Work in Mt Sterling/live in Lexington? (Winchester, Mount Sterling: for sale, real estate)

[feelalive]

I'm considering a job opportunity in Mt. Sterling. I have a 2nd grader and a preschooler who barely missed the age cutoff for kindergarten this year. I'm not that familiar with Kentucky. I see Winchester is in between Mt. Sterling and Lexington. I've read mixed reviews on Winchester. What would the commute be like if we lived on the east side of Lexington? We currently live in an area with great schools, ymca summer day camp that my son LOVES during the summer with several field trips a week and just a lot of other kid oriented activities/parks/paved bike trails. I'd like to move somewhere where the kids have similar opportunities. Any area suggestions? We'd be looking at houses $300-360K range (we'd like a neighborhood with a pool). What are real estate taxes like in the area?

Thanks!

[LEXpert]

Sounds like you will need to be around the 108 exit at Man O War. I live out here and have several happy clients that like it too. My parents live in Winchester and I can get there in less than 20 minutes from my neigborhood.

For the money you mentioned, Andover Hills is a perfect fit. It is close to everything including the interstate, has several small parks near by as well as the 600+ acre Jacobson Park. The school district is the most desirable for this part of town, and the prices fit right in with what you mentioned. If there is a negative, it is that most the houses are 12-20 years old are may need some updating. I have a video neighborhood tour of it on my blog if you click the "B'" up there by my name.

If you are the new house type of person, we have that around here too.....but the school districts aren't as well rounded.

I have also lived in Winchester. I found it to be a pleasant little town. The people are pretty friendly. Just last night I dialed the wrong number for somebody in Winchester and the person I called offered to look up the number for the person I wanted to call. That is just how they are there! However, with it being a small town, there isn't as much to do if you are use to a larger environment.

[LEXpert]

Ooooops! Forgot to give you the tax info you needed. Just about anything around Hamburg is going to be $1.0951 per $100. Here is a link to all the different tax districts and what services you get with each. For any house you are interested in, you can type in the address on the PVA to see what district it is in. Here is the chart: Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator

[feelalive]

Thanks for the info! It was very helpful. How far of a commute would it be from the neighborhood to Mt. Sterling? How much do the houses range that back up to the big park?

[LEXpert]

Andover Hills is less than 5 minutes from the interstate exit at Man O War (Exit 108). I haven't driven to Mount Sterling in a while, but it seems like it is about 15 minutes past the last Winchester exit, which is #96. I can be at that last Winchester exit from my house in about 20 minutes, so Mount Sterling should be 35 minutes from this part of town. It is an easy drive since the interstate is 3 lanes on each side until you get to Winchester.

The few houses that back to the park seem to be in the $350-550k range. There is an access to the park on a road called Park Ridge. There are several houses for sale right now very close to the access that are around $350k. That part of the neighborhood has rolling hills, so there are some steeper driveways than usual.

Also both the elementary and middle school (Athens-Chilesburg....aka ACE, and Edythe J Hays) are about 5 stop signs away from this side of Andover Hills.