Neighborhood v. Development (Norman, Edmond, Moore: trip , houses, construction)

[colleeng47]

[SIZE=2]Here I am asking for help again. DH showed me how to access a satellite view of houses by using Mapquest. I went to my list of "favorite" and "possible" house that I've culled out of the huge list my realtor sent me and began "looking" at the houses (from satellite). All the houses on my list were in "developments" I hate developments. Some people love them, I don't. Right now I live in a small town (25,000 people) in a neighborhood. By that I mean there are streets of houses, but you can walk to a strip shopping mall, or the local drug store or library, etc. My kids always rode their bikes to the neighborhood store for candy, etc. On the other hand, my sister lives in a "development" where there are streets and streets of houses and if you want to go to any type of store, library, church, or anything, you have to drive through street after street of houses, leave the "development" and go to the local highway for shopping, etc.

We like the idea of Yukon, Mustang, Choctaw, Moore and Norman. But every house I have on my list is in a development. Does anyone know of where we can find a house in an area like I described? OKC is fine if the school district is okay, but even the houses I have on my list for OKC are in developments. I hope you all understand what I'm saying because I'm not sure this is making sense. I just know looking at these satellite pictures gave me the shivers.

Any help (especially if someone understand what I'm saying) would be appreciated. We would like to be within a decent commuting distance from OKC. Our trip is in less than 3 weeks and now I'm in a panic because we only have 6 days while we're there to find a house.

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[peggydavis]

I understand what you are saying. Are the houses on your favorite and possible lists all newer construction?

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

I understand what you are saying. Are the houses on your favorite and possible lists all newer construction?

I think they're like 3 years to about, maybe, 25 or so. Are their any small towns with a small "town" feel with houses interspersed, not isolated away from the town in clusters? I hope I'm explaining this right.

[peggydavis]

The older part of Yukon would be like that. The older part of Yukon is near route 66. You are getting into some houses with some age though. In Choctaw, the area would be north of NE 23rd, between Hiwassee and Choctaw Road. That's a pretty small area. The east side of Norman is more like that.

I am putting some pics up as soon as I recharge my battery that you might find interesting. NW OKC, Yukon, Edmond, and Norman mostly speed by.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

The older part of Yukon would be like that. The older part of Yukon is near route 66. You are getting into some houses with some age though. In Choctaw, the area would be north of NE 23rd, between Hiwassee and Choctaw Road. That's a pretty small area. The east side of Norman is more like that.

I am putting some pics up as soon as I recharge my battery that you might find interesting. NW OKC, Yukon, Edmond, and Norman mostly speed by.

Thanks so much Peggy, I would really appreciate that. I've just spent the last 2 hours "looking" at houses and neigborhoods. I feel like the crick in my neck will never go away, and I'm bleery-eyed also. Time for a break!

[Nameless]

There's not much to be had for those neighborhoods in OKC. We have so much sprawl it's not even funny.

[jessaka]

i hate tract homes too. I am glad that we are not in one.

[peggydavis]

I used to live in a neighborhood, around 23rd & Portland, where I could walk to various stores, Will Rogers Park, get on a bus for downtown. I could even walk to a small grocery store that had an actual butcher's counter. That was about 30 years ago, though.

Either people today just don't want that or we are just like sheep who buy whatever the developers give us.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

I used to live in a neighborhood, around 23rd & Portland, where I could walk to various stores, Will Rogers Park, get on a bus for downtown. I could even walk to a small grocery store that had an actual butcher's counter. That was about 30 years ago, though.

Either people today just don't want that or we are just like sheep who buy whatever the developers give us.

If I were to guess, I would say it's a kind of "keep up with the Joneses" mindset. The see a friend with a new, sophisticated house and decide they want one too. And where are these new, sophisticated houses? In the new development going up down the road. Those of us who are a little "different" don't fit in with that. When everyone was driving station wagons I drove a sedan; when they were driving mini vans, I drove a station wagon; now (in our section of the county) everyone is driving SUV's and I have my pick-up truck. I know that would not be different in OKC, but I love my truck too much to give it up.

[peggydavis]

Now people think the minimum size for their house is 2000 sq. feet for 3 people, and of course each person has to have their own bathroom.