Possible move from Chicago to KC.... (Kansas City, Lee's Summit: real estate market, home builder, landscaping)

[alpena]

This seems to be the most honest website, so here it goes. My family is potentially relocating from Chicago to KC. We have always lived in the city of Chicago, so the prospect of moving to a metro city where most of the acitivty is in the suburbs is a bit daunitng.

Could anyone help me learn about the KCMO neighborhoods? We have school aged children (young) so schools are a factor. What we don't want is a city of strip malls and Applebee's. The only place I have visited has been Parkville and that seemed nice. But it may be a bit older group (I could be wrong). I've heard Overland Park is great for kids, but it is just cookie cutter houses (again probably wrong). I just need some honest info, because we have no family and a very limited number of contacts.

We're not too concerned about housing costs right now. We just want to live in an area that is unique and not pretentious. Thanks!!

[mercedes1]

If you plan to live in KCMO, you will have to send your kids to private schools. There are many good private schools. If you want your kids in public schools, you will have to live in Johnson County (Shawnee Mission or Blue Valley school districts), Lee's Summit, Blue Springs or Liberty (Parkville is pretty. I know nothing about their schools) If you are looking for subdivisions on the Kansas side with mature landscaping and more character and a sense of community, my personal favorite would be Prairie Village. What is your price range? Mission Hills, Fairway, Westwood, Leawood are beautiful communities. Overland Park north of 435 is older with established neighborhoods too. Kansas City have so much to offer. I have relatives in Chicago so I am familiar with the city, and no, you will not find downtown KC in the same class as Chicago, but KC is really growing. The Crossroads District, the new Power & Light district, the world famous County Club Plaza, the new Sprint Center all reflect the charm and culture and progressiveness of this "little gem" of a city. On the Missouri side, some nice residential areas would be Brookside, Waldo, Red Bridge, Verona Gardens. I am not that familiar with Missouri's neighborhoods. North Kansas City is really growing too with lots of new shopping. It will be a difficult adjustment I'm sure as Chicago is such a great place to live, but you will not have high real estate taxes and your money will go much much farther in the real estate market here. Kansas Citians, for the most part, are friendly and accepting of others.

[christina0001]

I'm new to the area, but if you want a more urban feel but also want decent schools, I would think North Kansas City would be your best bet. It doesn't feel like a suburb like most of the 'burbs here do, you can literally see the city skyline from many places, and the school district is decent.
I love Parkville...if it weren't so far from where my husband and I work, we'd be living there. It's definitely not just older people. Check out their downtown section, it's adorable, lots to do. The school district is one of the best in the area.

[aragx6]

I like the Plaza and all, but can it really be considered world famous?

[mercedes1]

Hi AragX6 - Yes, the Plaza really is world famous! Google world famous country club plaza.

[kcmo]

Not to be rude, but why are there so many people from Kansas on this Missouri forum that obviously know little about the MO side other than the typical, "Well, the plaza and Lee's Summit areas are nice, but I would try Overland Park or Prairie Village, you really need to stay out of KCMO…

First off, having lived in Chicago for a time and still visit often, somebody looking for a non suburban lifestyle is not going to like Prairie Village. PV didn’t even exist when most of the MO side of KCMO had already gone through a generation. PV is fine, but it’s still just a suburb that really doesn't hold a candle to the urban core neighborhoods of KCMO.

Second, you CAN LIVE IN KCMO AND ATTEND KCMO SCHOOLS! I would recommend that you have a plan to get out of KCMO or go private for middle or high schools if you don’t want to take on an urban high school, but the elementary schools, especially those that are in western KCMO are fine. But private schools are definitely an option and there are some awesome private schools serving the urban core and I personally think the suburban schools are overrated. It’s how YOU AS A PARENT raise your kids, not the school district. There is just as much crap going on in Lee’s Summit or Olathe as in KCMO, it’s just ignored. At least in the city, the issues are open an you are forced to deal with them and show your kids what is right and wrong. Believe me, kids are exposed to the same crap in the burbs as they are in the city. Only in the burbs, they learn what the world is really like on their own or after they get out of school and the real world ends up slapping them in the face or they just stay in the burbs all their life and raise their kids the same way they were raised. Soccer practice and malls, the city is bad!

Now, here is some advice from a born and raised KCMO resident:

I would look hard at several areas of KCMO. Start off in Brookside, but don’t just stick with Brookside. There are tons of very nice, areas in urban KCMO outside of Brookside.

What I would do is simply drive around and let me know what areas you like.

Take 435 to Wornall and drive north. You will go through Watts Mill, but that is mostly a starter home area. As you go north, you will enter the Waldo area. There you will find that there is quite a bit of variety as you drive around, from starter homes to very expensive homes closer to Ward Parkway and Brookside. North of 75th, drive along Ward Parkway and just go up and down all the streets as you see fit. Then, go east and continue to do the same all the way past Holmes. Make the switchback movement all the way downtown. You will go through areas like South Plaza, UMKC, Hyde Park, 49/63, West Plaza, Volker and many others. Once you pass the Plaza and Westport areas, you need to head back near state line and check out old Hyde Park, Valentine and others that straddle the SW Trafficway. Very cool, very urban, very upkept, very historic, and many times, very expensive homes are in these areas.

You can have a family in all of these areas, kids love to live in an urban area like Hyde Park or Valentine or Brookside if you just give them a chance.

But, if you are really worried about schools and don’t want to do private, then all you have to do is go slightly north of the river to Briarcliff or Old Briarcliff. I think NKC would be a bit too “starter” for you.

Hope this helps.

I’m sorry, but Johnson County is just so overrated in this town. It’s just not all that and I guarantee you that you will enjoy living in the “city” far more than any place on the Kansas side if you are accustomed to another large city and enjoyed that style of living. But you have to remember that you are coming from a much larger city. Many of our urban core neighborhoods would be more like your inner suburbs and anything on the Kansas side will be like your middle and outer suburbs.

One more thing, QUIT SAYING YOU CAN’T LIVE IN KCMO AND HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS TO PEOPLE LOOKING TO RELOCATE!!!!

Most of KCMO is served by high quality schools. The KCMO district is a small part of KCMO and only serves the urban core of KCMO north of 80th.

The rest of KCMO is served by Grandview, Center, Hickman Mills, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, North KC, Liberty, Park Hill and Platte County.

OK, I’m out…

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by mercedes1

Hi AragX6 - Yes, the Plaza really is world famous! Google world famous country club plaza.

OK I swear I don't want to fight and i really do enjoy the plaza, but just because you google world famous country club plaza and get their Website doesn't make it world famous.

[kcmo]

The Plaza is as "world famous" as something in KC or even the midwest can be. Most people think KC is some small, flat, cowtown in the Kansas.

The people that know KC is a big city (like most other big cities) in Missouri set in rolling hills, forests and around rivers know about the plaza.

Basically, if you run into somebody from Boston or San Diego that has been to KC, they will know about the Plaza. If you run into somebody from Boston or San Diego that has not been to KC, they ask you how toto is and what kind of tractor you drive.

Also, the plaza is very well known in the development and urban planning community. It is one of the country's urban gems and it's one of the oldest.

So, it's not "world famous" like the Statue of Liberty or something, but it definitely is famous and well known by those familiar with our city and like I said, urban planning.

[aragx6]

there I certainly agree with you

[Jerry the Builder]

If you are looking in the KC area, I would have to suggest the Lee's Summit and the Raymore area. I moved out this way about 17 years ago from your part of the country and love it. Both have very good schools and plenty to do, especially Lee's Summit. Both towns are close to anything you could ever want, but not big city feeling. I am a home builder in both areas (and more) I could help you find a house and definitely tell you what realitor NOT to use.