Moving to Tucson (Oro Valley, Marana, Ajo: transplants, rental, houses)

[nikkj123]

You are right anything is better than NJ, also try Salpointe High..my son is a student there

[odinloki1]

I moved here from metro Detroit. I have to say I miss it most of the suburban schools are higher quality and its just a nicer place to live. People aren't friendly here. Its also far too expensive to live here for what salaries run and the weather is way too hot. I had to move here for jobs but will leave at first opportunity.

Thats my perspective of course. Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for.

[Sundance]

Girl, I'm so jealous of you, moving to Tucson! Just jealous....Tucson is an AWESOME place, and you will LOVE the people!!! Almost everyone is from somewhere else - LOL! And so friendly. Love it.

[mel130ny]

I relocated to Tucson for work with Raytheon and I love it!!! Don't let others discourage you at all... A home is what you make of it... We are presently renting a home on the NE side (off of Pantano and Speedway) and truly enjoy the neighborhood and home. We plan on buying in the very near future and plan on staying on the NE side. There is a private Catholic school nearby - I believe along Speedway near Kolb. I strongly recommend renting a home for 6 to 9 months before buying and if the company that is relocating you pays for closing cost - you have up to a year before buying.

Vail is a nice neighborhood but too rural for me (as a Native New Yorker). I need to have options when it comes to shopping and don't want to drive 15 minutes to the market for bread - though they keep telling me that they are building more shopping areas soon. Rita Ranch area in the SE is ok - but only if you like basketball hoops... We looked through that area a least three times and it became a game on how many baskerball hoops we could count in a row. The winner was 5 along one street. Sorry but I don't want to hear that noise day after day and I love kids. But 'our' daughter is heading off to college. The house along Valencia are just too ugly to describe and mostly build by KB homes - which is garbage to begin with. Building homes along I-10 and next to a landfill AND near an Air Force base and International Airport is just crazy.

Stay away for South Central Tucson completely... crime, property is not kept up, gangs...etc. It is real sad that people don't maintain their house or property.

Basically, what I'm saying is do a lot of research on where in Tucson you would want to live before buying anything.

Good luck!

Mel

[actinic]

Originally Posted by nikkj123

You are right anything is better than NJ, also try Salpointe High..my son is a student there

Plan on spending > $6,000/yr.

[milliebfit]

actinic....I looked into salpointe high and yes it is expensive. I just want to feel like my daughter is safe when she starts high school. Are there other catholic high schools in the NW section of Tucson? I looked into immaculate heart. The grade school is great but I am not sure about the high school.

[koong]

I can see where Tucson would be Preferrable to New Jersey and New York. Tucson is easy to come to love but wears on you as time goes by if your not from the Desert.

I personally lived in Tucson for 9 years and left when my kid got school age. I loved Tucson and will move back after my kids are grown, but I have always said (and many of my Raytheon co workers agree),

If you become well informed about the national testing scores, gang problems, illegal problems and see how low of wages they pay teachers (the quality therefor lacks), the you would have to HATE your kids to move to Tucson and subject them to the school systems.

Sure, there are several acceptable schools. But the BEST tucson schools are only in the 70th percentile nationally. Most of them are in the 15-40 percentile. The drop out rate and teen pregnacy rate makes is insane.

Go live in Flagstaff, Show Low or ST Johns if you want the best of what Az has to offer and you have kids.

[frogandtoad]

I lived in Tucson for several years and LOVED it. I have 3 children and the key is either private school or living in a good district (Catalina Foothills or perhaps Oro Valley). Not all the schools are bad, but certainly you need to be careful about which you choose.

I applied for Immaculate Heart for my kids (even though we're not Catholic!) and they were on a waitlist for a year, then got in. Unfortunately we were moving away just as they got in, so they didn't go there. There's another really good Catholic school in the NW too...it's quite new....ugh. I can't remember the name--I will post back if no one comes up with it! St.....Elizabeth I think! I think that's it.

I cannot even tell you how much I LVOED Tucson, and I have lived in several other great states. It just "fit" perfectly. I ran every day of the year (yes, even in summer it's beautiful for running early in teh morning), just loved the heat and the landscape and like I said-as long as you choose your school carefully you will be fine.

Tanque Verde also has good schools. I personally would not have my kids in the Vail system, but everyone is different and you need to find what works for you.

Not everyone loves Tucson (or anywhere else) but I can tell you for sure some people (like me!) love it and wish every day could be transferred back there!!!

[ELKE]

We may move to Tucson from Germany, any hot tips on renting an apartment or house?

[dllnurse]

My husband and I are interested in moving to Tucson, we are in the medical field. Any thoughts on the choice of hospitals for employment? We think we will move to the north part of Tucson.