2019s airport<\/a>, which, while limited, is beginning to service more cities, and that the site previously served as a military base.<\/p>\n Laurel Streed<\/a>\u00a0made a video about what life has been like for her after living in Arizona for one year.\u00a0Streed covers the usual topics like weather and things to do, but she added unexpected tidbits into other sections, like transportation.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably one of the weirdest things I\u2019ve noticed since moving here is that cars don\u2019t have front license plates,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure why, but it makes it a little bit harder to identify your car from the front.\u201d She also described the speed limits as \u201ca suggestion\u201d and that drivers regularly speed through construction areas.<\/p>\n Streed says the population is largely \u201cpretty chill.\u201d \u201cThere\u2019s a super unique blend of cultures. You see it reflected in the architecture, in the\u00a0street art<\/a>, [it\u2019s great] to be immersed in the southwest culture.\u00a0”<\/p>\n On environment and nature, she expanded beyond the prototypical desert discussion.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we\u2019re in a valley, we have mountains in every single direction, and it never gets old to look out and see them. Once you go two hours north, you [see] pine trees, lakes and snow. It\u2019s definitely not what you would expect from this area. It looks far more like the Pacific Northwest. There are lakes that are a stunning juxtaposition of the desert right next to water. They\u2019re one of my favorite features of the area. Then there\u2019s Sedona with the famous red rock buttes,\u00a0Monument Valley<\/a>, a\u00a0meteor crater<\/a>, ancient Native American dwellings, petrified forests, the\u00a0painted desert\u00a0<\/a>and so much more. My absolute favorite thing about living here is that flowers bloom all year long. In the spring, you get wildflowers and the prickly pear cactuses blooming \u2026 it\u2019s lovely to be driving down the street and to see so much color, even in January.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0A video from Phoenix Arizona Living<\/a> covered some of the most popular neighborhoods in Phoenix with a brief overview of their pros and cons. Greg Corbett took viewers through a north to south tour of the city, from Anthem to Ahwatukee.<\/p>\n Beginning far north in Anthem, Corbett said, \u201cAnthem is an unincorporated master-planned community<\/a>. From a location point of view, we are right at I-17 and Daisy Mountain Drive. This is an extremely well-designed and beautiful community. It tends to be very family friendly with all sorts of parks, walking and biking trails, and a huge community centre.\u201d Corbett lists a con as a long commute into the city.<\/p>\n Further south along the Camelback corridor is Arcadia<\/a> and Corbett claimed it is one of the most highly sought areas of the city. \u201cOn the pros side, the entire area sits right in front of Camelback mountain so the views are incredible and you have great access if you like to hike. You are definitely in one of the hot spots when it comes to dining and nightlife. You\u2019re also in the center of two of the best shopping destinations when it comes to the Biltmore and Old Town Scottsdale<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Corbett continued on discussing Arcadia, extolling the virtues of its lushness and unique older qualities.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably the most appealing part, similar to a lot of older areas of Phoenix, is the mature landscaping and greenery. These areas have been around for quite some time, and they just don\u2019t have the same feel as some of the newer tract home developments and subdivisions.\u201d For Arcadia cons, he mentions rising home prices due to its popularity.<\/p>\n For those looking for something adjacent to downtown but more suitable for families, Corbett recommended Encanto<\/a>. \u201cIf you look just west of the downtown area, you\u2019ll find such a cool neighborhood that is always great to take people to visit. It gives you that midwest or east coast feel, but is right here in the middle of Phoenix. The homes, in particular, are special. There\u2019s just a look to them that is really cool, and isn\u2019t found very often in Phoenix. On top of that, you have a huge neighborhood park with lots of things to do, and it\u2019s perfect for families. On the con side, similar to Arcadia, you\u2019re going to have a higher barrier to entry, and lower cost homes are pretty limited.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthest south on his list, Corbett referenced Ahwatukee<\/a>, on the south side of South mountain. \u201cOn the pros side, this entire area is full of good neighborhoods, great schools, great views and has excellent access for anywhere you need to go in the entire valley. On the cons side, you\u2019re going to have a lot of traffic and affordable housing might be limited.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChandler, Arizona<\/a>, with its larger population of over 250,000 has a lot to offer. It is one of the more expensive suburbs, even considering the cost of living in Arizona. However, it offers a range of [homes] from affordable all the way up [to luxury]. Chandler has a huge mall, high-end shopping, fine dining, and a beautiful historic downtown with the world famous\u00a0San Marcos hotel<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though Scottsdale has a big money reputation, it is very affordable. Scottsdale has amazing nightlife and many great restaurants. The schools are great and there\u2019s lots to do here \u2014 hiking, golf, shopping and more.<\/p>\n \u201cAhwatukee is a cool place to live. It\u2019s affordable and safe. Things happen everywhere but [in Ahwatukee] crime isn\u2019t a huge concern. It has small stores, big box stores, but it doesn\u2019t have stadiums or entertainment venues. But the great part is that all of those things are in close proximity. It\u2019s right next to Tempe, Chandler and downtown. It\u2019s close to the [Gila River] casino, resorts and lots of golf. It\u2019s in the\u00a0Kyrene<\/a>\u00a0school district, and it\u2019s a huge draw for this area, because Kyrene is [one of the best] school districts.\u201d<\/p>\n The video also recommended\u00a0Goodyear<\/a>\u00a0as a suburb that\u2019s \u201cfamily-oriented with a good community \u2026 and it has events and festivals.\u201d It\u2019s 30 minutes away from downtown, 15 minutes from the\u00a0State Farm Stadium<\/a>\u00a0where the National Football League\u2019s Arizona Cardinals play. \u201cIf you\u2019re considering it and don\u2019t know where to move, make sure you check out Goodyear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0Big Super Living<\/a>\u00a0also did a video about a couple who moved from South Beach, Florida when they were homeless to Buckeye, where they found a safe and pleasant place to own a home. Stacy and Keeba Reading moved here approximately two years ago. They took to the city right away.<\/p>\n “We miss the food and the beaches [of Miami] but being here is just so peaceful,\u201d Keeba said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re driving, taking the kids to school or to the grocery store, you\u2019re always seeing something that\u2019s so scenic. Every day is [different]. Even though it\u2019s the same mountains, it gives you a different view and perspective. I\u2019m so thankful we live here. It\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n The couple had nothing but their clothes, a car and a work start day for Stacy, who had landed a job. They found a place to rent and settled in quickly. For Stacy, finding a job at WalMart so quickly was an enormous blessing.<\/p>\n \u201cThey called right away,\u201d Stacy said. \u201cUsually with a job, they can take a while. [Wal-Mart] asked, When can you start?\u201d<\/p>\n Keeba added, [When Big Super posted] that YouTube video about jobs in Arizona, and you were talking about all of the different avenues a person can take to come and get a job quickly \u2026 the jobs are here. That\u2019s how I knew we were meant to be here. It was just smooth sailing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0In late 2021,\u00a0Nick Johnson<\/a>\u00a0posted a video called \u201c10 Reasons Why You Should Never Move to Phoenix.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Of course, it wouldn\u2019t be fair to say that everyone wants to move to the city or nearby cities such as Tucson, or is content about their decision to come to the city even with its low cost of living. Yes, there are cons of moving to Arizona.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody wants to move,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIt\u2019s official! It\u2019s the fastest growing major city in the country. No other major population center in the US grew as fast as the Valley of the Sun. There\u2019s 1.6 million people here now, so Phoenix has passed Philadelphia to become our nation\u2019s 5th biggest city.<\/p>\n \u201cThey gotta be doing something right, right? Well not necessarily. L.A. Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and San Antonio are also huge sprawling cities and they all suck. Phoenix happens to be the flavor of the year right now, that\u2019s all. Maybe people just need to hear the truth about this place before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n \u201cIs Phoenix a soulless, sun scorched landscape of urban sprawl? It is hot, and ugly and full of discrimination. Maybe. But on the bright side, there\u2019s plenty of strip malls and entry level jobs, everyone!\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson listed the desert (even the Grand Canyon?) as being overrated. \u201cEveryone says they want to move here because they want to be outdoors. Phoenix is surrounded by one big, inhospitable and uninviting desert. There are some mountains nearby, but they\u2019re more like desert buttes. It\u2019s hard to find any large, shady areas that aren\u2019t packed with people.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson also doesn\u2019t think much of the city\u2019s vibe, considering it to be devoid of charm, flat and dusty. He described residents as scurrying from their various air conditioned locations, such as their homes, places of work and supermarkets, and bemoaned the lack of walkability. He also referenced that it\u2019s too hot to bike anywhere for approximately seven months out of the year.<\/p>\n Of course, these opinions and others like them aren\u2019t stopping scores of people from all the United States from moving to the State of Arizona. The draws continue to outweigh the negatives for those seeking\u00a0cheaper property taxes<\/a>, affordable homes and warmer weather.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to buy a\u00a0new home in Phoenix<\/a> or anywhere else in the Grand Canyon State, there are many different listings to check out in the areas mentioned above. Regardless of whether you\u2019re seeking a small starter home, or if you need something bigger for a growing and extended family, there\u2019s lots to choose from in the city. Here are a few of our favourite listings from Phoenix and the surrounding areas:<\/p>\n Rendering: Stonehaven Discovery Collection by Taylor Morrison via BuzzBuzzHome<\/p><\/div>\n Location: 8934 West Georgia Avenue, Glendale, AZ<\/em> Stonehaven Discovery Collection<\/a> has six different floor plans to choose from, with one or two-storey layouts. Options for two or three-car garages are available. Families will find elementary and high schools within 1.5 miles or less of the community.<\/p>\n Rendering: Eastmark by Ashton Woods via BuzzBuzzHome<\/p><\/div>\n Location: 9619 East Solina Avenue, Mesa AZ\u00a0<\/em> Built by Atlanta-based developer Ashton Woods, Eastmark<\/a> comprises 11 different floor plans in this single-family community near E Point Twenty-Two Boulevard and Inspirian Parkway. Homes in this development range from 1,377 to 2,668 square feet with three- to six-bedroom layouts. In addition to the community\u2019s walking trails, playground and swimming pool, Eastmark residents will also have access to nearby parks and schools.<\/p>\n Rendering:\u00a0North Copper Canyon – The Villas Collection by Century Communities via BuzzBuzzHome<\/p><\/div>\n Location: West Williams Road and North 174th Avenue, Surprise, AZ<\/em> This ranch-style floor plan in the North Copper Cannon – The Villas Collection<\/a> features an open concept layout with a dedicated kitchen pantry, great room and a covered patio. The 1495 plan gives buyers the option to convert the third bedroom into a three-bay tandem garage for convenient vehicle storage. Future residents of North Copper Canyon will have access to community amenities such as a shared picnic area, pool, dog park and more.<\/p>\n Photo: Reserve at Black Mountain by Toll Brothers via BuzzBuzzHome<\/p><\/div>\n Location: 8366 East Old Paint Trail, Scottsdale, AZ<\/em>\n
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“The city is so massive”<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Which neighborhood is right for you?<\/h2>\n
It’s\u00a0is all about the time zones<\/h2>\n
The\u00a0<\/a>Metro is an MLB training hub<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Arizona\u00a0speed limits are a “suggestion”<\/h2>\n
<\/a>It\u00a0has mature landscaping and greenery<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Goodyear gets an\u00a0endorsement<\/h2>\n
<\/a>“It is just so peaceful”<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Cons of moving to Arizona<\/h2>\n
Stonehaven Discovery Collection<\/h3>\n
![\"Stonehaven](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Stonehaven-Discovery-Collection.jpeg\")
<\/a>
\n Developer: Taylor Morrison<\/a><\/em>
\n Price range: $497,990 to $589,990<\/em>
\n Size: Three to six bedrooms, 1,715 to 2,961 square feet<\/em><\/p>\nEastmark<\/h3>\n
![\"Rendering](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Eastmark-mesa.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n Developer: Ashton Woods<\/a><\/em>
\n Price range: From $515,990 to $779,990<\/em>
\n Size: 1,377 to 3,020 square feet<\/em><\/p>\nNorth Copper Canyon – The Villas Collection<\/h3>\n
![\"Plan](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/North-Copper-Canyon-The-Villas-Collection.jpg\")
\n Developer: Century Communities<\/a><\/em>
\n Price range: From $335,990<\/em>
\n Size: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, 1,495 square feet<\/em><\/p>\nReserve at Black Mountain<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/2021_11_30_03_02_36_751_5325bkexterior_cc_conversion1_1800.jpeg\")
<\/a>
\nDeveloper: Toll Brothers<\/a><\/em>
\nSize: 3,236 to 4,981 square feet<\/em>
\nPrices: From $2,069,995 to over $2,386,995<\/em><\/p>\n
![\"Rendering](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Toll-Brothers-at-Cadence-mesa.jpg\")
<\/a>