Where to live within driving distance of KCS? We are being transfered. (Kansas City: where to stay, how much)

[gunsyd]

We have never been to Kansas City and would like to live in a nice area with good schools. We will be looking for a home around the $150-$185 range. We'd like to be no farther than a 45 minute drive. Any suggestions on where to move or where to stay away from would be great. Thanks

[kcmo]

Seems like KCS is bringing in some people to KC!

Where will you be working? KCS is headquartered Downtown, but they have rail yards and stuff all around town.

In that price range, I would say look into Blue Springs, MO if you will be working downtown. Great schools and you can get a real nice home for 150-185k.

If you will be working in KCK, you might look into the Northland or Western Wyandotte County.

I don't think you will find a nice home in Johnson County in that price point. That would get you a very small home in Prairie Village or a home in a more run down area of Olathe or Merriam, but you can try.

You can get anywhere in KC in 45 minutes.

So you can live just about anywhere and the schools in the suburbs are good all around town on both sides of the state line and north of the river.

Anything north of the river will have great schools, so will Johnson County, KS and eastern Jackson County, MO as well as the suburbs in Cass County, MO. I really don't know much about the schools in Wyandotte County outside of KCK, but I think Turner is a decent district.

A few top rated districts:

MO:
Liberty
North Kansas City
Park Hill
Platte County
Blue Springs
Lee's Summit
RayPec

KS:
Blue Valley
Olathe
Shawnee Mission

If you want to get a bit further out to the exurbs (most are still within 45minutes) where homes are typically less expensive, you might try Grain Valley, Kearney, Platte City, Bonner Springs, Greenwood, Gardner etc.

I'm not sure I narrowed anything down for you, it just depends on what you want I guess.

[luzianne]

You can definitely find a nice home in Johnson County in that price range - Prairie Village, Overland Park, Lenexa, Shawnee, Westwood. Check out www.reeceandnichols.com

[RjRobb2]

45 minute drive to where?

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I don't think you will find a nice home in Johnson County in that price point. That would get you a very small home in Prairie Village or a home in a more run down area of Olathe or Merriam, but you can try.

I disagree. You can easily find a nice 3 or even 4BR home in Shawnee, Lenexa or Olathe in that price range.

We live in the west part of Shawnee, but have been house hunting around JoCo lately. My husband works downtown and his commute is about 20 minutes.

[gunsyd]

Thanks everyone so much for your replies. My husband will be working at the KCS corporate headquarters, I believe it is at 427 W 12th st. We heard it is more expensive to live in Kansas than Missouri, is there any truth to this? thanks again in advance.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by gunsyd

Thanks everyone so much for your replies. My husband will be working at the KCS corporate headquarters, I believe it is at 427 W 12th st. We heard it is more expensive to live in Kansas than Missouri, is there any truth to this? thanks again in advance.

It can be. On the KS side, I wouldn't choose to live outside Johnson County. And JoCo can be more expensive - but in my humble opinion, it is worth a little extra to live here. Many vocal critics will disagree and say that you can find just as nice a house in just as nice an area with just as nice of schools. But there are several hundred thousand people who don't think so.

You don't say from where are you coming. If you have never been to KC, don't choose between the KS and MO side by listening to others (even me). There are a few recent threads about the rivalry (it's alive and well) and those on each side like their side best. You really have to spend a little time to decide for yourself where you feel most "at home".

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by Samantha S

It can be. On the KS side, I wouldn't choose to live outside Johnson County. And JoCo can be more expensive - but in my humble opinion, it is worth a little extra to live here. Many vocal critics will disagree and say that you can find just as nice a house in just as nice an area with just as nice of schools. But there are several hundred thousand people who don't think so.

You don't say from where are you coming. If you have never been to KC, don't choose between the KS and MO side by listening to others (even me). There are a few recent threads about the rivalry (it's alive and well) and those on each side like their side best. You really have to spend a little time to decide for yourself where you feel most "at home".

It’s quite true. You can find a very nice home in Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs or Kansas City North for 10-40% less than the same home would cost in Johnson County.

I think there are even more people that would agree with me.

Considering that 300,000 people live in the Northland and 400,000 people live in suburban Jackson County and another 100,000 people live in Suburban Cass County, so there are even more people that don’t think living in Johnson County is all it’s cracked up to be.

People don’t realize how much larger the MO side is than the KS side and they also don’t realize that there are twice as many suburban MO residents than KS. The wealth is more evenly distributed, but there is still more on the MO side because not only are there many wealthy areas in the MO suburbs, but tens of thousands of very wealthy people live in the urban core of KCMO.

But this is one case where you will very quickly figure this out on your own.

If you are open minded and don’t just look at Johnson County, but the entire area, 9 times out of ten, you will purchase a home on the MO side.

Many people that end up in Johnson County move to the MO side after learning more about the area. You will never hear of a new resident moving from the nicer MO suburbs to the KS suburbs. Why?, because they like it and it would cost more to get the same home that is farther away from everything in a less appealing area (no trees, just grass, wide streets and beige buildings).

The problem is so many people will push you to JoCo as the only place that offers a good suburban quality of life and that is simply not true.

Go look at a $275,000 home in Overland Park.

Then go look at a $275,000 home in Lee’s Summit or Platte County. It will be a no-brainer. You get so much more for your money in an area that is probably nicer in that price point.

And if you are looking for a more modest home like under 200k. Then the difference grows.

Like I said, you will see for yourself.

Now if you want something more urban, than the MO side is your only choice, so that makes things easy.

People in Kansas think Prairie Village or Mission is urban, when they are nothing but 1960’s low density suburbs.

Just check out the entire city.

If you will be working at KCS Downtown, I would concentrate on Platte County. Very upscale, but there is some diversity (there are homes under 200k), very new, the terrain is amazing. Zona Rosa, Tulluries, Briarcliff, KCI etc and the best commute times into downtown compared with coming in from the south and eastern suburbs.

You will work in KCMO, so you will pay the etax regardless. I would look at the I-29 corridor or the 169 corridor.

There are tons of very nice neighborhoods all along I-29 from 169 to KCI. 169 is the same way all the way to 435. Clay County would add more commute time so I wouldn’t try to avoid Liberty etc.

Anyway, give the entire metro a try, make sure to ask around. Make sure you ask people that live up north too, just as you see with the Jonson County people the Northland People will tell you the same thing. They wouldn’t live anywhere else.

The schools are just as good in the MO burbs and the arrogance and disrespect for other parts of the city is less.

For example, a northlander will go to Oak Park Mall and not think twice about it, but you have to drag a JoCo resident to a MO side shopping center kicking and screaming.

Do your homework and if you do, I’m willing to bet you will end up in the Northland. I show people the city all the time in person and I show them the entire city. I also know JoCo very well and some people like that area. But like I said, 9 times out of ten, they end up in MO somewhere and the one that doesn’t tends to work in JoCo so they want to live near work.

So ask around, ask people from all over the city, find a realtor that knows the city not just one area and then most of all, get a GPS and put a few hundred miles on your car.

Good Luck!

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by kcmo

The schools are just as good in the MO burbs and the arrogance and disrespect for other parts of the city is less.

Don't bet on that -- as kcmo often proves.

Originally Posted by kcmo

For example, a northlander will go to Oak Park Mall and not think twice about it, but you have to drag a JoCo resident to a MO side shopping center kicking and screaming.

Also not true. I live in JoCo, but I often shop on the MO side as I am often over there for other reasons and it's convenient. The basic retail chains are the same, so I shop where it's most convenient.

But if you live in JoCo, and have no other reason to go North or East, why on earth would you drive 30-45 minutes to shop, when the exact same stores and more are 5 minutes away and in an area you already know? That would be pretty silly.

So then ask yourself -- why would people in MO make a 45 minute trek to Oak Park Mall when everything in MO is "just as good"? Hmmmmm ... it must just be that MO people are more "open minded" and adventurous.

[kcmo]

I have honor roll students that attend MO schools. Our schools are awesome, absolutely great schools, great teachers, amazing programs, modern buildings, fascinating teachers, well funded. Etc.

I would never say that the schools in suburban KS are not as good than the schools my kids attend because I’m sure they are just as good, but I honest to god (PS, we don’t try to preach religion in schools) think that my kids are getting the absolute best public education they can get in a public suburban school district.

However your and other people’s continuous comments about how much better the schools are is rather insulting and is yet another example of why most people on the MO resent the snobby attitude that the KS side emits.

And Yea, I do think that MO side people get out more. I get tired of Indep Center or Zona Rosa, we do drive to Oak Park Mall or the Legends once in a while, not because they are better, but because they are part of the metro and are something different.