If you want to move to Bullhead City AZ 86442, you will be in good company.
Many relocations to our area and even more vacation and seasonal residents’ transactions start happening in Fall when the weather starts to mellow.
And every second Summer, the mistake-makers–those whose buyer (often dual) agents were masters of the ‘panic sell’ and bought wrong, wrong, wrong–come crying that they need to move back ‘home’–or anywhere else.
Upside down as all get out at worst case. Losing money or just breaking even at best.
Living in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave 86426 and Mohave Valley 86440 is GREAT. This Southern California transplant made the move in 1993 and never looked back.
BUT – we came for a 4 month leave of absence from our jobs in LA and rented until we were sure.
Before you buy, you will need to be clued in to the basic and immutable truths about our area.
1. Bullhead City is REALLY HOT in Summer (can be nearly 130 on some days! And it does NOT cool down at night so temperatures are often still over 100 for a low in mid July). And you know all the jokes about it being a ‘dry heat’? That’s ‘mostly’ true. BUT, during our ‘monsoon season’ the humidity cranks up and you’ll think you’re in Florida or New Jersey. Except hotter.
2. Bullhead City can get COLD in Winter. We are the desert! We don’t get snow. But it gets cold! If you are buying a Summer place, you will need to take precautions against freezing plumbing–a chief cause of water damage.
3. Bullhead City jobs are mostly ‘service industry’ related. Arizona is a ‘right to work’ state and our casinos (major source of employment) often won’t get you better than a 30k annual salary including tips unless you make it to upper management.
3. Our way of life is a lot SLOWER PACED than our LA, CA or Las Vegas counterparts. Some can’t deal with how ‘country’ we still are.
4. If you are inclined to overindulge in food, drink or gambling, Bullhead City, with its 24 hour casinos and bars within a 10 minute drive, could very well be your downfall.
5. We have critters–sun spiders as big as your hand–scorpions–rattlesnakes–coyotes–mountain lions. You won’t see ‘most’ of those in the suburbs–and I personally own stock in the pest control company! But move onto a 10 acre ranch at the foot of the Black Mountains? DUH!
So PLEASE, investigate this area well before settling on it. I won’t be crushed that you decided not to rush forward on what might be an unwise move. Some people SHOULD rent. And we have rentals as well as sales.
HOWEVER, if you think this may be the place for you–and it is a WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, FUN place for those who understand 1 – 5 above– here’s a REALLY SMART PLAN:
- Arrange for a ‘reconnaissance mission‘ trip prior to any property touring to cruise the area solo. That way, you can really figure out what areas you are attracted to without distraction, and at your own pace. Listings, maps, directions, not a problem. Just ask.
- Visit our area in Summer — and in Winter.
- Second reconnaissance mission will be with me. We’ll see some representative properties in areas you’ve found of interest. No pressure.
- Get your financing in order. If you are making a job transfer for instance, you may need to rent for a bit first to qualify while you ‘settle in’ to your new position. And loan professionals are not all created alike. I know who the great ones are–and who they aren’t. Ask me before you start clicking around online!
- When you are certain you like our area and can handle the extremes of heat and cold, slower pace than big city living and the occasional unwanted ‘critter’, we make an appointment and see a list of the properties that fit your criteria BEST just prior to making your OFFER to PURCHASE.
- Let me EDUCATE you about the PROCESS of buying property in AZ, so you enter into your TRANSACTION comfortably, confident that you’re making a sound DECISION.
Remember that working with your real estate broker is a team effort:
YOU, preapproved or funds-ready, knowing what to expect from our area PROPERTIES, ready to work together toward this common goal.
And ME, ready to share my MARKET KNOWLEDGE and BUYING or SELLING STRATEGIES with you as a CLIENT.
You may not know it, but you just got a little bit LUCKIER. Because
LUCK = Laboring Under Correct Knowledge!
But Move to Fort Mohave and you will rarely experience cold or wet weather. Snow doesn’t happen here (I’m not saying it’s impossible but after 16 years of living here, I saw it come close only once–and it evaporated before hitting the ground) Fort Mohave AZ temperatures average in the 60s in winter to 110s in summer and our precipitation is annually just under an inch. Humidity sits at a comfy 5% except during the few weeks of Arizona’s monsoon season in late Summer.
