time is running out ...am i nuts??? (Indianapolis, Carmel: environment, property taxes)

[brianj29]

I am a professional in human service field in my 30's with a 5 year old about to start school.I have been offered a job in both Indy(my dad lives here) and raleigh...I need to decide this week(I currently live in upstate ny near syracuse) anyhow i did not like the congestion of raleigh and plastic subdivision and nightmare no sense traffic patterns,so i am leaning towards indy(even though i know they have more people).I will be working downtown on meridian? near a childrens museum...I'd like to know where to look to live ,,I will probably rent first year.My dad lives in lawrence township but avon ,plainfield,have been suggested I want a place where my child can get a nice non IPS school have a neigborhood thats safe and have shopping around so my wife won't bug out in 5 lane traffic any thoughts ...I also don't want to communte an hour each way if i can help it ...carmel i heard is nice but expensive and lots of traffic ,i heard martinsville is ok too I don't know help!!!!

[1914BU]

Originally Posted by brianj29

I am a professional in human service field in my 30's with a 5 year old about to start school.I have been offered a job in both Indy(my dad lives here) and raleigh...I need to decide this week(I currently live in upstate ny near syracuse) anyhow i did not like the congestion of raleigh and plastic subdivision and nightmare no sense traffic patterns,so i am leaning towards indy(even though i know they have more people).I will be working downtown on meridian? near a childrens museum...I'd like to know where to look to live ,,I will probably rent first year.My dad lives in lawrence township but avon ,plainfield,have been suggested I want a place where my child can get a nice non IPS school have a neigborhood thats safe and have shopping around so my wife won't bug out in 5 lane traffic any thoughts ...I also don't want to communte an hour each way if i can help it ...carmel i heard is nice but expensive and lots of traffic ,i heard martinsville is ok too I don't know help!!!!

I would really look into Avon and Plainfield. I also would look into Zionsville on the far northwest side. Easy commute to downtown - about 25 minutes, and it is a lot nicer than Plainfield and somewhat nicer than Avon IMO.

Carmel is great and is where I live, traffic can be kinda bad at times, and the commute downtown is not as easy as Zionsville. I like Carmel because it is a suburb, but also has a big town feel, with a nice downtown (being built) and tons and tons of shoppting and retail stuff very close.

Perhaps someone else can help me out with the shopping in Avon - I know there isn't mall there, but seems like a lot of shopping and the Metropolis in Plainfield is close.

Plainfield is probably the most affordable for sure - it is much more of a middle class suburb than Avon. Greenwood might also be a decent place to look into - it is on the south side. I really don't know much about Greenwood myself, but you might want to take a look.

Best advice is to rent and take your time in finding a place to buy a house. Does anyone know if there are apartment complexes in Avon - I really don't know and what is the commute times to downtown??


Not sure if you really mean Martinsville - I don't consider that a suburb, but rather a small town. I would not live there.

[X-Greensboro Resident]

I agree with the post above. I'd consider either Avon, Plainfield, Brownsburg or Zionsville. Also, Washington Township in northern Marion County/Indianapolis or Eagle Creek areas would be nice but I have to warn you, property taxes have gone WAY up especially in Marion County. You may also want to consider northern Greenwood/Johnson County. It's hard to recommend you a place without knowing you and what you're into, you have to come see it for yourself as different people have different taste. Rent for a little while and see where you belong. Good luck, it'll all work out at the end.

[hapaleeretired]

I agree with X-GR. Consider renting for a while for sure. If you buy a house right away and find you have erred you will have trouble selling. That is a big downside of Indy: poor home appreciation. Check out the Indystar.com about the current round of tax increases. It is killing the housing sales. Raleigh on the other hand has great home appreciation. A house there is a good investment. But, besides that horrible traffic the summer temps are brutal. We spent our working years in Indy and are glad we did.

[MainStreet]

I agree with everyone above. Avoid Marion County at all costs. I've lived in Zionsville 13 years and find it a fast commute to everywhere. Most importantly....Zionsville School District is consistently in the top 5 in the state. A+ education for your child. There are some nice rentals here if you would like to get a feel for the place....but trust me...take a look around and get a feel for the close proximity and low traffic to Indy and you'll be sold. It's a wonderful environment for raising a family.

[Southside Shrek]

Brian, if you live up near Watertown, that's heavy snow country and I speak from experience having to shovel 6+ feet of snow in Watertown. Anything between Syracuse and Watertown is. Indiana is nothing like that during the winter months.

now that Governor Daniels put a freeze on the reassessments and ordered new ones, Marion County is beginning to look decent again. Government/politicians can be forced to listen when the noise level gets high enough.

[Teach07]

I would look into the Castleton area, or just north of it...apartments on 96th Street, etc. There are good schools (Washington Township even is there) and a not so bad commute downtown.
I am in Raleigh right now from Indy and since it has become so popular, the housing costs are rising. Considering a move back to Indy for a year until I research another area to relo to.

[kaufmantl]

Originally Posted by brianj29

I am a professional in human service field in my 30's with a 5 year old about to start school.I have been offered a job in both Indy(my dad lives here) and raleigh...I need to decide this week(I currently live in upstate ny near syracuse) anyhow i did not like the congestion of raleigh and plastic subdivision and nightmare no sense traffic patterns,so i am leaning towards indy(even though i know they have more people).I will be working downtown on meridian? near a childrens museum...I'd like to know where to look to live ,,I will probably rent first year.My dad lives in lawrence township but avon ,plainfield,have been suggested I want a place where my child can get a nice non IPS school have a neigborhood thats safe and have shopping around so my wife won't bug out in 5 lane traffic any thoughts ...I also don't want to communte an hour each way if i can help it ...carmel i heard is nice but expensive and lots of traffic ,i heard martinsville is ok too I don't know help!!!!

We have a nice 3 BR/2.5 bth house in the Arts & Design District of Carmel, very quiet cul-de-sac, on the Monon Trail (walking & biking), 2 Car garage, easy access to US 31/Keystone/465. Please give us a call if you are interest in seeing the place it is at 214 Heritage Lane, Carmel.

[In Space, Lost]

I'd look into Brownsburg as well. It's about a 25 minute commute to the IMA every day and traffic isn't bad. The school system here is pretty good, but not Zionsville good. Anything is better than IPS. Of course if you really want to live in Indy (I can't recommend that), then they do have some very good private schools. Be forwarned, they are very expensive. Think college tuition.

Good luck in your move and rent before you buy!

[msamhunter]

Giving my .02 cents, I would not look into Avon or Brownsburgh, both areas are growing extremly fast and congestion into the city can be tough. I know a lot of people here would say stay out of Marion County, but you can find good areas in the county such as Beech Grove or Franklin Township on the southeast side of town. The only catch with FT is the property taxes. Franklin Township schools is a good school district. I've lived in the township for 5 years now and really like it. Two minutes away from shopping and dining as well as the expressway (2 minutes from 65 and 5 minutes from 465). The houses are just as nice as Zionsville, Carmel etc. without the huge markup of living in the area. As a matter of fact, when my wife and I did our house, it would have costed us double the price if we would have built the same house in Hamilton County than where we are now. You also get a lot more land for your buck plus the township doesn't allow heavy industry to set up shop. You might want to give an area in Franklin Township a look.