Planning To Move To MO From CA in a Month and Need Help!! (Springfield: apartment, rent)

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by tambre

I really have to stand up against this one sided tirade as I don't think it is fair or just, or does anything to help people live peacefully together. Phewww...that felt good.

Good for you, Tambre. However, I think it does help in a way. Clearly there are those who share the views that outsiders are just that and should be discouraged. Better that people who haven't moved around a lot understand that right from the get-go so it doesn't come as a complete and utter, blind-siding shock when they run across one.

I've been on both sides of that fence a number of times and sometimes, not only is a tough hide is helpful but fore-warned is, after all, fore-armed.

[KonaKat]

I think in just about any specific area, the ones that have been there a long time don't like to hear "how we did it back home". I had to chuckle reading that one post because you could change only a few words and be quoting the locals and kamaina here in Hawaii! "We do NOT care how you did it on the mainland." "Try wait" and "If can, can." Love it. I moved from Las Vegas to Kona and what a complete 180 in lifestyle that was (being raised in the Ozarks helped prevent the shock). Who cares how fast you could have driven the distance in LA, this is Hwy 11 which is a 2 lane road with little or no shoulders in most places and hardly any connecting roads along the way! I quickly learned to leave a bit earlier and relax and enjoy the scenery on my way.
Sometimes we're bound to get frustrated especially when dealing with local government for instance, but hey, what's to do? Get used to it, learn how things are done, and remember: No one held a gun to your head to move here.

Good luck OP, your job situation is going to be the kicker for you. Hope your family finds enough work to make a go of it.

[StCharlesTim]

I am planning a move to Springfield from the St Charles area by St Louis. I just want to clarify something about missouri. I am 56 and have lived and traveled all around the state and spent a lot of time fishing and hiking. In all my years I have never seen a rattlesnake in the wild. I have seen some copperheads but not too many. I have only seen 1 black widow spider and I caught him in a jar. I have never been attacked much by insects except at dusk when out fishing. Anyone who is worried about moving to missouri and Springfield, don't worry, It is a real nice place. That is why I am moving there. I can easily find a 1700 ft home on 3 acres within 10 miles of town for $170.000 My main reason for leaving the St Louis area is there is too much traffic and the houses are all crowded together. The other reason is that I like fishing and there are many opportunities for that. Also, on my 3 acres I will have a nice garden, a fruit orchard, some chickens for some range fed eggs, maybe a couple cattle for my t bones, and a bee hive that will provide me with some pure organic honey. There are a lot of rocks in the soil here, but the soil is good and deep. I have traveled all around this great country and I can honestly say Missouri is among the very best states. It doesn't get too cold or too hot for very long. The spring and fall are spectacular. The thunderstorms in spring are awesome to experience. I've never seen an actual tornado but have been within 1 mile of strikes a handful of times. The only damage from storms has been hail 1 time in my life. We can get ice storms but they rarely cause great damage to houses. Don't let the weather worry you. There is no earthquake potential in southwest missouri but there sure is in the St Louis area. I think the people in southwest area are more polite and friendlier than in other places. Much more layed back than in a big city, very tolerant people also. As long as you respect people and treat them in a friendly manner, you will get it back. Treat people badly and you will get it back but always in a polite way. It doesn't have any mountains of any great size, no oceans, but we have beautiful unspoiled land that stretches for miles. We have some of the best fishing in the whole country. We have trout, bass, sunfish, tasty suckers, spoonbill, walleye, crappie and catfish. It's got a lot going for it. I wouldn't trade it for the northwest, it's too rainy and expensive. I wouldn't trade it for colorado, it's too dry. I wouldn't trade it for the gulf coast, its too hot. And I wouldn't trade it for the north country, it's too cold. The east is too crowded. There you go, I hope I have set the record straight about missouri especially southwest missouri. Don't listen to the naysayers. I will say one thing that may be a concern. The wages are lower here but then the real estate is lower in price but not in quality. sincerely, St Charles Tim

[tambre]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Good for you, Tambre. However, I think it does help in a way. Clearly there are those who share the views that outsiders are just that and should be discouraged. Better that people who haven't moved around a lot understand that right from the get-go so it doesn't come as a complete and utter, blind-siding shock when they run across one.

I've been on both sides of that fence a number of times and sometimes, not only is a tough hide is helpful but fore-warned is, after all, fore-armed.

Some quotes that seems appropriate to this thread:

***
If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me.
- Ann Landers

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

So far on city-data, I've only found three of you who fit that description, CaliBassMan, Curmudgeon and SimpleWifeandMom. The rest of you merely want to be transplants, Californians (or others) who are being forced by economics to move to this cheaper state.

Ozarks Boy

Ahem...ya missed a couple.

Originally Posted by tambre

The people who originally homesteaded and settled in Missouri, god bless them, were also people who displaced native americans. Since OB referenced 1821, my point is that his ancestors are probably guilty of looking for cheap land, and perhaps displacing native americans and taking the land for free. What can I say...karma perhaps.

It does help to step back and take a longer view...

I find myself appreciating many of the points made by both sides of this discussion. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to care.url=http://planetsmilies.net][/url]

[Cali BassMan]

...Wow I can't think of anything to say.........

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by tambre

The people who originally homesteaded and settled in Missouri, god bless them, were also people who displaced native americans. Since OB referenced 1821, my point is that his ancestors are probably guilty of looking for cheap land, and perhaps displacing native americans and taking the land for free. What can I say...karma perhaps.

I concede, Tambre. You make much more sense than I do, and I believe you win this fracas.
Looking at history, I have to agree with you that in the long-run it was beneficial to run the Indians out of Missouri to make way for development. so it's probably going to be beneficial for out-of-staters to run us hillbillies out of Missouri to further develop the land for houses and chain stores.
Sometimes I forget that I am a pro-business, anti-tree-hugging, pro-development conservative. Thanks for reminding me.

Originally Posted by tambre

OB can resent it all he wants. He can have fun, wallow in it. Have a pity party. Keep reminding himself how we all are elitest snobs. Oh, and when a young woman with a small child is crying out for help because she is lonely, and culture shock is hitting her square between the eyes, don't try to help...no, that's a good time to get up on your soap box and condemn her, and her "shopping" kind.

I think you're talking about pitiful little Nexxie, stuck out in the middle of nowhere up by Hartville. I went back and reread what I wrote to her. Initially, I told her that she indeed had made a mistake in moving to the Ozarks from the city because our little communities just don't have the money to have malls or fully developed parks. I encouraged her to do what other young mothers do in this part of the country, i.e. get involved in school and church activities to meet other people, especially those her age with children her son's age. Failing that, I told her that I hoped a way could be found for her and her family to return to Florida where they were happy. I don't know how that's hitting her square between the eyes or condemning her.

In another thread a young woman (I think) was asking if there were any dog parks in the area. I encouraged her to get involved in the community after she moved here and promote the construction of such a facility by writing letters to the editor and attending meetings of her new town's board of aldermen. I don't think that was negative. Newcomers who see needs ought to get out and start promoting change, shouldn't they?

Originally Posted by tambre

But exactly who is the elitist here. The person moving to Missouri, looking for a simple life and buying land in the country...or the person who is stereotyping all newcomers with a broad brush dipped in the ink of hatred.

Now that is some deep purple prose, the kind of rhetoric that would get me another stern reprimand from Shadow Caver had I written it.

I don't know where you see hate in anything I've written. I've just encouraged people to be sure of themselves before they move to Missouri. I prefer that people who move here be folks who really and truly want to be Missourians, not people who just want to take advantage of cheap land. I don't want them to move here and be miserable like poor Nexxie. How can that be hatred?

There are lots of people who have moved here already and have found it to be a fitting place, folks like 20yearsinBranson and LakeJunkie. They either did a lot of research and soul-searching before they moved to Missouri or they just buckled down and got involved in the community. Of the folks who are wanting to move here, I see only three on the Missouri Forum who I think have done adequate research and have a clear understanding of what life will be like for them; these folks probably aren't going to undergo much of a so-called culture shock.

Originally Posted by tambre

Just remember, the land doesn't belong to you. The Missourians who are selling their land are making money. Do you have a problem with them? The people who are building the houses are making money...should they not make a living, just to spite the evil newcomers? Should the realtors and grocers and doctors and vets and feed stores and gas stations also resent us...but take our cash? If I get a job taking care of disabled people...will you resent that, because I'm taking a job away from a Missourian. I really have to stand up against this one sided tirade as I don't think it is fair or just, or does anything to help people live peacefully together. Phewww...that felt good.

Again, speaking as one pro-business, pro-profit, pro-development conservative to another, I thank you for getting me back on track. I was almost turning tree-hugger there for a little bit. You're absolutely correct. Those of us who live here need to promote business and development and encourage outsiders to invest here. Otherwise they'll go elsewhere.

This is getting long, but let me tell you an anecdote that kind of illustrates your point about the need to be in favor of developing the state by encouraging immigration to Missouri.

Mod Note...please see Economics, development, outsiders... Rolla, MO as example for this discussion...

You're right. I was wrong. I'm back in the conservative fold with you.

[ShadowCaver]

People - Keep it civil, helpful, and at least semi-friendly. Thanks.

Mod Note...please see Economics, development, outsiders... Rolla, MO as example for this discussion...

[tambre]

Ozarks Boy, I don't disagree with some of your points on keeping the Ozarks beautiful, rural and not marred by unplanned ugly growth. I'm not pro development, in the least bit. I would love to see the major tracts of farm land and forest stay undeveloped. My major problem with your posts is that you seem to blame the people who are moving in, as the source. As far as buying up cheap land...not all of us newcomers are rich. Some of us are moving for economic survival. Like most, we want to shut the door after we get there.

On the plus side, with an increased population, there are more jobs, more shopping, more choices in education, more social diversity, and this is a major adjustment to the way of life of oldtimers. Some have a very hard time adjusting. Growth may be inevitable. It can be done well, or it can be done ruthlessly and absolutely destroy a beautiful area. Stop blaming the newcomers. It's up to the people of Missouri to direct growth in a positive manner one they can be proud of, instead of mourn. Blaming newcomers is just the tail wagging the dog.

[Cali BassMan]

OK I know I'm an outsider looking in, but here's what's happened in my community..
I got married and we were renting a house near where we grew up in Richmond CA..I wanted to buy a house in a nice neighborhood and start a family, So we moved 40 miles away to Suisun City, CA. A sleepy little town across the tracks from the County seat, Population about 10,000. We moved into a brand new housing develpoment off of State Hiway 12 ( a two lane hiway out in the boonies mostly). Across the Hiway was Grisley Island Wildlife Refuge. At the time not much out there but marsh lands and cattle. Just West of us was an open space area surronding Travis Air Force Base, again not much there but Cattle and Jackrabbits... Now the developers told us that both these areas were "protected" from develpoment and would always be open space...
Fast-forward 20 years and the town is now 25,000 population with both of those "protected" areas covered with houses, the quiet two lane Hiway is 4 lanes with stop lights and jake brakes all the way down it. Not a cow to be seen......Just a rising crime rate, because in order to get some kind of state money the city decided to put low income apartments in the neighborhoods....

My take "DON'T TRUST THE DEVELOPERS"