Phoenix was one of the cities we checked out before moving to Reno. But, the heat and the already overcrowdedness were a MAJOR turn off. Flagstaff was the only place I could see living in AZ, and there are no jobs there. Sedona is a paradise however. Reno is great because we still have 4 seasons but in the city proper the snow does come but rarely in heaps, unless you go up to the mountains, in which case, its great for skiing and boarding.
Aside from the extreme lack of culinary choices and the fact that there is pretty much no subculture here at all, Reno is a sweet place to live if you enjoy the outdoors.
PS - You will have some nice herping in AZ!!!