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Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
2,218 posts, read 3,451,120 times
Reputation: 6035
I grew up in the South Bend/Mishawaka area. I could not wait to get out of there. My reasons for disliking it were:
Horrible weather...both Summer and Winter and Spring
Winter....horrible. Cold, snow, ice from Nov thru April. Repeat COLD!!! F R E E Z I N G cold with abundant snow
Spring...tornados pop in to blow you to Oz or take your roof to the next county
Summer...hot as the hinges of hell with humidity that will make you beg for that cold winter you complained about
Fall...beautiful...but, winter is coming (and fast!)
Cost of Living is low...but there is a reason for that. It is dull as dirt.
Lots of abandoned/foreclosed properties lately
A bit of drug culture there
Restaurants....pretty much mostly chains. B O R I N G
People are nice..but fairly closed minded, ultra conservative/religious
That area is good for people who do not look for a lot of excitement. Yes, it is pretty cheap to live there. I have a HUGE family who still live there and they are pretty happy. I know that I could never go back after living in big, sophisticated cities. I go "home" to visit several times a year, but I cant wait to escape. Clearly, it is not for me...but it might be fine for people who have other criteria.
Northwest Indiana is very close to Chicago (and you can take the South Shore for a good price- check out which cities
have stops). Yes, east of Lake Michigan often gets lake effect snow (probably a little past South Bend).
Yes, lower cost of living and cheaper taxes.
Tornado's not too much to worry about.
The further south you go, it get's hilly and very picturesque.
If you live in NW Indiana you are close to Lake Michigan and Michigan resort towns. Great fruit pickings there.
Things to do. Depends on what you enjoy. If you are used to living in a major metropolitan area you will have to make
some adjustments.
Careful about university towns. South Bend does have Notre Dame but it isn't your usual univ. town but other
areas have a large student population which caters to them. Just letting you know if you are considering buying
because you may live next to a frat house.
Indianapolis - check out their forum. Residents can tell you more about it.
MW and I live in NW Indiana, 1 hour to 2 airports and the City. 2400 sq ft runs about 250K with taxes < 3K. I would look down around Bloomington to retire. Job opportunities pretty good being close to Chicago.
MW and I live in NW Indiana, 1 hour to 2 airports and the City. 2400 sq ft runs about 250K with taxes < 3K. I would look down around Bloomington to retire. Job opportunities pretty good being close to Chicago.
I would suggest reading other posts about Bloomington. It is a lovely area but there are 43,000
students who live here during the school year. If you plan to retire there and own a home,
you should stay there a week and look around (many homes are rentals and lots of apartments
that attract students). Nice area if you are interested in buying land - a little outside of town.
Spent 2 years there back in the 60's and cannot say anything positive other then this thread has put a long forgotten song back in my head.
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to
If a man ever needed dying, he did
No one had a right to say, what he said about you
And it's so cold and lonely here without you
Out there, the law is coming, I've been so tired of running
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to
It hurts to see the man that I've become
To know, I'll never see the morning sunshine on the land
I'll never see your smiling face or touch your hand
If just once more I could see, you, our home and our little baby
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back their!
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