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Hopkins would be one, and central/east Bloomington would be two. I can't think of a third off the top of my head, but my knowledge is mainly in the SW quarter of the metro.
Oh. Long Lake probably qualifies.
Central/East Bloomington have the same problems that typically come with a contingent comprised of a low-income socio-economic class. Petty crime, etc. All schools have some element of petty crime, but the instance is higher when you get into low-cost neighborhoods in large metro areas. Threfore, Central/E.Bloom fails.
Hopkins also fails due to real estate prices.
Why don't you tell OP how long it takes to get from Long Lake to MPLS in rush hour during the middle of a typical TC winter. Also, this is not a suburb - fail.
Last edited by nrogers1122; 07-29-2012 at 11:11 PM..
Last post of the night. As an example of what I've been saying about mid-sized towns, check out this listing in Urbandale, IA. Unlike many of the towns you've been hearing about, this actualy is a suburb of Des Moines (not just a small town in a thirty mile radius).
The Northerner---Anoka Schools are ok, not great, but certainly not North Minneapolis either. The issue there is the continual lack of support from the community and major funding issues for 20+ years. They have had to close several schools over the years, eliminate programs and they just aren't as good as they could be. You could live in neighboring districts for the same cost and have much better schools. Good students are still going to do fine, they could just do better at the Mounds View district "next door" for example.
If you want affordable suggestions in the north metro, I would look at New Brighton or areas in the Mounds View school district. It's continually rated one of the top districts in the state. New Brighton is an older suburb but still well maintained and the housing stock really hasn't turned over so the population is older, retired people, which usually leads to better kept up yards/houses, etc. Downside, there won't be as many kids on your block as you will find in other places.
The reality is, if you want to be comfortable, not have to worry about every penny you spend, you won't want to spend more than $200,000 on a house, less if you are in Minneapolis with their very high taxes even. Finding a move in ready house in a good district is going to be a bit of a challenge, maybe involve buying a short sale or foreclosure, but if you are patient you can find what you are looking for. You increase your chances of finding what you want the farther you move from the metro area, however, like you assumed, probably only 30 minutes or so.
You are fortunate that your careers are easily transferred and you don't have to work in Minneapolis. You can find one of these further out suburbs, most of which have a clinic or a hospital--or both, so your daily commute will be nothing yet you are still an easy distance to go to a Twins Game or drive to the airport, etc.
nrogers--enough with the suggestions for places in Iowa. They don't want to move there. They have their own list. If they ask for IA suggestions, feel free to post those on the IA board.
The Northerner---Anoka Schools are ok, not great, but certainly not North Minneapolis either. The issue there is the continual lack of support from the community and major funding issues for 20+ years. They have had to close several schools over the years, eliminate programs and they just aren't as good as they could be. You could live in neighboring districts for the same cost and have much better schools. Good students are still going to do fine, they could just do better at the Mounds View district "next door" for example.
If you want affordable suggestions in the north metro, I would look at New Brighton or areas in the Mounds View school district. It's continually rated one of the top districts in the state. New Brighton is an older suburb but still well maintained and the housing stock really hasn't turned over so the population is older, retired people, which usually leads to better kept up yards/houses, etc. Downside, there won't be as many kids on your block as you will find in other places.
The reality is, if you want to be comfortable, not have to worry about every penny you spend, you won't want to spend more than $200,000 on a house, less if you are in Minneapolis with their very high taxes even. Finding a move in ready house in a good district is going to be a bit of a challenge, maybe involve buying a short sale or foreclosure, but if you are patient you can find what you are looking for. You increase your chances of finding what you want the farther you move from the metro area, however, like you assumed, probably only 30 minutes or so.
You are fortunate that your careers are easily transferred and you don't have to work in Minneapolis. You can find one of these further out suburbs, most of which have a clinic or a hospital--or both, so your daily commute will be nothing yet you are still an easy distance to go to a Twins Game or drive to the airport, etc.
nrogers--enough with the suggestions for places in Iowa. They don't want to move there. They have their own list. If they ask for IA suggestions, feel free to post those on the IA board.
This (save the last bit) is basically what I've been saying all along; decent schools, somewhat affordable housing (emphasize somewhat) - but he has to sacrifice the comfort of living in a true suburb with a short commute. However, I doubt that OP would be considering 200k - maybe more like 170k, just in case he winds up needing to take a weekday job somewhere down the line. NB/MV are both good places, but again - finding affordable housing in this area is STILL a challenge and the commute is pretty bearish from there.
And I'll continue to post IA suggestions if I feel it would benefit. Maybe not on this thread because I've pretty well exhausted the topic, but its pretty clear that OP isn't considering all the options; and its pretty obvious that Des Moines is a perfect fit for what he is looking for. But whatever - I've sold the idea, and if OP wants to shut doors for his family, there's nothing more I can do.
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nrogers1122
Central/East Bloomington have the same problems that typically come with a contingent comprised of a low-income socio-economic class. Petty crime, etc. All schools have some element of petty crime, but the instance is higher when you get into low-cost neighborhoods in large metro areas. Threfore, Central/E.Bloom fails.
Hopkins also fails due to real estate prices.
My parents live near Hopkins, and I used to live in East Bloomington. Both are good and safe places to live, and the Hopkins schools (at least) are mainly populated with Minnetonka kids. *I* went to Hopkins schools. Your assumptions are at least partially misplaced.
Quote:
Why don't you tell OP how long it takes to get from Long Lake to MPLS in rush hour during the middle of a typical TC winter. Also, this is not a suburb - fail.
My brother lives in Long Lake, and it's a straight shot up I-394. Not a difficult commute.
You are fortunate that your careers are easily transferred and you don't have to work in Minneapolis. You can find one of these further out suburbs, most of which have a clinic or a hospital--or both, so your daily commute will be nothing yet you are still an easy distance to go to a Twins Game or drive to the airport, etc.
Finally, someone gets it! This is how I was raised......living in an outer ring of a large metropolitan area, but being close enough to access everything in said area on a moments notice. Someone give you tickets to the Braves game tonight? No problem.... find a taker for the other ticket and head on down. Uncle Mickey's got a 5 hour layover at the airport? No problem.... shoot on over there, buy him a beer, and catch up a bit before he flys on to Newark. Kids bored and looking for something to do after church this particular Sunday? No problem.....there are hundreds of stimulating spots to take them within an hour of your driveway. Longing for a special night out with the wife? No problem....choose from a plethora of eateries, and then absorb the majesty of the city lights on your way to that play or symphony (the latter after we make some babysitting acquaintances, but you get the jist ).
A bit more about why I am so drawn to MSP........
I've always felt a connection to the area, despite having never visited until 2004. When I was a boy in Davisburg, MI, I loved football (as I do now), but I never cheered for the Lions. I was a Vikings fan - through and through. Fran Tarkenton was my hero.....and watching him scramble around, dodging defenders, before zipping a pass to Sammy White was the apex of what life had to offer at that time for me. I wore and put number 10 on everything I could. I trudged out into the snow and made believe I was the quarterback for the Vikings. Ohhhh....we had some fabulous tilts in the annals of my young mind. The casual passer by saw only a 9 year old boy tossing a football up and running under it, as he tumbled over a self made goal line in the snow........but through my eyes I saw 50,000 purple clad fans around me in the stands of the old Met.....on their feet, screaming their freezing guts out as I zigged and zagged around Randy White and Ed "Too Tall" Jones in pursuit of that go ahead touchdown that would propel us into the playoffs. I wore Vikings hats, Vikings sweaters, had a Vikings lunchbox.....ohh, I'll never forget when my grandma bought me that Vikings helmet for Christmas.....one of the great memories of my life. My Fran Tarkenton football card sat upon an altar of reverence. I wouldn't even trade the spares that I came by.
I always adored the "Peanuts" comics. When I read them, I didn't just find them funny, I felt like they were created just for me. Nothing took me away like tucking under the covers with a flashlight and a book containing a collection of "Peanuts" strips. The Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas themed Peanuts comics were always my favorite. They just spoke to me on such a personal level. When I got older and discovered Charles Schulz was from the Cities, another special connection to that place was established. It may sound just flat out silly to many, but it was what is was......it is what it is...... and I can't explain it any better than that.
Northern Michigan has always been a beloved place for our family. I finally got the chance to live up here 5 years ago, and leapt at the opportunity. As much as I cherish this place, I often lament the fact that many of the things I enjoy doing, or am used to having access to, are several hours away by car. I hate having to plan a trip in order to do all the things I used to just do at the drop of a hat. I miss the vibrancy of the big city - the excitement of it all......and I want my wife and children, who have lived here their whole lives, to experience what a place like that is all about on a daily basis. But still.........I wonder..........is there a place where we could get all that and still maintain a little slice of what we have now? The lakes, the pines, the beautiful snow adorned with twinkling Christmas lights.....but this time with a thriving, renowned metropolis at our doorstep to boot? Does such a place even exist?
When I visited the Twin Cities for the first time in 2004, I was smitten with the place. It reminded me of Michigan, and yet there was a whole new, fresh and vibrant dynamic to it. I was living in Atlanta at the time, and to this day I'm not sure what compelled me to use a week of my hard earned vacation so I could drive 1,000 miles to Minnesota and back, but that's just what I did. I'm glad I did.
I immediately knew I wanted to live there. I had lived in the south for so long........but I was a Northerner to the core. MSP was everything I'd been longing for. I landed a job interview at North Memorial in Robbinsdale. It came down to that one, or another job in Boston. I was hoping SO badly for Minneapolis....but the Boston offer was more lucrative, with better hours......so I took it........actually accepted the job in the check in terminal of the MSP airport. I should have known that the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach was a sign telling me I was doing the wrong thing.......and sure enough, my Boston excursion was short lived. But everything happens for a reason.......I have always believed that.
I came home....I found my wife......we had our children. We are happy, yes.......but we are also all in accord that there is something more out there waiting for us.
I think I know what.......and where......it may be.
Last edited by Tyryztoll; 07-31-2012 at 04:39 AM..
This (save the last bit) is basically what I've been saying all along; decent schools, somewhat affordable housing (emphasize somewhat) - but he has to sacrifice the comfort of living in a true suburb with a short commute. However, I doubt that OP would be considering 200k - maybe more like 170k, just in case he winds up needing to take a weekday job somewhere down the line. NB/MV are both good places, but again - finding affordable housing in this area is STILL a challenge and the commute is pretty bearish from there.
And I'll continue to post IA suggestions if I feel it would benefit. Maybe not on this thread because I've pretty well exhausted the topic, but its pretty clear that OP isn't considering all the options; and its pretty obvious that Des Moines is a perfect fit for what he is looking for. But whatever - I've sold the idea, and if OP wants to shut doors for his family, there's nothing more I can do.
I'm confused why you don't think they could have a short commute living in places like Hastings, New Brighton, Anoka, etc.? Heck, they could live across the street from their jobs and not have any commute. We looked at moving to Iowa not long ago and the housing prices were somewhat less than the Twin Cities but most of the difference was eaten up by the higher property taxes. It isn't the utopia you are claiming. Now, if they really wanted a low cost of living area, outstate MN would be a great option, however, that is not what they want.
I just did a search for houses in Hastings between $150,000-210,000 and there are 47 houses listed-3-5 bedrooms, 2-3 bathrooms.
THere are some interesting replies on here considerrring the quality of life in E./C. Bloomington, the commute to Long Lake (which you never actually did answer, by the way), and the commutes to New Brighton, et.al. Also, I don't doubt that OP could find a good house/good school in Hastings - but he would again have to sacrifice the commute. So basically, you have one opinion (mine) saying that these places are unacceptable based upon commute/quality of life, and other opinons saying the opposite. OP is going to have to make that decision for himself.
Who knows - perhaps living in the home-town of your favorite football team and the creator of your favorite newspaper comic strip will be enough. When he gets here, he may change his mind. I suppose that when you're happy, it's hard to tell yourself that your kids aren't in good schools or that you live more than an hour away from your job (during rush hour in winter). Maybe the allure of the TC is just so great that it overshadows doing the logical thing - waiting until your expenses are more stable before moving.
All I can say is that OP came here to find out info about which areas had good schools, and affordable housing large enough for 5 at a place that wasn't too far away from downtown. All of this was to be had at a budget of $80k with the possibility of 3 kids daycare expense. I came here with a similar plan, and what I heard on this forum was quite misleading in some ways. Now, I'm passing that viewpoint on with the very real expectation that OP will run into the same challenges.
Evidentally, however, OP didn't come here to hear about reality - he came here to fortify his myopian views of life in the Twin Cities under those constraints. Whatever. Hope you're happy when you discover that the standards that your kids' school uses are substantially below the standards in most other districts, or when you realize that you increase your work day 25% because of your commute to Long Lake in the dead of winter, or when your family has to cram into a two bedroom apartment because that's the only thing you could find close to work and with good schools. Perhaps when you realize that simply waiting another five years would have allowed you to find exactly what you are looking for, you will look back and understand what I'm trying to tell you.
Keep us all posted - I'll be interested to see how this shakes out.
THere are some interesting replies on here considerrring the quality of life in E./C. Bloomington, the commute to Long Lake (which you never actually did answer, by the way), and the commutes to New Brighton, et.al. Also, I don't doubt that OP could find a good house/good school in Hastings - but he would again have to sacrifice the commute. So basically, you have one opinion (mine) saying that these places are unacceptable based upon commute/quality of life, and other opinons saying the opposite. OP is going to have to make that decision for himself.
Who knows - perhaps living in the home-town of your favorite football team and the creator of your favorite newspaper comic strip will be enough. When he gets here, he may change his mind. I suppose that when you're happy, it's hard to tell yourself that your kids aren't in good schools or that you live more than an hour away from your job (during rush hour in winter). Maybe the allure of the TC is just so great that it overshadows doing the logical thing - waiting until your expenses are more stable before moving.
All I can say is that OP came here to find out info about which areas had good schools, and affordable housing large enough for 5 at a place that wasn't too far away from downtown. All of this was to be had at a budget of $80k with the possibility of 3 kids daycare expense. I came here with a similar plan, and what I heard on this forum was quite misleading in some ways. Now, I'm passing that viewpoint on with the very real expectation that OP will run into the same challenges.
Evidentally, however, OP didn't come here to hear about reality - he came here to fortify his myopian views of life in the Twin Cities under those constraints. Whatever. Hope you're happy when you discover that the standards that your kids' school uses are substantially below the standards in most other districts, or when you realize that you increase your work day 25% because of your commute to Long Lake in the dead of winter, or when your family has to cram into a two bedroom apartment because that's the only thing you could find close to work and with good schools. Perhaps when you realize that simply waiting another five years would have allowed you to find exactly what you are looking for, you will look back and understand what I'm trying to tell you.
Keep us all posted - I'll be interested to see how this shakes out.
I think your problem is you are assuming everyone will work in Minneapolis and that is just not the case. Less than 10% of the working population in the metro area actually works in Minneapolis. Again, all of these towns have a medical clinic and/or hospital and hair salons where this couple could work and have NO commute.
I think your problem is you are assuming everyone will work in Minneapolis and that is just not the case. Less than 10% of the working population in the metro area actually works in Minneapolis. Again, all of these towns have a medical clinic and/or hospital and hair salons where this couple could work and have NO commute.
If OP and his wife can find employment outside downtown (in the same or substantially close-by areas), then yes -that could actually work. In that case, I would reccomend Hastings- still a pain in the ass to get to town for recreational purposes, though. In five years he could move to somewhere like Golden Valley or St. Louis Park and be much closer.
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