wayzata/eden prairie vs edina schools (Minneapolis, St. Paul: for sale, real estate, how much)

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by golfgal

It would be a 20 minute commute along 55 to 62 up to the GM area....for someone that doesn't even drive, why would you even suggest that it is a long commute?

22 miles and 31 minutes according to google maps and that would be without any traffic or weather.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

No way the OP wants to go to Eagan. Terrible commute. The original inquiry was about Wayzata, Eden Prairie, or Edina schools, but the OP suggested that those areas looked too expensive. If that's the case, they should look in St Louis Park, Hopkins/ Minnetonka, or Golden Valley. I have friends who sent their kids through the Robbinsdale schools and they were happy there.

Yep, then she said that area was too expensive so I suggest an alternative....Eagan is NOT a bad commute to Golden Valley. I have friends that drive from the AV/Eagan border to GV every day, 35 minutes. Move closer to 55 in Eagan and you cut 10 minutes off that commute, easy. Exactly how many times have you driven from Eagan to GV that you know it is such an awful commute?

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

No way the OP wants to go to Eagan. Terrible commute. The original inquiry was about Wayzata, Eden Prairie, or Edina schools, but the OP suggested that those areas looked too expensive. If that's the case, they should look in St Louis Park, Hopkins/ Minnetonka, or Golden Valley. I have friends who sent their kids through the Robbinsdale schools and they were happy there.

Also, my response wasn't to the OP....

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Also, my response wasn't to the OP....

My error. I was confused because you were responding to someone with the exact same question as the OP. Still, I've made this commute exactly the same number of times that you have and know that 22 miles is a lousy commute, and not what I would view as a helpful suggestion.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

My error. I was confused because you were responding to someone with the exact same question as the OP. Still, I've made this commute exactly the same number of times that you have and know that 22 miles is a lousy commute, and not what I would view as a helpful suggestion.

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do and if you can't afford to live in the most expensive part of the cities, you have to drive a longer distance to work. I wouldn't want the commute either but there is only so much control people have over their income.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do and if you can't afford to live in the most expensive part of the cities, you have to drive a longer distance to work. I wouldn't want the commute either but there is only so much control people have over their income.

Yes, sometimes you DO have to do what you have to do, but given that there are SO many good options that ARE affordable and with decent schools within a reasonable commuting distance, I highly doubt most people would willingly do an Eagan-Golden Valley commute. It's one thing if they already lived in Eagan and were taking a new job, or if one spouse worked in a different place, but really??? Eagan to Golden Valley? No, I don't drive, but I've been around enough to know that Eagan and Golden Valley are on opposite sides of the metro area. Heck, just this summer (during the middle of the day, so no rush hour) we had to move stuff from our storage unit in Golden Valley to Eagan, and THAT was long enough. No way I'd willingly do that twice a day at rush hour unless it was truly necessary.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Yes, sometimes you DO have to do what you have to do, but given that there are SO many good options that ARE affordable and with decent schools within a reasonable commuting distance, I highly doubt most people would willingly do an Eagan-Golden Valley commute. It's one thing if they already lived in Eagan and were taking a new job, or if one spouse worked in a different place, but really??? Eagan to Golden Valley? No, I don't drive, but I've been around enough to know that Eagan and Golden Valley are on opposite sides of the metro area. Heck, just this summer (during the middle of the day, so no rush hour) we had to move stuff from our storage unit in Golden Valley to Eagan, and THAT was long enough. No way I'd willingly do that twice a day at rush hour unless it was truly necessary.

They are not on opposite sides of the metro, not even close.

How about instead bashing a perfectly good solution to an expensive problem you give some suggestions of "affordable" places for the poster that was stating she couldn't find anything in her price range in the western burbs....

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do and if you can't afford to live in the most expensive part of the cities, you have to drive a longer distance to work. I wouldn't want the commute either but there is only so much control people have over their income.

Eagan isn't the most obvious solution to more affordable housing. I suggested a number of places in the 952 or 763 areas. There's no point in moving to an area to take a job in Golden Valley and moving to a suburb of St. Paul.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by golfgal

They are not on opposite sides of the metro, not even close.

How about instead bashing a perfectly good solution to an expensive problem you give some suggestions of "affordable" places for the poster that was stating she couldn't find anything in her price range in the western burbs....

Well, what's wrong with Golden Valley itself? Or Plymouth, or St. Louis Park, or Hopkins. I'm not as familiar with Maple Grove, but perhaps that's an option. Maybe Robbinsdale? In any case, Eagan isn't a bargain-basement price suburb, and it's a long commute. Just kind of a strange recommendation to throw out there to someone relocating out of town for a job in Golden Valley, that's all. Do we even know what the poster's budget was? There's ample variety of housing (at multiple price points) in the nearby Golden Valley area, in safe, family-friendly neighborhoods with good schools. No need to trek across town to find that. Then again, I tend to be of the opinion that if relocating somewhere you first identify what you want out of a community (and prioritize your list), then check out the area where the job is first, and then radiate out from there until you find the best match. It gets more complicated if there are two people with jobs, but otherwise if you're relocating to an area for a job and are essentially starting with a clean slate, might as well go the easiest route possible and not make life more complicated than necessary.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by darnae

Thanks.

Lots of options, more expensive than what I'm used to... Many seem to be in the Robbinsdale school district. Is it as bad as greatschools.org says?

Editing to add...I know a couple of people who work for the same company and live in Prior Lake and Andover. Those just seem like really long commutes to me. We have spent the majority of the last 15 years moving frequently to construction sites, so we've always had the theory of living as close as possible to his work, because he goes there every day. Doubly true when I worked with him!

Look at Maple Grove or St. Louis Park. St. Louis Park has a large Jewish population (if it matters) and is central to the metro area. Maple Grove has newer homes and housing isn't as expensive as Plymouth. Some areas have a mature feel while other homes were built on ex-farmland.

Eagan is more of a hike but it is doable.

You could also pick Rogers which is off of 94. That will be even less than Maple Grove. I would not recommend crossing the bridge in Anoka County (Andover for instance). In 1995, I commuted from Andover to south Bloomington. I can get from Andover to the airport (near Eagan) in 50 minutes without traffic. So Eagan to GM is certainly IS doable if you are comparing traffic in LA. But it would not be my 1st choice.

Tell us your budget for a home, the house size you need, and the max commute time (distance and time during rush hour). I think we can dial things in.