Beijing to Overland Park (Kansas City, Leawood: cul-de-sac, for sale, crime)

[BJ2KC]

We are a Caucasian American family that has been living in Beijing, China for the last 3 years and just found out that we're moving to KC. My husband will be working out by the airport but I think after reading the posts and doing my due diligence I've narrowed my search to JOCO in Overland Park/Leawood and the BV Schools. If you would be so kind. I have just a few questions.
1. What is the real difference between BVN and BVNW?
2. Is there a Chinese school in JOCO, as the only one I've been able to find isn't pulling up and I'm not sure if it's just a block from here or it's not longer operational?
3. My entire family (5 of us) play golf & we girls (3) play tennis. I'm looking for a community/neighborhood that is very social as well as active. It's important we find a place the will be totally open to "new" people as we may only be here for as little as 2 years but as long as 6 years so we'll need to settle quickly.

Thanks for your help

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by BJ2KC

We are a Caucasian American family that has been living in Beijing, China for the last 3 years and just found out that we're moving to KC. My husband will be working out by the airport but I think after reading the posts and doing my due diligence I've narrowed my search to JOCO in Overland Park/Leawood and the BV Schools. If you would be so kind. I have just a few questions.
1. What is the real difference between BVN and BVNW?
2. Is there a Chinese school in JOCO, as the only one I've been able to find isn't pulling up and I'm not sure if it's just a block from here or it's not longer operational?
3. My entire family (5 of us) play golf & we girls (3) play tennis. I'm looking for a community/neighborhood that is very social as well as active. It's important we find a place the will be totally open to "new" people as we may only be here for as little as 2 years but as long as 6 years so we'll need to settle quickly.

Thanks for your help

Welcome! We have been househunting in the same area. I've lived in JoCo for 20 years and know people from all over.

BVNW is in an area that is a little more socio-economically diverse than BVN. (For whatever that means to you.) Not a lot, but somewhat. Both are good schools in great areas, and although those in the BVN area will say it's a better school, BVNW was ranked higher if I remember correctly. The house we just made an offer on is in the BVN area, but I would not have been opposed to BVNW.

I don't know anything at all about Chinese schools in the area.

What price range of houses will you be looking for? (I assume you are looking to buy.) Some neighborhoods have community tennis courts which would help with socializing as well as practicing and of course they will be able to play at their HS. The whole area is fairly centralized with easy access to the city and quite family-friendly.

Best of luck to you!

[BJ2KC]

Thanks Samantha,
Our price range is wide and yes we're looking to buy. I'm concerned if we go too high, when we move we may be limiting our future buyers. We would much rather sell on our own then have relo take it over. It's better for everyone including those in the neighborhood from a "comp" standpoint. I'm sure the market will be much better by then BUT you never know. Greatschools.com lists BVNW as lower in ranking but the test scores on schooldigger are closer than the ranking currently shows. Though greatschools does take into account student and parent opinion into the ranking.

[blkdogb]

For Chinese schools info, you may want to check with The Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Kansas City. It is the non-official official (or is it official non-official? :P) embassy of Taiwan in Kansas. They should have some info on Chinese schools, though may be not so specific on the simplified Chinese which you are probably more familiar with coming from Beijing.

[boarhandles]

If I were you, I would definitely move to Leawood. The property taxes are higher than in Overland Park, but I lived in OP but went to high school in Leawood for four years and I much prefer the Leawood area and its proximity to midtown KC. And I am pretty sure that most of the golf courses are centered around Leawood because of its affluent denizens, so I'm sure there would be tennis courts as well. If I had not chosen to go to a private school I would have ended up at BVNW and let me tell you...pretty much 95% of their graduates go to state school or community college. the shawnee mission school district, on the other hand, is quality and has a little more student diversity. I'd have hated to go to BVNW. so many snobby nouveaux riche and their silly republican kids.

[PlazaGirl]

Hello and welcome back to the United States and welcome to Kansas. I recently moved away last year to the East Coast and left my home in Overland Park. I am actually putting it up for sale next week.

Everyone will always have their difference of opinions of the Overland Park area. It seems like all the areas are rivals, almost reminds me of high school. Southern Johnson county in overland park has been rated as one of the top ten places to live in the United States numerous times. As far at BVN and BVNW, my daughter would have attended that high school this year. All of these schools are top notch in my opinion and offer some of the best educators in the area. Living on the east coast, we live in a very nice neighborhood and my daughters high school is one of the top in Connecticut. But they still don't have smart boards and all the new technology that Blue Valley schools have. So I am confident to say that your child will get a top notch education. Yes, some schools will have more than others, which I find happens anywhere you live. They have also built other high schools more south from our home. But it only takes you further away from the main highways.

In our neighborhood, Kensington at St. Andrews, there is lots of diversity. White, Indian, Muslim, African American and Asian. Our neighborhood has activities to get the neighbors involved. We have block parties, the subdivision swimming pool, bonko parties and ladies get togethers. Cul-de-sacs so the kids can ride around and play. There is a beautiful park down the street called Deana Rose Farmstead it is free to the public, but all purchases at the location are donated back into the park which also has a petting zoo, gardens, activities through out the year. There is a tennis court down the street, unless they tore it down, because there was construction going on in the park area when we left. And there are 3 different golf courses around the area. There is public golf courses and private, it just depends on what you want to spend. So many couples play golf in the area, that you will find someone to play with! We have down the street the middle school and elementary school, although you are looking for a chinese school . To be honest i have not seen any, but that is not to say that there are not. I would call the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce for more help.
Once I get my house info finalized I can send you a link to my info.

V.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by PlazaGirl

Southern Johnson county in overland park has been rated as one of the top ten places to live in the United States numerous times.

I would never live in a place that makes the "top ten". Come on. These lists are what they are.

It should say the most white, upperbracket, new, suburban areas with the almost zero "bad" stats like poverty or crime to throw off the overall stats.

OP is fine, but how is it a top ten in the entire country? There are THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of places EXACTLY LIKE OP all across the nation. But OP does look good on paper!