Relocating Back To Iowa (Waterloo, Cedar Falls: property taxes, for sale, jobs)

[kath2210]

After spending 20+ years in Florida, we're considering moving back to Iowa. Sick of the heat, bugs, high cost of living, etc. I've been on line checking out homes for sale, can't believe how cheap they are!!! Most of my family are still in the W'loo area.....we're considering moving to Denver or Jesup. Would love an acreage there. Anyone here from the Denver area? I haven't been there for 30+ years. I have a granddaughter who will be starting school next year, really don't want her in the W'loo school system. Now we can watch ALL the Hawkeye games!!!!

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by kath2210

After spending 20+ years in Florida, we're considering moving back to Iowa. Sick of the heat, bugs, high cost of living, etc. I've been on line checking out homes for sale, can't believe how cheap they are!!! Most of my family are still in the W'loo area.....we're considering moving to Denver or Jesup. Would love an acreage there. Anyone here from the Denver area? I haven't been there for 30+ years. I have a granddaughter who will be starting school next year, really don't want her in the W'loo school system. Now we can watch ALL the Hawkeye games!!!!

Kath2210
may I ask why you stayed down there in Florida so long before deciding on moving back to Iowa? Iowa has heat and bugs too.

[kath2210]

We moved to FL in 1984. We were young with 3 kids, were looking for better jobs and change. That's back when Deeres and Rath were laying off and it was hard to find a decent job. My husband's sister had moved to FL 1 year previously and loved it. So...we came to FL....a few years later, the majority of my husband's family came down here. About 10 years ago, we started thinking of moving back north but our kids were in school here and settled so didn't want to disrupt them. Also my mother-in-law was ill at the time and subsequently passed away.

We were born and raised in Iowa.....know all about the summer heat and winter cold. But still, the change of seasons would be great - the summer is not that bad.....not like Florida where it's 90+ with high humidity from May through November. I've had AC on during T'giving day.

There's a trade-off for everything....we've enjoyed the winters here but can adapt back to Iowa winters. My husband will be taking early retirement here and can go back to work in Iowa as a corrections officer at the county jail if he choses. I am a medical transcriptionist and work from home....so I don't have to go out if I don't want to.

My parents are getting older and not in the best of health.....would like to be closer to them. I also have a sister with a new baby and a brother with family in W'loo. My husband has a brother with family there too.

We had thought about going as far as NC or TN but I figured....let's just go "home". We have 1 daughter married with 1 child who want to go with us. We will be leaving 2 daughters in Tampa. One is engaged and the other has always wanted to go back to Iowa, she might come also. I have a brother in Orlando and there will still be some of my husband's family here so we always have a place to stay when we visit.

Coming back and forth isn't an issue. I can take all the time off I want and like I said, my husband will be retired. We might even bring our camper down here for a few months to spend time with family in FL.

I guess the bottom line is......We're Iowans at heart.........

[Southside Shrek]

kath2210

you summed that all up very well and proved that you're a genuine Hawkeye.

[Georgia Henry]

Just now a new member of this website. I was looking up something else and found it; thought I could reply a bit.

Have lived in this Waterloo/Cedar Falls area all my 53 years. Work in CF now at the university. Grew up in Waterloo, lived north of CF for 16 yrs, have lived in Denver for 16 years.

I like the area but probably because I like smaller cities, fewer people, change of seasons, etc.

Denver is about 1500 people. School system overall is quite good. The population is not diverse, mostly white. However, Wloo/CF's population is getting more diverse, which is good, I believe. Housing is probably average for the area: houses run from 80,000 to 250,000, depending on how big and/or new the house. The sports complex is new and nice; town is now considering a new aquatic center. Library/civic center building is new, as well as the emergency services building. Bender's grocery nice; prices higher than Walmart, but about like HyVee, but nice to have store in town. We have 2 convenience stores. Have a pizza place (good!), and 2 other eateries. Baptist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ and probably other I can't think of now.

Crime is low, mostly some odd burgleries at times. Quick drive time to Wloo/CF or Waverly.

The town is getting a plan in place to replace some street surfaces and sidewalks and updating lift stations in sewage lagoon. So they are cognizant of needs of infrastructure.

Property taxes better than CF. Our house would probably sell for 150,000; we have 1940's story and a half with big lot, and property taxes are about 1600 a year.

Maybe more than you need to know. Good luck in your search. Waterloo isn't all bad, so don't count it out. CF may be better, but housing and taxes higher also. Waverly is nice, bigger, etc.

GH

[kath2210]

Denver is sounding good! Our daughter and son-in-law like the sound of Denver......we're coming up in June to show them around. My husband and I are leaning towards Independence. Checking it out online, there's about everything we need right there. Can always go into W'loo for other things. I'm just so excited about moving back "home" !!

[Southside Shrek]

kath2210
isn't Independence where all the Amish are?

they just had another large blizzard in Iowa. Hope you saved all your winter clothes from years ago so you'll be warm up here.

[kath2210]

Yes there are a lot of Amish in Independence and yes I know about the blizzard they had. I have some winter clothes because we make trips there in November - my husband pheasant hunts and I X-mas shop. It also gets kinda cold here in Florida. But hey........it'll be a great excuse for shopping !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sandralarson1]

Originally Posted by kath2210

Denver is sounding good! Our daughter and son-in-law like the sound of Denver......we're coming up in June to show them around. My husband and I are leaning towards Independence. Checking it out online, there's about everything we need right there. Can always go into W'loo for other things. I'm just so excited about moving back "home" !!

I have seen a lot of positive posts about Denver, where is that exactly?

[kath2210]

Just north of W'loo. But you have to go thru the east end of W'loo to get to anything.....not a good area. My husband and I are looking more towards Independence which is larger and possibly Jesup or Hudson.