Relocation from Floirda, help us decide Fishers or Carmel (Indianapolis: neighborhood, schools)

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by inquisitive43

Avoid Fishers like the plague: virtual parking lot from 3:30 - 6:30. Adding apartments, houses, businesses overnite and in no way can the infrastructure keep up. Will only get worse. Huge growth on the east side and all they are doing is adding roundabouts.

Hilarious how some portray Fishers traffic like it's Chicago or L.A.

[ischyros]

Originally Posted by inquisitive43

Avoid Fishers like the plague: virtual parking lot from 3:30 - 6:30. Adding apartments, houses, businesses overnite and in no way can the infrastructure keep up. Will only get worse. Huge growth on the east side and all they are doing is adding roundabouts.

That's funny because I've lived in Fishers for almost 7 years now and I've never experienced these parking lots you talk about. I even lived for a year in Sunblest Apartments right off 116th St in the heart of the town and never experienced these parking lots you refer to. Also, to me, adding roundabouts is a good thing, but to each his own.

[jammwill]

Originally Posted by ischyros

That's funny because I've lived in Fishers for almost 7 years now and I've never experienced these parking lots you talk about. I even lived for a year in Sunblest Apartments right off 116th St in the heart of the town and never experienced these parking lots you refer to. Also, to me, adding roundabouts is a good thing, but to each his own.

Inquisitive has a vendetta against traffic in Fishers apparently. Traffic in Fishers must have killed his father or something.

[mike0618]

Originally Posted by jammwill

Inquisitive has a vendetta against traffic in Fishers apparently. Traffic in Fishers must have killed his father or something.

He must have been stuck in that 5 hr parking lot on i69 or 465 yesturday afternoon because of a semi tipping over. That doesnt happen that often

[gmt3]

Bumping this thread after 3 years. Planning to relocate next summer coming from the city of Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California! Family of 4, with kids going to 8th and 3rd grade. More inclined to go to Fishers as house prices there are cheaper (but still open for Carmel too). Looking more for a family & kid friendly area, with lots of greeneries. This move is not work related. Will be actually be looking for work once we get settled in. Will be visiting this fall for less than a week and get to see and feel the area for the first time. Would like to get some more feedback and/or updates between these 2 cities. OP, if you can share your experience about your move. Looking into buying a house soon (and not rent anymore, if that's not a bad idea). Thanks in advance!

[kristianklee]

Carmel and Fishers are both great cities. A lot of similarities. You might also want to consider other communities in Hamilton County like Noblesville and Westfield. I live in Carmel so my opinion is somewhat biased. Affordability is all relative. Indiana housing costs are among the lowest in the nation so Carmel is probably within your price range. Carmel has the Monon Trail. This walking/biking trail runs N/S along the center of the city. In many sections of the trail, there are shops, restaurants, and entertainment facilities. Carmel also has wonderful parks and greeneries. Although Carmel public schools are always among the best in the state. If your kids are into sports, the high school is often ranked in the top 10 in the nation in athletics. I have 2 kids in Carmel high school and they love it. Fishers, Westfield, and Noblesville are all good communities. But they usually rank behind Carmel.

[masters1]

Also check out Zionsville. Great schools and much smaller than Carmel or Fishers.

[gmt3]

Thank you guys for your reply. As per your suggestions, will be checking Westfield, Noblesville and Zionsville as well. Thanks again!

[Serious Conversation]

Don't move without a job lined up, unless you have many months (at least six) of expenses saved up. While the economy in greater Indianapolis is good, you don't know how long it could take to find a job.

Unless you're paying cash for a home, it is going to be difficult, if not outright impossible, to rent without a job and proof of steady income. This goes for anywhere you move, not just metro Indianapolis.

Also, you want a job first due to commute times. If you find a job in Greenwood, live in Greenwood or nearby. Driving from say, Noblesville to Greenwood, is a needless slog during rush hour for no real benefits. Most of the suburbs Indy have good schools, safe, etc. Hamilton County is just the nicest of these.

Zionsville and Carmel (particularly its west side) are going to be your most expensive options. Fishers and Noblesville are likely to be cheaper.

Noblesville, Carmel, and Zionsville all have intact downtowns. Fishers really doesn't and is just endless suburban sprawl. I worked in Fishers for six months near exit 205, where an IKEA is going up, and traffic worsened significantly from when I moved there in winter 2014 to when I left last summer. Noblesville and Zionsville feel a little more detached from Indy and are nice small towns in their own right. There is enough shopping in Noblesville and Fishers that you don't have to come back to Indy for every little thing.

Here's an example of what you can get in Fishers at a fairly low budget.

https://www.trulia.com/property/3089...shers-IN-46037

[gmt3]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Don't move without a job lined up, unless you have many months (at least six) of expenses saved up. While the economy in greater Indianapolis is good, you don't know how long it could take to find a job.

Unless you're paying cash for a home, it is going to be difficult, if not outright impossible, to rent without a job and proof of steady income. This goes for anywhere you move, not just metro Indianapolis.

Also, you want a job first due to commute times. If you find a job in Greenwood, live in Greenwood or nearby. Driving from say, Noblesville to Greenwood, is a needless slog during rush hour for no real benefits. Most of the suburbs Indy have good schools, safe, etc. Hamilton County is just the nicest of these.

Zionsville and Carmel (particularly its west side) are going to be your most expensive options. Fishers and Noblesville are likely to be cheaper.

Noblesville, Carmel, and Zionsville all have intact downtowns. Fishers really doesn't and is just endless suburban sprawl. I worked in Fishers for six months near exit 205, where an IKEA is going up, and traffic worsened significantly from when I moved there in winter 2014 to when I left last summer. Noblesville and Zionsville feel a little more detached from Indy and are nice small towns in their own right. There is enough shopping in Noblesville and Fishers that you don't have to come back to Indy for every little thing.

Here's an example of what you can get in Fishers at a fairly low budget.

https://www.trulia.com/property/3089...shers-IN-46037

Thank you! Understood your point re work. With our situation, the company i'm with now is a global company and has a branch there south of Zionsville near I-465 (by New Augusta) and lateral transfer won't be a problem. Although its a great company to be in, my work there is not in my "line of expertise" (i'm new with them), thus not making it my "starting point" in looking for a property coz i'll eventually be looking for another job. As for my wife, she works in the healthcare industry and her line of work has a good demand on the market, so we're quite ok.

Our point of moving to Indiana from Los Angeles is mainly about the cost of living. We love it here (specially our area -excellent school district, low crime rate, family friendly, etc.) and much as we wanted to stay, its so expensive that we hardly have time to enjoy life as it goes. We lost our house back in 2009 because of the housing bubble and as we are looking into buying one again, house prices are back on the higher end. We were offered to buy the condo that we're currently living in and got a chance of first refusal since we were renting it for 8 years already (a 2 bed, 2 bath, 1100 sqft, which the property management decided to start selling again as they stopped selling it when the market crashed back in 2008/2009) for $350k with a $500 monthly HOA (it has all the works -gym, mini-60 seat theater, clubhouse, etc). Its in the heart of the city, walking distance to shopping malls & restaurants and a 10 minute walk to Six Flags Magic Mountain! We shopped around for a 3 bed, 2 bath (minimum) single detached, and prices are between $500-600k (plus HOA and some have Mello Roos too!). We can make it work but there will be compromises (like less family vacations, etc.), and we don't want that IF we have a choice. And that choice now is Indiana.

Thank you guys for taking time to give your suggestions/feedbacks and all. Much appreciated. I guess we have to start researching more about Zionsville, Noblesville & Westfield. We only know about Carmel and Fishers because of friends who lives there, but i guess there're more out there. Thank you once again!