Is it me or just the people I have talked to so far? (Des Moines: apartment, lease)

[operaphantom2003]

I am in Utah right now (and don't even get me started on the 101 reasons I am leaving) and love Iowa. Except for a few things, which I can deal with, I haven't found anything major enough to make me stop looking, but it is getting there. Here is the story:

Right now three people (my mother, my son, and I) live in a 500 sq ft 1 bedroom apartment. Trust me it is as tight as is sounds. My son goes to a dual immersion school where there are more rules about what I cannot do (as the parent) then what the kids cannot do. So I am moving my family in May as soon as this lease is up. I have lived in everything from a KOA campground to an upper class home in a restricted neighborhood. I think of most homes as four walls that is what ever you make it for your family. I love older homes with some slight fixing needed (the only things I can't do are foundations, electrical, and major plumbing). So I love the prices and homes I see in Iowa. There are tons in Mason City, Spencer, and Le Mars, but when I inquire about them it is always the same. I am told I do not want "that" house because it is old, in a "bad" neighboorhood, or "would give the wrong impression". It's the last one that gets me. I was told that when I was inquiring about a trailer for rent ($325 a month for 3 bedrooms--I almost dropped the phone that sounds so great). I have been told that only drugged out trash/immigrants live in trailers. Well, I call it a home and living well within my means. I have been told to NOT send my son to the schools in Mason City (especially the high school) because all they care about are sports and the kids are all drug addicts before they graduate. Well I look at the test scores--high 80's for Iowa low 50's where I am now. They can't all be pot smoking bullies now can they? I finally talked to one agent in Mason City and she told me that she would never buy the home I was interested in because it was in a "low class" neighborhood.

Okay now if you aren't confused by this yet, what is deemed a "low class" neighborhood/group of people in Iowa? I know that a town will never have everyone like it but this is getting frustrating when I am looking for information, willing to make a deposit sight unseen, and am just trying to get my son to a better place with city parks we can actually use. What is going on here? I don't have the money to go and there and back a couple of times so I have to do this online. Should I just take this as a warning sign and stay away from Iowa?

[QuadCityImages]

Part of it is that a lot of people think we have it bad here (be it crime, taxes, schools) because they've never lived anywhere else to see how good we have it. Welcome to the state.

[nicolejc]

Have you moved there yet or not? I am headed that way and could use a little like minded-ness for most of the same reasons

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by operaphantom2003

I have been told that only drugged out trash/immigrants live in trailers. Well, I call it a home and living well within my means. I have been told to NOT send my son to the schools in Mason City (especially the high school) because all they care about are sports and the kids are all drug addicts before they graduate. Well I look at the test scores--high 80's for Iowa low 50's where I am now. They can't all be pot smoking bullies now can they?

This is an unfortunate thing in our society that it's ok to make those kind of comments about people who live in trailers. Yes there are a lot of immigrants and/or druggies that live in trailers and there's also a lot of normal, hardworking people that do. In our popular culture it's accepted to freely make comments about "trailer trash" - can you imagine what it's like to be a child with working parents and being told you're basically inferior to everyone else solely based on your parent's choice in housing? Or being a parent and trying to provide for your family while being told that you're failing miserably since you live in a trailer? I don't know, this sort of thing bothers me. I don't really have a problem with people making fun of people on welfare who opt to not attempt to help themselves but ridiculing the working poor irks me. A few months ago some friends of mine went to a "trailer trash" themed party at a bar... Most of those people aren't even above the average trailer dweller economically to really merit looking down on them.

Sorry about the rant....


Anyways, all high schools care about sports and have a lot of dope smokers. This is probably an overstatement. I'm sure Mason City's schools are very good. As far as trailer parks go, they are really hit and miss. In Des Moines there are some that are very nice and well maintained and there are some that resemble the third world (usually with folks from the third world occupying them) - carpet samples and cardboard tacked up over the windows, dirt roads, broken down cars, peeling paint, etc. I'd highly suggest a visit and see for yourself first. Either way, good luck.

[Catherine Knapp]

I have lived here most of my life.40 years anyways. my dad died a few tears ago and NEVER seen the ocean or mountains. I go every chance i get!!! the last 4 years we been down south chasin hurricanes. Fl,Ms, Al, Lo.SC, and Tx. yes Tx still sucks!!! We been home,Iowa City Area, for a year and i Hate it!!!! To me the best thing about Ia is NO HELMET LAW!!! Its boring,cold, isolated, corn corn corn corn ! When the farmers make money everyone makes money,and we all know that the poor farmers are going broke to Wal-FART! The factories that our parents and G-Ps built are moving to Mechicho.Leaving no pensions,etc...There is very little new ind. moving in.The ones that are moving here are the Chi twn gang bangers the Snt Luis Sluts, Iowa gives out to much pitty me money. 10 years ago we had maybe 1-3 murders a year now there almost daily over crap. Just remember this Iowa stands for I Oughta Went Around. Best of luck . Iowa city Cedar rapids has the technologies Iwill give you more if you want. As for me Im outta here First chance!!!!!!!

[operaphantom2003]

Okay, so like any other town/state people hate it or love it. Thanks for answering some of my questions though. It is still at the top of the list. I haven't moved there yet but it does have everything that my family needs and a few of our wants. Coming from one very superficial city (I thought Los Angeles was more real than where I live) I don't give a rats behind what they think of me personally. I want this move to be a change from what I get here and it seems like it might be. I am curious though why so many people say to not move to Iowa. I didn't even bother trying to decipher the last message to my original post. Most people just say "Don't move here" but never come up with a good reason why. People are people no matter where you go. I am looking for a small city/town to raise my son so that he can be what ever he wants to be (be that grocery clerk, mechanic, or space shuttle engineer). The most important thing to me is that he gets that chance to grow up happy. I think that is all anyone really wants. He is five so he has a long way to go yet. Any more suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated.

[iowegian]

Originally Posted by operaphantom2003

Okay, so like any other town/state people hate it or love it. Thanks for answering some of my questions though. It is still at the top of the list. I haven't moved there yet but it does have everything that my family needs and a few of our wants. Coming from one very superficial city (I thought Los Angeles was more real than where I live) I don't give a rats behind what they think of me personally. I want this move to be a change from what I get here and it seems like it might be. I am curious though why so many people say to not move to Iowa. I didn't even bother trying to decipher the last message to my original post. Most people just say "Don't move here" but never come up with a good reason why. People are people no matter where you go. I am looking for a small city/town to raise my son so that he can be what ever he wants to be (be that grocery clerk, mechanic, or space shuttle engineer). The most important thing to me is that he gets that chance to grow up happy. I think that is all anyone really wants. He is five so he has a long way to go yet. Any more suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated.

If you are looking for life in a small town, then you are definitely looking in the right places. I don't think there is a good reason not to move to those places if that is what you want. You obviously understand Iowa's geography and the fact that there won't be as many stores and entertainment opportunities as you have near you currently in Utah. Those are the things people complain about most, so once you're past that, you'll get along fine.

I agree with El Rhino's entire post. Here in Iowa City, there are nice, well-kept trailer parks and not-so-nice trailer parks. It is unfortunate that you won't be able to see them before you get here, but if you're renting, you won't have to stay long if it isn't what you want.

[mofford]

Of the towns you are thinking about, I would go with LeMars. It's a clean town and would probably be the best to raise you son in. Sioux City is very close by via Hy75 which is a 4 lane road, and the nicer part of Sioux City is on the east side of town as you come in from LeMars. Spencer is too far way from anything and Mason City is somewhat depressed, if you move your son up there, I would go for Clear Lake instead, a very nice town.

As for the trailer thing, I hear most of the trailer parks in the Des Moines area do not allow felons. If they don't do background checks, then don't move there. If fact, don't move there anyway because it's planned poverty. You lose all the way around, if buy a nice trailer/modular in one of the better parks, you take a double hit. Not only will your unit drop in value like a rock, but you also have to pay some sick $300 to $400 a month in lot rent. At least when you rent an appartment they fix things that break, your stuck with all that expense in a trailer. If you buy trailer/mod on a lot that you own, thats a different story, but you still lose value on the unit unless it's a modular and you put it on a foundation with a basement, then it might not lose value, but it won't gain much either.

[Chicago60614]

At the end of the day Iowa really IS decent place to raise a family. This site gets "confusing" because at the end of the day we're all human being with different opinions deciding what's "good" and "bad" and "right" or "wrong".

People have bad thoughts about trailer parks, and they usually are a little more run down than standard houses. I don't think you'll run into any problems in those towns you listed. They might not be booming, and life there might be a tad slow or "boring", but it's not horrid.

People say the high schoolers are all drug addicts and things are a mess because compared to 30-40 years ago it probably seems that way. If you look at things comparing schools in California to Texas to Florida to Iowa - well then it's probably a different story. People hear about the 8% of kids in the school causing hell and doing things people wouldn't have done in the past - but they aren't looking at the 92% of kids who are doing just fine.

Catherine Knapp comments (at least the few sentences I was able to translate into English) back up the other cliche and biased opinions people have about Iowa. Obviously the poster hates the state for personal reasons, and assumes that everyone else obviously must hold those values as well. I've heard others say it's the best place on earth for their own reasons. You just need to break it down compared to what your'e looking for.

For instance that sentence "Its boring,cold, isolated, corn corn corn corn ! "

Really? Iowa is cold? It's isolated? It has a lot of corn?

Duh - it's IOWA. If that's not what you're looking for in life, or if these things offend you, then obviously you're not going to love the state. Boring is an extremely difficult word to define on a global level. Some people find fields and small towns boring. Others find them relaxing.

Anyway. Iowa's schools are fairly good, the murder rate is around 1.5/100,000 compared to many states with 6X that amount. There are drug problems in Iowa just like everywhere else - but certainly not a lot more. I think you should go for it if you like the state and can deal with the winters.

[Jay100]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

At the end of the day Iowa really IS decent place to raise a family. This site gets "confusing" because at the end of the day we're all human being with different opinions deciding what's "good" and "bad" and "right" or "wrong".

People have bad thoughts about trailer parks, and they usually are a little more run down than standard houses. I don't think you'll run into any problems in those towns you listed. They might not be booming, and life there might be a tad slow or "boring", but it's not horrid.

Catherine Knapp comments (at least the few sentences I was able to translate into English) back up the other cliche and biased opinions people have about Iowa. Obviously the poster hates the state for personal reasons, and assumes that everyone else obviously must hold those values as well. I've heard others say it's the best place on earth for their own reasons. You just need to break it down compared to what your'e looking for.

For instance that sentence "Its boring,cold, isolated, corn corn corn corn ! "

Really? Iowa is cold? It's isolated? It has a lot of corn?

Duh - it's IOWA. If that's not what you're looking for in life, or if these things offend you, then obviously you're not going to love the state. Boring is an extremely difficult word to define on a global level. Some people find fields and small towns boring. Others find them relaxing.

Plus 1

On the contrary, I find city life boring and unappealing. Bars, people, and clubs will put me right to sleep. When I'm in Iowa, I wake up!