Moving to Tucson?

[Jim]

Not quite yet, but if you were to do so, from Flagstaff or elsewhere, and a job didn't dictate where you moved to, where would you go? Obviously, having a job makes things easier since, aside from having income for a living establishment, you also know the location you'll work at and the radius from which you can search for a living place, or apartment. I've been looking in East Tucson, around the El Dorado area( Speedway and Wilmont). If I get a job at this one place, it might work out as it's close and near the Catalina HWY. Is this a good area otherwise? If I don't get this job, is there another area I should look, or is this still probably pretty good for me?

[chumley]

For you? I think you'll be just fine anywhere the zip code doesn't begin with 860xx

[big_load]

It's a question of being closer to the Downtown El Charro or the Broadway El Charro. I wish Tucson were a little more pedestrian-oriented, but it seems much more so than Phoenix.

[JimmyLyding]

Speedway & Wilmot is a decent area.
Pros: Easy access to the Catalina Hwy & the Rincons, decent amenities (shopping, dining, etc.), and not in the hood.
Cons: Horrible access to I-10, and horrible access to anything that's not in east Tucson.

Tucson is definitely one of those towns where you want to live close to work unless you have to consider school districts for the kiddies and concerns related to home ownership. East Tucson traffic flows east to west in the morning, and vice-versa in the evening. You could live quite a few miles to the west and still have an easy commute to Speedway/Wilmot.

[Jim]

Well, alright

[cindyl]

@big_load IMHO, El Charro is so overrated. In Tucson, you don't find good Mexican food north of Broadway or east of Park. And most of the good stuff is in South Tucson.
@Jim_H You'll be close to my 'hood if you're at Speedway/Wilmot area! The Norby's would be close, too. I happen to think it's a nice area, but what do I know. If I had unlimited resources, I would live downtown (closer commute to work and social options so less fuel needed for the car). Since I don't, I'm an eastsider. And it is nice to be able to be at Sabino Canyon within 15 minutes, or about 45 minutes to Summerhaven. I would like to say that I would never choose to live in a place because of access to hiking trails, though - since it's rarely the trails close-by that I frequent. But you know what they say - never say never.

[big_load]

In Tucson, you don't find good Mexican food north of Broadway or east of Park. And most of the good stuff is in South Tucson.

In that case, you need to update the list.

[cindyl]

you need to update the list.

not sure what list that is. I don't think I've seen a Tucson Mexican Food thread (although there probably is one...)

[big_load]

I don't think I've seen a Tucson Mexican Food thread

Wow, I think you're right. No wonder I've been missing out on the good stuff.

[paulhubbard]

If home ownership is not an issue, check out Sunrise Ridge apts at Swan/Sunrise. I used to live there and it's a great area and a nice complex. Foothills living without the multi-million dollar price tag of owning a home in that area.

[Jeffshadows]

@Cindyl: That simply isn't the case. There are at least four really excellent places north of broadway and well east of Park. El Charro is cafeteria food nowadays but it's still good for poeple from out of town, etc.

@Jim: I hope you'll take what I'm writing under consideration. Others will probably disagree, and that's fine. I was born here in Tucson and grew up here. I left for the service but came back and have a pretty good pulse on this place. My sister lived at Speedway & Wilmot for about three years during which time her house was broken into seven times. The same was true of most of the houses in her neighborhood. She got an alarm but TPD took hours to respond blaming the frequency of burglary alarms in that area.

Generally speaking, the closer one lives to Oracle, Alvernon, Speedway, Broadway, 22nd, or Grant, the lower one's quality of life will be and the higher the crime rate. If you're insulated by a couple of streets, you're probably fine (Except near Oracle.) This holds true in the historic neighborhoods, too. Even the houses in Sam Hughes that line one of the afore mentioned thoroughfares are far less desirable, and valuable, than those two streets in.

Living near downtown or the UA has a lot of advantages, Cindy is right. Most everything worth going to is close by. It has a few disadvantages, as well. We get more vagrants over here, but they usually go about their business and leave you and your property alone. Many of the students are troublesome, especially the out-of-staters. They can frequently be a source of entertainment, though. I can leave my house and get to the trailheads at Lemmon, the Rincons, or the Tucsons in about 20 minutes. When I lived on the northeast side many years ago it took me almost an hour to get to Pima Canyon or Douglas Spring in the Rincons and the traffic is MUCH heavier out there today than it was back then.

One thing you want to avoid at all costs are developmjents like Rita Ranch, and other cookie-cutter tract neighborhoods. Their traffic flow is usually poorly designed, the building quality is below poor, and they tend to attract 30 and 40-year old adolsecents. I don't know a single person who lives in one of those places who isn't dying to get out ASAP. There's a lot of these subdivisions in town, now...

[Sarae]

I live near Broadway and Alvernon and work near Speedway and Wilmot. It's usually a 12ish minute commute to and from work. I really enjoy the proximity to Reid Park and the central/downtown entertainment zone. Your home can get broken into pretty much anywhere you live, IMO. I suggest looking at all of the single family homes for rent throughout Tucson. There are a good number of private owners who are renting their places out and they tend to be a bit more reasonable to deal with than the typical property management company. Happy searching!

[Jim]

Thanks for the suggestions. A house is really out of my price range right now, though with just about everything down here, I'm shocked at the relative cheapness of it. You know where is not affordable. While I don't know what will happen, I've been looking around Speedway and the Tanque Verde area, since it si close to things, even if I don't get a job before moving here.

[Jeffshadows]

I've been looking around Speedway and the Tanque Verde area...

That area can be good or bad, it just depends.

[RedRoxx44]

I live near Speedway and Country Club and work at Park and Ajo. I've lived on Cortaro Farms rd, right on A mountain ( Panorama), the southside in the hood, and now here. It's been ok pretty much all the places. I loved A mountain but the owners didn't want to sell and it was the high side of the market. Rentals abound down here, and some foreclosures are super cheap but fixer uppers for sure.
And my patients make the best mexican food EVER!!!!

[PaleoRob]

My wife is from the Tanque Verde and Houghton area. Beautiful, large lots with older homes. You are truly in the Sonoran desert where she lived - but it is pricey. I wouldn't mind living over there.

[JimmyLyding]

Living near, but not too close, to the UofA would be a pretty good gig. There's way more going on, and a lot more rental properties than most parts of Tucson. It all depends upon your lifestyle.

[Jim]

I agree, that older foothills part of town in either Pima County of the City limits is about the nicest part of town.

[Jeffshadows]

I agree, that older foothills part of town in either Pima County of the City limits is about the nicest part of town.

Sprawlmonger!!

[Jim]

I know, it is nice though. Odd that I like that area, but don't care for the big, cookie cutter housing neighborhoods that are on the outskirts and built in the last 10 to 15 years or so.