Possible move to Cedar Rapids area for retired couple (Iowa City: for sale, HOA)

[Oldmuse]

Hello! We are a retired, liberal couple currently living in rural far Northern California where the politics are very conservative and the militia types active, and only about a third of our county has been vaccinated. Wildfires have dramatically increased in the 20 years we have been here, and we have had only three days this month below 100 degrees, in addition to extreme drought and wells going dry. Our daughter and grandson live in Cedar Rapids, with another daughter in northern MO, and we are seriously considering a move to Iowa, around CR but could extend south and east. We would prefer a house with a little space around it, mostly single story, somewhere south of $400K, and probably not right in the city. Both of us have lived in the Midwest and understand what weather and topography will be. But the lure of family close by is strong, and with the fires out here it is no longer if but when we will get hit. Suggestions? Observations? Recommendations?

[smpliving]

Check out property tax and insurance on any home you purchase in Cedar Rapids and make sure you get the maximum amount of coverage. My insurance went up 44% since last summer’s devastating derecho. I would guess your daughter might have been here during that time.

I would not buy anything in the southeast and southwest portion of the city or rural areas if you don’t want to live near industries like ADM or Cargill. Cargill is building in rural SE Cedar Rapids destroying acres of a supposedly protected prairie and construction backs up to the driveway of one of our state Senators.

I’ve seen quite a few Trump signs and his supporters just north of Cedar Rapids. Iowa is a red state. I never talk politics unless I discover my neighbors are of the same viewpoint.

Shootings seem to be on the increase in Cedar Rapids although the link below says they have decreased. Im reading about shootings at least once a week in SE, SW, or NW Cedar Rapids. Usually at night or early morning but also sometimes during the daytime hours.

https://www.kcrg.com/2021/07/08/ceda...-gun-violence/

[Oldmuse]

Thanks so much for the info. We definitely noticed the property tax and are sorry to hear about insurance rising. Our area has experienced that,or outright cancellation, because of the wildfires. I also appreciate the location suggestions. We also are looking at communities like Mt. Vernon, North Liberty, Palo, Marion, etc. And yes, we don’t talk politics either unless we know that people are like-minded.

[smpliving]

You’re welcome. I really like Mt Vernon. I would move there in a heartbeat if I was starting over and wanted to stay in Iowa.

North Liberty is one of the fastest growing communities in Iowa. Personally I like the community and it’s close to Iowa City where the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is located. As retirees I think you would enjoy being close to all their amenities. Iowa City is also the most liberal area in Iowa. It’s also the most expensive.

Be careful with Palo. They suffered major damage from the 2008 flood. Definitely stay away from low-lying housing.

Between Palo and Cedar Rapids there are beautiful homes with wooded acreages on higher ground. Look around the Wickiup Hill Learning Center. Another area I would consider moving to myself.

[Oldmuse]

Thanks so very much! We like the look of Mount Vernon especially, but also the great proximity of North Liberty to medical.

What about building? We love our current home which we built in 2002 and would love to replicate it on a couple of acres, but I am not a fan of the house in a treeless field subdivisions. We are wanting to stay within half an hour or so of CR or IC. We know the lumber shortage caused a huge spike in construction costs, but that should be heading down now or soon. Any ideas how long builders are taking?

[smpliving]

Since the derecho and covid there is a real shortage of supplies and reputable contractors here. It may be different for new homes as there is a lot of new construction going on.

For existing homes in need of repairs people are still waiting one year out from the derecho for help. I’m one of the fortunate ones. My HOA was able to secure a contractor within days of the derecho. They’ve been working year-round around weather conditions and supply shortages and it’s estimated a 3-year project for rebuilding so far.

I don’t have much info to offer on home builders. However from personal experience and what I have heard repeatedly over the past 25 years I would be very careful with one particular builder. Feel free to DM me.

It might be challenging to find NEW construction in your price range AND acreage for wooded areas. I could be completely wrong though. Prices have been creeping upward here but nothing like out West. Look into Robins or Hiawatha, or Toddville, but that takes you further from Iowa City if you’re okay with that. Around Iowa City/North Liberty, look around Coralville Lake or Lake McBride for wooded lots (?) but I’m guessing that gets $$$$.

[Oldmuse]

Originally Posted by smpliving

Since the derecho and covid there is a real shortage of supplies and reputable contractors here. It may be different for new homes as there is a lot of new construction going on.

For existing homes in need of repairs people are still waiting one year out from the derecho for help. I’m one of the fortunate ones. My HOA was able to secure a contractor within days of the derecho. They’ve been working year-round around weather conditions and supply shortages and it’s estimated a 3-year project for rebuilding so far.

I don’t have much info to offer on home builders. However from personal experience and what I have heard repeatedly over the past 25 years I would be very careful with one particular builder. Feel free to DM me.

It might be challenging to find NEW construction in your price range AND acreage for wooded areas. I could be completely wrong though. Prices have been creeping upward here but nothing like out West. Look into Robins or Hiawatha, or Toddville, but that takes you further from Iowa City if you’re okay with that. Around Iowa City/North Liberty, look around Coralville Lake or Lake McBride for wooded lots (?) but I’m guessing that gets $$$$.

Okay, then, construction isn’t likely. Oh well. Hope we might be able to find a handyman to help us once we are there!

The property tax and potential insurance costs really have us concerned. We pay probably about a third of what a similarly priced home would cost there, and it is a huge factor when you are a retiree. Is all of Iowa affected? Any hope of relief?

Another concern is certainly the much colder winters, at least for my husband (I like winter a bit better than he does, but not feet of snow.) We are not strangers to Midwest winters, having lived in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, but we’re a bit nervous about going back to them. Humidity, of course, we are more or less prepared for.

Thanks again for the info. It all helps in making decisions.

[smpliving]

I understand your property tax concerns. I lived in Southern California half my life with some time in San Jose and Sacramento. My parents home of 56 years was protected from increases due to Proposition 13, as well as my brother and cousins in the Bay Area. Homes close to 1 million with property taxes less almost half what I pay here in Iowa on a home in the mid-100K.

Rural areas in Iowa further out from major cities will have less property tax but then it gets cliquish like most places in the US. Many of those towns are dying. I haven’t heard of any relief from property taxes or insurance costs for Iowa. I expect mine to continue to go up but with a paid-off home, I can handle it since it’s not an expensive home. My own challenge as a retiree is finding decent housing I can afford out West to be closer to family and get away from the humidity. I don’t need a lot of space.

You mentioned you have a daughter in Missouri. Have you considered Columbia? Still gets humid but less severe winters, lower property taxes I believe, and the city trends more liberal. Good luck whatever you decide!

[Nedibes]

I live in Mount Vernon, and would recommend it if you are interested in a small-town experience. It's definitely a liberal/progressive community, probably more than any Cedar Rapids community though not more than the university area of Iowa City. It's also very prosperous and still has a very strong social fabric--as an example, a couple of years ago the entire town put up Christmas decorations at the beginning of October, so a local woman with terminal cancer could have one last Christmas. This past year the schools actually stayed in-person the whole year (every other day in the fall) and managed to have zero class-related outbreaks, thanks mostly to incredibly good mask compliance. At one point the actors in the spring musical were told that they could go unmasked for the performance; every single one opted to perform masked. And of course there are tons of community events, festivals, etc. throughout the year, with a thriving fine arts scene.

One caveat to this rosy picture is that a LOT of socializing happens through church and a few other pretty formal organizations, like the PTA, League of Women Voters, and the VFW. If you're not a joiner it may be harder to make friends (but if you do join one of the local churches, you'll have an immediate support network--I say this as someone who is NOT Christian or a joiner, but can appreciate the benefits for those who are).

There are a couple of new construction neighborhoods here, but they are very much starting in cornfields and still look pretty bald to me. You might get lucky with a random lot somewhere in the vicinity, but one issue with building in that kind of locale is that your winter services might be more difficult--I have co-workers who regularly lose a couple of days of work each winter because they can't get out of their long, unplowed driveways.

Bertram is another community you might want to consider for sheer scenic beauty, though I think they're probably more conservative (honestly, just about anywhere in Iowa is probably more conservative than Mount Vernon). Bertram is between CR and MV, closer to the Cedar River, and has a lot more wooded areas. There also are some beautiful locations in the Palisades area. Palisades-Kepler is a state park, but there are also private homes in the park area on the northeast side of the river, and the southwest side of the river up on the bluffs is all private land. I have no idea how much those homes would go for or how often they might come up for sale, but it's a gorgeous area.

[Oldmuse]

Oh thank you! That is very helpful info about Mt. Vernon, and I will checkout Bertram. Because of the increase in Covid cases again, we are not likely to travel soon, and definitely need to visit areas before we decide where to go. So it may be a while. Meanwhile, I research and ask questions.

Mount Vernon sounds really good to me. I have moved many times and yes, have mostly found my friends at church. But I am neither much of a Christian nor a joiner anymore either. We like small towns, however, and Mount Vernon is close enough to services and healthcare to easily access when needed, pretty much like where we currently live.

Thank you so much for responding. It is so helpful to hear about your experiences.