St. Cloud, Minnesota: Large family relocation? (Minneapolis, Sartell: sales, real estate, 2013)

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Starting more in depth research about the area. DH would be working "downtown" which compared to Richmond, Virginia isn't really downtown.

Let me tell you about our family and then you can tell me what you think and maybe suggest areas to check out.

DH has been for a work related trip and said that the people are very friendly. The cost of living is lower than Richmond area.

We homeschool our oldest two but we were considering putting our almost 5 year old in public kindergarten this fall. He has some special needs and attends private OT. We are in the process of having things evaluated for public school supports.

We adopted him as a newborn and he is biracial. We know that the diversity we would find there isn't near what we have found here. This is a huge sticking point to me and my husband.

Our almost 4 year old has speech issues following being intubated and sedated in an emergency situation-- so I'm worried about moving him from his beloved speech therapist. We are also having him evaluated through this school system. I'm not sure how transferring all of that would work.

We are a "large" family (in quotes because we have a small family compared to many of our friends) and I'm a SAHM that is also a full time student-- Online.

We are a conservative (but loving, get along with almost everyone) Christian family. In Georgia, we were members of a very large Southern Baptist church but we've recently left the denomination for a non-denominational small church. The diversity in our church is unlike anything we have ever found before.

I'm also worried about the weather. I do love the sun. LOL Bright sunny days make me happy. My children don't ice skate/play hockey (which is all my husband's coworkers talked about in their free time. LOL) We are more of a football/basketball family. We have attended a minor league hockey game and we thought that was fun.

We do spend a good portion of our winter at our family Y, using the indoor pool, working out and letting the kids burn off energy.

We'd also be giving up access to Busch Gardens for spring/summer though and the DC Zoo. Our whole recreation category looks like it would have to change if we moved.

OH! Another big thing is that we deal with multiple food allergies in our family. Living in Richmond metro, we have excellent access to specialty foods (coconut milk, coconut yogurt, etc.) A friend said that I would probably have no issue finding these items in Minneapolis and that it isn't a "hard" drive to make.

Thoughts?

If you live there (or nearby) tell me why you love it and what your favorite things are to do.

[golfgal]

I don't see that you will have to make any changes to your lifestyle other than going to the Minnesota Zoo, Como Zoo or any other Zoo in the state vs the National Zoo.

St. Cloud is a very diverse community and you will easily be able to find a non-denominational church to suit your needs.

There are 3 colleges in the St. Cloud area so it is a very educated town. I think you will find that most people are far more accepting of differences than what you find in VA.

The school system is excellent and you should have no issues finding programs for your child.

There are Y's, community centers, indoor waterparks, etc. here too....along with Valleyfair Amusement park

I don't play hockey and your kids may want to learn to ice skate--it's fun

Food allergies are not going to be an issue


I think you have this vision of Little House on the Prairie....while St. Cloud proper is not the size of Richmond, the Twin Cities MSA, which St. Cloud is a part of is about 3.5 million people, compared to the 1.2 Million in the Richmond MSA...

[geebabe]

I agree with golfgal. I think you will like St. Cloud. Best wishes!

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Originally Posted by golfgal

I don't see that you will have to make any changes to your lifestyle other than going to the Minnesota Zoo, Como Zoo or any other Zoo in the state vs the National Zoo.

St. Cloud is a very diverse community and you will easily be able to find a non-denominational church to suit your needs.

There are 3 colleges in the St. Cloud area so it is a very educated town. I think you will find that most people are far more accepting of differences than what you find in VA.

The school system is excellent and you should have no issues finding programs for your child.

There are Y's, community centers, indoor waterparks, etc. here too....along with Valleyfair Amusement park

I don't play hockey and your kids may want to learn to ice skate--it's fun

Food allergies are not going to be an issue


I think you have this vision of Little House on the Prairie....while St. Cloud proper is not the size of Richmond, the Twin Cities MSA, which St. Cloud is a part of is about 3.5 million people, compared to the 1.2 Million in the Richmond MSA...

Perhaps I do. My only time in the midwest was spent in South Dakota about 20 years ago for a summer. LOL

I did find the Y's website-- the rates are much better than what we currently pay.

I found Valleyfair's site and Soak City.

Knowing I have two children with special needs, do you recommend one area over another? I have discovered that the area has open enrollment (Which completely blows my mind. Everything is done strictly by address here and in Georgia) do children living in the district get first dibs?

I'm slightly overwhelmed, I admit. It has taken us 5 years to make the Richmond area feel like "home." This seems to be going very fast! It looks like if we do this, we could be there next month!

Originally Posted by geebabe

I agree with golfgal. I think you will like St. Cloud. Best wishes!

Thank you!

[golfgal]

Yes, kids in the district get first dibs and if there is room left over, they accept the open enrollment. Most schools make room when they can because the process is a revenue generator for them. Once you are in, you are in to stay if you wish.

Sartell is generally accepted as the best district in the St. Cloud area but the the St. Cloud schools are just fine too. Albany has a very good system as well, but its smaller and special ed services might be more limited but it's worth looking into--if you have an interest in small town life.

Also keep in mind that St. Cloud is the regional shopping and medical center and while the actual population is only 65,000ish, the surrounding area pulls in a lot of people and the town acts like its much bigger with various amenities, etc. and is really a workforce town of about 150,000 people.

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Where can I find the tax rates?

Here we pay personal property (vehicles, etc ), tags, have a state vehicle inspection, real estate taxes, sales tax (and one county was voting on a meals tax for restaurants-- I'm not sure if it passed) and then state income tax.

State income tax is high for us every year even with 5 children. We were shocked when we first moved here.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeachie

Where can I find the tax rates?

Here we pay personal property (vehicles, etc ), tags, have a state vehicle inspection, real estate taxes, sales tax (and one county was voting on a meals tax for restaurants-- I'm not sure if it passed) and then state income tax.

State income tax is high for us every year even with 5 children. We were shocked when we first moved here.

http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfo...ocs/ff2013.pdf

Taxes in MN are higher but you also get what you pay for here too with better schools, better support for special needs kids, better infrastructure, etc.

There is no tax on food and clothing here (food bought in the grocery store for the most part). You will pay tax on candy, etc. and food bought at a restaurant. There is no personal property tax in the state.

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Originally Posted by golfgal

http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfo...ocs/ff2013.pdf

Taxes in MN are higher but you also get what you pay for here too with better schools, better support for special needs kids, better infrastructure, etc.

There is no tax on food and clothing here (food bought in the grocery store for the most part). You will pay tax on candy, etc. and food bought at a restaurant. There is no personal property tax in the state.

Thank you!

My husband got the relocation packet information. We have until Monday to decide.

We'd get an opportunity to fly out to look for a house and then we'd move by the end of May. It's a time crunch for sure.

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Can anyone help me out with reputable home builder recommendations?

[Mr. In-Between]

Wow! That's fast. I can't blame you for feeling overwhelmed!

Good time of year to move, though - you'll be moving into your new home just at the peak of one of the most beautiful times of the year in Minnesota, the first weeks of spring. Spring hits fast at that latitude, because plants that far north can't afford to waste any of the growing season. They all pop as soon as it feels safe, and for a few weeks they all have their fresh, first-burst foliage on full display. You've never seen so many different shades of green, and it only lasts a couple-three weeks before the first leaves start to darken and settle into more mundane color schemes for the summer.

And the flowers will be exploding all over the place - if spring's a little late (as it probably will be this year), you'll catch the last lilacs. You'll think you've moved to heaven; Minnesota will be putting on its best face and welcoming you in style.

Nobody answered this part of your question in much detail, so I thought I'd mention to you that if you have children with medical issues, there aren't many better towns to move to in Minnesota. The health care infrastructure in St. Cloud is exceptional. Very good area to raise a family; be assured you won't have any problems finding state of the art medical care in your new home.

I'll also add that St. Cloud is the gateway to the lake area of Minnesota, so you're also moving to an area with a wealth of recreational opportunities for your family. If you like camping, fishing, boating, or anything of that nature, you're right on the front door of one of the most beautiful places in the country. Not as mountainous as parts of the Virginias, of course, but still prettier than most people who've never been there would ever guess. Good luck with the move; I hope it all works out well for you folks, and that you're very happy there.