Need Iowan's Input (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City: for sale, real estate market, renters)

[GayleAZ]

So ... I've been reading a billion posts on Iowa about where to raise kids, where to shop etc.. but none addressed my dilemma. Not that it's a real problem but I'm curious.. I'm a 50+ white female that wishes to relocate from the Southwest (Az the dump of all DUMP states to be exact.) I enjoy wine, farmer's markets, crafting (and the stores that have the supplies), gardening, and I crave safety and QUIET! However I do still need a job for a few more years (in the medical field) and need to purchase a house. Oh and about 4 or 5 generations ago I had family that came from Clinton, IA. (So if I HAVE to I guess I could drop a family name - not that I think it would mean much.)

So here's the $64K question. Which part of Iowa would best fit my needs, or rather the majority? I can work around most situations, but I'd like as much input as possible. I like cute little cafes etc but they aren't a must, so if I have to drive somewhere for lunch or entertainment, I'm OK with that as well.

I'm looking for a place that I can eventually retire in but that still keeps me active and involved in the community. Thanks for any and all INPUT!

[Luke9686]

I would say Des Moines. They have a great farmer's market I believe every Saturday. You could also find some wine lovers to taste test the wines. They have all of your typical craft stores also, but I'm sure they have the little ma and pop stores too.

Des Moines metro is generally a very safe place, with a few exception within the city of Des Moines. You said you live in AZ, so I'm assuming you own a home there. If you have owned it for 5 or more years you probably have a butt load of equity. You will find that Des Moines home prices are extremely affordable compared to AZ.

You will surely be able to do more gardening in Iowa, since it gets more rain and isn't quite so hot, giving you more outdoor time in the summer.

Judging by some of your tastes, and the comment about AZ, I'm guessing you are trying to get away from the suburban sprawl??? I would avoid most suburbs in that case, as they are your typical suburban areas.

I would recommend the following neighborhoods in Des Moines proper:

Beaverdale (50310, 50311): An area of older homes, mostly brick, has a lot of character and charm, I believe most of the residents are older. Homes range from probably $130K all the way over $200K

The Ingersoll area (not sure the zip, maybe someone else can help), it goes from about 23rd street, west to around 31st, south border is Ingersoll Ave, norther border is probably high street, but you could go all the way up to I-235, most of the homes are the same throughout there. There has been a lot of renovation in the homes in most of these neighborhoods, gaining a lot of value. They are also revitalizing Ingersoll. Here is a sample of a home for sale: http://www.iowarealty.com/buying/det...st_numb=298865

The historic Drake neighborhood. Be carefull when buying around this neighborhood. There are a few shady spots. Here is the website for this area: http://www.drakeneighborhood.org/index.php

The area north of University Ave from about 40th street, west to about 60th street, and north to Hickman. A little more expensive but still resonable. Nice bunalow's and older brick homes. I believe the zip is 50310 and 50311.


These are all very nice areas, with older homes that have character. Many little coffee shops, with more around the Drake area, and Ingersol is sure to have some. You could pull up Des Moines on Mapquest and look at the areas I listed just to get a feel. Then pull up www.iowarealty.com to look up real estate.

You can also look at www.firstrealtyhomes.com. Also www.absolutedsm.com is a forum where people discuss revitalizing projects in the area. Downtown has a lot of new development, but you said you wanted a quite area, and that may be a little more fast paced.

Hope all this helps.

[gayleinAZ]

WOW - now that's INPUT! Thank you. I lived in Cedar Rapids for a brief while as a kid and I liked it. But it's looking more and more like Des Moines and that area are up and comers along with Dubuque. I thought Dubuque looked nice, but my niece went to a conference there last summer and informed me I hadn't experienced HUMIDITY until I did it along the Mississippi River. I'm sure it comes and goes like anything, but I'm ok with being land locked.

Actually I've been in my place for 17 years and have had it paid off for 9 of those years. What I'm going to do with it is still up in the air. With the fall out from the real estate market hitting AZ hard I'm thinking I could work maybe part time if I kept my place for a rental. In the next few months I'm sure there will be a LOT of renters looking for a place with 2 bathrooms and a fenced yard close to a school and park. Then again I might sell out right. AS we type I'm still doing renovation on the roof, a little tiling and a few touch ups. Someone forgot to tell me that once I decided to go that I should have done all this LAST YEAR since it seems to be nickle and diming me to death and it's taking some bit of TIME.. I really don't need a very big place, just enough for me, the pets, a garden and an art studio (ok a room I don't mind leaving all cluttered with my PROJECTS.)

Anyway - I'll check out all the sights suggested by everyone I've met here. The more info to make an informed decision with the better. And I'm OK with slow paced, quiet, non-exciting places. After living in basically a suburb of L.A. for the past 5+ years (at least Phx feels that way) it will be a novelty not spending 45 minutes driving 15 miles and listening to the radio to hear which road rage shooting closed with road, or who stopped all traffic while in a running gun battle with the Border Patrol. By the way any areas to avoid where the meat packing 'employees' line en mass?

Thank you for your help and ideas!

[crashcop]

Originally Posted by GayleAZ

So ... I've been reading a billion posts on Iowa about where to raise kids, where to shop etc.. but none addressed my dilemma. Not that it's a real problem but I'm curious.. I'm a 50+ white female that wishes to relocate from the Southwest (Az the dump of all DUMP states to be exact.) I enjoy wine, farmer's markets, crafting (and the stores that have the supplies), gardening, and I crave safety and QUIET! However I do still need a job for a few more years (in the medical field) and need to purchase a house. Oh and about 4 or 5 generations ago I had family that came from Clinton, IA. (So if I HAVE to I guess I could drop a family name - not that I think it would mean much.)

So here's the $64K question. Which part of Iowa would best fit my needs, or rather the majority? I can work around most situations, but I'd like as much input as possible. I like cute little cafes etc but they aren't a must, so if I have to drive somewhere for lunch or entertainment, I'm OK with that as well.

I'm looking for a place that I can eventually retire in but that still keeps me active and involved in the community. Thanks for any and all INPUT!

I grew up in SW Iowa and still miss it. I would start by looking around the college cities of Iowa City, Ames, and Cedar Falls. All would have what you are looking for and are beautiful areas. Also, Cedar Rapids area, and Dubuque (spelling?). good luck. And least we forget the Des Moines burbs.

[Tek_Freek]

Things to do, places to go

Valley Junction (West Des Moines)
http://tinyurl.com/2ot3pp (broken link)

Winery by Indianola South of Des Moines. There are others in the area. This one has music and wine tasting on Sundays in the summer (I think I have that right).
http://tinyurl.com/35sgae (broken link)

Pella Tulip Festival (spring). They also have car shows most summers.
http://tinyurl.com/3yavzd (broken link)

Iowa State Fair
http://tinyurl.com/2lgsqf (broken link)

East Village (Des Moines)
http://tinyurl.com/3e5yab (broken link)

Iowa State Capital - Close to East Village
http://tinyurl.com/3bwf87 (broken link)

Historical Building - Close to East Village
http://tinyurl.com/2mjtbp (broken link)

Adventureland Amusement park
http://tinyurl.com/2mwlkb (broken link)

Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino
http://tinyurl.com/3cowpc (broken link)

Gardening. Here is an excellent resource for a lot of things, one of which is gardening. This page is the result of searching for Des Moines on the site.
http://tinyurl.com/2ul7hv (broken link)

Lots of parks and recreation areas in central Iowa. Saylorville and Big Creek North of DSM are nice and have the Ledges State Park next to it. Red Rock is South of DSM.
http://tinyurl.com/3e2p2u (broken link)
http://tinyurl.com/2o8jov (broken link)
http://tinyurl.com/2ueru5 (broken link)
http://tinyurl.com/33gd2f (broken link)

Court Avenue and surrounding area in downtown DSM.
http://tinyurl.com/3cevpn (broken link)

Craft stores: Yes. My wife does cross stitch and has a fairly good selection. This is a Yellow Pages listing (general) for a number of categories in Polk County, which is the county that DSM and WDM lie in.
http://tinyurl.com/3xeakt (broken link)

And I'm missing a ton of things others will mention.

[Luke9686]

Actually the humidity in Iowa doesn't come and go. It's there all year. Making some days during the summer unbearable.

I am originally from Des Moines but now live in the Bay Area in California, and know what you mean about all the b.s. that comes along with it. I stopped watching the news, because we get the Oakland and S.F. news and it's depressing. Every day someone gets shot and killed, including cops.

[Laurre]

My sister lives in Beaverdale (Des Moines) and loves it. I love to visit her there, always a lot to do for fun. She has many birds visit her backyard and gardens are nice there. I wouldn't mind living there, better than northeast Iowa where I used to live. Des Moines is in a warmer gardening zone.

[gayleinAZ]

You are rapidly becoming my Iowa guru! Thank you I can hardly wait to sit down this afternoon and check out ALL the links provided by everyone. I'm going to print them out and go to each one by one.

THX

[gayleinAZ]

Everyone NOT from Az thinks I make this stuff up about gun battles with coyote or drug dealers. I check my area paper on-line daily when I get to work, at lunch and in the late afternoon. Without fail someone has been shot, stabbed, hit and run, etc through out the day and that doesn't even cover the dead bodies in the canals and desert or the kids that drowned. If you weren't depressed before you got here, wait until you sit on the freeway for a few hours in 180 degree weather because of a drive by. I think depression and murder are AZ's middle names.

I've had enough. They can give AZ back to Mexico or CA for all I care. I need to get back to normalicy - which to me is not the murder / car theft / drug crazed/ illegal pandering/ identity theft capital of the southwest.

[DSMGuy]

You said Farmer's Markets, no question Des Moines is the place for you. It has one of the top 10 largest farmer's markets in the country. About 20,000 people go every weekend!