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We are interested in moving to Indiana, but we are concerned about the winters. Are they similar or worse than New Yorks? I am a mailman and can't stand working in New York cold anymore. Don't want to go down south because half the country is either going down there or already down there. How is the real estate? Looking for atleast 5 bedrooms. How are the schools? If anyone can give any information about the state or any part of the state that would be great.
limited experience here
lived in Brooklyn, but spent one winter in Indianapolis
about the same, maybe a bit more mild in NYC
You have your nasty Noreasters (sp?)
Indy had some more bitter cold, windy days
also looking at Indiana myself, hoping to get a job in the SW region of the state -- good luck to ya
We are interested in moving to Indiana, but we are concerned about the winters. Are they similar or worse than New Yorks? I am a mailman and can't stand working in New York cold anymore. Don't want to go down south because half the country is either going down there or already down there. How is the real estate? Looking for atleast 5 bedrooms. How are the schools? If anyone can give any information about the state or any part of the state that would be great.
I resided in both WNY and NYC for several years... now I'm in Fort Wayne. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the winters in Indiana, Fort Wayne or further south (South Bend, where Notre Dame is, is snowy and cold as it gets lake-effect). As a mailman in Indiana, you'll definitely have nicer weather overall, but with the occasional extreme condition which you cannot avoid anywhere.
Real Estate in Indiana is very very affordable --- but it has the drawback that it doesn't appreciate very fast (or at all). A 5 bedroom house... no problem... people in Indiana like their houses large. I've posted in the past regarding real estate and relocation advice (please take a look at my past posts). I still stand by advising people relocating in to Indiana to really understand that real estate isn't so much an investment here, because the values are very stable/flat... even after 5 years, you'll be lucky to make a very modest profit (or just break even once you factor in realtor and maintenance costs) if you relocate again. The only properties which really seem to go up in value are the ones on the lake-front of the large glacier lakes you can buy/build on... those are like the mid-west's version of ocean-front property, but much more affordable.
Schools overall in Indiana are abyssmal - there are a few shiny stars though. You need to search online to identify the top ones. In NY you have the Board of Regents which ensure public schools are up to snuff... in Indiana you now have istep testing... it's a fuzzy carbon copy, a relatively new attempt to measure and establish state-wide standards. Better than nothing for sure. In the burbs of Indianapolis (Indiana's largest city) and of Fort Wayne (2nd largest) you have some impressive schools, both public and private.
My personal preference for where to live is Fort Wayne Indiana... in the Southwest area. I have family now in Indianapolis and I have pretty good familiarity of it as well, but I honestly can not speak to it as well as some other people on this forum. I think Fort Wayne is so family friendly and has so much going for it (cost-of-living, weather, good airport, no real traffic of significance compared to NYC/Westchester or even WNY, low taxes, a brand new palacial library, awesome zoo, science center, parks galore, etc), that I am just amazed. I cannot even begin to list all the things families can do in this area - things which are affordable. I'd thus recommand Fort Wayne to anyone with a family.
If you want instead to live a quieter, calmer, and perhaps more healthy lifestyle, without doubt, buy a property on one of the very large lakes in rural Indiana (450 acres or larger in size), and every evening enjoy watching sunsets over calm lake waters; in the summer months you can go water-skiing or cruising on your pontoon boat with friends and family. You'll perhaps have a bit of a commute to any airport or at least a 30 min drive to a wal-mart, but you will probably feel it's worthwhile once you get home every night.
As a suburban Indianapolis resident, who grew up near South Bend and spent time in Valparaiso, in central and southern Indiana, it gets more icy than snowy in general. Weather fronts tend to converge in the middle of the state. You can have rain in Bloomington (where Indiana University is located) and a snow storm in South Bend (Notre Dame) at the same time. You can also have 60 degrees and sunny here in Indy and 30 degrees in the northern part of the state.
Schools ... I wouldn't say they are abyssmal per se. You just have to do your research. The Indiana department of education has a terrific website. I like living near Indy because the public schools in the burbs are very good, but if you want a private school education for your kids, there are many choices.
It sounds to me like you would like Indy and points south. Please keep us informed and lob any questions you may have. We are a pretty knowledgeable bunch and are pretty proud of our state. Glad you are considering moving here!
I moved here to Carmel IN from LI last summer. I'm personally not that happy here, but I can tell you, the schools in Carmel are right on par with the best LI schools. (I came from the Cold Spring Harbor district)
Housing/taxes are extremely affordable.
As for winter, just spent the last one here, it's like LI but a little less snow, earlier spring. Major difference-since they moved to Eastern time, there is a lot more light in the evenings here than NY.
I cannot give you any comparrisions, but I can give you a very important warning if you suffer from allergies... Stay away from Indiana!!! My family and I are packing up and getting ready to head to New Mexico. The mold here in Indiana is HORRIBLE!!! We lived in a moldy house for 5 years and we are now all very sick all the time and have so many health problems, that most days we cannot even go outside. It really is horrible here if you are an allergy suffer. I would have given most anything if someone would have told us how dangerous molds are before we moved to this town where you can smell the fungus the minute you get off the interstate. Do a google search on toxic mold and read some of the articles it pulls up, many are written by doctors.
Sorry to throw out the bad news here, but it is serious and will destroy your whole families life, and worse! I just cannot sit back any longer and watch peopple dieing from this horrible cancerous thing that is running rampunt through the midwest.
I cannot give you any comparrisions, but I can give you a very important warning if you suffer from allergies... Stay away from Indiana!!! My family and I are packing up and getting ready to head to New Mexico. The mold here in Indiana is HORRIBLE!!! We lived in a moldy house for 5 years and we are now all very sick all the time and have so many health problems, that most days we cannot even go outside. It really is horrible here if you are an allergy suffer. I would have given most anything if someone would have told us how dangerous molds are before we moved to this town where you can smell the fungus the minute you get off the interstate. Do a google search on toxic mold and read some of the articles it pulls up, many are written by doctors.
Sorry to throw out the bad news here, but it is serious and will destroy your whole families life, and worse! I just cannot sit back any longer and watch peopple dieing from this horrible cancerous thing that is running rampunt through the midwest.
Carmella
What in the world are you talking about??? Smell the fungus the minute you get off the interstate I don't mean to belittle your situation, but goodness gracious .... Indiana manages to keep a population of allergy sufferers without such hysterical commentary as yours. This state does have allergists you know.
Now, if you are lamenting about purchasing a home that has a mold problem, well ... didn't you get your property inspected prior to purchase?? There are certified mold inspectors you know?
Good luck in New Mexico ... sheesh! Enjoy all the creepie crawlies, scorpions and black widow spiders. Be sure to check out the New Mexico board on your way out so you can be informed.
I'm sorry, but while Indiana has it's share of problems, mold isn't one of them that makes this state unique.
I cannot give you any comparrisions, but I can give you a very important warning if you suffer from allergies... Stay away from Indiana!!! My family and I are packing up and getting ready to head to New Mexico. The mold here in Indiana is HORRIBLE!!! We lived in a moldy house for 5 years and we are now all very sick all the time and have so many health problems, that most days we cannot even go outside. It really is horrible here if you are an allergy suffer. I would have given most anything if someone would have told us how dangerous molds are before we moved to this town where you can smell the fungus the minute you get off the interstate. Do a google search on toxic mold and read some of the articles it pulls up, many are written by doctors.
Sorry to throw out the bad news here, but it is serious and will destroy your whole families life, and worse! I just cannot sit back any longer and watch peopple dieing from this horrible cancerous thing that is running rampunt through the midwest.
Carmella
LOL - all I can do is laugh at this post. Allergies in this area seem hardly as bad as what my family experiences in other parts of the country... For someone to suffer as much as described, I think there must be something other than allergies going on. Have you considered a 2nd opinion by a doctor before you pick-up and move your family 2k miles?
Mold issues? You know that mold is everywhere it rains right? - everywhere. 99% of it is harmless. Some contractors (I've met them) who sell moisture removal systems for residences claim like you that it is extremely bad for your health, but they're trying to sell you something, and even they will admit that their snake-oil technology doesn't get rid of mold (nothing can completely). As far as airborne toxins are concerned, mold is not the one most people should be concerned about. VOC's from wall and ceiling paint and wood finishes more likely to cause health issues in just about everyone's home. As will dust and dust mites living in unclean carpets.
In closing, the above dramatically written post seems like it was made to annoy people like me - people that know better and who cannot stand seeing ridiculousness posted on a board others read to educate themselves.
If you smell fungus from the Interstate as you arrive in Indiana then you must be regularly sniffing something other than mold spores.
LOL - all I can do is laugh at this post. Allergies in this area seem hardly as bad as what my family experiences in other parts of the country... For someone to suffer as much as described, I think there must be something other than allergies going on. Have you considered a 2nd opinion by a doctor before you pick-up and move your family 2k miles?
Mold issues? You know that mold is everywhere it rains right? - everywhere. 99% of it is harmless. Some contractors (I've met them) who sell moisture removal systems for residences claim like you that it is extremely bad for your health, but they're trying to sell you something, and even they will admit that their snake-oil technology doesn't get rid of mold (nothing can completely). As far as airborne toxins are concerned, mold is not the one most people should be concerned about. VOC's from wall and ceiling paint and wood finishes more likely to cause health issues in just about everyone's home. As will dust and dust mites living in unclean carpets.
In closing, the above dramatically written post seems like it was made to annoy people like me - people that know better and who cannot stand seeing ridiculousness posted on a board others read to educate themselves.
If you smell fungus from the Interstate as you arrive in Indiana then you must be regularly sniffing something other than mold spores.
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I don't mean to belittle your situation, but goodness gracious .... Indiana manages to keep a population of allergy sufferers without such hysterical commentary as yours. This state does have allergists you know.
