TN to MN-Question @ the move (Minneapolis, St. Paul: sale, houses, job transfer)

[CrimsonExpress]

Very real possibility we will be moving from TN to Minneapolis area.
-A few general questions:
-Can you give us some cities, communities, neighborhoods to look up? We are used to living in the suburbs.
-My office will be in Bloomington- so looking to stay w/in 30 miles of the area.
-Our house price range is $300-350K
-Our oldest child will be in kindergarten, so public schools are very important.

Weather- Any people post from the South? How do you survive the winter? Honestly, I do not know what a snow tire is-
-Any Bama/ SEC fans in the area?

Kind regards-

[CrimsonExpress]

what the **** are you thinking?

[rcsteiner]

Most of the suburbs in the Twin Cities metro should be fine, but a lot might depend on where you will be working. Most schools are good.

As a native Minnesotan now living in Atlanta, my advice to you about winter is quite simple: learn to dress appropriately, and it won't be that bad. I was fine in denim jeans and a quilted flannel shirt over a t-shirt most of the time, but when I knew I was going to be spending any lengthy period of time outdoors I had a good winter jacket. I also kept an older one in my car in case I had an unexpected car issue.

Driving in snow isn't that bad ... most cars are fine with all-season tires, at least in the Twin Cities metro, and the main thing to learn is to not steer, brake, or accelerate suddenly. I'd suggest practicing a bit in a snow-covered parking lot after the first snowfall to get a good feel for the way your car handles on snow.

[JamesandSallie]

We moved to the Twin Cities (Roseville) from Fayette County. You will have no problem driving around here - they do an amazing job at keeping the roads clear. I am nowhere near Bloomington, so I can't speak on schools specifically, but I will tell you this: I was a teacher in Atlanta for many years - the WORST schools I have seen in MN still outpace the BEST schools in Metro Atl, including Fayette and North Fulton........

The lifestyle here is wonderful and great compared to the South - so much to do outdoors, even in winter. The parks and rec systems are unbelievable and your children will love having so many great places to play. I will not lie to you - the winters are LONG and hard. The most surprising thing to me was how long the winters are - it can be brutally cold from December - May, so you are looking at a winter time that is basically half of the year.

We love it here, but really, really miss the milder weather.

Good luck!

PS: Don't be surprised about how little your money goes here when it comes to housing - it does not compare anything at all to what you purchase in the South for the same price........

[Kebinminn]

Since you're not used to winter driving I think you'd want to stay as close to work as you can, look at Bloomington and Eagan to start. I'm not overly familiar with the schools there though, hopefully someone else can help you there. 30 minutes is a lot different at rush hour in the winter than it is off peak time in the summer so consider actual commute time when looking.

One thing I'd recommend you consider is inside space as you'll use it in the winter. This area is fabulous for year round outdoor activities but in the winter you spend more time inside. One regret I have about my small home is there's no good active place, yeah, there's places we could go but it's something I wish I had considered just for the day to day energy burn (I also have a five year old). Also, in our neighborhood of small houses, we tend not to see our neighbors as much over winter because of lack of entertaining space. We lose our yards where we usually do it.

If active space for kids and entertaining space is important to you keep in mind that you'll be doing more of that inside for half of the year.

[uptown_urbanist]

No need to go 30 miles away - traffic isn't as bad in the Twin Cities as it is in some places, but that won't be a pleasant drive when it's snowing. You'll especially want to keep your commute time short so you can actually spend time with your young kids before bedtime. I'd start by looking in Bloomington itself. Pretty much anywhere in the Twin Cities the schools are going to be good.

As far as cold goes, dress in layers and get a good, warm coat. Mittens are warmer than gloves.

[StPaulEastSider]

Originally Posted by CrimsonExpress

Honestly, I do not know what a snow tire is-
-

Snow tires are made of a softer rubber and have a different tread pattern, which, in theory, better "grips" the pavement/ground in below-freezing weather.

If left on a car in the summer months, they will wear down to the treads very quickly, so you only want them on your vehicle in the winter months.

But honestly, I don't know of any people who actually use snow tires anymore... other than my husband, but that's only because we happened across nearly-new snow tires which fit his car at a garage sale for $10 - not each, $10 for the entire set!

So we bought the set and he's had them put on his car for the past two winters, because of course it saves on the wear and tear of his "all season" tires. His winter tires came mounted, so he does not have to get the tires remounted each season, so that saves on the expense of two sets of tires.

My husband, who was born and raised in Georgia, says he honestly can't tell any difference in handling between the snow tires and his all-season set of tires. He has a sub-compact car, maybe your experience would be different on a bigger vehicle or a SUV.

For city driving, I personally don't think snow tires are a necessity, and they are hardly worth the hassle. We rarely drive outside of the St. Paul & Minneapolis city limits, much less outside the metro area.

In all honesty, winters here in Minnesota are not what they used to be... meaning winters seem a lot milder these days compared to when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s. Of course I grew up in a rural area and now live in the city, so maybe that's part of the difference.

Also, when I was growing up, back when snow tires seemed to be a necessity in MN, all our cars were rear-wheel drive vehicles... we haven't owned a rear-wheel drive vehicle since we junked our '85 Mercury Marquis back in '95.

Tire salesmen will try to tell you snow tires are a necessity, naturally. Perhaps some "car guys" can weigh in with their opinions.

[vetcon]

Yes, We're from the South! Our entire family are SEC fans - although we all went to UF ourselves, sorry on that one. We also lived in Collierville, TN for a number our years (Shelby County, just outside of Memphis). If I had to pick anywhere among the many places we have lived, TN would be my favorite.

We have survived living in MN and at times actually enjoy it. Winters I really do not like at all, especially how long they are. You do learn to adapt. You simply have to so you do. Winter driving is a drag, there is no way around it, again you will adapt because you have to. You don't need snow tires. I still drive my same old mini van I bought in Collierville and it works just fine here.

We have three elementary school aged kids so schools were important to us too. We have lived here a couple times now (all job transfers with the same company). We have lived in Como Park, Roseville, Woodbury, and Rosemount. I would say with kids my pick would be Woodbury and Rosemount. You could do well in that price range in either area. The feel of the areas is different. Like anywhere you just need to visit and see what you like. We have never lived on the West side so I don't know as much about those areas.

As for the SEC there are several SEC fan clubs around. The president of the metro's Gator Club lives just a few blocks away from us I recently heard.


Enjoy your time in TN!

[golfgal]

Where in Bloomington is the job? That can make a big difference in where you want to start looking for a house.

[gatorinmn]

Hey, Vetcon, you and I must live pretty close together -- I am also a UF alumnus and I live in Rosemount. Craig Orthmann, the head of the Northwoods Gator Club, lives about 1/4 mile from my house. Small world! When did you graduate from UF?

As for the OP, you'll acclimate here just fine. Yes, winters are cold, but you will adjust quickly -- buy a heavy coat, and otherwise wear layers, and you'll soon discover the temps are a non-issue.

I agree with the recommendation of Rosemount, and also Eagan, Apple Valley, and Lakeville. Commutes to Bloomington from there will not be bad at all. The 196 school district (Rosemount-AV-Eagan) is excellent, and 194 (Lakeville) is a very close second. You can find many nice houses in your price range in these areas. I don't know the southwest suburbs as well, but Eden Prairie, Savage, and Shakopee all would be good areas to consider, as well. I would avoid Woodbury, because commuting on 494 to Bloomington would be pretty traffic-laden in the morning.

Good luck!