I have questions about the surrounding Kansas City Metro area
 

I may move my family back to the KC metro to start our new business. I am currently deciding between KC and the Twin Cities. Anyway, I am looking for tax and school info on the surrounding burbs and beyond. The business will be located in either OP or Leawood.

I would like opinions on some of the better up and coming areas, North side of KC, southern OP, Missouri side, Kansas side? Thanks in advance.

Funny...I am moving back to KC [well...Spring Hill, KS] from the TC next week. I am too going to be looking beyond the metro [Kansas side] for housing and all that good stuff...

North of the River is the up and coming part of town. If you want more variety in restaurants and things to do, than south of the River is for you.

Spring Hill is one of my considerations. I haven't been through there in many years.

Hasn't changed much.

Then perhaps it's off the list.

what is your business?

I can't believe this is even a decision, there's no way I'd ever move to the twin cities. I've been there twice and wasn't impressed with anything there. It was nothing more than a big bloated sprawling metropolis full of very large people. Just no redeeming qualities about it whatsoever.

I am going to have to disagree with you here...then again, you have only been up here twice. First off...I am excited to be moving back to KC, the date can not be here soon enough. However, LIVING in both metropolitans I'd have to say the KC metro area is full of plumpers...go figure, the BBQ. While up here, its all about fish. Also, the Twin Cities has one of the top trail systems in the nation. The trails are always packed with runners or cross-country skiers. One could bike from the west metro to the to the new Twins Stadium with no issues...can you bike from Olathe to Kaufman without issues? Plain and simple, the twin cities offers WAY MORE to do in regards to recreational activities.

And sprawl...? Both metros exhibit their share of sprawl...as does EVERY metropolitan area. One thing Minneapolis has going for them in regards to sprawl is their transit system...The "Jo"ke is a total fail in regards to mass transit.

With all that being said...

I just can't wait to move back to KC, get fat on some BBQ, and have no reason to go out and run anymore... :)


Edit*...I just noticed...you are from Omaha? ...child please.

Sorry, I just don't recall being 'wowed' by a single thing up there. Nothing. I'm not saying it's a terrible place, I just would never see any reason to move there.

The winters are shit....that's for sure...

One of my friends lived in Minneapolis for six years, he said this past winter we had here was like every one of them up there. I have no idea how you guys cope with that.

I don't like freezing or having mosquitos so large u can ride them do the TC are out for me.

And really unless you can't afford it living in south kc Kansas side is the best place to be.

It really depends on what you are looking for. There are some great places in Missouri, and you can typically find housing cheaper on the MO side than the KS side, at least in the direct KC area. If you are interested in being on the outskirts, I would look at places like Pleasant Hill, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, Platte City. You can get some good land or housing for very good value in these places.

If you have time and want to come into KC for a weekend, shoot me a PM and I'll show you some different housing options. I'm in real estate, and depending on what you're looking for, I could come up with a nice list of options for you.

EDIT: Missed the part where you said the business would be in OP or Leawood. If you want to be a little closer than the places I mentioned, then you could look at Lee's Summit, or even something like Waldo/Brookside area. I really like the Waldo/Brookside area for being close to the city/downton, but still with a suburb feel.

I live in Liberty MO. Its North of the river. Its starting to really grow.Good Schools here also.

Yeah, Liberty is nice. It is quite a drive to Overland Park or Leawood though.

**** that. Minneapolis rules. Great arts scene, the best independent hip-hop/rap scene in the world, vibrant food scene, really nice museums, stupendous beer scene. I could live happily in the Twin Cities.

Lee's Summit has some of the best school districts in America.

It figures. No wonder I hated it so much.

LMAO

LMAO

I'm not arguing it, because I wouldn't know, but that's still hilarious.

You hate beer?

I dunno...I live in Cleveland, I didn't even KNOW there was a Cleveland, MO until I was looking for some land in Cass County...taxes are great, easy to get to 69 highway in KS and 71 in MO...land still selling at a good rate and crime very low (at least away from Belton/Raymore...

Rhymesayers Entertainment and Doomtree Recordings are two of the very best rap labels on Earth, and they're both housed in Minneapolis. The Twin Cities are home to a whopping 4 of my 10 favorite rappers. I mean, look at these rappers that live in Minneapolis/St. Paul: Slug (from Atmosphere), Brother Ali, P.O.S., Dessa, Mike Mictlan, Sims, Cecil Otter, Toki Wright, Eydea, not to mention producers such as Ant (from Atmosphere), Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, Turbo Nemesis, Abilities, et al. No other city boasts that much quality.

Lee's Summit schools were voted the 6th best school district in america accoding to Business Week. Alot of the Chiefs players are living out this way. Typical surburban city. Applebee's, little league baseball, old school downtown.

Thanks. When we start looking this summer, I will contact you.

My sister and her family have lived there for years and love it.

I'm buying a franchise.

One of the main reasons I want to move back to KC. I've been up here for 12 years and am sick of the 6-7 months of cold and snow.

Sounds good. If you give me a little heads up before you look too heavily, I can get you set up on a program online that will let you search the different areas with whatever your needs are (# bedrooms, # bathrooms, price, etc.). It is a great program and then you can get an idea of what you're looking at before you even get here.

Also, if you end up deciding on MN, let me know and I can refer you to an agent there to help you out.

I live in Lee's Summit (have my whole life), and highly recommend it.

Thanks!

Anyone from Eudora or De Soto?

You will get the best value if you live North of the River.

I'll say this- our family has had to move around because of job transfers and school. We've lived in Northern Virginia, D.C., Central PA, Houston, the Dallas area, and Olathe (and I also lived about 8 months near Atlanta). Olathe was the best place to raise a family, in my opinion. It's safe, you can get to KC easily, there's lots of family things to do, lots of parks, the schools are outstanding, great library system. It's got a nice feel when you drive around because most of the retail plazas don't have signage going up to the street. Most plazas have a green space between the plaza and the street so there's a buffer. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but it's much more pleasant to live in an area like that than some cities where they just let businesses put signs up wherever they want and have the businesses go right up to the street.
We really didn't want to leave Olathe. I would move back given the opportunity. I realize it's sort of cookie cutter suburbia, but quite frankly, cookie cutter suburbia is good for raising a family.

I you decide to live in Leawood, I've got a real estate guy you can work with./Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, and John Henderson

Spring Hill you say..... I don't live there ;)

Plus the weather is outstanding. I'd love to move back too.