Temp. Place to stay in mishawaka (South Bend, Granger: fit in, apartments, to rent)

[reeceelal3]

My boyfriend is doing business in mishawaka and we need a place for him to stay untill the gang can move. It would be for a couple months or so and we cant afford alot. Does anyone know anything that could help us? Its very much appropriated

[cdr18]

Are you looking for apartments? The Mishawaka or even South Bend would be the cheapest. Stay away from Granger, as there are literally mansions there.

Did he get a job in Mishawaka, is the family moving there as well later?

[reeceelal3]

It dosent have to be an apartment anything would be better than him sleeping in his car. Well be moving in a couple months.

[fallingwater]

Originally Posted by cdr18

Are you looking for apartments? The Mishawaka or even South Bend would be the cheapest. Stay away from Granger, as there are literally mansions there.

Did he get a job in Mishawaka, is the family moving there as well later?

These statements crack me up. I live in Granger and do not live in a mansion.

[cdr18]

Originally Posted by fallingwater

These statements crack me up. I live in Granger and do not live in a mansion.

Well, according to their statement of living in a car, Granger would be WAY out of their range. Not every house in Granger is big, but the cost of living in terms of property taxes and value is definitely higher than in the city. Granted, I may have exaggerated but I was trying to prove a point that Granger would not be the ideal place to live for their financial situation right now.

[fallingwater]

Originally Posted by cdr18

Well, according to their statement of living in a car, Granger would be WAY out of their range. Not every house in Granger is big, but the cost of living in terms of property taxes and value is definitely higher than in the city. Granted, I may have exaggerated but I was trying to prove a point that Granger would not be the ideal place to live for their financial situation right now.

I see your point if the poster is considering living in a car. But quite honestly, when I was looking at houses, the house we bought in Granger had lower property taxes than most of the homes we looked at in Mishawaka. Since I have moved here I just cant get over all the Granger bashing. Maybe because I have lived in several places and have seen far nicer areas than Granger, it just baffles me how worked up people get about Granger. It anit all that. I also get sick of the raised eyebrows or comments people make. Another mom at my child's school said its just the way it is and she never tells people she lives in Granger. She said, just tell people you live North of the city. It makes life easier.

[cdr18]

Originally Posted by fallingwater

I see your point if the poster is considering living in a car. But quite honestly, when I was looking at houses, the house we bought in Granger had lower property taxes than most of the homes we looked at in Mishawaka. Since I have moved here I just cant get over all the Granger bashing. Maybe because I have lived in several places and have seen far nicer areas than Granger, it just baffles me how worked up people get about Granger. It anit all that. I also get sick of the raised eyebrows or comments people make. Another mom at my child's school said its just the way it is and she never tells people she lives in Granger. She said, just tell people you live North of the city. It makes life easier.

The reason Granger is considered to be such high class is because look at the area it is by. South Bend metro area isn't necessarily known for having nice houses and the city itself and the surrounding areas are by no means considered affluent. Therefore, Granger gets the reputation that all the rich people live there. I know that this is not true for the most part, and why it is so bad to be rich in the first place? I consider it to be a good attribute.

In addition, not a lot of people from this area are out of towners, so they haven't seen other places in the country. I am 100% sure almost every decently sized city has many nicer places than Granger, as I have seen some of them.

[reeceelal3]

Thanks for all the help guys.

[DLK55]

reeceelal3, I just saw this thread.

Generally speaking, west South Bend is most affordable, least desirable. Mishawaka isn't a crime free nirvana but it's a more secure place than than South Bend with a wider variety in range of housing options. There's certainly less violent crime in Mishawaka although it has its share of property crime. It's not as bad as you head out to the suburbs.

This link is to the local paper's classifieds. They are generally are pretty complete and should give your boyfriend an idea of the cost to rent in the area. Make note of addresses if provided and

South Bend Tribune: Classifieds

Fallingwater, I saw your post here and didn't know you were having such issues. I'm sorry if your move hasn't been what you expected. I didn't quite get the whole Granger thing when I moved out here from NJ 11 years ago. I did notice my wife would refer to someone as from Granger.

I think cdr18 touched on it, that it's basically a sort of class perception coupled with the way Granger was developed. According to her, many moved from Mishawaka or South Bend and I get the feeling that they are looked upon as having "moved on up" or think of themselves as high class or too good for lowly old Mishawaka or something along those lines and I think that's basically it. People see it has "the" place to be. When my wife moved to our sub in '73 it was still being developed and it was one of those places. Then they developed some larger houses further east and that became one of those places. Then Granger started being developed and it became that place. It remains that way because it's far enough removed from the true urban areas.

It's not that you live in a mansion but there are some good sized, newer houses there that lead some people to perpetuate a sort of stereotype. Sort of how some people shudder and think of a corrupt, declining city on the brink of self destruction when they hear Detroit without really being familiar with it.

While it might not seem like it's all that to you, you're thinking of it from the perspective of someone who has been around some as opposed to people that have lived in the area most or all of their lives, who are mostly working class people that will likely never be able to afford an area like that.

I can understand what you're saying though, as I have that "outsider" perspective. The area I moved from would make the cost of living in Granger pale in comparison. I look at it as a nice middle/upper-middle class area to live and I wouldn't worry about how people react. I hope things get better for you, one way or another.

[fallingwater]

Originally Posted by DLK55

Fallingwater, I saw your post here and didn't know you were having such issues. I'm sorry if your move hasn't been what you expected. I didn't quite get the whole Granger thing when I moved out here from NJ 11 years ago. I did notice my wife would refer to someone as from Granger.

Well I think I am being a tad over sensitive. I apologize. I am truly trying to find my place here. I just feel that living out here doesnt make me special or better, just fortunate. The house I own is something I couldnt afford any place else and I know it. I still feel a little awe when I pull into my driveway. I dont take it for granted and prolly why I dont fit in well out here either, as I dont have a sense of self entitlement. So ya, I guess in the way I dont get the whole "lets hate Granger" attitude. But its just because I understand financial struggle. But then again, I do partly understand certain things as to why someone that grew up in South Bend find new comers to the area annoying.

Im trying to keep an open mind about living here and its probably more personal than anything Indiana has done to me. I just didnt start off on the right foot with realtors, government agencies and our kooky landlord we had in Mishawaka. He was a good ole boy that played dumb but he was dumb like a fox. So my first year was plagued with liars and scammers! I just find this area kind of hard to fit in. Detroit was more diverse. Here it seems certain social classes group together and its seems segregated. I dont fit in with people that dont take education seriously and then dont fit in with the PHD peeps cuss my degree is nothing compared to theirs. I know there has to be the "in betweens" people somewhere around here! But I will say one thing that I dont know if I will ever get used to, is the weather here. I have never experienced so much rain, gloomy days and horrific snow. I think Ive developed seasonal affective disorder I think I will feel better once I start working. I need to meet more people.