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Old 09-26-2011, 08:45 PM
 
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So, my husband may be relocated... I grew up in Florida, currently living in Atlanta. (He is originally from Wisconsin.). Needless to say i am slightly nervous about the long cold dark winters. Looking for some insight (and any encouragement for me) on where might be a good area to live and for our 6 year old to go to school and we also have a very large dog. His office would be in Bloomington, but we are not really suburbia people so thinking maybe a reverse commute?? Not opposed to renting for a while to familiarize ourselves. Any thoughts would be appreciated... Thanks!
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Old 09-26-2011, 11:57 PM
 
Location: St Paul
7,713 posts, read 4,724,266 times
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1st...Use the search feature on this forum. No offense, but this same post is made here about 3 times a week.

Lecture over, now some Minnesota nice for ya Welcome!!! Commuting South from Minneapolis to Bloomington will not be a problem, nor will good schools & activities for your 6 year old in Minneapolis proper. SW Mpls is going to be your #1 option as the schools are fantastic, very safe, lot's going on for families, etc. That said, having personally shopped it 1.5 years ago for rentals it's not a great place for a family to rent. Too much competition, too little inventory leads to overpricing, especially for bigger family's like mine. Next, moving Eastward along the edge of "The Crosstown" (Highway 62) you'll encounter Fulton, Diamond Lake, Hale & other nice areas as you move towards the Nokomis area of Mpls which is closer to the airport, still very safe, good schools, a little less "exclusive" & logically, more affordable.

Hope this helps...
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Old 09-27-2011, 05:27 AM
 
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South or Southwest Minneapolis probably fit your criteria best if you're looking for the reverse commute. Most people probably would find Southwest-area public schools better than some in the south (though, to be honest, I think there's more discussion of the quality of schools once kids get a bit older and typically people on here don't do much complaining about the elementary school quality), but Southwest is going to come at a higher price. That said, I'm sure you could find some excellent deals too.

One thing to ask is about your living preferences. You said you don't want suburbia. Naturally, that's going to point people toward Minneapolis when they make suggestions. But much of South/Southwest Minneapolis is "suburban-esque" with mostly single-family homes and fairly car-reliant. Is that fine by you? It certainly isn't cookie-cutter with cul-de-sacs, but you'll have to go quite a bit further into the city before you get a truly dense/urban feel.
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Old 09-27-2011, 09:27 AM
 
Location: Tampa, FL- For NOW
776 posts, read 1,057,554 times
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Now that most of the housing options are out of the way, lets talk about fun.....

I am actually from the Minneapolis area and might I suggest one more thing, if you want to slow it down a bit, get a little newer home with some space and still have great schools, consider Aplle Valley. It is a little further from DT MLPS (about 20min) but you will have more of a family community there, small town feel, lots of everyday ammenities (target, wal mart, shopping dining, car care etc) you will get much more for your money and you are only about 10 minutes from Mall of America.

We are actually in the debate right now between movnig back to Minneapolis area or Tampa Fl. We are currently in Washington DC. I grew up in MN as i mentioned and lived there for 25 years. IT can be fearfully brutal. Constant below zero temps, scrappnig ice off your window for 30 minutes every morning, shoveling every day and going in sopping wet and sore, never being able to breath because it hurts your lungs, getting stuck in traffic in a snow storm or worse yet, stuck in the ditch, having gray skys for 6 months, pushing your shopping cart through 4 inches of slush to get it to your car, alwyas having wet socks, dirty crappy roads for 6 months, winterizing your home every year, hoping your battery in your car doesnt freeze and that it will start, I could go on with bnegatives about living in MN, but how about this...... So that people dont think i am a MN hater

MN is beautiful, the people are mostly super friendly, it is a slwoer pace of life, the crops are good to eat, they have black dirt in the ground that you can actually grow things in, they will never run out of water, the air quality is great, they have great lakes for fishing and activities, the downtown MSP areas are full of things to do, fesitvals, pro sports, arts, culture, clubs, entertainment in genreal inMSP is good. If you are affraid fo the snow and cold, maybe just SMACK IT IN THE MOUTH and take up skiing, or snowboarding snowmobiling, or join an activity group. But if you are like me and most of the rest of Minnesotans you will hibernate in you home for 6 months and awaken 12 pounds heavier each april 15th. LOL,

Honestly, it is no paradise in MN, We have family back there or Id never consider moving back. Not that it is a terrible place, just not the type of climate for me. I like to enjoy my surrounding 12 months a year. But if you can get into winter activites then you may love it. Good luck to you both and I hope you ejoy whatever you decide, Message me anytime for more info.
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Old 09-27-2011, 09:54 AM
 
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As far as winter/cold (and building a little on rtloucks comments):

(a) Get a place with a garage...preferably insulated and (ideally, but may or may not be possible) attached. That eliminates scraping your windows in the morning and hoping your car will start.

(b) Try out winter sports. Cross-country skiing is my favorite. You can do it alone or with friends, there should be plenty of trails around, and its generally free after the initial investment of buying boots and skiis and such (which is not that expensive anyways). Its also a great way to keep in shape and you warm up pretty quickly doing it.

IMHO, its windy days that are much worse than just straight up cold. Its the wind that takes your breath away. On the other hand, when its not windy, put on your Columbia coat and a pair of thick Sorel boots and get outside. A walk in the crisp air with the snow crunching beneath your feet and the sun sparkling out of the blue sky and off the snow-covered trees can be great...even if its 10 below*!



*really, I'm not kidding...although it probably sounds crazy if you've spent most of your live in above-freezing states!
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Old 09-27-2011, 10:16 AM
 
Location: MN
1,669 posts, read 6,220,453 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rtloucks View Post
having gray skys for 6 months
Gray Skies for 6 months?

Sunny, Mostly Sunny, and Partly Sunny days for this past February = 16 out of 28... possibly more if it the sun came out on a day that it also snowed.

History : Weather Underground
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Old 09-27-2011, 12:06 PM
 
10,629 posts, read 26,660,945 times
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Apple Valley is ULTRA suburban. Wouldn't bother with that, if you're not a person who appreciates modern suburbia.

Bloomington itself may have some sufficiently "un-suburban" areas. Your best will probably be south Minneapolis, though.

Depending where in Bloomington, places like Linden Hills (more of a small-town feel, so not urban, but very compact, walkable, and with lots of beautiful older homes) could be appealing, or perhaps 50th and France on the border of Edina/Minneapolis; those areas would be convenient for some portions of Bloomington.

My favorite very non-suburban area of Minneapolis is Uptown, which I think is wonderful for both kids and for dogs.

Last edited by uptown_urbanist; 09-27-2011 at 01:33 PM..
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Old 09-27-2011, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Columbus OH
1,606 posts, read 3,332,231 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rtloucks View Post
IT can be fearfully brutal. Constant below zero temps (Well for maybe a week during the winter), scrappnig ice off your window for 30 minutes (not if you have a garage, and even without a garage, I doubt its 30 minutes, or every morning) every morning, shoveling every day (We get snow every day? Where did you live? The UP? Buffalo??) and going in sopping wet and sore, never being able to breath because it hurts your lungs (Breathing cold air does hurt when its 15 below or colder, but, again, how often does this really happen) getting stuck in traffic in a snow storm or worse yet, stuck in the ditch, having gray skys for 6 months, pushing your shopping cart through 4 inches of slush to get it to your car, alwyas having wet socks, dirty crappy roads for 6 months, winterizing your home every year, hoping your battery in your car doesnt freeze and that it will start, I could go on with bnegatives about living in MN, but how about this...... So that people dont think i am a MN hater
I don't disagree that you have some valid issues, but it bugs me when folks exaggerate winter's coldness!!
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Old 09-27-2011, 08:07 PM
 
Location: Twin Cities
302 posts, read 724,523 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MplsTodd View Post
I don't disagree that you have some valid issues, but it bugs me when folks exaggerate winter's coldness!!

I agree!! I moved to Minnesota from Southern California (I grew up and lived my entire life in CA until my mid-30's), and have NO regrets! All the pluses make up for the longer winter. Yes...winter can get long but MOST Minnesotans make the most of it and there is always plenty to do even in the winter. Life here does not stop because it's cold out. I much prefer to put on a few extra layers of clothes than have to deal with unbearable heat....and 100 degree Christmas's (yuck).

The quality of life here is excellent in all aspects...the people are great...the schools are wonderful...I think housing is very reasonable (I'm from L.A. though...) Give it a chance!
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Old 09-29-2011, 03:22 PM
 
Location: Birmingham, AL
178 posts, read 369,159 times
Reputation: 68
Quote:
Originally Posted by rtloucks View Post
..MN is beautiful, the people are mostly super friendly, it is a slwoer pace of life ..
I agree with the former part. MN is beautiful! I think most of the US is beautiful.
People.. super friendly ? .. err? Many are very helpful though. But there's a distinction. The OP might want to read other threads about the 'friendliness' of native MNs. I am not from this country and I can only speak from what I see. I first lived in Boston. People from other states generally called the people there mass-holes, for what they were. I found Boston to be relatively friendlier than MPLS, MN. May be its just me, but I tend to agree with many other people on the forums about the coldness they feel from people around here.
And, the pace of I life, I have always believed it to be relative.
Just my two pence.
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