Louisville relo wishlist- input, please! (St. Matthews, Bardstown: apartment, rent, townhouse)

[HIF]

I am considering a move to Louisville and love the energy of downtown, which is where I would be working. I will not be selling my home in FL, so will rent for at least a year.

What areas would have the following (I always go for having it all, but would settle for having most!) In order of importance:

good public schools- middle & high
ethnically diverse and socially liberal neighborhood
close proximity to downtown- closer the better
monthly rent for 3/2 house/townhouse/apartment- $1600-$2000
as close to river or other water as possible

[kimmieyky]

hereinfla - I wish I was ther and you were here! You are where MY heart is!!!

But, to answer your question - you need to hit the Highlands area off of Bardstown road. The public high school in the area is Atherton, a 'magnet' school which graduates exceptional students. I am not sure about middle and elemantary, but they must be wonderful also to produce the students of Atherton.

In that general area, you will find older homes , some of which have been converted into duplexes, and are extremely large. Additionally, if you check into the Cherokee Triangle area (extremely close to downtown) you will find beautiful homes as weel, along with the duplexes and aprtment complexes which have been converted from older homes.

The following are two sites which should help with the area. Do not be afraid of the 'keep louisville weird' sign. There is a section of the highlands which caters to young, outgoing 'yuppies' and is culterally diverse. In the midst, you will also find the 'old money familes' closer to the Cherokee park area. If you can imagine it - it is there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Highlands_(Louisville)

http://kwhighlands.yourkwoffice.com/home

http://wikitravel.org/en/Louisville (general info - colleges included)

http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Schools/High/Atherton/

Hope this helps!

By the way - where is your home in Florida? Will you be renting it while you are away? Just curious....
KimmieyKy

[HIF]

Great info- thanks. Highlands looks very good.

It's just dipped into the 40s here and I am ready for a fire in my fireplace, so I am trying to decide if I am up for snow.

I am in Jacksonville and will be renting out my property, as I have family here and it is in an area that will only go up. I moved from south Florida a few years ago- Lighthouse Point- and have kicked myself that I sold down there, as it recently sold for three times what I got for it.

Thank you again for the great links and the comments re: schools, etc. Oh, and when I was up there last fall, I liked the "Keep Louisville Weird" t-shirts, etc. I need a little weird!

[highliner]

The area around Lyndon/St. Matthews is also excellent, and considerably more affordable than The Highlands or Crescent Hill/Clifton. Give this end of Jefferson county a look. You just might be pleasantly surprised!