Thinking about a major change

[Kashmir]

Can you guys give me some input?  Pretty Please?

I am a stay at home mom with 2 kids, my husband works in far north Tulsa.  Currently we live pretty far south, very close to grandparents.  We thought we were in a perfect arrangement-nice house, decent commute, Union Schools (where we grew up), etc.  

Grrr...now the gold is flaking off.  My preschooler was supposed to attend pre-K at Union, but they changed to being an all day program from being able to choose 1/2 day or full.  As a former teacher, I didn't want that so much so we are now paying $200 a month for private school 1/2 day.  We have another child coming up on preschool right after that one, so that expense isn't going away.

So we are thinking about selling our home (170K) and getting a home possibly in Holliday Hills or Patrick Henry area for around 150K, we have a good amount of equity to put towards it, cutting our payments, cutting down husbands commute (now he's entertaining idea of a sportster?) Having some extra cash every month too is a plus.  

There's not a thing wrong with South Tulsa.  We are just trying to do what's good for our family.  Neither of us have ever lived in that area, so any help would be appreciated!

ps-yes, we looked into Brookside but those are $$$$!
Hugs,
Kashmir

***Forgot to add that we have 2 kids in activities at Whiteside, so we are going there a lot!

[Hometown]

I love Saddleback across 41st Street from Patrick Henry even though the neighborhood is prone to foundation problems.  I also recall a lot of very nice ranch style homes in the Patrick Henry Addition.  Isn't Patrick Henry the best elementary in Tulsa?  Shopping is great in that general area.  Don't overdo it if you remodel, those ranch homes will be classics before long.  Keep the historic detail.  Everything original is sacred to preservationists and it could boost the value as time marches on.

[cks511]

I believe Carnegie is either the highest ranked elementary or at least one of the highest ranked.  Very community focused.  It's at about 56th and Quincy in Holiday Hills.

http://www.tulsaschools.org/schools/carnegie/


edited to add website

[Conan71]

Holiday Hills is a great area, as is the neighborhood directly to the east of LaFortune Park and Sungate which is just east of that neighborhood.

Lower property taxes as well.

Let hubby get that Sportster, but make sure he takes the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course. []

[Kashmir]

Thanks!  I figure Carnegie or Patrick Henry will be fine.  I think as long as I can walk there w/o crossing a major street with the kiddos I will be happy.  Right now I would have to cross one if we stayed here.

Don't worry, Conan, I do luv the man and need him around.  It's weird that I am being cool about the Sportster, usually I am a big paranoid!

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Holiday Hills is a great area, as is the neighborhood directly to the east of LaFortune Park and Sungate which is just east of that neighborhood.

Lower property taxes as well.

Let hubby get that Sportster, but make sure he takes the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course. []

Absolutely; I've had two friends in the last three years die on motorcycles because they were novices at driving them and made some rookie mistakes.  I've never taken that course specifically, but took a private class when I was in my late teens for a week to learn how to ride the larger ones (for my purpose, this was a Honda Gold Wing).  It gave me an insight to inertia and balance that was invaluable later on when I rode a little.

[akupetsky]

Carnegie is an excellent school, and the neighborhood around it is great as well.  A note of caution for Patrick Henry.  For many years, the school had a principal that clashed with many, many parents.  A lot of the parents that lived in PH district transfered over to Carnegie.  In the last couple of years, PH has had a new principal whom I hear is much better.  Unfortunately, though, PH suffered because of so many families transfering out, and some have been reluctant to return.  I expect that more and more families will begin returning, but I would visit the school before you choose to go there.  

On the plus side, if you decide you would prefer Carnegie, its very easy to transfer, and you will be in good company with a number of nearby families.

[RecycleMichael]

Try for Eisenhower School. Carnegie is great, but Eisenhower is like winning the lottery.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Holiday Hills is a great area, as is the neighborhood directly to the east of LaFortune Park and Sungate which is just east of that neighborhood.

Lower property taxes as well.

Let hubby get that Sportster, but make sure he takes the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course. []

Both Holliday Hills and Sungate are nice subdivisions, built in the late 1950s and 1960s when construction quality at an affordable price still mattered.

I believe one of the best rated elementary schools in the Tulsa district is Hoover Elementary at 23rd & Darlington, just 3 blocks from my home.  Consistently some of the highest test scores in the district.  Move to the Hoover district Kashmir, and you can probably pay cash for your home with no mortgage.  There are a variety of architectural styles, from more conventional small 1950's ranches, the large luxury ranch homes of Wedgewood and Darlington Hills, to the still-ultramodern gems of Lortondale where I live.  Crime issues are no different or greater than any other part of town.  Prices are cheaper, taxes are lower, and your work commute may be much less.  A great central part of Tulsa to live.

[charky]

We moved to Holiday Hills 2 years ago and absolutely love it. A short walk to La Fortune...very close to shopping and eats.

Our daughter started kindergarten at Carnegie this year...and so far we're quite impressed. Extremely well-organized and active PTA...and the teachers seem to be top-notch. And we love being able to walk with our daughter to school...only a 3-4 minute walk.

Downside of the neighborhood is the speeders on Urbana and 56th St. I swear about 90% of drivers speed on these 2 streets.

[Kashmir]

We are going to poke around this weekend, hugs to ALL of you who helped (((HUGS)))

This is huge b/c we are both east Tulsa Union kids, so west of Mingo is uncharted territory.  Grandparents are sorry to see us go, but they are in full understanding.  Maybe we can get them to move too! LOL

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by charky

We moved to Holiday Hills 2 years ago and absolutely love it. A short walk to La Fortune...very close to shopping and eats.

Our daughter started kindergarten at Carnegie this year...and so far we're quite impressed. Extremely well-organized and active PTA...and the teachers seem to be top-notch. And we love being able to walk with our daughter to school...only a 3-4 minute walk.

Downside of the neighborhood is the speeders on Urbana and 56th St. I swear about 90% of drivers speed on these 2 streets.

Urbana?  You mean Runway 17/35 (or was it 18/36, the damn magnetic north keeps changing!)

My mother lives back in there, great 'hood.

Kashmir, I'd second what Steve said on the Hoover neighborhood, there's some real gems tucked in there, didn't think you guys would look that far north.  Might as well look just to the south of 31st and both sides of Yale as well.

[cannon_fodder]

I live in the Patrick Henry area and am VERY pleased with everything it has to offer.  My son initially went to the TU school but financially we didn't think it was worth it.  Tulsa Public Schools has been an excellent choice all around and I can definitely recommend Patrick Henry with confidence.  

I work in the offices along Harvard South of 41st and live near 31st and Harvard.  My wife and I are both young professionals and my son is in elementary school.  What we like:

1) The school exceeded our expectation.  Good facilities, involved PTA, responsive staff and teachers.  After care program is very willing to work with us.

2) The price is right!  A family home is affordable.  Not the fancy ones closer to Philbrook of course, but the family homes.  

3) Diversity!  We have Native Americans, White people, Black people, Hispanics... families, young singles, young couples, and retirees...  houses worth $185K and houses worth $75K.  One neighbor has a 2008 BMW, the other a 1994 very well used pickup.  The guy with the pickup is far, far more fun to have as a neighbor (FYI).

On that same vein, I happen to have great neighbors.  All of them are friendly in their own right (some more social than others) and willing to help each other out.  A neighbor was in a motor cycle accident last week and the problem is people stopping to offer help too often.

4) Location.  My commute is about 5 minutes.  We have 15 restaurants within a mile.  Several places  to get milk, some coke, or other supplies within walking distance.  A book store.  Grocery store.  Liquor store.  A bar. A few workout places. Dentist... on and on and on.  Everything I need, I *COULD* ride my bike to with ease (if I wasn't a lazy American).  Downtown is 5 minutes, a movie theater, a mall or the airport... 10 minutes.  Utica square.  Fabulous city parks.  The River.  Right there.

5) Secure.  I have lived in my little slice of Tulsa for 6 years now, the extent of crimes committed to my property or my person in my neighborhood include having a wind sock stolen.  

Every now and then a car is broken into on the street (seems about once a year some jerks hit a car in our neighborhood) and a vacant house was vandalized a couple years back.  Otherwise, for being in the middle of "the city" it seems secure.

Several people park on the streets daily.  My son can play with neighbor kids in FRONT lawns with only casual supervision.  I can leave a lawn mower in the front or my garage door open and go inside without worrying.  Basically what you are probably used to.

6) Quite.  Really.  By and large my neighborhood is quite.  There is more ambient noise probably, but midtown Tulsa is not Chicago, Dallas, or the like.  I can sit and have a peaceful beer on my front swing in the evening and not be drown in noise.  
- - -

BAH!  Overall I am very happy with my neighborhood in Midtown.  PM me if you have any questions, but my advice would be move with confidence so long as the above sounds appealing to you.

[Conan71]

Sounds like someone changed jobs.  We need to get caught up, CF.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Kashmir, I'd second what Steve said on the Hoover neighborhood, there's some real gems tucked in there, didn't think you guys would look that far north.  Might as well look just to the south of 31st and both sides of Yale as well.

Hoover Elementary can match or better test scores and reputation with any other grade school in Tulsa.

The Wedgewood subdivision, between 18th & 21st streets east of Yale, just east of the Sears store, was built in the mid-late 1950's.  Large, high quality homes that were considered luxury homes in the day, and still are.  I don't know who the developers were, but the neighorhood is still maintained beautifully today to the high standards it was constructed too.

Just south of Wedgewood across 21st street is the Darlington Hills subdivision, constructed 1959-1963 (approx.)  I believe one of the major developers here was Jim Nuckolls.  Nuckolls was also a major builder in Sungate and many of the early Park Plaza developments.  I grew up in a Jim Nuckolls home and from the looks of the Darlington Hills homes, they were definately a Jim Nuckolls product, of high quality in both materials and construction.  Many of the homes in both Wedgewood and Darlington Hills are split-level or tri-level homes, often undetectable from the front street elevations.

Further south on the other side of Hoover school, you find mainly more smaller ranch homes, but the whole area is a very eclectic mix.  Of course, there are the Lortondale subdivisions where I live, between Yale & Hudson, 26th St. to 27th Place, Tulsa's very unique, historic tribute to mid twentieth century modern residential design.  Worth your time to drive through just to see a bit of historic Tulsa homebuilding history.

Just guessing here, but prices in the area probably range from around $50,000 (for a bad fixer-upper) to over $200,000 for a well maintained home in the Wedgewood neighborhood, and everything in between.  The only thing you won't find in the area is large faux Tuscan or country French McMansions, which is super fine by me.  The area has Darlington Park with tennis courts, the great Hoover school, and 2 private neighborhood swimming pools in Lortondale and Lortondale 2, available to any family that wants to join (dues required.)