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Old 11-10-2015, 08:08 PM
 
3 posts, read 4,716 times
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Hi all

Just trying to do some research on Tucson before accepting a job here...we have two small kids (7 and 4) and a black lab...best school? Best neighborhoods to look at? Any advice on the city?

Thank you
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Old 11-11-2015, 09:01 AM
 
Location: Tucson, AZ
612 posts, read 1,022,196 times
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A good place to start would be with any of the number of school ratings websites. The Arizona Department of Education actually has their own and they publish the results here: https://azreportcards.com

Based on which school/schools you are interested in I'm sure the folks here will be able to make a number of neighborhood recommendations for you. It will also likely depend on where the potential job is.

Let us know what you're thinking, generally, and what sort of things interest you about a new city and I am sure the advice and information will begin to pour forth readily!
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Old 11-11-2015, 10:36 AM
 
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I am doing very similar research, but looking at middle schools/high schools for our 9-year old twins. I've found greatschools.org to be a helpful way to narrow down areas that have highly-ranked schools:
Tucson Elementary Schools, 1-25 - Tucson, AZ | GreatSchools

That said, this still leaves you with a lot of choices. For us, we're narrowing down based on good middle schools AND good high schools close by since we certainly don't want to move again in a few more years. Using trulia.com and checking the crime rate is helpful, to a degree, as is searching for "three+ bedroom home, between $xxxK and $xxxK" to give you an idea of affordability in different areas.

But to get the "feel" of neighborhoods remotely - that's tough. We're planning a trip there to visit the areas we're considering. I think we'll only know what neighborhoods feel right to us by spending time in them. Plus, reading these forums about specific parts of town.

Good luck to you, and hope you get some good advice here!
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Old 11-11-2015, 06:16 PM
 
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Thank you! Work would be near La Paloma Country Club. Ideally 20min-30min drive at most..what about Oro Valley? Any community with mostly young kids?

We are Canadian so probably have to rent for a while at first..any suggested rental sites or just mls?
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Old 11-12-2015, 08:38 AM
 
Location: Tucson, AZ
612 posts, read 1,022,196 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scottlong View Post
We are Canadian so probably have to rent for a while at first..any suggested rental sites or just mls?
MLS is good, as are Zillow, padmapper, etc.. If you have the chance to visit before you arrive, the best thing is to cruise the neighborhoods you are interested in for "For Rent" signs - many homes are only advertised that way.
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Old 11-12-2015, 10:56 AM
 
88 posts, read 131,213 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scottlong View Post
Thank you! Work would be near La Paloma Country Club. Ideally 20min-30min drive at most..what about Oro Valley? Any community with mostly young kids?

We are Canadian so probably have to rent for a while at first..any suggested rental sites or just mls?

We really liked Rancho Vistoso in Oro Valley. Had it not been so far from base, that's probably where we would have landed. (We have a 4 year old, too. We moved here about 6 months ago.)
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Old 11-13-2015, 06:01 AM
 
Location: Destin, FL
237 posts, read 246,061 times
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If you have elementary aged kids you're going to want to be in the vail school district. You don't have to live in Vail to be in it, just anywhere near Civano neighborhood or past that. We lived in Mesquite Ranch and were in the Vail school district even though the house I grew up in was just a few miles away off golflinks and I went to TUSD district.
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Old 11-13-2015, 08:00 AM
 
88 posts, read 131,213 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chickenoodle99 View Post
If you have elementary aged kids you're going to want to be in the vail school district. You don't have to live in Vail to be in it, just anywhere near Civano neighborhood or past that. We lived in Mesquite Ranch and were in the Vail school district even though the house I grew up in was just a few miles away off golflinks and I went to TUSD district.
I know several, if not all, of Vail schools have closed their open enrollment, so you must now be in boundaries to attend.
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Old 11-14-2015, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Destin, FL
237 posts, read 246,061 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laststoptucson View Post
I know several, if not all, of Vail schools have closed their open enrollment, so you must now be in boundaries to attend.

That is why I told her where she needed to live. Our house was in the vail school district, we weren't part of open enrollment.
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Old 11-15-2015, 10:48 AM
 
3 posts, read 4,716 times
Reputation: 14
Thank you all so much...

Another question for you all. I've read about traffic being a nightmare in Tucson but can anyone put it in perspective to another city? I've lived in Toronto and that traffic is brutal...live in Calgary Alberta now and while people here say it's bad, it's really not since I compare it to Toronto. However I wouldn't say Toronto is nearly as bad a NYC or LA..

Vail area looks great and great schools but according to google maps it would be about 40min drive to my husbands potential work (near La Paloma)...that accurate? If he does get the job then I would definitely want to visit before moving and scope it out ourselves but just trying to get some insight!
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