Young Family looking for Urban vibe (Minneapolis, Bloomington: house, living in, suburbs) - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota (MN) -Twin Cities - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

po2ter · 04-30-2008, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfgal

Highland Park in St. Paul--you can buy a smaller home for that price in that area. Down the road you will have to consider schools but you will have a few years to worry about that. Nice, safe area, no worries about your wife walking outside, etc.

When you say urban, do you mean you want to live in a high rise condo type urban or just want to be able to walk places?

We are open to considering both at this point.... price wise I think we are probably better off purchasing a twinhome with a bit more square footage rather then a condo. I think our 2 dogs may force us to consider something other then a high rise condo (just for convenience sake)

po2ter · 04-30-2008, 05:39 PM

Thanks for the great feedback everyone. To give some further context to my question... not to be an a$$hole but we are pretty well off for a young family of our age. The problem we have encountered in the past is living in a nice home/ neighborhood but surrounded by people 10 years older then us. The neighborhoods have been great but it has been tough to adjust to a neighborhood with not a lot of people "in your shoes". From the sounds of it.... it seems as though North Loop/ Downtown/ Uptown and Lowry Hill seem to be the pick of the litter?

Haver · 04-30-2008, 06:07 PM

If you're looking at twin homes, I've been hitting the southwest Bloomington area pretty heavily and there are a fair number of twin/quad homes in the 150K - 180K range between Dred Scott park and Hyland Park (Old Shakopee Rd & Normandale/Auto Club Road area) and northwards. They all looked pretty nice and with that price range and park proximity I'd lay a fair bet there are young families about as well, although that'd only be a guess. Bloomington schools are pretty highly rated as well. You'd have to commute a few miles to find trendy shopping and cafes though.

Quad home I was looking at last week was 164K for a split level at 1350 sf with a double garage, and its a good HOA with modest fees. It was cheaper because the original owner opted for a patio instead of a deck.

Might want to wait until one of the others weighs in to confirm/deny what I'm saying since I'm speaking from conjecture about the age range.

Minnehahapolitan · 04-30-2008, 06:12 PM

The North Loop was not a residential area until recently, so there are more rigid rules (read: Dog) in most of the buildings since they are all rehabbed warehouses or new construction. The demographics tend young, though. Uptown (the Cal-Isles area in general) has always been a wealthy residential area, there is less regulations (IMO, anyways). It is also less concrete-ie than Downtown are the North Loop, but it is still a youthful area. Also remember, you aren't limited to a townhouse or condo for $400,000 -- this isn't Seattle.

Minnehahapolitan · 04-30-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haver

If you're looking at twin homes, I've been hitting the southwest Bloomington area pretty heavily and there are a fair number of twin/quad homes in the 150K - 180K range between Dred Scott park and Hyland Park (Old Shakopee Rd & Normandale/Auto Club Road area) and northwards. They all looked pretty nice and with that price range and park proximity I'd lay a fair bet there are young families about as well, although that'd only be a guess. Bloomington schools are pretty highly rated as well. You'd have to commute a few miles to find trendy shopping and cafes though.

Quad home I was looking at last week was 164K for a split level at 1350 sf with a double garage, and its a good HOA with modest fees. It was cheaper because the original owner opted for a patio instead of a deck.

Might want to wait until one of the others weighs in to confirm/deny what I'm saying since I'm speaking from conjecture about the age range.

1. There will be a few young people, but lots of people around in the area who built the houses originally. It would be low on my list of "young areas".
2. $200,000 is half of the price range that the OP gave.
3. That area is walkable to absolutely nothing. Even something untrendy would be a reach (a good mile to mile and a half).

golfgal · 04-30-2008, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po2ter

We are open to considering both at this point.... price wise I think we are probably better off purchasing a twinhome with a bit more square footage rather then a condo. I think our 2 dogs may force us to consider something other then a high rise condo (just for convenience sake)

$400,000 will buy you a 3000+ sq foot home in any of the suburbs or most of the metro area. If you really want a twinhome I think you will find that you are in the same predicament you are in now only you will be the 'old' folks. You will find people your age in townhomes in say St. Louis Park but they won't have kids so then you are stuck being the only one with kids.

I suggested Highland Park but that tends to be an older crowd as well but you would probably find quite a few 40 year olds with toddlers there.

If you are ok with the suburbs but still have walkability, etc. try looking a bit outside. Maple Grove area is pretty new and younger families. Stillwater is a great town that while not "urban" is a very walkable town. We can walk to pretty much everything we need here in Rosemount.

Cobblestone Lake's development in Apple Valley is trying to recreate an urban neighborhood with houses right next to each other and various designs. They have a lake, pool, parks and shopping right in the neighborhood. THere are also a lot of younger families with small kids there too.

nick is rulz · 05-01-2008, 12:15 AM

Why are people suggesting suburbs when the title of the thread states 'looking for an urban vibe'?

Lowry Hill would be a good fit, although for $400k you would most likely have to look for a condo or townhouse and with dogs that may be tricky. A lot of people consider the border along Franklin to be "Uptown", so its a fairly young demographic the closer to Hennepin/Franklin you reside. East Isles, just south of Lowry Hill is a bit cheaper price wise. Ecco might be an option, too.

The Uptown area tends to be that most of the rentals are from Hennepin to Lyndale...while crime is low in this area, there is the issue of transient neighbors. If I had the money and was going to purchase in that area I would probably stay west of Hennepin.

golfgal · 05-01-2008, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick is rulz

Why are people suggesting suburbs when the title of the thread states 'looking for an urban vibe'?

.

Because if you read his posts he said he wants something walkable--all the suggestions I gave meet that requirement--not every place in Minneapolis does.

What! · 05-01-2008, 11:18 AM

Yup. Like other posters, I agree with the Lake of the Isles area or near Uptown.

Mistacoolio20 · 05-01-2008, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po2ter

Thanks for the great feedback everyone. To give some further context to my question... not to be an a$$hole but we are pretty well off for a young family of our age. The problem we have encountered in the past is living in a nice home/ neighborhood but surrounded by people 10 years older then us. The neighborhoods have been great but it has been tough to adjust to a neighborhood with not a lot of people "in your shoes". From the sounds of it.... it seems as though North Loop/ Downtown/ Uptown and Lowry Hill seem to be the pick of the litter?

Move to uptown. There you will even be older than most of the people living in there. Its upbeat, urban and classy.