Springfield MO vs St Louis, MO.......

[jeep4x4greg]

I'm stuck in Central IL for the time being....

I would like to relocate to MO so I can be out of IL but still be close enough to family for semi regular visits.

I'd like some opinions on Springfield, MO and St Louis.

I wouldn't want to live in the city itself....more in the out-lying areas. I would like to keep working a normal job full time so I'd stay within an hour or so commute to the city/suburbs.


I'd love to get some personal accounts of where is good...where is bad....should i avoid certain towns/counties/etc.

Unless I get a new Job here in IL in the next month or so (i've casually applied a few places) I will be looking to move in the late spring/early summer.

[PaulNKS]

If I had to make the choice, I'd choose Springfield.

[oeb]

My two coppers: as for the cities themselves it just doesn't make much difference; all cities are less than desirable places to have to be in for more than a brief time. Regarding the country around the two cities you've mentioned; I'll agree heartily with Paul, the Springfield area. Best of luck in relocating,

Otis

[MissouriFree]

Jeepster

i would cerrtainly opt for spring field area if the choice was STL and Springfield.

The areas 40-60 miles east of Springfield are really nice especially when you get over to the Ozark Couty area. I once owned 17 acres on the Bull Shoals lake take line. Worth around $50,000 about 8-10 years ago. I don't imagine price has changed much. Ozark county has less than 15,000 in the whole county. really small town area.. great people.
West from Springfield is more open and flat. farm land

Mo is funny just a hour in any direction will get you from the hills to the woods to the farm land to flat land range , so you really need to go drive the land.
I am now up in Camden county just a few miles south of Ha Ha Tonka sate park- All hills and trees but only 20 miles from Lake of the Ozarks.

Ozark county is my second choice in mo.( really maybe my first but I needed to be close to medical facilities for DW.


I mioght add that St louis and Southern Mo are polar opposites politically. I know I lived in ST Louis for a long time. ( as well as southern illinois),

[jeep4x4greg]

thanks for the replies.....

I was leaning more toward Springfield as well....St Louis is closer to family so I won't discount it entirely if i had a good job offer there.

Springfield seems to be less expensive to buy property in the surrounding area....I'd like to find a place with a small house on 40+ acres (mixed field and timber)...out by St Louis thats a little harder to do in the price range I'd want....

any other insight is always appreciated... Is ground water available in all the surrounding areas? or is it better to be in one direction or an other of the city?

[MissouriFree]

Here are some realtors that I dealt with in the ozark county area.

http://www.alexander-realty.com/default.asp?content=office_listings&menu_id=14022
Note. the owner hjere is Ben Alexander. lives total off the grid. has a stream and gerneates hydro power.

http://www.sierraozark.com/

run by a couple of brothers named smiley.. good people.

[jeep4x4greg]

thanks! I'll drop them a line once I have some sort of solid job prospects.


what can you tell me about taxes? it looks like MO income taxes are pretty darn high (double what i'm paying in IL) ...am i understanding it right?

[MissouriFree]

thanks! I'll drop them a line once I have some sort of solid job prospects.


what can you tell me about taxes? it looks like MO income taxes are pretty darn high (double what i'm paying in IL) ...am i understanding it right?

see my PM..

[MissouriFree]

Here is another site you can look at for a a lot of real estate both by realtor and FSBO in teh Rolla area.

also good hunting want ads.

http://shopping.rollanet.org/index.php

[mlbfanatic0317]

I grew up about 20 miles north of Springfield in Fair Grove. It is a small town with about 1500 people in it. Very nice community and friendly people. I would highly suggest the town of Fair Grove. Easy commute to Buffalo, and about 30 minutes from Springfield.