Moving to STL Area from Knoxville, TN....Need Advice (Cape Girardeau: house, neighborhoods)

[seabeejason]

First off, my wife and I are originally from the Cape Girardeau, MO area. We already know the STL area fairly well as far as the geography. We relocated to the Knoxville, TN area a few years ago for my new job. It has been great. We live on the edge of the Smoky Mountains, made lots of friends, etc. But it has become tough to be so far from our family. We only get to see them a couple times a year. A couple opportunities have opened up with my career and we now have the option to move back to Missouri. I have the potential option to take a job in Cape Girardeau selling medical devices, but today my current employer said they are likely willing to move us to the STL area and pay for our entire move to keep me with the company. Not to mention the fact that I will likely have the Cape area as part of my new territory, which is great. We have weighed the options and we think the smart decision is to stay with with my current employer and just relocate to the STL area. We'll be close to family, I get to stay with my current employer (job security), and STL has MUCH more in the way of career options later down the road if I ever choose to move to another company.

Now that you know the story, we are looking for a small town atmosphere with nice people and a very safe community. We also want to live south of the city in a suburb/small town somewhere that also has great schools. I have been looking at the area between I55 and I44 and south of 270 as a place to start. Seems like there are lots of small towns in that area. My office will be at the Westport Plaza, but I only need to be there two days a week (7:30AM-5:00PM Monday & Friday only). I'd like to keep the commute inside of 50 minutes. I'd use I55 & 270 to get to & from Westport Plaza. We want a 3-4 bed/2 bath home with a 2 car garage. Budget is up to $1,200 monthly for the rent. We don't want to buy until we get a better feel for the area and decide we want to live there permanently.

Any advice is appreciated.

[jamieRVT]

If you're wanting more south, Mehlville, and then further south with Arnold, are good bets. 3-4 br with $1,200 is doable in both areas, and there are great options as far as smaller neighborhoods...not sure of names of those neighborhoods. If you go any more south, you're looking at a crazy commute with 270, it's a mad house in the a.m.
However, in that same triangle is Eureka, it's west, not south. Beautiful area (lots of mountains!), safe, good schools. Although, $1,200 for a 3-4 br may be pushing it...it's a tad more expensive in that area. But the commute would be better!
As far as finding an apt, or house, I'd get some general neighborhood ideas and Craigslist it up, or search Zillow.

[FrankyFourFingers]

I think the best bang for your buck as far as safe, affordable, good schools, etc. would be somewhere around Kirkwood/Webster Groves/Crestwood. The Lindbergh school district is consistently ranked among the best in the state, and the area still provides the small-town feel while still being relatively close everything within the region.

The Mehlville/Arnold area is nice, but the schools in Kirkwood/Webster/Lindbergh area are better and offer more of a small town feel instead of just a suburb.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by seabeejason

First off, my wife and I are originally from the Cape Girardeau, MO area. We already know the STL area fairly well as far as the geography. We relocated to the Knoxville, TN area a few years ago for my new job. It has been great. We live on the edge of the Smoky Mountains, made lots of friends, etc. But it has become tough to be so far from our family. We only get to see them a couple times a year. A couple opportunities have opened up with my career and we now have the option to move back to Missouri. I have the potential option to take a job in Cape Girardeau selling medical devices, but today my current employer said they are likely willing to move us to the STL area and pay for our entire move to keep me with the company. Not to mention the fact that I will likely have the Cape area as part of my new territory, which is great. We have weighed the options and we think the smart decision is to stay with with my current employer and just relocate to the STL area. We'll be close to family, I get to stay with my current employer (job security), and STL has MUCH more in the way of career options later down the road if I ever choose to move to another company.

Now that you know the story, we are looking for a small town atmosphere with nice people and a very safe community. We also want to live south of the city in a suburb/small town somewhere that also has great schools. I have been looking at the area between I55 and I44 and south of 270 as a place to start. Seems like there are lots of small towns in that area. My office will be at the Westport Plaza, but I only need to be there two days a week (7:30AM-5:00PM Monday & Friday only). I'd like to keep the commute inside of 50 minutes. I'd use I55 & 270 to get to & from Westport Plaza. We want a 3-4 bed/2 bath home with a 2 car garage. Budget is up to $1,200 monthly for the rent. We don't want to buy until we get a better feel for the area and decide we want to live there permanently.

Any advice is appreciated.

Small town feel sounds like Kirkwood or Webster to me, but you want to be outside of 270, which is great if that's what you want. I'm not sure you get the small town feel, but lots of people seem to like Oakville and I think the schools are decent. Fenton is another option which in parts will put you in Rockwood schools.

Cape is a pretty easy drive. Takes me 1.5 hours from Kirkwood and I don't drive that fast.

[songinthewind7]

I'm moving to the area as soon as we sell our place and I too, am looking into Arnold and the towns close by. I have family all around that area and I've visited the area several times. Small town feel, I heard the schools were good and you're a short drive away from the city.

[opendorz]

Anything outside the 270 loop is going to feel more suburban than small-town, unless you go pretty far out. I agree, that Kirkwood is the post-card for small-town feel and charm. It's a real community, with lovely homes and central business district. Very historic. And not that far from Westport.