Not knowing your budget I really shouldn’t opine. But when has that ever stopped me…
If I were looking for a place that had walkability to shops and restaurants I would look in the neighborhoods surrounding Summit Ave and Grand Ave in St Paul as well as the area surrounding Macalester College. (If college does not convene in the fall due to the virus there may be a ton of availability.) The West Side of St Paul (important not West St Paul) is historically a Mexican and immigrant community. The groceries and restaurants there we go to regularly.
Stillwater is cute but the drive to Fort Snelling would rule it out for me. I love 50th and France as much as the next person but the drive to FS along 494 would having me poking my eyes out unless I could travel off peak hours.
Be sure to get underground or covered parking. Don’t let one of your parking spots be on the street. Parking bans for plowing are a pain.
I just looked on realtor. Many of those places do not have the walkability to amenities that you want or easy driving to Fort Snelling.
I would get an old fashioned map and lay it out. Using the upcoming road work information on MNDOT you can rule out areas that will have traffic slow downs due to major work.
Just wanted to update that we have found a house and will be signing the lease this week. We really had hoped to be in either Apple Valley or Hudson, but that just didn’t work out because we wanted a single family home and all we found in our price range in those areas were townhomes. We will be In West Bloomington to the southwest of the Hyland Lake preserve. Hopefully we made the right choice!
I have fond memories of the area from the 80’s., so take this fwiw. I’m sure much has changed since then…
Fun family area. LOTS of parks and rec areas. I remember taking my first ski run at Hyland, softball games at Dred Scott fields, Anderson and Bush lakes, Bloomington Ice Garden and other rinks, some classes at Normandale CC. The park and trail system in Minnesota is wonderful. That location is close to airport, 1/2 hour to Mpls, close to 494, 100, 35W. Now W Bloomington is near Eden Prairie Center, the river crossing to ValleyFair amusement park and Canterbury horse racing and casino. Not far from Mall of America and Southdale. Best wishes to you in MN!
Thank you! I think we found the best house for us in our price range and with a reasonable commute. It’s scary to rent from afar, but technology is really helpful in letting us see there without being there. It’s a crazy crazy time to be moving cross country, and we have been getting strange looks when we say we are moving to MN now, but the Corps says go so off we will go.
West Bloomington is a decent location. Hyland is a very nice park with trails and lakes and small ski hill where everyone around here learns to ski and snowboard.
Not too far from your friends in Plymouth, the airport, Fort snelling, etc. Eden Prairie is nearby and has everything, and you are not too far from the city either. 494 has bad traffic but unlike other cities, it is not all day, just a few hours a day. Congrats! Feel free to PM me, when are you moving in again?
We actually ended up having to decline the house, so I spoke too soon. The military is playing funny with orders again and my husband was instructed not to put any money into the move yet. Sigh. We may or may not be there the first week in August- they’ll let us know the 2nd-3rd week in July.
Well we finally got it all figured out and secured ourselves a house for when we move. Relieved to have it totally settled. We will he living in Rosemount. Not as good a commute at Bloomington, but the rent is cheaper by a good bit and we are happy with our new house!
Add me to the crowd that has fond memories of MN. All of my children were born there and if it weren’t for the winters, we would retire there. The thing about winter is not how harsh it is, but how LOOOONG it is. I’m ready to see signs of spring in late March and April, but it can be snowing like crazy in April and still chilly in May. Bam! One day in May it’s in the 70’s and then it can be in the 90’s for weeks after that.
Don’t know how I missed this thread. I have been wondering about you having to drag yourself to NOLA in the middle of a pandemic. I’m glad that, since you have to move, you are at least moving to a place you like better and have friends at. Fingers crossed for your youngest to find a studio she likes and that it will be able to open up in fall.