looking for a nice town (Kansas City, St. Louis: fit in, for rent, home)

[Inoxkeeper]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Yes, people moving in increase the population density leading to the need for more regulation and more governmental monitoring. we need more California folks to move here; they have experience with regulation and monitoring, so maybe they can help us be a little more progressive.

You said it, that's all we need, more folks bringing more rules with them.

Then they wonder why their reception isn't all that great. "Excuse me, I just moved here from CA, great to meet you, would you mind mowing your grass more often and please stop riding your 4 wheeler."

Lucky for me the "movers" seem to be favoring the Western half of the state.

[maagy]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

How long do you think housing costs will stay great in Missouri? Will the number of people moving into Missouri do to us what has happened in California?

u know, when i read this i got a little mad, cuz i'm from a county in cali that has less 35000 people in it, even after the big move of "flatlanders" (thats what we call people from the bay area: san jose/ san francisco area) to our small slice of heaven in Calaveras county. then i took a look at rolla, mo in city data.com and i came to the conclusion that your (actually pretty big) slice of heaven has been invaded in the last 20 or so years just like my home town. and your tude toward me is the same tude i have toward "flatlanders". but i do need to let u know my husband was born and raised in Missouri the wonderful state of those whom need to be shown and weather wonderful folks like you like it or not i believe he wants to come home. don't worry we prefer much smaller towns with less than 1000 people in it, so your slice of heaven isn't going to get any more populated because of us. basically what i'm trying to say is.... i really don't blame u for the tude.
p.s.
MOW Ur GRASS!!!

hahaha!!!! (that was from my husband)

[Lake Junkie]

There is something to be said for finding a place where you will "fit"...

And being a California native (shhhh............don't tell 'm neighbors...) I have to point out that not everyone who moves from the Golden State is looking for the same thing! Far from it. "We" are as different from one another as people all across this great nation. Some are city folk looking for a different city experience...or city folk who yearn for rural living...or rural folk looking for a different rural experience...or rural-small town folk looking for...well you get the idea.

I'll say it again...the Original Poster (wow...was that really a year and a half ago?) asked for help finding a "nice" town.

Define "nice"...

You'll come up with as many definitions as you can imagine!

[Silvermouse]

Excellent points, ozarksboy. I think that the problem is not only "fitting in" but the HUGE crush of people that has come to our state.

From what I hear from different sources, I also suspect that many Missourians are wising up and not being as welcoming as before.

[Lake Junkie]

You think that's a good thing? Not being nice to newcomers?

Help me understand what you're saying.


I know some transplants act like idiots. They leave wherever behind, and then complain that here isn't like there. Go figure! I've said for years that I'd like to create a "border school" so people can figure out how to act and how to be an asset for their new community on the way in to Missouri. So that the growth could be a positive thing, not a negative!

We can keep Missouri a wonderful place...I don't think giving the cold shoulder to the newcomers would be the best option! There's still lots and lots of wide open spaces 'round these parts. And as the US population continues to balloon, people will be coming here (and other states!). I don't know if the answer is legislation or planning & zoning or...

Can we throw around some ideas for channeling that "got a dream, boys...got a song" energy into a future for Missouri that we can all enjoy?

[Silvermouse]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

You think that's a good thing? Not being nice to newcomers?

Help me understand what you're saying.

It does seem mean doesn't it? The problem with Missouri is that it has that "Mayberry" aura that doesn't usually jive with reality. MoNative34 said it best on the Rural forum:

Originally Posted by MoNative34

I see sort of a trend over on the Missouri forums when people decide they want to move there because they drove through the area on a vacation and "just fell in love with the place." The country living thing has been so "romanticized" over the years with books, TV, movies, the "back to the land" movement back in the 70's, etc. In fact, its been romanticized so much that people think their problems will just go away and everything will just take care of itself in some form of Utopia. Some people even move without even having any job leads and then come back on the forums and complain that they can't find work other than low wage jobs. When I've cautioned folks about moving without to an unfamiliar area and being unemployed, some get sort of defensive.

I also think rapid growth is nothing but trouble. Ozarksboy can explain that better than I can.

Oh - and please no legislation or zoning. That's a CA kind of response, and from what I've heard on here, CA sucks.

[maagy]

Originally Posted by Silvermouse

It does seem mean doesn't it? The problem with Missouri is that it has that "Mayberry" aura that doesn't usually jive with reality. MoNative34 said it best on the Rural forum:


I also think rapid growth is nothing but trouble. Ozarksboy can explain that better than I can.

Oh - and please no legislation or zoning. That's a CA kind of response, and from what I've heard on here, CA sucks.

OK then .... what ur saying is .... I can go around MO and throw trash out my car window while driving any speed I want to, chop down trees in Mark Twain national forest (which is zoned Nation Forest), go on anyones land I want because theres no legisation saying i can't ... just to ride my atv or go mudding???? I can understand why you wouldn't want the "no talking on a cell phone while driving" law.....because people drive so much better while talking on their dumb cell phones. And after all it's only dangerous for those that want to ride motorcycles anyways. (#1 cause of motorcycle deaths are cell phones...learned that one while living and selling harleys in florida). My point is there are laws in every state and "we" all do our best to abide by them.
As for California sucking..... far far from it. Where I came from (Calaveras County...middle of the Seirra Nevada Mountain Range) I could drive 2 or so hours in any direction and be in Yosemite National Park camping, surfing in the Pacific Ocean, Gambling or skiing in South Lake Tahoe, going to the rodeo in the valley, or shopping in San Fran or Sacramento, golfing in Monteray, the list goes on and on. I lived so far up in the mountains that it was the popular thing to buy a second home in this area driving the housing prices from $150,000 in 2000 to $500,000 in 2007, of course just like every place (even MO) people are in trouble and are losing their homes due to the insanity of purchacing a house beyond the means of income (those darn arm loans). People are opting to keep their 2nd homes in Calaveras due to the lower cost of living (go figure...again) and better school systems, lack of gangs and great way of life; while walking away from their residence in wherever they came from.
Unfortunately, my hubby and I still will never be able to afford 1/2 mil for a home, I guess $3000. for a morgage pymt a month is just to much to swallow. (go figure) We have opted to move away, to a place that he hasn't "just visited" or driven thru, back to his childhood home. Another "God's Country".
As for Mayberry... that's where i came from. going to the general store for a gallon of milk and leaving an hr later because everyone and their mother wanted to stop and catch up? (there are no major grocery stores within 30 miles of where i came from and NO walmarts in the county at all).
Do I miss it... h. e. double hockey sticks Yeah, I sure do. (we are in Georgia now) but i miss my kids and grandson more. So we're going to entice them to visit as often as possible, by buying a home that needs to be fixed up in Missouri. This means putting revenue into which ever town we decide to buy in, for things like contractors, plumbers, painters, electicians, general stores and gas stations because we will still be making the same income. Of course the first few yrs (meaning 10 or so) we will still be working on the road, well he will be.....no jobs being taken away from locals. Maybe by the time we stay home we won't be so "new" in the eyes of the locals anymore.
Rapid growth of Missouri: there was more "rapid growth" in the 1800's than any other time in Missouri's history, even now. I guess Missouri will never get away from people wanting to chase the American dream right into the state. I guess everyone comes from somewhere at some time or an other. Carpetbaggers then and now still want the same dream. No offense to Native Americans, of which I am one.

Mine and my husbands application for residency into the State of Missouri:
We're American Citizens. (that being said ....nothing else should really matter)
We work.
We don't have criminal records.
We prefer peace and quiet.

(biting nails) gosh I hope we qualify!!!

This brings me to "Go placidly amid the noise and pollution...." [quote from the Desidrada, author unknown] and NO I'm not a hippie.

[maagy]

This brings me to "Go placidly amid the noise and pollution...." [quote from the Desidrada, author unknown]

I miss quoted....sorry .

It's: "Go placidly amid the noise and haste...." [first line, "Desiderada", author Max Ehrmann, 1927]

[MoNative34]

Alright you two.... I think the both of you bring good points to the table here. Although I am a native to the state and never lived in California, I'm one that's been affected by both sides of this issue.

I've lived in 4 different places in Missouri in my 35 years of life. St. Louis suburbs, Springfield, Kansas City and Northwest Missouri where I reside now.

I do stand by what I said in the Rural/Small Town Living forum that was quoted above. I'll say it again if need be. Moving here with no income or plan is going to be rough despite the lower cost of living. I know people are excited and want to change chapters in their life. I'm not saying not to do it... Just plan carefully. Have a plan. Haste not. I know its sometimes an unpopular thing to say.

That's not giving the cold shoulder to newcomers. If folks caused trouble, that would be different. I'd get in an uproar myself. I know all about the "cold shoulder" because I've been on the receiving end of it after moving to where I am now. I've had a "live and let live" mindset the whole time residing here and it seems a fair share of people already had their minds made up about me before even getting to know me no matter how many times I've tried to start conversations. I've even helped round up stray cattle for a neighbor who didn't seem to bother to say "thanks." C'mon.

Luckily, I have met some good neighbors who actually know what type of person I am and have given me a hand if I had a problem (stuck in snoe e.g) and I would gladly do the same. Those people are the types that make we want to stay. I do plan on staying whether certain people like it or not.

That's why I woudn't give the cold shoulder. Take a walk in the shoes.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Yes, people moving in increase the population density leading to the need for more regulation and more governmental monitoring. we need more California folks to move here; they have experience with regulation and monitoring, so maybe they can help us be a little more progressive.

I think most would agree with me that you can't do whatever you feel like on national lands. The problem is that most people use the off-road vehicles responsibly, but others just feel the need to TEAR THE LAND UP.