My feelings about Minneapolis-St Paul! (St. Paul, Eagan: mortgage, big house, job market)

[lukeache]

Hi all:

I am considering moving out of Minneapolis-St Paul next year, but I am afraid of missing it. I just came back from Dallas, and although Dallas is a very nice city, I just get this feeling that there is no place in this country like the Twin Cities. I dont know how to explain but people here are so much nicer and way more civilized than people in most parts. I have lived in NM, AZ, CT, NY and TX and never felt so at home like here in Minnesota. Does anybody feel the same? It cant be just my imagination.

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by lukeache

Hi all:

I am considering moving out of Minneapolis-St Paul next year, but I am afraid of missing it. I just came back from Dallas, and although Dallas is a very nice city, I just get this feeling that there is no place in this country like the Twin Cities. I dont know how to explain but people here are so much nicer and way more civilized than people in most parts. I have lived in NM, AZ, CT, NY and TX and never felt so at home like here in Minnesota. Does anybody feel the same? It cant be just my imagination.

I moved away. Lived in multiple other metro areas. None of them felt right for me. I am now working on moving back as soon as possible. I can't wait to be "home" again.

[Moncriefjj]

I do think you're on to something. Why are you considering moving then, if you feel this way?

[lukeache]

Originally Posted by Moncriefjj

I do think you're on to something. Why are you considering moving then, if you feel this way?

First, taxes are too high here, in states like Texas, there is no income tax, so that would be an advantage! Also, I feel like the housing market here is way overpriced. To afford a nice home South of the River, we are talking about $250 K which I find very expensive for a "cookie cutter suburb". I have always felt that the job market here was OK, but we have been hard times finding good jobs at the professional level. I am starting to think that there are at least 10 major cities in this country with better job markets and lower cost of living. My fiance is a native Minnesotan and she is is sick of the winters here. Enough reasons to move out, I suppose?!

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by lukeache

First, taxes are too high here, in states like Texas, there is no income tax, so that would be an advantage! Also, I feel like the housing market here is way overpriced. To afford a nice home South of the River, we are talking about $250 K which I find very expensive for a "cookie cutter suburb". I have always felt that the job market here was OK, but we have been hard times finding good jobs at the professional level. I am starting to think that there are at least 10 major cities in this country with better job markets and lower cost of living. My fiance is a native Minnesotan and she is is sick of the winters here. Enough reasons to move out, I suppose?!

Until you have kids and realize that the schools in Texas are horrible. Having lived in a state with no income tax I now GLADLY pay our taxes in MN for the services/amenities/schools, etc. we have here.

You also have to consider that a home in Texas probably doesn't have a basement, doesn't have the weather-proofing materials we have and isn't generally as 'soundly' constructed as a MN home because they don't have the 150+° temp swings there.

The problem with a lot of younger kids these days is that they want that BIG house from the get go. Most of us "older" people didn't start living in our homes now, we started with a smaller home in more affordable areas and let our investment grow to the point where many of us have mortgage payments for our current homes that are not much more then our first mortgage on our dinky 900 sq foot homes we bought 15+ years ago. If you are in Eagan right now why not look in South St. Paul for your first home. You can easily fine a nicer, small home for under $150K. The resale on homes there is good and then in 5 or so years when you have kids and they are ready to start school, look in the suburbs. You will have a nice down payment to make on that larger family home.

[lukeache]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Until you have kids and realize that the schools in Texas are horrible. Having lived in a state with no income tax I now GLADLY pay our taxes in MN for the services/amenities/schools, etc. we have here..

I graduated from a high school in Texas and honestly, I do not think that I would have turned out much better if I went to a high school here in Minnesota. One thing they value in Texas is respect and we used to address teachers at my high school as "Sir" and "Ma'am". My fiance's son goes to Eastview and I am shocked by how rude and disrespectful these "upscale" kids are. Going to Eastview certainly did not get him into any Ivy League school, Eastview made him into a shallow and materialistic kid obssessed with money at 18 years old. Very disturbing.

The problem with a lot of younger kids these days is that they want that BIG house from the get go. Most of us "older" people didn't start living in our homes now, we started with a smaller home in more affordable areas and let our investment grow to the point where many of us have mortgage payments for our current homes that are not much more then our first mortgage on our dinky 900 sq foot homes we bought 15+ years ago. If you are in Eagan right now why not look in South St. Paul for your first home. You can easily fine a nicer, small home for under $150K. The resale on homes there is good and then in 5 or so years when you have kids and they are ready to start school, look in the suburbs. You will have a nice down payment to make on that larger family home.

I have tried to convince my fiance to move to St Paul, but she finds it "ghetto". Maybe we are spoiled by living in Eagan for all these years, but I totally understand what she means. Just dealing with Ramsey County or Hennepin County can be a hassle. It seems like as soon as you cross into city boundaries, everything changes. I go to some of the St Paul/Minneapolis parks and they dont take good care of their parks, also, everything is shadier in St Paul, I went to a SA last night and they ask you to prepay, that kind of stuff you never deal with living in this part of Eagan. Maybe we are spoiled and I dont know if that is a good or bad thing.!Anyways, we will see what happens!

[Moncriefjj]

If you think Texas is somehow less money-obsessed, less "ghetto" (whatever that means) or that Texas gas stations don't make people pre-pay (Minnesota is in the minority there nationwide), then.. well, then I don't really know what to say.

[conovercourt]

What makes St. Paul "ghetto"?

[kuan]

Originally Posted by conovercourt

What makes St. Paul "ghetto"?

Oh Rice Park, definitely Rice Park.

[Minnehahapolitan]

School should teach, the ones in Minnesota are some of the best at it. Respect can only be truely taught by parents. There are also different expectations of respect. Minnesotans don't feel obliged to call teachers Sir and Maam, but they still are respectful (no matter how spoiled they are).