PLEASE TELL ME>Carmel,Fishers,Noblesville, Zionsville,Westfield-which do you like best and WHY! (Indianapolis: real estate, how much)

[Rochellepotter]

We're looking to move to the Indy area. Which do like best and why?
I have a family, so I'm looking for....
SAFEST (they all seem great?!)

ATMOSPHERE (Please not ALL Strip malls, We like downtown areas to walk around??!-which are the best-fun, cute shops, a few family restaurants). ALso, we'd like a hiking trail or two!!

ECONOMY My husband does home remodels. He usually works where the money is doing custom kitchens and remodels. We're in CA now, so business is good bcs people have lots of money to waste, I guess. It's still too outrageous to buy a home 750-850K and you get a 10' X20' back yard IF you are lucky!!

AFFORDABLE HOMES WITH LAND (1/2 acre possible) we'd really like to build a home ourselves, since he's in the business, so perhaps Westfield is best bcs it's farthur from the city - cheaper-THOUGHTS PLEASE!!

CONSERVATIVE VALUES It looks like all the towns are about 75 percent Republican. Sorry libs, I am what I am and I value these things-Right to life, right to homeschool my kiddos, right to have our homeland secure, et cetera.

THANKS FOR ANY INPUT THAT YOU HAVE>
**We're in SF bay area of CALIF now and it's too expensive and soon I'm sure I won't be allowed to homeschool or discipline my own child. We'll be leaving within a few years. It is beautiful, prosperous and fun here though, but that's not the most important thing in raising a family, so we're going back east (eventually)!!

[domergurl]

Here's a wrench to throw in ... look into Hancock County, it's the next county down from Hamilton. The main towns are McCordsville & Fortville ... chances are you'll find land there.

[BU191433]

I Think Zionsville best matches what you are looking for

[nmginvestments]

I would recommend Carmel. There are plenty of established neighborhoods with nice size lots within close proximity to the town center. Westfield is nice, but it's less town centered. I am a licensed Realtor in the Indianapolis area and would be more than happy to assist you in finding your new home, at no cost to you. Feel free to contact me @ nmginvest@gmail.com with any questions.

[ImGibby]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Here's a wrench to throw in ... look into Hancock County, it's the next county down from Hamilton. The main towns are McCordsville & Fortville ... chances are you'll find land there.

Good advice domergurl. You are definitely looking in the right areas if you want people who have money to throw around on remodels. If you like the downtown enviroment with shops and what not then I would rule out Fishers. I would also rule out fisher based on traffic and your desire to find 1/2 acre of land thats affordable. Westfield and Noblesville are farther out from the city, but land is not cheap in those areas, with Zionsville probably being the most expensive. Depending on how far out you want to live, I would look North of Westfield and Noblesville. Cicero is just North of Noblesville, and I think you can still find land reasonably priced there. Tipton county (Next county North of Hamilton) might be an option also, cheaper land, still close to all the areas you mentioned for hubbys work.

Edit: Oh yeah, and Noblesville has a nice small downtown as far as that goes

[Rochellepotter]

Thanks everybody!
So, Carmel does have somewhat of a walking area downtown? I'm leaning towards Carmel/Zionsville bcs we hate traffic.
Sorry, question.. Where do people throw money away on remodels? Hancock cnty? or fishers/Carmel. Which has a nicer downtown area...McCordsville or Fortville?
I don't know if I want to live too far out bcs hubby really doesn't like traffic and likes to come home for lunch (I know, a nice luxury=). I want to live around the people who add on to their homes or just remodel a lot. Maybe excessive remodeing is a CALIF thing? They do it a lot here, it's like keeping up with the Jones's.
I'm all the way in CALIF, so it's so hard to get a feel on the internet. Thanks so much everybody and keep the advice coming, if you can!!

[domergurl]

Ok Rochell ... you are coming for CA ... traffic here is nada. We don't have the freeway gridlock you guys do. Sure, if there's an accident, ok, there's a backup, but you'll see when you get here, rush hour ... if you want to call it that ... lasts about an hour and even then, traffic moves. Traffic should be the least of your worries.

Take a look at Zionsville for rehabs. There have been some lovely rehabs in the village already. Fishers, no way ... Carmel, mmmmmmmmaybe, but it's pretty much new building, nothing vintage to speak of, but I could be wrong. Noblesville will have some rehab possibilities around the courthouse neighborhood. But getting downtown from there will take 45 minutes to an hour.

[ImGibby]

My business partner has another company that does rehabs...he has plenty of business in all of the areas mentioned, even fishers. It may not be the 100 yr old total house rehab, but there are plenty of kitchen / bath remodels, additions, flooring, siding, tile, roofing etc. jobs even on 20 -30 yr old houses, particulary as part of the real estate transaction. People buying an older homes want them updated or customized, and those selling sometimes have to make repairs or update to compete with the other homes in the neighborhood.

[Rochellepotter]

Thanks so much! You guys are so helpful! Have there been many foreclusures? I was looking into 1 or 2 in Zionsville/Carmel. They are fixer uppers, which is great bcs my hubby can do everything and maybe we can sell it for profit or just live in it.

**ImGibby-Could you ask your business partner some questions? Does he/she know how much remodelers/carpenters make in that area? They make great money here 70-100K yr, but we cannot afford to buy a 700K house on that. My husband is very talented and can do everything, esp good at electricity and kitchen/cabinet building, installing.
He would probably do his own business there, but we'd probably have to live there for a few years to meet people before he goes off on his own, so he'd have to work for a company, which would mean half the money. Here, to work for a construction/remodel company, he made 28-35 and hour. I think to survive there, he'd need $23-$25/hr. Is that doable do you think?
Please help me in anyway that you can. It's hard doing research on the construction industry.
Thanks so much!!!

[DVick]

I like the southside myself.. Carmel fishers Westfield to me are overpriced. Nice for white collared execs but to me Beech Grove, Southport, Greenwood would suit the common working man. Just my opinion.