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Old 01-02-2013, 09:18 AM
 
11 posts, read 30,530 times
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On this forum I see that people often recommend St. Louis Park as a good place to live. Why? It seems like homes there are expensive and small in my price range (around $320K). I'm thinking it might be a nice place to live if I had about twice the housing budget, but I'm just wondering what people like about it. Is it a good place for families?
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Old 01-02-2013, 09:56 AM
 
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Great location, good schools, and starts to look like a good deal when you price out adjacent Edina or SW Minneapolis. I think it appeals to people looking for more the older, more compact suburban experience and who want to be closer to the city.

It's not the best place if you're looking for a bigger lot and a big house, however, or if you like a new house. It's an older suburb and many of the homes are smaller than what you find in newer locations farther out. It all comes down to your priorities and tastes.

Last edited by uptown_urbanist; 01-02-2013 at 10:13 AM..
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Old 01-02-2013, 10:32 AM
 
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UU- It seems like the home prices and styles in SLP are similar to SW Minneapolis in my price range. For example, $320K seems to buy a smaller 1 1/2 story home built in the 1940's in both locations. Just wondering if there would be any advantages of SLP over SW Mpls. Which areas of SLP are best for good schools and families?
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Old 01-02-2013, 10:33 AM
 
Location: Southwest MPls
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It's a bit overrated on this forum I think. It has only a few main arterial routes through it so seems to have a lot more traffic than S Mpls, especially when you are west of hwy 100. Knollwood mall sucks and is a traffic mess over there. East of 100 it's not bad though. It feels more "cramped" and busy to me than S Mpls, especially around the west end/ costco area etc.
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Old 01-02-2013, 12:08 PM
 
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I think on this forum the biggest SLP boosters seem to be primarily talking about the part of SLP just west of Minneapolis and just north of Edina (Minnekhada Vista, etc.), and SLP east of 100, or at least I am guilty of that. That's the area that has, I think, all the benefits -- close enough to bike or walk to Lake Calhoun, near Linden Hills, walking distance to the business core at 44th and France as well as the stuff along Excelsior and adjacent (including the huge rec center complex). I agree that the area over by Knollwood isn't all that inspiring, and feels a lot busier than does SW Minneapolis (or other parts of SLP). The Minnekhada Vista area just feels like an extension of either Edina or Linden Hills.

I'm surprised that the houses in SLP are at the same price as in SW Minneapolis; when my SIL was looking at houses last year or so and were finding that they get much more for their money in SLP. But they were looking at a slightly higher price point and mostly comparing areas in Linden Hills or closer to the creek, which could skew things. SW Minneapolis neighborhoods like Armatage or Kenny are probably more in the same price range (and about the same distance from amenities like the lakes), and are where you find all the post-war 1 1/2 story houses. I don't think there's any advantage one way or the other over between those neighborhoods and some of the similar SLP neighborhoods. I think SLP has lower property taxes. But in SW Minneapolis you'd have potential access to more magnet school options. I think Armatage or Kenny are nicer and quieter than the SLP neighborhoods west of 100, though. I'm not sure where the boundaries are for SLP schools, so I'll let the posters with kids in the SLP district answer that one.
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Old 01-02-2013, 02:17 PM
 
Location: Minneapolis (St. Louis Park)
5,993 posts, read 10,128,499 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist View Post
Great location, good schools, and starts to look like a good deal when you price out adjacent Edina or SW Minneapolis. I think it appeals to people looking for more the older, more compact suburban experience and who want to be closer to the city.

It's not the best place if you're looking for a bigger lot and a big house, however, or if you like a new house. It's an older suburb and many of the homes are smaller than what you find in newer locations farther out. It all comes down to your priorities and tastes.
As usual, spot on. Except I'd add that its proximity to the Lakes (Calhoun) and its interconnectedness to the rest of the metro are especially what make SLP such a great location. It's one of the few pre-war suburbs with pre-war housing stock (much of it anyways) so you get a good value for your home there, unlike some of the newer subdivisions in [name that suburb].

But you're right, it's very expensive for the cost/SF and if you are going to pay such a premium to live in a good location with good schools you COULD just as well live in SW Minneapolis, Hopkins, or some other suburbs that have SOME walkability while not being completely exurban.
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Old 01-02-2013, 06:52 PM
 
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I like the area off of Cedar. It has some smaller ranch homes and it is just a nice looking neighborhood.
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Old 01-02-2013, 07:40 PM
 
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The area I recommend is the Minnekahda Vista area mentioned by UU and Mini Chi Bus. Among the benefits - ability to walk to parks, movies, a variety of restaurants, stores, Rec Center, Trader Joes, Target, Byerlys and on and on. Additionally - you are close to 100, 62, France and Lake Street. When traffic is a problem I have a huge variety of options. I suppose I would consider the area near West End - or near lake calhoun also - for the same reasons. I am not a fan of any other of the SLP areas because for me the close proximity to downtown Minneapolis and the ease and convenience of walking.

Among the differences I have heard from SW Minneapolis to this area - schools are more consistent, taxes are less, public services (snow removal) and roads are better. Homes in this area tend to sell very quickly if appropriately priced, and it seems rental apartments are overpriced for what you get - but they also seem to rent with ease. When we bought - ease of sale - was definitely a consideration as Minnesota is not home and we do not anticipate this being our home for the long run.
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Old 01-02-2013, 10:44 PM
 
Location: Twin Cities
302 posts, read 723,463 times
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I don't get the appeal of SLP. Looked at many houses there....WAY overpriced. Small lots, not so great neighborhoods. I definitely prefer SW Mpls, BLoomington or even Richfield (close to Southdale)! SLP is very overrated in my opinion!
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Old 01-03-2013, 01:38 AM
 
413 posts, read 758,642 times
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I think a big reason that SLP is preferable over some of the adjacent areas of Minneapolis would be property taxes. Two years ago when we were looking to move to the west metro, we were basically looking at a fairly wide window including SLP, Minnetonka, Golden Valley, Edina, and Plymouth. A couple of places in Minneapolis just west of Calhoun popped up in our search, and the difference in taxes was pretty significant. I really like SLP - If you don't require a large house, it's a pretty nice suburb, and certainly better than some of the other first ring suburbs of the same vintage such as Richfield and Brooklyn Center.
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