Recently accepted full time job in Waterloo. Where should I live? (Cedar Falls: relocation, housing)

[CountryGirl8]

I recently accepted a full time job in Waterloo. I've been reading many of these posts, and from what I've gathered, the best places to live would be Cedar Falls, Janesville, or Waverly.

I would definitely like to live somewhere where I'm not going to hear constant sirens throughout the night. I grew up on a dairy farm in SE Wisconsin, and I am quite familiar (and accepting) of small towns. On the other hand, I am 22 and do like to go out and have fun.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to the location and apartment/condo complexes I should be looking into?

Thanks!

[metro223]

What area are you coming from if you don't mind my asking?

First I would recommend Cedar Falls or Waverly.. these are probably going to be the main areas you will find nice apartments and condos. I doubt Janesville really has anything like that to offer, its a VERY small town with nothing but a gas station. Definitely check in to Cedar Falls.

I live in the area, private msg me if you want more details than this!

[raybone]

Due to the fact that you are single and your age, I would also point you toward the college towns, Cedar Falls or Waverly. Waverly is smaller with a smaller college, and would tend to be quiter than CF, but also with gas prices what they are, CF might be less expensive overall.

Waverly is 10,000 population, 1,800 at the college. CF is 37,000 with 12,500 college students.

Also, contrary to what you read, there IS much more to Janesville (pop. 900 and growing) than just a gas station. (I recently bought a building/business and plan to renovate 3 apartments and open a restaurant.) I would still point any family in that direction. A young single person, I agree, would find a better fit in CF.

I also see no reason to necessarily exclude looking for an apartment in Waterloo, although you would probably have to be a bit more careful of location there!

[CountryGirl8]

I do like Carriage Hill apartments. There are also apartments at 3768 W. 9th St (Cedar Falls?) that don't seem too bad. I've also heard of Lantern Square apartments in Waterloo.

Any opinions?

Also, does anyone have the names of any apartments/condos in the Waverly area that wouldn't be too shabby

[metro223]

Obviously you want to promote your business in Janesville, nothing wrong with that, but get real and don't paint a picture of something that isnt there. We have single subdivisions in town with more than 900 people.. Besides the "3 apartments" you plan to open up, where else can this poster find what she is looking for in Janesville? Condos? Apartments? Janesville? Highly doubtful, maybe I'll have to actually turn of the highway and take a looksie for myself to what else is out there... I know I drove through before and there was a very small downtown district with nothing. literally.

[raybone]

Getting back on subject, I do know of a new apartment building on the far south side of Waverly just south of the High School. Also, there are small apartment buildings scattered throughout town, mostly on the west side, and not too far off of the four-lane.

Can I suggest that you check out City of Waverly, Iowa, where you can link to the Waverly Area Development Group. Maybe they can give you relocation info and apartment building contacts.

My only point about Janesville is that it can be a good place for a family to relocate or buy. I believe that I advised the poster to look at Waverly or CF, due to Janesville's small size. I live in an area whose population has gone from 200,000 to 500,000 in 15 years, so am well aware of what larger population centers have to offer.

Small town Iowa is a great place to be, too. If we automatically discount towns under 1,000, that leaves out a great deal of the state!

[raybone]

Just remembered, the new apartment building in Waverly is called Meadow View. It is located on Meadow View Lane.

Good Luck!

[iagirl30]

I used to work in Waterloo and I lived in Cedar Falls. The commute is not bad at all and CF is a small, safe, nice, unique town. It IS a college town though if that's a factor for you at all. Also, Waterloo is not that bad I don't think. As long as you stick to the West side of Waterloo you will be fine and housing is cheap. Living in CF is definitely a little more expensive and many of the apartment complexes are filled with noisy college students.

[Deselminator]

Live in Cedar Falls if you can help it. Waverly is too far away to be worth living in, and I wouldn't live in Waterloo if someone gave me a free house there. No offense to anyone, but I lived in Cedar Falls for a year, and had many friends that lived in Waterloo...I can tell you that Waterloo is crime-infested as hell. Sure there are nice parts of town and not so nice parts of town, but overall it's not an overly safe place to live, especially for a city of it's size. On the plus side though, I remember reading a few years back that Waterloo had the lowest average home prices in the U.S. among metro areas with populations of 50,000 or more, although there is obviously a reason for that!

[metro223]

Originally Posted by Deselminator

No offense to anyone, but I lived in Cedar Falls for a year, and had many friends that lived in Waterloo...I can tell you that Waterloo is crime-infested as hell.

I feel like I keep quoting you and then putting my opinion in. but.... "Crime infested as hell?" What exactly happened to your friends who lived there that gave them that perception? I lived there for 3 years, my parents still live there - and I we never had trouble with crime.

I'm not denying it's there - that speaks for itself, we heard about quite a bit of stuff that happened, however it was all in a pocketed area ... it wasn't like all of the middle class neighborhoods were infested with hoodlems and drug-lords.

So yes, Waterloo has a crime problem - but "crime infested" sounds extremely ignorant, especially to people who have lived or live there. The thing I hated about Waterloo was that for the most part it was ugly. But then I even have to argue with myself there because I remember some very pretty areas.

And yes, I realize infested as hell was your opinion - but this is mine.