Unique neighborhoods with larger lots (Plymouth, Eagan: cul-de-sac, for sale, real estate) - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota (MN) -Twin Cities - City-Data Forum

lane_change · 09-11-2011, 06:13 PM

What are some of the more unique areas of MSP that are not as cookie-cutter, but are also family friendly and within good school districts? Ideally, I would be looking for a 1 acre lot, 3500+ sq/ft house, large garage (3 or more), and in the $500k range...year built is not as important as long as it's either new or recently updated. lol

Commute to downtown is not important either, but again good schools are a must. We have a young family (grade school), and would like to be near the schools. We would also need decent access to the MSP Int'l airport for work travel, but again, no commuting to downtown or worry about public transit. Obviously crime rate is very important as it is to anybody.

How are the taxes in MSP? Property? State? City? etc?

Thanks.

danielle_pal · 09-11-2011, 06:46 PM

Eagan or Apple Valley is where I would start looking due to proximity to airport and great schools.

lane_change · 09-11-2011, 07:22 PM

I guess unique also may not be the right term....I am more or less looking for custom or semi-custom neighborhoods. I keep hearing about Apple Valley, so I guess I will start my search there and then modify the search as time progresses.

golfgal · 09-11-2011, 08:06 PM

I am obviously a fan of the Rosemount/Eagan/Apple Valley schools since we live here and send our kids to these schools but I think you are going to have a hard time finding larger acreages here. There are a few houses, hit or miss, that have pretty big lots and some that have several acres but if I am understanding you correctly, you might want to look more out by Lakeland near Stillwater. There are several "developments" out there where the houses are on 2-3 acre lots, all custom built homes, many have been around for 15 years or so and have larger trees, etc. The Stillwater schools are excellent and that area is a pretty easy drive to the airport (but not as easy as the Apple Valley area).

I know of a couple houses in Rosemount and one for sure in Apple Valley that are on more than an acre but not sure how much they are listed for. There are a couple on Shannon Parkway in Rosemount and one off Galaxy in Apple Valley but I don't know the exact street there.

We have a 1/2 acre lot in a fairly typical suburban neighborhood but all the houses in our neighborhood are custom built so it doesn't have the cookie cutter feel.

lane_change · 09-11-2011, 10:18 PM

I would consider a slightly smaller lot for a better neighborhood feel and community, but I would not be interested in areas with small 1/4 acre or smaller lots. I don't want to have a corner cul-de-sac lot that is larger than a 1/2 acre, but still be surrounded by houses that are 10-20' from house to house. I prefer the larger lots for the spacing and privacy, but I am not interested in living in a rural environment either. Just the larger home site family neighborhoods. I have wanted a detached work shop/garage which is a big reason in my looking for a 1 acre lot. I will look around the areas listed online and see what I find. I may have a job offer up North and this would require moving our family. This would be a huge change from Houston, TX for us...but my wife and I did go to school in the Midwest at Iowa State and University of Missouri.

Cruz Azul Guy · 09-11-2011, 10:39 PM

Once you go outside of the 494/694 loop you can go any direction and find properties that meet your requirements. I honestly don't notice much of a difference between most of these places, whether it's Shakopee, Lino Lakes, Plymouth, Ham Lake, Andover, Inver Grove Heights, etc. It's all the same to me.

golfgal · 09-12-2011, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lane_change

I would consider a slightly smaller lot for a better neighborhood feel and community, but I would not be interested in areas with small 1/4 acre or smaller lots. I don't want to have a corner cul-de-sac lot that is larger than a 1/2 acre, but still be surrounded by houses that are 10-20' from house to house. I prefer the larger lots for the spacing and privacy, but I am not interested in living in a rural environment either. Just the larger home site family neighborhoods. I have wanted a detached work shop/garage which is a big reason in my looking for a 1 acre lot. I will look around the areas listed online and see what I find. I may have a job offer up North and this would require moving our family. This would be a huge change from Houston, TX for us...but my wife and I did go to school in the Midwest at Iowa State and University of Missouri.

I think if you do a search based on the shop/garage you might have some luck there. Apple Valley and Rosemount are pretty much on the edge of the metro area in the south so there are places on the fringes of those communities that may have what you are looking for.

11230 Akron Ave E Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077

I found this one in Inver Grove Heights. It is in the 196 schools-Red Pine Elementary, Rosemount Middle and Rosemount High School. It has a newer pole barn that would work for a shop too. We know several people that live in that general area and it is a lovely, somewhat rural though.

danielle_pal · 09-12-2011, 05:33 AM

here is something 13575 Hilary Path, Nininger Twp, MN 55033 | Listing Information

lane_change · 09-12-2011, 06:34 AM

Once they get up to 5+ acres, I think you tend to lose the neighborhood feel and you do end up with more of a rural feel which I don't want. We are city people, but prefer the communities with larger lots. I want my children to be able to go outside and play with other kids. I would prefer not to have to always drive them to a play area or to a friends house so to speak. I found an excellent looking house in Eagan, but it was missing the larger lot, but the house garage would be fine for my cars, no need for a larger detached shop garage if the main garage is large enough for a lift and could hold 4 cars.

4761 London Ln Eagan MN - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - MLS #4043604 - Realtor.com®

I would have to see the lot layout to know if this would work...it's much smaller than I want, but I'm just not sure where the trade offs will have to be to get the feel that I want for both the house and for the family. I just don't want to end up in a cookie cutter suburb with sappling trees and houses smooshed together every 10' or so.

danielle_pal · 09-12-2011, 06:53 AM

I think Eagan and Apple Valley would be good choices. Inver Grove Heights and Lake Elmo would also give you a community feel with larger lots.