Best Des Moines Suburb - The Poll (Ames, West Des Moines: real estate, home)

[El Rhino]

Pick your favorite and most importantly, why.

[GraniteStater]

From an outsiders perspective it seems like Clive is pretty upscale and a little exclusive.

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

From an outsiders perspective it seems like Clive is pretty upscale and a little exclusive.

I believe Clive has the highest average home price in the area or at least it did a few years ago. It's geographically small and there's not a bad piece of real estate in the whole city but it doesn't have the same kind of seclusion as some of the other suburbs - you're sandwiched between a couple busy areas and the lots aren't that big. I suppose the upside to that is that you're a lot closer to amenities compared to someone who lives on the outskirts of say, Johnston or Ankeny. While it does cost a lot to live there, it doesn't seem as exclusive as some of the developments in West Des Moines or other suburbs.

[Tek_Freek]

Clive? If I remember correctly it's the home of stop light cameras. I don't go to Clive for that reason. If they feel the need to trap me with a camera I feel the need to take my business elsewhere - and I do.

I picked West Des Moines. Why? We like it. It's that simple.

[JesMarieC]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

From an outsiders perspective it seems like Clive is pretty upscale and a little exclusive.

The western side of Clive, Wdm and Urbandale all seem like that to me.

As for Clive, I think it entirely depends upon the neighborhood you're talking about. I've lived there all my life and it doesn't seem like that at all to me. But then again I don't live in country club, and I can see how that area would come off that way. I'm from the east of 100th st neighborhood, just north of valley west.

[pepe1]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Clive? If I remember correctly it's the home of stop light cameras. I don't go to Clive for that reason. If they feel the need to trap me with a camera I feel the need to take my business elsewhere - and I do.

I picked West Des Moines. Why? We like it. It's that simple.

Every intersection in Clive that has red light cameras is clearly marked with signs telling you the intersection is fitted with cameras. I personally do not see that as 'trapping' anyone - If you can read, you know which intersections have them.

[mofford]

I just voted for WDM because it seems to have just about everything most people would want. Two malls, two Wall Marts (if you count the one in WH). Traffic in WDM is not quite so bad in comparison to Clive or Urbandale. The suburb also has plenty of anexed land to the south and west to expand ever more. Valley High is the largest and best school in the metro and in the state of Iowa. Would have to say WDM is tied with Ankeny for being the most self contained of all the suburbs. However, Ankeny does not have a nice mall like Jordon Creek but has Saylorville Lake to make up for it, IMO.

Clive has the best bike trail in the metro, but getting around by car is a nightmare, what a headache out there at rush hour, same thing with Urbandale, and you are more dependent on WDM and other suburbs for your shopping needs, the traffic really really sucks. Waukee and parts of Urbandale and Clive have to deal with the flaked out Zenia water district. Waukee and Johnston need to plant some trees and use lots of miracle grow.

Pleasant Hill, like much of the east side of DM relies on Altoona for many things, and housing is somewhat more affordable there. The lower east side, Southwest DM and Carlisle depend heavily on SE 14th for many things, but Carlisle is far enough out of orbit to be a very quiet and safe place to raise a family. They escape the urban problems but enjoy the urban conveniences, and have their own schools. Same thing with Norwalk only they have easy access to WDM, SE DM or Indianola, so that makes them a tad better off than Carlisle.

[Persimmony]

Chose Ankeny ... only 10 min from downtown ... 25 min from Jordan Creek ... 20 ish min from Ames ... has Saylorville Lake ... trails ... Clean ... Nice neighborhoods ... plenty of retail. Part of Des Moines metro however has it's own identity in a sense. Growing growing growing. I love it!