Moving from one place to another place is always an ordeal. There's so much to get used to: new climate, new neighbors, new schools, new house, new bylaws... it can all be a little bit overwhelming. Therefore, we thought it would be helpful to do an overview of Mesa, Arizona and its differences to other places you may be relocating from. Whether you're coming off of a Mississauga real estate sale or a college apartment in Tallahassee, this may help you make the transition more smoothly.
Coming from a Big City
For those of you who are moving from a big city, perhaps after having sold your condo real estate in Toronto or giving up the lease on your apartment in New York city, the biggest adjustment you'll have to make is from bustling metropolis to quiet bedroom community. You won't find the same rowdy nightclubs, all-hours restaurants, and ethnic neighborhoods in Mesa that you're used to in your city. The population is overwhelmingly caucasian and largely well-off. If you're finding the lack of diversity and action too oppressive, you can get a fix in Phoenix, which is about a 25-35 minute drive away depending on traffic.
Coming from a Small Town
People who have just put up their Dundas homes for sale to move to Mesa will find quite a few changes between the small-town atmosphere of their former home and the sprawling suburban character of their new one. Whereas many towns are small enough that you know all the shopkeepers and public service people as well as your neighbors, Mesa's population is over 450,000 - larger than many stand-alone American cities. Though the neighborly closeness you remember can still be found in Mesa's suburban neighborhoods, you'll have more malls and community programs to choose from and also a lot more traffic to deal with.
Coming from a Cold Climate
If you're just retiring from a lucrative career selling North York homes for sale in Ontario, you're in for a bit of an adjustment. Whereas Ontario and the northern American states experience bitterly cold and snowy winters, Mesa's average temperature range from about 65F (18C) in the winter to 110F (43C) in the summer and the sun is almost always shining. You may find this invigorating or you may feel like you're about to melt. It does help, though, that Mesa's heat is dry, with none of the oppressive humidity of Great Lakes summers.
Coming from Another Country
Coming from Oshawa real estate isn't so bad as moving from Mesa's sister city in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, but life here is still different from what you're used to. Some of the most obvious changes are the lack of colored money and the transition from government-provided to private health care. The exchange rate between your home currency and the US dollar will probably reduce the amount of your savings unless you're from Europe, and driving cars here is done on the right-hand side of the road rather than the left like it is in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and many other Commonwealth countries.
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