What to Know When Moving to Scottsdale or Phoenix

Moving to Scottsdale, Arizona was a no-brainer. With the white drifts of snow piled up in the midwest well into March, we packed up the house, put it on the market and headed for the lush landscapes of Scottsdale. 

While it is a cinch to find dozens of sites advising the great hiking trails and boasting about the heat, we have learned a few things that are good to know to prepare you for your move here.

• Maricopa County is the fastest growing county in the United States in 2018. Be prepared to act very quickly on housing whether renting or buying. There is a shortage here, especially for the properties that are affordable.

• If you are moving from the midwest and intend to buy a house eventually, you can sell your riding lawn mower. Even if you buy a home on a huge lot, a large grassy yard is probably not going to be a part of an existing house property. A small push-mower may not even be necessary. Desert, drought-resistant landscaping is in.

• There is a definite rental shortage in Phoenix, especially Scottsdale. Most condo communities manage owner rentals, so don't rule out a condo community. They are more plentiful than apartments. If you see something you like in the price range you want, grab it quickly!

• The average credit score here is lower than the national average so getting an apartment with less than perfect credit is not a problem here...as long as you can afford it. (We paid $1300/month for a 2 bedroom 2 bath.)

• The vast majority of condos (and apartments) almost never have the option of a garage so storage is space is very elusive! If you do need to store belongings you have two options; rent a unit with one more bedroom than you need and use one room for just for storage, or, plan to rent a storage unit. Storage units here are mostly indoor, climate controlled and expensive starting around $89/month for a 5'x5' unit. Discounts can be negotiated, but still a pricey option. 

• If renting, if you can live with the sound overhead, rent a lower unit. It is cheaper to cool and easier for groceries and bicycles. Most of the crime that happens in Scottsdale tends to be car break-ins and not condo invasions. Secondly, while you envision keeping the windows open most of the year, you likely won't. Road noise is an issue here as most roads are heavily trafficked. It is also too hot during the summer for open windows, even at night (temps remain about 100 here on summer nights.)

• When transferring your car insurance to Arizona, be sure to have a zero deductible on windshield replacement coverage. Not only do windshields pop from excessive heat but most broken windshields come from kicked-up stones on the interstate. Though I have not experienced this yet, many others have.

• Depending on the state you come from, car insurance is expensive in Arizona. Having moved from Wisconsin, we saw a 50% increase on full coverage.

• We chose to live in a place that had great access to main thoroughfares but away from the interstate. Know that any main roads around Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd becomes REALLY loud for one week a year in April as 30,000 bikers ascend on the city for the annual motorcycle rally. With all windows closed it was tough to hear tv at night because the cyclists were so loud. In general, if you are looking for a home near a main thoroughfare like Shea Blvd or Frank Lloyd Wright, be sure to find one as far away from a stoplight as possible. Hotrods and loud motorcycles are awful noise nuisances at busy intersections with stoplights and stopsigns.

• If you have a choice of units, choose one that does NOT face west. It is the hottest time of day for most of the year and 1) you will always have those windows covered (less light) and your a/c bills will rise because of the tremendous amount of heat that is thrown off from those windows.

• Once your address is established here, go get a library card. There are five convenient libraries in Scottsdale and each offers free Culture Passes. With one of these passes one can choose from about 20 museums, galleries, or parks and avoid paying the fees for two people. For example, the Phoenix Art Museum charges $18 per adult or you have to wait for the days of the month where free admission is offered. With the Culture Pass you can go at your convenience for free and avoid the crowds.

• Cost of living is actually lower here. Despite the expensive cost of buying a home in Scottsdale or renting, most other things are cheaper. At first glance it seemed groceries were higher, but once you get used to the variety of stores here you will find it is actually cheaper if you are willing to go to two different stores for particular items. Gas is cheaper as well as long as you stay away from stations near the 101 Loop or busy intersections. Prices can vary as much as .50 cents a gallon by just driving an extra block or two.

• Your GPS will drive you crazy here sometimes. GPS's are not intuitive, meaning... if you choose to get off of the interstate because of traffic, your GPS will continue to re-route you back to the interstate over and over and over and over. Study the map and get to know your main roads and directions. You'll thank me. The city is easy to navigate once you learn which roads are north and south and which are east/west.

• Parking in Scottsdale is mostly free. They pride themselves in welcoming visitors by not charging for street and ramp parking. 

• Photo enforcement of traffic laws is a thing here so I rarely see police around. Though speed limits are mostly 45-50 mph here, traffic flows pretty well and that speed limit isn't a problem. Those intersections with cameras do have warning signs showing that "photo enforcement of traffic laws" is in play.

• Humidity is typically much higher in the morning here. 30% versus about 9% in the afternoon.

• When the sun goes down the temperature remains high but even at 90 degrees at 9pm, for me the temps are comfortable because the humidity is low.

• "Stupidity Laws" are a thing here. If you go hiking and do not bring enough water and you require getting rescued off of a mountain trail, you pay for the cost of that helicopter ride! Always bring more water than you think you need.

•  It is common for transplants to this climate to develop a dry cough for a couple of months as the respiratory system adjusts. The cough will go away and no treatment is typically necessary.

•  Car batteries and tires do not last nearly as long here. Expect to replace yours about every 18 months. Heat drains batteries and the hot roads make tires soft and thereby wear faster. Who knew?

• Farmer's markets run on opposite schedule from the Midwest. They typically begin in September and run through May.

• Property taxes, and car insurance vary greatly by zip code.