Posted: 8/20/2014 4:16:07 PM EDT
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Hi all, in a few months I'll finally be escaping NJ and moving to Phoenix. I know nothing about the area so looking for advice on what areas/neighborhoods I should look into (and which to avoid). Interested in neighborhoods that're good for a 30 year old single guy. Will be working in northern Phoenix so also don't want too bad a commute.
I'm planning to rent at first until I get more of a feel for the area. What should I expect to pay for a 2 bedroom apartment? And if anyone has ideas of specific apartment buildings I should look into that'd be great. And any other advice or things I should know about Phoenix (besides that it's f'ing hot  )?
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Phoenix as you may know is a big city spread out in a very large area especially when compared to NE cities.
Commute and traffic patterns will be important when deciding where to rent. In general the North Valley is a good area to live when considering crime, schools etc. Can you be a bit more specific on the area you will be working...it will help in advising on where to live and expectant costs? |
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Hi all, in a few months I'll finally be escaping NJ and moving to Phoenix. I know nothing about the area so looking for advice on what areas/neighborhoods I should look into (and which to avoid). Interested in neighborhoods that're good for a 30 year old single guy. Will be working in northern Phoenix so also don't want too bad a commute. I'm planning to rent at first until I get more of a feel for the area. What should I expect to pay for a 2 bedroom apartment? And if anyone has ideas of specific apartment buildings I should look into that'd be great. And any other advice or things I should know about Phoenix (besides that it's f'ing hot )?ETA: Ammo tax, see Rizzo. |
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Phoenix is pockets of good neighborhoods and bad ones, like a patchwork quilt.
There's no good side of town vs. bad side of town. I'd suggest you scope out a few neighborhoods you are interested in and just post the major cross streets in this thread. We'll give you a thumbs up or thumbs down. ETA Peoria, Gilbert, and Goodyear suburbs don't really have any bad areas to speak of but all of the others, even Scottsdale, have some seedy areas worth avoiding. |
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101 and 7th street has a nice-ish apartment complex.
Ditto for 23rd ave between pinnacle peak and happy valley. There are lower end apartment complex in the area of 101 and 19th to23rd ave. Housing in the area is available. In some instances the rent on a house will be the same as the nicer apartments at the top of my response. With the close proximity to I-17 and 101, don't be afraid to branch out further. Commute time will depend on the time of day you go to the office & distance/direction you will be traveling. In the DV region you have plenty of things available. Be it entertainment to eating and shopping. Not far from the DV area you have Ben Avery shooting facility, a world class range. |
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Yes, don't bring NJ with you, this is Arizona. ETA: Ammo tax, see Rizzo. Nuff said....have fun and stay safe. Oh yeah..like they mentioned above post more specific areas and we can help. AZ is spread out like a $2 whore, with good/bad/stupid just around the bend. In many cases money talks...meaning if a 2 bdrm apt is $900/month it is probably in a better area than the one that is $350...but that is not always the case with similarly priced units. Location, area amenities, and age of the building has a lot to do with it. Age old advice...buy the worst home in the best neighborhood you can. ETA- what do you consider a bad/long commute? see above about us being spread out, <30 min is short, 45-60 is normal, 90 min sucks... |
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What is this Rizzo ammo tax?
Thanks all for the info. Sounds like there are a number of good neighborhoods to consider relatively near work. As I do more research I'll post up some more specific areas for input. I'm planning to make a trip out there sometime in about a month to look around. So I won't have much trouble finding a nice 2 bedroom for under 1k/month? I was thinking I'd mostly look into larger apartment buildings hopefully with a gym, etc. to help meet people since I know absolutely no one there, plus I live in an apartment now so am used to that. But should I consider renting a condo instead? A few people have suggested that to me. |
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ETA- what do you consider a bad/long commute? see above about us being spread out, <30 min is short, 45-60 is normal, 90 min sucks... Oh, that sucks, my commute right now's 15 minutes  . Although I'm not saying a super short commute is my #1 priority if there are better neighborhoods further from work. Since I'm not familiar at all with the area, I don't know how to measure commute time by distance or if there are certain roads to avoid during rush hour. Living around NYC a 10 mile commute can take over an hour, but we're very congested here, sounds like the opposite of Phoenix.
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http://www.apartmentguide.com/neighborhoods/Arizona/Phoenix/North-Phoenix/
lots of nice apartments in your price range...plenty of decent ones much lower too. Rizzo is our resident PITA...and if he wasn't such an awesome dude I am sure it wouldn't work but as it is the tax is basically...You transplant to AZ, you as the transplantee owes Rizzo one box of ammo. No restrictions on caliber, brand, type, or age. At least that is what he claims. For more on why we deal with his shenanigans... http://www.vetsonmedia.com/radio-shows/the-arms-room/ http://www.independencetraining.com/ http://journalofasheepdog.blogspot.com/ and the hits keep coming here on the AZHTF |
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Seriously though... I live in what many people call a "nicer neighborhood" in Peoria... and even our neighborhood is starting to have break ins. I had a break in a year ago. Break ins happen *EVERYWHERE*. I've actually read somewhere that even the nicer areas (Scottsdale, Tempe etc) experience similar burglaries. What's key is to simply make your house look uninviting for burglars. Leave a TV or Radio on,... have a security system, and have a safe. No need to be paranoid. What we don't see much of in Phoenix area... is home invasions. Home invasions seem pretty rare, and for good reason. When home invasions happen here in the Phoenix area, they tend to turn out badly for the invader. 
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Thanks. Right now I know nothing about the area, never even been in the state  , but very excited to be escaping NJ! Looks like the area's called Deer Valley, near Route 101.I work in IT for a major corporation in the area of I-17 and 101. This is basically the Deer Valley area from what I understand, although I've seen the area extended east on some maps. There is an apartment complex on Yorkshire and 31st Ave called Deer Valley Village Apartments. Lots of the people I work with live in this complex, and it's been quiet every time I've been there. Mostly white collar workers. My family lives a little north of the Deer Valley Village Apts in the vicinity of 35th Ave and Pinnacle Peak in a single family home. A 2200sq ft house rents for between $1300-1500/mo in this area. Another apartment complex, which has security gates, is on 23rd Ave just south of Happy Valley, behind the WalMart. I've noticed that there is a significant number of student pilots in this complex due to its proximity to Deer Valley Airport. Feel free to IM me if you want me to scout any locations for you, or if you want some feedback on the area. |
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Russell you are in for a shock when you get here.
First is the size and scale of Arizona. To put it into perspective NJ is 8,722 sq mi, Maricopa County where the greater Phoenix area is located is 9,224 sq mi. and it is just an average size of the 15 counties in Arizona. Gun laws basically don't exist on the state/local level, just federal laws apply. Open or CCW carry no license needed, just a few places you can't carry. Burn your FID as you leave NJ behind. It's damn hot in "da Valley" and it must be experienced to be appreciated. Good news is you have ~8-9 months of great weather once you get past the summer. Arizona climate is defined by altitude not location, you can go from cactus desert to tall pine forest in a 2 hour drive. Be prepared for a culture shock, AZ people are not like NJ. Grow a thick skin and take the ribbing in good humor from the locals on this forum. They are in general a great group of people and will be more than happy to show you around. |
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If your work is close to the 101, then any neighborhoods along the 101 from I-17 going west and south to the I-10 is fair game for you. The area from 67th over to Arrowhead Mall on Bell Road you will see higher pricing for housing as it's a little bit more exclusive and popular with the productive class (Arrowhead Ranch). We live in Avondale on the border with Phoenix in the area of 107th/Indian School. Wife works near 101 and I-17, my office is downtown. She has a far better commute than I do.
What you want to avoid is going east of the 17 on the 101. That area is a huge bottleneck in the mornings AND in the evenings. Just running the 101 on the north and west side between the 17 to the north and the 10 to the west is a relative piece of cake. As another poster mentioned, avoid setting yourself up to have to drive the I-17 north of town, there are ALWAYS big wrecks that shut down the freeway up there. Another area to avoid IMO - Bell Road west of the 101, and the entire stretch east of the 101 to the 17. That's probably the most congested surface street in the NW valley. I almost bought a home in Peoria out on Bell near the 303. It would have made our commutes total hell. During normal traffic times, it can take three or four turns of the light just to get through the intersection at the 101. |
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You will be able to tell the people who are native born here, we are not tan.
We have seen what skin cancer does, so we don't lay out in the sun by the pool, we use sunscreen. Natives also do not have any discernible accent. We sound, as I have been told, "neutral" no inflections. I was born and raised here and live in the Sunnyslope area, 7th St and Dunlap. Welcome to a free state, and now you can carry your handgun! I work for the State, and am not the type of person Reagan used to make fun of in Government so that means if you need any help, information whatever it is, shoot me an IM and I will lend a hand. |
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Thanks all for the info!! Very helpful to hear recommendations on areas to look into. I've got a lot of research to do; I'm sure I'll be back with more questions soon.
So what do I need to know about the gun laws there (besides that they're awesome compared to NJ)? Is there a website with a good listing of the laws I need to be aware of? I know once I get out there I'm going to be buying a lot of stuff that I can't have here in NJ 
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If you're picking weeds and you come across one with pretty purple flowers, make sure you use gloves. Scorpion weed is the equivalent of poison ivy  Quoted:
If you're picking weeds and you come across one with pretty purple flowers, make sure you use gloves. Scorpion weed is the equivalent of poison ivy Now see little tips like this are what's going to keep me alive out there! I'm sure there's lots of little (and big) differences in life out there that I know nothing about. I'm sure I'm going to panic the first time I see a haboob and no idea how to handle a monsoon! And speaking of scorpions, am I going to wake up with one in my bed one day??? If I ever see one in my apartment I'd probably freak out and shoot it (one of the reasons I'll need to get some suppressors ).
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You will be able to tell the people who are native born here, we are not tan. We have seen what skin cancer does, so we don't lay out in the sun by the pool, we use sunscreen. Natives also do not have any discernible accent. We sound, as I have been told, "neutral" no inflections. I was born and raised here and live in the Sunnyslope area, 7th St and Dunlap. Welcome to a free state, and now you can carry your handgun! I work for the State, and am not the type of person Reagan used to make fun of in Government so that means if you need any help, information whatever it is, shoot me an IM and I will lend a hand. Thanks! And don't worry, I will be covering myself in sunscreen every time I walk out the door. My skin doesn't tan, it just burns . I'd recommend investing in some sunscreen manufacturers around the time I move out there because their stock is sure to spike with all my purchases. 
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I work in IT for a major corporation in the area of I-17 and 101. This is basically the Deer Valley area from what I understand, although I've seen the area extended east on some maps. There is an apartment complex on Yorkshire and 31st Ave called Deer Valley Village Apartments. Lots of the people I work with live in this complex, and it's been quiet every time I've been there. Mostly white collar workers. My family lives a little north of the Deer Valley Village Apts in the vicinity of 35th Ave and Pinnacle Peak in a single family home. A 2200sq ft house rents for between $1300-1500/mo in this area. Another apartment complex, which has security gates, is on 23rd Ave just south of Happy Valley, behind the WalMart. I've noticed that there is a significant number of student pilots in this complex due to its proximity to Deer Valley Airport. Feel free to IM me if you want me to scout any locations for you, or if you want some feedback on the area. Quoted:
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Thanks. Right now I know nothing about the area, never even been in the state , but very excited to be escaping NJ! Looks like the area's called Deer Valley, near Route 101.I work in IT for a major corporation in the area of I-17 and 101. This is basically the Deer Valley area from what I understand, although I've seen the area extended east on some maps. There is an apartment complex on Yorkshire and 31st Ave called Deer Valley Village Apartments. Lots of the people I work with live in this complex, and it's been quiet every time I've been there. Mostly white collar workers. My family lives a little north of the Deer Valley Village Apts in the vicinity of 35th Ave and Pinnacle Peak in a single family home. A 2200sq ft house rents for between $1300-1500/mo in this area. Another apartment complex, which has security gates, is on 23rd Ave just south of Happy Valley, behind the WalMart. I've noticed that there is a significant number of student pilots in this complex due to its proximity to Deer Valley Airport. Feel free to IM me if you want me to scout any locations for you, or if you want some feedback on the area. Which company is it that you work for? Have Pet in the name? American in the name or ??? If it has American in the name, I am surprised we haven't spoke before. |
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Which company is it that you work for? Have Pet in the name? American in the name or ??? If it has American in the name, I am surprised we haven't spoke before. Quoted:
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Thanks. Right now I know nothing about the area, never even been in the state , but very excited to be escaping NJ! Looks like the area's called Deer Valley, near Route 101.I work in IT for a major corporation in the area of I-17 and 101. This is basically the Deer Valley area from what I understand, although I've seen the area extended east on some maps. There is an apartment complex on Yorkshire and 31st Ave called Deer Valley Village Apartments. Lots of the people I work with live in this complex, and it's been quiet every time I've been there. Mostly white collar workers. My family lives a little north of the Deer Valley Village Apts in the vicinity of 35th Ave and Pinnacle Peak in a single family home. A 2200sq ft house rents for between $1300-1500/mo in this area. Another apartment complex, which has security gates, is on 23rd Ave just south of Happy Valley, behind the WalMart. I've noticed that there is a significant number of student pilots in this complex due to its proximity to Deer Valley Airport. Feel free to IM me if you want me to scout any locations for you, or if you want some feedback on the area. Which company is it that you work for? Have Pet in the name? American in the name or ??? If it has American in the name, I am surprised we haven't spoke before. If it's the other one, you've probably spoken to me. 
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Now see little tips like this are what's going to keep me alive out there! I'm sure there's lots of little (and big) differences in life out there that I know nothing about. I'm sure I'm going to panic the first time I see a haboob and no idea how to handle a monsoon! And speaking of scorpions, am I going to wake up with one in my bed one day??? If I ever see one in my apartment I'd probably freak out and shoot it (one of the reasons I'll need to get some suppressors ).
I'll say it now before everyone else does. Google CyperWP. You can get a bucket of it for $23 or so from various websites. Have it delivered by the time you arrive. Get a 2+gal sprayer and mix up some and spray around your property. On the outside of your apartment walls and ground if possible. Can even apply inside along areas bugs would likely be. It kills lots of critters, most importantly the crickets. Fucking crickets are crazy out here and THOSE are the food supply of scorps. Kill food, keep away scorps. The crickets here are translucent and I swear you touch them and they just pop. Weird fuckers. And loud as hell like all crickets. I don't really have them but my neighbors do so I can still hear them time to time. Hiking in desert (like anywhere else) just watch where your feet go. Remember snakes are likely to be under or behind something. I've never actually seen a snake in the wild yet which I think is odd. There are some that have seen them every time they step out. I must just be a loud fucker
Anything outside or in garage even - if it's dark (like a boot) dont' just stick an appendage in there. Clear it out first to make sure no scorpions are waiting for you
CyperWP does kill camel spiders. They're basically harmless, just ugly and super fast and might charge you. I had one die and fall on my head. I didn't scream like a little girl because I didn't know what it was until I saw it on the ground. Then I proceeded to shudder. Also, just dont' be stupid. I break this rule daily hourly.
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I have lived here for over 30 years, and a good chink of that in "rural" areas....
I have seen exactly.... 3 scorpions in/at my homes 2 snakes (1 a rattler) 0 camel spiders billions of black widows ..... More awesome than you can imagine. AZ is TRULY the greatest state in the union |
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I have lived here for over 30 years, and a good chink of that in "rural" areas.... I have seen exactly.... 3 scorpions in/at my homes 2 snakes (1 a rattler) 0 camel spiders billions of black widows ..... More awesome than you can imagine. AZ is TRULY the greatest state in the union You building a railroad for that portion to see that many?
I've had a few camel spiders at my place. Seen a few scurrying while running and had one of those fuckers charge me at the end of my run. Let's just say it motivated me to finish up my run in good time
GSL, I have yet to find snake shot in any caliber.
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You building a railroad for that portion to see that many?
I've had a few camel spiders at my place. Seen a few scurrying while running and had one of those fuckers charge me at the end of my run. Let's just say it motivated me to finish up my run in good time
GSL, I have yet to find snake shot in any caliber. Quoted:
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I have lived here for over 30 years, and a good chink of that in "rural" areas.... I have seen exactly.... 3 scorpions in/at my homes 2 snakes (1 a rattler) 0 camel spiders billions of black widows ..... More awesome than you can imagine. AZ is TRULY the greatest state in the union You building a railroad for that portion to see that many?
I've had a few camel spiders at my place. Seen a few scurrying while running and had one of those fuckers charge me at the end of my run. Let's just say it motivated me to finish up my run in good time
GSL, I have yet to find snake shot in any caliber. |
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Snake shot, buy them, or have a Judge or Governor handy, maybe a shotgun loaded with bird fodder. Me, .22 shot works great for around the yard or in the house in dealing with scorpions or spiders. You think I'll really need it even if I'm living in a large apartment complex?
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Quoted: You think I'll really need it even if I'm living in a large apartment complex? Quoted: Quoted: Snake shot, buy them, or have a Judge or Governor handy, maybe a shotgun loaded with bird fodder. Me, .22 shot works great for around the yard or in the house in dealing with scorpions or spiders. You think I'll really need it even if I'm living in a large apartment complex? |