Looking to Move Near Lexington, KY. (Louisville, Nicholasville: transplants, high crime, new house)

[homegym1980]

My wife and I are looking to buy some land near Lexington, KY. sometime within the next year, but we're not very familiar with the area. We plan to make a trip sometime this spring, and could use some advice on an area or areas to look at.

We want to be within an hours drive of a decent sized city (Like Lexington) with restaurants, movie theators, occasional theator performances, ect., but we don't want to live in a big city. We're in our thirties, and have no interest in the bar scene, or "Night Life."

Safety is a major concern, and we want to avoid any high crime or dangerous areas.

We're fairly conservative, and don't want to be in a college town or surrounded by liberals (We've been living in Austin, Tx and we've had enough of the hipsters and California transplants).

We want a large tract of land (around 10 to 20 acres) preferably with a small house, but we would be happy putting a trailer on our land until we could save up, and build later.

We would prefer to be just outside of a small to medium sized town with a grocery store, Super Walmart, (A gym would be great, but not a deal breaker by any means), ect. We are originally from Mississippi so living in an area with a strong Southern culture is familiar and welcome.

We don't have any kids, and don't have any plans to have any within the next 5 to 10 years, if ever, and our budget is between 60 to 100 thousand.

Thanks,

[censusdata]

To protect the horse farms from development Fayette and most surrounding counties have huge acreage requirements to build a new house, so that makes a 20 acre farm pretty expensive. I'd look in some of the further out communities like Harrodsburg, Lawrenceburg, Danville to the west or northern Scott county into Grant county to the North. Mount Sterling and Berea are also nice.

[CraigCreek]

If you don't enjoy the progressive college town scene, Berea and Danville will not be for you (though Berea has far more freeze-dried hippies than hipsters). However, each also has vibrant performing and creative arts which might interest you. While Bereans are probably more liberal than you appear to be, they also tend to be tolerant, broad-minded and accepting. Berea College's Seabury Gymnasium Center is open to local residents for use, and includes two large gyms, a weights room, a large indoor pool, racketball courts, etc., with a big focus on "wellness" and fitness. Danville's residents tend to be more preppy than are typical Bereans. Both places are lovely small towns, but each has its own distinct character.

Take a look at the map - Lexington is surrounded by a ring of smaller towns, some of which may suit you better. The land gets more wooded and hillier just north of Georgetown, just beyond Berea, and west of Danville, something which may or may not be relevant.

Do you want to farm, have a garden, have horses or cattle or goats or sheep or chickens or any combination of these critters? Fencing and shelter will be additional expenses if you plan to keep livestock...

[herbgal]

You might consider Northern Garrard County...it's a hidden jewel in my opinion. You are less than 30 minutes to either Lexington or Danville and both offer great "arts" and food. Grocery shopping if 10 minutes away in Nicholasville. Lake Herrington, a great golf course and plenty of hking areas are available.

Try searching for homes in Lancaster, KY 40444.

[PONYPULR]

Try doing a search for property at LBAR.com using your price range and acreage as requirements. That should give you an idea of where property in your range is available. Then check out a map for distances to towns and cities. Yes, land can get kinda "lumpy" in some areas! I gotta say, Walmart is in almost every town around here, and I've heard that it is their aim to have a store within 50 miles of everyone everywhere!!

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Would you like to live in a small Mayberry type town - Wilmore and Midway are much like that, or Versailles. Jessamine, Scott or Woodford Counties, are real close to Lexington also.

[Coffeeholical]

It sounds like you aren't 'set' on Lexington. You could alternatively look more towards Louisville- which has a MUCH more vibrant cultural scene (I have lived in Louisville/Lex). It won't be hard to find a house in taylorsville/fisherville with land and a house on the cheap and be within an even hours drive to downtown Louisville.

I think Nelson/Spencer county would be a good fit. You could be close to Bardstown (which is a GREAT small town- if you haven't visited, you may want to do so before locating too far away) and Louisville. It is still easy to get land out there and be a part of a small community.