Housing sucks in Tucson right now based of off what I've heard my house hunting friends say. Just the nature of the overall housing market, coupled with Tucson's expansion in the past decade or so. Lot of folks willing to pay cash over asking, it sounds like, based off of my friends' experiences getting outbid.

Tucson is also a fairly left-leaning city. I am originally from Texas, and usually describe it as being the Austin of Arizona (left leaning, casts itself as being quirky). Phoenix would be like Dallas (big, no character, shit traffic).

I don't know about schools since I don't have kids, but there is expansion noticeable in the NW side, close to Marana, where a number of newly built/in development neighborhoods are springing up.