Single female, 50s, $2500 per month apartment budget (Kansas City, Overland: apartments, for rent)

[jubilee1914]

Hello. i am relocating to Olathe, Kansas for a job. i'm in my 50s, no kids, no pets, single female and have a $2500 per month housing allowance. I dont mind commuting 30 min each way but would prefer an apartment to start learning the area. I prefer quieter apartments since my job in healthcare requires long shifts. High speed internet is a must. Google search produces results in Kansas City MO such as One Light apartments but little in Kansas proper. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

[jubilee1914]

Hello all. I'm having difficulty finding apartments in a city setting close to my relo. Any recommendations from MO folks? I am concerned abt tax implications if i live in MO and work in KS. MO downtown seems to be thriving. Thank you.

[nickelob]

The only tax implication would be if you live or work in KCMO you pay a 1% city tax. Are you wanting to live in the city? 30 min to Olathe could be doable. Depends on where in olathe you are working.

[jubilee1914]

Thank you nickelob. I wouldnt mind living in the city. I enjoy walking, museums, the arts, etc. I certainly dont want to spend an hour in traffic each way but 30 min is fine. I'm hoping for suggestions based on your experience or those of friends as to which apartments I should visit. I'm too old for the party scence but value a good night of sleep. Personally, I prefer high rises because apartments in many states over 5 stories tend to have concrete walls rather than sheetrock btw units. Thank you again.

[rwiksell]

It definitely sounds like you're going to want a place somewhere in the River-to-Plaza corridor. Everything within that corridor is easily less than 30 minutes to Olathe, particularly because it's a "reverse commute".

$2500 is an extremely generous housing allowance in Kansas City. Basically, the city is your oyster at that level. If you want a high-rise that's relatively quiet, with lots of culture nearby, your best bet might be the Plaza area.

[luzianne]

If you are too old for the party scene and want a quiet apartment, may I suggest that you look for an apartment in the Olathe or southern Overland Park area? That way you live close to work and when you want to visit the city, you can easily drive there.


If you were young and worked downtown or were interested in Power & Light (bars), then living downtown might make sense. Since you are older and quiet and not looking for parties and working in Olathe, I think Johnson County would suit you better. There is also very low crime.


There are lots of very nice apartments in southern Johnson County. If you will be working at Olathe Medical Center, The Sovereign or Arium apartments in south Overland Park are brand new and would be an easy commute.


Also, Stonepost at 138th and Pflumm isn't brand new, but from what I hear has very good ratings and is in a nice area. I can post more if you like.


If you live in Missouri and work in Kansas or vice versa, you have to file taxes for both states. Usually you will get a refund from one state and have to pay taxes to the other.

[rwiksell]

Luzianne gives good advice here, but I think it's a bit narrow to group all urban-dwellers into the "party scene". It is also incorrect to pretend that the Power & Light district (or the Loop generally) is the only urban option. This is why I recommended considering the Plaza. The high-rises there (particularly those on the south side of Brush Creek) are not likely going to be occupied by partiers.

One should also consider the OP's desire to live in a building with concrete walls, which does not tend to be true of buildings under 5 stories. Very, very few apartment buildings in Johnson County are over 5 stories.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rwiksell

Luzianne gives good advice here, but I think it's a bit narrow to group all urban-dwellers into the "party scene". It is also incorrect to pretend that the Power & Light district (or the Loop generally) is the only urban option. This is why I recommended considering the Plaza. The high-rises there (particularly those on the south side of Brush Creek) are not likely going to be occupied by partiers.

One should also consider the OP's desire to live in a building with concrete walls, which does not tend to be true of buildings under 5 stories. Very, very few apartment buildings in Johnson County are over 5 stories.

The OP is in her 50s and wants quiet and, I would assume, low crime. She is working in Olathe. I bet if/when she visits the area, she will quickly realize that Johnson County is where she wants to be, not urban KC on the Missouri side.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by luzianne

The OP is in her 50s and wants quiet and, I would assume, low crime. She is working in Olathe. I bet if/when she visits the area, she will quickly realize that Johnson County is where she wants to be, not urban KC on the Missouri side.

You may be right, but the key word here is "assume". Let's base our advice on her actual stated criteria, not on the assumptions one can make by profiling her age, gender and marital status.

If it helps, I highly recommend she take a serious look at both.

[WiseOwlSaysHoot]

Let's try looking at the criteria the poster actually gave:

Originally Posted by jubilee1914

I enjoy walking, museums, the arts, etc. I certainly dont want to spend an hour in traffic each way but 30 min is fine. Personally, I prefer high rises because apartments in many states over 5 stories tend to have concrete walls rather than sheetrock btw units.

All of those criteria match the city, not Johnson County.

There are plenty of people 50 and older living Downtown and the Plaza. Empty nesters are one of the largest demographics for downtown residents.

I would suggest looking at the Power and Light Building - the historic tower. It is made very solidly out of concrete, so I assume it would be great. It looks like it has great amenities, too.

On the Plaza, I would look at some buildings that are condos, but also have some units for rent by the owners. Maybe a building like the Hemingway could have something that would be a good fit.