Why don't people like Bloomington and Richfield? (Minneapolis, Eden Prairie: apartment complex, condo)

[Danfix99]

Hello everyone. I am new to Minneapolis and looking for houses, and I notice that there are a lot more available houses in Bloomington and Richfield than the rest of the areas I'm looking into (western suburbs and southwest Minneapolis). Why is this? Are the schools worse in Bloomington and Richfield? Is it the traffic on 494? Thanks.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Danfix99

Hello everyone. I am new to Minneapolis and looking for houses, and I notice that there are a lot more available houses in Bloomington and Richfield than the rest of the areas I'm looking into (western suburbs and southwest Minneapolis). Why is this? Are the schools worse in Bloomington and Richfield? Is it the traffic on 494? Thanks.

Bloomington and Richfield are older suburbs ... it's possible there is simply more turnover of starter homes in those areas.

Parts of eastern Richfield are also subjected to airport noise.

Edit:

I should add ... I lived in an apartment complex in east Bloomington for quite some time (1989 - 2000), and I loved the area (corner of Old Shakopee Road and Old Cedar Ave).

Also, when we were townhouse shopping in 2000, we looked in west Bloomington as well as Eden Prairie. That we ended up in Eden Prairie is more due to chance than anything else ... the best place we found was actually in Bloomington, but we were literally one day late to make an offer (the place had been sold just before we arrived with our agent for the showing).

[Slig]

I personally like both Richfield and Bloomington. If I were to live in the suburbs given my current work location I'd more than likely settle in one of those two places. As far as I know people aren't rushing to leave either one, but I do know that more people in the further out suburbs are holding onto homes they would normally have put on the market because they are waiting for the housing market to stabilize. The higher priced homes out in further suburbs have been some of the hardest hit by the housing crash. My parents are in this situation, they are empty nesters now and want to sell their 4 bedroom home in the suburbs to get a condo in the city and have decided to stay in their home longer until the market improves and can get an acceptable price for their house.

[Kebinminn]

I don't like that range because it seems busier down there, it seems like things move a bit slower in the northern burbs.

[golfgal]

Most likely it is the price range in which you are looking. Richfield tends to have smaller, thus lower priced houses as does areas of Bloomington.

[Oildog]

Richfield has a lot of starter homes that are older - 1500 sqft, 3 br 2 ba built in the 60s. Southeast Richfield has seen an influx of lower income minorities in the apartments along 494. In general its a lot of older folks, but its centrally located. East Bloomington has the same issues. Traffic on 494 and 62 are a beast now.

[Minnehahapolitan]

A Richfield house could maybe be 1500 feet if it counted the basement, attic, garage and half the shed. Those houses are 900 foot bungalows from the 1940s and 50s. The schools are not very good in Richfield or east Bloomington. They aren't dangerous areas, they were always blue collar neighborhoods where the older residents are aging now. The cheap housing stock means many of the working poor are attracted to the area. Traffic on the beltway and the crosstown can be bad in general, not to account for construction. However, the ease of access and the central location that Richfield and Bloomington offer help support their cities -- that is not a hinderance to the area.
When and if you look for a home there, remember that (like Minneapolis or Saint Paul) that you really can't describe the quality of Richfield and Bloomington as a whole. West Richfield is nicer than east Richfield and the Woodlake area is on par with some nicer parts of south Mpls.

[uptown_urbanist]

I agree with the others - there are a lot of "starter" homes in those areas. I have older relatives living in those areas, and probably in the not-too-distant future they'll be selling, too, and moving south or, if necessary, to assisted living.

[knke0204]

because Richfield and Bloomington are two of the most 'urban' suburbs in the metro area. Most suburbs are new suburbs wiht neat lawns and generic strip malls

[tindo80]

Richfield and Bloomington are the most convenient suburbs in everything EXCEPT traffic. The airport, the light rail, the mall, plenty of food choices and shopping choices. Unless you are looking for the more trendy downtown or uptown mpls nightlife, bloomington are richfield are great places.

The only problem is traffic, which is BAD. I dont know much about the schools, but I have heard richfield is having a bit more crime lately. Still, I dont think its anything like a lot of other places.