independence (Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Raytown: new home, buy, school district)

[cyclonejen]

Possible relocation to job in Independence MO and bringing wife and toddler. Looking for quiet, suburb with great schools where I can buy a house.

I'm ok with a communte around 30 minutes. What are my best options? Any opinions or resources would be appreciated.

[kcmo]

Southeastern Independence is very nice. This includes everything east of Lee's Summit Road and south of about 35th or even 23rd in some cases. This is mostly the Blue Springs School District.

Blue Springs is also nice and offers all housing options in all price points.

Lee's Summit also offers anything anybody would want in suburban living, but it tends to lean more to the higher end of the price bracket. Lee's Summit is probably going to offer the most because of its size though.

Raytown offers more modest housing and some upscale areas on the far southeast side of Raytown.

I would just set Independence Center Mall as ground zero and look in SE Indy, as well as Blue Springs and Lee's Summit and possibly Raytown.

If you want a more rural / small town area, you can go to the Grain Valley area. If you want to be on or near a lake, look into Lakewood, Raintree, Tapawingo, Lotawanna etc.

If you give me a price point and the kind of area (rural, lake, near shopping etc), I will help you out with far more detail.

[northbound74]

Independence has lot's of nice areas. Schools aren't bad, but some of the surrounding suburb's schools are known for being top-notch.
I'd add Liberty to what was already mentioned. It's just across the river, and an easy, low-traffic commute to Independence on 291 hwy.

[wathman]

I'll second the Liberty area also. Some people posted in another thread that Liberty is a bit too blue collar for their tastes, but personally I don't think it's that bad. True you see more Ford pickups there per capita, but it's just north of the Ford plant where they make them. William Jewell College is right there as well so you have a mix of university students. The proximity to downtown KC also makes it an ideal location for small, young families just starting out.

I live within KCMO city limits, but it takes me about a minute to get to Liberty so I often end up there for shopping, entertainment, etc. There's a lot of new communities sprouting up just west of Liberty. Also, there's the new Kellybrook elementary school going in so it's a good location if you have young children. Since everything is still pretty new up north, it's hard to say how things will develop over time, but it has the foundation to become a strong community. Also since it's on the edge of city development, you are just as near to wide open spaces as you are to the city.

[cyclonejen]

Great info to start with - thanks. I'll post more specifics when a few more variables are concrete.

[cyclonejen]

I'm unsure of housing values in KC area but we'd be looking at around 2000 sq foot, 3 bedroom house. We like new subdivisions with amenities but would also like more of a yard and I wouldn't mind a small town feel. We're currently on the east coast and the housing market is so odd lately its hard to give a price thought. I'd be happier located close to a good grocery store, parks and greenspace versus shopping and restaurants.

Pricing under 300k would be ideal but we'd go up to 400k for perfect conditions. Again the schools would be most important (1 year old) and a maximum 30 minute commute to NE Independence area.

I hear so many good things about the KS and south side of KC I'm kind of worried about independence area itself.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by cyclonejen

I'm unsure of housing values in KC area but we'd be looking at around 2000 sq foot, 3 bedroom house. We like new subdivisions with amenities but would also like more of a yard and I wouldn't mind a small town feel. We're currently on the east coast and the housing market is so odd lately its hard to give a price thought. I'd be happier located close to a good grocery store, parks and greenspace versus shopping and restaurants.

Pricing under 300k would be ideal but we'd go up to 400k for perfect conditions. Again the schools would be most important (1 year old) and a maximum 30 minute commute to NE Independence area.

I hear so many good things about the KS and south side of KC I'm kind of worried about independence area itself.

You'd be surprised what you can get for that price. 200-250k would even get a very nice house around here.

Independence is quirky, but not nearly as bad as some make it sound. Pluck it from the metro and put it by itself somewhere, and it would stack up nicely against most any small town. It just doesn't live up to the lofty suburban yuppie standards where poor people aren't allowed.
Southeast Indy is just about as nice as any suburb. Northern Independence, east or west, isn't my favorite part of town.

Liberty is a very short commute to northeast Independence, and has retained a small town feel for the most part. It's convenient to everything, and yet it still seems detached from the rest of the metro... in a good way.
No part of the Kansas side has a small town feel, unless you go way out, and you're very far away from northeast Indy no matter where in JoCo you are.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by cyclonejen

I'm unsure of housing values in KC area but we'd be looking at around 2000 sq foot, 3 bedroom house. We like new subdivisions with amenities but would also like more of a yard and I wouldn't mind a small town feel. We're currently on the east coast and the housing market is so odd lately its hard to give a price thought. I'd be happier located close to a good grocery store, parks and greenspace versus shopping and restaurants.

Pricing under 300k would be ideal but we'd go up to 400k for perfect conditions. Again the schools would be most important (1 year old) and a maximum 30 minute commute to NE Independence area.

I hear so many good things about the KS and south side of KC I'm kind of worried about independence area itself.

First off, if you are working in Independence, there is absolutely zero reason to be looking at the Kansas suburbs. That is unless you just like to drive in a lot of traffic twice a day to a home that is probably going to cost you 20-30% more than the same exact home in eastern Jackson County. But that’s up to you…

Here are some great areas you will want to look at.

These are all in the top rated Blue Springs or Lee’s Summit Schools.

Adams Dairy Parkway north of I-70 in Blue Springs. Awesome area with homes from 225-350. There are bike trails, lakes, a dog park, new shopping centers etc.

Also south of I-70 along Adams Dairy, but further south of Hwy 40 there are some very nice areas. It’s a pretty new area though and most homes in this area are 350 and up.

Blue Springs along South 7 down toward Colbern is a very fast growing area with homes in the 250-350 range. This is a massive master planned community with many new homes. Also near this area is Lake Lotawana, an upscale residential lake area with lakeside and non-lakeside homes.

Just north of this area between Route 7 and the Jackson County lakes is a very nice established upscale area with homes priced from 250-400’s, some much more.

In the northern parts of Blue Springs, there are many upscale aeras. If you go north of I-70 a few miles to just outside the city limits along Pink Hill etc, there are tons of large lot homes. Many will be very expensive though.

Grain Valley is also a good option. This town has grown from 4000 people to 15000 people in just 8 years. So it’s a popular place.

On to Lee’s Summit.

This city offers a lot. Since you will be working in Indep, I would try to stay in the northern parts of the city. The areas on both side of I-470 are very nice and the homes in this corridor range from 225 into the millions. But most homes are probably in the 275-350 range except right in Lakewood where most homes are going to start in the 400’s.

There is a lot to choose from, but Dalton’s Ridge is one of my favorites. Because the area is so wooded and it’s next to the Jackson County lakes.
Dalton's Ridge - Lees Summit New Homes, Blue Springs New Homes Communities by Johnnie Adams

There are lakes EVEVYWHERE. It’s really a neat thing about this area.

Further south into Lee’s Summit you have lots more to choose from. The area around Longview Farms is very nice and upscale and is also set in some really nice rolling and wooded terrain. This is the area along 3rd and Longview west of US-50. Also, there is a lot of very nice new areas around the new Legacy Park in eastern Lee’s Summit. Basically the east side of Todd George between 50 and 470. Way out south is the Raintree Lake area, which is very nice, but you will be approaching a 30 minute commute.

People mentioned Liberty, but I’m not sure I would in this case. Most of the nice, new areas of Liberty (or KCMO) are north of I-35. I think Liberty is a great area, but I personally think the drive from 152 to 170 on 291 is one of the most annoying drives in the metro, especially through Independence and it’ s not pretty either, very industrial.

OK, back to Independence.

Indep is a large city of 120,000, but only a small part of it is probably going to fill your needs. That’s the area around the Mall.

Here are some great areas of Indep.

The Bluffs, off 470 and 40 (SW Corner). Homes are 225-500k. On the other side of 470 from this area is a very nice secluded area with amazing homes. They might be out of your price range though. Take Little Blue Parkway south of 40 and you will see the area.

Along 39th Street east of Lee’s Summit Road there are many upscale subdivisions, some are very upscale.

There is also the new Stone Canyon area north of 70 and west of Woods Chapel. Home in this area will be from 250-800k.

I could give you a tour of the area and it would take all day to show you all of this area and what it offers. I could show you all the new schools, all the amazing lakes and subdivisions. It would take a full day of just driving around.

So before you are told by too many people to run off to the Kansas suburbs, look in this area first. If you don’t, you will be kicking yourself as you drive by many great areas with awesome schools and fighting 30-45 minutes of urban freeway traffic to reach the same thing in Kansas that will probably cost you more.

Here are a couple of photos of Lakewood





Here is Tapawingo

[northbound74]

The OP mentioned they would be working in northeast Independence. Liberty is closer than any of those places. 10, maybe 15 minutes tops. That part of 291 is a cakewalk. It's south of 23rd where the traffic gets thick. If they lived in Lee's Summit, they'd most likely be using 291 anyway. If they lived in Blue Springs or Grain Valley, they could take back roads and avoid traffic of any kind, which wouldn't be bad.
The southern part of Liberty does have some more upscale areas along 291.
I'm just partial to Liberty, I guess. It's one of only 4-5 KC suburbs I actually like.

[kcmo]

Yea, if they will be in NW Indy (not sure what kind of jobs are up there), Liberty would be a good option.

I would still stick to the east side of 35 in Liberty and not KCMO. It would be much closer. There are some very nice areas along South Liberty Parkway, but I have not been there for a while.