If not Indianapolis suburbs, then where??? (Fishers, Carmel: custom home, neighborhoods, calculating)
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I would choose the northern portion of the state, particularly the Goshen area. Very nice area with a great downtown and an economy that is booming. 500,000 could you get you your personal estate on several acres or a great house on the lake or on the river if you prefer. You are also close to Lake Michigan, which if you haven't been to the Great Lakes in the summer, you're missing out!
I would choose the northern portion of the state, particularly the Goshen area. Very nice area with a great downtown and an economy that is booming. 500,000 could you get you your personal estate on several acres or a great house on the lake or on the river if you prefer. You are also close to Lake Michigan, which if you haven't been to the Great Lakes in the summer, you're missing out!
Love Goshen's downtown! Easily one of the best small downtowns in the state.
I normally post on the Indianapolis forum, but I wanted to cast a wider net for this question:
Aside from the northern suburbs of Indianapolis (Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville) and the western/southern suburbs (Brownsburg, Avon, Greenwood), where would you choose to live in Indiana, and why?
We are a family of four (mom, dad, two school-age kids), looking to relocate from Southern California. We're attracted to the Indy area for a lot of reasons, but the rapid growth, particularly in the Carmel area, concerns me a bit. While we'd like to step back in time to the good old days of Orange County, CA (before it was so over-crowded and over-expensive yet still had nice suburban neighborhoods, good schools, and everyday conveniences), we're concerned about things heading in the same (a.k.a. wrong) direction SoCal has (traffic congestion, over-crowding, more crime, higher taxes, etc.).
We've identified Indiana as a state that, in general, meets many of our wants and needs, but I'm wondering if we've been too narrowly focused on the suburbs of Indianapolis. I'm gun-shy about heading too far north with (what I've heard) is the extra snow/longer winters, but maybe that's not such an issue(?). I definitely don't want to be so far out in the country that we'd be isolated from typical suburban conveniences (grocery stores, casual restaurants, big box stores, hospitals, part-time jobs for the kids when they get into their teen years).
We'd be looking to purchase a single family home for $500K or less on no less than a third of an acre in a safe area that has at least decent public schools. And nearby community college(s) and/or university(ies) wouldn't hurt either.
Can anyone suggest some areas we might consider? Or are we on the right track focusing on the Indy 'burbs???
Floyds Knobs, Gerogetown, or Lanesville, or Sellersburg, IN. Or eastern Jeffersonville! Great family friendly areas, feeling of small town but just 15 mins to a major city of Louisville. You will do your self an injustice by not looking here if you are also looking at Indy. Much less congested than Indianapolis so it's the best of both worlds, the small town and big city! Don't write off the Indiana suburbs of Louisville as they are very pretty with great schools, particularly Floyds Knobs, without all the hassle of Indy traffic and MUCH warmer by 5+ degrees which means much less snow. Also, they are much less "discovered" although I have been starting to meet a few CA transplants investing in the old Victorians in New Albany (cute town for food/shopping but I'd avoid due to avreage schools).
It's also much more scenic...rolling hills and much slower growth, so less sprawl and headaches...back to the good old days!
... but I'm wondering if we've been too narrowly focused on the suburbs of Indianapolis. I'm gun-shy about heading too far north with (what I've heard) is the extra snow/longer winters, but maybe that's not such an issue(?). I definitely don't want to be so far out in the country that we'd be isolated from typical suburban conveniences (grocery stores, casual restaurants, big box stores, hospitals, part-time jobs for the kids when they get into their teen years).
We'd be looking to purchase a single family home for $500K or less on no less than a third of an acre in a safe area that has at least decent public schools. And nearby community college(s) and/or university(ies) wouldn't hurt either.
Can anyone suggest some areas we might consider? Or are we on the right track focusing on the Indy 'burbs???
Indy burbs are good. The north side, and even west and south sides, have grown so that if one wanted to, they could live even another county out. Of course that would be some pretty small town/rural living, but with suburban amenities only 20ish miles away. Obviously this isn't for everyone and if one had to work in Indy, especially downtown, that would be a hell of a commute (such commutes to various locations aren't rare, but they also aren't done by more than just a few people).
You could consider southern Indiana near Louisville or even those areas SE near Cincinnati, which means your options could also include others areas around those cities in Kentucky and Ohio. Both of those cities have more mild winters, though ice is usually the main concern with winter vs lots of snow.
All three larger metro areas have universities and colleges, though prices may very. You'd also want to factor in tuition cost for living in one state and going to school in another. IU Southeast allows for in-state tuition rates for those whose residences are in certain counties in Kentucky. University of Louisville offers a similar benefit.
You'd want to also factor in property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, and other various cost like vehicle registration.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter1948
It's also much more scenic...rolling hills and much slower growth, so less sprawl and headaches...back to the good old days!
I agree. Indy isn't all that scenic. The flat lands to the near west, north, east, southeast, and near south are nice, but eventually it gets old. The farther SW you get in Indiana the more the topography changes. I really do like the southern and south eastern areas of the state.
Last edited by indy_317; 05-01-2018 at 12:09 PM..
Reason: Additional comments
Greenfield, in Hancock County is about 20 miles east of Downtown Indianapolis and about 14 miles east of where I-465 and I-70 on the Far East side of Indianaplis intersect. It's a short drive thru the country.
It's about 20,000 population. It feels much more like Hoosier Land than the Northern suburbs. Its grown steadily since the 1970's but not near as fast as Carmel, Fishers, or Noblesville. In the 1970's, Greenfield was about 9,000 population, bigger than Noblesville which had a population of about 7,000 folks and about 60,000 today. Greenfield has little more than doubled itself in population in the last 48 years, while Noblesville is about 10 times bigger than it was in 1970.
I think Greenfield would be a good choice. It has good schools. It's a good middle class town and It's a slower pace.
It doesn't "feel" like it's part of the Indianapolis metro area. It "feels" like it's it's own little town. And I would guess the cost of living in Greenfield is lower than most all of the Indianapolis suburbs.
I have a cousin who has lived in Greenfid since about 1980 and they love it there.
Greenfield, in Hancock County is about 20 miles east of Downtown Indianapolis and about 14 miles east of where I-465 and I-70 on the Far East side of Indianaplis intersect. It's a short drive thru the country.
It's about 20,000 population. It feels much more like Hoosier Land than the Northern suburbs. Its grown steadily since the 1970's but not near as fast as Carmel, Fishers, or Noblesville. In the 1970's, Greenfield was about 9,000 population, bigger than Noblesville which had a population of about 7,000 folks and about 60,000 today. Greenfield has little more than doubled itself in population in the last 48 years, while Noblesville is about 10 times bigger than it was in 1970.
I think Greenfield would be a good choice. It has good schools. It's a good middle class town and It's a slower pace.
It doesn't "feel" like it's part of the Indianapolis metro area. It "feels" like it's it's own little town. And I would guess the cost of living in Greenfield is lower than most all of the Indianapolis suburbs.
I have a cousin who has lived in Greenfid since about 1980 and they love it there.
I was very surprised that Greenfield was a nice town, but it's not bad. Seymour also gets a bad rap too. Can't get any more Hoosier than John Cougar Mellencamp's home! It's equidistant from Indy and Louisville too.
I still think the OP needs to look at much more scenic S. Indiana...Floyds Knobs or eastern Jeffersonville get my vote!
I was very surprised that Greenfield was a nice town, but it's not bad. Seymour also gets a bad rap too. Can't get any more Hoosier than John Cougar Mellencamp's home! It's equidistant from Indy and Louisville too.
I still think the OP needs to look at much more scenic S. Indiana...Floyds Knobs or eastern Jeffersonville get my vote!
I grew up near Greenfield. It was a nice suburb that did feel somewhat detached from Indy. The thing is, many people from Greenfield would go to the far east side of Indy if they needed something that wasn't in town (basically a bigger selection of clothing, sporting goods, food, etc.) and it really isn't that far of a drive, eight to twelve miles for most anyone in Greenfield. Hancock County, mostly the politicians, never really got behind the grow, grow, grow push that other counties did. However, I'm now seeing some negatives. There has been slower growth, but there has been some growth. Lots of housing additions adding thousands of properties to the area, yet many unincorporated until recent years.
The biggest downside is that the growth isn't bringing in the money as it did for other areas, and road construction isn't keeping up. 67/36/Pendleton Pike should be two lanes each direction with turn lanes from one county line to the other. Mt. Comfort Rd. should become a main artery from the Hamilton/Hancock line south all the way to I-74 in Shelby County. There is always talk of widening roads or making by-passes, but I think there is serious fear of push back because there are definitely going to be homeowners that are going to be seriously impacted by such growth. If the state/county isn't going to widen roads, they need to put a moratorium on building or actually make plans now to fund road widening projects. Start gathering the land now because if the growth stays going, things are only going to get worse. It is at least a couple of times a month there is someone on some two lane road going give MPH slower than the posted limit. Just a typical passenger car/van/SUV, not some farm vehicle. Traffic backs up, people start driving too close to the vehicle in front of them, passing which could cause a serious crash if the person passing isn't paying attention.
I did the opposite....moved from Indy/Carmel to SD two years ago. Some of this ground may have been covered in other forums, but since you are talking about two areas where I am heavily familiar, here it is....
If you live in Orange County, Indy or the suburbs are going to give you the best amenities the state has to offer, unless, of course, you want to live in a smaller market/city. They northern suburbs of Indy are remarkably close to Orange county in terms of set up and demographics, so if you like Orange County, but want to get away from the heavy population, Hamilton county will probably give you what you want. Bloomington is a smaller city, and dominated by Indiana University. Not sure what your career area is in, but Indiana is a smaller market that will likely have less opportunity.
Weather: I am not sure anyplace in Indiana, outside of Evansville or along the Ohio river, is going to have noticeably different weather. You will have winter, snow, gray skies, thunderstorms, and lot of variability. Some winters will seem quite tolerable while others will make you question your decision to leave CA. Summers are hot and humid, though you will have stretches that can be quite pleasant. The midwest has a lot of variation day to day and year to year.
A $500k budget for a house is reasonable, but you may be surprised it doesn't go as far as you expect. In the northern suburbs, that is still in the price range that can have a lot of interest. If it's new(er) construction, it's going to be a production home, and may lack the amenities you would expect for a home of similar size in CA. (Think smaller baths, kitchen may not be as nice, still can be on a postage stamp size lot) Older homes may be custom and have more features, but not updated. The style of homes in Indiana are quite a bit different than southern California. No question--it will be easier to find a home in Indiana with that budget than OC, but you do want the right expectations.
Location wise, I would still lean towards Zionsville, Carmel, or possibly Fishers/Geist area. You will need to visit to figure out which place appeals to you most. All have good schools, Fishers has a lake, Carmel has the reputation and best asthetics, Zionsville has a more rural and small town feel. If you go west to Brownsburg/Avon, you will get more house for your budget. A $500k home on the northside will be more marketable in the long run.
Cost of Living....this is where you may be surprised that California isn't as expensive as you think. We moved to California for an $80k salary increase and only paid $3k more in state income taxes. Vehicle registration, health insurance, car insurance, homeowners insurance.....all where more expensive in Indiana. Property taxes are capped at 1% of the assessed value, but special assessments can increase your bill above that. Utilities can be more because you have seasons and will use A/C and heat much heavier than the OC. Having said this, if you are in the position to sell your house in CA and have a minimal/ no mortgage situation here, I am not sure this will matter to you much.
...so if you like Orange County, but want to get away from the heavy population...
^^^This is what I've been getting the impression of through my research, and yes, that's kinda what we're after, so thanks!
And yes, your financial analysis pretty much matches up with my expectations. We know we won't be saving money overall except maybe on gasoline and sales taxes (sales tax is currently 10% in our city), especially since we're looking to up-size our home.
We're planning a visit for later this year, and while we're looking forward to it with a positive/hopeful attitude, we're well aware that we may come away from the experience deciding it's a nice place to visit, but we'd never want to live there.
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of Orange County, CA (before it was so over-crowded and over-expensive yet still had nice suburban neighborhoods, good schools, and everyday conveniences), we're concerned about things heading in the same (a.k.a. wrong) direction SoCal has (traffic congestion, over-crowding, more crime, higher taxes, etc.).
