Commute from Blue Springs to KC? (Grandview, Jackson: neighborhood, to buy, construction)

[Kellymom2two]

Thanks for everyone's input! It has been really helpful. We plan on visiting the area this weekend and viewing homes in the Park Hill & Liberty school district. We may consider looking at homes in the Raymore/Peculiar school district because we found a home that we like there and we have friends who live there and say the district is good. Do any of you know anything about the Belton area & school district?

[racer56]

We like Ray Pec schools. My youngest son plays them in sports and we have been through the school and met several nice folks there. Belton is nice as well. Maybe if you told us the 10 most important things in an area for your family we could be of more help.

[kcmo]

So Belton is nicer than Blue Springs?

Yea. Okay. Sure it is.

[TabulaRasa]

I have had positive experiences with Ray-Pec schools. Belton, I haven't interacted with, and have no real info from an educational standpoint.

It's important to do one's homework re: school districts/services...I could name a number of very well-regarded metro districts that are touted over and over again as the gold standard, and are perfectly serviceable...unless you have a kid, for instance, with anything resembling a special need. It's pretty surprising in some cases. Not knowing your individual needs, it's hard to say, but food for thought. There is a LOT of "Oh, this school district's best, blah blah," in the metro, moreso than many other places because of the state of public ed accreditation in the core. But some of it verges on propaganda-ish talk, and there is a bigger picture, at times, that those who aren't in the mix aren't privy to.

[racer56]

Hey KCMO, I live here you don't. Belton IS a better school system, you get more house for your money, city is easy to deal with (permits inspections and such), it isn't in Jackson Co., better hospital, taxes are lower and I could keep going. It would be easier to list the ways Blue Springs is better- sports programs in the schools is all we can think of.
Having said that I'm down on the school system and never have been up if you will on the town much. I understand you have a house here and want to tell yourself it isn't as bad as it is here but don't get your thoughts mixed up with the truth.

[kcmo]

Dude, I have no beef with Belton. But I'm really starting to think your issues with blue springs are isolated and personal. Yes, I do own a home in Blue Springs, but I'm not worried about its value in the least (outside of the normal realestate downturn that's going on). A home on the same street as mine recently sold for good market rate price. I have lots of family and friends that still live in Blue Springs and none of them seem the slightest bit worried about schools, safety etc.

As far as comparing Blue Springs to Belton. I really don't think there is much of a comparison. While BS has a pretty diverse range of housing stock and prices, the city has a lot of really nice upscale areas that Belton does not even offer.

You said Belton has a better hospital? First off the Belton hospital is tiny. Chances are you will be driving into JoCo or KCMO for specialized care. St Mary's is one of the top ranked hospitals in the metro and the large, modern Centerterpoint is just outside the city.

You said Belton has lower taxes? Blue springs has a lower sales tax and utilities are cheaper in Blue Springs. Property taxes are essentially the same.

I don’ t know what kinds of recreation Belton really has, but there is no way it compares to Blue Springs. Blue Springs is surrounded by some of the best recreation in the metro. Blue Springs has Bur Oak State Park and some of the best mountain biking in the Midwest at Landahl Park. Blue Springs Lake, Lake Jacomo in Flemming Park, Lake Remembrance etc.

Blue Springs also has some of the metros top amateur sports venues and parks hosting many national tournaments and excellent facilities for little league sports that Belton does not have. Parks like Valley View Park and indoor facilities such as Sports City. Just outside the city, there is the KC Sports Lodge too. If you live in Belton, you will be driving to Blue Springs or Overland Park or Lee’s Summit to take advantage of things like that.

Blue Springs also has far more retail options. Between what’s now out on Adams Dairy and what’s just outside the city near Indep Center, you will be driving to JoCo for a similar amount of retail choices living in Belton.

A lot of pro ball players and wealthy business owners call Blue Springs home. I’m not sure Belton can say the same.

So, no. I’m not buying it. I don’t think Blue Springs is taking some sort of nose dive into a crime ridden suburb with bad schools, tanking housing values etc.

Blue Springs is not some sort of oasis, but it’s not how you are describing it either.

This is a sore spot with me because I have seen this happen in metro KC before. You can destroy an entire area of a city with over stated rumors. Before long there won’t be any place left in KC to live that will pass the soccer mom test.

Here are some facts from citydata about Blue Springs and Belton:

Blue Springs household income: $69,148
Housing cost $168,854
High School degree or higher 92.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher 27.4%
Crime Index 218.9 (US Ave 319) (trending down over past ten years).
Sales Tax 7.85%
Property Tax Levy 8.485
St Mary’s Hospital 129 beds ranked 5th best in KC, 73% rating
Centerpoint 221 beds just outside of city limits 68% rating


Belton household income: $49,809
Housing cost $120,920
High School degree or higher 84.7%
Bachelor’s degree or higher 14.6%
Crime Index 212.2 (US Ave 319) (up and down over past ten years).
Sales Tax 8.225%
Property Tax Levy 8.391
Belton Hospital 38 beds 65% rating

Education:

Belton:
Free/reduced lunch 25.2%
Dropout rate 3.8%
Percent of graduates scoring higher than national average 28.4%
Percentage of graduates taking the ACT 48.1%
ACT Score 21.7

Blue Springs South:
Free/reduced lunch 9.1%
Dropout rate 1.4%
Percent of graduates scoring higher than national average 45.7%
Percentage of graduates taking the ACT 71.6%
ACT Score 22.1

Blue Springs:
Free/reduced lunch 8.9%
Dropout rate 1.9%
Percent of graduates scoring higher than national average 46.5%
Percentage of graduates taking the ACT 98.7%
ACT Score 22.6

[Okey Dokie]

This caught my eye in the Star this morning:

Blue Springs educator is Missouri High School Principal of the Year - KansasCity.com

[racer56]

KCMO I had a very long responce but feel the truth could damage a lot of good people here and only makes things worse here in the town itself and schools. We have some very good friends here and the ton is full of great kids that we both care deeply for. I'm all about building up not tearing down so I will not continue down the path but simply say this. If you close your eyes everyone can still see you and not is no way to address problems if you want them to do anything but become greater problems.
With your information of this area obviously out of date I think you do a disservice to others looking at the area by commenting about how things used to be versus how they are now. Either way I'm going to let you have the last word...

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by racer56

KCMO I had a very long responce but feel the truth could damage a lot of good people here and only makes things worse here in the town itself and schools. We have some very good friends here and the ton is full of great kids that we both care deeply for. I'm all about building up not tearing down so I will not continue down the path but simply say this. If you close your eyes everyone can still see you and not is no way to address problems if you want them to do anything but become greater problems.
With your information of this area obviously out of date I think you do a disservice to others looking at the area by commenting about how things used to be versus how they are now. Either way I'm going to let you have the last word...

You are telling me that Belton has better hospitals, lower taxes etc which are not true so I'm seeing somebody that is manufacturing reasons to avoid Blue Springs and that makes me question the others things you are saying about the schools, safety etc. All the data I posted is as recent as you can get, it might be a couple of years old, so you are telling me that all of those stats have taken an nose dive in just a couple of years?

Crime stats for blue springs has always been a bit higher than places like Lee's Summit or Overland Park. But a lot of that is due to its interstate 70 location. It's a great city for crimes of opportunity. I don’t think it’s a high crime area by any means though and as I mentioned, crime stats have been actually going down in Blue Springs nearly every year for the past ten years.

I’m not saying there may not be problems in the schools. But any problems that may be occurring in the schools in Blue Springs are just as likely to be problems in another other suburban districts if not right now, they are sure to arise soon. You can’t run away from them. Well you can. You can move to an area with only the cream of the crop demographics (blue valley etc) but most people can’t hide from most issues like this because most people don’t make 200 grand a year.

So you say that the freshman center is having problems.

Are there any other solutions to this problem other than contributing to mass exodus and decline of yet another area of metro KC???

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by kcmo

You are telling me that Belton has better hospitals, lower taxes etc which are not true so I'm seeing somebody that is manufacturing reasons to avoid Blue Springs and that makes me question the others things you are saying about the schools, safety etc. All the data I posted is as recent as you can get, it might be a couple of years old, so you are telling me that all of those stats have taken an nose dive in just a couple of years?

Crime stats for blue springs has always been a bit higher than places like Lee's Summit or Overland Park. But a lot of that is due to its interstate 70 location. It's a great city for crimes of opportunity. I don’t think it’s a high crime area by any means though and as I mentioned, crime stats have been actually going down in Blue Springs nearly every year for the past ten years.

I’m not saying there may not be problems in the schools. But any problems that may be occurring in the schools in Blue Springs are just as likely to be problems in another other suburban districts if not right now, they are sure to arise soon. You can’t run away from them. Well you can. You can move to an area with only the cream of the crop demographics (blue valley etc) but most people can’t hide from most issues like this because most people don’t make 200 grand a year.

So you say that the freshman center is having problems.

Are there any other solutions to this problem other than contributing to mass exodus and decline of yet another area of metro KC???

Based on your own past postings, you moved from the urban core to the suburbs way back when for school reasons (correct me if I'm wrong), though your heart and soul has always been with the urban core.

If there are other solutions, why didn't you opt for them yourself? Why didn't you stay and make your utopia into exactly "what it could and should be"?