We moved to Oklahoma just over a year ago. Three weeks before relocating my wife and I visited the State for the very first time. I’m from the East Coast and Maureen is from Denver. So we feel a bit like expats trying to learn the traditions and customs of our host culture. This is familiar territory for us, as more than six of our nine years of marriage have been spent outside the U.S. I hope my misunderstandings and discoveries can help Okies see themselves through the eyes of an outsider, as well as giving “foreigners” an internal view of Oklahoma.

One of my first lessons happened soon after landing in tornado alley.  

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While growing up around here, I often heard the talk of how none of the good jobs were in Oklahoma. Over time, I came to realize that was a stereotype strongly held by many.

Is it that things have changed that much, or that the stereotypes are just false? Forbes seems to think Oklahoma City can hold it’s own in business and career world, as evidenced by their ranking of our fair city in their list of ‘Best Places for Business and Careers.’

It’s a question that’s not usually asked as much as it’s assumed. You see, there’s this stigma that Oklahomans don’t earn much in comparison to the rest of the country, and if you’re one that makes that assumption, then the #2 and #4 rankings of a September 2009 report on Portfolio.com might surprise you.

Oklahoma City has been an oasis of stability during the recession. Its midyear unemployment rate of 6.0 percent was vastly better than the nation’s 9.5 percent. And its income growth rate has been solid. Oklahoma City is one of just 12 markets that have doubled their PCIs since 1993. Growth score: 51.7 points.

What else do you not know about Oklahoma’s economic strength?

As the sun sets on 2009, and we usher in 2010, now seems to be an appropriate time to reflect and project.

One of the comments I often hear from folks who move to Oklahoma from other parts of the country is how amazing the sunrises and sunsets are here. With that in mind, I thought I’d share a great video that a friend of mine, Brad Stone, created, which shows off those amazing sunsets that we Okies often take for granted.

2009 brought great growth for the Hukill Group, even in this (reported) “down market.” We experienced an increase in overall volume of more than 50% and brought on 3 amazing, cream-of-the-crop new partners during the year.

Looking ahead to 2010, we’ve set ourselves a pretty lofty goal of twice the volume we closed in 2009. Yep, that’s right, I said double. That should tell you something about our confidence level in the Oklahoma City real estate market and in the level of service we provide our clients. You’ll also notice a BIG change in our branding for 2010, as we’re changing the name of the Hukill Group and launching a more memorable branding presence (watch for the unveiling during the first quarter).

So, get ready Oklahoma City. 2010 is going to be a big year and we’re ready to take it on, and serve you, as our City continues to grow and outpace most other metro areas, in more ways than one!

Steve Lackmeyer of the Oklahoman just put together a very cool video about the history of Bricktown and the surrounding area. Call me a geek, but I kind of enjoy hearing about what used to be and how we got to where we are, as well as where we could be going. Enjoy!

Last week, I posted about the trend of Californians relocating to Oklahoma, so the timing couldn’t have been better for a letter to the editor, published Saturday in the Oklahoman:

Comfort vs. chaos

Regarding “Finding a California dream in Oklahoma’s heartland” (feature, June 16): Offering a fresh start to newcomers has always been an Oklahoma tradition. After years of poking fun at our state, it’s not just Californians who’ve recognized its beauty, values and opportunities. Having lived in California for 20 years before being adopted by the great state of Oklahoma, I can attest to the comfort of stability versus the chaos of California.

Stan Faulk, Pink

Just about any local Realtor can attest to the number of Californians we see moving into our great state, and the Sacramento Bee just published an interesting article with statistics and interviews of some of those who’ve made the move.

I’m no stranger to touting the great things that Oklahoma has to offer, but it’s cool to see it from the perspective of a Californian writer.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts from this article:

• From 2004 through 2007, about 275,000 Californians left the Golden State for the old Dust Bowl states of Oklahoma and Texas, twice the number that left those two states for California, recent Internal Revenue Service figures show.
• Ask these Okies-in-reverse why they traded the Golden State for the Sooner State… and you’ll hear a lot of similar themes: easier to find a job; cheaper to buy or rent a home; better place to make a fresh start. Ask them why they stay in Oklahoma and they’ll add to that list a deep optimism that it’s a place where things are about to take off.
• “When I left, all construction had stopped throughout California,” he said. “Here I see a lot of construction, a lot of new businesses.”
• More importantly, Jones said, his money stretches a lot further. A gas station clerk in Oklahoma makes about $1.50 an hour less than a gas station clerk in California. But Jones takes his money from working behind the counter and spends $400 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. In Del Paso Heights, a similarly sized apartment could easily cost $750.
• The median income is about 20 percent lower in Oklahoma City than in Sacramento, but that income goes 10 percent further, federal statistics show.

Most ‘Okies’ I know love it here for many of the same reasons, but you be the judge!

According to an article recently published on Realtor.org, states hit hard with foreclosures are experiencing multiple-offer situations.

Truth is, we’re seeing a lot of the same here in Oklahoma, where we don’t have a high concentration of foreclosure properties.  As buyer interest grows and inventories shrink, we’ll see more and more of these scenarios.

Some sellers wonder if now is a good time to get their home on the market.  You be the judge.

Continuing the trend of positive economic indicators for the OKC Metro, The Journal Record reported Thursday that the unemployment rate here is one of the lowest in the country.  Gotta love that!

Despite an unemployment rate increase of 2.3 percent over March 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday reported only 5.6 percent of the Oklahoma City area’s work force was unemployed last month. Among America’s 50 largest cities, only four reported unemployment rates of less than 6 percent in March and only New Orleans, at 5.3 percent, reported a lower rate than Oklahoma City.

According to Marketwatch, Tulsa and Oklahoma City are tops in the country, due to stable local economies and strong housing markets.

Of course this is no surprise to us, but I think some folks around the country might be caught a little off guard, and by the looks of some of the comments, maybe even offended.