Possible move from Cali (Oklahoma City, Tulsa: house, rent, lease)

[LisaMarie]

Wow thanks so much for all the information. I've been calling different apartments in Tulsa, (South Tulsa) I think one of the places we are going to focus on is Southern Tulsa. I've heard that it's real nice there. We are going to be visiting OK next month and I'm real excited. If anyone can offer any more information it's greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

[Griffis]

Originally Posted by LisaMarie

Wow thanks so much for all the information. I've been calling different apartments in Tulsa, (South Tulsa) I think one of the places we are going to focus on is Southern Tulsa. I've heard that it's real nice there. We are going to be visiting OK next month and I'm real excited. If anyone can offer any more information it's greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

I can tell you Southside Tulsa is usually more expensive. Please, when you get an address, post on here and I'll let you know about the area, if I have any experience or info. Southside T-Town does have some rough areas...there are rabbit warrens of apartment buildings around 51st-61st and Peoria that I would avoid.

South Tulsa is nice and there ARE tons of apartments around that area, but I can tell you, it is also the heaviest traffic area. Anything from about 41st to 81st between Harvard and Memorial is ghastly for traffic. The Woodland Hills Mall area (71st and Memorial) has a lot of businesses, etc., but LOTS of people hang out around there (not just the mall, but that general area) and it is a mess to get around sometimes. Also, on weekends people from Broken Arrow and other smaller towns hit that spot to go "cruising" and such.

I'm not as fond of South Tulsa because while it is clean, it all has a very new feel that lacks character to me. South Tulsa is the land of huge office parks, doctor's buildings, golf courses, country clubs and places for yuppie fashionistas and rich kids to hang out. That's fine, they just aren't "my people" really. On the other hand, LaFortune park is there (around 51st and Yale) and it is a nice park. However, some of the apartment complexes around 51st and Yale to 51st and Sheridan have some pretty questionable inhabitants. But my mother lives in an apartment of senior citizens only just north of 51st and Sheridan and it is a very nice place. The Farm shopping center is right there too and has some cool shops.

Riverside Drive, esp. from about 31st to 51st is nice and there are some apartments, but it's right on the river (cross the river and you're in West Tulsa, a separate town with it's own identity) and so is far from the center of town.

You may be right if seeking an apartment to look at South Tulsa. But personally, my favorite areas of Tulsa are Cherry Street (that district, to me, covers about 11th to 21st street between Peoria and Harvard though "actual" Cherry St. is 15th st.)...lots of cool shops, a great esoteric bookstore, neat restaurants and pubs. It's the closest Tulsa has to a sort of "Greenwich Village/Soho" district.

I also like parts of Riverside-- great park, jogging trails, always something going on with festivals and concerts it seems. But too far North on Riverside gets you close to some undesirable downtown areas and too far South it gets pretty barren.

Brookside is also real neat (as far as Tulsa goes)...it's the part of Peoria between about 21st and 41st. Woodward Park is tucked in there (Tulsa's prettiest park, bar none...lots of weddings there, rose festivals, etc. Squirrels will come right up and beg for food...)

[Griffis]

(Back with part 2 as my original post was too long)...

Now, Cherry St., Brookside and Riverside can be a little more rowdy, but it's almost always good natured play fueled by a little beer and nightlife. Nothing dangerous, just gets kinda loud at times. Quite a few bikers hang out in Brookside, but they aren't the "gang" type, just nice guys with big loud toys they like to show off. Cool people really. There are also some beautiful old residential areas in those sectors, but apartments are a little more scarce (and I'd probably avoid an apartment in Brookside.)

The area around the university is also nice, though some of the neighborhoods are a bit run down (others are very charming) and apartments aren't as plentiful, and many given over to students.

The real rough spots in Tulsa are anything north of 3rd street or Admiral, the 51st-61st section of Peoria on the west and I don't like the East Side much at all, though further Southeast is okay. More rural and estate-type living though.

I don't care for much of the area East of Yale Avenue, from about Admiral up to 41st or so, and as far East as the town goes from there. The apartments there are pretty bad areas...it's not a bad place by day but I wouldn't want to live there and the mid-area of town (21st-41st anywhere east of Sheridan gets pretty ugly and has more petty crime.

I believe downtown Tulsa has some new apartments and some of them look nice, but downtown has some very rough parts and it closes down early in the evening unless there is something going on at the PAC or something.

The downtown area around the library is really cool and the central library itself is a great institution (I worked there for years.) But after dark, downtown isn't too friendly or happening.

Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Let me know the addresses of some apartments you might be looking at. The Falls is a complex near Woodland Hills...again, bad traffic around there, but The Falls itself is (or at least used to be) a pretty cool apatment building. It's been a few years since I knew anyone who lived there, but it's pretty.

Good luck to you! DOn't hesitate to ask me questions.

[LisaMarie]

So far I have 2 apts that I'm looking at, One is on 7110 S Granite and is called Coppermill Apts and the other is on 6760 S Trenton Ave and that one is called Avondale Apts. I hope those are in decent areas, I really think they look nice and I spoke with them and it seems to be good. Please let me know and thank you very much for your insight, it helps a lot. I will let you know of any more that I look at, I will be looking at more in a little bit after I do a few things. Thanks so much.

[LisaMarie]

Another one I'm looking at is called Riverchase Apartment Homes and that addy is 7901 Riverside Drive
Tulsa, OK 74136

[nikk_knak]

Moving from Cali to OK is a very wise decision! I moved from Roseville, CA (near sacramento) in July 2005 and haven't regretted it since!
Sure, job market does kinda stink. I used to make 13.10 just as a receptionist back home, i was LUCKY to make 10.00 an hour hear. Most people make 8-9 for that kinda job..
The biggest and best perk of oklahoma is the pace of life and the people. You can actually look at someone with out them flipping you off or trying to shoot or get a lawsuit on you. It's soo much less stressful out here just because everyone isnt running around crazy like cali. I'm sure you can relate to that.
Another perk is kids. There are kids ALL over my neighborhood running around, and the are SAFE! It's great. Oklahoma is awesome!

[jessaka]

We just purchased a house in Tahlequah and will be moving there is a month. I think of all of the areas in OK you would like the eastern area for all the reasons Griffis and others gave to you.

I won't miss Target, but I will miss Costco. Although they have a Super Walmart in Tahlequah that will help. I will miss certain types of restaurants, like Greek, Indian, Vietnamese, etc. They have 4 or 5 each: Chinese and Mexican restaurants in Tahlequah, only tried one Chinese and one Mexican, and the food was bad in both. They were not the ones recommended but we were too tired of traveling and so ate close to the motel.

We paid $62,500 for a 3 bedroom 1930s traditional home on 1/2 acre on the edge of town.

The heat in September when we were there was 86 with high humidity, but it felt wonderful to me, but it told me that summers are going to be long and hot. That is what air conditioning is for. I figure I can work in the garden until the heat of the day and maybe in the late afternoon.

[FutureFormerCalifornian]

Hi there!

Well, here's another CA couple tired of the skyrocketing housing prices, 60+ minute commute to work (I work in Sacramento, DH drives the other direction to Modesto. We live in the middle.) and the downward spiral caused by las problemas de immigracion............

DH's best friend moved to OKC a few years ago. He is a systems administrator (high tech commuter nerd.) and his friend claims he can get him a job in his company (the HQ for a national company) for $60K/yr. He makes $40K now and our rent in a dump about 15 miles from where the CA Al-Qaeda cell was discovered just went up to $920/mo. This sounds too good to be true; we could actually afford to buy a house in OK!!!!!

How is the hi-tech job market in OKC in case it doesn't pan out with DH's friend? He has an AS degree in Computer Science with 10+ years experience.

I am an administrative support person with a specialty in all Microsoft Office products, especially MS Excel (I also have a BA in German and am bilingual English/German). I just started a new job for $14.00/hr in Sacramento. I could NOT find a job in Stockton that paid more than $10/hr and most required you to speak Spanish (most office-y type jobs have some connection to warehouse/production and you have to be able to communicate with the *workers*). I had no choice but to commute. My commute is about 40 miles and I leave my house @ 6:45. I'm TIIIIIIIRED of it!!! My job title is assistant buyer, but I was promoted into the position and have NO experience in purchasing. What type of money can I expect with superior computer skills, type 60 WPM? I'm also the relief receptionist. The phone rings about once every 20 seconds or 1,200 times a day.

Is it hard to find a place to rent when you have pets? We have 2 very old Chihuahuas and a kitty. Sure, DH's friend will be helping us, but I don't want to JUST have his perspective.

Last but not least, anyone know a good Reproductive Endocrinologist in OKC? We have been told the only way we will have a baby is to do IVF (in vitro fertilization - fertilized in a petri dish, put back in the womb to hatch for the pregnancy). I have heard there is a good fertility clinic in Dallas which is only 3 hours away? We have Kaiser insurance right now and IVF is not covered and we were quoted $8,500-$10K for this procedure which is a lottery ticket; it comes with no guarantees.

Sorry for the ramble. I know the weather in Cali is better, but what else am I missing? Do I have on rose colored glasses? Oh yeah, I'm an only child and my parents are in their 60s and firmly implanted in NoCal and I'd miss them immensely. =0\.

Thanks!
(@.@) Marie

[Jammie]

HI FFC, other then the fact of not being near your parents, you definitely need to check out OK. We just got back and it's very nice there. I can't tell you for sure about the cost around OKC, but in the eastern part of the state, you could definitely afford to buy a house if your DH will make 60,000 a year and you'll also have a good job. Check out Realtor.com. Housing is very reasonable there compared to many states.

[Nameless]

Housing costs in OKC are pretty much equal to Tulsa.