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Old 04-06-2015, 09:05 PM
 
Location: Chicago
2 posts, read 1,916 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello good people, I need your input. After a tragic change in my family dynamics 8 years ago, I relocated from Los Angeles to Chicago IL due to cost of living in Ca. The weather in Chicago has been very challenging to say the very least. I dread the winter months and plot my escape before each winter comes. Winters are unbearable. Recently I have been thinking seriously about moving to Arizona or Austin TX. A Warmer, cheaper, safer place will be great! I am a nurse with 2 middle school age kids, so education is very important to me. One big mistake I made was to buy a home here in IL I am afraid to make another big move and then regret it. Your THOUGHTS will be very much appreciated. The heat in AZ scare me and the tornados in Austin concern me....Thanks.
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Old 04-08-2015, 08:59 PM
 
439 posts, read 959,650 times
Reputation: 404
Quote:
Originally Posted by Job4u View Post
Hello good people, I need your input. After a tragic change in my family dynamics 8 years ago, I relocated from Los Angeles to Chicago IL due to cost of living in Ca. TexasThe weather in Chicago has been very challenging to say the very least. I dread the winter months and plot my escape before each winter comes. Winters are unbearable. Recently I have been thinking seriously about moving to Arizona or Austin TX. A Warmer, cheaper, safer place will be great! I am a nurse with 2 middle school age kids, so education is very important to me. One big mistake I made was to buy a home here in IL I am afraid to make another big move and then regret it. Your THOUGHTS will be very much appreciated. The heat in AZ scare me and the tornados in Austin concern me....Thanks.
Evening..

Looks like you posted in the Austin forum and received some info. This is our second move to the northwest Tucson area. We relocated here Virginia this past June. Very tired of east coast weather both summer and winter.

I am not familiar with Texas however understand Austin is very progressive, young in its population and somewhat expensive. If your planning to purchase..check out the property taxes and misc other expenses, there are no free rides even if there is no state tax.

As for Tucson...we love the northwest region. Many folks complain about the hot weather. We are up about 3300 feet in an area called Eagle Crest Ranch. Yes it gets hot and the dry heat is far better than 100 degrees with 100% humidity..bugs...etc. We have beautiful mountain views, cool mornings and evenings. About 10+ degrees cooler than Phoenix and 6+ cooler than central Tucson.

Now our area is very close to Saddlebrook which is a huge retirement area. Since you mentioned you have younger children and I assume you will be working, check out Oro Valley. Great family area, schools and the town or city is very well managed from what I read.

Now...you will not see streets of green lawns, pine trees etc. However we do have wonderful desert vegetation, trees, flowers etc.

We do have a short rain season called monsoons which are very welcomed and delightful. New Years day we had snow up here! On occasion our region will have a dust storm however not as bad as the Phoenix corridor.

We do get some thunderstorms, heavy rains however no tornadoes, no earthquakes...as of yet

Folks are friendly and healthy for the most part...I like that. There is alot to do here if you seek it out.

In closing, the desert is not for everyone. Employment is a challenge however you as a medical professional should not have a problem. Great shopping and wonderful places to dine..Plus you can always be in San Diego in about 6 hours, or up to the White Mountains for your pine tree fix.

Tucson took a huge hit back in 2008 or so in real estate and is just now starting to regain its values so the home prices in some areas are starting to climb. There is alot of new building up where I am and drawing in folks from the midwest and east. There are still some real good bargains for resale homes I see. My zip code is 85739. One caveat up here is the county line which makes a huge difference in which school district children attend.

Good luck..
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Old 04-08-2015, 11:14 PM
 
Location: Tucson for awhile longer
8,869 posts, read 16,321,693 times
Reputation: 29240
Since you are concerned about education, you might like to explore the fact that Oro Valley has Basis charter schools (grades K through 12). Basis schools are very highly regarded, making many lists of best schools in the entire country (US News & World Report, Washington Post, etc.)
Welcome to BASIS Oro Valley | BASIS Oro Valley

The Northwest suburb of Tucson (comprising the towns of Oro Valley and Marana, as well as some parts of unincorporated Pima County) encompasses several school districts, all of which are rated higher than the Tucson Unified School District or many other districts in Arizona. The Sonoran Science Academy is an excellent school with STEM emphasis, serving grades 6-12 in the Northwest suburb.

The job situation is still in poor shape throughout Southern Arizona, in every except the one you are in. Lucky for you, the medical sector is very active. Oro Valley has its own hospital on Tangerine Road. It's a branch of the Northwest Medical Center on La Cholla Boulevard, a large hospital and hub for doctors of every medical specialty. There are other hospitals in Pima County, too, among them the University of Arizona Medical Center, Tucson Medical Center, Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care, etc.
Home | Oro Valley Hospital
Home | Northwest Medical Center

In addition to good education and medical services, Tucson's Northwest suburb has three excellent county libraries, the newest branch of Pima County Community College, Tucson's largest and newest YMCA, many parks, abundant sports opportunities, excellent shopping and dining, and churches of every denomination. The town of Oro Valley has more than 60 miles of bike lanes and walking trails, gorgeous parks with every amenity, and an Olympic-caliber aquatic center. Marana is more rural but it is the home of the excellent Marana Health Center and has some nice parks and a solid school district.

Newer three bedroom, two bath homes can be had throughout the suburb for under $200,000, some with their own pools. Prices above that can get you something especially attractive in the current market. Check out zipcodes 85742 (unincorporated Pima County); 85755, 85739, and 85739 (for Oro Valley); and 85743, 85245, the eastern part of 85653, and the southern part of 85658 (for Marana) on any real estate website to see homes for sale.
Tucson Home Search Results

Yes, it's hot here in the summer but many more months of the year we have exquisite weather. I've been here for nine years now and we've never had more than a brief dusting of snow in the winter. I have a lot of relatives in Chicagoland. If you do, I suggest a guest room for your house if you move here. My niece, who is a single mother raising two kids in Round Lake, was here for their spring break a couple of weeks ago and her kids were begging to move here. I think it was the swimming outdoors in March that did it. Personally, I still haven't gotten over having Thanksgiving dinner outdoors and total utility bills that are far cheaper than any I've had in other states.
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