If you are moving from Illinois to Northwest Indiana...

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by deechee

Yep, my point exactly. Great idea for some, but not practical for all. I still haven't figured out what's so special about NWI all the sudden? Not that's there's anything wrong with it, but why this sudden uptick in interest?

Seems to be all the chirping about Illinois taxes
then the realtors are all over this

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by knighthood82

I really don't understand the point you are trying to make. Home prices in Indiana have not fallen as sharply as in Illinois. They also did not spike as much during the height of the housing boom either. And this is a bad thing for Indiana how? What a novel concept that fiscal responsibilty and certainty in State government can lead to a more stable housing market and business climate. Compare just about any similar income town on either side of the border and you'll find the Cost of Living Index will be lower on the Indiana side. This takes housing costs, taxes, transportation, food, utilities, ect. all into consideration.

Okay now to be fair many Indiana towns are in jeopardy of reducing police forces, fire depts and other public services .

Gnawing basic services to the bone is one thing but certainly not what an area will need to survive in the long run.

Now your starting to sound an awful lot like an ad for Mitch Daniels

I was pretty fair to Indiana in my posts but Indiana has their own set of problems too.

The toll road money is gone as well and alot of budgets in the state were a direct responsibility off that .

Your starting to remind me of Texas. Your our neighbors here on the Illinois side - So be fair back.

[knighthood82]

Originally Posted by allen2323

I dont think that anyone would still consider schererville and munster to be fast growing areas any longer. Considering all of the open farmland out there, growth in NWI has been quite anemic over the past decade. With the exception of saint john which grew by 77 percent. Which also happens to be the most desirable NWI town in my opinion. do to it's location nearer to the middle and high income far southern suburbs such as flossmoor, homewood, olympia fields, crete, monee, matteson, etc. Munster had less than a double digit gain in population at 9.7 percent over the past decade. And Schererville had a 17.7 percent population increase. And nearby illinois suburbs grew by much larger percents over the the past decade. Lynwood (22.1%), matteson (47%), monee (75.1%), crete (12.1%), frankfort (71.1), new lenox (37.3%), tinley park (17.2%), richton park (8.9%) .

Your missing the point of my post entirely, maybe I should have just said "growing" areas. I would like to point out that there are more towns in NWI which have had growth rates far from "anemic" as you have stated: Burns Harbor (50.9%), Cedar Lake (24.6%), Chesterton (24.6%), Crown Point (37.9%), Dyer (18.0%), Hobart (14.6%), Lowell (23.6%), Merrillville (15.3%), Portage (10.0%), Valparaiso (15.7%), and Winfield (90.7%). Shall I go on or would you just agree that at the very least growth has been similar?

[subject2change]

For anyone thinking of moving to another state, and wondering how their tax burden will compare, there is an excellent website (not just for retired people)

Taxes by State

[svillechris]

Originally Posted by deechee

Yep, my point exactly. Great idea for some, but not practical for all. I still haven't figured out what's so special about NWI all the sudden? Not that's there's anything wrong with it, but why this sudden uptick in interest?

From experiences with friends and family, the recent (by recent I mean within the last decade) interest in NWI by those living in Illinois are for three main reasons:

1) Parents recognizing schools that their children are or will be going to in Illinois are declining. Meanwhile, NWI has several very strong schools.
2) White Flight - not worth arguing about it, it's a fact and definitely should be included in this list
3) In the last few years, I know many people who have had to reevaluate all of their expenses due to job loss or uncertainty. You start with expense number 1, which is the mortgage. From there, people see if their dollar can go farther elsewhere, and a lot of times the answer is yes, in Northwest Indiana.

Originally Posted by allen2323

I dont think that anyone would still consider schererville and munster to be fast growing areas any longer. Considering all of the open farmland out there, growth in NWI has been quite anemic over the past decade. With the exception of saint john which grew by 77 percent. Which also happens to be the most desirable NWI town in my opinion. do to it's location nearer to the middle and high income far southern suburbs such as flossmoor, homewood, olympia fields, crete, monee, matteson, etc. Munster had less than a double digit gain in population at 9.7 percent over the past decade. And Schererville had a 17.7 percent population increase. And nearby illinois suburbs grew by much larger percents over the the past decade. Lynwood (22.1%), matteson (47%), monee (75.1%), crete (12.1%), frankfort (71.1), new lenox (37.3%), tinley park (17.2%), richton park (8.9%) .

Wait, you really used Munster and Schererville for the two NWI towns experiencing growth? Munster is a very mature town and has no undeveloped land left. Schererville literally has 1 piece and I know it specifically that is still farmland because the farmer is 85 yrs old and will not sell it although he's been offered millions of dollars several times for it. So to say "all of the open farmland out there" and include Schererville and Munster in that same discussion, is flat out false.

[linicx]

Enough already. This is an Illinois forum. If you are moving to NWI, then do talk to the folks over there..