Possible move to Wichita (Andover, Erie: sale, apartment, foreclosure)

[jordysmama]

I lived there for 25 years. I did not realize how bad it really is until I moved somewhere else.

The weather stinks, the ability to get around without a car does not exist, the economy is too dependent on the aircraft industry, jobs are hard to find, besides eating out any entertainment that comes there goes out of business because no one supports it, the public school system is horrendous, taxes are ridiculous for a small city, and nothing is close. (ie really good lakes, beaches, shopping, etc.)

On the flip side~It has no traffic, and you can get across town in 20 minutes flat. The zoo is also nice and I like the variety of places to eat.

[athfo]

Originally Posted by jordysmama

The weather stinks

It's all relative. Some like the weather, others don't.

Originally Posted by jordysmama

the economy is too dependent on the aircraft industry

I agree, the economy is very dependent on the aircraft industry. I'd like to see other industries begin to come to the area. The medical and engineering fields have ample opportunities here, leading to the next thing:

Originally Posted by jordysmama

jobs are hard to find

Jobs are hard to find? Pa-lease. What industry are you trying to find a job in? How long have you been looking for a job? I always say it's often the person applying that has the problem, not the companies that deny them. I suppose it depends on what you're looking for - you can't just make a blanket statement like "jobs are hard to find".

Originally Posted by jordysmama

besides eating out any entertainment that comes there goes out of business because no one supports it .... and nothing is close. (ie really good lakes, beaches, shopping, etc.)

Like...?

What about the countless theaters for plays and musicals? What about sports? What about music? El Dorado lake is nearby. No beaches? That doesn't disqualify it from being a good city. Shopping? I think the shopping is fine - but you have to remember that Wichita is not Chicago, New York, LA. I've said this before and I'll say it again - don't compare Wichita to these cities and complain. It just doesn't make sense. Entertainment isn't going to flop on your lap whilst sitting at your computer. Anyway, in the end, it's all relative.

[jordysmama]

Originally Posted by athfo

It's all relative. Some like the weather, others don't.



I agree, the economy is very dependent on the aircraft industry. I'd like to see other industries begin to come to the area. The medical and engineering fields have ample opportunities here, leading to the next thing:



Jobs are hard to find? Pa-lease. What industry are you trying to find a job in? How long have you been looking for a job? I always say it's often the person applying that has the problem, not the companies that deny them. I suppose it depends on what you're looking for - you can't just make a blanket statement like "jobs are hard to find".




Like...?

What about the countless theaters for plays and musicals? What about sports? What about music? El Dorado lake is nearby. No beaches? That doesn't disqualify it from being a good city. Shopping? I think the shopping is fine - but you have to remember that Wichita is not Chicago, New York, LA. I've said this before and I'll say it again - don't compare Wichita to these cities and complain. It just doesn't make sense. Entertainment isn't going to flop on your lap whilst sitting at your computer. Anyway, in the end, it's all relative.

The weather has two seasons, too hot to enjoy and too cold and windy, the weather STINKS!

My husband worked for B of A and they considered Wichita a 'dying city' (and I quote!) and pulled the call center. He was transferred with the bank to a place with very comparable cost of living, and triple the salary because the area in which we moved was growing and they want to keep the best and brightest. They moved from Wichita because no one would move there to work!

I am a nurse and would make ten dollars more per hour here, in the area I enjoy, not a med surg unit at a second rate hospital like in Via Christi that is so dirty I could puke. I hate to tell you, but 'the applicant' is NOT the issue. I was an advocate for Wichita until I lived in another place. I didn't realize how real cities did things until I moved away.

The ice rink and the science center are constantly about to go under, the arena has more obstacles than I have ever seen. Any theatre that even attempts to show anything but main stream movies loses that motivation when five people show up. How about a Wrangler's game, oh wait they left. How about a casino, oh wait that didn't pass. How about the dog races, oh wait they went under too. MMM, dinner and a movie, just like the last five weekends.

The public schools are some of the worst in the country for an area of that size! You have to go Catholic, Independence, or Collegiate, so you better be able to afford it. Have you heard of the gang population at places like Southeast? (which happens to be the school a lot of the nicer east side subdivisions go) MTW does pretty well, I will give the area that.

You have to drive to KC to get decent shopping, that is three hours!! The airport has some of the highest fares in the country, so a weekend trip further than that is something only a select few can do. I mean Town East is just fabulous, but... And El Dorado Lake, are you kidding me? That is so dirty and gross, people go there because you would have to drive five hours to go to a real body of water.

The job market is VERY limited! How many six figure jobs STAY in Wichita??? Very, very few. The companies have no reason to pay people in the area that much, they know they will leave eventually. The statistics do not lie, people leave and don't come back. It is sad reality.

I am not comparing Wichita to huge metro areas like NYC or Chicago. I live in the south in a city 800,000 people. NOT huge, and it blows Wichita out of the water.

Do you know the actual percentage of people that graduate from WSU that STAY in the area?

[jordysmama]

And what sports?
The NBA team, oh wait that is three hours to OKC.

The NFL, the MLB, another three hours.

I guess you can always go the Shockers games....

Sorry, I just quit laughing and I went there!

[drjones96]

damn <shakes head>

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Personally I've really enjoyed living here. I'm going to leave it at that.

[sugaries]

texasborn08: I am a Texas transplant to Wichita, transferred by my employer. I can't wait to get back home. There truly are a lot of things to do in Wichita and rent really is very inexpensive. My problem is the CRIME. Most towns, large and small, usually have definitive good and bad sides. Wichita's bad areas are speckled throughout the entire city, so you never really know what you're getting into.

If I were you I would stick with the far west/northwest part of town. There doesn't seem to be as many reports of crime there, but it is virtually everwhere here. This city has a high crime rate compared to the national average. When pulling up crime rates per zip code, I found that the lowest rate for Wichita is 6 (out of a 10), with most areas hovering around the 7 and 8 range. The national average is around 3, according to the crime stats web site I pulled up.

I always hear and read about the "elite and prestigious east side of Wichita". CRIME. I do not feel safe here. I work nights and come back to my apartment in the wee hours of the morning. I carry a knife with me walking to and from my car and going to the mailbox. I've encountered people who have stopped to warn me of recent attacks that have taken place in this complex and encouraging me to be very careful. I don't even feel safe doing laundry in my own apartment complex and I live on the supposedly prestigious east side. Don't buy the hype. Though rent is cheap, if I were you, I would not settle for inexpensive because that is just an invitation for the vermin to move in. Be sure to inquire if they accept section 8 or any other type of government housing programs. That also brings in trouble. Not everyone who must use gov't housing is a criminal, I surely know that, but I think you understand the concern.

If I were financially able, I would pay a lot more per month to live in a safer apartment community where they actually keep lights burning on the buildings and have security. It's much needed here.

There is a nice, safe, decent town, called Derby, about 5 miles south of the Wichita city limits. You rarely hear of crimes there. There are only a handful of apartment complexes and they are of moderate (around $400-$500 for a one-bedroom) rent. They also have nice homes and duplexes for rent. Derby was rated in the top 5 places to live and raise a family, by Family Circle magazine. It's just a hop, skip and a jump to major employers (especially in the aircraft industry). I would seriously consider Derby before Wichita. When my lease is up, that is where I'm headed unless my circumstances allow me to move back to S.E. Texas. I would much rather spend my time running from hurricanes than criminals, and sleeping with one eye open.

I don't want to sound disparaging, but I wish someone had been this truthful with me when I was inquiring about moving here. People who responded were native Wichitans, and of course, they are going to defend their territory, but obviously with blinders on and in denial.

[sugaries]

Originally Posted by drjones96

damn <shakes head>

Originally Posted by drjones96

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Personally I've really enjoyed living here. I'm going to leave it at that.

If the dr in your handle is for DOCTOR and not initials, then it's understandable why you would enjoy living here, or anywhere. You can afford a nice home in a protected and/or gated community.

[drjones96]

Originally Posted by sugaries

If the dr in your handle is for DOCTOR and not initials, then it's understandable why you would enjoy living here, or anywhere. You can afford a nice home in a protected and/or gated community.

Nice.

[crazyma]

I live on the east side, withing walking distance of Bradley Fair. What crimes are you referring to on the EAST side??? Over off GROVE?? Geeze, what apts. are you living in.
Oh , and where are there protected/gated communities? Maybe there are but i don't know of them.

I grew up in Atlanta, still have family there. Moved here about 2 yrs. ago from MIAMI........you want to talk about CRIME now????
While I am not overly crazy about Wichita, it has all that we need....except family.

[upandrunning]

Exempting the very few people who think Wichita is some kind of Utopia, most people who are there are there because of family and or work. You could not support one wal mart with the people who move there because they think it is just the best place to live. It is cold in winter, very hot in summer, a flat earthers paradise. The entertainment is better almost in any town of its size other then Wichita. There is a reason that Kansas does not have 23 million people like Florida. I have lived in both places, The taxes are cheaper in Florida, No state income tax for one. Homestead exemption for two. Yep they get the occasional hurricane, as does Wichita the occasional Tornado. The beaches in Florida beat the hell out of the beaches in Kansas. If I move there it is because of my family, I would much rather they lived in Florida. I moved from Kansas to Arkansas, out side of Little Rock. Little Rock is a much nicer town than Wichita. But as stated before, Family will trump area every time, at least for me. Personally as far a area goes, I would take the flat land of South Carolina much before Kansas. When I ask people there why they like it, I can only get, I like the wind. I like the cold in winter, hot summers. I even got a "you are moving to Arkansas? That’s where Clinton was from." Yaaaa, and bob dole was from Kansas your point is????? Oh you are a conservative, you don’t have a point except for your head.
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