Avon or Zionsville / Carmel (Indianapolis, Fishers: real estate, house prices, high school)

[Lonestar1836]

I have received a job offer in Indiana and am considering moving from north central Texas.

I am married with three boys (15, 13, and 6). My oldest son will be entering his sophomore year of high school. The middle son will be entering the eighth grade. The youngest son will be entering the second grade. The boys are all involved in sports: the oldest in baseball, the middle in all sports, and the youngest in baseball and swimming.

We are looking for a nice community with good schools and a friendly atmosphere. Regarding homes, we would like something with at least 4 bedrooms, three bathrooms, a basement, and a nice yard. We were planning to spend between $225K and $275K.

I have been reading the threads within the Indianapolis forum and have heard that Avon seems to be really nice. Also, areas north of the city (e.g. Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers, etc.) seem appealing. The office in which I would be working is on the north side of the downtown area, I believe (Meridian Street). We would not want to be too far away, hopefully no more than a 45-minute commute.

I would appreciate any guidance. From what I have read, Zionsville and Carmel are nice. However, it would appear that the overall cost of living is a bit higher than in Avon and areas west of the city. If I am incorrect, I would appreciate clarification. In researching various areas and individual pieces of real estate, I have seen some of the property tax rates. Are there additional cost of which I should be aware? Coming from Texas, we have not had to pay state tax. However, our property taxes have been a bit high. We also have home owners association dues. I imagine that these would exist in most areas which sub-divisions abound. Is that correct.

I would greatly appreciate any assistance.

Thanks,

John

[Michelle Morris]

Hi John,
I live in Avon, and it takes about 30 minutes to get to North Meridian. I do live on the eastern edge of Avon, so if you lived further west it may be a few minutes more. I think the best thing to do would be to visit the area and see what each town has to offer, and to look at real estate sites to compare house prices. Because I live in Avon, I'm partial to it, and you will find plenty of people who will tell you that they prefer the other towns as well. Really you can't go wrong, you just need to find what works best for your family.
Michelle

[Lonestar1836]

Michelle,

Thank you for the reply. I received the job offer on Friday and had to make a decision by today. After a great deal of thought, my family decided that it would be best to remain in Texas. I greatly appreciate the information and wish you well.

Thank you,

John