Oro Valley, AZ - great place to live
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4/25/2010
I am a retiree from New York. I moved to Tucson two years ago. Now we are about to buy a home in Oro Valley, just north of Tucson. I love this area. The mountains surrounding Tucson and Oro Valley are beautiful. You can see them when you are driving up Oracle Road and from the parking lot of some of the well maintained shopping centers. All the stores and restaurants you will ever need are here. People are from all over the country. Most people are friendly and helpful. I think the beautiful weather makes people more pleasant. Home prices are reasonable. With all the senior citizens coming and going, you can still get a good deal. Taxes are not bad. The state parks are great for hiking and walking. I am a short sleeve person and haven't worn a heavy coat since the day I arrive here at the Phoenix airport. The most I have needed for a very brief period in winter was a light light jacket. I come from New York, so I know what cold weather is like and dampness. The weather is dry, so arthritis improves if you have problems. There is no perfect place on earth. The desert has its own beauty and I like it here. By the way, if you want to rent here in Oro Valley, you can find a nice place a two bedroom for about 7-800 dollars a month. Even the apartments are ok if you don't want to buy. The economy is hurting here with jobs, like elsewhere in the country, but if you have a pension and social security, you can survive better than back east or in NY. There are jobs though, depending on what field you are in. If you move here, you will appreciate what Arizona has to offer. Good scenery, mountains, great parks, and good quality of life. I am a social conservative in politics and find likeminded people here, but if you tend to be liberal, you can find plenty likeminded, especially at the University areas. I know this sounds like an advertisement for Arizona, but I guess it is just my enthusiasm. Also, as a Christian, there are all denominations here. What I like about Arizona also is that in Oro Valley and in north Tucson areas, there is almost no street litter, unlike all the trash I saw in NY, on Long Island, in the boroughs of Bklyn and the outskirts, and along the tracks while riding the LIRR to the city. The air is pretty clean. As for the hot summers, so what. It gets hot, true, but at least you don't usually have 100% humidity and bugs eating you alive outside. I will take Arizona summers to NY summers anyday. You have to use common sense, drink fluids, go to the shade when it is 105 degrees, and keep your car in good working order. Common sense. Also, when you go outside, be careful about possibly running into a rattlesnake. They tell you (again common sense)stay on the trails, don't try to pick up a snake, use a flashlight if walking at night outside. Most people rarely ever see a rattlesnake and few people get bit. Don't bother them and you will get along fine. I have met people here who have been in AZ for 20 years and saw one or two snakes at most, usually during a desert walk. Anyway, like I said, there are no perfect places to live. In Florida you have to deal with alligators, poisonous snakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. And you have miserable humidity in areas of the east coast. In Arizona, at least you won't see a hurricane and a tornado or an earthquake. The best thing to do, if you are considering a move here, come and check it out and see if it a place for you to consider retiring or working.
John | Oro Valley, AZ