ISO a little help from the locals...Thousand Oaks or Seven Bridges? (Kansas City: new house)

[lookingforhelp]

I know a lot of people are asking for advice on where to live in the KCMO area, but I would really love everyone's opinion of two specific neighborhoods...Thousand Oaks in Parkville and Seven Bridges in Platte City. We are moving from out of state and I have been there only once for a few days. DH is working in St. Joe so Seven Bridges would be closer for him but people keep telling us that Parkville is the place to be. We have a 2nd and 4th grader and would love for them to be able to transition well and make new friends this summer before school starts. I am leaning more towards Seven Bridges because of the scenery but know it is farther away from things. My DH likes Thousand Oaks because he thinks it has more kids & better resale possibility but worries about the airport traffic...he heard several planes fly over while he was out there.

All in all, they are both very nice and we have a difficult decision to make. Any comments from those of you who know the area would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!!!

[Okey Dokie]

Thousand Oaks is being developed by Dave and John Barth. They have a pretty good group of builders who work in there. I previously lived in another subdivision they developed. As far as airport noise goes, you might have some airport noise at Seven Bridges when they are landing from the west, although you wouldn't be quite on a glide path as you are at Thousand Oaks. That being said, you would not have airport noise every day there, since it all depends on which way the wind is blowing as to which way they are taking off or landing.

I used to live approximately 5 miles directly east of KCI, and when they were landing from the east the planes went right over my house. It's a cliche, but after a while you don't really hear them. And from about 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. there are VERY few flights.

As far as location goes, Thousand Oaks is closer to more shopping than 7 Bridges, and I believe they have benefitted by their proximity to The National development, which has really increased property values in general.

It's just my perception, but I believe Park Hill Schools are better than Platte County R-3. Do some research and prove me right or wrong.

If it were me, I'd pick Thousand Oaks but YMMV.

[lookingforhelp]

Thanks Okey Dokie...really appreciate your input. I have heard from several others that Parkville schools are great as well. We still haven't settled on a place yet. It seems the inventory has dried up a little, and I am started to get a bit down about the whole process. I was hoping that house hunting would be a bit more enjoyable than it has been. It is hard when I live so far away and cannot go down there whenever a new house comes on the market. Seeing it on the internet just isn't the same.

Does anyone else have good or bad things to say about either development or school systems? I was recently looking at North Kansas City schools as well but am not at all familiar with the area. It just seems like there are more houses to choose from there esp. in the Staley area. I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad thing though.

Please let me know your thoughts if you can. Thank you!

[Okey Dokie]

I know you asked for "other" opinions, but you get me again. I live in the NKC district, and in the Staley attendance area, although I don't have children in the NKC schools. Staley is a beautiful, brand new high school (about 5 or 6 years). The NKC school district is very large, and the southern parts of the district (which is not in the Staley attendance area) are somewhat "in transition" and that brings the district scores down. If you could view statistics based on Staley alone, I think you get a completely different picture than if you look district wide. In other words, I would not shy away from a house in the Staley attendance area. Overall, I think Park Hill is better than NKC, but that's just my perception and not based on any sort of statistic I could quote you.

Good luck in your search....

[luzianne]

From birth until about age 4 or so, I lived near Smithville. Some of my fondest earliest memories are the sound of planes overhead on a warm sunny day when I was playing outside.