I love your city (Phoenix, Tucson: HOA fees, houses, neighborhoods)

[milliebfit]

ok just got back from Tucson. We narrowed our search for a house to oro valley for sure. We like the homes along Lambert lane. Is anyone familiar with that area? We are headed back in march to look at more houses. I also loved Immaculate Heart School. There is no busing so I do not want to drive to far to get her to school.

[AZheat]

The Lambert area is growing very fast. Traffic is nasty between 3 and 6 p.m. Nice view of Pusch Ridge though.

Definately a buyer's market in Oro Valley. Good luck with your move!

[Idaho]

Howdy Pard'ner & Welcome to Oro Valley! So glad to learn your first visit was successful.
Will you be buying in the new spec homes being built on Lambert just across the Canada Del Oro Wash from Target?

Or - are you looking at the potpourri of resale choices in the adjoining neighborhoods?
If so, I encourage you to seriously look in the Villages of LaCanada. The main gate is on LaCanada, just south of the Lambert & LaCanada traffic light/intersection.
It's the best kept secret in OV, with 24/7 manned security gate, and HOA fees way below $100/mo (nearly unheard of in OV even in neighborhoods w/out gates or security).
Houses very competitively priced - Village I, II, III, and IV are my favorites, though they are all nice.

Yeah, like AZheat said, traffic can be heavy at rush hour am & pm, but I've never seen it at a standstill like I have in other cities I've lived in.
As long as the traffic is moving even a little, I'm happy. It does lighten up once the snowbirds fly away about March or April.

Welcome home to Oro Valley - Next time you come, have breakfast at Torino's Caffe at the southwest corner of Lambert & LaCanada
(look for the Subway sandwich shop and turn into their parking lot - you'll see it then) - A favorite hangout for my family and friends.
They're open Tuesday - Sunday 8 am to 2 pm, serving breakfast and lunch - The owner/operator is from Torino, Italy.
She knows her bistro recipes - from great omelettes to panini sandwiches to homemade soups and terrific coffee.

So happy you found Immaculate Heart as you'd hoped.
Match made in Heaven???

[milliebfit]

Idaho.....Thanks so much for all the great information. I will keep in touch, so I can keep you up to date with our move. We decided against a new build. They can not guarantee it would be done by the end of June. We are headed back in March hopefully to buy a house. The only time traffic was bad was with the marathon runners, other than that we were good to go. Here in NJ traffic can get real bad!!! I think we will have to try Torino's Caffe in march.

[tucsondesertdweller]

There are so many new housing developments, I can't keep track.
My opinion is that if you have a good realtor, he/she can give you good recommendations on what sections or sub divisions would meet your needs. Anyway ours sort of did! I think I had mentioned to you a while ago to seriously check out what is being build, in any area surrounding where you buy, and don't take the realtor or developers word for it. Please trust me on that one. They may or may not really know and just pass on info they think is correct.

Traffic, maybe its just me, but was on Oracle rd back and forth to the Tucson mall, yikes, I did a sign of the cross when I got to the mall, it was that bad for me anyway! Nobody using signals, people cutting across oracle rd, I often wonder why there are not more fatal accidents on Oracle.
Also millie, just be aware that the biggest shopping center in the county is slated to be built at Tangerine & Oracle, they promised a upscale center, but it does not seem to be going that way. I am mentioning this to you as it may or may not factor in where you choose to buy.
Its still a beautiful place, but its becoming overdeveloped and the desert is disappearing.
I realize you are new to looking around here, but I wish you could have seen it before they started turning ov into a parking lot. lol
You would have really loved it say 7 or 8 years ago.
Any questions you can ask, I am no expert, for sure but can give you my honest opinon.

[tucsondesertdweller]

For Idaho.
Is the cafe Torino the same owners as the cafe Torino that serves dinner. We have eaten dinner at the Cafe Torino, and think its delicious! We are not crazy about the atmosphere, its sort of too noisy and not warm like most Italian places, but the food is up there for Italian in the Tucson area.
Where do you go for pizza?

[ChrtnsMom]

Originally Posted by tucsondesertdweller

For Idaho.
Is the cafe Torino the same owners as the cafe Torino that serves dinner. We have eaten dinner at the Cafe Torino, and think its delicious! We are not crazy about the atmosphere, its sort of too noisy and not warm like most Italian places, but the food is up there for Italian in the Tucson area.
Where do you go for pizza?

I'm still searching, it's been 5 months and so far Pizza is not something I will be able to eat here.
I have tried Mama's....cardboard, Magpies...horrible cheese.....Sgt Pepperoni...gross....the best so far and believe me, they need a lot to be desired are from Basha's and the Sports park on I10 & Ina.

SO many people tell me to go here, or go there...unless they are used to the same type of real NY pizza I grew up with, I wont even waste my time anymore.

Heading to NY tomorrow for Christmas...and....Pizza, made with real Buffalo Mozzarella....

[milliebfit]

When we move to Tucson the one thing I will really miss is"Mac and Mangos pizza" the only place to get it is at the Jersey shore. It is the best pizza!!!

[tucsondesertdweller]

Hi. In time you may forget what real pizza tastes like!!lol
Ok, so far the best we could find out here without driving into downtown area is La Madrina Pizzeria. in the Escondida plaza 7872 N. Oracle Rd, next to table talk store. #742-2111. We have had their thin crust and regular, both good, we ask them to do crust crispy or well. again for here its good.
Well its not Jersey pizza or N.Y pizza, but good. Husband tells me that Brooklyn Pizza in the downtown area is good, but too far for us to drive at night to get pizza.

[Idaho]

Brooklyn Pizza on 4th Avenue and No Anchovies on University Drive are the favorite hang-outs of the college crowd -
prices are right, portions large, & pretty edible too

Sauce in Casa Adobes Plaza isn't east coast, but if you like thin crust they probably do it best in town.

Magpie's is a local chain that offers what they deem "healthy" options on pizzas.
I like that they are generous with their toppings, generally. They're nearly strickly take-out at
their Oracle Rd. location just north of Ina Rd. I think their 4th Ave. location near the university might have more seating.

An Arizona chain called Oregano's is a favorite of my relatives who come to visit from the east coast -
so I would recommend them to you - Only one location in Tucson, out on Speedway, I think just east of Swann Rd?
Oregano's has lots of locations in Phoenix.

Oooh! Now I'm getting hungry for pizza