Have you ever wondered what are the pros and cons of living in Phoenix Arizona? Today, we’ll be discussing several pros and cons of living in the great city of Phoenix, starting with the pros. Arizona is a very forward-thinking economy right now with corporate tax breaks and incentives, which makes the area very business-friendly for larger companies. Thus, this brings more jobs to the valley! Larger companies such as Apple, Google, and Uber are making their way here. Entertainment is another pro of the Phoenix valley. There are plenty of things to do here for entertainment, so you would never get bored. Even the sports culture here is phenomenal, we have all the major sports here. Along with the plenty of entertainment, there is to do around here, the food scene is incredible. The variety of food we have here is a great way to experience different cultures. Another pro to living in Phoenix is how amazing the outdoor activities are. We’re surrounded by mountains, almost 360 degrees around the Phoenix area. There are a plethora of hiking trails if that’s what you’re into. There’s plenty of area for mountain biking, outdoor ATVing, dirt biking, off-roading, and even kayaking and paddleboarding with several large lakes nearby, such as Lake Pleasant or Lake Bartlett. Kid’s activities and sports are normally year-round with the weather being warm and sunny, just make sure you stay hydrated in the summer!
A fourth pro to living in Arizona is real estate. Now, some may associate real estate as either a pro or a con to living in Phoenix Arizona for multiple reasons, but as a realtor, real estate is always a pro anywhere you go! You’ll find different styles of homes here, which include Santa Fe, modern transitional, desert contemporary, Tuscan, and much more. Stucco and tile roofs and desert landscaping are a common denominator for all homes here in Phoenix. Phoenix has a very spread-out area when it comes to business, with downtown Phoenix district, to Old Town Scottsdale, to Air Park Scottsdale, Westgate, and more. People are drawn to moving to Phoenix for its lower-maintenance homes. For example, the tile shingles on the roofs are going to last anywhere from 50-70 years. Stucco is very long-lasting and durable year-round, even during the heat. A fifth pro to living here is the traffic. That may sound weird to hear, but even being the fifth largest city in the nation, it’s not even ranked in the top 30 for the worst traffic cities or areas. We have a phenomenal loop system that loops around the entire valley and keeps everything interconnected. There are many other pros to living here from the amazing healthcare system we have here or even the weather, I could go on and on.
Now, it’s time to discuss what the cons are to living in Phoenix Arizona. Here’s an interesting one to start with, have you ever heard of valley fever? Valley fever is a fungal infection that affects your lungs. If you’re in the backyard digging dirt or ever around a construction site, all the dust you breathe in causes valley fever. Another reason why you wouldn’t want to live in Phoenix Arizona is because of the creepy crawlies. I don’t want to go into too many details because they’re creepy and they crawl around everywhere. From the scorpions to the rattlesnakes, lizards, spiders, and much more. Don’t worry, you won’t see them everywhere you go, it’s a rare occurrence. Going back to dust, the 3rd reason con to living in Phoenix Arizona is summertime heat and the dust. It is dusty a lot down here because we’re in the desert. There is plenty of grass in certain parts of communities and cities, but by nature, the Sonoran Desert is going to have some dust. We are going to have more dust in the summertime when we have monsoons and haboobs. Haboobs are giant clouds of dust that range from 40-60 feet, they look like a tidal wave! It engulfs the city sometimes, but they don’t happen all the time. It gets homes dirty and if you drive a black car, good luck keeping the car clean in the summertime. Another con to living in Phoenix Arizona is the lack of public transportation, especially being the 5th largest metropolitan city in the entire country and being very spread out. We are ranked number one city in the country for square miles, but even with buses and the light rail system in downtown Phoenix, we still have a lack of public transportation.
To end this all, this list of pros and cons to living in Phoenix Arizona is to help others gain insight into the city of Phoenix and true information about living here. We have so many people contacting us who are moving to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, and we are so happy to make the transition easier for them. If you have any additional questions about all the things that come with living in Phoenix Arizona, reach out to us at info@cookandassociatesaz.com