[star_gazer]

'Suburban' is more about density than it's association with a central city.

There really isn't anything west of, say, Dundee which wouldn't be considered 'suburban' by planners. Omaha's urban fabric became 'torn' in the post WWII (aka 'cars') era... much like the case in other larger cities. Infill projects such as Aksarben Village go some ways towards rectifying decades of 'car oriented' development... but the area overall remains decidedly suburban.

[db16696]

Welcome to Nebraska.

It's possible to own an acreage, upscale subdivision or even a full blown farm within 35 minutes of downtown Omaha. Lakefront is may also be possible, but may be considerably more expensive. Keep in mind that expensive is a relative term. Be advised that Nebraska lakes are either dam impoundments or exhausted gravel mines. The dams are generally larger but are flooded farmground and usually mud base, the gravel mines are smaller but they have a very nice sand beaches and cleaner water.

The schools are excellent.

Given a commute downtown I'd look West; either along Dodge street or Southwest along I-80 or Highway 6. Either will give you a pretty clear shot.

For a tour I'd recommend a drive West along Dodge street, South on hwy 6, then back on I-80. Take some side roads and you'll see a pretty good piece of the suburban/rural that you've described. You'll see some very nice West Omaha Suburbs, Gretna, and the current rural / developed boundary. Depending on the side trips it can take a little as 45 minutes.

Ashland is West on Hwy 6. Turn west on the Highway just north of the interstate. There are some interesting upscale developments around Ashland. Downtown has some nice boutique style shops. It'll be interesting to see how the town develops over the next few years. Ashland is 40 minutes from the entertainment districts in both Omaha and Lincoln.

Don't forget to zoom in with maps.google.com. The images are a few years old but are still representative and quite detailed.

Best of luck,
DB

[WhiteSandsYucca]

Coming from Buffalo, I think you'll probably love the BIG O. First of all, you won't have to tackle as much snow. Yes, it can easily get "bitter cold" there, but the winters are not as harsh as Buffalo, NY, which is known for it's winter. Omaha doesn't have that "lake effect" and is located on the very beginning edges of the drier west.

Most sides of Omaha are growing, but generally most of the growth is seen in West Omaha (SW, WCentral, and NW). The south suburbs (La Vista, Papillion, ect) are growing, too. Housing is some of the most affordable in the nation. A lot of people who move to Omaha really remark liking it, especially if they are family-orientated.

[Keywestne]

We have a beautiful home that we will soon be placing on the market. We are located in Elkhorn, NE and 3 min away from Dodge St (expressway to downtown). An all brick ranch 5BR/5 Bath, hugh open yard. Please contact me for additional info.