[elscorcho]

Originally Posted by EastCB

Good-Bye!!!!

Wow-what an intelligent, well thought out response, and a valuable contribution to this thread!!! Sorry if I touched a nerve. Another example of that razor-sharp midwestern wit!! Oh, and remember to always let mom and dad know your logging onto the internet!!!

That being said, I thought it only fair to touch on the upside of Omaha. First, and foremost it's the people. This is town with a wonderful sense of community, and thats rare in a town of 400,000. Of course, as the town grows, a little of that is lost, but that is inevitable. I think you'll find people a little friendlier, a little more accesible, and a little more willing to lend a hand. Most people here are the real deal-what you see is what you get.

With the addition of the Qwest center downtown, Omaha is attracting more and more big name entertainment, events, etc. that prior to its being built would have never have come here. In addition we have the Henry-Dorley Zoo, arguably the finest in the entire country. The SanDiego zoo, may be larger, but it is'nt nearly as nice, or have the overall variety that the HD has. Also, as I'm sure your aware, we are the home of the College World Series-it's a sore subject here right now (a proposed 140 million$ stadium is on the board) but the fact is that it is here-as it has been since its inception.

Housing is never a problem-lots of new neighborhoods are being built-construction is very brisk right now. Without knowing what your situation is, its hard to make a recommendation. I think its safe to say if your able, 250K will buy you a very nice home (check your property taxes first though)

There are a lot of other positives to Omaha-rich cultural diversity, a world class community theater, and so many resteraunts and bars that the choices are dizzying. you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a bar in this town. The "old market" area is full of small shops, eateries, bars, etc, with a cool bohemian vibe, and its a great place to spend a nice summer evening. Also, the Downtown area is in the midst of a major rejuvanation of sorts, and if it continues (no reason to think it won't) it will once again be restored to its former glory.

Omaha, is not my cup of tea-it may be yours though. Financially, its been very very good to me. I've got a new Corvette in the garage, an in ground pool out back, and I only go to work for 6 months a year!!! Not bad for an uneducated hayseed!!! My biggest problem is with the politics in this town-for a good picture of what I'm talking about, go to Recall-Fahey.com home Regardless of ones position on the matter, it paints a pretty accurate picture of our out-of-control mayor and the legacy (debt) he'll leave us with long after he's gone. There are things currently under construction, as well as on the drawing board, that your children will still be paying for long after your gone! Granted, the ideas are....cool(?) but it seems like the city has adopted an "I-want-it-right-now" attitude, without giving any thought as to how to pay for it. I have 11 grandchildren who have that very same attitude.............


One last thought, and I'm sure it has'nt been suggested. Council Bluffs Iowa is a stones throw away (literally) from downtown Omaha. It is also a town on the grow. The taxes are much more reasonable, your housing dollar will buy you a lot more, and you will still have access to all that Omaha has to offer, and is actually more accessible to downtown Omaha than most parts of Omaha are! For what its worth, Google chose Council Bluffs over Omaha to build its new facility. CB also offers three beautiful Casinos (which, by the way could have been in Omaha) and is now reaping the financial rewards from them, and improvements to their city are a direct result!!

Simply stated, I am just trying to present you with facts. Good or bad, anything I've posted is easily confirmed with a few keystrokes. My opinions as well as anyone elses who posts on this forum, should be taken with a grain of salt. Uprooting your life and your family is a huge undertaking, so at the risk of sounding redundant-Do some research first. Good Luck to you.