Moving to OP (Kansas City, Overland, California: buying a home, landscaping, neighborhood)

[0marvin0]

Check into the tax situation if you work in Kansas but live in Missouri. If your wife's job is in Kansas you might just want to stay in Kansas.

[zach_33]

I'd just go with one of the subdivisions nearest your wife's work. $450 will get you into many of the nice subdivisions in the area - Leawood Country Manor is very nice (here's one that matches your criteria):

11203 ROSEWOOD Street, Leawood, KS 66211 | MLS 2013573 | Listing Information

Just a little bit south of there is where I am at and there are lots of nice houses in your budget... this one looks good:
3697 W 129TH Place, Leawood, KS 66209 | MLS 2010763 | Listing Information

The neighborhoods east of Nall are my favorites - a little hillier and lots of big shade trees. It's all pretty conservative once you get outside the 435 loop so you'll be fine on that score, but it does seem like the further out you go the more conservative it gets (eg, south of 435 < south of 135th < south of 151st).

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

My wife and I have been living in Southern California for a long time. We're ready to leave the state. Being politically conservative we have felt out of place here. My wife can get a transfer to Overland Park, so we've decided to make the move next spring.

We don't know anyone in the area, and don't know anything about the area either. We do not have kids, probably too late now anyway. But we do want to know the good areas to live and the areas to avoid. Our budget is ideally under 450k, otherwise we'll need a mortgage which would be a bummer.

Any recommendations? Areas to avoid?

Is there anyplace near by to snow ski, Or water ski? Thanks.

450k will be a cake walk around here.

OP is 20 miles or so north to south so guessing south of 435? Lots of good comments already.

Snow ski? Flights to Denver are dirt cheap on southwest...plan weekend trips....and get a southwest credit card if you don't already.

Water ski? 2 hour drive to Missouri locations and you should be good enough.

There really aren't "areas to avoid" per se and politically conservative is not going to be a problem.

[rwiksell]

OK luzianne, for the record this is not a MO vs KS post. But I am going to challenge the assumptions you're making about the Original Poster (based on things he hasn't said.)

Originally Posted by luzianne

South Leawood and south Overland Park are very nice. South of 435 is more upscale, with newer houses. That's where you want to be.

Why would you rule out the Mission Hills area, and NE JoCo in general? It's arguably the swankiest neighborhood in Kansas. The arrogance of "that's where you want to be", in reference to southern JoCo, is just astonishing to me.

Originally Posted by luzianne

People here will try to sway you toward Missouri. They don't like that Missouri is supposed to be the "core" city, yet so many people prefer to live in the suburbs on the Kansas side. If your wife is working in Leawood, there is no reason to live on the Missouri side. Anyplace on the Missouri side near Leawood is not going to be as nice as Leawood. Just stick with Leawood/south Overland Park and you'll be fine.

I haven't actually said anything to sway the Original Poster to Missouri. Whenever someone is working in Kansas and doesn't want a long commute, and doesn't specify wanting a walkable or urban neighborhood, I don't have any reason to steer them to Missouri. However, if it sounds like they're being advised to completely ignore the Missouri side, or large swaths of Johnson County, with no real explanation, I will push back.

[GraniteStater]

Let me also reiterate that old Leawood, INSIDE 435, often has much larger lot sizes, "estate lots." The houses might be somewhat older, but the quality of the neighborhoods with the huge trees everywhere makes it one of the most desirable areas of the KC metro area to live in terms of close proximity to most areas. Newer areas of Leawood often feel completely different in overall feel due to the different construction materials used and layout of the neighborhoods. It comes down to personal preference, but I find that the older areas of Leawood are more appealing to those that have lived in the eastern US and the newer areas are more appealing to those that have lived in the western US. That is my opinion, though.

[Deacon_Blues]

In our research of the area, we have learned that a lot of the culture and entertainment we are interested in is on the Missouri side, and it is something we considered, in spite of the extra tax complications. Ultimately what is keeping us on the Kansas side is my wife's strong desire to be very close to her work. She is so done with long commutes

Speaking of culture and entertainment, while I'm not a face painter, I am an enthusiastic football fan. Do people on the Kansas side tend to be Chiefs and Royals fans?

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

In our research of the area, we have learned that a lot of the culture and entertainment we are interested in is on the Missouri side, and it is something we considered, in spite of the extra tax complications. Ultimately what is keeping us on the Kansas side is my wife's strong desire to be very close to her work. She is so done with long commutes

Speaking of culture and entertainment, while I'm not a face painter, I am an enthusiastic football fan. Do people on the Kansas side tend to be Chiefs and Royals fans?

Yes. The Kansas side is part of the Kansas City metro and there are Chiefs and Royals fans in every part of the metro and beyond. And it's easy to get anywhere in the metro. Although there is traffic on game days, I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you are used to.

You will enjoy living in South Leawood/South Overland Park, I'm sure. But like I said, come and visit first and look around. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.


I wouldn't recommend inside the 435 loop. The houses are older and dated. You get more for your money further south. Some (most) of the people here recommending the Missouri or inside the 435 loop DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN KANSAS CITY ANYMORE AND HAVEN'T FOR SOME TIME or have never lived in Kansas City at all but think they know all about it.


I agree with Zach's post above. I also like the area east of Nall. I specifically like the area east of Nall and between about 127th and 143rd...but 119th to 151st is all good.

[GraniteStater]

Both areas of Leawood have advantages, I never posted in this thread that I didn't recommend south Leawood. It most certainly would fit the OP criteria has it has more of a "California" flavor for whatever reason- I'm sure it was the developers intention. The fact of the matter is that yes, the houses are indeed newer and at higher price points at the southern portion of the city limits, but the lot sizes are in fact substantially smaller compared to the large estate houses that fetch high prices that might be "older" off Lee Boulevard north of 103rd street. I know that area very well in fact. Also, houses are not a disposable commodity in many areas of the country, I'm sure a number of those older houses have seen substantial infusions of capital and renovations over time. The OP will just have to drive around different areas to get a good "feel" for each neighborhood/development.

[zach_33]

If the MO side cultural and entertainment attractions are high priority, then it might make sense to stay north of 435, maybe even east of state line. Personally, for $400k, I'd much rather have an all brick ranch between 83rd and 103rd than a board and batten mcmansion down in south OP built in 1998. That all comes down to personal taste. You can get to the Leawood office parks south of 435 about as quickly from Old Leawood (say, 83rd and Manor) as you could from Pinstripes (135th and Nall). You might also check out those new condos down in Mission Farms... Not sure about the inside scoop on those places but they look sharp, can walk to many bars and restaurants, and you have parks and bike/jogging trails in your yard.

Mission Farms, Leawood, KS Condos & Townhomes for Sale - realtor.com®

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by zach_33

If the MO side cultural and entertainment attractions are high priority, then it might make sense to stay north of 435, maybe even east of state line. Personally, for $400k, I'd much rather have an all brick ranch between 83rd and 103rd than a board and batten mcmansion down in south OP built in 1998. That all comes down to personal taste. You can get to the Leawood office parks south of 435 about as quickly from Old Leawood (say, 83rd and Manor) as you could from Pinstripes (135th and Nall). You might also check out those new condos down in Mission Farms... Not sure about the inside scoop on those places but they look sharp, can walk to many bars and restaurants, and you have parks and bike/jogging trails in your yard.

Mission Farms, Leawood, KS Condos & Townhomes for Sale - realtor.com®

Hmmmm. I disagree about old Leawood. It's just not what it used to be. I'd rather have a newer house for $450,000 and the houses in that price range are not cheaply built. But that's exactly why the OP and his wife need to look around and see what appeals to them.


I do like Mission Farms but for that much money I'd rather have a house than a condo. Personal taste, as you say.