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I'm originally from the Chicago suburbs, Orland/Tinley Park area. I never liked it there, I'm more of a city girl, but do not mind being outside a city in a suburb close to the action. I've been living in the Ft Lauderdale area for 20+ years though. I have a special needs daughter that is aging out of high school this year and Florida is absolutely horrible for services past high school. We are on a 7+ year wait list for services and we can't wait this long. I keep hearing WI is amazing for services so it looks like this is a serious option since she is long term care. We are looking to move sometime before June 2020 maybe sooner.
I want to be in SE WI (close to take a day into downtown Chicago) and prefer south of Milwaukee. I'm in real estate in South Florida so my career is out the window. I'm considering nursing school at 47 so close to somewhere I can attend school reasonably priced and great hospitals as far as work for me in a few years and doctors for my daughter is kinda wanted.
My significant other is a boat mechanic for 35 years, but is also a car mechanic working currently at a classic restoration company doing the mechanic restoration side of things so he is employable in either type of job.
Where should we be looking? I would like to obtain a 3 to 4 bedroom house 2500 sq foot plus in the low 300's if that's even possible??? I'd like to stash a bit away from the sale of my home here in order to settle there and have backup, hence my price range.
Any suggestions where we belong? Also, what will we love and hate about WI other than winters based on my post?
I would track local services first by town/city/suburb. Adult services will be harder to nail down vs kids still in school. This will require a fair amount of research on your part, most well outside the info typically provided here.
See if any listings near Franklin or Oak Creek, WI look suitable. Call their school district to inquire about adult svcs after hs. FWIW, I prefer the suburbs just south of Milwaukee vs Racine or Kenosha. Walworth county communities might be worth inquiring about too since some of their school districts are known for special ed services.
I would track local services first by town/city/suburb. Adult services will be harder to nail down vs kids still in school. This will require a fair amount of research on your part, most well outside the info typically provided here.
See if any listings near Franklin or Oak Creek, WI look suitable. Call their school district to inquire about adult svcs after hs. FWIW, I prefer the suburbs just south of Milwaukee vs Racine or Kenosha. Walworth county communities might be worth inquiring about too since some of their school districts are known for special ed services.
Good luck.
thanks, that part I think we have nailed down as far as services. I'm involved with some groups of parents nation wide for adult kids, which made us choose Wisconsin as a top choice. As far as me and my significant other and our needs for work and school is where my main concern is now.
thanks, that part I think we have nailed down as far as services. I'm involved with some groups of parents nation wide for adult kids, which made us choose Wisconsin as a top choice. As far as me and my significant other and our needs for work and school is where my main concern is now.
Glad to hear you have a network established for that already. Friends of mine are still helping their adult son make the transition past hs.
Ideally you need to target and visit several communities based on house listings/amenities you require. Arguably this would take some time if you are not familiar at all with SE WI.
Glad to hear you have a network established for that already. Friends of mine are still helping their adult son make the transition past hs.
Ideally you need to target and visit several communities based on house listings/amenities you require. Arguably this would take some time if you are not familiar at all with SE WI.
thanks. Question, I am watching a PBS program today about all the towns in WI that someone linked to in this forum and kindly, with the most respect, I will say WI looks boring as heck. Is it really this low key boring as it seems? The PBS programming is kinda scary looking of Niceville USA
thanks. Question, I am watching a PBS program today about all the towns in WI that someone linked to in this forum and kindly, with the most respect, I will say WI looks boring as heck. Is it really this low key boring as it seems? The PBS programming is kinda scary looking of Niceville USA
You're probably referring to that John McGivern show I 've mentioned here a couple times.
Some people like sky diving; some like playing chess. Boring is in the eye of the beholder.
I'm originally from Chicago. I was a regular John Revolta in the disco years-- lived on Rush St. Partied all nite, every nite. I raced cars for awhile....Now I'm a crabby old man, retired to WI and only leave the property once every ten days to get beer. I sit on the porch, watch birds & butterflies and listen to my arteries harden....Your attitudes change with the years. Count on it.
WI has plenty to do if you're into fishing, hunting, boating (plenty of work opportunity for your old man) skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, biking...Your liver will fail before you run out of bars to visit.
thanks. Question, I am watching a PBS program today about all the towns in WI that someone linked to in this forum and kindly, with the most respect, I will say WI looks boring as heck. Is it really this low key boring as it seems? The PBS programming is kinda scary looking of Niceville USA
You've indicated a possible interest in the area south of Milwaukee, right? That's mostly an urbanized and semi-urbanized corridor stretching from the southern Milwaukee suburbs through Racine and down to Kenosha. Racine and Kenosha are small cities--the former is a declining industrial center, and the latter is a former industrial center that has become a bedroom community for the Chicago metro area. Neither place is particularly "exciting," but neither is out in the sticks, either. There are some pleasant suburbs and small towns (Caledonia, Wind Point, Pleasant Prairie, etc.) in this corridor, but from what I recall, McGivern focuses on the less urbanized areas of central and northern Wisconsin (outside of your target area). Ultimately, if Racine and Kenosha are boring, it isn't because they're "Niceville"--it's more because they're not Milwaukee or Chicago.
In some respects, the Racine and Kenosha corridor is very similar to the Waukegan/North Chicago area directly to the south, in Lake County, Illinois--old industrial areas on the lake surrounded by bland suburbs immediately to the west. Farther to the west in the same counties (Racine, Kenosha, Lake), there are tiny exurban towns with a "Niceville" feel, but you won't know they're there unless you go out exploring.
If I had to settle somewhere between Milwaukee and WI/IL border, I would pick one of Milwaukee's southern suburbs--South Milwaukee or Oak Creek. Next would be Caledonia (in Racine county, north of Racine). After that, access to Milwaukee becomes more difficult/time-consuming, though at least you're a little bit closer to Chicago (still an hour away).
You're probably referring to that John McGivern show I 've mentioned here a couple times.
Some people like sky diving; some like playing chess. Boring is in the eye of the beholder.
I'm originally from Chicago. I was a regular John Revolta in the disco years-- lived on Rush St. Partied all nite, every nite. I raced cars for awhile....Now I'm a crabby old man, retired to WI and only leave the property once every ten days to get beer. I sit on the porch, watch birds & butterflies and listen to my arteries harden....Your attitudes change with the years. Count on it.
WI has plenty to do if you're into fishing, hunting, boating (plenty of work opportunity for your old man) skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, biking...Your liver will fail before you run out of bars to visit.
thanks for this info. I was very into nightclubs when I was younger, but even at 47, I still have an interest in fine dining, the ballet, the theatre, museums, art galleries, and upscale bars. I'm not much of the outdoor type, more heels even if I wear jeans type. Am I going to be super bored in WI???
thanks for this info. I was very into nightclubs when I was younger, but even at 47, I still have an interest in fine dining, the ballet, the theatre, museums, art galleries, and upscale bars. I'm not much of the outdoor type, more heels even if I wear jeans type. Am I going to be super bored in WI???
Milwaukee has all of these things-- it's a city of around 600,000 and a metro of over 1.5 million. You'll probably be fine.
Racine and Kenosha are smaller cities, so won't have as much, but they do have some interesting things going in terms of arts, culture, cuisine, etc.
If you're super discriminating, though, you may have issues. For example, if you need a Mario Batali restaurant, or demand a Tokyo-level or San Francisco-level sushi place, or absolutely must see the entire Ring cycle live each year, or absolutely require a museum nearby at the level of the Louvre, then it could be tough. (Chicago can take care of some of this, however.)
But hop online and take a look at what we do have. Check out the Milwaukee Art Museum, google art galleries and other museums in the city, take a look at the websites for the Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the other venues in town. Racine and Kenosha also have museums, galleries, and arts, though at a more regional/local level.
The bars and dining scene in the area will fit most demands--hop on the google and take a look. The Milwaukee dining and bar scene is very diverse and innovative, and Racine also has seen a culinary revival in the past few years.
Some of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee are Odd Duck, The Noble, Lazy Susan, Three Brothers, Lake Park Bistro, Harbor House, Chef Paz, Taqueria El Cabrito, Jake's Deli, Nite Owl, Transfer Pizza. There are many more faves. Some good bars include Bryant's, Boone and Crockett, Voyager, Harry's, etc.
But Guido La Moto makes a good point--whether you're bored or not is ultimately up to you. Unless you're loaded and idle, there's only so much time and money for restaurants, bars, the arts, etc. Much will depend on your hobbies and the kind of home life you cultivate.
Milwaukee has all of these things-- it's a city of around 600,000 and a metro of over 1.5 million. You'll probably be fine.
Racine and Kenosha are smaller cities, so won't have as much, but they do have some interesting things going in terms of arts, culture, cuisine, etc.
If you're super discriminating, though, you may have issues. For example, if you need a Mario Batali restaurant, or demand a Tokyo-level or San Francisco-level sushi place, or absolutely must see the entire Ring cycle live each year, or absolutely require a museum nearby at the level of the Louvre, then it could be tough. (Chicago can take care of some of this, however.)
But hop online and take a look at what we do have. Check out the Milwaukee Art Museum, google art galleries and other museums in the city, take a look at the websites for the Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the other venues in town. Racine and Kenosha also have museums, galleries, and arts, though at a more regional/local level.
The bars and dining scene in the area will fit most demands--hop on the google and take a look. The Milwaukee dining and bar scene is very diverse and innovative, and Racine also has seen a culinary revival in the past few years.
Some of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee are Odd Duck, The Noble, Lazy Susan, Three Brothers, Lake Park Bistro, Harbor House, Chef Paz, Taqueria El Cabrito, Jake's Deli, Nite Owl, Transfer Pizza. There are many more faves. Some good bars include Bryant's, Boone and Crockett, Voyager, Harry's, etc.
But Guido La Moto makes a good point--whether you're bored or not is ultimately up to you. Unless you're loaded and idle, there's only so much time and money for restaurants, bars, the arts, etc. Much will depend on your hobbies and the kind of home life you cultivate.
Thanks. I am going to google some of these restaurants and bars. I will probably have to stick to Chicago for the true cultural activities is what I kind of gather, which is fine. From opinions here I took more time to look into Racine and Kenosha, and I don't think either is for me.
From solely google observation I have it narrowed down to Brookfield, New Berlin,Franklin, Wauwatosa, and Muskego. I'm sure that may change before I make a trip up. It is definitely a more 'innocent' vibe I'm getting than Ft Lauderdale/Miami living though.
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