Phoenix or Tucson

RNfaster · Nov 15, 2007

I live in the Phoenix area and have only visited Tucson a few times. I think Tucson is nice as it is smaller, and seems to have more of an arts scene. I get the impression that the university also colors the culture quite a bit there.

If you are looking for greater options, Phoenix would probably be the better choice simply because it's bigger. On the other hand, you might view that as a negative.

In Phoenix, you might want to live in Avondale, Goodyear, Surprise, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Tempe, etc.

If you are moving to Arizona now, there are many bargains to be had (as well as some stinkers) in terms of housing. There are some very high foreclosure rates. Someone I know just got a great deal on a house after another deal vaporized. He had thought the first deal was great until he saw the second deal (which really knocked his socks off).

I think I'd look at entities you would like to work at...Banner and CHW are here in the Phoenix area. Tucson has a Carondelet hospital as well as one associated with the university.

Do you have higher education planned? That could influence your decision per city.

Good luck.

gwlillith · Nov 17, 2007

Thanks Sonoran for that information. I'm extremely interested in relocating to Phoenix, specifically around the Surprise area. Since I'm considering a travel position first before making the "big" move, I'm hoping to find a house to rent instead of the accomodations travel companies provide. If it's anything like here in Florida, since the housing market is so bad, there's a plethora of rentals.....Thanks again!

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Nov 17, 2007

Do you have higher education planned? That could influence your decision per city.

How so? We both have universities in our cities...

RNfaster · Nov 17, 2007

I have had good luck with Mark-Taylor apartment communities in Scottsdale. They sold one of the ones I used to live at, but still have the other one. There is a Mark-Taylor community here in Surprise. I haven't see it, but you might try it. You would get workout facilities, a pool and no yardwork. There is another new apartment community here that looks really nice, but I haven't been in it. I think it's in between Bell Road and Greenway on Litchfield. You can also rent a house for the same rate or less than a nice apartment (people often have signs posted near the neighborhoods where they wish to rent. I'd be careful renting something from an individual now. I'd want to make sure they were strong financially.) But you would have yardwork and other things to look after.

If you seek to buy (the OP might), you might look carefully at foreclosures for a gem in the rough (but not too rough). The house next to me was foreclosed on. The person that just bought it got a great deal and had to do some minor clean-up of things that were left in the house plus clearing the dead plants and weeds from the yard. Surprise (per data I sifted through on azcentral.com) has the zip code with the highest foreclosure rate in the valley. That translates to opportunities for deals.

There are two main fitness centers in Surprise. Mountainside Fitness and Fitness One. Fitness One costs about $15/month and Mountainside costs a little more than 2x that (offers more amenities). An L.A. Fitness is planned (they often have pools), but so far no ground broken.

Someone asked why I said consider educational plans before choosing Phoenix or Tucson. I believe Phoenix only offers pharmacy at a private university whereas Tucson offers it at a state university. I think some schools also have better reputations than others. --Maybe someone in your family, e.g., spouse or kids, have plans to study something in particular. Does that make sense?