Fort Wayne - what type of neighborhood will we get for $300,000? (New Haven: real estate, amusement parks)

[Cagirl767]

We are planning on relocating from AZ where our $300,000 house has left us with some unsavory neighbors, drug raids, vandalisms, drug houses, weeknight parties, etc.
So I was wondering what type of neighborhood we would be in if we bought in the $300k range in southwest Fort Wayne? Is it middle class? Executive? Blue collar? Does anyone see any potential issues as I mentioned above that we would like to leave behind in Arizona?

[fabumom07]

Congratulations. You will be taking a big step up! We looked into transfering to AZ last year, which is how I found City-Data. Here in SW Ft Wayne-Aboite township- you will get top rated schools that are very safe, and a lovely 3000+ square ft house. Our adjoining neighborhood of Bridgewater has very high end homes , many with a "lake" view, with3-5 bedrooms on 1/2 acre with a neighborhood pool for that price range.

I am not a real estate agent, just a mom, but I have noticed that homes in that range are a little harder to sell because that is high for Ft Wayne. You can still get a really nice home in a great area for 200-250 and it will be easier to sell should you decide to move back.But if you decide to go for 300,000, you will certainly live well.

We decided to stay here because we can live in a better home, because we feel Ft Wayne is better and safer overall for raising children and teens, and because even though Winters are hard at times, the Summer when the kids are out of school are wonderful. It seemed that in AZ, summers were more "indoor" time for children. We wanted our kids to spend their summers outside like we did.

The negatives are, of couse Winter can be depressing for purely scientific reasons- light deprivation. Fall and Christmas/Holiday time is wonderful, and this is a big holiday town, but by March, several members of my fam are pretty down. Induvidual thing, and reason for some to move to AZ! Also there are less cultural activities, though there are a fair amount and they are growing. The landscape is pretty monotonous in the areas you can drive to, so plan on flying to get to dramatic and interesting spots on occassion- another reason to spend a little less on a home. Lots of people here feel that they can live affordably and well here, and still have room in their budget to travel when boredom sets in.

Wish you the best in whatever your family decides. It is a huge decision, I know, and we have no regrets that we stayed here. Hopefully it will be a positive move for your family as well.

[fabumom07]

Oh- $300K is definitely executive, $200K still very nice middle class.

[ShadowCaver]

For that price range, in a selected area, I'd highly doubt you'd run across any of those issues - well, except the weeknight parties,,, ya know, the ones that yas will be hosting for us? Would fathom to call such area higher middle class, but mainly executive. Guess you've performed a real estate search on-line to see some examples, of properties and locales? Good luck...

[Ghostgecko]

Fort Wayne's a big city. From my experience of living there for 22 years, growing up there, it's the typical model of the Midwest city, the further from downtown you get the nicer. I have lived in New Haven, SW, Near Smith Field, and even right off State st before you get away from DANA too far. It's not that bad in most areas. There's a lot of new divisions being built off of state on Hillegas and also Bass Road. A lot of new places springing up there, new neighborhoods, with great access to the area of I-69 and 469, to jump onto and get around town fast. Good luck!

[Cagirl767]

Thank you everyone.

Fabumom - I was wondering if you or anyone else would be able to elaborate on what kids' activities are available in or around Ft. Wayne? I know about the zoo, but do they have organized kids' activities or classes there also?
Any other places with classes (outside of the normal ballet and tball)? i.e. art, music, indoor amusement parks, Little Gym, Libby Lu types of places for preschoolers on up?

TIA

[mbuszu]

Outside the ordinary sports/athletic things you can find in abundance around Fort Wayne there's a lot of other things you can do outside of visiting the zoo.

Here are just a couple off the top of my head:

In Southwest Fort Wayne there's a new business called Plaster Fun Spot which many of my friends have been to with their kids within the past 3 weeks. They say it's awesome and priced affordably. It's a "paint & take" plaster studio where you can go home same day with your work of art. They also host birthday parties as well.

There's also a place called Science Central near downtown Fort Wayne which is great to visit and they run classes (or camps as I believe they may also be called). It's a hand's on children's science museum. My kids have had great fun there (we usually go a few times a year and I have enrolled them in the camps as well).

Lastly, there's an indoor Gym called "It's Playtime" which is in the Covington Plaza in Southwest Fort Wayne (within the Mitchell Books store).

[Cagirl767]

mbuszu - thanks so much! the science place is just what I'm looking for and the plaster painting and indoor activity center too. It's all giving me hope!

[ShadowCaver]

Have you also seen other threads w/in this forum regarding kids and Ft Wayne? One recent quite good one is at: http://www.city-data.com/forum/india...ort-wayne.html

Again, good luck.

[fabumom07]

Cagirl, I ly left your response on the post for " 10 best/worst things " about Ft Wayne. I don't have time to retype here, but if you peek there I left some other family activity info for you! Sorry!