Relocation to Eagan (Duluth, Burnsville, Apple Valley: crime, how much, buying a house)

[headingtomn]

Hello MN!

We are relocating to Eagan for jobs. I have been doing some research (all of your feedback is great), but I still have a few more specific questions. If you could all help me out some more...

I've seen the maps on airport noise, but that just doesn't make me feel much better. I'm assuming a local realator would know the specifics on this? And I'm hoping they would be honest and not just sell me anything to get a sale? Do sellers need to mention if there property is in a "noise" zone...I'd guess not and they just hope planes aren't flying by when somebody is there to buy!?

We have 3 children--aged 7, 5, and 6 months. It appears the "good" school district is on a certain side. I know my kids are aways off, but what about the zoo school. I've read on the website, but has anybody have personal experience with it?

I would like to be by some neighbors of similiar aged kids. I understand there is a mix of ages, and that's cool, but I know Eagan's height was in the '90's. Are most of the areas filled with soon-to-be empty nesters with children in their teens or even early 20's?

I appreciate the help and thanks in advance.

[golfgal]

You want the 196 district which is roughly east and south of Pilot Knob road and Yankee Doodle Road. The district website has a tool you can use to search by address what schools are in the district. That area also has limited airport noise, obviously the closer you are to the airport, the more noise you will have.

Eagan is still a very family friendly area. You are going to find a mix of families in all the areas. Living closer to the elementary schools will often help having young kids in the neighborhood in general. I wouldn't rule out areas in Inver Grove Heights (in the 196 school district), Apple Valley and Rosemount as possible places to live if you are working in Eagan. They are very easy commutes.

My advice is to drive around or walk around neighborhoods when the kids are getting out of school and see how old they are. When the weather is warmer you can see by the bikes in the yard, toys in the back yards, etc. as well.

As for the Zoo school, it's officially the School for Environmental Sciences. It is only for high school juniors and seniors and they have about 800 students attending the school. It's a very different learning style. Students are expected to work very independently, often given assignments at the beginning of the year that are due say at Christmas time, for example. A lot of the students take advantage of the study abroad programs as well. It's a good school for the right kids. The district also has an open door policy where if there is a class at one of the other high schools your child whats to take, they can sign up for that class-they just have to get themselves back and forth. A lot of kids take advantage of the various foreign languages, for example as well as some of the classes at the zoo school.

When get get settled, sign up for the Early Childhood Family Education classes (ECFE) with your 6 month old. It's a great way to get to know people with children the same age. You will also meet people through school and community activities as well.

[MichaelItman]

A website you can look at re: home noise is FlightTracker | Metropolitan Airports Commission Noise Programs.

Good luck in your move!

[headingtomn]

Thanks to you both for the information. I guess we never considered the Inver Grove Heights area...is it decent? We would like a new home. It appears there are some new developments in Eagan, one particulary by Lebanon Hills--is that a nice area, assuming it's by a park? INver grove Heights has some nice developments too, and a bit more in our price range. Some are not in Eagan school district though. Are Inver Grove Heights schools good?

[jenniferam]

Originally Posted by headingtomn

Thanks to you both for the information. I guess we never considered the Inver Grove Heights area...is it decent? We would like a new home. It appears there are some new developments in Eagan, one particulary by Lebanon Hills--is that a nice area, assuming it's by a park? INver grove Heights has some nice developments too, and a bit more in our price range. Some are not in Eagan school district though. Are Inver Grove Heights schools good?

Eagan is a very nice city in general so I guess that depends on what you mean by nice. But Lebanon Hills is a very nice area in Eagan, yes there is a park, but it is also a Regional Park with a lake, beach, trails etc. I know there are some million dollar/half a mil dollar homes in that area. I believe there is also a Golf course really close to there. And yes you would be in district 196! Your kids are young but I would suggest eastview highschool, it is in Apple Valley but some eagan residents go there it is an amazing school although district 196 is overall great.

Also a little more about the school of envirnomental studies.. much like what golfgal said It is very independent learning students have their own cubical/desk areas and do alot of independent work. It is a great school but juniors and seniors. The students have alot of opportuites to travel and they go out and do alot of hands on research projects, science related. (It's not just a science school though).

Eagan has alot of lakes and is beautiful! Homes there are really nice, pricier than nearby cities like Apple Valley, Rosemount and Inver. As far as safety goes it's as safe as any suburb it has lower crime than Apple Valley, Burnsville and Inver Grove. But of coarse thats just numbers because I wouldn't consider those cities unsafe either.

I guess one last piece of advice when choosing where to live the closer you are to the highways, and shopping centers like eagan promanade it is not as nice as the homes by the lakes and parks. And Lebannon hills is probably the best area in the whole city, although like I said you defintely pay the price though.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by headingtomn

Thanks to you both for the information. I guess we never considered the Inver Grove Heights area...is it decent? We would like a new home. It appears there are some new developments in Eagan, one particulary by Lebanon Hills--is that a nice area, assuming it's by a park? INver grove Heights has some nice developments too, and a bit more in our price range. Some are not in Eagan school district though. Are Inver Grove Heights schools good?

I personally would not send my kids to the Inver Grove Heights schools but part of Inver Grove Heights is in the 196 district and that area is nice, newer homes, etc. By new do you mean you want to build or just want something built within the last 10 years or so? All of the areas around Lebanon are nice, wooded, pretty areas. Lebanon Hills is a very large county park with lakes, swimming, etc. That area is also near the Minnesota Zoo. The development across from the park on Pilot Knob is a pretty high end development. If those houses are in your price range, most of the homes in the area will work for you.

[WendyRLee]

Hi. There is not a law in Minnesota that it has to be disclosed if you are in a flight path only if you are in an airport safety zone. Eagan covers a pretty large area so there are lots of properties further from the airport where noise really isn't an issue.

[back2M]

Both of my nieces went to the School of Environmental Sciences (the ZOO school) and LOVED it. The poster above is pretty correct re the school. They are now 26 and 25 yrs old. One niece works higher up in IT at Duluth University and spends most weekends outdoors.

The other niece works for Apple Valley Parks and Recreation.

When inspecting houses I really think you need to look at the insulation and windows of the house, hopefully you can be in the house and the yard when planes are passing over. Also spend time in the neighborhood at different times of the day to see how much the plane noise bothers you. If your really keen on buying a house you could always door knock and ask the neighbors too, also a good way to introduce yourself if you do want to buy!

[headingtomn]

Sounds like Eagan is a good place with some nice areas. We would like a brand-new home (either we build or it's already built in a development), but an updated older home would be okay too. Most importanly would to not be in an airplane path, so thanks for the suggestions with websites and spending some time in neigborhoods to get a sense of what it is like.

Thanks.

[snowyowl789]

Isn't there an outdoor trap shooting range on the southeast side of Eagan? Does anyone know where that is? I recently talked to someone who lived near that shooting range and didn't like the noise from that.