Moving from Arizona (Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman: high crime, houses, buy)

azbec · 10-11-2006, 09:14 PM

I need serious help. My husband and I are leaving Tucson because of the high crime (7th in the nation), massive Illegal immigration, housing prices(6th in the nation) and the garbage and air quality that was once beautiful is now just terrible. Looking into Oklahoma City or surrounding area. We don't have children so schools are not an issue, looking for a house with some land 1/2 to 1 acre that is not to far away form the city. I checked out (only on the internet) areas such as Choctaw, Midwest City, Harrah, and Moore. We'll be there in December to decide, please help by telling me the safer areas. Thanks.

LisaMarie · 10-11-2006, 10:22 PM

My husband and I will be there in November to have a look see at Southern Tulsa. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about OK and I can't wait to visit. We are really considering moving there from California, it's way toooooo expensive to live here anymore. I've heard Broken Arrow is nice too.

Nameless · 10-11-2006, 11:04 PM

There are so many options in Oklahoma City if you're not very demanding. Harrah and Choctaw are newer areas, so while amminities are coming to the area, there still isn't as much out there. Piedmont on the northwest side is only 10 - 15 minutes from everything you need, but has many, many home sites of multiple land sizes available. Areas on the west side have less trees (although coming from Tuscon you'd be used to it. Yukon also is a nice growing area, only 15 minutes west of downtown on I-40. I'd personally stay away from Midwest City, they're getting new business development. But in general it's a higher crime and more run down area. Good luck in your search and if you have any questions, I'd be glad to help.

azbec · 10-12-2006, 01:37 AM

Thanks, your the second person who told me to stay away from Midwest City. I keep looking on the MLS for houses with land and the prices seem really low, 100k or less. I'm surpised at this, we're not quite as bad as California, but you can't even buy a tin shack for 100k. I'll look into Piedmont area. Thanks.

traveling man · 10-12-2006, 07:57 AM

I am considering moving to OK to Norman or Oklahoma City. Can anyone tell me what the crime and culture is like in these areas? Thanks for the help.

jaada · 10-12-2006, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azbec

I need serious help. My husband and I are leaving Tucson because of the high crime (7th in the nation), massive Illegal immigration, housing prices(6th in the nation) and the garbage and air quality that was once beautiful is now just terrible. Looking into Oklahoma City or surrounding area. We don't have children so schools are not an issue, looking for a house with some land 1/2 to 1 acre that is not to far away form the city. I checked out (only on the internet) areas such as Choctaw, Midwest City, Harrah, and Moore. We'll be there in December to decide, please help by telling me the safer areas. Thanks.

oh my i was thinking of moving to tucson a while ago! omg its that bad? i live in yuma and from here just about anything looks good lol. but the crime is bad huh? and the pollution is real bad as well? do you get snowbirds there too? irritating!

mrote · 10-12-2006, 12:43 PM

We live in Yukon at this time. We've been there for a little over 4 years and are more than happy with the area. If you have any questions, let me know. Yukon is basically a commuter community with many people actually working in Oklahoma City.

Piedmont is nice also but is still lacking in much as far as shopping but as an earlier post mentioned, it's only about 10 minutes or so from whatever you might need. Lot of new and nice homes but it's still a small town as far as businesses and services but I'm sure that will change. Just south of Yukon is Mustang which is also a fast growing area.

All of these towns are just west of Oklahoma City.

Jammie · 10-12-2006, 12:57 PM

There are a couple of internet sites that give such good info of crime in the cities you're checking and so much more. One of them is part of this City Data Forum. If you pick your city, just type in for example,"Detailed profile of Ada OK." Maybe you've already done that.

But Sperlings Best Places also has a good site for comparisons. You can put two cities side by side and compare crime rate, cost of living, cost of housing, etc. Wow, I'm starting to be impressed to learn that there are others who are also checking out OK for their future home. We're leaving Sat. just to vacation there and see how we like it. I'm afraid I already know the answer will be that we'll love it there.

azbec · 10-12-2006, 03:33 PM

Yes, Tucson is bad. i wish I could say it isn't. The local news lead stories are usually about homicide, not just one , but a couple. The other night there were four. Crime is so high now in Tucson, it's a running joke now that your actually surprised to see your car stiill in the parking lot after leaving it there to go shopping (more than likely, somone will try to steal it). We used to have beautiful deserts, now there covered in garbage left behind by the illegal border crossers and our beautiful sunsets have been taken away by the brown pollution that hovers over the city. We have no major highway going through Tucson, so traffic is always bad, what use to take 20 minutes to go somewhere can actually turn into an hour. Oklahoma, from what I heard, will feel like a breath of fresh air.

Mattie Jo · 10-13-2006, 05:49 AM

I would suggest that you drive through different areas of OK and see what you like. coming from AZ any place in OK is beautiful. If I had not chose Tahlequah and area, we would have settled for other areas, even around OK City, although I knew I didn't like OC. I think we would have just gone further north.

We drove from CA on I-40 all the way. the skies were blue and clear, except when there were clouds. I was in awe because I had forgotten what a real sky looks like. the minute we are back in CA smog. I look outside now and I can see that even our little town has smog. even my lungs rebelled after being away fo 2 weeks.

i think if you find a small town you won't have problems. i rather wanted to stay away from souther OK due to the fire ant invasion that will reach Tahlequah one day and may not be so bad yet even in those southern areas. i say this because i have lived with fire ants in florida, and i want nothing more to do with them.