Please tell me more about Shorewood Forest near Valparaiso (Michigan City: crime, houses)

[Tappan Zee]

Anyone know more about the Shorewood Forest community. I just wanted to get more info and others perspective before asking a realtor so I have a little more knowledge about the community.

I'm originally from Chicago and have family and friends there. My gf and I are thinking of getting a second home in the Chicago suburbs and I consider Valparaiso as a Chicago suburb because it's about 45-50 min away from what I hear. I've always wanted a home on the Lake and thought Shorewood seems ideal. After living in the NYC area for a while, I think of Valpaiso as being similar to the suburbs of western Connecticut or Northern NJ which are 45-1hr away from NYC, in which a great number of the commuters make the commute to the City by an express bus or train or by car.

Also, from what I've seen online, one does get a lot of housing per dollar compared to homes in the east coast.

My question is:
1. Is Shorewood a good investment down the road (would you spend $400,000-$600,00 in this area) and is it time to buy now or wait it out some more for more correction?

2. Is it diifficult to sell a home here in Shorewood's price range?

3. I don't have kids yet but, are the grade schools and high schools decent?

4.Is there a homedepot or mall/shopping area such as a Mayc's/Bloomingdales/Saks or any kind of mall to take kids nearby?

5. We also like to eat out and I guess have been spoiled by all the great restaurants here in NYC and also Philly, are there any decent steak houses, sushi bars, Italian rest, Thai rest, French bistro in the area. (I'm thinking we might have to go to Chicago for this one but I hope there is at least a decent sushi bar.)

6. Does the area have their own version of Cosco?

7. Is there a decent hospital nearby or is Chicago the best option?


8. If there is a bus/train to downtown Chicago, would you recommend commuting by bus/train?

9. How is the valparaiso area in general as far as crime is concern?

Any info is greatly appreciated!

[domergurl]

Shorewood is a lovely community. The school district is small (Union Township), but very well regarded. I don't know if I'd spend a half million on a home in there and expect to make a profit down the road though.

All your shopping needs can be met in Merrillville/Hobart on US 30 ... Costco is there on US 30 and I65. Westfield Mall has most everything you need in terms of mall stuff.

Valparaiso is a great community. My second child was born at Porter Memorial and it was great, not fancy, but everyone treated us very well and I was very satisfied with everything. St. Anthony in Crown Point is also very good.

You should definitely look into it.

[Chuckity]

I've answered your questions in red.

But I really don't think of Valpo as a Chgo suburb - Chicagoland yes, suburb no. Valpo doesn't really rely on Chgo - it's more of a self-supporting area. KWIM?

Shorewood is the reason we moved to Valparaiso - it was originally the subdivision I fell in love with. For other reasons, we ended up moving to a somewhat similar subdivision a couple of miles away.

Originally Posted by Tappan Zee

Anyone know more about the Shorewood Forest community. I just wanted to get more info and others perspective before asking a realtor so I have a little more knowledge about the community.

I'm originally from Chicago and have family and friends there. My gf and I are thinking of getting a second home in the Chicago suburbs and I consider Valparaiso as a Chicago suburb because it's about 45-50 min away from what I hear. I've always wanted a home on the Lake and thought Shorewood seems ideal. After living in the NYC area for a while, I think of Valpaiso as being similar to the suburbs of western Connecticut or Northern NJ which are 45-1hr away from NYC, in which a great number of the commuters make the commute to the City by an express bus or train or by car.

Also, from what I've seen online, one does get a lot of housing per dollar compared to homes in the east coast.

My question is:
1. Is Shorewood a good investment down the road (would you spend $400,000-$600,00 in this area) and is it time to buy now or wait it out some more for more correction?

NWI wasn't on the receiving end of astronomical increases, thus the 50-75% drops the media likes to report on will not happen. With that being said, you should never think of your residence as an investment property. It's not.


2. Is it diifficult to sell a home here in Shorewood's price range?

The higher the price, the smaller the buyer pool. But that's the case in most communities.


3. I don't have kids yet but, are the grade schools and high schools decent?

Shorewood has Wheeler schools - not Valpo schools. But still, Wheeler is considered one of the best in the state.


4.Is there a homedepot or mall/shopping area such as a Mayc's/Bloomingdales/Saks or any kind of mall to take kids nearby?

Westfield/Southlake is right down the road - about 15 minutes down 30.

Lighthouse Outlet Mall is in Michigan City - the other direction about 30 minutes away.

5. We also like to eat out and I guess have been spoiled by all the great restaurants here in NYC and also Philly, are there any decent steak houses, sushi bars, Italian rest, Thai rest, French bistro in the area. (I'm thinking we might have to go to Chicago for this one but I hope there is at least a decent sushi bar.)

www.valpodining.com

Also, Gaucho's Brazilian Steakhouse is about 2 minutes away from Shorewood.

6. Does the area have their own version of Cosco?

There's a Costco and Sam's Club right down 30.


7. Is there a decent hospital nearby or is Chicago the best option?

Porter Memorial is building a new hospital closer to Chesterton - but I'd say the most highly regarded in the area is Munster Community. But there's a wealth of good medical facilities in the area - St. Margaret, St. Mary's, St. Anthony, Methodist Community ...

8. If there is a bus/train to downtown Chicago, would you recommend commuting by bus/train?

From Shorewood, there is no good way. You could double back to Valpo for Chgo Dash (bus) - but that's a solid 20 minutes in the other direction. Or you could drive north to one of the stations on the South Shore Train Line. But no, commuting to Chgo from Shorewood is not something I'd recommend.

9. How is the valparaiso area in general as far as crime is concern?

Valpo is a very safe community. But Shorewood, though it has a Valpo address, is not Valpo proper. Very safe - if not safer than the city of Valparaiso.

Any info is greatly appreciated!

[Tappan Zee]

Thanks for the info Domergurl and Chuck.
As for Valpo being a Chicago suburb, Chicagoland is probably the right word, I think I applied the same thinking here in the tristate area for suburbs of NYC which was probably incorrect. Here in the tristate area of NYC, you'd be surprise by how many people would say they live in NY, but in fact live an hour or more away.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by Tappan Zee

Thanks for the info Domergurl and Chuck.
As for Valpo being a Chicago suburb, Chicagoland is probably the right word, I think I applied the same thinking here in the tristate area for suburbs of NYC which was probably incorrect. Here in the tristate area of NYC, you'd be surprise by how many people would say they live in NY, but in fact live an hour or more away.

Puh-lease. You don't need to tell me that ...

As someone who grew up inside the city limits of Chicago - I'd get all excited when I went away to college and someone told me they were from Chgo as well.

Then they'd clarify and say they're really from Barrington. Morons.

No, you big dummy ... you're a suburbanite. Not a Chicagoan.