Faribault job offer (Minneapolis, Rochester, Lakeville: insurance, houses, construction)

[MASolo]

My husband has been offered a job in Faribault. Our children are grown and live all over the country, so schools are not an issue, but would like a reasonable drive to the airport. We are considering lakefront property, would love to stay under $500,000, but would consider more for the right property. My husband has had a harsh commute for the last 7 years, so I'd like for him to be somewhat close to work. Are lakefront homes in Faribault year-round residences or primarily summer places? We wouldn't want to be totally isolated all winter. We're approaching our 60s, so access to medical care is also important (we'll have Medica insurance - I'm not yet sure what hospitals that includes).

Would Faribault be our best option (lake houses seem more affordable than further north in Lakeville)? Lakeville seems to have more amenities, and being closer to Minneapolis might be a plus for air travel and medical care, not to mention being able to enjoy the city. I've not yet visited, but Faribault seems to have character, and some nice amenities (library, rec center, park downtown, etc.) I'm also curious about some of the communities west of Faribault.

Any input is appreciated. He would be starting within a few weeks; I'd stay behind to sell our house, so we're in no hurry. I also noticed many lakehouses dropped off the MLS in the past few weeks. A Realtor I talked to said that is normal, and they would re-appear in March, so I envision a move early spring.

[golfgal]

Most lakefront in Faribault will be year round homes. It's not really a resort area at all. Faribault is a nice place to retire, small enough that you can lead a quiet life but easy enough to get up to the Twin Cities for shopping, etc. It's also a fairly reasonable drive to the Mayo Clinic. Medica should include most Dr's, clinics and hospitals in MN. If you want a small town, Kenyon is a nice little town. Not sure what is there for lake properties though. Easy access to highway 52 to get to Rochester or the Twin Cities too.

Waterville and Killkenny (sp??) are more rural, mostly larger acreages but nice.

[MASolo]

Thanks for the reassurance! Waterville looks nice too, but adds to the drive. I keep coming back to Faribault as a good fit for us. My husband will have plenty of time to get familiar with the area, but I usually handle the research! We've moved a lot in our life, and hope this is the last one! I've been pouring over the boards in the last month; I appreciate your input.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by MASolo

Thanks for the reassurance! Waterville looks nice too, but adds to the drive. I keep coming back to Faribault as a good fit for us. My husband will have plenty of time to get familiar with the area, but I usually handle the research! We've moved a lot in our life, and hope this is the last one! I've been pouring over the boards in the last month; I appreciate your input.

There really isn't a reason not to live in Faribault given your situation unless you find a place you like outside of town. It's not a bad town. If you had kids in school I'd probably steer you toward Northfield but no reason to create a commute if you don't have to.

[r_shackleford]

In your situation, you may as well stick close to Faribault itself. For empty nesters, any town in that area should feel about the same. I lived in nearby Waseca for a few years. Plenty of people commute back and forth between any combinations of towns in the area. But you won't gain much by living elsewhere.

Faribault is in a great location. It's roughly the same distance to Mankato, Rochester, and the Twin Cities. It's also close to college town Northfield if you enjoy concerts, recitals, plays and other cultural happenings. Actually, it's not that far to Zumbrota where they have an interesting mix of performances for Crossings at Carnegie. The airport is very manageable from Faribault. You'll have plenty of ways to get there depending on construction and traffic conditions. Faribault itself won't have quite as much shopping as bigger cities, but almost every big-box store is represented among Northfield, Faribault, and Owatonna. There are also plenty of options at the Medford outlet mall.

That whole area there is really nice. You really can't go wrong. The economy is deceptively diverse. There are plenty of lakes. Towns are far enough removed from the metro to have their own identity, but close enough that you have the big city amenities when you need them.

[bler144]

Faribault has its charms - and I might even go so far as to say it borders on 'picturesque' as far as small midwest towns go. And I agree, it sounds like for the circumstances it's a good fit.

I would also add that there are some nice outdoor areas (the River Bend, as well as being a short drive to Nerstrand-Big Woods - also bikable), as well as the Faribault Woolen Mill. A decade or so ago you probably could have even said it had better restaurants than Northfield, though I'm not sure if that's still true.