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My husband and I are considering a move to the Kansas City area. I've been reading a lot of threads and doing a lot of Googling, but still have some questions.
A little about us:
My husband and I are both in our early 30s and we do not have children. We lived in Chicago for 10 years, and then moved to Austin about 4 years ago. A lot of good things have come out of our time in Austin, but we're just not sure it's where we want to stay long term.
My husband's job has an office in Shawnee. That sparked our curiosity about KCMO, and the more we look into it, the more it looks like it could be a much better fit for us than Austin.
Here are some questions and thoughts that we have. We would greatly appreciate any input you all might have! Thank you!!
1) We'd like to live in a neighborhood with local shops and restaurants within walking distance. We'd prefer a house over a condo. We love old homes, and do not need a large house, or a large yard. I've read good things about Brookside. Our price range will start at $150K and could go up to $250K. Not sure if $250k is enough to get us into Brookside. Are there other similar or up and coming fun walkable neighborhoods at the cheaper price point?
2) Is there a Whole Foods in KCMO? It looks like maybe one closed, but they are also building a new one? Having trouble finding info on this. I have food allergies and having a place like Whole Foods within a 15 minute drive is pretty important. Looks like there is one in Overland Park, which might work and not be too far.
3) Speaking of Overland Park, KS, what's it like there? Is it a cute walkable suburb? We lived in Oak Park, IL, if anyone is familiar, and loved it. It is a suburb of Chicago, but very small and cute with lots of local shops and restaurants.
4) What's the real estate market like in KC and the surrounding areas? There is such an influx of people moving to Austin, that homes are being overvalued, they sell within a matter of days, with multiple offers, and over asking. Has anyone noticed any trends like this in KC?
5) I've read that traffic is pretty good in KC. Still true? I assume that of course there will be some traffic during rush hour, but hopefully it doesn't take 30 minutes to drive 2 miles like it does in Austin.
6) How much sunshine does KC get during the winter compared to Chicago? We really like the change of seasons, but the months and months during the winter in Chicago with no sunshine were tough.
7) Like I mentioned earlier, I have food allergies. It can make eating out challenging, but over time I've found several places in Austin that are very accommodating. Has anyone noticed restaurants in KC that have gluten free menus, or seem allergy friendly? Preferably local restaurants. Any specific recommendations for when we come to visit?
My husband and I are considering a move to the Kansas City area. I've been reading a lot of threads and doing a lot of Googling, but still have some questions.
A little about us:
My husband and I are both in our early 30s and we do not have children. We lived in Chicago for 10 years, and then moved to Austin about 4 years ago. A lot of good things have come out of our time in Austin, but we're just not sure it's where we want to stay long term.
My husband's job has an office in Shawnee. That sparked our curiosity about KCMO, and the more we look into it, the more it looks like it could be a much better fit for us than Austin.
Here are some questions and thoughts that we have. We would greatly appreciate any input you all might have! Thank you!!
1) We'd like to live in a neighborhood with local shops and restaurants within walking distance. We'd prefer a house over a condo. We love old homes, and do not need a large house, or a large yard. I've read good things about Brookside. Our price range will start at $150K and could go up to $250K. Not sure if $250k is enough to get us into Brookside. Are there other similar or up and coming fun walkable neighborhoods at the cheaper price point?
Brookside is exactly what you are looking for and KC has very few places that would even compare to Brookside. I would honestly narrow your search to Brookside and be done with it because I don't think you will like much else. You might try South Plaza, but the home prices will probably be out of reach. The only downside would be that the public schools are not good, but you do have great private schools as well as charter school options and you mentioned you don't have kids. Even with bad public schools, there are still many families with children in Brookside. You can also look at Prairie Village, it's kinda walkable, but the housing stock really lacks any sort of charm or historic feel like what you have in Brookside and you don't have the same connection to other walkable areas like the Plaza, South Plaza, Waldo etc. No trolley track trail and the retail is more suburban feeling while Brookside has more urban or downtown type retail and groceries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah12345
2) Is there a Whole Foods in KCMO? It looks like maybe one closed, but they are also building a new one? Having trouble finding info on this. I have food allergies and having a place like Whole Foods within a 15 minute drive is pretty important. Looks like there is one in Overland Park, which might work and not be too far.
There is a Whole Foods going up in a mixed use development just north of Brookside near UMKC and South Plaza. It will be very close to Brookside.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah12345
3) Speaking of Overland Park, KS, what's it like there? Is it a cute walkable suburb? We lived in Oak Park, IL, if anyone is familiar, and loved it. It is a suburb of Chicago, but very small and cute with lots of local shops and restaurants.
Overland Park has a nice downtown and you might look into homes there, but it's very small and not very active. However it's getting better with more apartments. The single family homes in the area leave a lot to be desired though. It's just not a very "charming" area and it's an island in the middle of vast suburbia where Brookside in more connected to other urban neighborhoods and walkable. The rest of Overland Park is just typical suburban sprawl. It's nice for what it is, but I can't see it being what you are looking for.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah12345
4) What's the real estate market like in KC and the surrounding areas? There is such an influx of people moving to Austin, that homes are being overvalued, they sell within a matter of days, with multiple offers, and over asking. Has anyone noticed any trends like this in KC?
I don't think is is ever a huge problem in KC. KC is growing, but very modestly, especially compared to Austin. Metro KC will have brief periods where homes sell fast like that, but nothing crazy and it won't last long. You don't see huge bust in KC either although KC was hit pretty hard by the real estate crash and is just now starting to get housing values back to where they were before the crash.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah12345
5) I've read that traffic is pretty good in KC. Still true? I assume that of course there will be some traffic during rush hour, but hopefully it doesn't take 30 minutes to drive 2 miles like it does in Austin.
There is no traffic in KC. Delays rarely exceed 5 minutes and I'm dead serious. Just look at kcscout.net and you will see how travel times barely change during "rush hour". Crashes cause most congestion in KC and KC has a lot of crashes on the interstates, so you will have to factor that in, but it's nothing like I-35 in Austin and the freeways around KC are free unlike Austin's new tollways. KC has terrible drivers that are very inattentive and oblivious to their surroundings, but I honestly think Austin is one of the cities that have worse drivers than KC. Austin has one main freeway for most of the region (I-35) and it's congested nearly all day long. The few options to I-35 are tollways or not very convenient. KC has a highway system many times the size of Austin. It's actually about twice as large as KC needs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah12345
6) How much sunshine does KC get during the winter compared to Chicago? We really like the change of seasons, but the months and months during the winter in Chicago with no sunshine were tough.
I don't think KC's winters are near as long as Chicago and certainly not as brutal. But maybe somebody else that is good with weather stats can chime in. I love Chicago, but hate it in the winter, yet KC was okay for the most part.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah12345
7) Like I mentioned earlier, I have food allergies. It can make eating out challenging, but over time I've found several places in Austin that are very accommodating. Has anyone noticed restaurants in KC that have gluten free menus, or seem allergy friendly? Preferably local restaurants. Any specific recommendations for when we come to visit?
I don't know about this, I'm sure KC has plenty, but others will have to be more specific.
Having said that. You will miss how "young" Austin feels and how active it is. The parks there are always packed and they have a huge urban parks system. People love using the urban riverfront parks and trails. KC's parks are practically empty. You will be trading off nice warm winters for winters closer to what Chicago is like again. But KC has way more big city amenities than Austin (arts, museums, pro sports etc) so that helps make up for the lack of recreation.
I grew up in KC and moved to Austin for a short while. My family and I recently returned to KC, so I can offer some perspective regarding KC vs. Austin and answer your questions.
In short, Austin is growing much faster than KC. This is both good and bad. Austin is always buzzing. It feels alive. I am an avid runner and LOVED the busy trails around Town Lake and Zilker Park. Downtown had plenty of pedestrian activity. S Congress had its hipster vibe. People seemed to get out more. The mix of university, capitol, and commercial provide a unique culture that's well deserved though sometimes overrated. Of course, this brings negatives, which you addressed. Traffic is a major problem. Home prices and rent are skyrocketing. If someone wanted a suburban lifestyle, I'd advise them against Austin. It's not worth the long waits on MoPac and/or IH-35. We almost stayed but decided to relocate back to KC to live near family--something we didn't have in Austin.
1) Brookside is a great choice, but at $250K, you'll likely make a tradeoff. This might mean a fixer upper, living off a busy street, or living further away from the most desirable spots. Waldo would be a better choice, which is more aligned with your price range but not as polished as Brookside. Living near Old Overland Park's downtown could work as well, but you'll lose the charming old homes vibe.
2) There are no Whole Foods in KCMO right now. It's supposed to happen in 2017 near 51st & Oak, which is surprise-surprise, in Brookside.
3) See #1. Old Overland Park has some walkable areas in its downtown area. Overall though, Overland Park is a car dependent suburb. I would not classify it as a cute neighborhood feel!
4) KC is not growing like Austin. Not even close. I've noticed that Brookside and northern Waldo have low inventory and moderately inflated prices, but it's the exception, not the rule, for homes to sell the first day above asking price. KC is a seller's market at the moment, but it's not a San Jose wannabe like Austin.
5) Traffic exists in KC, but it's nothing like Austin's. I remember telling my wife that I'd never complain about KC traffic again after experiencing Austin's gridlock.
6) KC's weather follows general trends but can be highly variable on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis. Winters are usually cold. There are sporadic short stretches of sunny, mild weather. There are also stretches of bitterly cold, cloudy days. I don't recall months and months of cloudy days. Usually, weather patterns persist for 1-2 weeks before shifting. The part of KC winter that I hate is the lack of outdoor activity. People seem to stay inside unless it's 50+ degrees and sunny.
7) The restaurant scene should accommodate your needs. Progressive, local restaurants tend to concentrate in areas like Westport, Crossroads, and the West Side. Austin's restaurant scene is more robust given the amount of people (with money) that are moving there.
7) Like I mentioned earlier, I have food allergies. It can make eating out challenging, but over time I've found several places in Austin that are very accommodating. Has anyone noticed restaurants in KC that have gluten free menus, or seem allergy friendly? Preferably local restaurants. Any specific recommendations for when we come to visit?
I think you have gotten some excellent advice here so far. kcmo's post was spot on. Since your husband could be working in Shawnee, if you wanted to tighten up your commute even further you might also give Mission KS a look. It doesn't have the frou frou appeal you get from an Oak Park or a Brookside, but I was pleasantly surprised by how vibrant their commercial district is when I finally made it there for an event (along Johnson Drive, between Metcalf and Nall). One of the regular posters here lives in Mission so she might chime in.
I agree with Brookside or Prairie Village. Prairie Village has two shopping areas - Corinth (83rd and Mission) and "The Village" (Tomahawk and Mission). The Village probably has more of a community feel and there are always people out walking in the area, restaurants, shops. There's a Whole Foods at 91st and Metcalf and one on 119th in Overland Park, but neither walking distance from Prairie Village. I guess the one at 91st would be walking distance, but a long walk.
Wow, thank you to everyone who took the time to answer our questions so far! This is incredibly helpful information, and we're grateful
@rwiksell - Thank you for your input and suggestion. There are several factors that are making KC appealing to us.
- Change of seasons, with winters not as harsh as Chicago, and summers not as harsh as Austin.
- Well developed roads, which have lead to a lack of traffic issues. Also the new trolley. I know it's just being developed and we can't be car free, but at least the city is getting a jump on public transit options before it's too late.
- Medium sized city with lots of amenities. I think that I imagine KC being a nice in-between city for me. I grew up in Fort Wayne, IN, which has a very small town vibe. Not much going on there. Chicago was great for awhile, but it's too big, too hectic, too expensive. KC may provide a nice overall balance for us.
- The KC home prices are very appealing. We may not be able to afford the hottest most desirable neighborhood and we might have to compromise on that, but there are so many more home ownership opportunities for us in KC than in Austin.
- We do enjoy getting out side, exploring parks and walking trails, going to movies (you have an Alamo Drafthouse, YAY!) and going out to a quiet restaurant or bar. Otherwise we often enjoy staying in Austin has become super overcrowded. Any cool or fun things going on in the city, end up being stressful and not worth attending because of the crowds. Seems like KC has stuff to do and things going on, but it'll be a little more laid back and not so overcrowded. At least it won't be as crazy as it is in Austin, I think, or I get that impression
- KC is a good distance for us to where family lives. It's not super close, but we'd be an easy day drive to Chicago, to Indiana, and to Dallas. We'd like to be closer to family, but just don't see ourselves living in those cities.
- This might be hard to explain, or understand, but I like how the KC area looks. Coming from Indiana and Chicago, the neighborhoods, the buildings and houses and overall architecture look like home to me. I'm really not a fan of how most of the houses look here in Austin and I've never felt excited to settle in a house here. Austin has felt like an extended vacation, and not like home. We had good reason to come here, and try it out, but we were never sure that it would be a long term commitment. And now we are realizing that to be true, so we're ready to find the next city to try
Also, just so everyone knows, we are planning a trip this summer to explore KC for ourselves before we make any final decisions to relocate
1) You can definitely find houses in Brookside for under $250k, but they just might be on the smaller side and/or need some work. I would also look at Volker and West Plaza for fun, walkable neighborhoods.
2) Like other's have said, the Whole Foods in under construction, but there is also Nature's Own Healthfood Market in Midtown (although it is rather small).
3) Downtown OP is decently walkable, but the rest of it is typical sprawling, auto-oriented suburbia.
4) It is definitely a seller's market with low inventory in KC right now (particularly in the more desirable areas) although I'm sure it's not as bad as Austin or many other cities, and prices are still comparatively affordable.
5) Traffic is very rarely a problem.
6) We haven't had much of a winter this year with hardly any snow and numerous warm days. Some winters can be somewhat harsh, with dreary, grey spells - but they usually don't last too long and it's nowhere near as bad as Chicago.
7) I know KC has the stereotype of just being a BBQ and meat and potatoes place, but the dining scene is actually rather diverse and progressive. I have a gluten allergy myself and usually don't have a problem when dining out. Füd, McCoy's, Blue Nile (gluten-free injera!), Blue Bird Bistro, Cafe Gratitude are a few off the top of my head that specifically cater to gluten-free and other allergies.
I think you have gotten some excellent advice here so far. kcmo's post was spot on. Since your husband could be working in Shawnee, if you wanted to tighten up your commute even further you might also give Mission KS a look. It doesn't have the frou frou appeal you get from an Oak Park or a Brookside, but I was pleasantly surprised by how vibrant their commercial district is when I finally made it there for an event (along Johnson Drive, between Metcalf and Nall). One of the regular posters here lives in Mission so she might chime in.
That's probably me you're referring to...yep, Mission has been really focusing on their downtown revitalization in the past few years...working on everything they can do something about (i.e. trying to balance out the ridiculousness of the moronic Gateway "development). Mission's great, but if Brookside is the sought standard, I'm not sure it would be what the OP is looking for. Homes are much smaller, overall,and it's quite a bit more working class, in general. Most homes overall range from 1940s-1970s with a sprinkling of new construction, but it doesn't have the teardown rates that neighboring communities have right now, so mostly, it's older homes (which we like). It's cute and has a good community feel. Schools are great, but it looks like that's n/a for the OP's purposes. It would be easily commutable to Shawnee, though, yes.
OP, I lived in Chicago prior to relocating to KC in 2007, and spent an additional year in the Chicago area in 2013-2014 due to a military assignment and returned to KC, and we settled in Mission, my husband's hometown. When I first moved to KC, I lived in the Plaza and Waldo, as well as in Missouri-side suburbia. I'll answer your posts from my particular transplant perspective:
1) Brookside is awesome for vintage architecture, and interesting architecture, at that. My spouse's civilian employer is in the heart of Brookside, we spend a lot of time there, and I used to live in Plaza and Waldo, the neighborhoods that flank it. and it's got the shops and dining you seek. I don't know that your price range would put you in the heart of things, but it's not impossible that you could find something adjacent.
2) Others have answered. Whole Foods in theory coming to a location near the UMKC campus, and there is indeed one in Overland Park. There are also several Natural Grocers and Sprouts locations in the metro, which we prefer to Whole Foods.
3) Overland Park, to me, is nothing remarkable outside of its fairly cute (but small) old downtown area, which features a nice farmer's market part of the year, local shops, bakeries, bars, cafes, and eateries. There's not a completely analagous Chicago suburb to it in feeling, but I've always kind of considered it the Naperville of Kansas City. It's just, eh. In my opinion.
4) Seller's market right now. We've bought and sold in the past six months, upgrading to a larger home with the birth of a baby. There was actually, in the latter part of the summer, a half-million dollar listing around the corner from our then-house in Mission, which is, quite frankly, insane for Mission. But it sure did sell. The home we purchased in December was a fair price, they didn't overshoot, but there was really no negotiating, either.
5) KC traffic is nothing. On its worst day, it's nine million times better than anything in the remote vicinity of anywhere near Chicago or the Chicago suburbs.
6) In the eight KC winters I've experienced, it's all over the place. Some winters get a lot more cold/snow/ice than others, some are barely worse than the average upper midwest autumn. Snowfall has been nearly nonexistent this year. But that doesn't mean we don't have grey winter days. That said, it's nothing like Chicago (or northern IL, in general, where I grew up). We were at Naval Station Great Lakes the winter of the "Polar Vortex," and it was insane. INSANE. We had snowfall in November, December, January, February, March, April. Fully half the year. And so grey. KC's winters are a piece of cake by comparison.
7) Hit and miss. There are a lot of food options, great dining scene, but I don't know that it's the most amazing place in the world for special dietary needs. Several local pizza chains (Minsky's, Waldo) do a gluten-free crust. That's about all I've got for you on that, though. We dine out a lot (less since newborn), but dietary restrictions don't factor in, so I don't always notice.
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