Relocating to Iowa City next year (Des Moines, Ames: apartment, rental, condos)

[wandergirl91]

I am looking to relocate to Iowa City from Arizona, sometime shortly after the new year. I have some friends that live there and absolutely love it - will never leave. I have spent time in Des Moines, Ames, and some smaller surrounding towns, but I've never really spent much time in Iowa City. I work remotely, so I won't need to find a job right away. However, I may eventually want to venture out. What is the job market like right now in the area? I work in tech right now as a project manager, but plan to go back to school and venture into something new - haven't figured that out yet. I have a 3 year old - what are attractions relevant to us? The most important part - finding a 2 bedroom home, preferably one with a yard. Aside from Iowa City, any surrounding (but still close) suburbs, towns where I can find an affordable place - duplex, house, townhouse. We aren't too terribly picky! I joined this forum in hopes of getting to know what Iowa City is like before I move there! Anything helps! We are looking forward to getting back to the Midwest!

[jcovington912]

I don't know much about the tech job world. For schools we have the u of I and kirkwood, which are both great schools.
For the kids, there are morning play groups, the library seems to have activities often, and pools when it's hot. If you join some of the mommy groups on Facebook (if you're there) you'll be able to start finding some kid friendly actives that are special events and regular.
For housing, if you want a house or duplex, they can be around $1000 in Iowa city. Best bet is to find a private owner so you can avoid a rental agency who raises the prices for students. A lot of the leases go from Aug 1 to July 30 and landlords will try to get the next year filled around January, so that's something to pay attention to.

Overall, Iowa City is a nice place for families.

[jcovington912]

Also, Iowa City is pretty similar to Ames. As far as housing, you can usually get more bang for your buck in Ames.

[ICnative]

Hi Wandergirl91,
Iowa City is a great place to raise children. I am the mother of four. I grew up in Iowa City, left and then came back. In terms of things to do with young children, there are many options. Mercer Park Recreation Center has an indoor tot-lot that runs during weekday mornings. It's a great place to meet other parents and give your kiddo time to run around, play with toys, ride trikes, etc. There is the Iowa Children's Museum that has both long-term and rotating interactive/play exhibits for children, the IC Public Library has a great Children's Room with an extensive book collection, story time etc., and as an added bonus there is a large play structure outside the library, downtown on the Pedestrian Mall there are a variety of activities in the warm weather months--music, dancing, etc. Iowa City has a fantastic Saturday morning farmer's market with stands, food vendors, live music and often children's activities. There are several indoor and outdoor swimming pools in the area.

As far as housing, the Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty area is booming. Our school district is the second fasting-growing one in the state. You should be able to find a small house or zero lot (like a duplex) with a yard. Most condos will be "apartment building" style and not have the private, dedicated yard space you're looking for. Prices in Johnson County are on the more expensive side for the state. You know what they say, "Location, location, location." You should be able to find a nice 2-3 bedroom zero lot or a small, older home, for under $200,000 without much trouble. I just took a look at our local MLS, and there are currently 34 2-3 bedroom single family homes and zero lots under $200K, ranging from $105K to $200K (obviously varying condition, neighborhoods etc). Some areas you might want to consider besides Iowa City include: Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, Solon, Hills and West Branch. Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty are basically all interconnected. West Branch, Solon, Tiffin, Hills will require a short drive on the highway.