Fishers or Fort Wayne? (Carmel: sales, real estate, HOA fees)
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In my post, I used the phrase "would be one of my first choices" which implies I have more than one first choice I would consider in a hypothetical relocation that I am not even considering. Beyond that, I am not interested in taking your bait. I like NW Indiana, that has nothing to do with Louisville.
This has nothing to do with Louisville....was just curious why NW IN would be among your tops places to live in Indiana because I am not sure most would agree. Growing up in Chicago, we always looked down on it.
That said, Lake Co in particular is a very large areas with alot of great areas outside Gary.
We are 38 and 40, together we make 75,000 a year and sometimes don't have gas money to get to work.
From my research we could afford a house in either city. But seems we could potentially make more money in Fishers (and surrounding areas).
Quote:
Originally Posted by ischyros
My wife and I have two kids and make close to what you make annual combined. We feel like we're getting priced out of Fishers. We had thought about moving but decided to stick with our house for that simple reason. We'd likely have to move out of Fishers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ColdAilment
Indiana has some of the most affordable housing options in the county, and a good economy on top of that. Keep us updated on what you end up choosing and how it goes.
The idea that Indianapolis has a "great cost-of-living" needs to change. Sure, Indiana as a whole might have "affordable housing," but the funny thing is that the definition of affordable changes from person to person. If one is OK with being a 30-40 year debt slave to a bank, then it is likely the entire state is affordable, and likely even some of the higher end areas like Carmel, Fishers, etc..
My wife and I started out making what has been stated above, and we had used cars and no kids. Our first 1960s era home near Cumberland (Hancock County, Mt. Vernon Schools) was $128K and it needed work. We purchased in mid-2000s during the bubble. Still, I had a 20% down payment and I still didn't like the concept of paying a ton of money in interest, so thankfully I was able to work some OT over the years and we got the home paid off within ten years. Put about $20K into and only was able to sell it for $115K when it was all said and done. It was a solid older home, but just too small for most families. For a bit more than our list price, they could've had double the square feet, a much smaller yard, in some production vinyl village neighborhood in some parts of the metro area.
When our income got better, we saved more and were able to just build us a nice home on a nice lot on the north side. There is no way with kids we could've ever afford what we have, yet just down the street there are production neighborhoods where over the last four years they've built at least 200 homes costing no less than $300K. People are either coming into money or choosing to live on interest only mortgages to "have it all." To each their own, but I hope that some of these people at least put down 15-20% so they have some sort of equity. There are a few other neighborhoods in far east Fishers that aren't as costly, mostly starting in the mid-$200Ks.
If one wants something under $200K, the McCordsville/Fortville areas in the Mt. Vernon School district are likely worth looking at. Additionally, there similar options in the far SW corner of Madison County just north and NE of Fortville (Ingalls area).
NW Indiana gets a bad rap, for reasons I do not understand. If I were going to move to another part of Indiana, NW Indiana would be one of my first choices.
NW Indiana gets a bad rap from the Chicago metro, not really Indiana. NW Indiana is more chicagoland than Indiana.
The idea that Indianapolis has a "great cost-of-living" needs to change. Sure, Indiana as a whole might have "affordable housing," but the funny thing is that the definition of affordable changes from person to person. If one is OK with being a 30-40 year debt slave to a bank, then it is likely the entire state is affordable, and likely even some of the higher end areas like Carmel, Fishers, etc..
My wife and I started out making what has been stated above, and we had used cars and no kids. Our first 1960s era home near Cumberland (Hancock County, Mt. Vernon Schools) was $128K and it needed work. We purchased in mid-2000s during the bubble. Still, I had a 20% down payment and I still didn't like the concept of paying a ton of money in interest, so thankfully I was able to work some OT over the years and we got the home paid off within ten years. Put about $20K into and only was able to sell it for $115K when it was all said and done. It was a solid older home, but just too small for most families. For a bit more than our list price, they could've had double the square feet, a much smaller yard, in some production vinyl village neighborhood in some parts of the metro area.
When our income got better, we saved more and were able to just build us a nice home on a nice lot on the north side. There is no way with kids we could've ever afford what we have, yet just down the street there are production neighborhoods where over the last four years they've built at least 200 homes costing no less than $300K. People are either coming into money or choosing to live on interest only mortgages to "have it all." To each their own, but I hope that some of these people at least put down 15-20% so they have some sort of equity. There are a few other neighborhoods in far east Fishers that aren't as costly, mostly starting in the mid-$200Ks.
If one wants something under $200K, the McCordsville/Fortville areas in the Mt. Vernon School district are likely worth looking at. Additionally, there similar options in the far SW corner of Madison County just north and NE of Fortville (Ingalls area).
For its size Indianapolis remains one of the most affordable large cities in the country. Home prices and property taxes in Indiana are among the lowest in the country. Most people are going to need a loan for a house regardless of what state they live in, it sounds like you're trying to suggest Indiana is somehow not that affordable.
Ft. Wayne definitely where I experienced more racial epithets. Also I traveled to every small town in the northern half of the state. When you get far enough away from major cities, you're in the south.
For its size Indianapolis remains one of the most affordable large cities in the country. Home prices and property taxes in Indiana are among the lowest in the country. Most people are going to need a loan for a house regardless of what state they live in, it sounds like you're trying to suggest Indiana is somehow not that affordable.
I'm looking at things mostly from an Indy lens. Sure, there are "affordable" homes, but I look at what I see on CD. Many want to live in the nicer, newer suburbs, and most of them I wouldn't call affordable given incomes in this area. It is my belief that many of these people likely have come into family money, might have family living with them (a few of my relatives have lived like this and some are building a house with full-time relative quarters in mind). I'm sure plenty of people are just living paycheck to paycheck, which to mean says that housing isn't affordable if people are foregoing having a nice savings rate just to live within a reasonable distance from work in a good school system.
My relatives very, very old home on the far east side of Indy was only $100K. A lot of work has been done to it. Small kitchen, smaller bedrooms, etc.. My old home in the Mt. Vernon School district in Hancock County went for just under $130, both when I purchased it and when I sold it. I took a hit because most folks wanted the newness and more room of the newer vinyl village homes, but even those were starting at $150K for 1,600 sq. ft.. Sure there are cheaper, newer housing additions just west of this area in Indy, but at the same time, those neighborhoods are seeing homicides and other crime issues from what I see on TV. So moving to a "newer" addition because you can get a new home for $120K might not be a wise move, at least in certain areas. When one is talking Carmel, Fishers, Brownsburg, Greenwood, etc., to get what I think most people want, it is going to cost them. If one is willing to give up things like square footage, smaller garages, etc., some older homes can be had for prices I'd say are likely affordable.
Outside of the Indy metro area, I'm know things are cheaper, but one will have to deal with an almost hour commute if they are working in the downtown area or further. Anderson has some solid homes, needing updates, that come with space, nice yards, and prices are good. If one can find their good paying job in the immediate area, great. However, one is still having to live in Anderson, which is a risk because we don't know if things will get worse or not. Where else are there cheap homes: Connersville, New Castle, Kokomo, Muncie, etc., but most of the good paying factory jobs are gone. Lots of low paying retail jobs took their place. So while housing might be affordable, even "very" affordable, the question becomes does one really want to make that place their life say until the kids are out of school?
When I've seen at least 200 homes built in far eastern Fishers, and prices run $275K-$350K, that doesn't sound "affordable" to me. These aren't mansions either. They are nice homes, and they are coming with a lot of square feet. The biggest draw is the school district and what the area offers overall. Compared to California, sure, it is affordable, but I'd really like to know the financial situation of the folks buying these homes.
This has nothing to do with Louisville....was just curious why NW IN would be among your tops places to live in Indiana because I am not sure most would agree. Growing up in Chicago, we always looked down on it.
That said, Lake Co in particular is a very large areas with alot of great areas outside Gary.
I grew up in the Chicagoland area and just moved to NW Indiana 2 years ago. People like living here because it has a low cost of living compared to the very high COL of Chicago, yet close enough to Chicago that many people work there and make a way better income than if they did the same job in Indiana. Best of both worlds.
As far as Gary is concerned, much of NW Indiana is not like that and quite nice. I live in St.John and it was recently voted the 2nd safest town in Indiana. We love it here!
I'm looking at things mostly from an Indy lens. Sure, there are "affordable" homes, but I look at what I see on CD. Many want to live in the nicer, newer suburbs, and most of them I wouldn't call affordable given incomes in this area. It is my belief that many of these people likely have come into family money, might have family living with them (a few of my relatives have lived like this and some are building a house with full-time relative quarters in mind). I'm sure plenty of people are just living paycheck to paycheck, which to mean says that housing isn't affordable if people are foregoing having a nice savings rate just to live within a reasonable distance from work in a good school system.
My relatives very, very old home on the far east side of Indy was only $100K. A lot of work has been done to it. Small kitchen, smaller bedrooms, etc.. My old home in the Mt. Vernon School district in Hancock County went for just under $130, both when I purchased it and when I sold it. I took a hit because most folks wanted the newness and more room of the newer vinyl village homes, but even those were starting at $150K for 1,600 sq. ft.. Sure there are cheaper, newer housing additions just west of this area in Indy, but at the same time, those neighborhoods are seeing homicides and other crime issues from what I see on TV. So moving to a "newer" addition because you can get a new home for $120K might not be a wise move, at least in certain areas. When one is talking Carmel, Fishers, Brownsburg, Greenwood, etc., to get what I think most people want, it is going to cost them. If one is willing to give up things like square footage, smaller garages, etc., some older homes can be had for prices I'd say are likely affordable.
Outside of the Indy metro area, I'm know things are cheaper, but one will have to deal with an almost hour commute if they are working in the downtown area or further. Anderson has some solid homes, needing updates, that come with space, nice yards, and prices are good. If one can find their good paying job in the immediate area, great. However, one is still having to live in Anderson, which is a risk because we don't know if things will get worse or not. Where else are there cheap homes: Connersville, New Castle, Kokomo, Muncie, etc., but most of the good paying factory jobs are gone. Lots of low paying retail jobs took their place. So while housing might be affordable, even "very" affordable, the question becomes does one really want to make that place their life say until the kids are out of school?
When I've seen at least 200 homes built in far eastern Fishers, and prices run $275K-$350K, that doesn't sound "affordable" to me. These aren't mansions either. They are nice homes, and they are coming with a lot of square feet. The biggest draw is the school district and what the area offers overall. Compared to California, sure, it is affordable, but I'd really like to know the financial situation of the folks buying these homes.
I guess not living in Indy I'm looking at the state as a whole, and on the whole homes are very affordable in Indiana.
Newer homes in Fishers running around $300k is appealing to the wealthier families who live in Fishers. Fishers is not the norm for Indiana cities, so it won't have the average housing prices either. In contrast, a smaller city like Fort Wayne (at least when compared with metro Indy) will have a lot more affordable housing choices than Fishers (the second richest Indy suburb).
As a Ft. Wayne native of nearly 40 years I can say that it's a really decent place to live. It's come along way in the past 20 yrs. Very affordable with a variety of housing to choose from -newer homes in the suburbs or older style homes close to the inner city; a huge trail system (The River Greenway); lots of parks; lots of summer festivals. .....we're working on winter things lol! If you can survive the permacloud (which, coming from CA might take some getting used to) it will be a great place!
Good luck in your search! Spring, summer and Fall are great times to visit Ft. Wayne...it's beautiful here then
I'm looking at things mostly from an Indy lens. Sure, there are "affordable" homes, but I look at what I see on CD. Many want to live in the nicer, newer suburbs, and most of them I wouldn't call affordable given incomes in this area. It is my belief that many of these people likely have come into family money, might have family living with them (a few of my relatives have lived like this and some are building a house with full-time relative quarters in mind). I'm sure plenty of people are just living paycheck to paycheck, which to mean says that housing isn't affordable if people are foregoing having a nice savings rate just to live within a reasonable distance from work in a good school system.
My relatives very, very old home on the far east side of Indy was only $100K. A lot of work has been done to it. Small kitchen, smaller bedrooms, etc.. My old home in the Mt. Vernon School district in Hancock County went for just under $130, both when I purchased it and when I sold it. I took a hit because most folks wanted the newness and more room of the newer vinyl village homes, but even those were starting at $150K for 1,600 sq. ft.. Sure there are cheaper, newer housing additions just west of this area in Indy, but at the same time, those neighborhoods are seeing homicides and other crime issues from what I see on TV. So moving to a "newer" addition because you can get a new home for $120K might not be a wise move, at least in certain areas. When one is talking Carmel, Fishers, Brownsburg, Greenwood, etc., to get what I think most people want, it is going to cost them. If one is willing to give up things like square footage, smaller garages, etc., some older homes can be had for prices I'd say are likely affordable.
Outside of the Indy metro area, I'm know things are cheaper, but one will have to deal with an almost hour commute if they are working in the downtown area or further. Anderson has some solid homes, needing updates, that come with space, nice yards, and prices are good. If one can find their good paying job in the immediate area, great. However, one is still having to live in Anderson, which is a risk because we don't know if things will get worse or not. Where else are there cheap homes: Connersville, New Castle, Kokomo, Muncie, etc., but most of the good paying factory jobs are gone. Lots of low paying retail jobs took their place. So while housing might be affordable, even "very" affordable, the question becomes does one really want to make that place their life say until the kids are out of school?
When I've seen at least 200 homes built in far eastern Fishers, and prices run $275K-$350K, that doesn't sound "affordable" to me. These aren't mansions either. They are nice homes, and they are coming with a lot of square feet. The biggest draw is the school district and what the area offers overall. Compared to California, sure, it is affordable, but I'd really like to know the financial situation of the folks buying these homes.
IMO, if anything, Carmel/Fishers are very affordable given their income levels. Few places in the country are that affluent with home prices that low.
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