Moving from Spain to Tulsa - BA - Bixby... many questions. (Broken Arrow: rent, homeowners association)

[cuquitina]

Hi!
I have just registered in this forum and glad I did so! I've got really good info from questions and answers posted.

We are a couple with 2 kids and 3 dogs, living in Spain and due to my husband's job requirements, we will probably move to OK next year.
I've been getting some information and would like to ask for a little more info about Broken Arrow.
I've also seen Bixby seems to be a nice place to live!

We are looking for a quite neighborhood, safe and nice. We are now living in a townhouse and would love to buy-rent a house with garden and if possible, swimming pool.

Could you please give me some advice about nice neighborhoods in Broken Arrow, Bixby or any other place you may consider good for raising kids and having pets?

Also, I would like to know if there are any restrictions regarding pets as here in Spain there is a max number of dogs and cats allowed per home.

I've been in the US several times, but most of our trips had RI as a destination as we've got some friends in that area and NY.
Thank you very much in advance for your time!

[Goodpasture]

Wish I could be more help, but I moved from Broken Arrow several years ago. I only wish I had a restriction on the number of dogs you could have. Right now on our place we have 11. Only 8 will make their long term home here. I don't think two or three dogs will be a problem so long as their shots are kept up, you keep control of them, and they don't bark all night and day. Oklahoma does have a kennel licensing law if you are planning on breeding them for fun or profit.

So far as a safe of quiet neighborhood, I don't think there are any in Broken Arrow that are not quiet or peaceful. But the same can be said of Jenks, Bixby, Owasso, Glenpool, or most of the rest of the bedroom communities around Tulsa.

[KayTeeD]

Goodpasture is right: the entire city of Broken Arrow is a nice neighborhood! BA has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. That said, if you were to survey the locals, they would probably identify the area right around downtown as "most dangerous", though that phrase really is relative here. The whole city is pretty quiet, and there are a lot of young families everywhere.

[Okiegirlfriend]

Before you rent or buy, check out this site.
FEMA Floodsmart

[BAGuy]

Broken Arrow has the lowest crime rates of any city in Oklahoma. This is truly a wonderful place to live.

[Sarahsez]

I lived in Broken Arrow for a few years. One thing I would do before I moved there is check out properties you want to buy in rainy weather. We found out there was a lot of flooding/water issues in our area. Our house wasn't considered to be in a flood prone area and we weren't in direct danger of flooding, but nonetheless, there were big water issues.

Our neighborhood was considered to be safe, but petty crime was becoming more common. It changed during the time we lived there. I would check out police reports to find out activity for any houses you might decide to buy. Also, you can look up sex offenders on line. It doesn't guarantee that you aren't living next to one, but at least you won't be moving in next to one that is known.

For any house you might like, I would encourage you to drive by in the morning and evenings during rush hour to see how the drive to work would be. Drive by during the day and night to see how quiet it is and how many cars are parked on the street.

Good luck. I hope you find what you are looking for.

[cuquitina]

Awww, how helpful you all are!!

I really appreciate all of these advices! Sorry it has taken so long for me to log in again to say thank you.
Hubby's future job could be located in Tulsa or Dallas, it seems by now that Dallas people is pushing a little bit more to have him there. You can imagine it's not easy to learn and do all helpful research from here. God bless internet!

As I've found some nice places like Broken Arrow, I'll take a look at Dallas forums too. You can bet I'm getting a huge headache, but also, I'm quite excited about moving to the US!

Thanks again for your kindness and help!

[travlr2010]

I think you'll find several nice neighborhoods in Bixby or Broken Arrow, but I think you should also consider mid-town Tulsa and Jenks as well, as these are closer to what you are used to in Spain. (Closer, not The Same) By that I mean you will find more walkable neighborhoods there. Most neighborhoods where you will find large gardens (we call them "yards"), and pools, will be car-dependent.

On the topic of a pool: Many houses have a pool in the backyard, and many neighborhoods have pools that are restricted to being used by residents and guests of the neighborhood. Having access to a neighborhood pool allows most of the benefits with a small fraction of the cost of upkeep since the neighborhood pools are maintained by the Homeowners Association (HOA). The downside to neighborhood pools is that some have limited hours of use, and all are shared with the entire neighborhood. Some allow residents to reserve the pool area for special events, though. So if you had family visiting, you could reserve the pool for your own use for a certain amount of time. Are you looking for a private pool, or would you consider a neighborhood pool acceptable as well?

The Tulsa area is very pet friendly - you are within the limits by having 3 dogs. You can get permits for more, if needed.

There is a lot to like in Tulsa and the surrounding communities, and many differences when compared to most cities in Spain, or even RI and NY. For instance, train travel is not common or convenient. Public transportation within the city (buses, etc.) is not as extensive, either.

Some things to consider, in addition to neighborhood amenities, are: commute times to work, new construction or older remodeled homes, square footage (square meters) required, financing (your company may be able to help with this).

On the buy vs. rent question, one of the main considerations is how long you plan to be in the Tulsa area. It sounds like this is a temporary assignment at work. If you are in a position to buy a house and live in it for a few years, then turn it into a rental, that is a good reason to buy. Otherwise, I would recommend you rent unless you plan to be in the home for 5 to 10 years.

[BAGuy]

Cuquitina, we'd love to have you in Broken Arrow if this is where you decide to move. Good luck!

[Les Pharis]

Cuqutina, one other consideration is the climate. While Dallas has milder winters, the summers are
hotter and the level of pollution is much higher. While Tulsa may reach 46 degrees C at the hottest
part of the summer, at least it will cool off overnight to around 26. Dallas will get up to around 50 and
only cool down to about 33 making it much more stressful to exercise or do outside activities. I think
most people don't realize how far north and how temperate Spain's climate is compared to the climate in the southern part of the USA.