Is it safe in Tucson after 4 pm?

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by sickofIL

Cabs cost the same here too. And we have more than our share of potholed streets too.
The El is fine if it goes where you want to go. But unless you live in the inner city it doesn't.

Only that you don't need cabs as much. I took the train from Chicago to Oak Park, so it certainly doesn't serve only the inner city.

Again, if that is what you like, good for you. I dispize it. I hate going into the city. $5 cups of Coke and $8 hamburgers aren't my thing.

Yea, there are wonderful museums, the aquarium, and other things...if you can afford to bring your family along. I'd love to bring my kids to the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry but at $100 a pop (with parking) not counting buying anything to eat or drink I can't afford it. They took away the free days a few years ago.

Well, all your points are about finances. Personal financial situation doesn't make a place inherently bad whereas other places will be what they are no matter how much money you have.

[sickofIL]

Only that you don't need cabs as much. I took the train from Chicago to Oak Park, so it certainly doesn't serve only the inner city.

That's just Oak Park. But what if you live in most any other suburb. Past Oak park there really isn't much public transportation. I grew up in Elmwood Park and if you walked far enough you could take a bus part way to Oak Park, or where the el ends in Forest Park. But for abour 95% of everyone in the suburbs public transportation is scarce.

Well, all your points are about finances. Personal financial situation doesn't make a place inherently bad whereas other places will be what they are no matter how much money you have.

Finances are the basics of life in our world. If you lived here you would understand. The property taxes are anywhere from double (cheap suburbs like Villa Park) to basically unlimited. We have relatively low taxes for where we live because we live in an unincorporated area of Wheaton. How does $7000 sound for a $250K house. (ours) If we lived about 6 blocks away in the incorporated part of town it would be about 35% more for the same value. Our house is on the very low end of what is available anywhere in the western surburbs. There are people that I work with that have taxes almost double what mine are for the same value house. Oh, and our taxes will be going up about $600 next year because of the new school thay are building. (that's besides the usual yearly increase) Four years ago when we bought our house the taxes were $4500. (we have not done anu work on the house yet besides painting)
Also a $250K house here is about equivalent to a $100-125K house in Tucson. You cannot buy any new house for less than $300K even now and that would be a town house. Our house is 50 yrs old and needs lots of work. That's what you are up against here. You also cannot do much because everything costs so much.
If we were in Tucson now and made 50% of what we made here we would be living much better. We would be able to do many things there that we cannot afford to do here. And to give you an idea of income, my income alone is higher than the median income for DuPage County and my wife adds about 40% to that. I don't know how some people here can even survive. We don't have new cars (no payments) we don't live by any means lavishly, we don't have expensive furnature or cloths. We are surrounded by homes that are at least double the value.
So, yes, finances are a big issue.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by sickofIL

That's just Oak Park. But what if you live in most any other suburb.

Is the line to Oak Park the only suburban route?

Finances are the basics of life in our world. If you lived here you would understand.

Oh, I understand perfectly. I wouldn't like being a bum in an expensive city I can't afford, either, no matter how much I may want to live there. What I don't understand is why you feel the need to dis a city simply on the basis of not being able to afford living there. Chicago has some disadvantages like any city, but being fun and lacking things to do is certainly not one of them.

As excited as you are about Tucson now, you'll start disliking it as well if things don't pan out for you financially here. And they may very well not because Tucson is not known for being a very well paying city in general. When you travel, for instance, nobody asks if you live in a more or less expensive place. You actually end up paying more flying out of non-hubs. Housing may be less expensive, but nothing else is. Just some food for thought...

[sickofIL]

Is the line to Oak Park the only suburban route?

There are three suburban routes, but none go beyond a close bordering suburb. And that basically ends the public transportation. It works relitively well as long as you lile in the city.

And it isn't just the costs here. It's the weather, the people, etc. More than half of the year you can't do anything outside because it is cold, snowy, or rainy. There are not many sunny days either. If you don't enjoy the cold or winter sports you spend much of that time inside. It would be insane to have a pool here because you only get about 3 1/2 months of warm enough weather half of which is to lousy to use a pool.

Tucson has many things to do and places to go outside that don't cost anything or don't cost much and you can do them most of the year. Yes I realize that there are drawbacks too. No place is perfect. I have lived here all of my life and know what things there are to do here. I'm a car nut and there is really only about 3 1/2 months of car stuff here before everything closes. I've been investagating the car scene in Tucson too.

Everyplace is as good as you can make it based on your likes and dislikes. Tucson just has more things that fall under the "likes" catagory. Besides it isn't cold, and probably our biggest reason for moving is the cold.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by sickofIL

Besides it isn't cold, and probably our biggest reason for moving is the cold.

While I love the heat, many people don't and feel the same way about it as you do about the frigid weather in Chicago... You don't really know if you can handle that, either, do ya... It's gonna be quite the climate shock!

[azhiker]

sickofIL,

Sounds as though you've done a good bit of research. Are you planning to move here soon (sorry if this has already been covered)?

Have you visited here before?

[sickofIL]

You don't really know if you can handle that, either, do ya... It's gonna be quite the climate shock!

Actually I've spent lots of time in Phoenix so I am aware of what the hot is like.

Sounds as though you've done a good bit of research. Are you planning to move here soon (sorry if this has already been covered)?

Have you visited here before?

If the housing thing wouldn't have happened we would already be there.

And, yes we visited. We were there in August 07. My wife had never been to AZ but I have been to Phoenix many times. (used to have friends there) I have been to Phoenix many times in the summer and winter. We spent our time in Tucson looking at houses and exploring the city for the sole purpose of moving.

The house we liked was 960 N. Evelyn Ave.

I am in contact with two realtors, and have been watching the weather, reading the newspaper (Tucson Citizen) and listening to Khit 107.5 online. I've talked to various people in the auto restoration/modification business. (Desert Hybrids and High Speed Rods & Custom) about the car scene there and have been following a blog from a guy that has a street rod. I've had some nice e-mail back and forth from a couple people from the Yahoo group "Tucson Parents." I constantly look for any info that i can find online too. I have also read some of the history of Tucson.

I think I fell in love with the Arizona desert when i was a little kid and my grandfather told me about his prospecting in Bisbee. He lived there up until he was drafted into WWII.

I'm not worried about finding a job either because I have many abilities besides being a Test Engineer. And now that we will need to wait probably a couple of years until the housing market kind of eases out, my wife is beginning a LPN to BS RN program in March so when we go she will have her BS RN.

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by sickofIL

...
I'm not worried about finding a job either because I have many abilities besides being a Test Engineer. And now that we will need to wait probably a couple of years until the housing market kind of eases out, my wife is beginning a LPN to BS RN program in March so when we go she will have her BS RN.

Well, I hope the housing market improves for you soon. It sucks living someplace that you don't much care for.

I love it here too, and am perfectly fine with a much smaller income here than I could make elsewhere. Well, of course, the more the merrier, but still, if I have to choose between more money + place I don't like, and less money and a place that I love, it's an easy choice. Caveat was that I had to wait til I got my kid through college and on his own before I could make the move.

I lived here for 2 years from 96 to 98, and then it took 10 years to be able to come back.

I took a beating selling my home in Miami before moving back here too, but all told, I'm really glad to be back.

I'm totally with you on wanting no part of a bunch of long, cold winters with a bunch of gray days. Yuck.

Good luck in your efforts to come back.