Hi everybody.

In a strange but really cool twist of events, I've got my home up for sale and I've decided to move my family to the Phoenix Arizona area. I'm hoping someone will someone out there either lives, has lived recently or otherwise is familiar with the area. I went there for a week during the holidays and liked everything I saw but I have a lot of questions I'd like answered.

If someone out there has a few minutes, I'd love to pick your brain for a little while.

I'm a widowed father with a 15 year old daughter. I also take care of my 81 year old mother and to top that off, I also am taking care of my older brother. Lots of stuff on my plate but I think a move would be great for all of us for many reasons.

I'd like to know about the area, the lakes, housing, jobs,,,,,etc.

I've done a lot of reasearch on the net but there is nothing like first hand knowledge so that's why this post.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I was there in 94-95 so many things have changed. Housing was pretty cheap and getting a job didn't seem too difficult. It is HOT there in the summer (100-125+) so be ready!!! I wish I had more recent info for you and I wish you the best of luck out there!

For housing try suburbs of Peoria & Glendale-Closest lake to them is Lake Pleasant--good bass fishin--lived there 13 years--Employment easy to find.---And yes it really is a dry heat----

Housing prices have dropped through the floor recently, maybe because of the huge run-up in home costs the last few years.  A friend of mine purchased a new 2200 foot home a few months ago for 225,000 - saving 75,000 over the original asking price.  Now he can buy his neighbors identical home for 150,000.  

It gets very hot although the humidity is often in the single digits except during the monsoon season (July- mid Sept).  Phoenix is also the kidnapping mecca of the US thanks to the "rich cultural heritage" of some our uninvited "guests".

Surprising amount of fishing for a desert city though.  But you don't want to do much summer fishing unless it's at night.  

Here's a website for fishing the area:  www.azbasszone.com

The weather is so hot in the summer it's almost unbearable. However in the spring and fall, and at night, the area lakes have great bass fishing. Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Lake Bartlett, Horse Shoe Lake, Roosevelt Lake and others. The Verde, Salt, and Gila Rivers have good bass fishing in certain areas, though the Salt River through Phoenix itself is sometimes dry due to largescale irrigation diversions at Granite Reef Diversion Dam. If it weren't for that, you could take a motorboat on the Salt River for most of the year.

My step son lives there and loves it. He is not into fishing so he wont be any help there.

If you want to you can email me your questions, try and be specific, and I'll ask him.

As to the comment made above,

"Phoenix is also the kidnapping mecca of the US thanks to the "rich cultural heritage" of some our uninvited "guests".

While that is actually true it mostly applies to people that are involved with illegal drugs and not just large quantities

Bassnman Mike

www.bassnman.com

Living in Phoenix now.  Don't let the heat scare you, you get use to it.

Let me know what your specific questions are, lived here most of my life and love the outdoors.  Feel free to PM or post it here.

Welcome!