Possible move to Tucson (Phoenix, Oro Valley: sales, real estate, apartment complex)
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Hello, we are from Nebraska and are thinking about a possible move to the Tucson area. I have been reading posts on here and there's a lot of things I don't think sound real positive. Can I get some opinions on the city as to crime, cost of living, the people, housing, schools. Pretty much anything anyone can think of that would help us make a decision one way or another. I have read about the water issues, and read some posts about how bad the schools are. One person said to check out GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community and I guess I don't see where they are so bad. Any suggestions? The future of our child is the most important part of this move. Thanks to all in advance!
You pose many questions. ("Can I get some opinions on the city as to crime, cost of living, the people, housing, schools.") I don't want to sound rude, but most of these topics have been addressed here at great length in conversations restricted to those topics -- and when all is said and done, they are "opinions." People don't really have time to address answers to all those questions over and over for every person who is "thinking about a possible move to the Tucson area."
I suspect that is why your question was ignored before -- it's just too broad. The main reason is because Pima County is the size of Connecticut, so what someone might tell you about one area might not be true about another.
As for the people, most of us come from somewhere else, so what "people" are you asking about? For every die-hard environmentalist here, we have people who throw their trash on the highway. We certainly have more retired residents than many other cities. We have more immigrants from Mexico than other American cities, but we also have suburbs that are almost completely Anglo. The vast majority of people who come here -- no matter who they are -- want to create a better life for their families or a comfortable retirement for themselves. And always remember that native people lived here for centuries before any Europeans set foot in North America, so you and I are "immigrants" here just as surely as people who came here from across the border.
Real estate issues are discussed here endlessly. There is info on Tucson C-D about utilities, landscaping, shopping, etc. Housing is cheaper than it used to be and still less expensive than California. In general homes here are not expected to increase in value any time soon but there are a lot to pick from as, like elsewhere, it is a buyer's market.
TUSD has many well-meaning and talented teachers and staff members. But they are HORRIBLY underfunded. At many of its schools, students who exhibit problems aren't even tested for special needs because there isn't help available for them even if they were identified. As for the suburban schools, some of them are no doubt great -- but opinions will vary with circumstances. We know nothing about your child, not even an age or sex.
Schools in poorer areas have violence problems and schools in richer areas have drug problems. But that is not restricted to Tucson. It appears you want to hear that some particular school district would be great for your child, but how can we answer that knowing only that you're from Nebraska. In general, people throughout Arizona pay lip service to the importance of education, but they aren't so inclined to open their wallets and pay for it. Mostly your child will become educated if you lead the way; if you don't, s/he won't.
Throughout Arizona, there is certainly crime, but it is centered around drug sales and use. For instance, the number of police officers who are killed in the line of duty in Phoenix is much greater than the national average, but again it is drug-related. If you aren't involved in the drug trade and/or you don't live in a neighborhood where drug dealers and users are rampant, you are not likely to have this issue on your doorstep. As to the problems related to illegal entrants, in my opinion, this situation is being greatly exploited for political gains. Some lower-level crimes like identity theft and car theft are higher than some other cities, mostly due to our proximity to the border.
If there is a burning question you have about a pointed topic, that's what City-Data folks are best at. Ask about a specific neighborhood, a specific school, etc. Do you have jobs lined up? That would have a great deal to do with WHERE in Tucson you would live and every answer is dependent upon that. If you don't have a job lined up, I wouldn't suggest you move anywhere unless you're independently wealthy.
Personally, I've lived in many places throughout this country -- from Washington, DC, to Washington State. I can only tell you that Tucson has positives and negatives. Which is which will depend largely on likes and dislikes and needs that are particular to you and your family. No one in their right mind would suggest that you move here from Nebraska just because they might like it.
Well.... I'm not even sure what to say about your post. The "not to be rude part" didn't make up for the fact that the rest of the post was mostly pointed towards being RUDE in my opinion. First and foremost I never asked about the COLOR of people's skin. By "people" I just wanted to know if they were NICE more than anything. As far as the rest of my post, I could EASILY give way more info about somewhere I live no matter how broad the question. Where in my post did I say I wanted a specific school?? Anyway, I didn't join this forum to bicker back and forth, so in closing I'm not sure why my post upsets you so much but I have every right to post it. Thanks for trying I guess.....
I posted the same thread a few days ago and didn't get any help.
Why would we write the same stuff over and over again every time somebody like you and the other one drops a few lines and expects short novels written particularly for him/her instead of reading the pages and pages of general info behind?! It's not like you asked anything specific. Your type must think others have nothing better to do than to cater to them.
Helping yourself first is a prerequisite to expecting other people to help you.
Quote:
Apparently we shouldn't move to Tucson.
Is that a threat or something?! Ask me if it affected my morning bowel movement.
Geez, there's nothing I hate more than the combination of laziness and arrogance!
I'm not the one that posted "maybe we shouldn't move to tucson" so if you have a problem with what someone else posted take it up with them not in my thread where I'm simply trying to get a bit of info and secondly if this is how people act there I don't want to move there anyway. I never asked for a long reply, and if you don't WANT to reply anything helpful then DON'T reply! Man you people are cranky in the AM down there!
I'm not the one that posted "maybe we shouldn't move to tucson" so if you have a problem with what someone else posted take it up with them not in my thread where I'm simply trying to get a bit of info and secondly if this is how people act there I don't want to move there anyway. I never asked for a long reply, and if you don't WANT to reply anything helpful then DON'T reply! Man you people are cranky in the AM down there!
Your post is not any different. If you want general info, you can simply click on some threads that are even on friggin' 1st page, if it's too painful to go to 2nd or 3rd, or God forbid search! Do your homework first and THEN ask questions! You have to KNOW something in order to be able to ask intelligent questions in any area!
As far as the majority here, no, some have higher tolerance for such behaviors. I'll refrain from attaching adjectives to the behaviors because it's not worth getting banned over them.
P.S. (to others) Has the media run some article about Tucson begging for residents that I’m not aware of, btw…?
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
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Tucson is like many other cities in that there are going to be things, neighborhoods, schools, shopping areas that some people love and others hate. It's hard to say what is best as that's subjective. Generally though:
Homes: The north, west and northwest, as well as some of the east side of town are the nicest--read more expensive--and therefore have better schools, homes, neighborhoods, etc. Central Tucson, to be very broad, is okay. There are some really nice, historic neighborhoods in the central part of Tucson, and there is the University of Arizona neighborhood. The southern part of Tucson, and South Tucson are probably better off avoided. There are nice "suburbs" like Oro Valley, Marana, Foothills, and farther south, Vail and Sahuarita. Realtor.com or tarmls.com can help with housing ideas and neighborhoods.
Crime: Is a big deal in the news, but not as bad as it's made out to be. There are murders, home invasions, burglaries, thefts, etc., but a lot of that is due to the proximity to the border, and the size of the city. Tucson is a city of one million people, so crime is relative. It's worse than in a rural town of 5,000, but not as bad as Baltimore or Detroit. It's relative. Crime is down compared to several years ago, but illegal drug smuggling is up, and with that does come crime. But, if you don't do drugs, don't smuggle humans or drugs, and live in the higher crime areas, you probably will only hear it on the news, not in your backyard.
Schools: Again, it all depends on who you talk to. Some people swear that the only good schools are in Sahuarita, Vail or Oro Valley; others will say all the schools are good, just underfunded. They are underfunded, but there are private schools, parochial schools, schools with IB programs, charter schools, and of course, public schools. As with most cities, the areas with the money tend to have better schools, but many, many children do very well in TUSD schools. Every district will have excellent schools and mediocre schools, and each school will have excellent teachers and mediocre teachers. Greatschools.com can give you an idea of how each of the districts/schools are doing.
Weather: It's hot in the summer and mild in the winter. Summers can see temps over 105º, and winters can see temps around 40º, but generally, most months are nice. The hot months are hot, but not like 100º in Houston or Miami. Everyplace is air conditioned, so unless you're employed doing outdoor work, you'll probably tolerate the hot two months okay. You get acclimated. And the other ten months of the year of really pleasant weather is worth the two months of heat. If the heat is too much, Mt. Lemon is a short distance away and at the top, the temps are 20-30 degrees cooler than Tucson. In the winter they get snow, so skiing is available. There are lots of hiking trails, bike paths and other outdoor activities that one can access year round.
Utilities: TEP (Tucson Electric Power) is the electricity provider. www.tep.com. There are cable and satellite TV providers, several phone/DSL/LD providers and water is through several sources.
Landscaping: Because of the lack of water, desert environment and heat, lawns, lots of lush landscaping and trees are pretty much relegated to the golf courses and parks. Much of Tucson is xeriscape or natural landscaping. Many homes have pools, and almost every condo/apartment complex has one.
People: There are Caucasians (majority), African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans, with smaller numbers of Asians and other nationalities. Because of The University of Arizona, and the mild winters, the population increases significantly in the fall/winter. There are students and snowbirds who migrate back north/home when winter/school is over. So, in a sense, there is a transient population to some extent. There is also the Air Force base (Davis-Monthan) which also has a transient population. So, areas around the base, The U of A and many condo complexes will see more increase/decrease in population than in the family type neighborhoods near parks and schools.
Tucson tends to be slightly more liberal than other parts of Arizona, especially Phoenix, but it is not blatantly liberal. The people are pretty tolerant.
Shopping and Nightlife: There are several malls, and upscale shopping centers, as well as a fairly good downtown area. There are some theater presentations, musical acts, art galleries and cultural events as well as the County Fair, the Gem and Mineral Show, The Rodeo, many Farmer's Markets and a lot of tourist attractions. Desert Diamond Casino is a big draw and many entertainers appear there throughout the year, and The University also has many cultural and sporting events. There are expensive hotels and resorts, and there are your run of the mill chain hotels. The same with restaurants. There are some really good restaurants throughout town, and at least one of every chain restaurant known; Red Lobster, Chili's, Applebee's, Outback, Cheesecake Factory, etc., and all the fast food places.
In the end, though, like anywhere else, it's best to visit (at least in the summer), before making a committment to Tucson. Some people will just love the heat of summer and mildness of winter, and others will find they can't tolerate the heat. Visit again during the school year and check out the schools and neighborhoods that are appealing to see if they have the amenities desired. Check out work day commutes; we really don't have an interstate here that would make a commute shorter, so drive times are in traffic, on 4 lane roads, mostly. Other than doing a lot of advance research, it's wise to visit first before moving, and if possible, consider renting for a year before making a committment to buy. No matter where in the country one moves, being prepared is of the utmost importance. And, be sure to check out the threads in this forum for more specific answers to questions. My observations are pretty general, but hopefully will give people a good sense of what we have here in Tucson.
I apologize in advance for any typos, I'm too tired to go check this post for typos or misspellings.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 09-06-2010 at 01:15 PM..
Reason: Edited out reference to deleted post
Well.... I'm not even sure what to say about your post. The "not to be rude part" didn't make up for the fact that the rest of the post was mostly pointed towards being RUDE in my opinion. First and foremost I never asked about the COLOR of people's skin. By "people" I just wanted to know if they were NICE more than anything. As far as the rest of my post, I could EASILY give way more info about somewhere I live no matter how broad the question. Where in my post did I say I wanted a specific school?? Anyway, I didn't join this forum to bicker back and forth, so in closing I'm not sure why my post upsets you so much but I have every right to post it. Thanks for trying I guess.....
You do realize that most large online communities such as this one that offer information on specific topics ALL insist you "do a search" as a courtesy to the members that have gone into great depths to take the time to answer the very same question you are trying to ask?
It's not rudeness you received, JukesGrrl was trying to remind you that the most polite thing to do in forums like this is do a search on the forum, read what has been posted on the exact same questions you are asking, and then come back and ask questions on what you specifically don't understand about what you've read. How was JukesGrrl supposed to know exactly what you meant about the "people" when that's all you simply said??
If you don't want to follow common sense forum etiquette, then don't be surprised at the replies you get. I could predict what replies you would get at your broad questions that had been asked a millions times from a mile away.
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