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Veteran
Posts: 146
 
| I am thinking of relocating to AZ in the next couple of years. Please tell me what you know about the weather (especially wind), taxes, etc. I am looking at places between Wickenburg and Prescott and possibly as far up to Poulden. Any info would be greatly appreciated. |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| That part of Az is beautiful, green, rolling hills, some pines. Snow in winter and warm summers. Expensive as all get out. In Prescott and Paulden, antelope walk along side of the highway. So pretty. Plenty of races but you'll be driving to Phoenix for the big races. Windy? Yes. At least when I go there, it seems to be. I'm in SE Arizona but I plan on retiring up there as soon as I hit the lottery. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
 
Location: In the Hills of Texas | We loved Prescott but the traffic is now out of control so we marked it off of our list. Our daughter lives in Queen Creek and we don't like anything about that part of Arizona...Again...way too much traffic and it's too hot and I really missed seeing green. Everything always looks dirty.
House taxes aren't bad but you do have a state tax and license plates are very expensive if you have a newer high end vehicle. Insurance for houses and vehicles are pretty hefty and we found the cost of groceries higher then in Texas.
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | Southwest Arizona sucks, but what I've seen in passing of just about the rest is gorgeous! Expensive though. |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Barrel racing heaven. Love Wickenburg. Outskirts and towns surrounding Phoenix are completely doable.
Come with your checkbook. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Wind in Phoenix is non-existent and I come from a place where the wind blows 30 mph on the daily. Sure, with the monsoons it picks up but it's fine. Summer are hot but I still ride. My horse adjusted fine. |
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Veteran
Posts: 286
| Arizona summers are too hot for me....I have friends and family in Prescott and Payson and I love it up in both places. But it's also a haul to most of the barrel races, etc. if you live far enough up to be away from the heat.
Cave Creek is a gem of an area. If I had to live in the valley, that's where I'd choose to be.
It is expensive to live and have horses in AZ....especially when you have to buy and feed hay year round.
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I live in Flagstaff, AZ. It is gorgeous during the summers. However we have had a few record breakers this year at 90 something. Today though, I woke up to 60.
We back forest service where you can ride thousands of trees acres. Lots are typically about 2.5 acres. But housing isn't cheap. We currently rent and pay $1700/month. I LOVE Flagstaff. BUT, I basically have to drive to Phoenix to hit a race. Luckily, this year, they held a series more local (Williams, Camp Verde, Prescott). I would love to live closer to the action, but I cannot stand the heat. If you can weather the weather, Phoenix area is the way to go. There's typically something every night of the week. |
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | I lived in Queen Creek for 14 years. I love central AZ; especially the Payson, Prescott, & Camp Verde areas. Springerville & Greer are also lovely. I have a friend that lives in Paulden, it's also very nice there. The wind does pick up during monsoon season, but I have lived in Oklahoma, Idaho, & currently SW Montana & the wind blows considerably more throughout the year in those areas than anywhere I've been in central & southern AZ. Most property taxes aren't bad, but you will pay sales tax on everything. And as someone else mentioned, licensing newer vehicles isn't cheap. Wickenburg & Prescott have grown up a lot, there is quite a bit of traffic there now too. Honestly, the main reason we moved away was because of the population boom. Most of the Ag & ranching communities have been developed & it seems like they are kicking the horse people out farther & farther. But I really miss being able to haul to barrel races & ropings every day of the week, all year long. We're actually considering moving back for that reason alone. |
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Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| Whinny19 - 2016-08-04 7:52 AM I lived in Queen Creek for 14 years. I love central AZ; especially the Payson, Prescott, & Camp Verde areas. Springerville & Greer are also lovely. I have a friend that lives in Paulden, it's also very nice there. The wind does pick up during monsoon season, but I have lived in Oklahoma, Idaho, & currently SW Montana & the wind blows considerably more throughout the year in those areas than anywhere I've been in central & southern AZ. Most property taxes aren't bad, but you will pay sales tax on everything. And as someone else mentioned, licensing newer vehicles isn't cheap. Wickenburg & Prescott have grown up a lot, there is quite a bit of traffic there now too. Honestly, the main reason we moved away was because of the population boom. Most of the Ag & ranching communities have been developed & it seems like they are kicking the horse people out farther & farther. But I really miss being able to haul to barrel races & ropings every day of the week, all year long. We're actually considering moving back for that reason alone.
I live in Marana and it breaks my heart that we are down to one arena and track homes are replacing the "heritage" of Marana. They followed the dollars and it sucks now. |
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Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | RidenFly - 2016-08-04 8:56 AM
I live in Marana and it breaks my heart that we are down to one arena and track homes are replacing the "heritage" of Marana. They followed the dollars and it sucks now.
It was the same story in Queen Creek. :( QC used to be all alfalfa, corn & cotton fields. Orange groves, pecan orchards, & grape vineyards. Cattle & horses. Now it's big box stores & housing tracts. At least the last horse-oriented mayor managed to get the equestrian center built before the new "city" residents voted her out. There was actually a plan to build horse trails through the entire town, but she wasn't able to get that done in time. She could see the town was going to get developed, but was trying to keep it as horse friendly as possible. I was really sad to see her go. |
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10D Crack Champion
| I hear it is a dry heat. lol |
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 Semper Fi
Location: North Texas | sodapop - 2016-08-03 11:58 PM
I hear it is a dry heat. lol
After working outside in the 114-117 high temps last summer in The Phoenix Area last summer; The term "dry heat" means absolutely NOTHING! |
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Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| Sometimes I hate talking up the state because it's already over-runned with a bunch of Yahoos building cookie cutter homes against ranchland and then complain about flies from the horses. Go home, City Slicker. LOL J/k. kinda. |
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Addicted to Baseball
Location: Where the stars at night are big and bright, TX | RidenFly - 2016-08-04 11:59 AM Sometimes I hate talking up the state because it's already over-runned with a bunch of Yahoos building cookie cutter homes against ranchland and then complain about flies from the horses. Go home, City Slicker. LOL J/k. kinda.
I used to live in Sonoita and had a training business there. Sonoita, Patagonia, Elgin, Canelo, etc. It wasn't much developed when I was living there. About the only "business" going in was home grown vineyards. I went back some years ago to show my kids around and take them to Tombstone, and ugh...a house on every hill. That's too bad, so much pretty land, ranching heritage. Even Sierra Vista was nothing much when I was living there. I haven't driven through but people have said I'd really not recognize it anymore. |
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 Cyber World Challenged
Posts: 2526
Location: My Own Little World | That area o AZ might as well be like S. NV.....HOT !!!!!! The wind isn't bad but when it does blow in the summer (4 months long) it's a dirty blast furnace. There's no such thing as natural pasture (people do irrigate year round for pasture though) Fuel is higher out here and everywhere you haul has a mountain to climb.
Now the plus side, not much in the way of snow and we ride all winter. No tornadoes or hurricanes. Plenty of open non fenced areas to ride. A lot of equine events all year long. |
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 Member
Posts: 19
Location: Wisconsin | We live in Desert Hills by Cave Creek... Its wonderful. The summers are intense but winters make up for it! Wickenburg is wonderful, if there was more work for us we would be there! Tons of barrel races and ropins between the two places. Its horse country for sure. I do miss the green grass. Haven't spent a lot of time in Prescott but I know a lot of people enjoy it! Overall, I would give it a try. I moved here two years ago and haven't looked back! :) |
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Veteran
Posts: 146
| Anybody in the Peeples Valley, Kirkland, Skull Valley area? How about Prescott Valley? The wind is what really concerns me. Just how windy is it? |
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Member
Posts: 23
| sodapop - 2016-08-03 11:58 PM
I hear it is a dry heat. lol
Yes, it's a dry heat.......like sticking your head in the oven. |
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10D Crack Champion
| permanent vacation - 2016-08-05 6:17 PM sodapop - 2016-08-03 11:58 PM I hear it is a dry heat. lol Yes, it's a dry heat.......like sticking your head in the oven.
I have never been there, but I always hear it described that way. Like that is going to make people feel better. LOL |
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10D Crack Champion
| permanent vacation - 2016-08-05 6:17 PM sodapop - 2016-08-03 11:58 PM I hear it is a dry heat. lol Yes, it's a dry heat.......like sticking your head in the oven.
Edited by sodapop 2016-08-07 1:12 PM
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I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | When our grandson was born, we went out to Queen Creek to see him. It had been in the hundreds and had been really kicking our butts. When we got there it was a hundred and felt cool. Yes..humidity makes a huge difference but when it reaches 113...Like I said years ago...we went to the Tonto National Forest and when we got back to the valley it was 113 and when I stepped out of the car, I felt like I had just walked into a pizza oven.
I'll take etremely 3 hot months over 3 very cold months any day. I know if anything happens to my husband, I will end up there but exactly where in Arizona, I'm not sure.
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Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | BROKEN FEATHER - 2016-08-06 11:00 AM
Anybody in the Peeples Valley, Kirkland, Skull Valley area? How about Prescott Valley? The wind is what really concerns me. Just how windy is it?
I actually like Prescott Valley more than old town Prescott as far as living there goes. Old town Prescott is fun to visit but I wouldn't really want to live there. There is no way to generalize how much the wind blows in an area. You may not get much wind at all in one spot, go a couple miles & it blows like crazy. It's completely dependent upon the surrounding terrain. Trees, hills, & mountains will either shelter you from the wind or funnel it to you. The best thing to do is spend a little time in the areas you're interested in. Pay attention to how the trees grow; in windy areas neglected or non-manicured tree branches will all grow the same direction, or the entire tree will have a lean to it. Look at nearby properties & see if people have planted trees for windbreaks around their houses. |
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Boot Detective
Posts: 1900
| I spent a couple weeks out there back in the spring to consider a job offer. I had always heard how wonderful it was. I spent several nights in Wickenburg which is a neat little town with lots of team ropings, lots of unique stores to eat and shop. But everywhere I drove, The pastures were primarily cactus and scrub brush. I didn't see anywhere I would want to go trail ride or pasture ride. For me, it was a letdown and wasn't all that it is cracked up to be. I would advise you to go spend some time in different areas you are considering and check it out. If you plan on going to the barrel races and ropings in the Wickenburg area, I would stay on that side of the mountain range that is between there and Prescott. It is a beautiful drive (in a car). It would be a nightmare pulling a trailer. Very tight turns, steep inclines. The auto theft rate is super high out there too. Renting a car at the airport was like donating a kidney and they explained it is because of the high rate of thefts and accidents with uninsured drivers. |
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Too busy outside!
Posts: 5417
| I live in Wittmann- a super nice little country like town between Wickenburg and Surprise. There is plenty of desert to ride in and tons of barrel racing and team roping close by. I wouldn't want to live further north- it's colder and too far to drive to the barrel races. Within an hour I can go to Rancho Rio, Dunns, Buckeye and New River, plus Wittmann is getting some races there too now. Within 2 hours I can go to Queen Creek, Chandler, Dynamite, Phoenix Horse Lovers, P&M Arena and Cave Creek Hogs and Horses-
I love it here! But I do try to get out of the heat between July and Septemeber when I can! :) |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | If you're moving to Arizona to escape winters and cold weather....moving to Prescott area is a baby-step. Winters will still have some snow and 20 degree weather.
1.5 hours south and our low is usually 50 in the winter and no snow, no wind. I really enjoyed Payson when I drove through. No idea on the weather though so I'm no help.
Edited by hammer_time 2016-08-07 4:06 PM
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 Voice of Reason
Location: NOT at Wal Mart | I'm very protective over my home state, when I look around and see the growth it scares me. The new comers don't appreciate the desert and want to change it. I've seen so many changes over the years and the majority is not good. My suggestion is to move to Texas. |
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Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| justcruzin - 2016-08-10 7:42 AM I'm very protective over my home state, when I look around and see the growth it scares me. The new comers don't appreciate the desert and want to change it. I've seen so many changes over the years and the majority is not good. My suggestion is to move to Texas.
For once we totally agree. It scares me too and I love the desert. Why come here if they hate it so much.  |
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I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | justcruzin - 2016-08-09 9:42 AM I'm very protective over my home state, when I look around and see the growth it scares me. The new comers don't appreciate the desert and want to change it. I've seen so many changes over the years and the majority is not good. My suggestion is to move to Texas.
Texas is having the same trouble. Our growth is ridiculous and the people coming in don't like Texas ways and want to change it to the hell hole they came from. It's very frustrating. The traffic is horrible when we need to go into San Antonio. We have to keep adding time to make appointments. I don't know how people figure out how to get to work as one accident and the interstate becomes a huge parking lot. |
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Too busy outside!
Posts: 5417
| justcruzin - 2016-08-09 7:42 AM I'm very protective over my home state, when I look around and see the growth it scares me. The new comers don't appreciate the desert and want to change it. I've seen so many changes over the years and the majority is not good. My suggestion is to move to Texas.
I lived in Stephenville for 7 months before I decided to live full time in AZ- the humidity was terrible- I would much rather take an AZ summer over a TX summer any day. |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | justcruzin - 2016-08-09 7:42 AM I'm very protective over my home state, when I look around and see the growth it scares me. The new comers don't appreciate the desert and want to change it. I've seen so many changes over the years and the majority is not good. My suggestion is to move to Texas.
I'm a newcomer and it makes me sad seeing all these "development" notification signs taking up all the land....especially up north in the Scottsdale/carefree area. There won't be much more desert if they continue the way they are! :( |
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Tell me about Arizona