Moving to Louisville with two small girls-please help me find a community (Lexington: condos, how much)

[cvuj]

My husband, myself and our two small girls (3.5 and 8 months) are moving to Louisville in September. We will be house hunting next weekend and need some advise. I am interested in finding a walkable neighborhood that provides a mix of privacy, affordability and reasonable access to restaurants/commerce. I know...that's all. Oh, and my husband wants a new house- although I think he could be persuaded to drop that if the neighborhood is right. Any ideas?

Also, to all those parents out there, can you give me any information about the local pre-schools?

Thanks so much

[tomocox]

look at Welcome to OldhamCounty.com!. There are at least 50 questions which would need to be answered prior to giving you good advice. Questions such as budget, timing, distance to work, need for services, etc.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by cvuj

My husband, myself and our two small girls (3.5 and 8 months) are moving to Louisville in September. We will be house hunting next weekend and need some advise. I am interested in finding a walkable neighborhood that provides a mix of privacy, affordability and reasonable access to restaurants/commerce. I know...that's all. Oh, and my husband wants a new house- although I think he could be persuaded to drop that if the neighborhood is right. Any ideas?

Also, to all those parents out there, can you give me any information about the local pre-schools?

Thanks so much

For a WALKABLE neighborhood with families, you will NOT like Oldham. You are going to be most interested in two areas in the city itself: the Highlands (40205) and Crescent Hill (40206). These areas are urban, walkable, dense, and diverse without being a threat to your safety. There are certain streets in the upper Highlands that are full of families. Furthermore, if you live Near Cherokee or Seneca park, you will feel like you are in a secluded area yet you can actually walk for coffee, boutique shopping, or ice cream with your family! In fact, I think you will enjoy living anywhere within a 2 mile radius of this popular swim club:

Lakeside Swim Club


The Highlands and Crescent Hill are older areas with rehabbed homes from 80-130 years old on average. However, there is plenty of new infill construction and new homes and condos can be had. For example, around Haldeman and Franfort Ave in Clifton/Crescent Hill, there is a row of great houses for under 200k that are made to look like historic houses, but they are brand new. Examples of this abound in the two areas I mentioned, and condos have become very popular.

The only walkable area in the suburbs is Norton Commons, which is basically an attempt to copy urban areas of the city and create a small "downtown" where you may walk to the doctor's office, get ice cream, or a sandwich, all in your subdivision.

Norton Commons


As for pre-schools, do you want a private one?

[cornfed]

My husband and I (with our 4 year old son and 7 month old daughter) currently live in Portland, OR and are very interested in this same information. We tend to be drawn to urban areas, in particular neighborhoods that mix locally owned businesses in with the neighborhood. We are currently looking at Louisville and Lexington as potential cities.

Thanks so much to stx12499 for the wealth of information provided. We are also interested in pre-schools , as well as public schools, that could be recommended. I imagine they will be around these same areas?

Good luck house hunting CVUJ!
Thanks!


My husband, myself and our two small girls (3.5 and 8 months) are moving to Louisville in September. We will be house hunting next weekend and need some advise. I am interested in finding a walkable neighborhood that provides a mix of privacy, affordability and reasonable access to restaurants/commerce. I know...that's all. Oh, and my husband wants a new house- although I think he could be persuaded to drop that if the neighborhood is right. Any ideas?

Also, to all those parents out there, can you give me any information about the local pre-schools?

Thanks so much

[highliner]

You Might also try Lyndon on New Lagrange Road, or Saint Matthews on (US60) Shelbyville Road/Frankfort Avenue. Both of these areas are quite beautiful, and a good deal less pricey than the Cherokee Park or Crescent Hill areas. The only area in Oldham County that might fit your bill, would be Lagrange, an attractive (albeit small and a little isolated), historic and affordable small town, on I-71 about twenty-five miles northeast of Louisville.

[missymomof3]

It really depends a great deal on your budget and your tastes. I lived in the Highlands and hated it. Others love it. It is just a matter of preference and how much you can afford. Good luck!

[tomocox]

What do you define as "walkable"

[DoubleBRanch]

Like they said at Taco Bell, "think outside the bun" and look at Breckinridge county. It is only 1 hr SW of Louisville, you will be raising your children in the clean country air rather than the city, the schools are supposedly great, and property is cheap. Avoid the crime, and get in line!

[cvuj]

Sorry about the time lag-I am just learning to navigate this site.

Regarding schools:

I would prefer that my children go to public schools for a number of reasons, but am open to private if these are heads and shoulders about the public options.

[cvuj]

Originally Posted by tomocox

What do you define as "walkable"

I would prefer a sidewalk. If there are none available, I would need a community quite enough to push a double stroller with some regularlity.