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12-14-2006, 02:54 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
66 posts, read 192,419 times
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Well, I just came back from my little trip to Minnesota and I have to say it was everything I expected and more! I liked everything about the state. The people were very friendly and there was a lot to do. I visited many cities, including Mankato, Rochester, Fargo, St. Cloud, and Duluth. I think the Fargo/Moorhead area was probably my favorite. All the others were great too. I stopped in a little town called Fergus Falls, which was also really nice. I enjoyed everything about the state. It is a totally different atmosphere from here in the south. The people up there are much higher class and the state is a whole lot nicer than other parts of the country. I am already making my plans to move there ASAP!
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12-17-2006, 08:59 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Oct 2006
5 posts, read 7,892 times
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good luck and welcome to MN!!! Try and get involved in winter activities; it makes winter go by faster. Where did you decide to live? Just to put in my two cents, rochester is an awesome place. Can't wait to move back!!
Again, welcome to our beautiful state!! =o)
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12-19-2006, 12:50 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
66 posts, read 192,419 times
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I know that's what I'm really looking forward to. We don't have any winter activities in Louisiana. I can't wait to go skiing and snowmobiling. I stayed in Burnsville while I was there and was two exits from a ski resort. I almost went, but figured I'd save it for another time when I had someone else with me. I am hoping to move there by May. I plan on staying in Minneapolis for a while b/c I will most like be going to school there. But once I'm finished with school, I think I might end up moving to either Moorhead or East GF. I like medium sized cities. I wish there was some medium sized cities more in the central northern area, but it looks like Hibbings might be the only one, and it's kind of on the smaller side, but I will check it out when I go back. Minneapolis/St.Paul was very nice, except way too much people and the five o'clock traffic was terrible. It took me about an hour to get from Maple Grove back to Burnsville. Eden Praire and Chanhassen were very nice. I also liked Mankato and Rochester. Duluth was not quite what I had in mind. I pictured the city to be different. When I got there it was like kind of almost set on the side of a cliff and a little mountainy, which I thought was nice. I also found the people to be real friendly. But, I didn't like the fact that the city seemed old and rundown. My favorite of all though was around the Fargo/Moorhead area. It seemed really nice and just the right size and a more modern city. I was really sad to have to leave Minnesota, but I'll be back for good very shortly!
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12-19-2006, 09:08 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: East Grand Forks, MN
802 posts, read 921,163 times
Reputation: 492
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blakeb99
The F-M area is very nice....I would recommend it. South Moorhead is growing quite a bit now. It is a trade off on which side of the border to live....ND has higher property taxes but lower income tax....while MN cities tend to have lower property taxes but higher income taxes. At least this is comparing Fargo to Moorhead and Grand Forks to East Grand Forks (where I live). You mentioned a place in north central MN I would suggest looking into Bemidji. Everyone here loves Bemidji as it is in the middle of great camping, pine trees and lots of winter activities...but yet growing too. It also has Bemidji State University.
Dan
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12-20-2006, 09:18 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Moorhead, MN
83 posts, read 103,870 times
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I'm a big fan of Bemidji. It's a bit small though, I think about 13,000. You might also want to check out Brainerd. Brainerd/Baxter is about 21,000.
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12-20-2006, 02:29 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
6 posts, read 5,945 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blakeb99
Which city do you think is better? I've heard a lot of good things about both. Which one is more modern? And, are there any other medium sized cities in Minnesota comparable to these?
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Hello,
Well, I prefer Rochester over St. Cloud, having just lived in Rochester for the last 13 years. Rochester is a beautiful city, and a gateway of sorts to other really gorgeous places in southern Minnesota. Much of Minnesota (not all) is quite flat...Rochester actually has topography!! And there is nothing prettier than driving through the bluffs from Rochester to get to the Mississippi River Valley towns of Wabasha, Lake City, Winona....and on the Wisconsin side, more charming towns and lovely scenery. Rochester is Mayo land, and most residents use the Mayo Clinic for their medical care....it is one stop medical shopping, believe me...excellent, excellent care and no waiting! Rochester is a vibrant community with many cultural activities. A few years ago, I did not have to drive to the Twin Cities to see some of my favorite artists....they all came to Rochester....Arlo Guthrie, Ladysmith Black Mambaso, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan. Tony Bennett. Now you know how old I am. Rochester has a wonderful art museum, convention centers, a myriad of hotels, excellent schools, great eating and shopping establishments. It has a wonderful mid-city park with a lake. No need to travel anywhere else for shopping sprees...its all right there. Rush hour in Rochester is the equivalent to automotive low blood pressure! As of last March, I no longer live in Rochester...and I really do miss it. Good luck with your decision!
Jean
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12-20-2006, 02:35 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
6 posts, read 5,945 times
Reputation: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blakeb99
Which city do you think is better? I've heard a lot of good things about both. Which one is more modern? And, are there any other medium sized cities in Minnesota comparable to these?
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One other thing about Rochester....it is a GREAT time to buy a house in Rochester. The housing market there has been very slow for several years, and there are many, many houses for sale for very good prices right now. Employment is doing fine in Rochester, but, a few years ago there was an over-build of new homes, and the folks who wanted to buy these newly built homes needed to sell theirs....as a result, there are now quite a few homes for sale. They've been for sale for a long time...many are quite nice, and the prices are as low as they can be at this time. No doubt the market will be better for sellers in a few years, but right now it is a very delicious buyer's market.
Jean |
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12-21-2006, 05:16 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Powder Springs, GA
50 posts, read 70,714 times
Reputation: 20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jean
One other thing about Rochester....it is a GREAT time to buy a house in Rochester. The housing market there has been very slow for several years, and there are many, many houses for sale for very good prices right now. Employment is doing fine in Rochester, but, a few years ago there was an over-build of new homes, and the folks who wanted to buy these newly built homes needed to sell theirs....as a result, there are now quite a few homes for sale. They've been for sale for a long time...many are quite nice, and the prices are as low as they can be at this time. No doubt the market will be better for sellers in a few years, but right now it is a very delicious buyer's market.
Jean
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Are there lots of houses on the market because people are leaving Rochester? Must be realizing that there are other places to live. |
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12-21-2006, 06:14 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2006
4,743 posts, read 4,851,620 times
Reputation: 1249
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PowderSpringsDad
Are there lots of houses on the market because people are leaving Rochester? Must be realizing that there are other places to live.
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There are a lot of houses on the market everywhere because no one is buying them. There was a big building boom the last few years and the tail end of that boom got caught not being able to sell their existing home. There are also enough people transferring in and out of Rochester for the various businesses, IBM and Mayo especially, that you are going to have a steady flow of houses on the market. It isn't because Rochester is a bad place to live it is more the nature of big business. |
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12-23-2006, 10:29 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
6 posts, read 5,945 times
Reputation: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PowderSpringsDad
Are there lots of houses on the market because people are leaving Rochester? Must be realizing that there are other places to live.
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No, not at all...few people are leaving Rochester. It is not a place that people "flee" from! I explained in my last posting that the reason for alot of homes being for sale is that many of the sellers are wanting to buy the glut of new builds in Rochester that sprung up a few years ago. They are not relocating to other cities. And when I say glut of new builds....well, I really mean it. They built way too many about 3 years ago. Many of these new homes are sitting empty now until the people who want them can sell their present homes. The only reason I moved is that my husband changed jobs. Our girls went to college in the Fargo/Moorhead area. They loved their college, Concordia in Moorhead, but they did not relish the very bitter, cold winters. It is not unusual for the highways up there to close a few times each winter because of snowstorms. The land is very flat there and the highways accumulate unbelievable drifts during a bad storm because of the very high winds.
Jean
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