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Old 03-04-2013, 07:45 PM
 
3 posts, read 3,226 times
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Hello Everyone!! My husband and I will be relocating to St. Louis from Kansas City for my work in 3 weeks . Since we don't have very long to orchestrate our entire move, I was hoping that you all could help us. We will be coming to STL this Friday to look at some places and hope to put a deposit down on something. I have 5 appointments to view places, but I have no idea if the neighborhoods where they are located are decent.

As with any city, I know there are good and bad, and often this is subjective to who's asking. For us, the most important thing is having the conveniences of grocery stores and shops close so that we don't have to drive 20-30 mins to get a Wal-Mart or Price Chopper (don't know if you even have P.C. there..lol). And of course, we would prefer to not have to worry so much about getting shot, or robbed at gun point walking to our car at night . I have listed the cities and zips of some of the places we are considering. Any help would be greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to joining the STL area!!!

1) Hazelwood 63042

2) St. Ann 63074

3) Maryland Heights 63043

4) St. Louis 63114

5) Spanish Lake 63138
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Old 03-04-2013, 11:30 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,863,586 times
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From these options, Maryland Heights would be your best option by far. I used to live there myself and have nothing but good things to say about it- the location and the area itself. I really loved living there and would recommend it to anyone

Second would probably be a fairly even tie between Hazelwood and St. Ann- however, there are definitely good and bad areas in both of these, so it really depends on where you're looking at (I assume you're looking to rent an apartment/ house?). There are still some nice areas in both, but neither are considered as desirable as Maryland Heights. (flynavyj on here is from St. Ann so he'll be able to give you the low down on what's decent what's not in that area!).

As for 63114- that's St. John / Sycamore Hills kind of area. It's not horrible but it's not great by any means. I'd rank this under Hazelwood and St. Ann in desirability.

Finally- Spanish Lake. Ugh. That's a bit of a doozy. As much as I'm a proponent of North County as a whole, I wouldn't recommend Spanish Lake. When DH & I were house hunting last year, even our realtor was shocked by the decline in Spanish Lake. My husband, who was in the Marine Corps at the time and had just returned from Afghanistan, was even unnerved by the area. Spanish Lake is unfortunately a very sad story- they were hit hard by white flight over the last few decades, and due to being unincorporated got inundated with section 8 apartments. Basically, those who could afford to leave the area, did so, and the remaining element was/is less than savory and crime and decay have become problems. I would strike this area off your list entirely. They're actually releasing a documentary film in the near future detailing Spanish Lake's decline (search for the trailer on youtube if you're curious!)

What's your budget and what size house / apartment are you looking for? With a bit more info we'll be able to help you out more in suggesting good neighborhoods that will fit your needs

Good luck!


P.S. I've never heard of Price Chopper. There isn't a Walmart in Maryland Heights but there is a Schnucks Grocery Store and a few other shops. The closest Walmart to Maryland Heights is on St. Charles Rock Rd in Bridgeton which is about a 10 minute drive max There's also an Aldi in Bridgeton, as well as a Target.
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Old 03-04-2013, 11:39 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,863,586 times
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P.P.S. If affordability is key- there are certain areas of Florissant which may also meet your needs. Like Hazelwood and St. Ann there are less desirable areas of Florissant but there are plenty of good ones (I currently live here). Also, it would fulfill most of your shopping needs! I have a Schnucks, Aldi, Target, Barnes & Noble, Marshalls, Michaels, Ulta, and more within 2 minutes drive of my house. LOVE the convenience!
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Old 03-05-2013, 12:31 AM
 
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Thanks for the great info so far! I will be working in Maryland Heights so we were trying to pick areas that were within a 20 minute drive. We are also trying not to go over $800/m for rent for a two/three bedroom apartment or house. We don't have any kids, so school districts are not a concern. We really just like being in an area that has shopping options for groceries and stuff and entertainment options within 10 mins or so like movie theaters, restaurants, etc. We aren't huge into going to clubs and bars so that's not as big of a concern either. I appreciate any further suggestions anyone might have. I just got my job offer last Friday and need to be in STL before the 25th so we are definitely trying to narrow things down quickly
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Old 03-05-2013, 10:57 AM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,863,586 times
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For your budget, Maryland Heights is definitely doable. I've PM'd you with the apartment complex where I used to live in MH as I think they should be able to work a 2 bedroom apartment in with your price range. I've also sent you the links to a couple of other decent complexes you may want to look into.

I think you'd be a bit stretched to find a house for $800 in a decent / safe area, but you'll have no problem finding an apartment for that amount.

Good luck again
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Old 03-06-2013, 01:11 PM
 
Location: Saint Louis, MO
3,483 posts, read 9,015,984 times
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I definitely recommend Maryland Heights. Hazelwood and St. Ann could likely tie for second on your list, as both would have the types of things you'd like. Maryland Heights will put you close to everything you've requested (dining, movies, shopping) and has some very well established safe apartments. I like a lot of St. Ann, but I don't really trust most of the apartment complexes. I don't think they're "dangerous" at all, but I believe Maryland Heights apartments are a step above. I'll make the assumption that someone will be working at one of the corporations in Northwest county (Boeing, Edward Jones) and any of these locations will provide easy access to those areas.

St. John has some cool housing, but I'm not a fan of the apartments in that area either. And I'd skip out on Spanish Lake unless you're really familiar with a specific location.

I too did the Kansas City to St. Louis move several years back. It's an easy transition, although the cultural atmosphere is somewhat different.

Also, you won't find any Price Choppers here, but we do have plenty of other options. Near our house in St. Ann we have a Schnucks, Aldi, and Shop n' Save within 2 miles. St. Charles Rock Rd also has a Walmart and Target, all the typical fast food chains, and several non-chain restaurants as well. Close access to I-70 is a great benefit for my work commute, and the housing prices are good while the neighborhoods are fairly stable...That is, as long as we attract good hard working folks into the community who will strive to keep them that way.

Good luck in your house hunt! PM or reply with any other questions!
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Old 03-09-2013, 07:36 PM
 
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Thanks Flynavyj!

We actually have gotten something picked out in Hazelwood. We liked the area, lots of conviniences on Lindburgh, which we like a lot! So, how was your overall transition from KC to STL? Anything in particular I should be mindful of?
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Old 03-09-2013, 07:50 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,863,586 times
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Awesome!!! I'm so glad you found a place And you're right- Hazelwood & Florissant are super convenient with the amount of amenities along Lindbergh! Traffic up Lindbergh can be a pain (I try to avoid it as much as possible as a commuting route) but it's got everything you need for your day to day life

If you like Thai Food- I HIGHLY recommend Simply Thai. It's up towards Cross Keys so a bit further up Lindbergh than you are located but it is AMAZING. It's not really a dine-in environment, more of a take out, but it is SO good. I actually prefer it to the Pearl Cafe (although they're both owned by the same people!).

Good luck with your move! ♥
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Old 03-10-2013, 02:50 PM
 
Location: Saint Louis, MO
3,483 posts, read 9,015,984 times
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Our biggest experience in KC vs St. Louis was hanging out with friends. It might have just been the folks we hang out with, but in KC it seemed the event folks did was to hang out at another friends house. While that still happens in St. Louis, friends are more likely to want to go out, bar, club, etc...So, that was just different to transition back into. PS - Before you come, stop in at Kin Lin (close to brookside) and pick me up some General Tso Chicken and a large order of Crab Rangoon

Congrats on finding a place, i think you'll be happy here!
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