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We are looking for housing and have narrowed down our prospects to those in the following areas/subdivisions: Osgood, McMahon Estates, Charleswood and Sincebaugh. We have seen Charleswood and Osgood (some parts) but haven't seen McMahon Estates and Sincebaugh. Are these good areas to buy a house? Is McMahon too far from downtown (thus making it difficult to resell later on)?
Kindly tell me anything you know, good or bad, about these areas. Thank you very much!
"Downtown" is not much of an attraction. The real activity is 45st, 13ave S, and 25st. I have never heard of Sincebaugh or McMahon Estates (I have delivered pizza south of Main Ave for close to eight years), some addresses would be helpful if you want suggestions.
If you want a more relaxed neighborhood, stay away from everything south of 32ave in Fargo, there will be so much road-destruction (read: specials assessments) happening for the next several years, it will be awful.
South of 32ave S, and west of I29, you will see a large quantity of snow accumulation, especially around 47ave. After any blizzard-like conditions, some streets are impassible by car for a day or more.
Are you seeking new constructions? It might be wiser to look at something between I94 and 13ave in West Fargo. Many of those homes are newer (<6 years old). What sort of dollar amount do you want to spend per month (including taxes and insurance)? It would be a really good idea to contact a realtor to find something that fits your budget and other interests.
I would say that the majority of people that purchase homes west of 45th basically aren't concerned about downtown Fargo as a starting point. Folks who work downtown and don't want a 25 minute commute are looking at areas closer in. All of the subdivisions mentioned are in the West Fargo school district, which has had major issues in the last few years. If you're okay with that, fine.
Sincebaugh is a fairly small subdivision but if I remember correctly has fairly well-developed design standards to increase the neighborhood feel and eliminate cookie-cutter houses. Are there even any lots left in Sincebaugh? McMahon at one time was a rural subdivision, but either is or is scheduled to be annexed to the City of West Fargo. There may be water issues coming. Is it rural water or are they on the West Fargo system? West Fargo has to get a solution to its water issues in the next few years given the rate of growth. So far there isn't a firm plan approved. There may be hefty special assessments in the years to come to pay for infrastructure in West Fargo, which just hasn't kept pace with the growth of the city.
Most of West Fargo is protected from flooding on the Sheyenne River due to the diversion that was built 10-15 years ago. Most of the flooding issues happen along the Red River in Fargo or because of overland flooding in some of the SW subdivisions of Fargo (Timberline, Rose Creek, Oak Creek). Here is a link to the water plant study info for the city of West Fargo. I don't live in WFgo personally, so I don't have direct experience. However, I have read reports of rusty water, staining fixtures w/in the first few years and the need to replace water heaters frequently in WFgo. Those are anecdotal, but the report about meeting the increasing demand for water is actual documentation.
These areas have some nice older homes and are not too far away from downtown. If you want to build new or a new house it is going to be a bit of a drive to downtown.
I'm new to the area but living in West Fargo. All the places you suggested (other then sincebaugh don't know anything there) would be great areas to live. All are flood controlled and have great schools. Resale will be no problem there as well. You should be able to commute to anywhere in Fargo for less then 20 minutes. Traffic is not a big deal in Fargo. (some locals might think otherwise)
I think we are focusing on Charleswood for now, as we have seen many properties there that we like. Is there any part of Charleswood that we should avoid? Similarly, are there any areas that are more desirable over others, or they're all pretty much equal? Thanks!
Again, the names are not helpful. Go for a place that isn't a named street, it will make your life (especially when people are visiting) much easier. The area located 14ave S to I94 and Sheyenne St to 9st E has a pretty wide swath of homes that start around $150k. When I suggest avoiding named roads, do you see what I mean when I reference Sheyenne? It doesn't tell you anything about the location and makes unfamiliar people helpless.
I think I met one of the Realtors who is selling homes that are "women centric". Seems they were pushing the conveniences that women like in a home, and still had a man cave of sorts. It was a nice man cave for sure, movie theater setup, wrap around bar, etc.
Only thing I would keep in mind as we are doing some casual home shopping is that if are a type that likes to move around, do go hog wild on housing price. Main homes we have been seeing sit for quite awhile are the ones that are in the ~$220k and up range. These houses are starting to come down from what we have seen they have been asking.
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