Moving from Phoenix to Minneapolis (Minnetonka, Edina: wood floors, lease, low crime)

[Mouser]

kandj48,

I'll just pop in with a comment

Take a look at about 60 miles North or South
of the Metro also across the river into Western Wisconsin

You'll find pretty much the same in the Metro area as to why your leaving the valley just not on
the same scale, thats a few years down the road.

Cold Winters ! I spent my whole life on the frozen
tundra and every time it hits 110° + here I think back to the day's of -30° plus windchill and still
get that chill to my bone,However sometimes change is all a person needs

Best of luck on your New Life

[SlyFrog]

Originally Posted by Lindenin

It humors me how people can generalize like this. We're all narrowminded? really? None of us are nice?

It is not really all that helpful if a minority of the people in a city are nice.

Stereotypes are useful. I know, lord forbid, I am going against acceptance and tolerance training 101 here. But stereotypes often are generally correct, even if they do not apply to each given individual. They are useful, because I for one would prefer to live in an area where most people are open and relatively friendly, even if not everyone is, as opposed to a place where most people are crabby and sequestered into their 5 generation old family cliques, even if a few people are open and relatively friendly.

The fact that you can respond and say, "Not a single person is nice?," is a red herring in my opinion. No one wants to hunt for the people who might break the general rule.

Different areas do have different general personality and cultural types. Minnesotans, in my opinion, do generally tend to be a bit standoffish and narrowminded.

As a college professor of mine once said about the Swiss, "In Switzerland, you do not make friends, you inherit them." There is a little bit of that feeling in Minnesota as well.

[betsi100]

Why not judge people because of their driving? That is what Minnesotans do, judge you because you're "not from around here". I learned it from living here.

I was only trying to give Kandj some of my experiences as we are both experienced in living in Phoenix and now I live in Minneapolis. In my opinion, someone who is used to a large city with a variety of choices, a mild climate and people who are used to newcomers would not be happy in this frozen tundra with cliquish natives and ridiculous blue laws from dark ages. And as far as crime, wasn't Minneapolis nicknamed "Murdeapolis" a few years back?

[Minnehahapolitan]

Yes, the murder count in 1995 was over 90, now we have gone the most of the month of July without a murder. Phoenix had a murder for every 5800 people, Minneapolis had a murder for every 7900. By all measures, crime is substantially down in the city since Murderapolis. In your disdain for Minneapolis, you don't seem to recognize that. I can understand how you don't like the cold (I wouldn't call Phoenix mild), I am sorry you were not made to feel welcome. I feel terrible that you couldn't drink last Sunday. But good God, get the chip off your shoulder. Minneapolis is nationally recognized for its cultural amenities, its close knit communities and good quality of life. Kandj is already used to a large city with a variety of choices and "mild" climate. She wants out. She happens to want information on my cliquish, backwards, frozen tundra because she feels it will better suit her wants and needs. (Lastly, ya know why no one judges newcomers in Phoenix, because nobody is from Phoenix. Its called communal history, its part of adjusting to a new place)

[alex1lake]

we moved to MN from California. Weather in my opinion should not be a consideration, change of seasons is nice, you get away from unbearable heat. Humidity is tolerable, overall I like weather here better than CA, believe it or not.
Now, making friends is difficult. I did not find this to be the case in CA, people seem to be friendlier and easier to get along with there.

Also, consider taxes. I have heard that Wisconsin tax laws are a lot more friendly to retirees than are MN's.
If you like outdoors though, this is the place to be!

[kuan]

Originally Posted by betsi100

Moved to Minneapolis from Phoenix two years ago and am regretting it. Yes Phoenix has problems with immigrants and other issues but the culture here is hard to adjust to. The people are NOT nice, (I find that a joke). I find them to be standoffish, narrowminded. and difficult. I miss the retail and amenties in Phoenix, people who know how to drive on freeways and I'll take the dry heat over this humidity any day. Also, the homes are overpriced and the companies are very old school. Plan to return to the Valley soon.

I have the opposite experience, though I didn't come from Phoenix. I came from CA via IL. People are open minded, willing to help, and easy to befriend. My neighbor brought an extension cord over and offered me her power for two days when our power went out. The other day I went on a 20 mile run and was cramping at the end so some unknown guy on a bike stops and offers me some gatorade and offers to call someone.

You must be awfully smelly.

[kandj48]

Thanks forall your replys. Very helpful. Won't be moving to Minneapolis now! NO WAY.......I can't wait to check this place out. I'm really glad to hear that the winters are not as brutal as the media portrays. I realize you have some cold weather up there, but we have hell burning here in Phoenix. And it goes on and on and on. Air conditioning blows from March/April right through to November. Crime here is a serious issue. We currently live in an apartment, and I am seriously afaid every morning that my car won't be there when I leave for work. No garages at this complex. Crime is a very serious issue here. We're #1 in car thefts and identity theft. I had to have all of my records redacted from the County recoders office so I would have nothing on file that the whole world could see in just one click of a botton. My husband and I are both probation officers, and there is practicaly nothing we haven't seen. I have 23 years on, and he has 30. I'm 50 and he's a very healthy 59(almost to fanatical point), so we're not exactly codgers yet. We do need a vet's hospital since he was sent to Vietnam and is entitled to their services. I'm guesssing there is a fairly large one there. We don't mind the cultural diversity, we just disline the "invasion" we see here and the services they expect and receive at the taxpayers expense. We need interpreters for 1/2 of the clients we see or we often need to use the language line at $2.25 per minute. Who do you thinkis paying for this? WE ARE! Last week I had a lady say, You need more Spanish speakers working here so we don't have to wait so long." Need to get away from this. Now moving on from my major gripe....... could we afford Minnetonka or Mendota Heights. We have about $325,000 to spend. From looking at realtor sights, it seems in those places we'd be are at the bottom rung of our finacial status, but we're ok being the poor kids on the block. Just want safe. If you check out City Data. com, you'll find the stats on just about every city, town, village, etc. in the US. Great site, but a bit outdated. Ok, have to get ready to provide services to illegals and hope my car is out there! PS: I think we'll make friends in MN. Well, maybe not my husband.......he doesn't talk to much, and I don't think that would be an issue for him. Again, thank all of you.

[kandj48]

I am such a dumb@*%#!!!! My previous post IS on City Data. Just realized it while brushing my teeth. I guess my rant about illegal immigrants sidetracked me. So embarrassed.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Forget it, I love rants (kinda Freudian). This one reminded me about the Maricopa Sheriff. I wish we had one like him. I didn't get this sentence """""Won't be moving to Minneapolis now! NO WAY.......I can't wait to check this place out."""""" Now to actually answer your questions. I think 325,000 could get you a nice, respectable home in Minnetonka. It won't be a 4,000 sq. ft. house. Something prob. from the 1950's, a good sized rambler on a larger wooded lot. Can't help you with Mendota, not my area. Both cities are rediculously safe. There is a good sized VA on 54th and Minnehaha Ave. in Mpls. Don't know how good they are, and can't compare to other hospitals, but it is huge from the outside. Thank him for his service. Good luck.

[kandj48]

Again, I really appreciate your responses. I was kidding when I said we wouldn't consider Minneapolis for re-locating. Then I said, "No way" meaning we're definitely not going to eliminate Minneapolis. In fact, from the posts, it appears to be a great place, and I can't wait to check it out again. I was there several years ago, and I really sensed a vibe that doesn't exist in Phoenix. I like the neighborhood feel, almost like where I grew up in the New York City area. Yes, our Sheriff Joe is quite the character. He is really cracking down big time on the illegal immigrant problem since the feds essentially ignore it. He runs tight jails and doesn't buy into prisoners' whining and complaining. He is also very active in animal protection. Sheriff Joe is one of the redeeming factors of life in Phoenix. I'm glad we can find something in our price range that is suitable. I love those rambler-type houses built in the 50's. IMO, they're even better if the original bathroom and kitchens are kept intact. I also love the fireplaces I see on the real estate sites. And the walk-out concept is very appealing. We don't have anything like that here. Minneapolis is looking real good.