What is Olathe like? (Independence, Lee's Summit: crime, credit card, new home)

[RadioSilence]

Living in "NoJo", I rarely travel to Olathe. My last experience in Olathe was a week of jury duty in 2008. The court reporter advised me to bring a lunch because of a lack of restaurants in the downtown area. Four of the five days, I had to wait for a train to pass. The downtown area leaves a lot to be desired.

Hispanics moved to the area, generally because of the need for service labor in the early 2000s, and the glut of jobs building those office parks, townhomes and apartment complexes on the plains. Olathe is now about 8% Hispanic.

Violent crime is not an issue. I think Olathe recorded three homicides last year, but all were drug/domestic violence-related. Property crime might be slightly higher than neighboring cities.

Olathe doesn't bother me, but it doesn't excite me either.

[interested party]

"Urban Renewal" killed downtown Olathe, like it did elsewhere across America.

You won't have to wait for trains any more. The city raised the rails and now you can pass through regardless of what BNSF is doing.

[GraniteStater]

Olathe might as well be out in the middle of the Plains. If you move from Texas, Arizona, or California you might like Olathe. If you move from any of the states east of the Mississippi River you will likely prefer Missouri, Prairie Village, or old Leawood.

[dasmin5]

Me, my wife, and two kids(teenagers now)moved from midtown KC,MO about 5 years back, so it was a different atmosphere for me. There are plenty, plenty, plenty of town homes, if you are a renter like us. We mainly moved from KC because kids where picking on my son every moment and he is a kid that doesn't do confrontation. Schools have been great to us. There is no perfect place in the world; so you have your good and bad. I found out where ever you get a bit everything when dealing with people in general(angry, nice, prejuidice, loving, etc). I was blessed to move on a block with the one neighbor who is friendly with everyone and I live nevt door to a Pastor, who was so much help to me this summer repairing my car. But then as always you have the ones who fall into the bad bracket I quoted. So as I get older, I have learned people are people(imperfect).

I enjoy the feel that I can go to any store around me and the people know my whole family. It was cheaper in MO for us. We went from $700.. in rent(house) in MO to 825.00 in a town home with an excellent landlord, but we have always had excellent landlords, where ever we have lived. Even though we are looking to move in March to another State, I can truly say I have had more good than bad experience with Olathe.

I haven't had a ticket, the 5 years, we've lived here, except for one speeding ticket to pay a water bill, and I got that wiped away with the system they have by keeping my insurance up for a year, and I was clean.

I am AA and my friends act like Olathe is so scary with cops but, I tell them I am more scared in MO, because I got bundles of tickets over there, for stupid stops. Thank God I had an excellent, lawyer who got my no insurance tickets, dropped down to a misdemeanor offenses.

Note:One thing I have noticed that folks on 119th drive more slower and 135th drive much faster.. which was the first time I had seen 5 car wrecks. Which cell phone talking or texting my play a part in that..

[RockChalk528808]

Moved here 7 years ago from the Denver area without researching the area enough. While I don't hate it if we could do it over again I would pick a different part of JoCo.
There is very little to do here.
I am happy with the schools though.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by RockChalk528808

Moved here 7 years ago from the Denver area without researching the area enough. While I don't hate it if we could do it over again I would pick a different part of JoCo.
There is very little to do here.
I am happy with the schools though.

Ya, the best areas of JOCO are closest to the MO border. RE prices are higher for a reason. Location, location, location... Closer to urban amenities, the Plaza, houses with more character, etc. In terms of the two largest JOCO cities I would still choose Overland Park over Olathe every single time, and I am no fan of Overland Park with their any growth is good approach.

[mattejb]

I lived in Olathe for a year around 119th and black bob. Coming from the east coast I hated Olathe. Honestly it doesn't get any blander, Olathe consists of big box stores and cookie cutter housing, thats it. Would not recommend anyone moving there. If you want a suburb try something closer to the city like Brookside. Also I dont agree with many of the previous posts about Overland Park, it is just as bad.

[MOKAN]

Olathe seems to be a friendly place. It's humble and has a sense of community despite its beige physical environment. Same goes for Lee's Summit, Independence, Blue Springs, and Liberty. There's a certain "humanity" in these outer suburbs that I just can't put my finger on. They're just not as afraid of strangers, stuck up or indifferent, I guess.

[TinaMcG]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Olathe seems to be a friendly place. It's humble and has a sense of community despite its beige physical environment. Same goes for Lee's Summit, Independence, Blue Springs, and Liberty. There's a certain "humanity" in these outer suburbs that I just can't put my finger on. They're just not as afraid of strangers, stuck up or indifferent, I guess.

That is exactly how I see the people around here. I had heard people in JoCo were stuck up, had superior attitudes. Four years after moving here, I haven't seen any evidence of that; I've seen just the opposite. Everyone has been so welcoming, so friendly and warm, and they don't act like I'm going to steal their kids just because I smile at them, the way they always did in Chicago.

[dasmin5]

People are very friendly in Olathe. I can go to the CVS and they ask where's your wife and kids. I can go to CVS and they are like wheres your wife and kids. I was like Wow.. I was shocked everyone actually smiles or say hi. Especially the managers of stores, we actually hold conversations. They notice us enough to ask about them, when there not with me. I love the quiet neighborhood I moved too. I lived Kansas City all my life until 5 years ago. And it was the best move we ever made.

Even when I told one lady the other day that we are going to be moving to AZ, she was like, I will really miss seeing ya'll come in. And you could tell she was truly sincere. I mean no place is perfect, so you will get the occasional butthole with a snobbish attitude or the speed demon. But the good folks make you not even care about the one's with uppity attitudes. So I'm hoping to find that same feel in whatever part of AZ, we move too.