Nine Things You Need to Know Before Moving to Phoenix Arizona

Nine Things You Need to Know Before Moving to Phoenix ArizonaPhoto byKelly Cook

What are the nine things to know before moving to Phoenix? We’re here to talk about everything Phoenix and what it looks like to live in the 5th largest metropolitan area. Now, let’s start this list with everything you should know!

To kick it off, car registration is more expensive to register your car in Arizona than in most states across the United States, but don’t let that scare you. If you’re into crunching numbers, it’s about two dollars and 80 cents for a new car out of 100, so it comes in at 2.8 percent. The nice thing about cars is that they are a depreciated asset, so over time, you’ll end up paying less for the car registration. The 2nd thing to know before moving to Phoenix is that you live in the desert. Even though this is a given, the Sonoran Desert is one of the few deserts in the entire world that has cacti, specifically saguaros here in Arizona. With the desert comes creepy crawlies and other animals that are out of the ordinary for other states. Here’s a little piece of advice, do not pet the coyotes or javelina – also known as desert pigs. They may look friendly and all, but they will bite you. Watch out for your small dogs or even cats in the backyard of your home because they could jump the fence. Scorpions, as you all know, are very common in the desert. They are typically in the more mountainous areas but having consistent pest control is the key to keeping them away. The 3rd thing to know before moving to Phoenix is that pools are the move when you reside here. The summertime gets hot, and you will most likely want a pool or to have access to a pool. The average pool right now use to start around $30,000 but because of the increase of supply and demand, those pools run upward to $50,000. The advantage of that is you can roll the cost right into your mortgage loan at 3-4% and it will become subsidized.

The 4th thing to know before moving to Phoenix is that the commute time is extremely spread out. Being one of the largest cities in the entire country per square mile, everything will be about 20 minutes away or more. Buying an energy-efficient car is a popular thing to do, especially living in large metropolitan areas or saving more money long term. The 5th factor to living in Arizona is the overall cost of utilities. In Phoenix, they are not badly ranked in comparison to other states. Living in a state with plenty of sunshine means solar panels are huge. One reason you may want to consider, is you’re able to lock in on a 20-year lease or maybe a 20-year purchase contract when you buy your next home. Having a solar system may be a big plus, as homes down here are built very energy efficient. Other than that, electric companies allow you to have a monthly equalizer plan, so you’ll be able to pay the same amount monthly every single year. The 6th thing to know before moving to Phoenix is how amazing the food scene is. The food scene here has an amazing variety of options, from Mexican, Middle Eastern, Italian, and so on. I mean, you must try the Mexican food! The cool thing about dining in the Valley is the ambiance standpoint to have the indoor and outdoor dining feel for 7 to 8 months out of the year. And the wait staff is very friendly!

The 7th thing to know before moving to Phoenix is the plethora of options kids have for schooling systems. Now, it’s no secret that Arizona on the public school system scale doesn’t have the best ratings in the country, however, there are some niche great public-school systems with higher ratings. You got to do your research to see which one will fit best if you have kids. Just to name a few, you got the Scottsdale Unified School District, the Paradise Valley Unified School District, the Kyrene School District, etc. There are a lot of options when it comes to private schools or charter schools. The unique thing about Arizona is the Arizona private school tuition tax credit. What that allows you to do is donate part of your state income tax to pay for a student’s education at a private school. On to the 8th important thing to know before moving is the housing. Housing will likely be your biggest expense in terms of cost of living, but the median price point of all homes in Maricopa County is $385,000. It’s rare to find homes at that price point in the Scottsdale area, but Chandler, Buckeye, and across the valley has different pricing for homes. Lastly, the 9th thing to know before moving to Phoenix is the lifestyle of living here. There are so many different things down here in Phoenix they have to offer, that’s right, from indoor to outdoor, to entertainment, the cultures, the arts, etc is located right in your backyard. It’s very easy to get the family out and about to do whatever y’all like to do. The Phoenix valley has it all.

Kelly Cook has been a licensed Realtor in the Phoenix Valley for over 18 years and is the Team Lead of Cook & Associates Real Estate Advisors! Kelly Cook and his team of 25+ agents can be reached through email at info@cookandassociatesaz.com or by phone at (480)442-9868. Visit our website at www.myhomevaluecalculator.com to find out your home’s value.