Does anyone else not like living in Indiana? (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne: middle-class, real estate market)

[rtboy1961]

I have lived in Indy for 45 years.I have nothing bad to say about it. We got superbowl champs, top auto racing, basketball town ( college,highschool) fine dining. We are slightly land-locked. Cruddy winters. Taxes on license plates will break you, still a good place to live.Houseing is very affordable.

[Rikrich]

Originally Posted by MainStreet

I have to agree with this....I've been "older and single" six years now and haven't even met single older men. None, zip, nada.....not even in passing and not even friends of friends of friends.

Sorry you have not met an eligible guy. I have not met any single women, either. Then again I am to blame for that because I am a rather introverted guy. I am the genuine article yet I have always been ill at ease at social events. I am neither slick nor smooth and regard myself as being rather inept around women. Anyway, I hope you find someone!

[Rikrich]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Hang in there rk ... you may be surprised that someone here may be able to help you out. In the meantime, we'll do what we can ok? We've had a hard run ourselves. 2 of the companies my husband worked for either were bought out or bankrupt. It can be tough all over. Take care of you.

Thanks for your very kind words. I appreciate it very much and I am sorry about what you and your spouse have gone through. Yes, it can be tough all over. Sorry I did not reply sooner, and thanks again for your thoughtfulness and kindness. Believe me, I am doing my best to hang in there and it isn't easy by any means. Hope to hear from you again and I wish you well.

[syntaxburn]

You dont know what youve got till its gone...the sign of an immature person is if that person cannot understand another point of view, despite their personal opinion...Almost everything that is anti-urban is in Indiana, which is a huge reason, if not THE reason why so many people love it here. I prefer getting home from work in 10 minutes rather than 110 minutes..i prefer driving 10 minutes to go fishing as opposed to driving 2 hrs to go to a pay lake..i prefer down to earth people over the ant farms that are big cities..i prefer having four seasons, it delineates life and places life experiences into a time and place that is distinct, rather than :rememeber that time when it was hot? oh yeah its hot all the time...um, rememeber that time when it was not so hot? or that time it was really stinking hot? Those little memories like the truck not starting in the freezing morning, or of having to scoop a foot of snow off your car before work, or having a white christmas, or having thanksgiving dinner in a place that just looks perfect for turkey carving and football..it all adds up to a life of seasons and little hurdles that for me, make like a little less monotonous...of course its all preference...you sound young, so like others have said, go out and see what is best for your, but unless your going to be living in a high-rise penthouse, Im willing to bet that traffic/crime/pollution/a loss of individuality will pervade if you stay long enough in a huge urban environment. But for some people, those things dont bother them...my aunt was born and grew up in Indiana, and now she lives in LA and she loves it (still figuring that one out)..good luck!

[belovenow]

Last week my family and I traveled to Westchester & NYC to visit old friends and family we have there. After a few years away (we moved from there to Fort Wayne where we are now), we felt the need to go back and now that our kids are old enough to fly comfortably we felt the timing was right. We had a blast, but to be completely honest, when we finally got on the plane back, we had a friendly stewardess, when we finally got on the ground in Fort Wayne we arrived at a relatively quiet and comfortable and uncongested airport, a lady there with cookies for the kids, baggage claim which was quick and easy, a nice parking lot shuttle driver who offered us a ride to our car, nice weather and clean smelling air, traffic which on the drive home was stress-free, and then finally we arrived at our nice neighborhood where we actually own a decent quality of land, and a home which anywhere else would cost 3-5x's as much as we paid (with property taxes to match). We really found ourselves wondering, why would anyone want to live anywhere else?

Most of our friends in NYC and the surrounding tri-state area will never know what it's like to have the option of living off a single family income (and when earning two, being able to bank most of one), driving without people honking at the slightest thing, having a 15 minute or less commute, getting real customer service at any type of establishment, having multiple options for where to go with young children, having affordable childcare options, etc. Most cannot even begin to think about having children if at all until reaching their mid to late 30s. Instead they work their butts off (both them and their spouses) as lawyers or engineers or managers cranking away 10+ hours per day (starting and finishing with 40min-1+ hour commutes), spending their incomes on $900K+ homes or Manhattan apartments which eat up so much of their income they literally find themselves living to work rather than working to live.

No I don't think we have it so bad here. Sure the land is flatter, perhaps with a lot fewer trees in NE Indiana in particular, and additionally I find myself bowling and socializing with people that have no college education and/or perhaps working in very low paying jobs - but you know what I love it. The people here are more genuine, the majority not so much focused upon career advancement or how to make quick or a large amount of money. I feel like I can trust them, and rely upon them when I need help of any kind. The majority of the people I hang out with don't have the Acura, or BMW, or Lexus, but who cares about those things? They're just automobiles/things. Instead these native Indianians/Hoosiers have the formula right for the most part - we're all here on this planet for a short period of time, so let's have some fun and take some time to relax. Some own lake property they retreat up to each weekend for fishing, drinking and /or just boating. Others visit with family and friends multiple times a week. Money surely is a fleeting thing, only a means to an end - but unfortunately many people today spend so much time seeking it, it ends up being an end in itself.

Some people absolutely hate Indiana for a lot of reasons valid to them and their life path. I encourage those folks to do what their hearts and mind tell them to do.

That said however, I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone else from coming here. Indiana has its pros and cons like any other place but judgement needs to be passed and shared understanding that every person has their own unique criteria.

[tango88]

mbuszu.. well put! i may b moving to ft wayne soon to work and am a lil nervous that i might not like it. im the kinda person that likes the outdoors, lakes n rivers and nice back roads to drive on, and i like to hunt! as far as i have seen so far there doesnt seem to b much of that there?? but i have a decison to make and i hope i dont make the wrong one...

[belovenow]

Originally Posted by tango88

mbuszu.. well put! i may b moving to ft wayne soon to work and am a lil nervous that i might not like it. im the kinda person that likes the outdoors, lakes n rivers and nice back roads to drive on, and i like to hunt! as far as i have seen so far there doesnt seem to b much of that there?? but i have a decison to make and i hope i dont make the wrong one...

On the contrary, if you like those things, this vicinity is fine. Fort Wayne is a mid-sized city, so you just need to drive to the surrounding areas to find what you want. There's very large glacier formed lakes within an hours drive north & west of Fort Wayne and places to hunt all over Indiana. That said, I'd recommend to you to look at living at the SW vicinity of Fort Wayne in the area known as Devil's Hollow (by West Hamilton Road) - especially if your job will be based in the area. Rolling hills, tons of trees, and winding roads - it feels almost exactly like the woodsy roads of Westchester NY.

Lastly, for your own well-being, do yourself a favor and visit Fort Wayne before you make your final decision. I can give you recommendations for what to see and do and generally point you in the right direction if you tell me a bit more about yourself. What I don't know I will refer you to people who do.

Good luck with your decision

[domergurl]

I worked for the Chicago office of an NYC law firm. Whenever I went to the "mothership" in Manhattan, New Yorkers were always amazed that I liked the midwest as much as I do. They act like the world ends west of New Jersey and doesn't pick up again until LA ... MB, thank you for being a sensible New Yorker. I love NYC, but for me, it's a 3 day town, I can handle all the hustle and bustle for 3 days and I gotta get out!

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Valpo is the Harvard of the midwest? Wha-choo talkin' 'bout willis? I can think of better Harvards of the midwest ... hmmm .. Notre Dame? U of Chicago? Northwestern? Michigan?

Don't get me wrong, I used to teach at Valpo ... it's a good school for the area, but it 'taint no Harvard.

But I do have to give you the big thumbs up for your comment about how this state snubs the region. It's treated like the ugly stepchild of this state. When I lived there, I wished that Mayor Daley would invade and just take over.

I knew I had heard of some comparison of Valpo and Harvard, I just couldn't remember it. A few days ago our "Valpo" magazine arrived (DD was a student there), and I found this little ditty which I am going to copy directly as to avoid any mistunderstanding.

"100 Years Ago, 1907.

Entrepreneurial President Henry Baker Brown had grown his school from 35 students in 1873 to 5,141, making it the second largest university in the country, second only to Harvard (5,343). Thereafter Valparaiso became widely known as "the poor man's Harvard." The largest state univesity at the time was Michigan (4,800)."

I am sure I first read this in some material from Valpo. As a former teacher there, Domergurl, I'm surprised you weren't aware of it.

[artemis]

Originally Posted by Huppermama

I moved from Indiana to D/FW some years ago and found people there - mostly the natives - to be very clannish. IF you are a "yankee with a u-haul you are not welcomed. It has improved with alot more northerns moving there from areas such as Cleveland and Detroit in search of better work opportunities. Just keep in mind that all you really know is Hoosier hospitality and not to be surprised when you are cut off in traffic or no one stops to lend a hand if you have a car breakdown. I speak from experience. If you want the same weather, but nice people, try Tulsa or Wichita, it is just tough to find a job in the current economy.

Um, Indiana is full of Yankees. The whole state is Northern Yankees.

Tulsa employment is stagnant right now.