MO or KS? Need to decide! (Kansas City, Independence: HOA, daycare, how much)

[christinam]

My husband I will be reloacting from the Chicago suburbs to the KC area early in 2007. He will be working on the KS side and we are trying to nail down an area to buy or build a home. I've been researching the tax situation of both KC metro areas compared to where we live now. IL state income tax is less than half of what it is in MO and KS, but we can live with that if we get breaks in other areas. Property taxes up here in Chicago are way higher than KS and MO.

So far, I am encouraged by gthe tax rates on the Missouri side. (The exorbitant inheritance tax in Kansas stikes me as barbaric and could be a deal killer.) One thing that confuses me is the personal property taxes in Missouri. I have never heard of that. By my calculations, we could end up paying about $700 annually on our two vehicles. Can that possibly be correct? (We have an older Jeep and a newer Acura RL.)

Apart from the tax issues, I need some insiders' advice on an area where we might feel the most at home. Here are some specifics about us:

--- We're in our mid-50s and will both be employed. I'll work at my own business (freelance landscape design) and my husband is taking an executive position at a Kansas-based company.

--- Moderate to liberal leaning, not crazy about "necky" neighbors, spiritual but definitely not rightwing evangelical, if you catch my drift.

--- Need space, don't want neighbors living on top of us and don't tolerate thoughtless noise too well. Cannot live in an area where people hunt. Fireworks are bad enough, IMO, but gunshots really bother me. We want 2-3 acrea with a moderately sized house, no McMansion though.

--- Prefer to live within 5 miles of good shopping, prefer city sewers to septic and prefer cable to satellite.

--- We like it quiet. Normal neighbor noise like lawnmowers and kids playing is fine, but we don't want to live within earshot of racetracks or outdoor concert venues.

--- If there are any areas of the KC metro areas that are less prone to tornado a ctivity than others, I'd sure like to know. After seeing my brother's home nearly destroyed by the Northridge earthquake, I tend to worry about natural disasters.

--- We would rather not live in subdivisions that have strict covenants as to what you can and cannot do with your property. General HOA covenants can be all right, but if we can't erect a fence or plant a stand of trees without approval, we don't want to live there.

--- We have two large dogs and would prefer to live in an area where there are natural public areas where we can go for long walks.

I just know I'm going to be a realtor's worst nightmare, but I figure this will be the last home we every buy and at this point in my life, there are a lot of things I don't want to compromise on. Our current home is my dream home and it is going to kill me to leave it.

Thanks so much for any insight you can give,

Christina

[Versatile]

Tell me how much you want to spend. Most probably you get what you want in Mo. suburbs of KC. Sounds like those taxes are incorrect. Year of vehicles?

I was a realator at one time and you are a nightmare!LOL!

[christinam]

Thanks, Versatile, yes I know I'm too picky. I'm whittling down some things I'm willing to compromise on though :-)

As for what we want to spend, we're thinking in the $400K range or a bit less. We're very encouraged by the housing costs in both Kansas City metro areas. Prices in the Chicago area are pretty high, but expected to drop 5-6 percent in the next year. With the equity we have in our home and the reasonable prices in KC, we think we can swing having no mortgage. What a relief that would be.

Sorry my first post was so long. I just realized it's as long as War and Peace.


Christina

[Versatile]

At 400k you can choose either side of the line. In Mo. you will get a house just as good than Ks and more ground if you want it. IMO rural acess to the city is better than from Ks.

[crashcop]

Take a look at the MO cities of Raymore, Harrisonville, and Lee'Summit out South: Parkville, Liberty, and Gladestone up North: Louisburg KS on the SW side of the Metro.

When I moved here I also tought the personal property tax in MO was odd. However the fee tolicense the ars are only about $30 a year, where I moved from it was over $200 per vehicle,it all washes out in the end.

[kcgirl35]

Johnson County Kansas- Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa are expensive and the property taxes are higher than in Missouri(double) someone correct me if I'm wrong, BUT they have nicer streets! Johnson County is growing, but Blue Springs, Independence, Liberty or Lee's Summit are nice to (Missouri). It really depends on the commute you are willing to make, I work in a hospital in Overland Park and I live close to downtown KC, on a good clear day when drivers are cooperating I can get to work in 20 minutes(after dropping my son off at daycare), but in bad weather or rush hour it really makes me hate my job! Anything west of Holmes (Missouri) if you don't mind urban life would give you a nice home, and a short commute to Kansas. Waldo, Brookside, the wornall rd area, are good areas, I believe that is Center school district, I don't know much about it, but there are private schools all around.

[verycarrie]

We live in a relatively close-in Kansas City, MO neighborhood of small wooded acreages that fits what you're describing, with the exception that I don't consider it to be walkable. Most people, including some realtors, don't realize it's here. We have a stone-and-glass mid-century modern nestled in the woods off a convenient commuter road, deep enough in the trees to be well-shielded from the traffic, and we back to a wide, deep wooded gulch with a creek running through it. We're independent from the rest of KCMO when it comes to schools; we have our own Center School District. (Not to be confused with Central, which is a KCMO high school.) And, we're right close to Christ the King and Rockhurst private schools, which are area landmarks. No one here in Bales Farm has their place on the market, I don't think. But, our own place changed hands once without ever being listed, and I know of at least one other acreage here that did. Sometimes people knock on our door or leave notes in our mailbox to ask whether we'd consider selling. Come to think of it, we have a delightful neighbor across the way with a somewhat less-modern (but still very cool) brick mid-century home who lost his wife a year ago and is quite elderly himself. He might be amenable to an offer; who knows. People don't mind if you ask. Perhaps consider finding a realtor willing to go door-to-door and targeting hidden neighborhoods with little acreages like Bales Farm.

Best of luck, and welcome to Kansas City!

[MissouriLady]

I would say Mo is going to be your best place. If you are still looking, I do know of a couple of places in the Raymore/Peculiar and Pleasant Hill/Harrisonville area that you might LOVE. I'm not a realtor and never have been, I just happen to know about these.
One has 10 acres, is about 1/2 mile from the highway on a paved road. It has a nice story & 1/2 (Ithink that is what it is called) with 2 car garage and a detatched 2 car garage. I don't know what the sq ftage is on it.
The other one is a 4000+ sqft ranch 6yrs old. sits on one acre. Has full walkout basement with 6 ft windows. few neighbors and is surrounded by three golf courses, dairy farms and sod farms. Quiet, beautiful views and good neighbors at both locations. If either of these sound good to you let me know and I'll see if I can get you more info.
MissouriLady

[dramos10]

MISSOURI!!! Kansas City's Northland is an area about 15minutes north of Downtown Kansas City and has very easy to access interstate highways. The Northland is located on the border of Kansas/Missouri, so it is very quick and efficient for people who commute to nearby cities such as Overland Park, Leawood, and others on the Kansas side. Theres plenty of upscale shopping in the Northland like Zona Rosa, Tuileries Plaza, Boardwalk, and Briarcliff Village, and 3 more Huge Destination Shopping developments to be built in the next few years, not to mention the World Renowned Country Club Plaza located 10 minutes south in Midtown Kansas City. The average home price in that corridor is around $417,000. You get a lot more for your money in Missouri than you do Kansas when regards to housing. The Northern part of Kansas City is experiencing tremendous growth in Commercial and Residential developments. Houses with acerage are very easy to find in the Northland as well. Platte County has ranked number 99 in Quality of Life and has hundreds of parks and recreational areas.

[MoMark]

Christinam, my personal preference and recommendation is the Missouri side. Kansas is a higher tax environment and I don't see the benefit of owning there versus Missouri. I totally get what you mean about small acreage, privacy, quiet, decent but not gargantuan-sized house, and the possibility of paying cash to own it outright. I did that. I moved to Missouri, paid cash for my house on 4.3 acres, the only noise I hear is occasionally my one neighbor on his riding mower, and I got the property (a 2301 sq. ft. brick custom home built in 93) for $227,000. I was just in Branson with friends Friday evening and the car I rode in is a fully equipped Volkswagon SUV...satellite, all the tricks. I was impressed and I asked my friend (who's family business is a car dealership) how much it cost. He said the whole thing is retail $73,000...!!! Well, I drive a 98 Toyota Tacoma I bought new and my personal property tax on it was $78. I of course was shocked by the price of my friend's SUV and I asked him..how much will the personal property tax on this be? He told me the rate is 6.6%, so it's going to depend on what the state values the SUV at for tax purposes but I noticed mine seemed to be based on BlueBook value. I think that rate is extreme and I for one will never own a fancy car in this state because of the tax (which I'd never seen before in California or Nevada). On the other hand, I live in an exquisite house and my property tax for 2006 was $1479. So although I think the personal property taxes are bad, the other taxes are amazingly low. I still prefer Missouri over Kansas.