Expert: Judy Hedding - 9/16/2006

Question
Hello Judy:

Thank you very much for the information on southern Arizona. I've also did a little research on Anthem, Arizona. Unfortunately, the little information I was able to obtain was not on the favorable side. Is it a good place to raise a family? Does it have a low crime rate? I read horror stories about the 17 traffic congestion. Could you please tell me what you know about Anthem?

Thank You,

Marie
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
We are considering relocating to Oro Valley, Arizona. After doing a little research on the internet, it appears to be a small, relatively safe growing town with affordable housing. However, we are concerned about the rattlesnakes, scorpions, bobcats, etc., Is it common for rattlesnakes to be found in the interior of homes. Do people find them often in their back yards. What about bobcats & scorpions?

Thank you,

Marie

Answer -
Hello Marie,

There are certainly wild critters in the lesser developed areas of the Sonoran Desert (and even in the developed areas). The best thing to do is just what you've been doing--research. Education is the key to keeping your property as critter free as possible, being careful about leaving small pets in your yard, etc. It is rare to hear of a fatality involving rattlesnakes or scorpions, and I don't think I've ever heard of a human fatality by bobcat. That doesn't mean that the critters can't be annoying, or even cause bodily harm. I'm confident in saying, although I have no definitive statistics, that there are more injuries from bicycle riding than by bobcat or rattlesnake!

It is much more common to hear of rattlesnakes outside than inside, but it could happen that they get in through duct work and such. It just isn't quite as easy for them to get in as it is for, say, scorpions or spiders. I found an interesting article for you:
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=2117872

There are quite a few bobcats in Southern Arizona. Again, they are more a danger to small pets than to humans.
http://www.gf.state.az.us/w_c/urban_bobcat.shtml

If you are "concerned", I believe that you can enjoy living in harmony with the desert's wildlife. Some people are downright terrorized by scorpions, and, if that's the case, I'd think twice about living in a more rural desert area.

Good luck,
Judy Hedding
About Phoenix, AZ
http://phoenix.about.com

www.About.com
About.com is part of The New York Times Company  

Answer
Hello Marie,

Any comparison I may make between Oro Valley and Anthem is suspect, since I have never lived in either one! I can tell you that they are not totally dissimilar in size, but the feel will be totally different.

Anthem is basically a master planned community built within the last few years. It's like living at a country club, with amenities like pools and golf and clubs, etc. The only problems I have heard about Anthem were some builder issues, and the fact that it is pretty far out there, especially for people commuting to and from work.

Oro Valley is a town that has been incorporated since 1974, and existed before that. Living in Oro Valley would be like, well, living in a suburb of Tucson. Oro Valley is closer to Tucson than Anthem is to Phoenix. During rush hour, the traffic on I-17 is slow.

Oro Valley is at a higher elevation and will be somewhat cooler than Phoenix, maybe as much as 10°F.

Hopefully you'll be able to visit the places that you are considering, because Tucson is very different from Phoenix. If you feel that you'll be venturing into the 'big city' very often no mater where you live, that might well be your bigger consideration.

If you have more questions about this topic, the best place to get into a discussion would be the Phoenix forum. http://phoenix.about.com/mpboards.htm

You have to join to post a question, but it is free and easy to sign up. I recommend that when you ask a question, be as specific as possible; The more specific your question, the more likely you’ll get responses.

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Judy Hedding
About Phoenix, AZ
http://phoenix.about.com

www.About.com
About.com is part of The New York Times Company