Best places to live in the metro

[ETL]

Hello,

I hope this is a good place to put this, but I was wondering where the nicest places in the metro area are to live. I may be looking to buy a house in a few years. Assuming I work downtown, where do you suggest? I would like to buy the cheapest/most modest home in the nicest neighborhood I can afford.

Thanks!

[easternobserver]

We live in the neighborhood north of 44th and Sooner and love it. Its all new houses built after the May 3rd tornado, and it doesnt look like a cookie cutter subdivision because each lot was built on by a different builder. Its about 9 minutes to downtown and easy to avoid traffic by shooting down Reno. Good elementary school, good mix of young families and military retirees....altogether a great place to live. Most homes are in the 1700 sq foot range with a value of about 150k.

[kevinpate]

Since you ask about metro and not OKC proper, I've been rather fond of Norman since 86. I've been happy enough to simply change locations a few times, the last being 97, but I don't see us ever completely uprooting. If we did, it would likely only be to return to SE OK some day. I do miss my hills from time to time.

[Fantastic]

I spent most of my High School years on the west side between Yukon and Mustang. When we moved there really wasn't anything there, but it has built up into a nice suburban area in the last few years. My parents still live out there, and I always enjoy going out there to visit them. Really love the proximity to Yukon and they're really close to all the restaurants of the "Hospitality District" north of the airport. It's also close to the Turnpike, so getting to the Memorial corridor is very quick, and it's about 10 minutes to Downtown if you take I-40.

[rcjunkie]

Since you ask about metro and not OKC proper, I've been rather fond of Norman since 86. I've been happy enough to simply change locations a few times, the last being 97, but I don't see us ever completely uprooting. If we did, it would likely only be to return to SE OK some day. I do miss my hills from time to time.

I agree about Norman, awesome community and always something to do. While I now call Lake Tenkiller home, I still own a house in Norman and spend 3--4 months a year there.

[Bellaboo]

Yukon is affordable, good schools and easy access to commute, 15 miles from downtown OKC.

[RealEstateCop1]

Yukon, Piedmont, NW & SW OKC are great places to live.

[BBatesokc]

This is a pretty subjective question. To some 'nicest' comes down to low cost, low maintenance. Others place priority on lavishness or perpetuating an image. Others place priorities on proximity to shopping ,schools, work, etc.

I have friends who live in Edmond and Norman who prefer very expensive looking homes in upscale neighborhoods with the 'look how successful I am' appeal regardless of the commute to work, the store, etc. Others we know in Edmond love the cookie cutter style new neighborhoods. I know others who absolutely want to be downtown and will forego a yard, privacy and quick access to grocery stores etc. to be downtown. While others want to live in historic homes, or near good quality schools or even within walking or biking distance of their work and don't care much about the rest.

For my wife and I we preferred low cost, low maintenance home that we could sell easily and own outright very quickly. We also wanted to be close to basic shopping and within 10-15 minutes of downtown OKC. We settled on a very small foreclosure home in an old neighborhood that we would instantly have good equity in an would own quickly. We live near SE 44 and Sooner (near EasternObserver apparently, but in a lower 'class' neighborhood). Its a 30 yr old home and we only paid $50+K for it but could sell it for double within days of putting it on the market. We pick a room and remodel it ourselves on a tight budget - adding laminate floors, granite, tile, etc. as needed.

'Nicest' for us is no house payment, very low utilities and the fun of fixing it up. Throw in a yard, a Koi pond and a brick pool house and it suits us perfectly.

This is our latest remodel on the living room... http://www.dermandar.com/p/bYBfqP/livingroom-remodel

If I could pick anywhere to live, I would be downtown. But I simply can't (yet) justify spending $300+ just to be there when I can drive to downtown within 12 minutes. Second to downtown would be Edmond (but only very near I-35 as I hate Edmond traffic, etc.). Third would be near I-35 in far north Norman.

[Achilleslastand]

This is a pretty subjective question. To some 'nicest' comes down to low cost, low maintenance. Others place priority on lavishness or perpetuating an image. Others place priorities on proximity to shopping ,schools, work, etc.

I have friends who live in Edmond and Norman who prefer very expensive looking homes in upscale neighborhoods with the 'look how successful I am' appeal regardless of the commute to work, the store, etc. Others we know in Edmond love the cookie cutter style new neighborhoods. I know others who absolutely want to be downtown and will forego a yard, privacy and quick access to grocery stores etc. to be downtown. While others want to live in historic homes, or near good quality schools or even within walking or biking distance of their work and don't care much about the rest.

For my wife and I we preferred low cost, low maintenance home that we could sell easily and own outright very quickly. We also wanted to be close to basic shopping and within 10-15 minutes of downtown OKC. We settled on a very small foreclosure home in an old neighborhood that we would instantly have good equity in an would own quickly. We live near SE 44 and Sooner (near EasternObserver apparently, but in a lower 'class' neighborhood). Its a 30 yr old home and we only paid $50+K for it but could sell it for double within days of putting it on the market. We pick a room and remodel it ourselves on a tight budget - adding laminate floors, granite, tile, etc. as needed.

'Nicest' for us is no house payment, very low utilities and the fun of fixing it up. Throw in a yard, a Koi pond and a brick pool house and it suits us perfectly.

This is our latest remodel on the living room... http://www.dermandar.com/p/bYBfqP/livingroom-remodel

If I could pick anywhere to live, I would be downtown. But I simply can't (yet) justify spending $300+ just to be there when I can drive to downtown within 12 minutes. Second to downtown would be Edmond (but only very near I-35 as I hate Edmond traffic, etc.). Third would be near I-35 in far north Norman.

Nice job especially like the wood flooring.

[BBatesokc]

Nice job especially like the wood flooring.

Thanks, took an entire weekend and is not nice on the back, but it was cheaper than carpet and much easier to take care of and more sanitary. Saw a show on how nasty the typical carpet in a home is - DISGUSTING!

[Achilleslastand]

Thanks, took an entire weekend and is not nice on the back, but it was cheaper than carpet and much easier to take care of and more sanitary. Saw a show on how nasty the typical carpet in a home is - DISGUSTING!

I would have thought the wood flooring would have been more expensive then the carpet.
Was it pretty hard to install?

[Questor]

Hello,

I hope this is a good place to put this, but I was wondering where the nicest places in the metro area are to live. I may be looking to buy a house in a few years. Assuming I work downtown, where do you suggest? I would like to buy the cheapest/most modest home in the nicest neighborhood I can afford.

Thanks!

I haven't really been able to find an area in the metro that has it all. So that means you kind of have to choose what you want, and then look based on that. What types of things are you looking for in a house and its surrounding community?

[BBatesokc]

I would have thought the wood flooring would have been more expensive then the carpet.
Was it pretty hard to install?

Its a nice laminate and is cheaper than a middle of the road carpet installed. It was easy to install, just a slow process to do it right and that room involved a lot of angled cuts.

[ETL]

Thank you all for your help!

[OKCMallen]

Hello,

I hope this is a good place to put this, but I was wondering where the nicest places in the metro area are to live. I may be looking to buy a house in a few years. Assuming I work downtown, where do you suggest? I would like to buy the cheapest/most modest home in the nicest neighborhood I can afford.

Thanks!

Check out the Zach Taylor Neighborhood. Lots of houses around $100k, but you're caught up b/n Chesapeake, Classen Curve, Whole Foods, Crown Heights, and N. Western Ave area. In short: every house should probably be at least $20-40k more than it is.

Defined by NW50th on the south, I-235 on the east, Francis/Shartel Avenues on the west, and I-44 on the north.

[RadicalModerate]

The Village . . . ?
Nichols Hills . . .?

Of course, should you chose to live in The Village you will have to deal with all of The Whimsical Nichols Hills Traffic Regulations. Yet it is a small price to pay. For convenience. Plus there is the Always Under Construction Nichols Hills By-Pass (aka Broadway Extension/Centennial Freeway) that is a more direct--if less scenic--route to OKC itself.

[SSEiYah]

Edgemere park has pretty nice older houses..6 minutes to downtown, if that is too much you can look where I live "Central Park" neighborhood, its a little more rundown but lots of the houses have been remodeled such as mine.

[RadicalModerate]

Edgemere Park is WONDERFUL . . .
However, like many "Historical Neighborhoods" they--the local watchdog gossips and code enforcement pawns--refuse to recognize such things as the invention of low-E insulated glass when you get ready to do a home improvement. I'm sure they have a good reason for that. Even if nobody in the OKC Permit Review Cabal/Commission can explain what that reason is.

Sort of like many of our other Antique and Quaint Law and Regulations . . .

As I said: Wonderful.

[foodiefan]

Lots of neat places to live OKC . .but Windsor Hills (NW23rd/36th and Meridian/Ann Arbor), while not "historic", is a great older neighborhood. . .circa 1962-65. Lots of big trees, people walking morning and evenings, close to NW 39th Expwy/ I-44/I-40. . . 10 minutes from Penn Square, 15 from downtown. Neighborhood is very stable. . .still a lot of of "original" homeowners. . .I am just the second owner of my home. . .active Neighborhood Association.

[OKCDrummer77]

I'm on NW 19th between Portland and Meridian, a quiet, tree-lined boulevard. We're close to some rougher areas, but here, the biggest problem I see regularly is people who think that the speed limit on my street is 45+ just because it has a median.

From here, it's easy to hop on I-44 or I-40 and get anywhere in the metro.

[BBatesokc]

Lots of neat places to live OKC . .but Windsor Hills (NW23rd/36th and Meridian/Ann Arbor), while not "historic", is a great older neighborhood. . .circa 1962-65. Lots of big trees, people walking morning and evenings, close to NW 39th Expwy/ I-44/I-40. . . 10 minutes from Penn Square, 15 from downtown. Neighborhood is very stable. . .still a lot of of "original" homeowners. . .I am just the second owner of my home. . .active Neighborhood Association.

I lived in Windsor Hills briefly and really liked it. Plenty of neighborhood streets, homes in many different price ranges and the geographic location was nice. I used to ride my bike to the movie theatre. Is it still in business?

[foodiefan]

I lived in Windsor Hills briefly and really liked it. Plenty of neighborhood streets, homes in many different price ranges and the geographic location was nice. I used to ride my bike to the movie theatre. Is it still in business?

The movie theater (having been through a couple of iterations) is alive and well. . .It's one of the "B&B" Theaters. .first run, but smaller markets (in OK it's Claremore, Sapulpa,Miami, El Reno). We have an active Neighborhood Association and the theater has been kind enough to host our quarterly meetings. The shopping center at 23rd/Meridian has a Crest . . .they have been very supportive of the NA as well (prizes for our meetings!!). Windsor HIlls is a wonderful little "hidden gem" in the "outer ring" of central OKC.

[foodiefan]

QUOTE=foodiefan;487045]The movie theater (having been through a couple of iterations) is alive and well. . .It's one of the "B&B" Theaters. .first run, but smaller markets (in OK it's Claremore, Sapulpa,Miami, El Reno). We have an active Neighborhood Association and the theater has been kind enough to host our quartely meetings. The shopping center at 23rd/Meridian has a Crest . . .they have been very supportive of the NA as well (prizes for our meetings!!). Windsor HIlls is a wonderful little "hidden gem" in the "outer ring" of central OKC.[/QUOTE]

I have to add. . .while I understand not everyone does, I much prefer the "inner-city-ish" neighborhoods that have some sense of history and personality. . and please, please. . .TREES. I know that we lose some due to age and weather (the last couple of years of ice storms have NOT been kind!!). . .but please, spare me a neighborhood filled with 15 year trees (i.e., Bradford Pears) in every front yard. I want a neighborhood with personality, activity, and diversity. I know I'm not "downtown" or in an historic district, but every to neighborhood and every area in the inner-city surburbs that are activly promoting their own area/neighborhood, I applaud you. . .please keep up the good work!! We can "take back the night".

[poe]

I'm all for older neighborhoods that have character and trees. Just seems to add (and perhaps help define) that "neighborhood" feeling.

[krisb]

I'm guessing my neighborhood is a little below your price range, but I will put in a plug for it anyway. The Skyline Neighborhood (just west of Will Rogers Park near NW 32nd and Portland) is a wonderful, up and coming area. Established in 1951, Skyline is a mid-century urban neighborhood with prices ranging from the 70's through the 120's. We are close to Will Rogers Park (tennis, disc golf, swimming pool, playground) and I-44. We have lots of diversity and a newly reorganized neighborhood association. There are several artists who live in this area who are working to informally brand the area as the WePo district (west of Portland). Over the next few years we anticipate new sidewalks in the neighborhood. This is a pocket of the city with some attractive amenities and a bright future!