TOP 10 REASONS WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE TO LIVE IN ARIZONA

– By: Maria Hass

If you are looking for great quality of life at an affordable price, you need look no further than Arizona. Here are 10 great reasons why Arizona is gaining popularity as a place to work, live and raise a family.

1. Cost of Living – A report by Findthebest.com shows that the cost of living index in the Phoenix metro area is 99, which is lower than the national average of 100. Las Vegas, Nevada’s cost of living index is 105; Reno is 103. For comparison, New York City’s index is 155, Denver, CO, is 121 and Portland, OR, is 108. The cost of living index factors in the cost of food, transportation, healthcare, housing, taxes, goods and services.
2. Home Prices – Home values in Phoenix are relatively affordable than most cities. Although every location is different, the general price per square foot range of homes in Metro Phoenix range from $81 per square foot in Laveen to $341 per square foot in the exclusive Paradise Valley area.

3. Quality of Life and outdoor fun – Arizona offers great quality of life for an affordable price. It offers a diverse selection of dining, relaxation, sporting events, community events, shopping, parks and recreation, academic opportunities comparable to other major cities, but at a lower cost. Phoenix is the golf capital of the nation. Hiking, biking, boating, picnicking, tennis, and swimming are among the outdoor activities offered thanks to outstanding facilities located throughout Metro Phoenix.

4. Well-planned Roads and Bridges – Arizona’s streets, freeways and bridges are among the finest in design and functionality. The roads are well-maintained and in good condition. Road infrastructure is regularly built ahead of the need.

5. Jobs – WalletHub.com ranks Phoenix No. 14 and Mesa No 9 on new list of The Best Cities to Find a Job in the United States. “Now Hiring” signs are everywhere. More businesses are moving to Arizona and it’s gaining attention.

6. Professional Sports Teams – Phoenix is home to the Cardinals football team, Diamondbacks baseball team, Phoenix Suns basketball team and Arizona Coyotes hockey team. Additional sports include the Phoenix Mercury women’s professional basketball team and the champion Arizona Rattlers arena football team.

7. Diversity– Arizona is home to a diverse population of ethnic backgrounds and age groups. There are many active adult communities on the west and east side of the Valley of the Sun. Arizona ranked among top 20 states for minorities. KTAR.com reported that the Gallup poll ranked Arizona 16 with 84 percent of Arizonans saying the state is a good place for minorities. Hawaii was number 1 followed by Texas, Alaska, New Jersey and New Mexico.

8. Natural Disaster Free Zone – Arizona unlike other States is not visited by tornadoes, earthquake snow, hurricane and typhoons. No wonder it is a great place for retirees or anyone who cares about staying safe. For people with arthritis, the warm weather is a great way to keep their illness from swelling.

9. Wholesome Family Living – City parks and recreation facilities are available at low or no cost for active families. Arizona supports academic pursuits and strong family values.

10. Low Property Tax – Property taxes in Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix metro area, range from 1 percent to 1.5 percent of a home’s value. These are among the lowest property tax rates in the nation.

Why Are Chandler and Gilbert Among The Best Places to Live?

by: Maria Hass

There are several good reasons why Chandler and Gilbert, Arizona, are two of the best places to live in the United States.

First, the Movoto Real Estate Blog has ranked Gilbert and Chandler as the third and tenth safest suburbs and safest mid-sized cities in the country. (Irvine, CA, was ranked No. 1.) The Movoto report was based on a list of 100 most populous cities and crime statistics were considered.

Second, Chandler Regional Hospital was recently named one of America’s 100 best hospitals by Healthgrades, an online resource with comprehensive information on physicians and hospitals. This award recognizes clinical excellence that translates to more lives being saved.

Third, Chandler/Gilbert Community College (CGCC) was named to the U.S. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction — one of only six community colleges in the nation to receive such an honor. The selection was based on service projects, student population, and opportunities for academic service-learning courses.

To better understand what the City of Chandler and Town of Gilbert offer, one can look to the various awards received by the cities recognizing their successes through the years.

Recent Awards Received by the City of Chandler:

•International Right of Way Association – Kachina Chapter: 2013 Employer of the Year
•fDi Intelligence.com: 2013-13 American Cities of the Future Awards – Top Mid-sized Cities, Economic Potential – 6th Place; Human Resources – 3rd Place.
•BusinessInsider.com: 2013 9th Safest City in America
•The Daily Beast/U.S. News: 2013 12th Most Thriving City in the U.S.
•WallStreet 24/7: Best Run Cities – 2013, 12th Place; 2012, 9th Place.
•NerdWallet.com: 2013 Best Arizona Towns for Young Families, 5th Place.
•Movoto.com: 2013 America’s Most Saintly Cities, 6th Place
•Law Street Media: 2013 11th Safest City in America, population 200,000+
•American Express Open Forum: 2012 4th Best Place in U.S. for Tech Startups
•Money Magazine: 2012 Best Places to Live (50th)
•America’s Promise Alliance: 2011 100 Best Cities for Young People (5-time winner)
•Valley Forward Association: Crescordia Awards – City Hall and Downtown Redevelopment Plan, 2011
•National League of Cities: 2010 All-American City
•America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth: 100 Best Communities for Young People
•Money Magazine: 2008 Top 100 Best Places to Live
•AARP Magazine: 2007 Top 5 Places to Live
•Prevention Magazine: 2007 Top 10 Best Fitness Walking Cities

Recent Awards Received by the Town of Gilbert:

•33rd Best Place to Live in the United States (CNN/Money Magazine, 2012)
•2nd Safest City in the United States (Law Street Media, 2013)
•8th Most Thriving City in the United States (The Daily Beast, 2013)
•Fastest Growing City in Arizona (Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, 2013)
•2nd Best City in Arizona (Movoto, 2013)
•Playful City USA – 7-Time Honoree (KaBoom!, 2013)
•Tree City USA (National Arbor Day Foundation, 2013)
•Bicycle Friendly Community (League of American Bicyclists, 2013)
•41st Best City to Live in the United States (Businessweek.com, 2011)
•Top Places in the Nation to Live and Learn (GreatSchools.org, 2010)
•Lowest Poverty Rate of 3.8 % among Arizona cities with a population of 100,000 or greater (U.S. Census Bureau, Phoenix Business Journal)
•Cosmo Dog Park – Ranked 4th best dog park in the United States (Dog Fancy Magazine, 2010)
•2011 recipient of the Freedom Award, the highest recognition given by the U.S. Secretary of Defense to organizations for the support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve
•Gilbert Classical Academy ranks 28th in Best-Schools List (U.S. News & World Report, 2013)
•Gilbert Classical Academy ranked in top five high schools in Arizona by SAT Score

Things are looking up in South Chandler!

by Maria Hass
South Chandler, which borders the 202 San Tan Freeway to the north, Loop 101 to the west, Hunt Highway to the south and Val Vista Drive to the east, is attracting a lot of attention from retailers, real estate developers, consumers, business employers and community, according to a recent story in The Arizona Republic.

LA Fitness, a 38,000 square-foot health club facility recently opened the doors to its newest Arizona facility at Arizona and Ocotillo Roads in South Chandler. The business owners have been eyeing this location as a prime location for growth, owing to its population and promising economy. South Chandler is a sought after location for families, businesses and investors for the following reasons.
1. The Chandler School District has many excelling schools, attracting families with higher educational aspirations for their families.
2. The business district comprising of big employers like Intel, Orbital is expanding in South Chandler.
3. Real estate developers are finding more land to build on in South Chandler and the average income of South Chandler residents is higher than the average Arizona resident.
4. The Chandler City Council is moving to convert designated commercial land to residential land in order to increase population. This will increase consumer spending, which is good for business and tax revenue for the city.
5. Chandler is currently one of the top cities in the Valley for home sales. Many people choose Chandler because it provides a great quality of life at an affordable cost.
For the full Arizona Republic story about new businesses moving to South Chandler, go to http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/chandler/2014/05/02/south-chandler-growth-retail-restaurants/8633455/