Moving to South Bend Area

[domergurl]

I've heard good things about Plymouth schools. Baugo Twp. too.

Go the Indiana dept. of ed website :

http://www.doe.state.in.us/ (broken link)

click on k-12 school data then to data for one school corporation. You can search by community or by county. Counties that you could search would be St. Joseph, Marshall, Elkhart, LaPorte ...

[claremarie]

One question to ask homesellers is how often they pump out their septic systems. Apparently some neighborhoods have had problems requiring annual pumps, which, I'm told, is Not a Good Thing. You can hire an inspector for the water and septic systems of homes you are considering, but it's useful to know if there are general problems in the neighborhood.
We saw a house in the Irongate subdivision that was on public water and sewer, even though other houses in the neighborhood were not.
I understand from current residents that there are also tax differences between similar homes in South Bend, Mishawaka, and Granger, but I don't have details.

[mommyof1]

Try looking into South of SouthBend. LaVIlle has a nice school. Granger and the Penn highschool area is in a high tax bracket. Michigan has lower protery taxes and is close to South Bend. Niles, MI or Edwardsburg, Mi are some other good areas to look into.

[ghandigee]

I am a California transplant (SF bay area). I've been here a long time and kind of like some aspects of the midwest and the people. I am now living in Lakeville, south of South Bend. Laville and John Glenn school districts are quite good. John Glenn is noted for its music and arts programs. I believe it is kind of nice west of South Bend ... New Carlisle?? If you like the country you might look into property south of town. Just make sure the property/house doesn't sit low. Check it out after it rains.

p.s. I also went to Notre Dame graduate school. Good luck to you

[domergurl]

I believe that John Glenn encompasses Walkerton, while new Carlisle residents attend New Prairie schools.

[WInative]

Originally Posted by krmama

Yes, I heard Granger has different water issues, but could you explain more? What questions should we ask about the water specifically?

What are some smaller towns around SB to consider?

Thanks!

Krmama,
Did you ever find a place in Granger? I am curious as to what you found out and ended up doing. I am also looking into this area, since we are relocating from WI and trying to find a decent elementary and middle school. Anywhere from Goshen- 30 min. away is ok.

[WInative]

Originally Posted by claremarie

I guess it depends upon where you are coming from. Frankly, we were very disappointed with the Catholic grade schools in the South Bend area (and yes, the Granger kids can go to the SB schools, and the Catholic parish in Granger is building a school for 2008). They just can't compare with the schools in the DC area.
The Indiana education website is a great resource (this is how we learned of the abysmal graduation rates in South Bend high schools)

Have you heard about any other schools such as Middlebury? We are moving to IN from WI and looking for a good elementary and middle school. I'm not sure what the Middlebury area is like.

[JeffSchnabel]

Originally Posted by krmama

My family is relocating to the South Bend area soon. We have two kids so schools are an important factor in deciding where to live. We have heard Granger has a very good school district and would love to learn more about the various subdivisions in that town, as well as any other pros/cons.

Also, can anyone talk about any South Bend neighborhoods that are worth considering? Ideally, we are looking for a neighborhood with young families, kid friendly activities and a good mix of people.

TIA!

Granger is a great area and there are many subdivisions to chose from. I am a Realtor and am available to help you with your home search. I live in the area and know it well.

[jo-el]

We moved to Granger from Seattle in August. My kids settled in right away - I feel like I am just now feeling connected to the community. The people are friendly - the weather was a huge change. I recommend Bridges Preschool with a play-based curriculum (Bridges School) and the Penn Harris School District (Discovery Middle School — Penn Harris Madison School Corporation (http://www.phm.k12.in.us/schools/discovery-middle-school - broken link)) with Discovery as the Middle School. We've had a great Kindergarten year and feel confident with our school. The developments are all nice in Granger and filled with kids but differ in pricing. In addition if you are looking for a brand new Catholic School - St Pius X (Saint Pius X Catholic Church - Granger, IN) has a new school opening this fall and is still registering. The Parish is large and friendly. Good luck with your move!