Phoenix: The Good, Bad & Ugly
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7/19/2009
Everything was fine in Phoenix up until the housing bubble burst. What happened? Well, you could say the residents here are very much into "image" and little else. Tattoos, earlobe stretching, piercings, pitbulls, big wheels on their SUV, lifted trucks and new toys. I'm unsure if this is supposed to be a new mini-LA.
The biggest problem in Phoenix metro is its people. And by this I include Scottsdale, Tempe, Glendale, Maryvale and every other suburb. The people are far too materialistic and narcissistic to function in a modern society. You can observe this at any store or just cruising five miles by the idiotic drivers here. A sense of MFFY: "me first, screw you." Don't get me started on relationships. There's a reason why Phoenix is one of the top divorce capitals of the US. Also, there's a ton of out-of-wedlock children, so it might be the single mom or deadbeat dad capital now, too.
Another problem in Phoenix is crime. The police are either too busy or just don't care. Two problems are jaywalkers and tailgaters. Some of the streets are far too busy for this. The cops could crack down, issue fines for $100/pop and clear this up, but it's probably too much work for them. One wonders how much safer it would be if the police allocated resources differently than they are doing now.
The only good things now are that housing has become more affordable. You can get foreclosures and short sales in the $60-75k range in decent neighborhoods. Also, the heat is really only bad in June, July and August. Don't bring a big dog if you move out here for that reason; he/she will hate you for it. Unless you live near a park or have a huge backyard to compensate. There are still decent professional jobs available but the market has taken a big hit since the housing bubble popped.
The key to living in Phoenix is to live reasonably close to your job. The best place to live is between the 51 and I-17, north of Camelback. Long-term, Phoenix will suffer greatly if the price oil and electricity is to skyrocket, as the city was based on cheap housing and sprawl. Also, water will be a problem within a decade.
Dave | Phoenix, AZ