Moving to Waterloo-What should I look for or avoid?

[Rez]

Originally Posted by Plains10

Hopefully Iowa will continue to be a leader in wind energy, and not build a dirty coal plant right on top of metro area. Coal is still the dirtiest way to generate electricity, and there is no such thing as "clean coal." Also, coal power has hidden health and environmental costs that are not associated with the total cost of construction or factored into the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour.
I was AMAZED when I took a trip recently from Kansas City and saw all of the wind farms in Iowa. It is mostly a win-win situation in my opinion.

Exactly! At least our energy provider is seeking ways to build more wind turbines. Being from the desert area originally, I saw them all the time. I think they're interesting, even though others might complain about the noise of them.

[mrsb24]

i just moved out of the waterloo/cedar falls area march 2007. here's my take. apts in waterloo, no go. consider anything across the river to be off limits. the don't call it "the loo" after St. Louis for nothing. Cedar falls is nice too. i lived there as well but they are more pricey town. if you're looking for a house i would look between CF and the loo. They have some nice ones there. i sure do miss it!

[UnusualSuspect]

It seems to me that those people who are writing about how bad Waterloo is either haven't lived there for very long or haven't lived there at all. I was born and raised in Waterloo, lived there for 26 years, and wish I could have stayed. I left because I was offered a terrific job in another state, but I love the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area and would move back if I could.

There are good and bad places in Waterloo, as there are in any city. Someone mentioned that you should stay in the south or west neighborhoods, and I agree. Those areas have less crime and tend to be a bit nicer.

Cedar Falls is perfectly fine too, although it's less ethnically diverse. CF is a college town, so you get all the activity that goes along with that, which can be good or bad depending on your perspective. Most areas of Cedar Falls are safe enough that you don't need to worry about whether or not you've chosen a good neighborhood in which to live.

Waterloo and Cedar Falls are both great, but if you can, visit first and then make up your mind. Good luck!

[HeneryHawk]

Cedar Falls is far and away the place to be, if you must be "in" Waterloo, only consider the west side, the rest if not much and a waste of time. Waverly is a nice city nearby, and there are a number of little towns within 15 to 20 minutes that are nice. But Cedar Falls has the so much more, go there, enjoy.

[metro223]

Originally Posted by HeneryHawk

Cedar Falls is far and away the place to be, if you must be "in" Waterloo, only consider the west side, the rest if not much and a waste of time. Waverly is a nice city nearby, and there are a number of little towns within 15 to 20 minutes that are nice. But Cedar Falls has the so much more, go there, enjoy.

Cedar Falls has more nice houses and UNI, but Waterloo beats them out in the shopping/convenience category. There is one area in the East area of Waterloo that I wouldn't be afraid to recommend, Raymond. They some great nice neighborhoods out there and it's an easy seven minute drive on 380 to Crossroads area. I guess I didn't understand all of the hype on Cedar Falls when I lived there, although it is the first city I do recommend it to anyone on here interested in Waterloo area.