Lenexa/Overland Park KS - Need real info (Kansas City, Olathe: section 8, apartments)

[BONMIK+4]

My family will be moving to the area for my new job. My wife and our four children. Two boys and two girls. We need to know where the safe, clean, quite, good schools with good neighbors communites are. We will need to rent a home for at least the first year when we arrive. I will be working in southern Overland Park. Please help us, we will need to do most of our looking on line. Thank you and God Bless.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by BONMIK+4

My family will be moving to the area for my new job. My wife and our four children. Two boys and two girls. We need to know where the safe, clean, quite, good schools with good neighbors communites are. We will need to rent a home for at least the first year when we arrive. I will be working in southern Overland Park. Please help us, we will need to do most of our looking on line. Thank you and God Bless.

I live in the area (20 years now) and am in the process of househunting.

So feel free ask about specific areas when you see something online.

Overall, there really aren't any "bad" areas of OP or Lenexa. For rental property you can also look in Shawnee or Merriam. Whether you end up in Shawnee Mission, Olathe or Blue Valley schools, they are all good.

To make recommendations though you will have to say what you're looking for in terms of a house, neighborhood, school, etc.

[BONMIK+4]

Thank you for the news that overall it's a good place to live. We would be looking for a typical suburban house. 4-5 bedrooms, front and back yard. $1300-1800 tops in rent. Planned community, playground would be nice. Close to schools and stores. Too much to ask???

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by BONMIK+4

Thank you for the news that overall it's a good place to live. We would be looking for a typical suburban house. 4-5 bedrooms, front and back yard. $1300-1800 tops in rent. Planned community, playground would be nice. Close to schools and stores. Too much to ask???

If you want houses that are less cookie cutter I would highly suggest looking in old Leawood, and established areas of Overland Park. If you are looking for generica McMansion's plopped in fields areas of south Overland Park or Olathe might be your cup of tea. If you visit these specific areas of Johnson County you will immediately be able to distinguish the differences

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

If you want houses that are less cookie cutter I would highly suggest looking in old Leawood, and established areas of Overland Park. If you are looking for generica McMansion's plopped in fields areas of south Overland Park or Olathe might be your cup of tea. If you visit these specific areas of Johnson County you will immediately be able to distinguish the differences

Price range is too low for old Leawood. But you should have no trouble finding something in the South part of Overland Park or Olathe. Personally I don't care for Olathe and would not choose it over Lenexa or OP.

We live in the West part of Shawnee right now and you would love our house and our neighborhood. But it may be further away from South OP than you want to be (and we will be selling, not renting.)

While the whole area is good, some areas are considered better (more prestigous) than others. For example, Leawood is considered higher than OP but you will find fairly similar houses and you may well be within the same school boundaries. Even certain neighborhoods within the different cities are considered better than others, even though the houses look the same.

There are also a LOT of townhomes, condos and really nice apartments for rent in the area. You might consider doing something like that while you are looking for where to buy. Most of the houses for rent will be on the smaller side, although in this market, many sellers are willing to rent while they wait for some recovery.

[cp1969]

I live south of Overland Park so am no expert in OP housing market. This advice may be worth even less than what you're paying for it.

Two of our daughters lived in some Lenexa apartments east of the intersection of 87th and 435. The apartments they saw and wanted to live in are on the southwest corner of 87th and 435 but to their dismay, these apartments turned out to be Section 8 and students cannot rent them. Go figure. I guess the moral of this story is, be aware of your surroundings. I cannot imagine that good things are going to come of a situation in which the people who live in a particular housing development are not allowed to improve their lot in life.

Stanley would be another good choice although I don't know of many houses in Stanley which have the character of, say, the classics in Shawnee along Johnson Drive.

Good luck and welcome to Kansas!

[rosecitywanderer]

I'm from Portland, Oregon and I'm in Overland Park for school. I've been here just over a week now and it's a very nice area. However, I've noticed several things:

- All the surface roads are the same: four or six lane boulevards with a median and overhead lights. They're in a giant grid and it's nearly impossible to get lost (not a bad thing, necessarily). This is a big change for me because at home, all the roads twist and wind except in downtown. Here, it's straight and north, south, east, west. And no corners; not exactly an invigorating driving experience.

- Traffic is really not too bad in OP. I-35 gets bunched up coming out of Kansas City but that's expected.

- People are generally nice and the city is very clean. Not much crime that I have noticed and really no bad areas.

[luzianne]

If you are working in southern park, I'd look for houses in southern Overland Park. It's the nicest/newest area. Doubt you'll find anything to rent for $1300 out that way, but I'm sure could find something for $1800.

[siteReviewerYYY]

Johnson County KS is a great place to live! I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
It has great schools, businesses and thriving housing market.
Here is a great site that I use to find Johnson County Businesses, jobs, classified, favorite restaurants, etc Johnson County, KS: Business Directory, favorite restaurants, Events, Jobs, Community Information
The thing I like best is that it is totally free to everyone (businesses and users).
Hope this helps

Good luck....

[str9012]

Blue Valley Schools are going to be your best bet. Blue Valley (south) on 159th is the oldest but most traditional. Blue Valley schools get a ton of money for their programs and the teachers are amazing. I've graduated from this school years back and my brother substitutes there now. He just moved here from Dallas were he used to teach and says the change in student behavior from down there to Blue Valley is unbelievable. The Students like school because it’s a friendly atmosphere and the staff cares about their success.