Commuting Ft Wayne to Warsaw or vice-versa (Fort Wayne, South Bend: real estate, 2015) - Indiana (IN) - City-Data Forum

relocater2015 · 03-12-2015, 12:23 PM

My husband is taking a job with a huge promotion in Warsaw. We will be relocating from NJ to Indiana. I do not currently have a job there but will be trying to get one, my best prospects are in Ft. Wayne. Is it possible to live in Ft. Wayne and do a daily commute to Warsaw? We are hesitant to live in Warsaw since it seems so small compared to where we live now in the suburbs of NYC. Ft. Wayne seems like it would have more to do and better services/schools for our children. We are selling our modest(3 bed, 2 bath) house in NJ for around $800,000 so we would be able to buy a beautiful in Indiana mortgage free, one of the other main draws for this move. We have 2 middle school age children, any advice on where good schools and neighborhoods would be in either Ft Wayne (if the commute is doable) or in Warsaw. Our kids are very in to soccer and gymnastics -- are there good programs for these sports?

wh15395 · 03-12-2015, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by relocater2015

My husband is taking a job with a huge promotion in Warsaw. We will be relocating from NJ to Indiana. I do not currently have a job there but will be trying to get one, my best prospects are in Ft. Wayne. Is it possible to live in Ft. Wayne and do a daily commute to Warsaw? We are hesitant to live in Warsaw since it seems so small compared to where we live now in the suburbs of NYC. Ft. Wayne seems like it would have more to do and better services/schools for our children. We are selling our modest(3 bed, 2 bath) house in NJ for around $800,000 so we would be able to buy a beautiful in Indiana mortgage free, one of the other main draws for this move. We have 2 middle school age children, any advice on where good schools and neighborhoods would be in either Ft Wayne (if the commute is doable) or in Warsaw. Our kids are very in to soccer and gymnastics -- are there good programs for these sports?

The commute isn't great, but it is pretty common. Your budget will be able to get you into almost any neighborhood in Fort Wayne. Southwest Allen County and Northwest Allen County Schools are the two best districts in the area, but I would focus on the Southwest side. There are a lot more up-scale neighborhoods that are relatively close to U.S. 30 for the commute to Warsaw. Some specific ones you may want to look at would include The Cliffs, Devils Hollow, Sycamore Hills, and Chestnut Hills. There are plenty of other neighborhoods, but those are the first that come to mind. Sycamore Hills has a very nice private golf course, while Chestnut Hills has a very nice public course. I would consider the area with The Cliffs and Devils Hollow to be the most naturally beautiful part of Fort Wayne.

ischyros · 03-13-2015, 07:51 AM

It's certainly doable but it wouldn't be fun, especially in the winter. From the southwest side of Fort Wayne, which is probably the best in terms of schools, it's about 45 minutes to an hour one way to Warsaw depending on where in Warsaw you work. Traffic can be heavy in parts of Warsaw for such a small city.

relocater2015 · 03-13-2015, 10:36 AM

Hi -- how bad are the winters in this part of Indiana? Do they treat the roads and remove snow. We are used to long-ish commutes but an hour might be pushing it. Are there any towns in between the two cities that might fit the bill with schools and services?

belovenow · 03-17-2015, 04:24 AM

Done a similar move myself, many years ago for the same reason. It will be a culture shock. My advice is to live in The Warsaw Area rather than Fort Wayne. The commute gets old and will impact quality of family life (especially if an executive who works long hours).

In between is Columbia City, perhaps worth looking at as well. Fort Wayne has a ton to offer the kids for sure, the Southwest side of town in the 46814 and 46804 zip codes will be your best bet. I would rent until you know the area. Making money off of real estate is near impossible here so be careful with your money.

ischyros · 03-17-2015, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by relocater2015

Hi -- how bad are the winters in this part of Indiana? Do they treat the roads and remove snow. We are used to long-ish commutes but an hour might be pushing it. Are there any towns in between the two cities that might fit the bill with schools and services?

Winters in Fort Wayne usually aren't terrible. I believe the average snowfall is around 35 inches for the year. Warsaw is slightly more susceptible to lake effect snow but for the most part it's far enough southeast of the lake to avoid the major lake effect snowstorms. Still, it's a long drive through open country that can be a bit treacherous if the wind is blowing snow across the highway. Columbia City is the only decently sized city between Fort Wayne and Warsaw and it isn't that big. Otherwise, it's just small towns. I can't help you really with schools.

cdr18 · 03-17-2015, 02:25 PM

Warsaw has a lot going for it, especially recently. Warsaw has seen MAJOR retail growth in the past 10 years along US 30 as well as downtown. All essential needs can definitely be met in Warsaw, and even a little extra. If you really need bigger box stores, than you can travel to Fort Wayne or the South Bend area. Warsaw also has many nice subdivisions, as well as many lake houses because there are numerous lakes in the area (something to consider). Spend some time in Warsaw to get a feel for the community.

Also, some people choose to live in Goshen and commute to Warsaw, which is roughly a 20-25 minute drive. Goshen is a bigger city with some more amenities than Warsaw and an amazing downtown. Better housing options as well. This would put you in the South Bend metro area, which is double the size of the Fort Wayne metro area.

wh15395 · 03-17-2015, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdr18

This would put you in the South Bend metro area, which is double the size of the Fort Wayne metro area.

No it's not, Fort Wayne has a higher MSA and CSA population than South Bend. It's also a growing city, while South Bend is not.

pranapearl · 03-19-2015, 03:31 PM

Winters suck. No way around that. I grew up in a part of indiana that had more lake effect snow, so IMO, Fort Wayne doesn't do nearly as quick or thorough a job at snow removal. The commute to Zimmer in Warsaw is around 45 minutes along 30 if that helps you any. And unfortunately, if you want more to do, there are no towns between the two that would offer anything of interest in terms of shopping, schools or activities. I would suggest you look strongly at the 46814 area if you plan on doing public schools and having a reasonable commute. The PP who suggested Cliffs or Devils Hollow is right on.

HowardRoarke · 03-23-2015, 11:16 AM

I lived in Ft. Wayne for a year, and commuted back and forth to my job in Warsaw. I'd drive U.S. 30 most of the time, although in bad weather IN 14 was actually better, due to the lack of traffic. I'd highly recommend an AWD vehicle and/or SUV. IN 14 brought be almost to our doorstep south of the city.

If the forecast was bad for morning driving during winter, I'd hit the road a little early and really watch it along U.S. 30, it can be slippery in spots, especially on the bridges west of Columbia City. I was able to drive the speed limit along there, most winter days, except on the bridges. If memory serves, the snow belt usually hit north of U.S. 30, it was just that the road would get super icy in spots.

I miss Ft. Wayne.