My husband was just promoted and we will be moving to The Tulsa area. I have never been there! Where are nice places to live? We have 3 children and a modest income. Looking for low crime, clean, friendly, down to earth people. What surrounding areas would you recommend? Are allowed to live within 30 miles of Tulsa if needed (would prefer suburb) not used to a big city. Thank you in advance!!!
It would help if you tell us where you're coming from so we might be able to point you at what you're looking for. Keep in mind that the majority of the city is a suburban environment.
We are moving from a little town called Lahoma, 10 miles west of Enid, Oklahoma.
1. I'm doing a "moving to Tulsa" write up. Just decided that.
2. I grew up in a town of 60K and my wife grew up in a town of 1400, then we went to college in a town of 30K. Then moved our family to the middle of Tulsa with no ill effects at all.
Granted we were pretty worldly in that we frequently traveled to larger cities and were looking forward to living in a larger city. But remember, Tulsa is not New York, Dallas, or the like. It is a mid-sized city.
3. Where ever in Tulsa you move to, you will have a bubble of existence. Just like any town larger than 50K people you *really* only live in your little part of town. Not sure how this matters, but I surely noticed it moving to a "big" city.
With all that in mind, there are PLENTY of choices of "small towns" you can live in around Tulsa. Collinsville, Sperry, Skiatook, Wagoner, Sperry, Manford... if your husband is willing to spend 350 hours each year (14.5 days) driving 30 miles each way there are TONS of little towns you can move to. But keep in mind the cumulative time and cost (governmental rate of 50 cents per mile = $9000 in fuel and wear and tear per year) of such a commute.
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I know, not very helpful. But really the choices are plentiful if your husband really is willing to drive 30 miles per day.
Where in Tulsa will he be working? North, Downtown, South Tulsa?
[edit] PS. Congrats on the promotion![/edit]
It really depends on what you are looking for. Tulsa has a little bit of everything for everyone. If you are wanting great schools I would suggest Jenks. If you want to live close to shopping I would suggest Union. If you want to be away from everything but minutes (25-30) away from Tulsa, try Owasso or Collinsville.
If you are wanting good schools, close to Tulsa, and relatively decent shopping with easy access to highways, Jenks is good. There is also Owasso (north of Tulsa), Broken Arrow (East of Tulsa), Union (south Tulsa).
Keep in mind that certain areas are going to have higher property taxes because of the school system. If you want to know roughly how much they are check out the tulsa county asessors website at http://www.assessor.tulsacounty.org/
Click on tax estimate on the left hand side.
Hope that helps.
Make sure that you live in either Jenks or Union school districts. Your children will thank you for it.
I live in Tulsa Schools district and took my son out of the University School to attend a Tulsa Public school. Literally, he thanked me for it. Nice facilities, strong PTA, teachers that actually care and required "homework" for parents.
I wonder how many people that pass on the tidbit about TPS have ever had a student actually enrolled there.
"T" Town is a great place to live. I don't live in Tulsa now, but I have lived there and I visit Tulsa alot- I have also lived in the D/FW MetroPlex. I like west Tulsa across the river. it has old time charm and is more relaxed. South Tulsa is nice but traffic choked. My favorite area in Tulsa is the RiverSide jogging trails, since I'm a running nut. Living anyplace near RiverSide Drive is nice. Tulsa gets very cold in winter, but the summers are mild, warm and great. Welcome![:)]
My kids got into one of the Tulsa Public Schools magnet programs and we couldn't be happier. We bought a big home in east Tulsa with a beautiful lot and paid less than the national average for housing.
I filled up my vehicle with gasoline this morning and paid the lowest price in the country. Our company expanded this year and the hardest challenge is keeping employees because other companies are expanding as well. This year the new arena will open as well as a big new shopping center.
Things are going well in Tulsa right now.
Don't live in the suburbs, move into the big city. After leaving such a small town, it may take some adjusting, but you will love the excitement and variety of options you get living in a city of 400,000 and a metro area of twice that.
If you're looking for small-town feel, the west side (Red Fork, Carbondale) is good for that. Very low crime, very quiet (except for the usual trains) and the housing stock here is affordable.
Thanks for the great tips! We are now focusing on the Owasso or Broken Arrow area. Next, on the list is to find a teaching job for myself. Wish me luck! Thanks again to all that took the time to reply, I apprecite it!
I just bought a house on the west side (Red Fork, Carbondale) for $40k less than what the comparable brings in mid-town. Not bashing mid-town just more for your buck on the west side.
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Originally posted by cks511
I just bought a house on the west side (Red Fork, Carbondale) for $40k less than what the comparable brings in mid-town. Not bashing mid-town just more for your buck on the west side.
yeah....you certainly get more for your buck...though I don't think I want what you are getting.
quote:
Originally posted by cks511
I just bought a house on the west side (Red Fork, Carbondale) for $40k less than what the comparable brings in mid-town. Not bashing mid-town just more for your buck on the west side.
Welcome to Tulsa's Best Kept Secret, cks! I'm a lifelong Westsider, PM me if you want to chat about anything.
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Originally posted by inteller
quote:
Originally posted by cks511
I just bought a house on the west side (Red Fork, Carbondale) for $40k less than what the comparable brings in mid-town. Not bashing mid-town just more for your buck on the west side.
yeah....you certainly get more for your buck...though I don't think I want what you are getting.
I'm glad you feel that way, inteller. We don't want you over here anyway. NICE people live on the Westside.
Will do TM. Thanks. You can't have it interteller.
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Originally posted by phikappa5
My husband was just promoted and we will be moving to The Tulsa area. I have never been there! Where are nice places to live? We have 3 children and a modest income. Looking for low crime, clean, friendly, down to earth people. What surrounding areas would you recommend? Are allowed to live within 30 miles of Tulsa if needed (would prefer suburb) not used to a big city. Thank you in advance!!!
Owasso, take a good look at Owasso. [:D]
Broken Arrow Public Schools is a great school district that would more than meet the needs of your children. Plus, Broken Arrow is a great community to live in. I grew up here and was very pleased and went K-12 at Broken Arrow PS and had a great experience.
I bought a home in east Tulsa a few years ago after living in mid-town most of my life. I was amazed at how much further our houising dollar went. We love our neighborhood and are still conveniently close to expressways.
No need to worry about living in a big city, there isnt one around these parts. Dallas to the South KC to the North, well outside your 30 mile range. If your looking at suburbs, Jenks is starting to be the more "upscale" of the suburbs. Its very close in. If the River District actually happens as the plans show, it will be THE suburb of choice and no doubt property values will go up in the area.
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Originally posted by cannon_fodder
I wonder how many people that pass on the tidbit about TPS have ever had a student actually enrolled there.
We could have one, but we choose not to enroll him in TPS. Seems it was just last month at the school our son would have been attending that a boy was molested in the bathroom and the parents weren't even told for 2 days. Thank God he isn't in TPS.
I think a single incident could happen at any school. Tulsa Public schools, suburb schools, private schools and schools across America have had incidents.
The security at the Tulsa Public school where my kids attend is top notch. Strangers are immediately identified and confronted. I know this because I asked my mother-in-law to pick up my kids once. She described the experience as something between airport security and a Mexican prison.
The incident could happen ANYWHERE. The anecdotal evidence of the incident is meaningless.
It was not a two day response, the parents learned about it the same day. The problem was they learned about it from the news as the school neglected to contact them. They contacted the police and the police thought the school contacted the parents and visa versa. Clearly a lack of protocol, a sign of both a lack of preparation for such an event, a lack of thought, and also a lack of repetition (read: isolated incident).
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1107/470810.html
I'd be willing to bet someone could walk into many schools, head directly for the bathroom, and grab some little girl - in nearly any school. My sons TPS school has their doors locked and you have to be buzzed in during hours from the front office. But you could probably flag some kid to open a back door or otherwise wedge something in the latch if you truely wanted to be a horrible person. Public institutions of any kind (airports, courthouses and schools...) can deter criminal and dangerous behavior but they can not prevent it.
If you care, they caught the guy and have the whole story:
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1107/471303.html
He was an uncle a student in the school and was properly buzzed in to visit with a teacher. So unless you are going to accompany every parent to the bathroom this would have been nearly impossible to prevent. Then what about janitors , contractors, or teachers - this guy had a clean record. Or do we just run our schools like prisons to protect the children.
Basically, if this is your reason to avoid TPS, you're just kidding yourself.
actually, we home school. That incident would be very UNlikely to occur in our environment. And this incident and the illustration of security being like a mexican prison for a mother-in-law to pick-up her grandkids just validates our decision.
I'm not saying that TPS should be expected to do things any differently, given what they have to work with, but I feel my kids are too good to have to put up with all that garbage.
I feel my kid's education is not garbage, he has yet to be molested, and that he needs to be socialized in an open (read not strictly controlled) setting. I can always teach my kid math if I need to, but it is impossible to teach socialization.
What's more, I've been very pleased with his education. I have specifically raised my son, to the surprise of no one here, to be inquisitive, solve problems on his own, and not necessarily accept answers at face value. In spite of the annoyance of that at times and the occasional difficulty (boy, while I find your idea interesting... you're just wrong) it really helps him learn. I honestly strive to get his take on things instead of telling him how to think (unless he is clearly wrong: ie. you do NOT hit animals, be mean, cheat, etc.). What he does not learn in school or areas he needs additional education, I am willing and able to help him with.
On top of all that, conflict often ensues if I'm with anyone 24/7 for too long. My best friend, my wife, my dogs... or my son.
and FYI, most molestations take place in the child's home or at another location they feel secure, and the most likely culprit is a relative or family friend. So keeping him away from school is a dubious solution to that problem. Not that your child is at any more risk or that your home is not safe, just saying statistically the home is not a molestation free zone.
Sorry if I am being defensive, but by your own admission you were unaware of the circumstances of which you complained and have no additional experience with the entity you are complaining about. Really trying not to sound like I'm on the attack, but I've always been curious why people choose to home school?
I would love to home school.
I don't feel qualified and I also know it is important to have outside friends and influences in my kid's life. I protect them all I can and know each of their friends and their friend's familiies.
The Tulsa Public School system has been great for my kids. We got into the right school and feel part of a family there.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
Sorry if I am being defensive, but by your own admission you were unaware of the circumstances of which you complained and have no additional experience with the entity you are complaining about. Really trying not to sound like I'm on the attack, but I've always been curious why people choose to home school?
Not saying his education is garbage, but all the things that go along with it. My cousin went to the same TPS schools that my son would be in based on where we live. Maybe your son hasn't encountered it, and good for him if so, but she will admit the presence of drugs, teen sex and prenancy, etc which I never encountered in my own Christian school education (well, the pregnancy thing once, but I was never offered drugs or alcohol and never had sex myself during high school). That is one reason we chose to home school. Another is his specific personality. He is a rather hyper but very bright kid who gets bored easily because his lessons are so easy for him. He gets other opportunities to socialize, but he has a hard time learning in a crowd. His Sunday school teacher from last year is a public school principal and he told us that home school is probably the best thing we could do for him at this point.
Also, saying that a home is the most likely place a child will be molested is a meaningless statistic. It is like saying that a particular marriage has a 50% chance of divorce (it depends on the spouses, histories, parents histories, backgrounds and other factors).
Homes, relatives, and friends vary widely from one to another, but ultimately, I have significant control over what goes on there. Not that it is entirely safe, but I am responsible for who enters my home and who spends time with my kids (not just anyone). In other situations, my kid would be just as likely to be molested as the next kid. Statistically, maybe less so than at a generic "home", but since I have no direct control there that creates a risk I am not comfortable with.
In Sunday School however, I feel somewhat safe that something will not happen to him such as happened at TPS, at least not in the bathroom. The kids use their own bathrooms which don't even have a doors, making it easier to monitor. There is a separate one-holer for adults which locks - so even if a kid used that one, he could lock out a potential molester.