wichita stable? (real estate, housing, job)

[masterd]

I am thinking about moving to wichita, I work in housing related real estate area, and have talked to some in the real estate work force, I have been told that the market is slower than it was but seems stable.
They said the market does not grow fast there but it does grow steady.
any one have any imput on this? thanks

[bls5555]

First let me state that I really do not like Wichita. It has always appeared trashy to me. I have many friends from college at K-State that moved back there after graduation. They are all ready to get out. That could have to do with growing up there, Im not 100% sure.

BUT from what I have heard, in the coming year or two it is projected to see house values go up faster than average. If you are going to move there, now (according to numbers I have seen) is the time.

Also, in the Midwest it is pretty much always stable. You aren't going to see the massive jumps like you did on the coasts, but then you aren't going to see the massive declines either. Historically it has been steady growth over time.

[wsushocker]

Wichita does not seem trashy to me in any way, only a few select parts but any city with a metro this size will have a few trashy parts, as a whole wichita is a very nice city.

[jbdallas]

masterd, is there any way for you to find out what percentage of homes were financed w/ sub prime mortgages here in say the last 2 - 3 years? I'd be concerned that there will be lots of defaults/foreclosures next year as all the arms begin to climb. What that would mean to you in real estate and job opps I don't know.
From my experience here in the last 11 months, houses don't go up quite as fast as they did in North Texas where I moved from. Sub divisions take time to fill, and that I think produces some of the steady growth, the market isn't flooded w/ cheaply built homes.

[KevK]

Wichita is not "trashy". It is a blue collar city for the most part and it looks like one. That doesn't make it "trashy" and if you said that in some bars I know of you might get punched a few times. As for the real estate there, it is much cheaper than most of the nation. It generally only keeps pace with inflation overall. You can buy a nice house there for $100K

[formerkansan]

Originally Posted by KevK

Wichita is not "trashy". It is a blue collar city for the most part and it looks like one. That doesn't make it "trashy" and if you said that in some bars I know of you might get punched a few times. As for the real estate there, it is much cheaper than most of the nation. It generally only keeps pace with inflation overall. You can buy a nice house there for $100K

I love that calling someone trashy could get you punched - irony? proving the point?

[bls5555]

Originally Posted by formerkansan

I love that calling someone trashy could get you punched - irony? proving the point?

you don't think the same would happen in Philadelphia, New York, Boston? Are those "trashy" places?

[nkfm]

Wichita or sedgwic county will tax you on every move you make. they give big business all the consessions and then tax the heck out of people. I will give you a couple of things, if you get a new subdivision they do what is called specials and they can run 20 thousand, they will make you even get a 10 dollar permit to have a garage sale at your own home.
every move you make you get hit. Kansas is not a good state to move to unless you have a good job you are going to, it is a state that not very many at all retire to, people move in work and then move on.
Stable? as long as the air industry is doing well, boeing has sold to sprit and the population is waiting for the other shoe to drop to see if they will move production out or keep it here.
wichita is a crap shoot. you may win and you may loose.