I was 18 years old, moving from a small town in Washington state to attend Arizona State University. I had visited Arizona exactly once before deciding to move here.

I barely knew anyone.

I didn’t know which neighborhoods I’d eventually love, where I’d build my career, who my lifelong friends would be, or that two decades later, Arizona would still be the place I call home.

And I definitely didn’t know I’d eventually build a career helping other people make their own move to Arizona.

From Washington to Arizona at 18

Moving to Arizona felt huge.

I was leaving the familiarity of the town where I’d grown up and moving to a place that felt completely different. Different landscape. Different weather. Different pace. And, obviously, a much bigger city.

At 18, though, I wasn’t exactly thinking about my long-term plan.

If only 18-year-old me knew she should’ve been buying Arizona real estate instead of worrying about which party we were going to that weekend. 😂

But I digress.

I went to ASU, built friendships that eventually became family, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics.

And then I realized that becoming a dietitian wasn’t quite the path I felt called to follow.

At the time, I had no idea where my career would eventually take me.

Looking back now, I think that’s one of my favorite parts of the story.

I Got to Grow Up Alongside Arizona

So much of my adult life has happened here.

Arizona is where I went to college. Where I navigated my twenties and thirties. Where I built lifelong friendships, changed careers, traveled the world and always came back home.

It’s where I built my real estate business, met my husband, and created a life that 18-year-old me couldn’t possibly have pictured when she arrived with those two suitcases.

And over those 20 years, I’ve also had a front-row seat to just how much the Valley has changed.

I’ve watched neighborhoods evolve, new communities appear, old favorites transform and entirely new pockets of the Valley become places people want to call home.

I’ve watched Scottsdale, Phoenix and the surrounding cities grow into the places I now know so intimately through both my personal life and my work in Arizona real estate.

Twenty years later, I don’t just live here.

I know Arizona.

Knowing Arizona Is Different From Just Living Here

One of the things I love most about real estate is that there isn’t one “best” place to live in Arizona.

There is only the place that’s best for you.

Someone who loves the energy, restaurants and walkability of Old Town Scottsdale may feel completely differently about a neighborhood than someone looking for quiet streets, mountain views and more space in North Scottsdale.

Someone relocating with a family may prioritize schools, commute times and community. Someone moving here for a second home might care more about lock-and-leave living, golf, restaurants or proximity to Sky Harbor.

And sometimes the neighborhood you think you want isn’t actually the one that feels like home once you’re here.

That’s where knowing the Valley beyond a map becomes incredibly valuable.

After 20 years here, I understand the nuances between the different areas because I’ve watched many of them grow and change. I know the restaurants, the coffee shops, the shortcuts, the communities and the little things you usually don’t learn from an online home search.

But I also remember what it feels like not to know any of it.

I Know What It’s Like to Move to Arizona

Maybe that’s why I have such a soft spot for people relocating here.

I know what it’s like to move to Arizona knowing almost no one, unsure of exactly what life here will look like, and eventually have it become home.

Of course, my version involved a college dorm and a pink Razr rather than a mortgage and moving truck, but that feeling of starting somewhere completely new is something I haven’t forgotten.

When you’re considering moving to Arizona, you’re usually asking questions that go far beyond bedrooms, bathrooms and price.

Where will I actually feel at home?

What is this neighborhood really like?

How far is everything?

Will I like living here year-round?

Which part of Scottsdale or Phoenix actually fits the life I want?

Those are the conversations I love having with my clients because choosing a home is only one part of a relocation.

You’re choosing your life here, too.

Twenty Years Later, I Get to Help Other People Find Their Place Here

There’s something pretty full-circle about that.

At 18, I arrived in Arizona having absolutely no idea what was ahead of me.

Twenty years later, I get to help other people arrive here with a little more certainty than I had.

Whether someone is moving across the country, across the Valley or simply trying to figure out which Arizona neighborhood feels most like them, I get to take everything I’ve learned from living here for two decades and put it to work for them.

I can tell you what’s on the MLS.

But I can also tell you what you won’t necessarily find there.

And I think both matter.

Arizona has changed enormously since August 17, 2006.

So have I.

But somehow, the place I took a chance on at 18 became the place where I built my life.

And 20 years later, I still feel incredibly lucky to call Arizona home.

Thinking About Moving to Arizona?

If you’re considering a move to Scottsdale, Phoenix, or anywhere else in the Valley, I’d love to help you figure out where you fit not just which homes check the boxes.

Whether you’re actively planning a move or you’re still in the “Could I actually see myself living in Arizona?” stage, you don’t have to have it all figured out before reaching out. Send me a message and let’s start the conversation!

Sara Dietz | REALTOR®
Compass | Scottsdale & Phoenix, Arizona