Getting divorce, looking at J-town area - question (Louisville, Jeffersontown: renting, condo)

[workingmom99]

Hi - I'm getting a divorce. I currently live in Simpsonville, but I work in Versailles. I was considering moving to Versailles, but am now also considering moving a bit farther away from work since by moving toward Louisville I'll have family who can care for my young son while I work. As good of a reason as any to extend a commute, right?!

Anyway, I don't want to go too far out. Right now, it takes me about 10 minutes to get from my house in Simpsonville to I-64. And then another 35 minutes on the interstate and US-60 to get to work in Versailles.

The way I look at it, if I opt for J-town, or even possibly Middletown, I will only be adding about 10 minutes to my commute, since 10 minutes of my current time is spent driving from the interstate to my house. So, that said, I'm saying that the part of J-town near the Synder freeway (and possibly Middletown, but haven't timed that exit to take into consideration the traffic patterns at rush hour) is only about 55 minutes from Versailles. I can accept that as a commute time in exchange for excellent childcare for my child.

Now, finally, my question - what subdivisions in that area of J-town should I consider? I know there are several around the Snyder exit for J-Town/Taylorsville Rd. but not sure which is best and which is in my price range, or if there is somewhere else I should be looking.

I am looking for a house no more than $250,000 and preferrably closer to $225,000. I have one child, a toddler, who is still a few years away from school. But excellent schools - or the option for excellent private schools - is definitely important to me.

As for the type of living, I would like a typical suburban environment. A nice sized yard, but not huge (nothing over a 1/2 acre) and houses not too close together. I don't like the subdivions where neighbor's homes back up to your own and you see everyone's every activity in their backyard. I would prefer a barrier such as large trees or homes that back up to an undeveloped area instead. (for instance, the homes in Plainview back up to each other, but the trees are large and you can't see the person behind you all the time.)

Any suggestions on where to consider and stay within that 55 minute to 1 hour commute to Versailles? This basically means that the house I choose would need to be within a 5-minute drive to an entrance to the Snyder or I-64, and couldn't be farther west than the Hurstbourne exit off of I-64 and no farther out than the J-town/Taylorsville Rd. exit on the southbound Snyder, and no farther north than the Middletown/U.S. 60 exit off the northbound Snyder.

Thanks!

[Off Topic]

Wow, that's quite a commute! I'd be looking for ways to cut 10 minutes off that ride rather than add 10 minutes on to it.

Anyway, what about the Eastwood area? Still nice and rural, but being built up with some nice subdivisions and it's an easy ride into Middletown for whatever you need. A straight shot into Simpsonville and an entrance to 1-64.

Finchville is also very, very nice and about the same ride. More rural than subdivisions, however, but there are still some there.

[workingmom99]

Thanks for the input! I, too, would like to cut 10 minutes off the drive, but I am used to commutes. I lived in a large metro area for many years and used to commute two hours each way to work. 55 minutes in non-traffic is a piece of cake in comparison!

And, the reason I would do this is to have my mom nearby in order to babysit my son each day that I'm at work. At the present time, she's driving from her own house near Preston Street to Simpsonville each day to do it, but I can't ask her to drive all the way to Versailles to do it. She would do it, but I won't ask. That's much too far. I'd rather that I do the extra driving than my 68-year-old mom. And staying in Simpsonville isn't an option because we have to sell our house and I'm not that crazy about being here as a single mom. There's nothing going on in the evenings/weekends in this town. I want to be closer to good schools for my son, too, when he's old enough. This county's school system leaves lots to be desired.

My mom wants to sell her house and move closer to me, too. Her neighborhood has gone downhill and she wants out, and would like to buy a condo near me. Again, the Simpsonville condo options are slim, so if I move to Jefferson County she'll have more options, too.

I will look into Eastwood. That's not a bad idea. I like Long Run Woods, I think it's called, too. But not sure if that price range will work there.

[Off Topic]

Yeah, I actually drove from Eastwood to Simpsonville tonight to have dinner at Claudia Saunders and looked around for you a little. Most of the new subdivisions in that area are out of your price range. (And mine!) There was an affordable subdivision on the outer western rim of Simpsonville, but I completely understand why you would not want to live in Simpsonville.

Even in Eastwood you'd be semi-isolated. I live in that area and love it, but I'm an old geezer whose clubbing days are long behind him. Not sure if I'd have been happy in this area if I were in my 20's or even 30's.

If you go back Long Run Road past Long Run Park, almost to the end of the road just before it crosses over Aiken, there is a brand new subdivision advertising ranch homes starting in the 220,000's. So they are there if you look for them.

I come home through Jeffersontown down Taylorsville Road, and once you get past the Gene Snyder X-Way, there are no more subdivisions of note that I can remember. It gets real rural after that. (Again, in your price range -- Dunbar Estates is a great subdivision, but it's 5 acre lots with huge houses.)

[workingmom99]

Thanks for the scouting! I appreciate it. There is Saratoga Woods right there near the Gene Snyder. But their price range starts right about where mine ends - at $250K! But if I could get a deal on one of the couple in my range, we might have a possibility. Again, however, they back up to each other for the most part and I simply hate that lack of privacy. And five acres...well, we have more than that now and I really can't envision myself cutting that much grass on my own!

I saw a few on realtor.com that looks interesting. Subdivisions between The Snyder and Ruckriegal Parkway, so still pretty close to the Snyder. Not sure how bad traffic backs up on that road in the mornings and evenings, however. The few times I've driven west on I-64 at evening rush hour I have always seen a big line of cars waiting to get onto the southbound Snyder. Not sure how it is on Taylorsville Road in that area at that time of day.

Oh, my clubbing days are behind me, too. But I still want to be around other people and not totally rural, as it is where I live now.

[Off Topic]

Finding something in a subdivision in that price range with at least 5 acres in Jefferson County is going to be a huge challenge.

Going south on the Gene Snyder at 5 PM is a total mess. It's backed up every day. Taylorsville Road is hardly ever backed up in rush hour, other than the normal delays. In fact, I usually drive home on Taylorsville Road to Eastwood rather than take the expressway. It's probably the same time involved, but way less traffic and nicer views.

[gocards1289]

Originally Posted by workingmom99

Thanks for the scouting! I appreciate it. There is Saratoga Woods right there near the Gene Snyder. But their price range starts right about where mine ends - at $250K! But if I could get a deal on one of the couple in my range, we might have a possibility. Again, however, they back up to each other for the most part and I simply hate that lack of privacy. And five acres...well, we have more than that now and I really can't envision myself cutting that much grass on my own!

I saw a few on realtor.com that looks interesting. Subdivisions between The Snyder and Ruckriegal Parkway, so still pretty close to the Snyder. Not sure how bad traffic backs up on that road in the mornings and evenings, however. The few times I've driven west on I-64 at evening rush hour I have always seen a big line of cars waiting to get onto the southbound Snyder. Not sure how it is on Taylorsville Road in that area at that time of day.

Oh, my clubbing days are behind me, too. But I still want to be around other people and not totally rural, as it is where I live now.

I'd check out Stone Lakes, which is off Taylorsville Rd just inside of the Gene Snyder. Its right across from a nice, relatively new shopping center anchored by a Kroger and several restaurants (I think a Beef OBrady's might be there?).
The homes themselves are mostly around 10 yrs. old or so I think and you should be able to find some in the lower $220's in there.
You mentioned Saratoga Woods and right across Old Heady Rd. from there is a smaller subdivision (I think its called Dove Run?) which should be in your price range; once again most of the homes are around 10 years old.
Regarding traffic Taylorsville shouldn't be too bad around there and Stone Lakes is within a 5 minute drive from the I-265/I-64 junction. But getting onto 64W from the Snyder can be a pain and 64W routinely is a slow go from around Hurstbourne Pkwy all the way into downtown. However you mentioned you're commuting to Versailles so that won't be an issue for you but there's lots of road work on 64E from the Snyder into Shelby County that's been slowing things down lately.

I should add that if you re-located to the Eastwood/Long Run area (and really the Fisherville area as well) you'd have a longer commute than from the east side of Jeffersontown; Eastwood is several miles off of the Gene Snyder and if you'd have to a fair amount of backtracking or go all the way to Simpsonville to access I-64E. Not to mention the traffic can be a pain on US 60 between Eastwood and the Gene Snyder compared to Taylorsville Rd.

[Off Topic]

Originally Posted by gocards1289

I should add that if you re-located to the Eastwood/Long Run area (and really the Fisherville area as well) you'd have a longer commute than from the east side of Jeffersontown...

That's an interesting point. Most of the subdivisions you might be interested in are back off Shelbyville Road or Taylorsville Road proper. It almost takes me 10 minutes to just to get to Shelbyville Road from the Long Run Park area. Small, winding country roads.

[workingmom99]

good points, thanks! It sounds like I'm much better off sticking closer to the snyder. I haven't driven that stretch of shelbyville road/u.s. 60 during morning rush hour, but I know it's cloggy at evening rush hour when I've gone that way in the late afternoon after visiting the local malls.

thanks again for all the input.

[workingmom99]

Just spotted this old post of mine. Goodness, things change! I went through my divorce, and ended up renting a home in St. Regis Park. Easy access to I-64. But the commute was an hour long and was horrific, so I landed a new job in Louisville about a year later. That was much better!

Of course, life changes, now I've recently remarried and we're about to start looking for a new house.