Are you thinking of moving to Iowa City? Well, I've got a video for you. 10 things
you need to know before you move to Iowa City, Iowa.
Hey, my name is Emily Farber, and I'm a Realtor® with Lepic-Kroeger, Realtors® in Iowa City, Iowa. Before we get
too far into this, be sure to hit the subscribe button down below, and pro tip,
ring the bell, that way you'll be notified every time I put out a new
video, which is every single Friday. My videos focus on all things real estate
and the greater Iowa City area. I try to keep them really interesting and useful
because my goal is to always create better educated buyers and sellers.
Number one, if you need to know anything at all, you need to know that the
University of Iowa, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and the
Hawkeyes are the heart of our community. The University, and the University of
Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are a massive economic engine in our area and are the
number one employer. Our university keeps our community dynamic, young, and vibrant.
Number two. The arts are a big deal here. Whether your jam is music, artwork, drama,
or literature, we've got it going on. The greater Iowa City area has so much to
offer in terms of the arts and it's really an incubator for local artists. The
Iowa City Summer of the Arts is a season-long celebration that really makes
downtown Iowa City the place to be during the summer. In Iowa City we take
our education seriously and I'm not just talking about the University, I'm talking
about kindergarten through high school. The greater Iowa City area is known for
high quality public education. The Iowa City Community School District serves
students in Iowa City, Coralville, and part of North Liberty. The Clear Creek
Amana School District serves students in part of North Liberty and Tiffin.
Iowa City is home to Regina Catholic Education Center which serves students
from preschool through high school. We also are home to Heritage Christian
School, located in North Liberty, which educates students from pre-kindergarten
through junior high. Willowwind School in Iowa City is a Montessori style
preschool and a private kindergarten through sixth grade school. Iowa City is
socially conscious. If you are into shopping local, shopping small, organics,
farm-to-table movement, or recycling, Iowa City has a lot of people who are going
to appeal to you. Number five. Parking in Iowa City can be kind of
difficult. With the number of students we have downtown considering the east
side of the University campus and downtown Iowa City are co-mingled
parking spaces can be difficult to find downtown. Hey, if you can't find on-street
metered parking, there are several different parking ramps downtown where
you should be able to get a spot. We have four distinct seasons here in Iowa City,
for sure! I often see a meme on social media that jokes about people
experiencing all four seasons within a few days. Well, that can be true here in
Iowa City. In the summer our highs can get up over a 100 and it can be
pretty muggy. Now, I'm not saying it's gonna be 100 every day, but it's
not unusual to see highs in the 80s and 90s with high humidity in the summer. In
the winter it can get bitterly cold, snowy, and windy. We will see temperatures
below zero almost every winter. Iowa City also sees some severe weather, including
thunderstorms, high winds, and an occasional tornado. If you're out and
about and you hear sirens going off all around you, that is our public system
notifying you that severe weather is on the way, and you really should seek
shelter, preferably in a basement. It's not all gloom and doom and storms here.
In Iowa we have plenty of beautiful sunny days. There's a saying that goes,
"There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." Number seven. There is
a strong international community of people living here in Iowa City. Thanks
to the University and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics we welcome
people from all over the world. Number eight. Iowa is a state with deep
agricultural roots. Now here in Iowa City it feels pretty urban, but not far
outside of city lines you will quickly see that Iowa is a lot of farmland. You
may see evidence of that agricultural business going on even in Iowa City. If
you happen to come upon farm machinery on the road please use caution and
patience while trying to pass. Sometimes you may "smell a smell" in the air. What is
it? Hmm... chances are farmers are spreading manure
on their fields for fertilization. Don't say it's stinky. What you say is, "Mmmmm,
smells like money!" On the plus side of all this agriculture in Iowa you will be
able to get super fresh fruits and vegetables and meats at farm side stands
or your local farmers market. Number nine. When people talk about Iowa City ,chances
are they're really talking about the greater Iowa City community which
includes Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, and Tiffin. All of those
communities are contiguous-- they're touching each other. If you are
interested in all the benefits of the Iowa City area but you really prefer a
smaller town lifestyle there are several small towns in close driving distance to
Iowa City, including Solon, West Branch, Lone Tree, Hills, and Riverside. Number ten.
Iowa City has a fantastic mix of local restaurants, as well as some well-loved
chain restaurants. Here in Iowa we don't like to let anybody go away hungry, so I
am positive that you will be able to find something good to eat here
Iowa City. A couple of my favorites include Orchard Green, which is a
downtown upscale restaurant that's perfect when you're looking for
something a little bit fancy, a little bit date night-ish. If you're looking for
more casual be sure to check out Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack. Another one of my
favorites is the Hamburg Inn which is located on the north side of downtown.
It's an old-school classic burger joint. And, if you're gonna have any pizza at
all in Iowa City, you better at least try Pagliai's, which is a thin crust style
pizza and you can watch the guys twirling the pizza dough in the window.
For some other suggestions of favorite local restaurants be sure to check out
the video I did right here. So hey, if you're thinking about making the move to
Iowa City I would love to help you. As an Iowa City native I am especially suited
to the job. I can help you figure out the right neighborhood or the right
community to call home. I'm gonna leave all of my contact information down below
in the description box, so be sure to call, email, or text. Hey, it's been fun,
thanks for joining me on this video and I will catch you later!