Learn More About Phoenix, Arizona
Background on Phoenix
Phoenix is the capital of Arizona and the most populated part of the entire state. As of 2017 there were almost 1.7 million people living in Phoenix making it the fifth most populated city in the nation. It is also the most populated United States capital. Phoenix is known as the “Valley of the Sun” due to its location in the Salt River Valley. It is also the anchor of the Phoenix Metro area. Phoenix is part of Maricopa County and is almost 518 square miles in size making it one of the largest cities in the United States. The city became incorporated on February 25th 1881. There are mountains around the city but besides that Phoenix is mostly flat land which allows for much wider roadways. One of the most interesting things about Phoenix is that daylight savings time is not observed here like it is in the rest of the United States. Governor Jack Williams was the man that made the argument to get rid of daylight savings time. The main reason being that he did not like the idea children having to go to school in the dark.
Areas of Phoenix
Phoenix is broken up into what is known as urban villages. This started back in 1979. Each village has its own planning committee that is appointed to them by the city council. Each village has something different to offer but the main goal within each village is to create a balance of employment and housing as well as promote the unique qualities that each village has to offer. The 15 villages are as follows. South Mountain, Paradise Valley, Deer Valley, Central City, Rio Vista, North Gateway, Encanto, North Mountain, Maryvale, Estrella, Ahwatukee Foothills, Camelback East, Alhambra, Desert View and Laveen. Besides these urban villages there are other areas of Phoenix such as Midtown, Uptown, Downtown, North Phoenix, West Phoenix, South Phoenix, Arcadia, Sunnyslope and finally the Biltmore Area. Each area in Phoenix offers something different and the real estate available in these areas varies.
Climate in Phoenix
The climate in Phoenix is a what is known as a hot desert climate. This city is known for its long, hot summers and very short and often times warm winters. This city also receives the most sunshine of any major city on Earth. It shouldn’t come as a shock that Phoenix experiences more than 100 days of temperatures that reach 100 degrees or more. The hottest times here are between May and October. Phoenix averages roughly 300 days of sunshine per year and does not receive a lot of rain fall. However, when the weather does take a dip down into the low 30’s (which is a rare occurrence) snow can fall here. It does not happen often, but it has happened a few times in the past.
Economy in Phoenix
A survey was taken back in 2014 and found that the Gross Domestic Product, better known as the GDP in Phoenix was a little more than $215 billion. A breakdown was given of the top five highest grossing industries. Not surprising that the real estate market came in first place with $35.5 billion, Finance came in second with almost $19 billion, manufacturing came in third with just over $18 billion, retail came in fourth with more than $16.6 billion and finally the health care industry came in fifth with just around $16.6 billion.
Things to do in Phoenix
The most popular thing to do in Phoenix is to get out and enjoy nature. There are tons of outdoor activities to do here. You can take a trip to The Phoenix Zoo which is the largest privately owned not for profit zoo in the entire United States. Located next to the zoo is the Phoenix Botanical Gardens which has many exhibits and educational programs for kids and adults alike. This garden is also home to the largest collection of arid plants in the United States. You can also take a trip to Mystery Castle, Phoenix Mountains Park, Pueblo Grande Museum or Camelback Mountain. There is so much to do here that you might just have a hard time deciding which place to pick first.
Real Estate in Phoenix
The real estate market here in Phoenix is quite expansive. There are so many homes for sale here and the housing styles vary from urban village to urban village. You will find that the Ranch style home is the prominent style of house here regardless of what village you choose to live in. But there are also Pueblo and Santa Barbara/Tuscan styles homes found here as well as Traditional and Contemporary.
