[Omaha Rocks]

Apparently, despite all the paranoia and fear-mongering among the White Fright Flight West Omaha and Millard people, there are thousands who are ignoring the screams and moving into Omaha.

TRUE Omaha grew by almost 6,700 people last year.

The suburbs are growing, but minimally. Some of the farther out areas are actually declining in population.


Apparently everything east of I-680 is NOT such a bad place to live!


Metro/Region - Omaha.com

[Calvinist]

I don't understand why anyone would want to live in the city. Too much traffic, older homes that are less energy-efficient the houses are too close together.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

I don't understand why anyone would want to live in the city. Too much traffic, older homes that are less energy-efficient the houses are too close together.

You obviously have never driven inside the city limits, as opposed to driving in the suburbs.

Also, I live in a 4,000 sq ft house, on 1 acre, in the middle of Omaha. We spend $150 per month (budget plan) for all utilities, including gas & electricity. Plus, being built in 1928, this house is ten-times better built than anything that has been built in the last 40 years.

Did I forget to mention that my wife & I NEVER have any traffic problems getting to and from our offices? Ever.

[tones]

That article really didn't give breakdowns within Omaha proper -- just that Omaha grew by 6,681.

[geog-fanatic]

Yes, I saw that article and found it interesting because of my own dilemma. I know without a doubt I will be making the move to Omaha in 2- 4 years, but I am still uncertain of where I should live. To me, both East & West Omaha have their advantages and disadvantages. The safety issue with East Omaha does not really come into play in my decision because, outside of a small section within the northeast and an even smaller section in the southeast, I’m pretty sure the area is safe enough to meet my expectations.

I love the vibe in East Omaha, and I love how so many of the neighborhoods have their own unique feel – architecture and landscape (hilly & lots of Tudor homes, yeah!). As for parks and walkable communities, I think East Omaha wins hands down. East Omaha is also closer to more non-chain restaurant options and cultural activities. Most importantly, the people in East Omaha are just terrific, very nice and open culture there.

On the other hand, I cannot lie when it comes to my preferences regarding a home, yard, and conveniences. It would simply be easier to have these things in West Omaha. For instance, I must have a single family home with a minimum 2-car attached garage, and I prefer few, if any, trees in my yard or near my property. No, I’m not a tree-hater (actually love to look at them), but I’m terribly afraid of the damage potential with trees in regards to thunderstorms and ice storms. Also, I find it much easier to go places where I can quickly pull into big parking lots and do my shopping & errand running without the stress of trying to parallel park on a busy road or search for parking places at the back of buildings.

It would be great if I could simply find newer home construction in the older part of the city. I suppose the best solution would be to get an apartment for just a few months and then let my job location help determine the best place to buy. I noticed there are plenty of corporations/businesses in both East & West Omaha.

I guess one question to all of you would be this: If you live in West O or LaVista/Papillion, is there anything you regret or miss by not living in East O, and vice versa for those living in the East? Is it possible to have the best of both worlds? However, please do not let this question incite pages of arguments about how “crime ridden” East Omaha is or how “snooty” the people of West Omaha are. I think everyone’s feelings on those points have been made very clear in past threads, and I don't want to start any trouble.

Thanks

[Raphael07]

Please do not turn this into another debate.

[Calvinist]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

You obviously have never driven inside the city limits, as opposed to driving in the suburbs.

Also, I live in a 4,000 sq ft house, on 1 acre, in the middle of Omaha. We spend $150 per month (budget plan) for all utilities, including gas & electricity. Plus, being built in 1928, this house is ten-times better built than anything that has been built in the last 40 years.

Did I forget to mention that my wife & I NEVER have any traffic problems getting to and from our offices? Ever.

I lived in an 80 year old house in the Aksarben area for 9 years. I liked it, but it was older, and drafty. The garage was a 1 car garage. The trees were 50 years old and falling down. The power lines were above ground and fell down if a tree branch hit them. The plumbing was black pipe (that we changed to copper).

There's something to be said for living in a newly constructed home. I am 3 min from the interstate where I am and can get to anywhere in the city in a reasonable amount of time.

[geog-fanatic]

I honestly was not trying to start another debate, especially using the typical East vs West arguments. That is why I provided specifics about my preferences, gave positives about both, and phrased my last question as I did.

I'm really trying to dig beyond the same old responses to see if there are other advantages/disadvantages I may be missing regarding where to one day live.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Calvinist

I lived in an 80 year old house in the Aksarben area for 9 years. I liked it, but it was older, and drafty. The garage was a 1 car garage. The trees were 50 years old and falling down. The power lines were above ground and fell down if a tree branch hit them. The plumbing was black pipe (that we changed to copper).

There's something to be said for living in a newly constructed home. I am 3 min from the interstate where I am and can get to anywhere in the city in a reasonable amount of time.

Yeah, perhaps I should have clarified that we have all new plumbing & electrical, as well as a high-efficiency furnace, heat pump & central air. And though it's a small 2-car garage, it is a 2-car.

Mostly though, I've not yet seen a "new construction" house under $250,000 that wasn't cheaply built. I've done way too much renovating, fixing and updating in these recently-built houses, and am constantly amazed at what is being passed off as acceptable.

I know for a fact that there are a LOT of people who spent a LOT of money on a "new house out in the suburbs." The unfortunate part is that what they THOUGHT they were buying was not really what they WERE buying. 8 years later, when they had paid virtually no principle on their mortgage loan, their house was falling apart and badly in need of everything from new shingles to new windows to new kitchen cabinets & cupboards - and these people were SCREWED.

Thanks but no thanks, for this guy, to new construction. If I want new, I'll build it myself.

[McBain II]

There are/will be tax credits for improving the energy efficiency of older homes. I know when I buy my own place it'll get solar panels on the roof.