Possible move from Cali (Tulsa, Norman: house, rent, income)

[Grayghost]

One more thing if we dont grow peanuts its news to me.Corn,soy beans,winter wheat,Maize and milo. Bambi like these crops along with our acorns in NE Oklahoma.

[LisaMarie]

Well we just got back from our trip out to OK and we visited Tulsa, OKC and Norman. We loved OK so much that we decided that the begining of next year we will be moving to Norman, we found a really nice area and a nice place to call home. I thank everyone that has helped me with information and so forth.

[Synopsis]

Congratulations on finding what you like Lisa. I hope you're very happy in your new home.

[d.rice]

im thinking of making a move from youngstown ohio to shawnee. my best friend lives there an i think its time for a change of scenerie.
im looking to escape the violence thats become a regular part of life here. an thats saying alot. i grew up in east los angeles an moved to ohio for college thinking after growing up white on east 31st street how bad could ohio be? really? now im sitting here sore from the cold an nine different bullet holes in my body, including 2 in the face im thinking who ever wrote the recruitment guide to ysu forget to include that it was the murder capital of the usa.
this forums been really informative, an has influinced me to look there seriously. i like the idea of more peanuts than gang members, more corn than murders.

[gonefishing]

Originally Posted by LisaMarie

Well before I've lived here in Cali, I lived in Pennsylvania for 25 years of my life and I know all about humidity and it doesn't really bother me at all, I'm used to it. As far as tornados go, well I can handle that too. I've been through an earthquake and a tornado already and I didn't like the earthquake too much at all.

As far as bugs go, well they're all over the place..never gonna get away from them. Snakes, well I hate snakes, but just have to keep my eyes peeled for them..lol.

Drunks and Druggies, well they are like bugs, all over the place, never gonna get rid of them...That's why I'm doing my searching on the city/cities we like, and so far I haven't seen any problems, schools are great and the area has low crime and so on.

And now for those church going backstabbers, well that just described my aunt...she claims she's soooo religious but she'll flip ya off in an instant...and she has no problem talking about ya behind your back and many people are like that, so it is what it is.

Job market, well my husband has a great job lined up already though the company he's with now, so that's not a problem.

We've looked all over the place and OK was the only one that really struck us as being a great place to call home, so we are going there next month to look at some apts and get a feel for the area. I've had enough of LA and I'm talking Southern LA (Compton)...where there's nothing but crime and drugs, and drunks.

What a great attitude! I hope you love it in Oklahoma. With your positive outlook I'm sure you'd have been welcome anywhere.

[jessaka]

Thank you for once telling me that Tahlequah was one of the nicest areas in Oklahoma.

We moved here in November just in time for the first snow. It was truly wonderful. Then came the ice storm, and it was beautiful. We moved our car just in time, because a half hour later branches fell from trees and would have hit the car. We were without electricity for 8 days, but my husband bought a generator the first day. It was actually beautiful to see icicles dripping from the trees, and I enjoyed the eight days.

Our second snow just melted, and we had a rather nice warm windy day yesterday. It reminded me of the Santa Ana winds of California, but I didn't have an allergy attack like I did in CA, being that I was allergic to Iron Weed that grows in the deserts of California. I used to get so sick and tired then.

I joined the Unitarian Church to get away from having to deal with Bible thumpers. I have yet to find real friends here. Only time will tell. I don't have neighbors so that creates a problem, but then agian, maybe it doesn't since they could be Bible thumpers.

I just love it here, but again, I am new. Being older I don't desire or need a lot of culture, but I do understand that they have plays here.

What I do desire and miss is the fact that there are no really nice shopping areas. I went to Utica Square in Tulsa and isn't wasn't nice enough to desire to return, nor was Woodward Park. If you have lived in San Diego where they have Balboa Park or been to San Francisco's Golden Gate park, the park in Tulsa is nothing. Californians who have lived in big cities have really been spoiled. I even drove to Fayetteville to see if they had shopping in their old historic downtown. Nope. I didn't want a mall but understand that they have a rather nice one. I saw photos of the town of Gutherie, and that is what I wish we had here in Tahlequah--historic buildings with neat shopping. So this year for Christmas shopping, I had to get catalogs since the stores here didn't provide what I needed. As a women, I can tell you that it is not the same.

I also miss having nice restaurants. I understand that Muskogee's China King and Red Lobster are good, but I don't call those nice restaurants as I prefer East Indian, Vietnamese, Mediterranean , etc. I did try and liked the Indian tacos that they have here in Tahlequah. And Starbucks just opened up here. That is pretty nice, but I am not a coffee drinker. If they had a Barnes and Noble wrapped around it, I would be much happier.

But I would not give up my 1/2 acre with 1/4 of it wooden, nor the town and the friendly people for California. By the way, I used to live in San Diego County as well as the Bay Area of San Francisco. I hated driving in both areas, and found myself more homebound than desired as I grew older unless I could get a friend or relative to drive me to those places, not that I didn't drive to them myself, but due to the traffic it was like pulling teeth to get myself out. Here there is no traffic. Sometimes I drive into a small town and wonder if I missed something, such as, is the town going to be invaded and so the people left? Tahlequah has its traffic, but it is nothing. And there was no country in San Diego or San Francisco. If you wanted to drive out into the country you had to fight traffic for hours in San Francisco to get there and hours to get back, in San Diego maybe an hour. If I want country here, it takes me 3 minutes to get to the edge of town and into the country, which by the way is beautiful with its forests, rivers, and lakes.

I have not met the bugs yet. I suppose they come in spring. I happen to love bugs, except for mosquitoes, so I can't wait to see the fireflies again. I used to live in Mississippi for a while and just loved them. And I live on a migragory bird route. Loving birds it is so wonderful to see the different varieties. Plus nearby the eagles are nesting. I have yet to go see them or the Elk refuge.

I will dread the summer because I know that the humidity cna really get to me as it did when I lived in Mississippi. We do have an air conditioner, but I hate that type of air and would prefer a swamp cooler, but it will be swampy enough here, and so I hope to not have to use it much.

I know that this area doesn't have the tornadoes that the plains area have, so I don't know if I will be worried about them. I do fear earthquakes and hurricanes, having been through some myself. I guess there is really no safe place to live.

Will I really miss California in a year. Probably, unless I can find a nice town in which to shop. Someone told me to go to Van Buren, Arkansas, which is about an hour from here.

So often when I want to go shopping, I end up at Walmarts or Reasor's which has just about everything in food. Or I go to the antique stores.

[ukyankee]

Hello,
I have been living outside London in the UK for the last 3 years. I moved here from McLoud OK and I can't wait to get back. I have a small 3 bedroom house on 2.5 pretty acres. I pay less to maintain my mortgage in OK than I do for a tiny one room bed-sit here. You want to talk traffic? The local roads are two lanes, no shoulders and none of them run in a straight line. Major traffic jams are a daily occurance. I wanted adventure and the opportunity to travel. I have found out that OK is actually a good place to live with a reasonable cost of living, mostly decent people with real values. Yes, it has it's down side, but every place has them. It is a personal decision of what you can put up with and what you want. I want peace, quiet, safety, time to enjoy my garden, short commute to work, living space I can afford without financial strain - OK has them all, along with the bugs, tornados and heat. I think living in OK is one of the best kept secrets in the US.

[tulsainfo]

Dear Lisa:

I could fill you in on any questions you have about the Tulsa area. I am a realtor and work for the most successful homebuilder in the area. I have many clients from California who have purchased new homes and moved to the area.

I can tell you many positive things about living and working in Tulsa. I worked and commuted to Dallas for a while but have lived in Tulsa most of my life...I have looked at other large cities such as Los Angeles and New York, but my business has been very successful here. You will find that schools in the suburbs here are excellent!!! All of my out of state clients have found equal emplyment here, but those from California are paying about 1/3 or less for their home here.

Let me know what other questions you have.

Originally Posted by LisaMarie

My family and I are really considering moving from Cali to Ok, and I was wondering about a few things and any input would be greatly appreciated...

I've seen apartments.com and I saw that rent wasn't too bad, but wondering if I'm right or not.

Job Market...good or bad??

Healthcare...good or bad??

We just want to find a nice place to raise our son and a place that's not so expensive to live. Here in Cali it's getting way out of control and I can't take the cost of living anymore. Any insight would be great, TIA.

[LisaMarie]

Well I've already moved out here to Oklahoma this past Monday and I am living in Norman and so far I LOVE it here!! I'm in a great area with my family and we are just enjoying it here. Weather is a bit cold but I love it. My house is a mess but it's getting there little by little..lol.

[Hau-kola]

Hi LisaMarie! I saw the title of your thread here and thought "Hey! Thats me!" I'm in central California and looking to move to Holdenville Ok. I'm glad your move worked out for you and hope that some day I can post and say " Goodbye California - Hello Oklahoma!"