So there is a possibility of a position opening up in Phoenix sometime in the near future, would be a office position, not sure of the exact location of the office right now. I'll look it up tomorrow. Trying to decide if I should apply once the job is posted, or just stick with my job here in Michigan.

So tell me the good, and the bad of Arizona.

Nothing good here, stay

If your into great wheeling, from mild to wild... good hunting... not great but good fishing... tons of state to explore... great mountain biking... good housing prices... close to Mexico beaches (3 hours)... close to CA beaches... close to the dunes... great lakes... good looking ladies... All are pros

Today is 108... the humidity is about to hit... summer temps get into the 1teens and beyond... we have a serious illegal issue... we have a serious battle of state and federal governments raging... wages are not the best from what I hear... forest land is getting shut down bit by bit...All are cons

I have lived in Arizona for 11 years but i live in a small city on the Colorado river of 40,000 people called Lake Havasu City. I am retired but Phoenix is way to big for me but any big city is. There is a lot of off roading in Arizona. That is one of the reason I live here. There is less around phoenix but there are trails around there. most of Arizona is open BLM land. It is hot in the summer but I can take that better than the cold I put up with growing up in Ohio. Wages in Phoenix should be prety good but the smaller cities are not good as there are few big companies. My son and his wife are mechanical engineeres with major companies in Tucson and they make very good salaries. If you can deal with the Phoenix trafic then go for it. It is only 4%-5% hummidity this month but next month it will get higher in what is called the monsoon season. If you can make it through July and August you will have it made. If you get tired of the heat you can drive north several hours to many higher locations and get out of the heat. Phoenix is in the desert but much of Arizona gets snow in the higher elevations in the winter. Here is an old thread about Phoenix. To those in Arizona... need recommendation on place to live. and another Missouri to Arizona

The thing I love about AZ is how much open wilderness there is and the variety of that wilderness. It is true that the southern half of the state is a very rugged desert with the highest temps in the country. It is also nearly empty and open to the public for the most part. The northern part of the state is high desert and pine forests, also very much open public land for the most part. There is a lot of stuff to do if you are in to the outdoors. Phoenix kinda sucks but for a huge city, there are worse places to be. Scottsdale is like a desert Beverly Hills, Tempe is very college-y, most of the rest is suburb with very cheap houses.

AZSHTR called it pretty close.
It is hot- night temps in the summer are 100
There are way too many people
Rush our traffic should be called rush day traffic. It starts at 5am and ends at 7pm
It is legal to carry a gun and concealed carry permits are easy to get- you will need one to shoot back

Per chance you do get caught up in the legal system, you better have something on someone high up in the "good old boy" legal system

Wheelin is abundunt but it is very different from wheelin in the mountains. Desert is sand and cactus (dont buy used tires), mountains on the rim are all clay, mountains around Flaggstaff all jagged rocks.

I moved there in 1959 and grew up in what was a safe quiet town called Phoenix. I left for good in 2006. Just too many people and the town is no longer safe or nice.

I have been involved with the legal system and I have a personal friend that is a Maricopa County Superior court judge so my comment about the good old boys is from experience not rumor

Would I go back there- yes, next monday for work. To live I doubt it. I have a lot of good friends there and good memories but that is all I left behind.
Just my 2 cents

I dont mean to offend anyone living in the Cactus Patch so I am sorry if I did but that is my opinion.

Wow, forgot to mention the pollution. Buy bottle water so you have something safe to drink, the air, well you will get used to breathing the air and the endless caugh that goes with it You will get familiar with Ozone alerts and allergies- year round.

Are you a drug user- Jackpot, try 35th ave and Buckeye Circle K, you can get anything you want- anything.

We have saguaros... And when CA sinks we'll have a beach.

I'm from Tucson. It's friggin hot here. When you see the "official" temp, keep in mind that it is taken 12 above the ground, IN THE SHADE!!! I work outdoors and last summer I used an IR gun to take the temp of the gravel I was standing on top of. Ready? 166.5 degrees. Of course the winters are a balmy mid 50 degrees. Screw that Michigan cold.

Thanks for the honest replies.

I moved to Michigan from OKC about 4 years ago. I agree, the cold / winters suck here.

"35th ave and Buckeye Circle K"

Good to know :flip off: Just kid diding

Lived in Phoenix since 2004 and as others have stated the weather does get pretty hot from June - September, so I wouldn't recommend moving during those months. I normally spend a lot weekends in the summer heading up to the Flagstaff area or Mogollon Rim (east of Payson) where the weather is much cooler. You can enjoy off-roading, camping, hiking, fishing and other outdoor activates in these areas. Sedona and Jerome are also really cool places to visit.

I like where Phoenix is geographically located more then I enjoy the actual city. A quick 2-3 hour drive will get you to the places I described above and 4-5 hour drive will get you to Rocky Point (Mexico), Vegas and parts of California.

Like most large cities, the traffic can get bad. The freeways are in pretty good condition, just watch out for blown tires on the freeway.

As stated above, this state does have illegal immigration issues and high crime. Since I moved here I have never had my house or car broken into, and I drove a Honda Civic till 2010. The majority of the crime takes place in central and south Phoenix. The safest but most expensive areas are Scotsdale and Paradise Valley.

So you have probably read the housing market here has taken it's toll over the last 5 years. You can pick up a decent house for under 150K in a decent area.

Personally, if the job pays well and you are looking for a change in scenery, I would go for it.

Sunsets that will make you cry...did I just say that out loud!?!?!?

AZ > all

You definitely hit the nail on the head with that one. Guess I take it for granted...

But "got dammit" it's hot!!!

True the Sunsets are awsome

but it is the pollution that is making you cry

The temp is not always in 3 digits, you have Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb and March
You drink your beer much faster, set your tools down in the shade and dont get concerned about rattle snakes, you almost always hear them before they strike. It is the scorpions that you dont see. Of course they may not kill you if stung. It is a hard way to find out though

Road Runners are cool birds to watch, Cactus Wrens (State Bird) actually do nest in cactus.

Bartlet Lake used to be great for BASS fishing until they paved the road and all the jet bikes started to use it. That is when there is water in it.