HELP!! Ozark or Nixa???? (high school, live in, district)

[northbayeric]

Thanks so much! It sounds like things should work out very well for you, and because Nixa and Springfield are pretty close to one another, I'm surprised your company didn't want to budge on this. Hope you keep in touch here, and I wish her a good sophomore year!

[skeating]

Relax as long as you are in a safe area of Springfield most of the schools are good too. The city of Springfield is growing but it is not as large as St. Louis and Kansas City, so most of the schools will be good for your daughter.

COME AND ENJOY THE OZARKS.

[wwaynemcg]

Won't retire for a few years yet; but considering SW MO for relocation. I'm near Wichita but want to retire somewhere with more trees, hills, greenery (more like VA where I was born/raised). Consider me a QB (only a quarter-way back to VA). I'll be comfortable financially, but still like a value...especially in real estate. In a 30 mile radius from Springfield, where would I find the best value in a home? Want to downsize to about 2,000 s.f., 2-3 br, single story, new or near-new. Thx for your feedback in advance.

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by wwaynemcg

In a 30 mile radius from Springfield, where would I find the best value in a home?

Depends on what value means to you. Do you want a house on acreage? How rural do you want to be?

In general, your money will go farther in the rural areas on the fringes of that 30-mile radius. You're also more likely to find cheaper real estate north of Springfield. With that said, your criteria are broad enough that it's nearly impossible to pinpoint a specific location. You could find a great deal anywhere within that radius.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by wwaynemcg

Won't retire for a few years yet; but considering SW MO for relocation. I'm near Wichita but want to retire somewhere with more trees, hills, greenery (more like VA where I was born/raised). Consider me a QB (only a quarter-way back to VA). I'll be comfortable financially, but still like a value...especially in real estate. In a 30 mile radius from Springfield, where would I find the best value in a home? Want to downsize to about 2,000 s.f., 2-3 br, single story, new or near-new. Thx for your feedback in advance.

Hey Wichita...

Everywhere around here has more hills 'n greenery than where you are!

We're a great place to retire...and where within 30 miles you choose depends a lot on YOU. You can find great real estate deals all over, that should not be your first consideration. Rather I'd ask you what your retirement looks like, when you imagine it... Do you see yourself wanting to golf a lot? Fish a lot? Get on a community library committee and connect with other people your age a lot? Want to have a workshop and make doll furniture for the grandkids? Do you have a partner, or is it all about what you like?

What I normally suggest is that you take your list of "wants" and put one on each sticky note...lay all the sticky notes out on the kitchen table...(each of you do this separately if there's more than one of you)...and then prioritize them. An easy way to do that is just pick up two of them and say, "If I had to give up one of these, which one..."

Once you have a list of priorities it will help you decide whether you'll be happy in a small berg or if you need to be 5 minutes to latte'. Whether you will be spending a lot of time on the new bass boat or at the Mall.

There are a lot of nice bedroom communities around Springfield, if you choose not to be in town. Each of them has it's own character, positives and drawbacks, but it's going to depend on your personal preferences as to which one you would like best. Visit them. Go to the local chamber of commerce, visit the diner. And I might suggest walking into a local real estate office and just ask for the history of their area.

Best of luck!

~Lake Junkie

[wwaynemcg]

Depends on what value means to you. Do you want a house on acreage? How rural do you want to be?
In general, your money will go farther in the rural areas on the fringes of that 30-mile radius. You're also more likely to find cheaper real estate north of Springfield. With that said, your criteria are broad enough that it's nearly impossible to pinpoint a specific location. You could find a great deal anywhere within that radius.[/quote]

Basically, $ per s.f. In looking over realtor.com it seems the best values happen to be in the larger homes (2k to 3k sf). I can afford but don't want a monstrosity, an older home with lots of maint. problems, nor a home with lots of acreage...been there done that. I will be traveling much more than now, like wintering south. I could tell you specifically in Wichita and surrounding areas where the best R/E deals are. I will not be looking for the best school district since my kids are grown; and those districts tend to have a higher R/E property millage rate. I'm really looking for a town not too far out from the city, with moderate growth rate, moderate taxes, and a home from 0-10 yrs old.
Like everyone else, you see a home you like and all your parameters fly out the window! I'm just trying to get a general idea of where I should be looking.
thx

[wwaynemcg]

Lake Junkie; thx for your comments. Your comment about the lack of greenery over here is spot on. You hear the state tree in KS is the telephone pole??? Actually, the people are nice, there's a lot to do in Wichita...and jobs are plentiful as long as people are buying airplanes!
Yes, there are two of us; not a fisher...could become a golfer. Do a lot of family history research in libraries and appreciate an academic atmosphere. Crazy about sports, football in particular. Have a green thumb but don't want an immaculate garden (anymore...).
My neighbor is retiring to Lake of the Ozarks; I like the lake up there but like Springfield better. I've thought about an upscale condo or even a highrise retirement area, but definitely don't want stairs because of my wife's joint problems. What do you guys hear about Bella Vista AR, your neighbor to the south? My inlaws own a second home there...but like all other NEAR-seniors I'm not sure I want to hang around all those old folks all the time...LOL
thx again.
Wayne

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by wwaynemcg

Basically, $ per s.f. In looking over realtor.com it seems the best values happen to be in the larger homes (2k to 3k sf). I can afford but don't want a monstrosity, an older home with lots of maint. problems, nor a home with lots of acreage...been there done that. I will be traveling much more than now, like wintering south. I could tell you specifically in Wichita and surrounding areas where the best R/E deals are. I will not be looking for the best school district since my kids are grown; and those districts tend to have a higher R/E property millage rate. I'm really looking for a town not too far out from the city, with moderate growth rate, moderate taxes, and a home from 0-10 yrs old.
Like everyone else, you see a home you like and all your parameters fly out the window! I'm just trying to get a general idea of where I should be looking.
thx

If you're not looking for much in the way of land, I really don't know how much money you'll save on $/sq ft by getting farther away from Springfield. Especially not in the way of homes less than 2k sq ft. With that said, I would look around Willard, Sparta, Fair Grove or Marshfield.

If I was in your shoes, I'd go to Greater Springfield Board of REALTORS Springfield MO Real Estate Main Page and play around with the various search features to get a feel for prices in this area.

[20yrsinBranson]

It's really more a question of.....


Highway 160 or 65?

Personally, I prefer 160 - ergo, Nixa would be my choice.

20yrsinBranson

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

It's really more a question of.....


Highway 160 or 65?

Personally, I prefer 160 - ergo, Nixa would be my choice.

20yrsinBranson

wwaynemcg isn't going to like the taxes in Nixa.