anyone live in Prescott, AZ

[dogtrainer]

Just had a job interview near Prescott, job is about the same as the one I have now and so is the money, but I would really like to see the sun on a regular basis and not be wet all the time. Tell me what you like and don't like about it.

[pumpkinhead]

I know that's where I'm headed in about 2 years, for the same reason

[Evans, Marv]

I was thinking of retirement there, but life took a different turn. I looked at it many years ago - like 30. Then I went back several years later & there were housing tracks and shopping centers all over the place. That sort of made it a bit unattractive to me.

[R K T]

We lived there for a little over two years. I transferred my job there from SoCal. Couldn't wait for my next transfer to leave Prescott. My wifes reasons for not liking Prescott were in two years she couldn't find a job because there are so many retirees that volunteer to do everything, so businesses have no need to hire someone. She also had some health issues she didn't have before moving there. Prescott is a mile high in elevation and she had headaches from the altitude and pressure change. Most people will eventually adapt and get used to it, she didn't. We would go off the mountain down to Scottsdale and her headache would go away. Come back home up the mountain and within an hour her headache was back.
Because of the altitude, the sun is intense. Very intense. Humidity will be less than 10%. Stock up on skin moisturizer! You'll get snowed in a few times during the winter. During the late summer you'll get the monsoons. Unbelievable amounts of rain within a very short time frame.
Critters.....we had every kind of pest you can imagine. Rattlesnakes, Coyotes by the thousands, Javalina (wild pigs with an attitude), Bobcats, gigantic spiders, Centipedes, Mountain Lions, Black Bears, on and on....and the worst....Bark Scorpions. These scorpions can kill a pet or a small child, and make an adult very sick. We had two get in the house somehow. They are transparent during the day but glow at night if you shine a blacklight flashlight on them. All the neighbors would go out at night and catch them.
Bad drivers....yeah they are everywhere, but I've never seen so many as Prescott.
Photo Radar....every 1/2 mile there is a unmarked mini van with a radar camera taking your pic. As you come into Prescott valley, you see the Welcome to prescott sign, 50 yards later the radar camera takes your pic and sends you a ticket if you are 5 mph over.
Doctors.....If anything happens, good luck! The good Docs are down in Scottsdale an our away, not in Prescott.
I could keep typing, but I'll stop.

Sorry....just being honest!

[grendiers]

Holy chit, they better shut that town down now, stat! What a doom and gloom report there fella. I'm sure that represents your experience, but, how many people live there and live with it? We are one.

We just bought a big log cabin in the Walker Road area two weeks ago. Currently, we have a big house in the southern Sacramento mountains in New Mexico. The altitude here is 7200 feet, and I usually don't get used to it in the 6 months we live here. Our summer residence is in southwestern Wisconsin, 780 feet! We're putting the NM place up for sale soon, after we finish remodeling the upstairs. We're too young, both 53, to actually 'retire' to a country life, but it's boooorrrriiiinnnggg out here!

The 5300 feet or so that Prescott is at, is a lot easier to live in than 7200 feet. Our diesel 300SDL Mercedes works better as well. We're 6 miles off the beaten path, but, have zero noise or people-like intrusion. However, we bought the place because our current place is 30 miles from town. It is a half-day excursion for groceries, etc., the mountain road is slow, and, lots of law enforcement looking out for us!

If you like the mountain type of life, with something to do close by, go for it!

[R K T]

Just our experience.....your mileage may vary!

Ahhhh....Walker road. Definitely one on the positive list. I used to run the 911 up and down that road at least once a week. If you're going to live in Prescott that's not a bad area.

I don't think you can deny anything I stated as not being the case. Just the fact that someone else may not mind the critters invading your home, doctors almost killing you during a common procedure, big brother photo radar everywhere etc etc.
Everybody has to live somewhere and there is no such thing as the perfect place. We know several couples that moved to the area and already have moved on.
Like I said...just being honest....I have no reason to give it a bad rap that it didn't deserve!

[DonDavis]

I'm resisting the urge to bash on the Cali folk that have invaded Prescott but Rob's opinion is the exact thing that disgusts me. I'm sure he a nice guy and all but good grief. I go there several times a year and love it.

And if driving the posted speed limit is that much of a hassle, then maybe you should re-evaluate your priorities. Driving on public roads is a privilege. The sign says "limit" and that means "if a driver exceeds this number, they run the risk of incurring a fine".

People have thrived in rural areas without "big city" aspects for, hmm, thousands of years. Isn't it a little ridiculous when big city folk move rural, then gripe about how un-big city the rural area is?

Prescott is a great town but it's changed radically in the last 15 years. Lots of big box stores, a new hospital in Prescott Valley ( about 15 min from Prescott ), many new subdivisions with HOAs. But there are still wonderful, rural properties to be had.

Last thing, Prescott is pronounced like "biscuit", not Press-scott.

[R K T]

Good grief yourself. Visiting a few times a year is not living there fulltime!
Chris, the OP asked for opinions....I honestly stated mine.
It sounds like you don't own a Porsche or if you do....you never go over the speed limit??

[DonDavis]

I didn't say I never exceed the limit. I just don't whine about the the consequences.

[R K T]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

I didn't say I never exceed the limit. I just don't whine about the the consequences.

Could you quote where there was any whining about getting a ticket. In fact I never received a ticket in the 2+ years that we were there. Driving under constant intimidation and threat of an expensive ticket by a camera is not my idea of pleasurable driving.
Sorry I disgust you with my opinions. How do think people feel when they move into a town and people like you have the opinion that they should have stayed where they came from? All these big city outsiders have ruined our small town way of life! We moved out of the big cities because all of the people from small towns moved there!!!

[Seahawk]

The approaches to downtown Prescott are a bit of a disaster of city planning but the heart of the town is a real pleasure.

Retirees are notoriously picky and bore easily. My Father has lived in Wintergreen (near Charlottesville), DC, Oregon, Monument, Tennessee and now Fairfield, Ca.

[Rick Lee]

I get to Prescott a few times a year, usually on the bike because of the awesome twisties between there and Wickenburg and Jerome on 89A. Traffic does totally suck in Prescott. It's not even fun on a bike if you're trying to get back to I-17. The cameras have never been a problem for me, since my radar detector picks them up, even the stationary ones due to the GPS and software in my detector. I couldn't live in Prescott, but the surrounding areas are pretty nice. My folks are seriously considering doing a house swap for a summer so they can live in Jerome and see if they like it for extended periods. FYI - great gun store in Prescott called J&G Sales.

[LakeCleElum]

DogTrainer: If you live in Graham now, it's an upgrade just to get out of the rain and South Hill traffic? My wife's grandkids live in Graham. Big changes there in the last 15 years also....G'luck....

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Last thing, Prescott is pronounced like "biscuit", not Press-scott.

Anyone who would be interested in retiring to Press-scott should also check out Wickenburg. Small town, very few hassles, large lots and decent folk. And it's nowhere near as high in elevation as Press-scott.

My parents have a big place in Wickenburg for the spring, fall and winter, and a smaller place in Sho-low for when it gets too hot at home.

[DonDavis]

Sorry guys, I got a little picky. I've been in a sour mood as of late and got unjustifiably defensive.
Rob, your post was not disgusting and I apologize.

Maybe I should have exercised this thread's topic.
How many times do you start to post

[dogtrainer]

Thanks for the info, was hoping it would be a little more positive.
All the replies I got over at ADVrider.com said take the job its a great place to live.