branson (Ozark, Hollister, Kimberling City: crime, houses, college)

[Wsucks]

just got back from branson.
I had looked at moving there but decided that it was to commercial and even though I liked it now, I thought I may get sick of it after a year of living there.
I went back and it seems to be growing but I also noticed some things there are a couple of time share developments that are out of business. and strip malls out of business even before they got opened.
76 seems to be bussy as ever, I was just wondering how it is to live around that are? any one live near and if so what is it like? Great job opertunitys? people ok? I know crime is low, what else can you tell me about this area?

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Wsucks

just got back from branson.
I had looked at moving there but decided that it was to commercial and even though I liked it now, I thought I may get sick of it after a year of living there.
I went back and it seems to be growing but I also noticed some things there are a couple of time share developments that are out of business. and strip malls out of business even before they got opened.
76 seems to be bussy as ever, I was just wondering how it is to live around that are? any one live near and if so what is it like? Great job opertunitys? people ok? I know crime is low, what else can you tell me about this area?

It's a great place to live...people are moving in from all over the country so it's kind of a melting pot. For a small town, there are an amazing number of amenities, due to the tourism.

I guess it depends on what kind of life you're looking for...there are job opportunities and that seems to be looking better all the time.

There are several of us on here who would be happy to answer your questions...ask away!

[he>I]

Lived in st charles missouri currently in Hawaii and looking to move to Branson want to be on the lake be able to boat and fish and jet ski right outside our home. But be close to Branson town. What is the best lake to be on and area? (since the lakes are so huge!) We have college kids and this is going to be where we want to retire and a place where the kids and grandkids want to come and visit and stay awhile.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by he>I

Lived in st charles missouri currently in Hawaii and looking to move to Branson want to be on the lake be able to boat and fish and jet ski right outside our home. But be close to Branson town. What is the best lake to be on and area? (since the lakes are so huge!) We have college kids and this is going to be where we want to retire and a place where the kids and grandkids want to come and visit and stay awhile.

Sounds to me as if Table Rock Lake would be perfect for you. Coincidentally, that's where we live!

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by he>I

Lived in st charles missouri currently in Hawaii and looking to move to Branson want to be on the lake be able to boat and fish and jet ski right outside our home. But be close to Branson town. What is the best lake to be on and area? (since the lakes are so huge!) We have college kids and this is going to be where we want to retire and a place where the kids and grandkids want to come and visit and stay awhile.

The most popular lake is Table Rock. Bull Shoals is beautiful, but not as deep and a lot less populated because of the drive to get anywhere. Taneycomo is mostly a fishing lake. Beaver Lake, down in NW Arkansas, is about half the size of Table Rock and has some houses but your closest town would be Rogers.

I vote Table Rock. Visit Table Rock Lake!

[mrschilicook]

Originally Posted by Wsucks

just got back from branson.
I had looked at moving there but decided that it was to commercial and even though I liked it now, I thought I may get sick of it after a year of living there.
I went back and it seems to be growing but I also noticed some things there are a couple of time share developments that are out of business. and strip malls out of business even before they got opened.
76 seems to be bussy as ever, I was just wondering how it is to live around that are? any one live near and if so what is it like? Great job opertunitys? people ok? I know crime is low, what else can you tell me about this area?

I think you'll find an awful lot of the people who "Love the Area" aren't living IN Branson....just near it. There are lots of areas of the lake(s) that allow you to live a quiet peaceful life without the traffic and seasonal congestion of Branson itself. You can live close enough to enjoy what you want to enjoy and far enough away to feel as though Branson is another world.

My husband and I looked at Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Lake of the Ozark.
Lake of the Ozark was too developed (the lake itself) for us, but since your looking for someplace your kids want to visit, it would be worth looking at since there are more restaurants, clubs, etc. It's more of a party lake....depends on what the needs are.

Taneycomo is a fishing lake. Cold water with trout for fishing. My husband leaned towards Taneycomo but finding a nice piece of land or a house in a nice flat area proved to be problematic (we wanted to build an RV garage).
Table Rock was the perfect lake as far as lakes went.
However, for us, we decided that lake living wasn't what we wanted for several reasons....mostly finding 1 acre of "flat" land. So we ended up about 10 miles outside of Branson, not on a lake, but in a great development.

Jobs.....mostly service unless you have a profession. Pay is lower than cities, but cost of living (house in particular) is lower. Many of the jobs connected with entertainment/restaurants are seaonal.

People are same as anywhere else. Some a very friendly, some aren't. Some are postive about the area and some a negative. Some pretend to be negative so others won't come.....want to keep this slice of heaven a secret.

[GeekOfTheOzarks]

I couldn't imagine living in Branson. The tourist season is nuts with the traffic and the crowds and they definitely haven't kept up with building roads to accommodate the high season traffic. I'm relatively new in the area but have been there a few times and I too would suggest looking at some of the surrounding communities.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by GeekOfTheOzarks

I couldn't imagine living in Branson. The tourist season is nuts with the traffic and the crowds and they definitely haven't kept up with building roads to accommodate the high season traffic. I'm relatively new in the area but have been there a few times and I too would suggest looking at some of the surrounding communities.

Actually, it's amazing how many people DO live right "in" Branson city limits but aren't that much affected by the traffic. You learn the little back roads & when NOT to go a certain way to get somewhere, ...and as Mrs. Chilicook said, most of us live out on the edges or in a neighboring community like Hollister, Ridgedale, Blue Eye, Branson West, Kimberling City, Cape Fair, Saddlebrooke, etc...we still consider ourselves "living in the Branson area" because of the huge number of amenities available.

What this is...is a series of small towns with a TON of rural residential living all over the hills & valleys (hollers) all around. It's so funny how in the winter, when the leaves are down, you see so many more houses!

Like..."I didn't know how many people live out there..."

As for roads to accommodate the high season traffic, they do have lots of alternate routes that many tourists don't seem to know about in spite of the reams of maps that are available everywhere. It is a confusing place to find your way around at first, because the roads are like trails around and up and down and through these thar hills...