5 Things You’ll Love About Overland Park, Kansas

Whether you already live in Overland Park or are planning to move there in the near future, it’s a terrific city and we move a lot of real estate there!  It’s no wonder- the city ranks high on many lists for livability, affordability and culture. With an estimated population of 187,699 and a location only 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City, it’s easy to see why so many call on us to help make Overland Park their home!

1. The Schools.  Overland Park residents enjoy a high quality of life. As the city grows older, it is becoming increasingly diverse, and that diversity adds to an amazing public school system.  The Blue Valley School District serves most of Overland Park, and all 5 Blue Valley high schools made it onto the Washington Post’s list of most challenging high schools in the U.S., as well as onto the Newsweek list of top American public high schools. Blue Valley SAT scores routinely exceed the national and state averages—sometimes by as much as 300-400 points (ReeceNichols.com).
2. The Sports.  Overland Park is home to the nationally-recognized Scheel’s Soccer Complex, which boasts 12 lighted, regulation size synthetic turf fields and offers a cooling system to control the temperature of the turf plus many more amenities.  The city hosts tournaments year-round.  Topgolf is a new golf entertainment experience, and folks can enjoy the 102 climate-controlled hitting bays, a restaurant, and 3 bars year-round!  Blue Valley Recreation recently opened a new Recreation Center at Hilltop on 143rd Street.  The 100,000+ square foot facility offers fitness classes, basketball and volleyball leagues, practices and open court, dance classes, special populations activities, enrichment programs, pickleball, and 55 GO (ages 55 and up) programs offered along with drop-in facility usage.
3. The Business Opportunities.  It’s home to many large employers (think Sprint, YRC Worldwide and Black & Veatch, for example).  Technology continues to drive the make-up of the businesses in many different industries such as healthcare, financial services, and marketing, with College Boulevard serving as a main artery for many businesses.
4. The Outdoors.  Overland Park has a wonderful Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, which even has spectacular programming in the winter.  In addition, there are many biking and walking trails, and many neighborhoods boast their own paths and lakes.  Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead is a real highlight, and draws visitors from all over the metro. The Farmstead is open daily, April 1- October 31, and has nearly 200 animals and birds of prey, vegetable and flower gardens, a one-room country schoolhouse, an old-time fishing pond, pony rides and more.
5. The Food.  Overland Park (like all of Kansas City!) has become a destination for foodies.  The city boasts a ton of delicious Indian restaurants and ethnic markets, and other favorites include Jack Stack Barbeque (95th & Metcalf), J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks (92nd & Metcalf), SPIN Neapolitan Pizza (multiple locations) and Q39 (second location coming soon to College Blvd and Antioch).

There’s lots to love- give us a call today and we’ll help you find your dream home in Overland Park!