Moving to Green Country/Please Advise! (Tulsa, Broken Arrow: travel, work, housing)

[SinCity]

Many thanks for all the info. And thank you Atman for the best (and kindest) description I've gotten so far about Muskogee. No, I'm not settled on the idea of Muskogee at all and much less so after your description. It's location near everything was the only attraction that made it worth investigating further. I like cities that maintain a high level of pride, and preferrably attempts to improve and attract some growth. Tahlequa area has been the center of my attentions actually, and even though I expect my income needs to be minimal, I want to make sure to have some employment choices which I may not find there, so I must have some alternatives.

Edmond and Norman are too far west. I want to stay near the AR border and near the chain of lakes. I like the idea of being near Mo also in case my Army son happens to get stationed there periodically.

There's been little mention about the cities along Hwy 69, Hwy 82 and Oologah Lake area. Can anyone tell me about them, such as Nowata, Wagoner, Pryor and Vinita, and others along the chain of lakes or possibly towards the border of AR? I really liked Fayetteville other than it seemed to lack a town center which is why my sights changed to across the border. Of the small towns around Tahlequa, are there any that I may want to avoid?

I will put Owasso and Broken Arrow on my list of must-see. They keep coming up as nice places to live.

[jessaka]

Atman gave you a nice description of Muskogee. I will hold my tongue. At least they have a mall, and I hope that Tahlequah never does. And they have some large chain stores.

Stay away from Stillwell. It is small, run down, and a lot of poverty and drugs.

I think you said you wanted a town of 10,000. I don't know of any that would put you near Tulsa for work, outside of those that were mentioned near Tulsa. I have never been to either.

Well, I liked Wagoner better than Muskogee, but it may be too small. I also liked Locust Grover, but it is really small.
Tahlequah has a population of 14,000 but that includes the college population.

[Jammie]

I think that Pryor and Vinita would be quite a drive if you were to work in Tulsa. Not really sure where the other two towns are though. Have you checked out the Grove area? There are a few little towns around it and they're really close to Ark. It'd be too far to work in Tulsa if you were living there though. It's really a cute little town and the population is about 7,000. Not sure if that includes everyone who lives around the lake though. That was actually our fave place in eastern OK.

[eddie gein]

Claremore is about 15 K and 20 minutes from Tulsa on the turnpike. Has a small university and is an old established community. It is the town where the play "Oklahoma" takes place and has the Will Rogers museum. Route 66 runs right through town. It has some hills around the outside of town and has lots of trees.

I would pick Claremore over any of the others except Tahlequah but if distance to Tulsa is a factor then I would pick Claremore.

Next would be Pryor and then Wagoner.

Muskogee is an older town that is about 40K and has some nice spots because it was a really swanky place a long time ago. But it does have it's problems.

[SinCity]

I've done some traveling the last couple years to places I thought I was well book-read about and sold on (cities in TN and the Carolinas) and none met my expectations except for Ozarks of NW Ark. I'm so looking forward to my adventure in the Green Country.

I'm tempted to go now so that I can see for myself what real estate is high and dry. Very little has been written in the blogs about flooding except in Miami. ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS IN GREEN COUNTRY EXPERIENCING FLOODING PROBLEMS FROM ALL THE RECENT RAINS? Between some blogs and a real estate agent, I've only heard about sewers not draining well due to the rainfall and high water table. Is it further spread than that? ARE THERE AREAS YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT THAT ARE MORE PRONE TO FLOODING THAN OTHERS?

My plans were to go visit for 2 weeks in Oct. which would be time enough to close on a home purchase and maybe pay a mortgage on an empty home for only a month before moving there in Dec or Jan. Would Grove still be busy with their season in Oct or shutting things down already? I'd really like to see that town when it is in full swing. Any opinions whether I should consider making my visit earlier or later than Oct for any reason(s)?

[jessaka]

no flooding in Tahlequah.

[Jammie]

We were in Grove in mid Oct. and things were winding down. I believe we were there around the 20th and we had just missed the Pelican Festival, but it was so beautiful and peaceful there. The trees were still pretty much green and south of there, as we drove through the foothills of the Ozarks, you could see a few trees just starting to turn and a few reds in the bunch, too. I guess for the total effect, the beginning of Nov. would be a perfect time.

So since we were looking for tranquility and you're hoping to see it during the bustling season, the only thing I can tell you is that mid Oct. things are winding up for the season there.

[SinCity]

If I can get some affordable air fares, maybe I ought to do 2 trips; one in the next few weeks to get a feel for the summer humidity and tourism around Grove and the other one a bit later than planned, like Novemeber, to catch the fall colors and buy a home. Any advice about airlines and/or airports that will provide the most affordable airfares?

[Atman]

Hi again,

Sorry, I meant to reply a bit sooner but it's been crazy...I thought your comment about the Carolinas was funny...we are trying to move there ourselves....over past Greenville NC.

We haven't been to Grove in ?? 8 years ?? My folks had a cabin there. It may have been longer than that... I personally wouldn't want to live there but it sure was beautiful.
It's hard to put much stock in the recent floods. This is no average rain we've been having. We had cars floating around last week when the caney river was out. For a little while Bartlesville was cut in half. BUT last time there was anything near this was in 1986. It just doesn't happen. I guess never say never.....but we're talking severe flooding. Normal rainfall around here is nothing like this. I don't know how Grove fared.

It's hard to say much about towns in these forums. If you praise a place then you are a realtor, if you condemn it, then you are a bum. I am not a realtor and try not to be a bad person.

I have dear friends in Nowata, but ask them and they would most likely recommend you not move there. It just doesn't sound right for you. It's really small, lacks any shopping, no growth potential, and is a long ways away from any major city.

It's been awhile since Vinita. My wife has friends there. From what I remember it was clean and everyone I dealt with was extremely nice. Over 6000 people...had to look that up...Has a restaraunt there ?? Clintons/Clantons??? that serves the best breakfast in the world. It's not far from Grove and Grand lake. I'm not sure about it for an investment, however. That's really all I can say about it. There used to be a state mental hospital there, or very near there where everyone sent their patients but it's been closed down now. Now the courts have to find other places to put them.

My folk's cabin was up Horse Creek outside of Bernice OK...that's as you are going into Grove...there are some beautiful places up there. After you pass through Bernice and cross the bridge turn left and go up into the hilly area....some great properties hiding up there....

Just have fun looking around!

Also....
Make sure to goto Lupes Mexican Restaurant in Grove....man is it good...or used to be anyway....

[SinCity]

Greenville is the area I seriously considered also. OMG, it is beautiful! Compared to Tulsa, the humidty is over 20% higher but it gets less hot days and fewer cold days. which is a big bonus in my climate criteria. I think the better tax structure so nearby in TN drew me across the border before I gave NC as much time and consideration as intended. I just didn't run into any cities of size (10-20 K) that were near a nice lake or river that gave me the warm fuzzies that was ALSO near a metro I liked well. Raleigh didn't push any buttons for me. However, all large cities are hard for me to get a feel for in a short time, let alone when just driving through. I read a lot of blogs from people who moved to the Carolinas and Virginias that described miserable conditions they weren't prepared for concerning townfolk refusing to accept new blood. I can't imagine that ever happening to me (attitude is 95%) but it sure would be awful if the 5% ruled instead! Friendliness of the locals is an absolute necessity in my book, even if the new blood doesn't fit in well.

I think I've heard enough about Nowata and Vinita to know they aren't where I'd set my sights but they will be on my list of places to see, just further down the list that can be missed if I run out of time. I think I will stay in Tahlequah for about 2 weeks as a home base so it will get the majority of my time. I will definitely stop in at Lupes Restaurant if it's still there!


Where did you find your "warm and fuzzy" in NC? Is it cultural amenities you find more desirable in NC than OK? Just curious, since I worry a bit about getting back to my roots after so many years of massive amenities and recreation available 24/7. I've been living in Mesquite most of those years
(80 miles north of Vegas and 40 miles south of St George, UT) which has a population (still booming) of about 20 K and just got a hospital only 2 years ago and a WalMart a year ago. However, being a Gaming resort town, there are still a lot of amenities not normally found in a small town. What I liked about fayetteville is that the streets didn't roll up early every night.

Woops, it wasn't Greenville. It was Ashville area I checked out and loved. I didn't make it as far east as Greenville. Lots os swampland around there isn't there?