Rent to Own Homes in Oklahoma

In the history of the United States, Oklahoma is well known for giving settlers permission to move into lands formerly occupied by Native Americans. Today, some of the most popular vacation destinations and residential communities in the state are connected to those native roots.

For instance, the largest suburb of Tulsa is a city named Broken Arrow. It started out as a settlement for Creek Indians, and many of the original inhabitants traveled on the Trail of Tears to arrive in the area. Today, the settlement has transformed into a thriving city with many small parks, casinos and golf courses. Shawnee is another city with Native American roots that is now known for its casinos.

Oklahoma also offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational facilities. Situated near the Ouachita National Forest, the city of Broken Bow delivers immediate access to the popular Beavers Bend Resort Park, Broken Bow Lake and a couple large rivers. Residents enjoy active lives with fishing, camping and horseback riding in their local communities, and many visitors come into town each year seeking those adventures. There are many other cities throughout the state that offer similar amenities.

Are you wondering about the Oklahoma state song? It’s simply titled “Oklahoma!”

Buying a Home in Oklahoma

As the oil and gas industries continue to develop in the United States, housing opportunities and home values in Oklahoma continue to rise. Investment in these industries naturally leads to growth in job opportunities in this state, bringing in more residents with housing needs. This means that you will benefit from a healthy housing market if you choose to buy a home in Oklahoma. The best way to determine where you want to live is to consider your place of employment and the natural amenities to which you would like to remain close. You can then search for communities in those areas to find homes within your price range.

There’s one good reason to consider moving to Oklahoma even if you aren’t relocating for a job opportunity: low property taxes. The property rates here are among the lowest in the country.

Popular Neighborhoods in Oklahoma

If you need to stay close to Oklahoma City for the job opportunities but don’t want to live in the heart of the city, consider the nearby town named Norman. This is a smaller city with a good public school system that keeps the student-to-teacher ratio low, and the median home price is around $130,000. For the best Norman neighborhoods, go to the eastern edge of the city around West Indian Hills Road and 36th Avenue NW.

If you can afford to pay closer to $200,000 or more for your home, one of the best Oklahoma cities is Edmond. The median home value is close to $200,000, and the high school graduation rate is over 90 percent. The school system also has a low student-to-teacher ratio, and it’s a safe community for families with children of all ages. Jenks is another city with similar amenities, but you will find slightly higher student-to-teacher ratios in this town.

Buying vs. Rent to Own Homes

When you buy a home in the traditional manner, you save up a down payment and contact a lender for pre-approval on a mortgage loan. The pre-approval or pre-qualification process will tell you how much you can afford to pay for your home, and that will determine which homes your realtor takes you out to see. When you decide to apply for a rent-to-own property, the process starts with the home that you want to buy. You have the luxury of picking a home that fits your needs and is in a neighborhood in which you want to live because you start the process as a renter.

When you rent to own, you can move into your home before you secure financing. If you decide that you do want to make the home your own, you can go through the financing process later and transition from renter to homeowner. While this isn’t an option on all homes on the Oklahoma market, many new homeowners appreciate the opportunity to take a slower approach to home ownership.

Cost of Living in Oklahoma

The overall cost of living in Oklahoma is nearly 20 percent below the national average. While a low cost of living is typically the result of low housing prices, that isn’t the full picture for this state. The housing market is more than 30 percent lower than the national average, but most other expenses are also approximately 10 percent below the average.

This means that you won’t save on your housing expenses only to pay more for utilities, food or services needed to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. Oklahoma is one of the few states where you can stretch your budget further in all categories, starting with securing a great deal on your home and paying lower property taxes. Note that property taxes do vary from one city to another, so you may consider that when selecting a neighborhood.

Summary

Oklahoma offers some of the lowest property taxes in the country, a warm climate with lots of sunshine, and affordable housing prices. If that isn’t enough for you to consider moving in immediately, think of the many opportunities for outdoor recreation and adult fun in the casinos. There are many cities rooted in Native American history, and most of them are popular for their casinos and active nighttime activities. Residents of this state also spend a lot of time camping, hiking and riding horses. There aren’t many places left where you can enjoy such a variety of activities while maintaining a reasonable cost of living.