Moving to West Burlington area from Ohio (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City: real estate, apartments)

[nurse40fohio]

I am possibly moving to the Burlington area from Ohio and was wondering if anyone else has relocated there and what it was like. Is it friendly to outsiders? Crime rate? real estate? taxes? ANy information would be helpful

[WoodwardGirl]

Oh, dear. What size of town are you moving from in Ohio, and what are your reasons for moving?

Burlington (and, let's face it, the town is not big enough that we can separate out 'West Burlington' as anything other than a neighborhood) is kind of going through an ugly stage right now, from what I can tell. I don't live there, but the news and the info I have from people that are 'from' there indicate that it is sort of wallowing in its own mediocrity at this time. Since the new casino opened, it seems like flash and cash are valued more than education and hard work. The town just kind of feels dirty. A friend visited the big new water park with her nephew and left soon after they arrived, as she felt that behavior of children and adults was both unhygeinic and disgusting.

As a nurse, you probably work long, hard hours and you can probably afford a nice place to live in Burlington that won't seem much different from most suburban neighborhoods in Ohio, I would think. People will certainly welcome you. However, if you have activities that are important to your spare time, I would look into those in more detail to find out whether you'll be able to easily pursue them in this area.

It's a beautiful part of the country and I hope the town will get its act together and take advantage of the new income opportunities, not just dissipate with the affluence.

[nurse40fohio]

Thanks woodward girl for replying. The purpose would be for a promotion in my field. I come from southeast Ohio which is in an Appalacian region so there is not much here either. We are about an hour away from a big city. I was not worried about things to do but I got concerned when I read all the negative remarks about the unfriendliness of the people in Iowa from this site. I am very freindly and get along well with most people and just assumed the friendliness of the people there would not be an issue. Are there many jobs in the area? What would be the nearest bigger city?

[jake1215]

I have moved a number of places for employment (transferred). I am anxious to move FROM Iowa. Burlington/West Burlington is a difficult place to transition into. I believe this is because there are very few transient residents here (transferred in) unlike larger cities. I have heard many people remark they have not been accepted here since they are outsiders (no relatives, old school chums, etc.). I find that to be true. As for shopping, dining, etc., it is pretty non-existant. Took friends to one of the area's most expensive restaurants and 3 out of 4 orders were wrong. Folks told me when they left, YOU come to visit us. This reminds us of Children of the Corn.

I found the area enchanting when I first moved here, but the quaintness has worn off. It's just small. I remark that people look at me like DITH (Deer in the Headlights) when I speak. If you move here, good luck.
But on the good side, property is inexpensive...you can get a lot for your money, but I have noticed properties have been on the market since I moved here almost two years ago. Selling may well be a big problem.

[gypsy77]

I lived in Burlington for a year. I was bored, bored, bored. The local people did not welcome me at all. There were NO jobs there that paid more than $7/hr. Unless you are a doctor or a nurse of course. Most of the businesses downtown are boarded up and empty. I would highly suggest for people to NOT move there unless you have an "in." I do have an "in" and people STILL don't act friendly to me! My husband was born and raised there and he is friends with everyone in town. They still stare at me and ignore me and talk over me as if I'm not there. And some people on other message boards on here say it's probably because of something I'm doing wrong. No it's not. I go out of my way to try to befriend them and they are obviously not interested.

[metro223]

I wouldn't do it. Burlington isn't bad because it's small - it's bad because it's depressed economically and everyone has that hanging over their head. As Woodward said - it's not the cleanest area. I always felt that Southeastern Iowa is *different* than the rest of the state in that aspect.

So definitely check out other areas in Iowa - just not Burlington, or that region as a whole.

[gypsy77]

Isn't it too bad that Burlington has the black economy cloud hanging over it? The people there seem sad and depressed, even though there's nothing really "wrong" with their life. They need a zap of energy! My husbands mom has the best life ever and all she ever does is complain and act negative. Her answer to everything is, "Well....whatever...." It's like she's given up on life. If you can get a nursing job in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids, do that instead. Burlington has potential, but it's pretty sad right now. My husband remembers going downtown Burlington in the summer time for ice cream and dinner and he said the streets were crowded with families. Now, most of the stores are boarded up and there is NO ONE down there, even on a Friday night. No one.

[rck83]

I realize this thread is somewhat old at this point, however here is my opinion in regards to Burlington. Burlington definitly has its positives and negatives. Positives: EXTREMLY cheap real estate, low cost of living, beautiful scenery/outdoor activities, and a large abundance of things to do for a city <30,000 people. If you are looking for a big city experience, this is not the area for you. However, if you have the right attitude, this town has good things to offer. I get tired of reading so much negative feedback about this area. No doubt that it is posted by the so called "negative" people that cannot accept any blame their own problems. My advice is to join local organizations, get invloved in the community, and look elsewhere besides the bars to make new friends. Afterall, I dont recall ever making any meaningful friendships in bars really anywhere. If you have a job lined up, life is what you make it past that point. If you decide that you are a person that makes things happen, they will. If you sit back and wait for things to happen, you will most likely be disapointed. On a positive note it seems as if more loft style apartments, cool bars, and resturants have been opening up or are in the works in the downtown area lately. It still has a ways to go, but it does seem better than it was 2 and 1/2 years ago before I returned to the area this last June '08. This is coming from a (25yr old) recent college graduate/young proffesional in Burlington. good luck

[rck83]

Originally Posted by gypsy77

I lived in Burlington for a year. I was bored, bored, bored. The local people did not welcome me at all. There were NO jobs there that paid more than $7/hr. Unless you are a doctor or a nurse of course. Most of the businesses downtown are boarded up and empty. I would highly suggest for people to NOT move there unless you have an "in." I do have an "in" and people STILL don't act friendly to me! My husband was born and raised there and he is friends with everyone in town. They still stare at me and ignore me and talk over me as if I'm not there. And some people on other message boards on here say it's probably because of something I'm doing wrong. No it's not. I go out of my way to try to befriend them and they are obviously not interested.

I have lived in large metro areas and It took patience and time to create strong bonds. It sounds like you sold Burlington short, considering that you only lived here for a year. Did you join any organiztions, or get involved with community events in any way? I have traveled all over the world, and people do not realize what they have here.

[siwilliams]

I'm really surprised to read all of the negative feedback re: being accepted in the Burlington area. I moved to Burlington in 2005 and was readily accepted into the community. They key is to get involved. I volunteered in my children's schools and became active in the community and even ran for a school board position - I didn't win but lost by approx 200 votes against a lifelong resident.

I can say as a single woman, dating options are non-existant which is one of the reasons I took a job in Fort Worth, Texas. I'm not in the medical field and actually moved to town to take a job in the Burlington area which paid significantly more than $7.00/hour. Its a great place to raise children and the schools are excellent.

The social scene is a little slow. I was able to put a positive spin on it as every outing required a trip out of town and seen as an adventure.