Moving Help - near Minneapolis Airport (Bloomington, Plymouth: affordable houses, neighborhoods, good schools)

[MSProcks]

Hi.

I am considering a move to the Minneapolis metro.

Where: 20 minutes or less from Minneapolis Airport. I would be working on the northwest side of the airport (not where Lindbergh terminal is) meaning it is likely I will live west of the airport.
Budget: 300,000-500,000
Size: 2,000-3,500 square feet

What I want is a house close to MSP airport, that is in a safe and quiet area. I don't need to be close to lots of entertainment/bars as we are not big party people. I would love to be close downtown Minneapolis for sports but it is not important.

I've looked at houses near Lake Calhoun/Harriet/Nokomis on MLS and I've noticed that the prices are really high for generally small and dated houses (at least within my budget). Is this area nice and safe?

I like the idea of a house with a backyard and some of the suburbs seem to fit the bill within my budget.

Being near good schools is somewhat important as we will likely have kids some day.

In the future, my wife may be looking at a job at Abbott, but because this would be down the road, it isn't a huge priority to be near it, but it's something to keep in mind.

I appreciate all the help in finding a good place we could move to.

[Mark_22]

Lake Calhoun/Harriet and to a lesser extent Nokomis are all considered very desireable neighborhoods and are safe. I'd put Nokomis a notch below because of the airport noise, though all of these areas will have airport noise. Property taxes are high in Minneapolis proper. The western suburbs (perhaps Wayzeta or Plymouth) might fit most of what you're looking for (i.e. good schools, big yards, within your budget, square footage) but would be more than 20 minutes away.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

I'd look in Southwest Minneapolis and Bloomington. You should be able to find a decent place in your price range in those two areas and you'll be close to the airport. You get less house for your money in Southwest Minneapolis because it's one of the more desirable places to live in the metro area. It gets less expensive the further away you get from the lakes. The neighborhoods near Minnehaha Parkway are also really nice and are worth checking out.

[golfgal]

Eagan, Apple Valley and Rosemount would all be good suburbs to look into. Be cautious in Eagan for airport noise but you will be able to tell quite easily if that is an issue. Many spots in S. Minneapolis have the same issue so be on the watch for that there too. AV and Rosemount are all easy hops to the airport with minimal traffic and just a little further to Abbot. You will also be able to find a nice house in your price range in all those areas.

[uptown_urbanist]

Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun are going to be more expensive, and farther from the airport (great neighborhoods, but your money won't get you as much there). Nokomis is a great bet and has much more affordable houses, just make sure to look into airport noise. It can vary by specific location. And if you pick a neighborhood near the light rail you'll have extremely easy access to downtown when you want a night out or head to a Twins game. With your budget you should be able to find something quite nice in one of those areas; I agree with Slig's advice to check out the places along Minnehaha Parkway in particular. The areas around there are quiet but with some neighborhood businesses/cafes, and safe. They'll all have yards, and you shouldn't have any trouble finding something in your size range, but if you're looking for big and modern then you'll probably have to go the suburbs. (you can find updated and in good shape in the city for that price, but you're not likely to find things like attached garages, etc., if that's what you're looking for.)