Any Expats in OK?

[DGoodale]

In my continued search to find a home outside of CA I came across OK, Tulsa area. What's the boots on the ground take. Eastern side has more hills. How's the wind? Constant?
Your $$ can get a lot but I'd prefer more mountains. The plus side is every few years I get a new home and possessions as they're blown away. j/k
https://tulsaremote.com/ $10k in relocation

https://journalrecord.com/2023/09/13/oklahoma-governor-calls-for-elimination-of-state-income-tax/

Property taxes as well as home insurance and tornado ins are high and are the big down sides. If the Gov gets his way no income tax and there no tax on Soc Sec.

[Fear58]

Your $$ can get a lot but I'd prefer more mountains.

Not in OK but am an okie by heritage. I talk to one family member that moved back there, and he mentions the above a lot (misses his mountains). He's been there 10 years and still not sure if he's over it BUT... apart from that, it sounds great.

[ZapThyCat]

Just over the border in SW Missouri. Pretty much anywhere in the Ozarks is gorgeous.

Nice little 3/1 home on a little over an acre for only $64k, but it end in an hour, heh.

https://www.hudhomestore.gov/Listing/PropertyDetails.aspx?caseNumber=421-517000&sLanguage=ENGLISH&zipCode=&city=&county=&sState=OK&fromPrice=0&toPrice=0&fCaseNumber=&bed=0&bath=0&street=&buyerType=0&specialProgram=&Status=0&indoorAmenities=&outdoorAmenities=&housingType=&stories=&parking=&propertyAge=&OrderbyName=SCASENUMBER&OrderbyValue=ASC&sPageSize=10&pageId=1#

[bigbossman]

Not in OK but am an okie by heritage. I talk to one family member that moved back there, and he mentions the above a lot (misses his mountains). He's been there 10 years and still not sure if he's over it BUT... apart from that, it sounds great.

Well, there are the Arbuckle Mountains down south, but they are more hills than mountains to native CA folks. Still interesting and beautiful, but not the Sierra. Tulsa is pretty much flat, as is the rest of the state. Not Kansas flat, but pretty flat.

Tulsa has some issues with crime and meth, so be very careful where you end up there.

[rplaw]

From what I hear Ok is horrible for weather and crime. I had an uncle who lived there for awhile. He said that you live with one ear wired to the radio 24/7. Also, understand that brain drain is very real and there are few possibilities in Ok for self improvement.

Start looking in NW Ga or NE Ala, those areas aren't as humid as further south or east. The more north you are, the less likely you'll be seriously affected by gulf storms and these areas are far enough east they're not as likely to have tornadoes in the middle of the night.

If you don't mind snow, look at eastern Ky or WVa.

NW Ala and N Miss are ok if you don't need a tall scenic backdrop to look at. In any of the deep south states, stay above the halfway point to avoid humidity. Louisiana, W. Tenn and Ark are full of mosquitoes. Hungry mosquitoes. Very hungry. And you are tasty even with bug juice smeared everywhere. BTDT, no more for me thanks.

Tenn is getting too expensive. Just like Tx, Az, Fl, and Id did. If you don't want to go all the way to the east coast, Neb and SD are about all that's left. Be prepared for lots of wind, mud, and snow.

[BAJ475]

From what I hear Ok is horrible for weather and crime. I had an uncle who lived there for awhile. He said that you live with one ear wired to the radio 24/7. Also, understand that brain drain is very real and there are few possibilities in Ok for self improvement.

Start looking in NW Ga or NE Ala, those areas aren't as humid as further south or east. The more north you are, the less likely you'll be seriously affected by gulf storms and these areas are far enough east they're not as likely to have tornadoes in the middle of the night.

If you don't mind snow, look at eastern Ky or WVa.

NW Ala and N Miss are ok if you don't need a tall scenic backdrop to look at. In any of the deep south states, stay above the halfway point to avoid humidity. Louisiana, W. Tenn and Ark are full of mosquitoes. Hungry mosquitoes. Very hungry. And you are tasty even with bug juice smeared everywhere. BTDT, no more for me thanks.

Tenn is getting too expensive. Just like Tx, Az, Fl, and Id did. If you don't want to go all the way to the east coast, Neb and SD are about all that's left. Be prepared for lots of wind, mud, and snow.

Compared to California, Idaho is not that expensive, although housing cost has gone up tremendously due to transplants from CA and Idaho has not escaped Biden inflation. I will only take a little responsibility as my wife and I purchased a lot and then hired a local contractor to build our new home.

[BAJ475]

From what I hear Ok is horrible for weather and crime. I had an uncle who lived there for awhile. He said that you live with one ear wired to the radio 24/7. Also, understand that brain drain is very real and there are few possibilities in Ok for self improvement.

Start looking in NW Ga or NE Ala, those areas aren't as humid as further south or east. The more north you are, the less likely you'll be seriously affected by gulf storms and these areas are far enough east they're not as likely to have tornadoes in the middle of the night.

If you don't mind snow, look at eastern Ky or WVa.

NW Ala and N Miss are ok if you don't need a tall scenic backdrop to look at. In any of the deep south states, stay above the halfway point to avoid humidity. Louisiana, W. Tenn and Ark are full of mosquitoes. Hungry mosquitoes. Very hungry. And you are tasty even with bug juice smeared everywhere. BTDT, no more for me thanks.

Tenn is getting too expensive. Just like Tx, Az, Fl, and Id did. If you don't want to go all the way to the east coast, Neb and SD are about all that's left. Be prepared for lots of wind, mud, and snow.

Compared to California, Idaho is not that expensive, although housing cost has gone up tremendously due to transplants from CA and the fact that Idaho has not escaped Biden inflation. I will only take a little responsibility as my wife and I purchased a lot and then hired a local contractor to build our new home, adding new funds to the local economy.

[ZapThyCat]

From what I hear Ok is horrible for weather and crime. I had an uncle who lived there for awhile. He said that you live with one ear wired to the radio 24/7. Also, understand that brain drain is very real and there are few possibilities in Ok for self improvement.

In the days of the internet and actual work-from-home opportunities, there aren't the problems with brain drain that there used to be.

Although OK is squarely within tornado alley, I wouldn't say that you have to keep your "ear wired to the radio 24/7", you just check the weather once a day, there's usually very good warnings of what might happen. NE OK isn't nearly as bad as the OkC area, and it gives you the advantage of the Ozark mountains too, rather than the flat plains.

[highpower]

NW Ala and N Miss are ok if you don't need a tall scenic backdrop to look at. In any of the deep south states, stay above the halfway point to avoid humidity. Louisiana, W. Tenn and Ark are full of mosquitoes. Hungry mosquitoes. Very hungry. And you are tasty even with bug juice smeared everywhere. BTDT, no more for me thanks.

Tenn is getting too expensive. Just like Tx, Az, Fl, and Id did. If you don't want to go all the way to the east coast, Neb and SD are about all that's left. Be prepared for lots of wind, mud, and snow.

I live in SW Tennessee about ten miles from the Shiloh CW Battlefield and two miles from the Tennessee River. Oddly enough even though I have two ponds on my property, I haven't seen a single mosquito in the two years I have been in this area.

Like everywhere else, Bidinflation has had it's effect on property prices and it has gone up a bit. But February 2023, I bought my current property with a 3/2 house, a metal workshop building and the afore mentioned two ponds on 5.5 acres for $205K. It is a bit more rural here and I am sure that affects property values, but as long as you stay away from the big cities, prices aren't too bad.

[mrkubota]

My brother retired to the eastern side to this 10ac horse property several years ago and loves the area. But now wants to move to a single story home due to knee and back issues making it hard to climb stairs now.....He'll be staying in the same area but has his current place up for sale...
He used to live in Pinon Hills and his screen name was BigJon...

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/47733-Goats-Bluff-Rd_Wister_OK_74966_M95435-21401

[cowboy777]

I moved to OK 5 years ago and it’s been great!
It’s a red state, the reddest(including the dirt) Spring and fall could be longer but you adjust. The dangerous weather is rare and you just be alert when it does come. There are the nicest people and some of the most ignorant. Same with communities, there are places that are poor and then there are areas that seem like the people get richer and richer each year. I miss In&Out(thankfully Dallas is a quick trip). Not a ton of public land like CA to hunt and shoot. Guns on the secondary market are stupid cheap!