Mazomanie (Madison, Middleton, Monona: apartment, how much, buying a house)

[erinuncool]

Hello!

So my husband and I moved to Madison about a year and a half ago. We were able to come because of a job transfer, and we've never been happier.

Our plan was to live in an apartment for a year or two, scope out the area for decent neighborhoods, and then start the house buying process.

He works in Middleton, about 2 or 3 miles away from our apartment. I work in Middleton from August-January and Monona from January-September. I absolutely love both of the jobs I have and don't want to give either of them up!

We were originally looking in the Midvale Blvd area until a few weeks ago when we talked about what we really want in a house. We both agreed that there is no way we can afford living in Madison and still be happy. We both want to have a large yard, and that is hard to come by in this area (within our price range, anyway...). So we started looking in Cross Plains and Black Earth. But then I went even further and started looking in Mazo. The houses there are really appealing to me and seem to have lots of character.

My concerns are the commute and I was also wondering if there is much to DO in Mazo. Where we lived before we moved to Madison, there was hardly anything to do and it really depressed us (and we didn't even realize it till we moved here, where there's tons to do.)

I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on the town, especially if you commute to Middleton or Madison every day...I just want to know how it is in the winter and how terrible traffic is. My main concern is the commute I would face when going all the way out to Monona...my job doesn't pay very well but I love it and would hate to give it up.

We really enjoy going downtown, and I realize we wouldn't do that much if we moved, which is another thing that I'm kind of on the fence about.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Just looking at the houses there compared to here seems like a much smarter choice, but with commute time/gas/mileage, I'm not so sure.

[ranger17]

we lived in a northern sub for 20+ years, 17 of which my wife drove the beltline to work ( her office was off Todd Dr ). That drive, or at least the portion on the beltline, was brutal at times. Especially in winter. I bring that up as you will spend part of your winter commute on it going to Monona. It can be dealt with, just a heads up on it. I don't think trying to sneak thru town would be any better. But Mazo to Monona can be a trip each day in winter.
Though we lived in Deforest, we made many trips downtown. Whether to the farmers market at the square, the zoo, etc so that never really bothered us. We have friends out in the Black Earth/Mazo area that like it out there so you should be able to find a nice spot.
Oh, as for something to do in Mazo, there is a "special" beach out there... I remember my surprise canoeing down the river years ago and....

[erinuncool]

Haha, that's funny about the "special" beach...oooh have I heard stories about that.

As far as the beltline goes, I drive from Middleton to Monona every day right now, and it's not bad (for me), but I'm more concerned about the drive before I get into town, especially in the winter. I just don't know what the volume of traffic will be like or how much the plows stay on top of things. I'm assuming it would be alright, with all the people going into town for work, but I really have no idea.

Thanks for your input on going into town from DeForest. I just want to make sure we still have a life and DO things if we move that far away, so it helps to hear that people still do get into town when living further away.

[pjoseph2]

Erin, You will have to make up your mind about whether you'd like to live in the city or the country You have a good understanding of the pros and cons of both.

Have done both (city limits in Madison, country in So Cal) and enjoyed the city better. Your mileage will vary

[ranger17]

^^ good point. Many of us can give our opinion on which is better, but that really only affects ourselves. Pick where "living" makes you the most happy, and then deal with and accept anything that comes up positive or negative.

[suestark]

You might want to check out New Glarus. It is an amazingly easy and beautiful drive (just pick up hwy 69 out of Verona and you will be there in about 15-20 minutes.) It is a very nice town and a very easy commute (not much traffic). It would be well worth a weekend road trip to check it out. Oh by the way prices are amazing too.

[nanannie]

I also would give a thumbs up to New Glarus. My daughter moved there and she commutes, it is a lovely drive. Also, they have a very nice home they could not have afforded in Madison or Dane County. Really cute town.

[Nala8]

Try googling "One Cool Small Town: Mazomanie, Wisconsin." Along with it's "special" beach (lol), Mazo is also becoming known as a haven for artists. Art galleries, dance studio, restaurant, library, gatherings for musicians, etc. I've had my eye on Mazo ever since I decided to move back to Madison. Hope this helps.

[erinuncool]

UPDATE:

So we ended up buying a house out in Mazo...and we are really excited about it! Should be a good time. Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I'll be back to let you know how it goes.

[Nala8]

Originally Posted by erinuncool

UPDATE:

So we ended up buying a house out in Mazo...and we are really excited about it! Should be a good time. Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I'll be back to let you know how it goes.

Good for you. Please write back after you get settled in. As I prepare to move back to Madison, I've still got my eye on Mazo--either as a place to live one day or as a getaway. Wishing you the best...