Reviews & Comments
Phoenix, AZ
re: People knocking Phx. - 9/1/2011 -
9/5/2011Phoenix--just the city--is the 6th largest in the country with 1.4 million population, while the Metro Area (Maricopa Co.) ranks 13th with 4-million. Theres a huge differecne bewteen the two. Native Arizonans arent smart enough to know the difference for some reason.
Indianapolis, IN
re: Buyer Beware!!!!! - 10/23/2010 -
2/26/2011I think you need to take a look around, Andrea, because our country is in a NATIONAL recession--no jobs anywhere. Its not fair to pick on Indianapolis
Scottsdale, AZ
I dont like Scottsdale. -
1/20/2011I moved to Scottsdale from Michigan in 2005. As my friends and family were leaving Michigan, my cousins in Scottsdale convinced me on how great Arizona was. So I gave it a try. It has been very disappointing at best. I wont be totally cruel to Scottsdale. It has great restaurants and swanky shops, but that’s where the good ends.
Forget the misconception of the good weather because it isnt what it is cracked up to be. The oppressive heat keeps you indoors for 5 months at a time, making you a prisoner in your own home. There is no variation of seasons at all, unlike most of the country. It’s sunny all the time, with very little overcast, and no rain. A person needs cloudy days every now and then to keep their sanity. And the thing Scottsdale is best know for—golf—is only done during the winter months when you can actually step outside.
The people give Scottsdale a bad name. They are lame, unfriendly, pretentious and fake. I am an extrovert who likes meeting people, but making friends in Scottsdale was difficult for me. Too many people act as though they are too good to talk to me or anyone else who doesnt have as much as they do. Materialism and keeping up with the Jones is the center of Scottsdale culture, rather than experiencing what really matters in life. The funny thing is that Scottsdale isn’t as affluent as perceived because people don’t pay cash for anything, and overwhelming credit card debt has many people on the verge of bankruptcy and foreclosure. People will stare at you or ignore you if—God forbid—you are only average and not wearing the latest trends in clothing. People come home from work and immediately close their garage door to avoid talking to anyone. I have been in my North Scottsdale neighborhood for three years and my neighbors have only spoken to me ONCE! Don’t even get me started on the bad housing market. Arizona is foreclosure central, not to mention overpriced, while many homes on my street are empty.
Arizona, especially Scottsdale, is the WORST place I have ever lived. You wont find Midwest values around here. I cant wait to get outta here and move back to the Midwest. I am very unimpressed with Arizona and Scottsdale. Yuk!
Scottsdale, AZ
re: Arizona Real Estate Agent - 7/15/2008 -
8/7/2010typical Scottsdale. I cant count how many times you used the word "I" and bragged about everything.
Scottsdale, AZ
Scottsdale's wealth is not real -
8/7/2010I used to live in the Phoenix area and don’t like Scottsdale at all. Everything is overrated and overpriced. Many people in Scottsdale waste their life keeping up with the Jones and forget about whats most important in life. They wont admit it, but most people in Scottsdale are financially insecure because they have bought everything on credit. They are on the eve of bankruptcy as they are up to their eyeballs in debt, upside down on their inflated mortgage, and have a hard time paying for their overpriced car loan. As the housing market in Arizona and the Phoenix area continues to go to the dogs, many Scottsdaleites are upside down on their inflated mortgage. But hey, its OK because its Scottsdale. Right??
The people are haughty, materialistic and unhappy. You get weird looks from people at the mall or a trendy restaurant if, God forbid, you only look ‘average’ or drive and average car. A neighbor of a close friend of mine in Scottsdale (who is genuine in his kindness) once even told me to ‘never park my ‘ugly’ car in front of his house again.” It told him I had every legal right to do so and for him to mind his own business and get back in his house. Most people in Scottsdale come home from work, close the garage door....and never come out!
Everything is fake in Scottsdale, including the people and their perceived ‘wealth.’ If you want to live in a place where you can have quality relationships and enjoy the more important things in life, avoid this place at all costs.
Los Angeles, CA
hell on Earth! -
5/8/2010I moved to L.A 7 years ago from Michigan for a job, and it is almost a hell on Earth. I liked it at first, but it began to wear me down after maybe 6 months. My job pays well, but the ridiculously high cost of living makes it difficult to save a dime. And not being able to save or spend anything makes it difficult to get out and enjoy some of California. The city is grossly overpopulated, a huge gang problem, terrible schools (and getting worse), the worst air pollution in the country, an inflated cost of living, a huge illegal immigration problem and the worst traffic in the country. You have to leave 2 hours early just to be at work on time and its the same thing going home; heavy traffic almost 24 hours a day. The people are rude, materialistic, shallow, reserved and you can go MONTHS without your neighbor even saying hello--if at all. And then there's the massive budget troubles; the state of CA is closing schools, making cuts in education, raising taxes, etc. The weather in southern California is nice, but the huge negatives dont balance things out. I just hate it and look forward to when I can move to Wisconsin ASAP; far fewer headaches there.
Los Angeles, CA
re: Southern California - 2/6/2010 -
5/8/2010Hah! Have you ever visited CA for a certain period of time? I think you need to visit CA a little more. The people are reserved, shallow and materialistic, a bit haughty and downright rude, and you can go MONTHS without your next door neighbor even saying hello. They are NOT Midwestern. As a former Midwesterner now living in this neck of the woods, southern CA is highly overrated. I'm looking to move to Wisconsin ASAP.
Bakersfield, CA
re: No place for moderate, open minded people. - 1 -
3/28/2010You are a typical liberal hypocrite. You think its OK to berate the occupier of the White House for 8 years--George W. Bush--and then get mad when Conservatives criticize your 'messiah'? What a laugh! If Obama is so intelligent, then why cant he do anything right? You are setting yourself up for great disappointment with Obamaie. Whats also funny is you guys calling yourselves 'open minded' when you berate a person who has different beliefs than you. You liberals R a joke. Sounds like you would be comfortable in the People's Republic of San Francisco.
Phoenix, AZ
highly overrated and a bad place to live -
2/10/2010I have been in Phoenix since 2005, when I moved from Michigan, and its one of the worst places I've lived. TERRIBLE education standards no higher than Dr. Suess that the lawmakers care nothing about. There seems to be a Wild West culture of lawlessness and disrespect and people doing whatever they want, even though violent crime is decreasing. The people are downright mean arrogant, passive and 'stand-offish.' The women are materialistic and shallow. The people dont know how to drive (dont know why as PHX is an easy city to drive in anywhere). A gang problem. An overly-riced housing market that doesnt reflect incomes in the area (but it has improved). Terrible foreclosure problem. Terrible air pollution in the summer. Oppressive heat. The water tastes like garbage and you have to drink botteled water. The sun quickly fades your car. Illegal immigrants everywhere, but they are returning as the jobs have left. NO JOBS IN ANYTHING (the highest job loss rate per-capita in the country) and the worst job market in the country. The only jobs avialable are minimum wage jobs in tourism/hospitality and retail. Bad roads that are never repaired. I almost cant think of one good thing about this place. Highly overrated as a place to live. Dont raise your kids here; it isnt the Midwest. Stay away if you can.
Phoenix, AZ
re: Pluses and Minuses - 6/10/2009 -
7/13/2009The hole this state finds itself in is a result of the fiscal irreponsibility of their previous governor, a DEMOCRAT.
Houston, TX
re: Need Opinions - 2/21/2009 -
7/8/2009Sounds like Austin may be good for you.
Fort Worth, TX
re: A bit too hot, a bit too conservative, a bit t -
7/8/2009Conservative places like Fort Worth are fitting for me. And I like the "Bible thumper" atmosphere, because I am an evangelical Christian. My, how different worlds we must come from even though we both come from the Midwest. A cant stand liberalism: it doesnt support freedom of speech nearly as much as U think, it labels people, wants to take your right to bear arms away, looks down on "typical" people, is against traditional american values, and sees marriage as an institution between one man and one woman, as it should be. Knock yourself out in California, the land of fruits, nuts and flakes.
Mount Pleasant, MI
boring............ -
7/6/2009Mt. Pleasant is the home to Central Michigan University. Much of its economy is tied to the University or the casino. The rest is just service jobs for college students that pay maybe $7 an hour. Its a great place to live while you are getting your degree, but the scant job market and nothing to do will make you move out after you graduate. The nearest town to even go to the mall or do something is an hour to the south is Lansing, which isnt impressionable either. The nearest major city, Detroit, is over 2 hours away, making Mount Pleasant's location very secluded. I lived in Mt. Pleasant for nearly 3 years while getting my degree and know what I'm talking about. Its a small town stuck in the middle of cornfields in the middle of Michigan. And you can always smell the natural gas from the reserves nearby. If you like at least mid-sized cities with things to see and do and want to be exposed to culture, people and jobs, go elsewhere. Chicago is almost a 4 hour drive and Detroit is about 2.
Indianapolis, IN
quality of life -
6/16/2009I grew up in Indiana in the 80s and moved out in 1999. In some ways I miss it. The people are friendly. The cost of living is very "realisitic" and reasonable. And Indianapolis is a growing city and 13th largest in the US. But it seems lately that is where the good ends. Most of Indiana is just flat, dull and nothing to do. Good paying jobs are few and far between. And it has only a few big business Fortune 500 headquarters based here compared to many states. The state must do more to attract future industries and younger workers. Indiana in some ways, is a great place, but is often politically close minded and regressive. It seem as though the state's policymakers either dont care about the state's future or are too shortsighted and narrowminded to think outside the box. But I guess Indiana's problems are the same as everywhere else. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give the Hoosier state a 5. I would rather live there than in places like KY, WV, OH, MI and those great plains states.
Phoenix, AZ
re: Pluses and Minuses - 6/10/2009 -
6/15/2009It sounds like you dont know much about Phoenix or politics. Arizona's governor doesnt want stimulus money because in the long term the taxpayers will be burdened with the bill. I dont know why so many poeple think money grows on trees. There is no such thing as a free lunch. And I have no idea why U think Phoenix has great public transportation. The lightrail is a joke, the bus system is abysmal and shuts down at like 9 PM, and its hard to get anywhere without a car. But you are right that the eocnomy in Arizona is HORRIBLE and no good jobs to be found. People should not move here at all until the eocnomy picks up and Phoenix finally has good jobs.
Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix -
6/8/2009I moved to Phoenix from Michigan in 2005 and am a bit disappointed by my experience. Phoenix has some strong negatives. The heat is unbearable from late May to most of October. I don’t find the people to be very friendly either, and they don’t seem to have any desire to get to know you. Too many people seem reserved, unfriendly, uninteresting, materialistic, snooty and unhappy. Housing is not very attractive, where everything looks the same. I don’t know how people can tell their house from their neighbors. And then there is the bad air. Phoenix is not the best place for those suffering from bad allergies. Air pollution is especially bad in the summr. The crime is also high, due to the huge presence of illegal immigrants. Its hard to find someone who speaks English in McDonalds anymore—incredibly annoying. People in the Valley also have bad driving habits and road rage. Good paying jobs are few and far between, and the cost of living is way out of balance with incomes. The education is HORRIBLE (perhaps this explains the few good jobs available). I don’t understand why so many people want to move her. To me, Phoenix is just a fat concrete oasis in the middle of the desert.
With that being said, it wouldn’t be fare to trash the place, so I will give some of the positives. Phoenix is near many outdoor recreational opportunities. Northern Arizona has lots of camping in the summer and skiing in the winter. Flagstaff is a nice town and many towns along Old Route US 66 are really neat to see. Winters in Phoenix are very mild, but nighttime temps can get into the 40s. Even though the housing is practically identical everywhere in the metro area, its newer. And there’s also a lot of really swanky places—many in Scottsdale. Phoenix is only about a 6-hour drive to the ocean in L.A. or San Diego to cool off, much closer than most places in the country.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Phoenix a 4.
West Branch, MI
pros and cons -
6/8/2009pros: affordable cost of living, close to Michigan's lakes and forests
cons: no jobs, small town atmosphere, sequestered location, bad winters,
I lived in West Branch for over ten years before I move to Arizona. And the town is definately not for me; its mostly for either young children or the elderly. Almost everyone I graduated high school with has moved out, and almost all young people move out shortly after that. Its a very small town and offers small town ammenities. Even worse, the economy is weakening as the state and national economy shrinks. The once important few manufacturing jobs in town have almost all disappeared. It seems the only jobs in town are at the hospital (prteey nice, though) or the school. However, the people are super friendly, which is almost the only asset West Branch has. DO NOT MOVE HER IF YOU ARE SINGLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. I hate to say it, but West Branch is only a good place to be if you have a vacation home there. The town doesnt have much of a future.
Detroit, MI
good luck living here -
6/8/2009Michigan used to be a great state, but those were the days. The greed of the politicians and labor unions in the auto industry has completely destroyed this once great state. What’s funny is that people always complain at how bad the leadership and politicians are, but always re-elect them! The state is now losing the most jobs and population of any state. The roads are also deplorable. People in this state need so much help, but the politicians (from both parties) only care about themselves and leave everyone else behind. The leadership in Michigan is lacking, and they wont let the state reinvent itself so it can be competitive for the future. The young people are moving out of state by the droves to find work elsewhere, making MI a leading state for the brain drain. The state also has high taxes, which is partially responsible for the job losses. Most of Michigan cities are also suffering from job loss, population decline, grime and grit. Good luck finding a job here. The quality of life here is so bad!
Indiana, IN
re: Indiana is no longer the great state it used t -
6/8/2009Congratualtions, sweet heart. You just described EVERY state in the country. Moving will do you no good, because you will have the exact problems no matter where you go.
Indiana, IN
re: Living here has become a financial nightmare - -
6/8/2009Sorry about your luck, but you should reconsider. The entire country is in the same situation. Do you think Indiana is alone??
Madison, WI
nice but too cold and liberal -
6/5/2009Its socially diverse (due to University of Wisconsin), has decent jobs for being in the Midwest, near plenty of lakes and outdoor amenities, a reasonable cost of living, and comparatively low crime. For these reasons, I think Madison is a great place to raise a family. I’ve been in Madison many times and spent a lot of time there, and things are always changing for the better. However, I could do without the cold, and the city is liberal liberal liberal!
Fort Wayne, IN
Fort Wayne is OK..... -
6/4/2009If you moved here from one of those crowded and busy East Coast cities, you will probably find Fort Wayne to be very dull. However, it has a superior cost of living and the schools are pretty good, making it a good place to raise a family. It’s also within just a few hours drive of major Midwest markets. And its near many small lakes in Northern Indiana. But that’s probably where the good ends. There are not many high paying jobs and not much to do, especially if you are single. Crime has been on the increase a little. On a scale of 1 to 10, Fort Wayne would get a 5. But the only reason Fort Wayne has ‘grown’ a lot is because it annexed Aboite Township to the west several years ago. I actually like Fort Wayne; it seems similar to Lansing or Grand Rapids, MI.
Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix not as great as its made out to be -
6/3/2009I have lived in Arizona for 4 years now and can say that I almost hate it. I grew up in the Midwest (Chicago and Indianapolis) and moved here from Michigan and thought it would be a better place to live. Wow, was I wrong.
My first problem is the weather. The heat seems to be getting worse and worse. The sun is so strong, it stings and you get to almost disliking it and want cloudy days on occasion. I don’t care for Michigan very much but I’ve learned I like having four seasons. Arizona has four seasons too: summer’s coming, summer, summer’s still here and autumn.
I’m sick of all the brown; no real trees or grass or shade. Just brown dust everywhere.
I also don’t like the crime rate—its awful. Phoenix is a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants and the crime has grown as a result. You see on the news everyday of illegals being busted in drophouses. The illegal immigrant population has caused an increase in murders, robbery, kidnapping, prostitution, care theft and the drug trade. And to top it off, Phoenix now leads the WORLD in kidnappings, according to the national media.
The air pollution is also really bad in the summer, where there is almost a constant brown cloud over the Valley.
There’s also very few good paying jobs in AZ. It is a right-to-work state. And the illegal immigrants have brought down the wages for everybody else. It is not uncommon for a college grad here to be making $10 or $12 an hour. Most wages do not provide a living. AZ is heavily reliant on services that produce low wages. And as its two largest industries of construction and leisure/tourism have dropped off, the economy has been on a freefall. THERE’S NO JOBS HERE ANYMORE. You would think that a growing and formerly booming area like Phoenix would bend over backwards trying to attract high tech companies, big business, more jobs and more people, to attract educated people like me and many others I know. But NO. Politicians here only care about the illegals--and even invite them to live here, and act like they just want people to move on and move out.
The cost of living is over-rated and way out of line with incomes.
The education is horrible, and Arizona ranks as the single WORST state in education.
I think the Phoenix area has grown way too fast for its good and it has affected the quality of life; illegal immigration is the biggest factor. What used to ‘pull’ factors into the area has now become serious ‘push’ factors out of it. I want to move back to the Midwest when my apartment lease is up, but not necessarily to Michigan. I tried Phoenix, but didn’t like it at all. Its not a good place to live. If you’re thinking of moving here, DO THE RESEARCH or it could be a mistake. But this is just my two cents.
Washington, DC
great ammenities but crazy to live -
6/2/2009I lived in the Northern VA suburb of Sterling in 2004. I grew up in the Midwest and found the East Coast to live up to its reputation: busy, snotty and expensive to live. I rented a TINY bedroom in a 3-story condo with two others and my share of the rent was only $500. Who can complain about that for the area? The worst thing for me was nowhere to fnd a place to park your car and too much traffic. Rush hour is a nightmare, even on minor streets. Avoid the Gerogetown Parkway at all hours of the day, especially near the Tysons Corner area. And dont ever take your car into the District. Its common to actually have to sit in your car to wait for a parking space anywhere. Taking the METRO subway is the only viable way to get into the District, but the subway is complex and can get you anywhere.
The best thing about living near DC was the cultural ammenities and numerous museums. Most of them are free, I think. The Museum of American History at the Smithsonian is the best. The parks are great places to people watch. Being single in the Washington Metro area is really good, with all the things to do.
People in the Metro area are usually well-off (except in the southeats part and the inner Maryland suburbs) in socioeconomic status and usually work in government, education, healthcare, high-tech industries, research, the media, or aerospace industries.
All in all, my experience living near DC was OK. I MAY do it again under the right circumstances.
Indianapolis, IN
re: Born, Raise, and finally Left - 6/14/2007 -
6/2/2009You obviously suffer from sterotyping people and things. Not all people stay. I was born and raised in Indianapolis and DID leave! I was raised in a very well-to-do neighborhood in Perry TWP and graduated from college, and moved out when I found a job elsewhere. I am NOT a hick! You will find hicks in ALL cities and states, even California. And trust me, there's a lot of them there. I dont understand why you think Indy is so unique. You just described EVERY community on planet Earth. I like Indianapolis.
Phoenix, AZ
low quality of life -
6/2/2009I moved to Phoenix from Michigan in 2005 and am disappointed by my experience in the Valley. The one thing I will never get used to is the heat—unbearable from late May to most of October. I don’t find the people to be very friendly either, and they don’t seem to have any desire to get to know you. They often seem guarded, unfriendly, no particularly conversant and uninteresting. People in places like Scottsdale fit the sterotype as materialistic, superficial, snooty, and unhappy, and will asociate with you only if you have the same socioeconomic status as they. Housing is not very attractive, where everything looks the same. I don’t know how people can distinguish their house from their neighbors. The housing is fairly affordable (compared to where you come from) but it cant offset the not-so-good quality of life, in my opinion. And then there is the bad air. Phoenix is not the best place for those suffering from bad allergies. And air pollution is awful in the summer. The crime is also high, due to the huge presence of illegal immigrants. Its hard to find someone who speaks English in McDonalds anymore—incredibly annoying. People in the Valley also have bad driving habits and road rage. Phoenix also seems very dull for its size; there is no metropolitan sophistication, culture, architecture or cuisine. There’s also not many high-paying jobs; Phoenix has so many service jobs and not much “365-day” economic activities. And the education is HORRIBLE. Perhaps why there isn’t many good jobs anywhere and why Walmart is the state's largest employer. If someone wants to move to the southwest, most places in Texas would probably suffice. The best way to view Phoenix is looking in the rear-view mirror heading outta town. I don’t understand why so many people want to move here. To me, Phoenix is just a fat concrete oasis in the middle of the desert. I cant wait to leave and go back to the Midwest!!
Phoenix, AZ
re: The quality of life is not bad in Phoenix AZ. -
6/2/2009"plenty" of jobs and a "growing" economy. I dont consider minimum wage paying jobs (AZ is a right-to-work state) to b anything to brag about, and there is no industry at all. How can you say there is an economy? Yeh, one driven by illegal aliens. You call that an "economy" PLEASE! Give me Indiana back!
Phoenix, AZ
Dont know why people want to move -
6/2/2009I moved to Phoenix from Michigan in 2005 and am disappointed by my experience in the Valley. The housing is fairly affordable (compared to where you come from) but it cant offset the not-so-good quality of life, in my opinion. The one thing I will never get over is the heat—unbearable from late May to most of October. I don’t find the people to be very friendly either, and they don’t seem to have any desire to get to know you. They seem guarded, unfriendly, no particularly conversant and uninteresting. People in places like Scottsdale are materialistic, superficial, snooty, and unhappy. Housing is not very attractive, where everything looks the same. I don’t know how people can tell their house from their neighbors. There are so many HOAs. The housing is fairly affordable (compared to where you come from) but it cant offset the not-so-good quality of life, in my opinion. And then there is the bad air. Phoenix is not the best place for those suffering from bad allergies. The crime is also high, due to the huge presence of illegal immigrants. Its hard to find someone who speaks English in McDonalds anymore—incredibly annoying. People in the Valley also have bad driving habits and road rage. Phoenix also seems very dull for its size; there is no metropolitan sophistication, culture, architecture or cuisine. There’s also not many high-paying jobs; Phoenix has so many service jobs and not much “365-day” economic activities. And the education is HORRIBLE. Perhaps why there isn’t many good jobs anywhere. If someone wants to move to the southwest, most places in Texas would probably suffice. The best way to view Phoenix is looking in the rear-view mirror heading outta town. I don’t understand why so many people want to move her. To me, Phoenix is just a fat concrete blob in the middle of the desert. I cant wait to leave and go back to the Midwest!!