Possible move to NWI (Michigan City, Valparaiso: co-op, theatres, good schools)

[mfb]

New to this forum-have been reading lots of posts but decided to take the plunge and ask some specifics. My apologies if these have been asked...I did try to read up!

We are considering moving from the North suburbs of Chicago to NWI due to business (family business) being less expensive (to run here vs. Chicago) and also housing/taxes being less expensive. Hubby and I have 3 kids, a dog and both grew up in the suburbs. We like the idea of a quieter (but not too quiet) lifestyle and it seems like NWI could fit the bill. Top of our list is good schools, safety and nice family friendly area with opportunities for good sports programs as one of our kids is very athletic.

The thought of a nice downtown area is appealing, sort of a city center...and I like cool book stores or coffee shops that aren't always a Starbucks! Nice local family owned shops are great too as I prefer to shop that way if possible.

I'd love local farmers markets and an area to be a part of a dairy co-op or share.

Is all of this too much to ask?

I'm a little put off by the snow totals I always see but hey, I guess I've been mostly living it too (just always seems a little worse in NWI).

Commute to Chicago isn't a huge factor but we will likely go back for visits with friends and family.

All of this leads me to think Crown Point (from what I've read) but am I missing something? Haven't visited yet but one of the business owners is visiting this weekend to start looking around the Chesterton area.

All feedback appreciated.

One thought after reading still more posts-lots of people say that Munster is top rated for schools. I definitely want great schools but personally we are involved parents and try to stay on top of our kids to keep them responsible for their work. We are in a school right now that has a terrible rating bc of test scores (ESL kids are tested in English and the school wonders why the scores are low?!) but we are happy with the teachers and with our children's progress. So, if anyone has personal experience rather than test scores only that would be helpful.

[midwest1]

personally I prefer the Chesterton area over the likes of Munster and Crown Point as it has easy access to the Dunes National Lakeshore which offers world class nature and hiking, and has quick access to the South Shore line. in terms of downtowns, Valparaiso is probably your best bet. hobart also has a nice little downtown but for some reason rarely gets mentioned on this forum.

Another option is Porter, which is basically an extension of Chesterton and has a rather quaint country-like "downtown". Michigan City might be a bit far, but has a wonderful beachfront area tht may be one of the most underrated in the greater Chicagoland area.

many choices actually, and congrats on your choice, Northwest Indiana is, imo, the best suburban area in the metro...and not JUST for taxes, there is a ton of diversity in terms of housing, communities, economy and people, but Chicago is just over the border.

[mfb]

Thanks for the info. The owner is pushing for Chesterton bc he feels like it is the best value. I have never heard of Oorte but am going to check it out.

Things I've read about Valparaiso is that it's a tad snooty...I loved Iowa City when I was in college there so I was drawn to a college town for many reasons. I have had a hard time finding favorable "reviews" but it's worth a second look if infact people are recommending it here.

Thanks again.

And now I see Oorte was infact Porter...

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by mfb

Thanks for the info. The owner is pushing for Chesterton bc he feels like it is the best value. I have never heard of Oorte but am going to check it out.

Things I've read about Valparaiso is that it's a tad snooty...I loved the Iowa City when I was in college there so I was drawn to a college town for many reasons. I have had a hard time finding favorable "reviews" but it's worth a second look if infact people are recommending it here.

Thanks again.

I agree with Midwest re: Chesterton. Great little town.

There is some snootiness in Valpo, but it's not to a huge degree. It's nothing like the snootiness one would find in some of the northern or western suburbs of Chicago. To me this is a small negative outweighed by a lot of positives about Valpo - fantastic downtown, good shopping, dining, schools, etc.

[mfb]

Hmmm...I'll have to give Chesterton a second thought...my fil (the owner) has wanted this for years and really likes Chesterton. Looks close to South Haven which would be fun for me!
Thanks so much Midwest and Bluefox!

[midwest1]

Originally Posted by Bluefox

I agree with Midwest re: Chesterton. Great little town.

There is some snootiness in Valpo, but it's not to a huge degree. It's nothing like the snootiness one would find in some of the northern or western suburbs of Chicago. To me this is a small negative outweighed by a lot of positives about Valpo - fantastic downtown, good shopping, dining, schools, etc.

as a native of the North Shore, I'd agree that any snootiness found in the Region, be it Valpo, the Dunes communities, Munster etc. is very very mild compared to most northern and western suburbs. there is a strong blue collar (often well-paid at that) legacy in the area that keeps people much more down to Earth. Even. If you are a successful layer, doctor etc...if your father or grandfather worked in the mills, you are much less likely to lord over others. That in fact is my favorite thing about the reef ion...people can actually befriend and interact comfortably with people from different walks of life in the Region more comfortably than in the more homogenous Illinois burbs which seem much more segregated by income/profession.

[midwest1]

Reef ion was ipad for Region.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by mfb

New to this forum-have been reading lots of posts but decided to take the plunge and ask some specifics. My apologies if these have been asked...I did try to read up!

We are considering moving from the North suburbs of Chicago to NWI due to business (family business) being less expensive (to run here vs. Chicago) and also housing/taxes being less expensive. Hubby and I have 3 kids, a dog and both grew up in the suburbs. We like the idea of a quieter (but not too quiet) lifestyle and it seems like NWI could fit the bill. Top of our list is good schools, safety and nice family friendly area with opportunities for good sports programs as one of our kids is very athletic.

The thought of a nice downtown area is appealing, sort of a city center...and I like cool book stores or coffee shops that aren't always a Starbucks! Nice local family owned shops are great too as I prefer to shop that way if possible.

I'd love local farmers markets and an area to be a part of a dairy co-op or share.

Is all of this too much to ask?

I'm a little put off by the snow totals I always see but hey, I guess I've been mostly living it too (just always seems a little worse in NWI).

Commute to Chicago isn't a huge factor but we will likely go back for visits with friends and family.

All of this leads me to think Crown Point (from what I've read) but am I missing something? Haven't visited yet but one of the business owners is visiting this weekend to start looking around the Chesterton area.

All feedback appreciated.

One thought after reading still more posts-lots of people say that Munster is top rated for schools. I definitely want great schools but personally we are involved parents and try to stay on top of our kids to keep them responsible for their work. We are in a school right now that has a terrible rating bc of test scores (ESL kids are tested in English and the school wonders why the scores are low?!) but we are happy with the teachers and with our children's progress. So, if anyone has personal experience rather than test scores only that would be helpful.

Valpo for certain.

I have no idea where the "snootiest" vibe comes from ... I've lived here over a decade (originally from Chgo) and I have never experienced a Valpo Snob.

Good schools, best downtown in NWI, farmer's market, live theatres, non-chain restaurants ... honestly, Crown Point's downtown doesn't hold a candle to Valpo's.

Originally Posted by midwest1

If you are a successful layer, doctor etc...

Brick or prostitute?

[mfb]

Originally Posted by midwest1

as a native of the North Shore, I'd agree that any snootiness found in the Region, be it Valpo, the Dunes communities, Munster etc. is very very mild compared to most northern and western suburbs. there is a strong blue collar (often well-paid at that) legacy in the area that keeps people much more down to Earth. Even. If you are a successful layer, doctor etc...if your father or grandfather worked in the mills, you are much less likely to lord over others. That in fact is my favorite thing about the reef ion...people can actually befriend and interact comfortably with people from different walks of life in the Region more comfortably than in the more homogenous Illinois burbs which seem much more segregated by income/profession.

This is what my husband and I are looking for to be honest....we'd love to meld with people from all walks of life while raising our kids in a great community. I guess snootiness is everywhere....certainly where I live now could be considered snooty. My husband was raised on the north shore and does not want that feel. I'm looking forward to checking out some of these towns in the next few weeks if this Saturday's visit from my FIL proves that we should move forward in our search.

Appreciate the info!

[BridgetJones]

I think you should definitely still consider Crown Point as well--come visit and see what you think! The square is great, gets quite a bit of foot traffic, and I'm pretty sure there are a couple of store fronts available right now. What kind of a business is it? I feel like the square is pretty set as far as bars, antique shops, and coffee shops go, but could probably benefit from some other types of family businesses coming in.