Is SLC Right for us? (Park City: low crime, house, neighborhoods)

[Xpat]

Hi everyone!
We've enjoyed reading all of the various threads on SLC and wanted to get your opinions on whether it would right for us.

We are a 40-something married couple with no kids. Democrats (go Obama!) but respect the opinions of others (the GOP is not inherently evil). Not Mormon - actually Universalist with strong Hindu/Buddhist leanings, though we are very private about our beliefs. That said, we've gotten along well with Mormon/Muslim/Catholic/Jewish/Protestant/Atheist people we've known over the years.

Show stoppers are places with lots of allergens, heavy traffic, high housing prices, and a rat race lifestyle.

We love climbing, hiking, and skiing and are not much into consumer culture (we don't judge it, its just not our thing). We love good food and I am a passionate singer/songwriter who likes to play small-medium sized venues on nights and weekends. I also play in a rock band with some friends (mostly for fun). We're not big drinkers - she does not drink a drop and I'll sip a beer once in awhile (after a gig, etc).

We're looking to downshift after many moves (to several countries) and working long hours which leave us drained. We've built a decent nest egg from which we can supplement our incomes and may just take part time work to to make up the difference. SLC looks like a good place to do it since it has proximity to the mountains, a low key/low crime reputation, low cost of living, low traffic congestion, clean air, and nice people. We're looking for a place where we can find some decent low key jobs, meet interesting people, go camping, ski/climb on the weekends, and meet some nice people to play music with.

We're considering SLC along with Albuquerque (which we know well) and Flagstaff (which is probably beyond our budget).

So, could we be happy in SLC? Thanks for any insights you can provide!

[eggalegga]

I would say the greater Salt Lake valley would be a great fit for you. I don't know much about the local music scene, so I couldn't advise you regarding that. As far as a decent wage, that may be challenging. Have you visited SL before?

If I had to choose between the SL valley and Albuquerque, I'd pick Salt Lake. My sister lives in ABQ and it's just too beige for my taste....plus that intense sun isn't for me.

Ciao

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

SLC has horrible air in the winter - inversions that hang over the city in a gray-brown cloud that is visible. I developed asthma 2 yrs after moving here.

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

I think there is a reasonably sizeable U.U. congregation in SLC....

Watch the allergies with the inversion in the valley during wintertime...indoor climate control, filters, etc.....

Sugar House and the "Avenues" would be good neighborhoods for you, the closer to the University Of Utah the happier I think you would be, I have even read here there are buhddist monks in Sugar House....

The east bench neighborhoods may rise out of the inversion problem to some extent, but your'e gonna want to go with John McCain up there......

[dsrtmtn]

I live in Albuq. now and have lived in SLC. I would probably lean towards SLC for all you are wanting.

SLC has one of the better UU centers I've ever been to, and I have been to a lot. Albuq., I don't even bother going.
MUCH better hiking, biking outings in UT than NM
Allergies have been a lot worse here (NM) than there.
The Avenues and Sugarhouse would be the neighborhoods of choice. I lived in both of them and loved them. UU is convenient to both.
Better medical care in UT in general.
SLC has better local music and dining than Albuq.
Neater "neighborhoods" in SLC. As in you can walk in them and they are more defined without major through streets.
The Mormon thing makes it kind of like being an ex-pat. You either are or are not. Makes making friends easier! I thought I could handle it, had lived around COC and Baptist, but it really is different there. UT Mormons are a bit different than the rest of the country. Even my AZ, TX and NV Mormon friends found the UT brand a bit hard to take.
Most of the big art tours and cultural events will be Mormon dominated. You won't get big cultural tours or shows.

Albuq. is quirky! Local music isn't as good as SLC but bigger shows come through because of the casino's.
Zoning is next to non-existent which makes house hunting a challenge. You can have chickens in town though and I like having chickens.
Dining is a red or green issue, as in chili. Rest. aren't near as good as in SLC but you get really good Mex. food which is the one they lack up in UT
Art scene is fantastic! With Santa Fe near by, you have close access to a more sophisticated (?) market. I'm a jeweler so this is important to me but maybe not you.
Albuq. has a great zoo, aquarium, botanical garden and quite a few events going on regularly. SLC has Temple Square and the shopping center from the Olympics.
NM doesn't have all the crazy drinking laws that UT does. Even if you don't drink, this is important because we have Trader Joe's and they never will! That right there is almost enough to bring you to NM. Our drunk driving is ridiculous though.

SLC really is one of the pretties places on earth and has many wonderful things. Just know what you really will deal with on the cultural end. Everywhere has it's pit falls and that one isn't SO bad. If you have kids it can be a real problem though in regards to joining teams, making friends, dating and all that. The kid element changes things.

Albuq. has been great as well. Going to one of the many farmers markets on Sat with hot air balloons around you is pretty neat. The architecture is beautiful. Alternative building is well accepted and NM is the only state with codes specific to adobe, rammed earth and the such. The manana attitude is welcomed until you have a pressing need. Crime is higher here than SLC. Both have water issues as do all the western states.

Hope this helps and good luck. It's like choosing between a brownie or pie; both are good.

[Xpat]

Thanks so much for the great responses!

It looks like we need to visit SLC and take a look around. I visited there as a kid and passed through town in the summer of 1998 but have no real memories except the exceptional beauty of the mountain backdrop above the city.

I found Sugarhouse on a Google search but can't seem to figure out where the Avenues are. Any pointers are appreciated.

We're not really that into the public participation part of UU so its not really a big factor for us. Our faith is a very private matter. We have no kids so school issues are not a factor.

The goal is an affordable quality of life without too much hassle and crime, preferably by living well within our means and mainly enjoying the things in life which don't cost money (or at least not much).

I really appreciate the analogy of being like an expat in Utah if you are not a Mormon. We've been quite comfortable as expats even though sometimes the cultural barriers make it too hard to connect with the locals. We've found that it makes other expats more willing to reach out and connect with you. Is this the case for non-Mormons in SLC? We'd like to be able to feel a sense of community, even if its just among the "expats."

Also, it seems like Park City, Jackson Hole, etc are not too far off and Seattle is at least within striking distance. Can't say the same for ABQ.

[weasy]

We're relocating to SLC also (from UK via Adelaide, Australia!!!) and someone gave us this great link that searches realestate in The Avenues, Sugarhouse etc....


Hope this helps.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

The Avenues are the streets above South Temple, on the hillside. 1st Avenue, 2nd Avenue, etc. Cross streets are A St., B St., etc. Some nice apts. and some junky ones, have to go look. Very convenient to downtown and the hiking trails out of Memory Grove and above the residences.

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

I'll try to embed a link to the Google Map page for the "Avenues".....if it works click it on, click the "Street View" link on the toolbox....streets will turn blue, and a little Orange Man will appear (I kid you not...lol).

You can right click and drag the orange man onto any blue street and a photo window will open....you can zoom in, out, pan left, right.....drag the image down the street just as if you where there yourself, go down other streets at intersections, etc...

SLC and surrounding areas are the most extensively photo documented street on Google map I have come across to date....those SLC folks are very well organized...

Google Maps

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

Link just gives USA....Type 7th Avenue, Salt Lake CIty Utah into search box, execute search....click on photo that appears in pop up balloon....