Moving to Southwest Missouri

[Point Beer Is Best]

I've accepted a promotion that will definitely help my career, but unfortunately takes me and my family away from where we currently live (Green Bay). I'm an accountant for a cheese company headquartered here, but wanted to gain cost accounting experience at a plant, which takes me to to Southwest Missouri (specifically Carthage, near Joplin and about 60 miles west of Springfield):

http://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/carthage_mo.gif

There are a few things I'm hoping the greater brewerfan family can help out with for suggestions. We have a 6 month old son, so we don't yet have to deal with schools and it's probable that this move may only be for 2-3 years before coming back:

Cellphones - I've been with Cellcom since college (10 years ago), but since I will be traveling for work between WI and MO frequently and that Cellcom is a regional carrier, I think I would rather go with a national carrier. Does anyone have suggestions on what is best (AT&T, Verizon) and what they typically pay for two lines with a national calling plan, and maybe a data package?

Internet/Cable - probably a shot in the dark since I doubt anyone here currently lives in this area.

Dish/DirecTV - I know this has been rehashed several times over the years, but I'm wondering what would be best for watching the Packers and Brewers. I'm typically frugal and currently don't have cable/satellite, but not being able to watch the Packers would be crazy so I'll have to pony up.

Housing - Anything about houses in that area of the country to look out for? We were already warned about the prevalence of termites in the area.

On the plus side, my company will buy the house we currently live in, pay for the movers, pay for a house hunting excursion, pay the closing costs on our new home and other perks to make the move as painless as possible. Property taxes are about 1/3 of what we pay here, and the amount of house you can get for your dollar down there is unreal compared to WI (cost of living in general is pretty affordable compared to WI). Financing is taken care of as well as we were able to secure a 3.75% fixed rate.

Any stories (good or bad) that people have heard about this area?

[Brewtacular]

My friend from Lincoln said it's pronounced Meth-zuri. This should help you.

[1992casey]

You'll need DirecTV. DISH doesn't offer MLB Extra Innings, and NFL Sunday Ticket is a DirecTV exclusive.

[GormanHarvey]

I am unfortunately of zero help to you aside from echoing what Casey said about directv, but if you don't mind me asking, how in the heck did you get a home loan for 3.75% fixed?

[Point Beer Is Best]

I am unfortunately of zero help to you aside from echoing what Casey said about directv, but if you don't mind me asking, how in the heck did you get a home loan for 3.75% fixed?

I like to roll with a 15 year, as opposed to the conventional 30. My wife and I are also fortunate to have a pretty good credit score (785) so that helped out as well. The 15 year loan shaves quite a bit of interest off if you can afford the extra monthly payments. My former boss refinanced last fall to a 10 year and got a 3.2% I believe.

[brewers19]

Any stories (good or bad) that people have heard about this area?

Pros: Cost of living is pretty low in Missouri, and the Ozarks are pretty.

Cons: It's not Kansas City, Columbia, or St. Louis, which means the majority of your neighbors will probably be hoosiers and meth addicts.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Cons: It's not Kansas City, Columbia, or St. Louis, which means the majority of your neighbors will probably be hoosiers and meth addicts

 

 

I'm assuming you mean Sooners, and that seems to be the case. It's only 30 minutes from Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma and there seems to be a ton of KU and OU fans there. I've eaten a couple of times at a BBQ place in Carthage called "Boomer Sooners" that is decorated in OU gear. We're definitely trying to find a decent subdivision in Joplin/Webb City area. Carthage is an older town that definitely has some of those less desirable elements in certain areas.

[mothershipconnection]

Don't worry about satellite - just pay $90 for MLB.tv, assuming you have a device that'll stream to your TV.

 

Don't get AT&T for anything - they've been ripping me off on my Internet since I signed up and have sent me multiple collections warnings as a result of their errors. They over-charged me by $120 by not giving me the promo discount, then said they'd credit me the amount, but still send a bill every 10 days or so saying I'm passed due on the original amount and threatening collections. I call, wait for 20 min, talk to someone who pulls up my account and verifies that I do not owe the amount, and says it is taken care of this time and won't happen again. This after they inadvertently canceled my installation so I had to spend 45 minutes on the phone setting it all up again after I moved in, and then they sent me a DOA modem but I couldn't get their tech support people to return my calls. Fortunately, the former owner left his dsl modem in a cupboard. The day I use up the remaining credit I have with them, I'm bolting, and won't even care if I have to go to Comcast to do it. I'm a 9-year T-Mobile customer and will switch to Verizon immediately if the AT&T takeover is finalized. Their website sucks, their customer service is atrocious, and the service is very spotty. History is repeating itself as they march back toward a bloated monopoly that sticks it to consumers.

[GormanHarvey]

I am unfortunately of zero help to you aside from echoing what Casey said about directv, but if you don't mind me asking, how in the heck did you get a home loan for 3.75% fixed?

I like to roll with a 15 year, as opposed to the conventional 30. My wife and I are also fortunate to have a pretty good credit score (785) so that helped out as well. The 15 year loan shaves quite a bit of interest off if you can afford the extra monthly payments. My former boss refinanced last fall to a 10 year and got a 3.2% I believe.

 

 

That makes sense. Still a great rate! Good for you!

[brewers19]

I'm assuming you mean Sooners, and that seems to be the case.

Nope, I did mean hoosiers.

[Point Beer Is Best]

I'm assuming you mean Sooners, and that seems to be the case.

Nope, I did mean hoosiers.

I'm not too worried about it since I'll be almost as far away from St. Louis as Milwaukee is. So I'm somewhat confused by your "It's not St. Louis" comment, when the definition you supplied indicates that's where the hoosiers reside. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

I know what you mean, but you can find white trash meth addicts anywhere you go.

Does anyone use Verizon for cell service? How is the cost/quality?

[rwa12]

Hoosiers is just the term used down here for trailer trash. I live near STL, and use Verizon. I haven't had any problems in Missouri or the route to Wisconsin with their service. They are pricey, but reliable. I think it runs maybe $180 for two lines with data packages. Could be wrong, we have more lines than that. We use Charter for Cable, I don't really care for them, but don't enjoy Satellite.TV. Rural Missouri is an interesting place, there is a large meth problem, and let's just say there are large sections of the rural state that have not embraced the outcome of the Civil War.

[brewers19]

I'm not too worried about it since I'll be almost as far away from St. Louis as Milwaukee is. So I'm somewhat confused by your "It's not St. Louis" comment, when the definition you supplied indicates that's where the hoosiers reside.

Just that if you're not going to be living in or near the major cities, the hoosier proportion of the population is going to be much higher. Hoosiers are not localized to St. Louis, it's just that St. Louisans are the most vocal in their distaste for them.

[GAME05]

i've gotten used to that. it's kinda fun being "that guy" who is rooting against the majority. just, you know, be friendly.

[chuckiehacks]

We're definitely trying to find a decent subdivision in Joplin/Webb City area.

I thought of this thread when reading that 75% of Joplin was leveled by tornadoes over the weekend. Are you still in WI?

[TracyThom]

We're definitely trying to find a decent subdivision in Joplin/Webb City area.

I thought of this thread when reading that 75% of Joplin was leveled by tornadoes over the weekend. Are you still in WI?

I echo the sentiments. Check in please. Let us all know you are okay.

 

 

[Point Beer Is Best]

We were down there last week house hunting. About midway through the week, we decided against the relocation because nothing was breaking our way (nothing felt like home, lack of decent daycares, my wife's employment was suddenly up in the air if we relocated, etc). We came back on Friday night. Apparently someone was trying to send us a message to leave town. Latest death toll is 116 people with another 1,000 missing. The twister(s) ripped right through the area our hotel was. It's just devastating. They are using a college football field as a makeshift morgue. It's scary to read about places that in ruins just 72 hours after walking through. The Home Depot is leveled.

One thing that amazed me is that very, very few homes in that area have basements. The reason I was given was because of the soil. Most places had little crawl spaces in their garages. That scared the hell out of us also (and rightfully so, apparently). I've heard from a few friends down there of people who huddled in their bathrooms, and the "lucky" ones emerged to find that the bathroom was all that remained of their homes. I guess we were lucky to make the decision we did, and not be in a situation where we had an accepted offer on a home that may not even be standing today (let alone the insurance questions of who actually owns the property).

[ilovebeer]

I have stayed at the holiday inn and ate at the waffle house in Joplin a few times, that is just so sad to see.

[hawing]

Good lord, PBIB, talk about dodging a bullet.

I don't think I could live in a place that gets tornadoes without a basement. I'm too storm phobic. Even here in Madison we bypassed a house that lacked a basement (it was across the street from Wingra Creek).

[Point Beer Is Best]

I have stayed at the holiday inn and ate at the waffle house in Joplin a few times, that is just so sad to see.

We stayed across the street at the Candlewood Suites next to the Waffle House.