Hey that's good to know...our summers see many rediculously humid days over 90 degrees but our winters have been getting worse & worse (-20 & far too much snow as per the picture I posted earlier today). Metropolitan Ottawa is now closing in on a population of 1 million so it's not huge but a mojority of the people here are federal civil servants and seem exceptionally unhappy. Not a good vibe, very uptight. Our family are avid outdoors/excercise peeps (its a bother that we can't do stuff shen it's too cold) but things sound very intruiging as far as being outdoors a lot goes...and Mexican food is a great love of ours. It may take a fair amount of organization & planning but compatibility seem obvious at our end. Thanks for the insight!
You won't find a nice place in Scottsdale for $280,000 even though the market is in a slump. I live near Scottsdale but in Phoenix. The schools my kids go to are some of the best. I get the benefits of living right near Scottsdale without paying the premium. As far as the weather goes, summer is rough. There is no humidity but 40 days in a row of 110 plus degrees (which we had last summer) is brutal. Phoenix metro is about 4 million people. Tucson is a good choice if you want a much slower pace and it is about 700,000 people. It is more of a sleepy town though and there is not so much to do. Phoenix has all the sports you could ask for, at least 8 months of outdoor weather every year, tons of hiking areas, lakes, and even snow skiing only a few hours away drive. I love it here. The cost of living has gone way up in the last 3 years but housing is definitely in a slump now. Homes in Texas are the best bargain in the country but the weather is not my cup of tea. Way too humid for me. If you like to feel wet all the time while your in your big beautiful house that only cost you $300,000, you would love Texas. New Mexico is fine if you like to be secluded in a small town. There is nothing but small towns and they are far apart. If you can afford it, the bay area of California is great. Good weather and no shortage of things to do nearby from ocean related activities to skiing in Tahoe. I guess you need to decide what size town you want to live in, what activities you like to do, and what size and condition of home you want and you can afford. All signs point to Phoenix continuing to grow at a rapid pace for years to come. Good luck. If you have specific questions or want more info feel free to PM me. My wife is a realtor and a research queen if you want info.
Wow, again, all great and useful insights for us, Chris, thanks a bunch! As we dig deeper into the details of getting away from here, we'll be happy to PM you guys with questions. Some of the first thing we have to do is address issues related to selling my 73 year old family business (I've heard a good rule of thumb is 1.5 x's net earnings) and also ensuring that licensing requirements and qualications for my wife's work (dentistry) are in place. We also want to ensure that we don't end up in an area dominated by retirees as we have lots of living to do and don't want to "slow down" just yet! PS After checking, you're right, $ 300K doesn't seem to buy much in Scottsdale...where are the best spots to look just outside SD? Paradise Valley? Where you are sounds idealieo.
I think you need to come down for a quick fact finding trip. Scout out the areas with Dan. Many very nice areas. Prices are still falling, which is good for you.
By the way, I saw in your original post that you're looking at getting back into architecture/interior design. How long have you been out, and what type are you looking for? I can give you a brief run-down on some of the firms here if you'd like. I'm an architect, and my wife is an interior designer.
i wouldnt move to the bay area if you are looking for a home in the 300s. the only thing youll find here is a 2 bdr renovator in the ghetto for that price. the weather is very nice though. it will be 70 today.
Sucks here It sucks here today, like 78 degrees (above zero) fahrenheit, a bit overcast, with a gentle breeze. I didn't even get to use the heat or the AC in my badass PT cruiser convertible today. I just had to suffer all the way here with the top down (again).
Read our minds, Hal. Just getting in touch with the US consulate to see what they'd need of us prior to considering it further. You think our previous pornstar careers will be a problem?
Stylin' Oh yeah, I'm stylin in my PT Vert, complete with 4 banger, woohoo!!! Gotta go, the dealer just called and said my "real car" is ready, new driveshaft & all!!!
Well that's convenient! I'll PM you so as not to bore our members. I came across the Ownby Design site...pretty slick presentation & representation but that's all I've seen thus far. Sorry, not certain who I should address in sending the PM! Thanks meanwhile.
Hey, Dan, I got a call today from an agent Cheryl Adee. Seemed good 'n' keen...you know of her? Guess she got my contact info as I was surfing around.
Wow! She's out of jail already! Has it been 5 years already, or did she get out early for "Good Behavior"?
Awesome, thanks, Aaron. Still tons on the go here with ourkids & march break but looking forward to PM-ing you as soon as we can. Now working now on the best way to establish some type of credit history rating prior to getting there so that the banks will have a reference to allow issue of a mortgage. I was thinking that I'd have a buddy in Florida put a phone line in my name and send me a Target store credit card (as the regular credit card companies want to see 3 months residency address & work details before accepting). Gotta get my brain around feeling like an immigrant!
If you want to be near Scottsdale with good public schools, check out zip code 85028 in Phoenix and expand around that area. You'll find something decent for $300,000, the area is centrally located, home values stay solid, public schools are great, and so on. I live in this zip code and I can go for a hike right out my door. The home next door to me is a foreclosure and it's listed at under $400k for a 2500 sq ft, 4 bedroom, 2 bath. It last sold for $620k and then was remodeled and fell into foreclosure. The house now needs about $40k worth of fix ups to be nice again. It's a heck of a bargain. My neighborhood is unreal. It's like a time warp. We have two clubhouses with three community pools and there are neighborhood activities every so often. Memorial day weekend is always a big thing in the neighborhood. We have a full weekend of events, parades around the neighborhood, a picnic, just tons of fun. Right now you can buy in my specific neighborhood for just under $400k. There are a couple different homes to choose from for that price. The vicinity around me ranges from $250k up to 3 million.
