NEWCOMERS please read before posting so we may assist you in your move (Louisville: where to stay, sale)

[LadyRX1]

Hello, I am a singel female moving to Louisville in Feburary 2014, to start a new job at the VA hosptial. I am looking to pay 700-800 montly for an apartment close to the hospital in a safe area. I would like to be on a bus line(I have a car) for bad weather days. Any suggestions would help. I will be traveling to Louisville in December to get a feel of the area.
Thankns in advance.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by LadyRX1

Hello, I am a singel female moving to Louisville in Feburary 2014, to start a new job at the VA hosptial. I am looking to pay 700-800 montly for an apartment close to the hospital in a safe area. I would like to be on a bus line(I have a car) for bad weather days. Any suggestions would help. I will be traveling to Louisville in December to get a feel of the area.
Thankns in advance.

The VA is very isolated from the city although its in the heart of the city.

This is my favorite development close to the VA:

WaterSide at RiverPark Place

Tarc route 15 services the VA.

http://www.ridetarc.org/uploadedFiles/15%20M.pdf
TARC

Ideally, you could find an apartment or Loft in Nulu, off east main, market, or washington St. If not, somewhere within walking distance of Frankfort Avenue in Crescent Hill would be ideal.

[nccatim]

So happy about this thread!!


Where you are working: Husband will be working in Ft. Knox and I hope to find a job shortly after we get settled
-How much you are willing to spend on housing: We are wanting to spend no more than $1,000 on rent and that is on the high end.
-How long of a commute you're willing to tolerate: the shorter the better, under 40 minutes for a great place at most. All the great places commonly mentioned are at least a 48 minute drive.
-If you have kids: no kids but we want to find a place that will allow dogs when we get one
-What type of neighborhood environment you are looking for: Urban-ish. I like to be able to go shopping or grab something without lets say a 30 minute drive. We aren't heavy drinkers but love to eat at various restaurants.
-Community amenities important to you- Coffee shops, restaurants/bars. I like going to live theater too. Going to the gym is very important to us so a place that can offer zumba, spin and self defense class would be great!
-Pie or cake?- YES

Elizabethtown has been mentioned a lot but the latest post I've seen was in 2010 and just wanted to see if there are any new thoughts or updates. We move every couple of years and in each place grocery shopping/shopping in general, places to eat and things to do were only about 15-20 minutes drive. When we were in Germany we drove 45-50 minutes everyday for work and it just got exhausting so we're not really wanting that again.

We are in our early 30s, no kids(yet), wanting to get a dog and we're pretty laidback, non club type people although I wouldn't mind going dancing once in awhile.

Neither of us have been in KY and we won't be able to visit until we move there. We plan on staying in an Extended Stay type place until our household goods arrive from overseas. We are realizing we'd probably need a second car too. Any recommendations on that would be great too. I know this is a lot but any help would be appreciated.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by nccatim

So happy about this thread!!


Where you are working: Husband will be working in Ft. Knox and I hope to find a job shortly after we get settled
-How much you are willing to spend on housing: We are wanting to spend no more than $1,000 on rent and that is on the high end.
-How long of a commute you're willing to tolerate: the shorter the better, under 40 minutes for a great place at most. All the great places commonly mentioned are at least a 48 minute drive.
-If you have kids: no kids but we want to find a place that will allow dogs when we get one
-What type of neighborhood environment you are looking for: Urban-ish. I like to be able to go shopping or grab something without lets say a 30 minute drive. We aren't heavy drinkers but love to eat at various restaurants.
-Community amenities important to you- Coffee shops, restaurants/bars. I like going to live theater too. Going to the gym is very important to us so a place that can offer zumba, spin and self defense class would be great!
-Pie or cake?- YES

Elizabethtown has been mentioned a lot but the latest post I've seen was in 2010 and just wanted to see if there are any new thoughts or updates. We move every couple of years and in each place grocery shopping/shopping in general, places to eat and things to do were only about 15-20 minutes drive. When we were in Germany we drove 45-50 minutes everyday for work and it just got exhausting so we're not really wanting that again.

We are in our early 30s, no kids(yet), wanting to get a dog and we're pretty laidback, non club type people although I wouldn't mind going dancing once in awhile.

Neither of us have been in KY and we won't be able to visit until we move there. We plan on staying in an Extended Stay type place until our household goods arrive from overseas. We are realizing we'd probably need a second car too. Any recommendations on that would be great too. I know this is a lot but any help would be appreciated.

The problem is you socially fit into Highlands or Germantown in Louisville. However, this can be 30-45 mins from Ft. knox. A compromise may be living in Shepherdsville, which is a fast growing louisville suburb halfway between ft knox and the theatre, restaurants and culture in the city of louisville. Sure shepherdsvile is a bit "redneck" for lack of a better term, but that whole area is growing with retail, restaurants, etc.

[nccatim]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

The problem is you socially fit into Highlands or Germantown in Louisville. However, this can be 30-45 mins from Ft. knox. A compromise may be living in Shepherdsville, which is a fast growing louisville suburb halfway between ft knox and the theatre, restaurants and culture in the city of louisville. Sure shepherdsvile is a bit "redneck" for lack of a better term, but that whole area is growing with retail, restaurants, etc.

Yeah, I read a little about that area and I was sad it would be quite a daily drive. My husband will be leaving base at late on some days so it just wouldn't work. Shepherdsville I read-I believe on this site-got mixed reviews so I was iffy on how that area was but again, it was a couple of years ago. We will probably just stay temporarily at Elizabethtown and check Shepherdsville out. Is it about the same size as Elizabethtown or smaller?

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by nccatim

Yeah, I read a little about that area and I was sad it would be quite a daily drive. My husband will be leaving base at late on some days so it just wouldn't work. Shepherdsville I read-I believe on this site-got mixed reviews so I was iffy on how that area was but again, it was a couple of years ago. We will probably just stay temporarily at Elizabethtown and check Shepherdsville out. Is it about the same size as Elizabethtown or smaller?

Sheperdsville is smaller yet....it is essentially an immediate suburb of Louisville. You can drive into the city limits for anything. In Etown, it is more of its own small town, complete with its own mini "mall." Shepherdsville is not the nicest place I have ever seen, but it is growing and good for families and there are some nice new subdivisions.

Etown should be ok for you. Its growing fast.

[nccatim]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

Sheperdsville is smaller yet....it is essentially an immediate suburb of Louisville. You can drive into the city limits for anything. In Etown, it is more of its own small town, complete with its own mini "mall." Shepherdsville is not the nicest place I have ever seen, but it is growing and good for families and there are some nice new subdivisions.

Etown should be ok for you. Its growing fast.

Thank you for your help Peter! We will be there end of Feb/beginning March so we definitely plan on looking into Shepherdsville and E-town. Shepherdsville sounds like a good "halfway" point between work and Louisville but we will probably stay at a hotel/extended stay in E-town just for convenience. I'm sure I'll have more questions when we get there lol. Thanks again!

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by nccatim

Thank you for your help Peter! We will be there end of Feb/beginning March so we definitely plan on looking into Shepherdsville and E-town. Shepherdsville sounds like a good "halfway" point between work and Louisville but we will probably stay at a hotel/extended stay in E-town just for convenience. I'm sure I'll have more questions when we get there lol. Thanks again!

You will see that Etown is more of its own town...and although it is considered an exurb of Louisville. It does its own thing. Shepherdsville is more of a rapidly growing bedroom community, but it is only minutes away from malls and also the urban excitement in Louisville inside I-264.

[nccatim]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

You will see that Etown is more of its own town...and although it is considered an exurb of Louisville. It does its own thing. Shepherdsville is more of a rapidly growing bedroom community, but it is only minutes away from malls and also the urban excitement in Louisville inside I-264.

So we're here now, staying at an extended stay in Hurstbourne. We drove around E-town, Fort Knox, Radcliff and the Highlands. It looks like we'll be making the 40-50 minute drive to work. E-town was nice, but we like the area around East Louisville better. We've been looking for apartments/houses for rent online, is it better to drive around and look for signs?

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by nccatim

So we're here now, staying at an extended stay in Hurstbourne. We drove around E-town, Fort Knox, Radcliff and the Highlands. It looks like we'll be making the 40-50 minute drive to work. E-town was nice, but we like the area around East Louisville better. We've been looking for apartments/houses for rent online, is it better to drive around and look for signs?

Yes, drive around and look for signs. Stick to the Highlands of Louisville, close to Eastern Parkway and Bardstown Rd. If you do this, you can take Eastern Parkway down to I-65 and be on the freeway in 5 minutes. From that exit, it is only 40 minutes to Ft Knox, and maybe even less if you are a speeder

Here is a quick overview of Louisville's cool (and up and coming i.e. Portland not quite ready yet) neighborhoods.

It also depends on your budget. Here is the max you can ever expect to spend in Louisville, as this place rocks:

2BR / 2BA beautifully renovated condo in Highlands

(not sure I would pay that in Louisville though)

Here is a cool kitchy place:

2BR Home in Germantown

This one is ok. A great location:

Nice 2 BR Highlands Apartment w/W&D in Unit & Central AC/Heat

This one is a great deal for the square footage in such a nice area:

Highlands House for Rent

Don't be fooled by the corporate owned sites. The coolest rentals in Louisville are on side streets off places like Cherokee Rd behind Bardstown and Baxter.


Oh, I love this one!

40205 - The Highlands - Douglass Loop - LUXURY LOFT

A bit pricey but you are paying for such high end finishes and literally living above great coffee shops and restaurants.

That's just a few in the Highlands, just one neighborhood you should look at. Let me know if I can help

Should you prefer more of the "complex type" in the next 2 years some really awesome urban complexes are opening up:

http://insiderlouisville.com/news/2014/02/17/mbb-26/

Here is a complex, near Butchertown on the waterfront, that gives you an isolated feel while being close to interstates and dt

http://www.watersideatriverpark.com