Mesa, Arizona
SperlingViews

Nice weather if you can put up with the heat! - 8/1/2008

Living in Mesa, you will have to put up with long hot summers, but if you can get through summer the rest of the year is very comfortable.[more...]

one week until I leave. - 4/13/2008

My boyfriend and I have lived here for about a year. We have been counting down the days until we leave. No culture, no music scene. There is only so many f'n strip malls one can stand. But you gotta love all those trailer parks!! Did I mention zoning laws are practically nonexistent? Almost every day is sunny here but even that can not make up for the city its self. Golfing year around is a joke considering the golf courses are in general horrible condition. If you want to play a half way decent course you are paying triple digits. Even then the greens are nothing close to what you would find in other parts of the country. Worst choice of my life to live here. I feel like an outsider among these mindless drones that are considered my peers. Creativity in all realms are nonexistent here. I'll take Michigan's winter and crappy economy over this culture lacking, overpopulated, polluted hole in the ground.[more...]

good and not so good - 4/13/2008

People here are bubbly for the most part. Weather is nice from October to May, dry heat but extreme temperatures and lack of moisture causes things to literally melt, car paint, interiors etc. The valley area phoenix and vicinity offers much to do. Many trails to hike, sporting events, bars piled on top of each other throughout the valley and within reasonable distance to cooler temps in the north, coastal California and Las Vegas. However, if you are looking for living wage employment, something that allows you to live within reason of skyrocketing inflation.....forget this, unless you have a terminal degree and experience. The state has very little regulation on business practice (old west business mentality and consumers and employees take it in the rear when that is the case, very little real unionization in employment. Also, illegal workers were utilized to build up the area through cheap labor and lack of regulation and now are being thrown out because of public backlash and the political consequences those in office face......that is a serious moral hazard! Other than that everything is a question of balance in where you decide to reside in this country. One man's plaesure is another's pain.[more...]

the weather rocks half the year - 2/18/2008

went hiking in the Superstition Mountains today. 70 degrees and sunny...in February. this is why we live here.[more...]

COL-Weather - 10/8/2007

Cost of living is high. Weather is: HOT summers...very pleasant mild winters (55-75 degree days/35-50 degree nights...Nov-Mar)[more...]

Mesa is a little bit of heaven! - 8/25/2007

My mother grew up in Mesa but moved to another state soon after marriage to my father. She always said she wanted to move back to Mesa because it was a little bit of heaven. Several years later my father's career changed and he moved the family to Mesa. Sixty years later, I still agree with my mother--Mesa is a little bit of heaven! A great place to put down roots, raise a family, develop lasting friendships, and find the important things in life. Schools are terrific,shopping malls,restauarants,theatres,parks,churches,and medical facilities are plentiful. Streets are wide with a grid easy to understand and navigate. Housing is plentiful. Utilities and taxes economical! The population is growing--so are amenities and transportation. Yes, it gets hot--but everything is air conditioned and you adjust by staying indoors or finding a nice pool. Lakes and rivers are close by. Mountains and winter skiing are only 3 hours away. If your career path or social interests are not met here, you can find most anything in Tempe, Scottsdale, or Phoenix--all within 15-30 minutes. Come on over--we've got everything but St Peter.[more...]

City of Mesa - 5/31/2007

Great accessibility to all areas of the Phoenix metro area via close access to a number of existing and planned freeways.[more...]

Life in Mesa, AZ - 3/10/2007

A suburb of Phoenix, Mesa is approx. 20 miles east of Phoenix, AZ. Once home to retirees and orange groves, Mesa is the 2nd Largest city in AZ. Sprawling developments, strip malls and suburbia now rule Mesa. A short drive east from Mesa are the Usury & Superstition Mountains . Great places to hike in the late Fall through early Spring. The Salt River is a popular place for the local pastime of "tubing". Floting on inner tubes down the lazy river in bathing suits, a favorite for college & high school students. A much needed new arts center (Mesa Arts Center) has opened in dowtown Mesa bringing live performances & visual arts to very willing market. Mesa is a great place for young families. I would not recommend it for couples without children as there are few adult venues to enjoy.[more...]

Wish I Would Have Known - 10/22/2006

My family and I moved to Mesa two years ago primarily for my wife's health condition. If you are planning a move to Mesa, allow me to tell you what just happend to us. We have a six foot fence in concrete block surrounding our back yard. We had a prized pet that was kept in a pen and thought with the fence that pet would be safe. A coyote jumped the fence last night and devoured our pet. When we called the police, we were told the coyote has "free roming" status and basically there is nothing we can do unless the coyote acts aggressively towards a human. So, basically, it's "tough luck" for us. Keep in mind that coyotes can roam during the day as well as night and it does not seem to bother the police that coyotes roam free in residential neighborhoods out here. With this inhuman summer heat, aggressive drivers, ridiculous-overblown housing costs and few options close at hand for recreation, I am leaving the area as soon as possible, this was the last straw.[more...]

City of Mesa, Gilbert Schools - 9/6/2006

I really like the location that I am in Mesa, Az but Gilbert School District. Higher education for my children and a nice quite area. (East Mesa) Is the best area in the Maricopa County!!![more...]

Always Sunny! - 9/3/2006

I love this place![more...]

You must like the suburbs to live here - 8/2/2006

First, some background so you know where I'm coming from: I've lived in Mesa for 1 year now. I am in my early 20s, no kids, and am engaged. I grew up in southern New England and upstate NY and came to Phoenix after college. So, from my point of view, here's what is good and bad about Mesa... Pros: Very cheap compared to most cities, great winter weather, friendly people, safe and reasonably family-friendly part of the city. Real estate is currently a buyer's market. 115 degrees of dry heat is also a lot better than 90 degrees with 80% humidity. You'll love the sunshine, though it can be a bit much when it hasn't rained in 100 days. The desert is beautiful, if a bit austere. Odds are your allergies will get a lot better when you live out here, though there are some areas that could still effect you. Very little traffic for such a big city, though I've heard that it gets worse every year. Cons: Unfortunately, Mesa (and much of Phoenix) is designed to be inhabited by cars, not people. There are relatively few trees, blocks are usually 1 mile long in both directions and rarely have street crossings for pedestrians midway through, and my fiancee and I are always extremely bored on the weekends--we've learned that you absolutely need to know interesting people in order to find entertainment here. There's no public space to just hang out other than shopping malls and parks (but parks aren't an option in the summer). We usually end up going into Tempe if we want to find something to do. Lots of stores also close surprisingly early in Mesa and 24hr. supermarkets are pretty much unheard of (but I could be spoiled by my time in the northeast). Basically, Mesa is a huge suburb and is pretty much culturally dead. The same could be said for the rest of Phoenix, but Mesa is probably the worst offender in this regard. If you're looking to move to the Phoenix area, have a family, cannot afford the outrageous prices of Scottsdale, don't mind the suburban lifestyle, and want to live in a safe place, I would recommend Mesa. Also, if you're looking to retire in Phoenix, Mesa would be a good place to look. But, if you're young or want to actually have things to do within 20 miles of your home, I would recommend looking elsewhere in the valley.[more...]

Economy in Mesa, - 7/16/2006

The economy in Mesa is still doing well, we can still find jobs and volunteer work.[more...]

LIVING IN MESA - 7/12/2006

Well I have lived in the Phoenix area for about 7 years now and I have found that if you are going to move to this area you will find bad pockets throughout and good pockets throughout.. Here are some great details that might help you if you plan on moving to the area... Mesa is one of the cheaper areas but your best to stay in the area of Gilbert/Mesa area. They are very close and the closer you are to Gilbert of even Chandler you will find that you love the neighborhood. My approximate crossroads are Basineline and Gilbert and I love it... As far as schools, there is a great Charter School called Edu-Prize that is wonderful!! Hope some of this helps and if anyone has any information for the Austin, Texas area please post. We are planning on relocating from Mesa to Austin within 1 year.. We dont know the area and all cities have their pockets.. Thanks Melissa[more...]

Mesa--It's a nice place to live! - 7/10/2006

Nice place to live--lower cost of living than surround cities.[more...]

Family living - 6/20/2006

Wonderful place to raise a family.[more...]

Best place to live! - 6/19/2006

Having travelled the world for several years I can honestly say that even with the heat (it's a dry heat!) this is the best place in the world to live.[more...]

Cost of Living - 5/17/2006

The cost of living is starting to become unreasonable in Arizona. Housing and gas prices have grown dramatically, but the wadges have remained the same.[more...]

Mesa Explosion - 2/27/2006

Moved from Washington State two years ago and have seen the local real estate prices go through the roof. Housing is not worth what is being asked right now in my opinion.[more...]

Thanks Anne , I appreciate that :) - 2/21/2006

I heard Gilbert is a very nice place too .if I need more information I'll let you know , Thanks again , Don[more...]