California family thinking about coming to Lexington area! (Louisville, Elizabethtown: sales, insurance)

[K. Dunn]

Hi;

I also posted on a different thread with someone else who also was thinking of coming to moving to Kentucky.

Bottom line we love what we see, looking to get back into the seasons again and see some GREEN! I am married with two wonderful girls ages 5 and 9, so I am looking for any advise regarding area's to live that would of course have good schools and low crime. Obviously the home prices and the beautiful country are what is attracting us.

Our concerns are:

1] Tornadoes?I know after researching the area tornadoes are not previlent, but obviously they do happen. Are smaller ones common?
A] How much does a home owner pay for extra Tornado insurance?
B] Do homes have those under-ground shelters for this contingency?
C] I noticed that some homes advertise "Storm Windows" is this a good thing?

2] List most people not really use to high humidity [average here where we are] we worry that it may be too extreme? Is the super high humidity times just in mid summer mornings or a all-day affair?

3.] When it rains, is it like Florida, with quick short heavy burst, or are we talking all day rains?

4.] Lexington shows a higher than the national average crime rate. Is this more of a downtown issue or does it effect the outer area's too?

5.] If any of you are off or on-road motorcycle/atv enthusiast, let me know if there is a decent dealer network in the area, as well as how is the riding area's. Are there a lot to choose from, or are they being legislated out of existence? I ask this question because I am currently the sales manager of a large multi-line dealership where I live, plus I am a enthuiast too! So this is important to me too.

6.] I noticed after looking at lots of beautiful homes in the area, that a lot don't have garages. Why is that? I would think that would be a must.

7.] I know that the area only get's a light smackling of snow each season, but does a home owner need a snowblower if they have a long driveway?

Thanks from this knaive California and his family in advance. Any suggestions or answers will be a help. Ciao.

[rnc76]

I'll do what I can, I lived there for 7 years but have since moved away. Lexington is very nice, I miss it often.

Our concerns are:

1] Tornadoes?I know after researching the area tornadoes are not previlent, but obviously they do happen. Are smaller ones common?
A] How much does a home owner pay for extra Tornado insurance?
B] Do homes have those under-ground shelters for this contingency?
C] I noticed that some homes advertise "Storm Windows" is this a good thing?

Tornados are pretty rare in central KY, not that they don't happen. Western KY sees a lot more. I don't think you pay extra for "tornado" insurance, it is just part of the coverage. Underground shelters are not common, because they aren't really needed. Storm windows are really for protecting windows from hail and for adding an extra layer of insulation. They are more common on older homes with windows that aren't insulated.


2] List most people not really use to high humidity [average here where we are] we worry that it may be too extreme? Is the super high humidity times just in mid summer mornings or a all-day affair?

Humidity is high. July and August are the only really bad months and it is pretty much all day then. You'll just have to accept that you will sweat if you do anything outside during those months.


3.] When it rains, is it like Florida, with quick short heavy burst, or are we talking all day rains?

Both. You'll get summer thunderstorms that pop up and rain hard for 20 minutes. You'll also have long, steady rain in the late winter and springtime.


4.] Lexington shows a higher than the national average crime rate. Is this more of a downtown issue or does it effect the outer area's too?

Downtown is actually very safe. Most of the crime occurs on the North/Northeast side of town. But just like every city, the middle class burbs will always have a lower crime rate.


5.] If any of you are off or on-road motorcycle/atv enthusiast, let me know if there is a decent dealer network in the area, as well as how is the riding area's. Are there a lot to choose from, or are they being legislated out of existence? I ask this question because I am currently the sales manager of a large multi-line dealership where I live, plus I am a enthuiast too! So this is important to me too.

Can't help here.


6.] I noticed after looking at lots of beautiful homes in the area, that a lot don't have garages. Why is that? I would think that would be a must.

That is surprising. Most newer homes (less than 30 years old) will have garages. The only neighborhoods that I can think of that wouldn't have garages would be the older houses close to downtown in Chevy Chase, Ashland, Gratz Park, South Hill... Anything in the suburbs will have a garage.


7.] I know that the area only get's a light smackling of snow each season, but does a home owner need a snowblower if they have a long driveway?

No, a snowblower would be a waste of money. I don't think I know anyone in Kentucky that owns one.

[lexingtongal]

I think the closest ATV riding area is around Livingston. It's about 1 - 1 1/2 hours south of Lex.
There is no extra charge for tornado coverage.
Storm windows are to keep out the cold in winter. They usually have 2 panes of glass and one screen. During the summer you "park" the lower glass pane behind the upper pane and pull down the screen.
Older homes generally have basements. No separate storm shelters in this area that I am aware of.
I am always surprised when people state we have a higher than average crime rate. I haven't looked into it myself (because I feel like I live in Mayberry) but on the Chamber of Lex website they have a stat listed that within the last several years Lex was listed as one of the top 5 safest cities? Personally I can think of areas to avoid and if you do so you won't have any concerns.
Other than lower end homes I don't know of many that don't have garages or at least carports (in some of the older neighborhoods).

[Kichenwich]

The reason we don't have garages is.......we gotta park our 4 wheelers and monster trucks out in the driveway to let the rain wash the mud off!!


Just kiddin'! See, when you move here, ya have to appreciate a good chuckle every now and then.

~joanna~

[DoubleBRanch]

1] Tornadoes?I know after researching the area tornadoes are not previlent, but obviously they do happen. Are smaller ones common?
We have been here two years and have had tornado warnings but never tornado damage. We are SW of Louisville where things are much cheaper.
A] How much does a home owner pay for extra Tornado insurance?
Our homeowners has tornado insurance built in and we pay about $1000 a year
B] Do homes have those under-ground shelters for this contingency?We have a basement in our home for such purposes
C] I noticed that some homes advertise "Storm Windows" is this a good thing?
I think they are just double hung or stronger windows
2] List most people not really use to high humidity [average here where we are] we worry that it may be too extreme? Is the super high humidity times just in mid summer mornings or a all-day affair?We came from Florida and the humidity is much lower here in KY

3.] When it rains, is it like Florida, with quick short heavy burst, or are we talking all day rains?We rarely get all day rains, usually just a line of thunderstorms rolls by rapidly west to east

4.] Lexington shows a higher than the national average crime rate. Is this more of a downtown issue or does it effect the outer area's too?I think all downtowns are about equal. You are better off living outside of the city like we do. We are about 1 hr SW of Louisville and that is the best way to live
5.] If any of you are off or on-road motorcycle/atv enthusiast, let me know if there is a decent dealer network in the area, as well as how is the riding area's. Are there a lot to choose from, or are they being legislated out of existence? I ask this question because I am currently the sales manager of a large multi-line dealership where I live, plus I am a enthuiast too! So this is important to me too.
Everyone has at least 1 ATV in our neighborhood, but us
6.] I noticed after looking at lots of beautiful homes in the area, that a lot don't have garages. Why is that? I would think that would be a must.We all have garages around here

7.] I know that the area only get's a light smackling of snow each season, but does a home owner need a snowblower if they have a long driveway?Just move to a neighborhood that has a lot of tractors. We haven't had to move any snow since moving here 2 years ago and I never missed a day of work because of it.

[K. Dunn]

Just wanted to say thank you to all of you who responded, you answered all my questions. I am sold on the area, my wife is too, now our only worry is that a lot of the elementary's and middle schools are getting low scores [your high schools fair much better though!] in the 1-5 rating with a occasional 9. Were kind of spoiled over here when it comes to schools, we live in a area with a school district rated in the top tier in CA, with all of our schools getting ratings in the 9-10 range [of course they should with how much we pay for houses over here!]. So you can probably understand our worries as good parents. Just want the best for our girls! Do any of you recommend a particular school in your area that is rated high with the parents? Inquiring minds want to know. We can't afford some high end private school, so we need a good rated public. We will heavily base our home buying area on those good school area's besides the usual other criteria.

Also wondering if you have any recommendations for home area's with at least a small amount of land around them that are affordable. I am talking about at least a 1/2 acre to 2 acres. We plan on coming out for a quick drive-around in October, so the more I can narrow it down, the better we can check it out efficiently. We plan on check out most of Northern and Eastern KY. Thanks again!

[DoubleBRanch]

I still say Breckinridge County is the best for schools and price of land. We don't have children but I know a couple who moved here from the military in Hawaii just for the high quality of schools. I feel like this is the best place for everything including weather and taxes.

[gotide4]

move to northern kentucky...the schools there a by far the best in the state as far as public and private grade schools and high schools. There are 22 high schools there and 19 of them are tremendous. The private schools are among the best in the nation particularly covington catholic. If public is what you want move to fort mitchell or fort thomas...the schools are the best as far as public goes. I recommend fort mitchell; fort thomas people come off as arrogant for no reasons...its a middle class town and compred to fort mitchell the homes are small and the town doesn't have the charm fort mitchell does. Nky is the best place to live in the state....people from different regions will say otherwise but they don't have the opportunity, the culture, the resteraunts, the white collar majority and the schools that nky does....you can live in a small town with a lot of land and have that country feel and only be 15 minutes from cincinnati and all it offers. Lexington is beautiful but no place has all that matches nky

[K. Dunn]

Hmmm, hadn't thought of that far north into Kentucky. Kind of neat how close you are to Ohio and Indiana. Someone like me might be forced to work in Cincinnati though to get a good job in my industry, how is the commute into or around that city? I will check it out.

Now Breckingridge county looks nice, might be a bit isolated from just looking at it on good ole' Google Earth, what is the nearest large city and how long does it take to get there? Just thinking for work reasons.

Thanks again for all the imput, this is great!

[DoubleBRanch]

Breckinridge is only 1 hour southwest of Louisville. There any many people who live here and commute to work every day. Brandenburg is where we shop and it is 20 minutes away, and Hardinsburg is the hub of the county where we also shop and it is only 13 miles from where we live. We live in northern Breckinridge county where the property and taxes are the cheapest and the land is beautiful. You get so you enjoy the peace and quiet. When we really want the city life, we go to Corydon, Indiana--about 30 minutes from us or Elizabethtown, which is maybe a little farther. It pays to live outside of the city for cost and low crime reasons.