Relocated with 3 kids, looking for a good place to live- (Eagan: homes, to buy)

[tomsmom]

We will be relocated to the twin cities in the next 2 months, my husband is already there. We are looking for a nice community with great schools, lots of kids, and very active "parks and recreational" activities. My husband wants to be centrally located in the northern suburbs. We have been looking at Lino Lakes, White Bear, Coon Rapids, and Blaine. I would LOVE any suggestions or comments on these areas, or any of the towns around them. We just want to move somewhere full of kids and a great family atmosphere. We are looking in the $550,000 range for a home. I've read all the stats on the school districts, but that doesn't tell you that much. I would like real honest opinions and to hear about the "reputations" of the different areas/school districts. Thanks so much for any info you can give.
My kids are 9,6 and 2 and are having a really hard time with this move, so we need an area that we can just jump in and be involved.

[Haver]

Don't know much about nothern suburbs, but here's a start on the school districts:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/minne...cts-avoid.html

[golfgal]

If I am reading your post right you want to be in the Northern Suburbs but centrally located there OR do you want to be centrally located in the metro area? Where is his job specifically--which town?

The best schools in the area you are looking would be Mounds View. From your list White Bear Lake is the 'best' area.

I would look in Mahtomedi and Mounds View if I lived on that side of the metro. They are 2 of the top districts in the state, great areas, very convenient to everything. Most of the districts around here have very active park and rec departments--they are run through the school districts in MN.

Blaine and Coon Rapids are ok areas but Mounds View and Mahtomedi are nicer. Blaine schools are part of the Anoka-Hennepin district and they are having some pretty serious financial troubles. You might want to avoid that district for that reason.

Lino Lakes is part of the Centennial district. It is also and ok district but again Mounds View and Mahtomedi are better.

[tomsmom]

Thanks so much- that is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for on schools.

My husband is in retail, and has stores all over the northern part of the twin cities and has an office he will spend one day a week in Stillwater, although he would like to be more centralized in the area north of the cities- in the suburbs.

It sounds like Anoka-Hennepin SD might be an area we want to stay away from. We just moved from a large school district here in Chicagoland that was like that. It was a headache.

[golfgal]

Then the Mounds View/Mahtomedi area would be great. Both are convenient to the highway and would be about 15 minutes non-traffic time to pretty much everywhere he would need to go from what it sounds like.

[jace_mm]

I'm in Eagan with 2 kids and it is wonderful here. Tons of other kids, the schools are great and it's close to both of the cities

[MNLVR]

I graduated from the Mounds View school district not long ago (Irondale HS) and my sibling is graduating this year. We both LOVED it. It's got a small town feel, it's relatively diverse, both ethnically, and economically... and it is well known for its AP and college placement programs. (Ranked in the top 500 by Newsweek Magazine) I loved growing up in New Brighton. However, New Brighton is near the lower end of the wealth spectrum in the Mounds View School district. Shoreview, Arden Hills and North Oaks are the "High rent" districts of the Mounds View school district (especially North Oaks). (Those kids also tend to go to the Mounds View High School vs Irondale High) The elementary schools also vary greatly as far as economic diversity, but they are all great schools....

[taysantanamama]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Lino Lakes is part of the Centennial district. It is also and ok district but again Mounds View and Mahtomedi are better.

I hate doing this because it can come across as rude, but Lino Lakes east of 35E is in the White Bear Lake school district. There is a nice, pretty good sized subdivision of nice homes tucked between WBL twp and Hugo that is Lino Lakes too. Just wanted to point it out if you are doing a homesearch in Lino Lakes.

That in mind, Hugo has some new, beautiful, old-world homes in your price range. If I were to move back to MN, that is where I would want to buy, I really liked the WBL area when I lived there.

[orange869]

Taysamantha is right. Lino has at least 3 school districts. The development she is referring to is called clearwater creek. I live there. i do not have kids but all my neighbors do. They seem to like the scholld district. The new elementary (Otter Lake) is nice. I think the NE burbs are the best for location. I have licved all over th twin cities and like that area best. Less Traffic. If you have ant questions you can reach me at

[Sarah Maske]

Hi,

As an Agent here in the Twin Cities, I would concur with most folks on here. If you want northern suburbs and great school districts (or as you put a place you can "just jump in and be involved"), stick with Mounds View, Shoreview, White Bear Lake, Arden Hills, Roseville (another exceptional school district) and even North Oaks (it's a gated community but you can still purchase homes there given the housing crisis for a price within your range). An agent's job is to protect your investment...the far north, Blaine, CR, Anoka etc. are experiencing some pretty significant price drops, which could be good for you but the long term forecast for that area is really up in the area. Truth be told, the closer you are to the city, the better your long term investment.

You should also consider the kind of lifestyle you want. The areas I mentioned first, Shoreview, Mounds View etc, are more city centered, if that makes sense. They are probably a little more progressive, interests of homeowners in this area would probably include going into downtown for evenings out, etc. Further north, it's a little bit of a different community. Anoka, Blaine, Coon Rapids is a HUGE area. Therefore, the community, its interests and its attitude is more spread out. The lots are bigger and it has more of a "down home" feeling. I know people in both areas who are very happy living where they are.

Thanks,
Sarah