Hey everyone,

I hope it's okay to post here. I am not part of the Iowa chapter, but I am an active FTE member - I spend 99% of my time over in the crazy 7.3L forum. I'm one of those diesel nuts.

My other half has an interview on Wednesday for a fantastic job in Cedar Rapids. We currently live in Denver, CO. This job is so fantastic, we're considering selling/renting our houses and making the move in Iowa.

I'm a little nervous about leaving Colorado, I have lived here my entire life. I am just curious what all of you think about the great state of Iowa, your thoughts on moving to the Cedar Rapids area, and any other information you might find helpful!

I have been reading everything I can find online. The general consensus is that people either love Iowa or they hate it. I love small towns, rural atmosphere, farm communities, so I'm not so worried about not being near a big city. Denver is getting so overcrowded, it might be a breath of fresh air actaully. I realize you all are still trying to recover from that huge flood, and I know CR took a huge hit. Curious about where we might look at buying a house, which nearby towns might be the best to live in.

Sorry for the long post, just curious to see what you all have to say about your state.

Thank you!

Lisa in Colorado

 

You will find it isn't as much of a big city attitude around here. I live 35 miles out of CR, and commute in for college now, as well as work. There is plenty around, depending upon your interests. The flood has made a mess of downtown, but everything else is doing just fine. It may make the real estate market jump a bit, but it probably is cheaper than what you are used to. I grew up where I am now, but have lived other locations over the years, and chose to come back here and stay. I lived in the Chicago 'burbs while going to tech school, not a place I would want to stay any more than I have to. Lived in South Dakota for 8 years until my back failed, then we went to the inlaw's farm in Missouri, talk about away from it all, but it was ok other than dealing with the inlaws.... we moved here again due to the economics of the area being way better than both South Dakota and the NE part of Missouri. Since you like it a bit rural, but can also do city, I think you will find it a nice mix.
As far as where to look for a house, you will find plenty of options. If you don't quite want to do CR proper, there is Fairfax, Walford, Atkins, Mount Vernon, Center Point, Urbana, Swisher, all kinds of smaller towns nearby, all reasonably decent to live in. The Iowa City/Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Cedar Falls area still continues to grow, even in these tougher economic times. The housing market here hasn't taken the hard hit, except maybe the one big development company that overdid it... still seeing plenty of new house being built, plenty of businesses expanding or building.

Give me a heads up when you get out here, and perhaps we could meet up if you like. Roger

 

Thanks Roger. I am seeing some nice real estate in the Mount Vernon area. The tradeoff for me leaving everything behind is that I get to have my own little farm..and a tractor! And you're right about things being cheaper than what I am used to. Around here, median home price is 250-300k, and that's just for a regular 'ol single family house on a teeny tiny lot. Everything else around here is really expensive too...including food, taxes, electricity..the list continues. We'd definitely be looking forward to the cost of living benefits there in IA.

Where do you go to school at? Are you driving down to Iowa City?

Also I am seeing online that people complain about the weather there..but where I am from, we are used to snowy winters and hot hot summers.

 

Lisa, I moved here from Laramie about 16yrs ago and although flat landers have a slightly different attitude then we are used to it's really not a bad place at all. And honestly it's still a pretty laid back state (probably even more so then CO honestly) Air is a little thicker and the humidity is a little rough in the summer but winters aren't nearly as cold.
As Roger said give us a holler and we can plan a gtg. You should still have my yahoo IM if you have more questions or you or your other half want to talk more just send a PM and I will give you my cell number.

 

Thnx guys. I have a billion questions of course. Monster I IMed you over messinger....

 

Sent you an offline back with cell number and when I am around or holler at me on there in the morning after around 10 CDT

 

I actually am going to school at Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids for now, then will finish at the U of Iowa. I drive in from Marengo, 35 miles sw of CR... If you want info on this area, I grew up here, left, and moved back, so I know a bit about this part of the state...

 

As much as I hate the wild range of weather, I have sorta grown attached to dear 'ol Iowa. We've got a pretty eclectic group of people around here, as well as the cars/trucks/bike/other machinery to work on and observe.

Its nice to be here cuz the country leaves us alone for the most part, untill an election year then they seem to rediscover Iowa. Don't tell me your a Buffalo fan though, we might have some issues here...Cyclone alum...'nuff said.

 

Funny, there is a job opening at Kirkwood I might go for, if we get there quick enough.

No, I am a Colorado State U alum (rams). No worries. We hate the buffs just as much if not more than the Cyclones do. lol.

I've heard that Iowa becomes a pretty important state come election year. Looks like a lot of people with money and influence make a home there.

I'm used to wild weather, I live in Denver. It can be 70 degrees and beautiful one day, snowing the next. We'll have an indian summer for three months, and suddenly get a blizzard and get 6 foot of snow.

 

Probably the big reason Iowa is important is they have our primaries first, not so much after this year, but it used to be we had the first one. The funny thing is, as is shown yet again, the ones that get chosen here rarely make it to the end...
We don't tend to get quite as wild of weather swings as you see out that way, like Rapid City setting both a high record and low record on the same day, but it will change from one day to the next, it can be 70 and sunny, then the next be cold and crappy, or during the winter, hit 50-60, then go below zero the next....

 

You won't like the flatness or the humidity. Iowa 4-wheelin will be disappointing compared to Colorado. You can chew the air in August when the corn pollinates. BUT, the cost of living is much lower, even the cities have a small town feel, and there aren't vacationers always underfoot acting like they own the place. Oh, and if you hunt, Iowa has the best fed deer in the country.

 

I don't do much wheeling. My truck weighs 8,800 lbs, lol. We do go ATVing though, but only in the summers and when we can afford to get away for some vacation. Ill still go back to CO to do all of that.

mmmmm chewy air.

I have been doing some lookin and, at least from pictures, I'm likin the way Mount Vernon looks. Not as flat, some cool houses with some land. Not far from Cedar Rapids.

 

While it is not the same as true mountains, I have a feel of it kind of... I sit on the high ground over Marengo, looking out across the valley to the hill ridges on the other side. It is all about positioning, you can get some beautiful locations without being quite as majestic.

 

One thing a truck person should be aware of is the humidity does tend to rust things faster here. And I don't know about the Mt Vernon area, but around Davenport, they salt the roads heavily.

The only thing I want to leave Iowa for is to get away from the cold winters, and you should have no problem with that. I'm ready to move south.

 

Cold winters? what are you talking about? it's just a marginally cold spring day at worst LOL.


Of coarse when I moved here the HIGH temp in Laramie that week had been -17 so moving here WAS like moving south.