I have lived in the Scottsdale area for most of my life. I moved here in 1976 with my family from the east coast. Adjusting to a lack of seasons and hot summers was a little rough at first I admit, but it did not take me long to figure out that swimming in October and not having to bundle up in 6 layers just to go to school was pretty great. So I give to you 30 years of reasons why to live in the Scottsdale area.
1. Let’s start with the obvious: 334 days of sunshine a year. I travel quite a bit, and I admit I do look forward to going places where there will be rain or snow in the forecast, for a change. But usually after 2 or 3 days of rain, snow and clouds, I am done with it and develop a whole new appreciation of how much I love living in place where the sun shines.
2. Speaking of lots of sun, that brings me to endless outdoor activities. I am a horse lover, and I love that I can ride my horse any time of the day outside from September to May. I also enjoy hiking, and if you go early enough in the morning, you can do that year round. My family and I also enjoy boating, which we can do year round on any of the many lakes that are within 30 minutes of our home.
3. If you love golf, I don’t think there is a better place than Scottsdale. There are over 100 golf courses just in the Scottsdale area alone. If you don’t like to play golf but like to watch it, then hit the Waste Management Open at the TPC every January.
4. Even if you don’t love to shop, you can’t help but at least like it when living in Scottsdale. Some of the best shopping in the country is located right here in our town. For starters, try Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter.
5. Not into shopping? No problem. Maybe you are a foodie. If so, then Scottsdale is your place. The restaurants are plentiful. In Kierland and Scottsdale Quarter alone there are over twenty restaurants to choose from. If you choose to go beyond there (but you really don’t need to) the possibilities are endless.
6. Clean and spacious. With lots of wide-open space and clean streets, sidewalks, and parks it’s nice to spend time outdoors in any Scottsdale park or neighborhood.
7. Professional sports teams. Diamondback baseball in the spring/summer/fall, Cardinals football in the fall/winter, Suns basketball in the winter/spring and Coyotes hockey in the winter. Need I say more?
8. Easy commutes. If you have ever lived or traveled to other large cities, you know what I am talking about. It’s so easy to get around in Scottsdale, with relatively little traffic.
9. Cost of living. Believe it or not, its cheaper to live in Scottsdale then in many other cities. Taxes are low, groceries are affordable and buying a home is reasonable compared to other large metropolitan areas.
10. Positive economic climate. Compared to other parts of the country, Scottsdale is still a vibrant economy, and a real estate market moving in a positive direction.
