Looking to Move Western Burbs of Indy - Public Transportation? (Indianapolis: appointed, real estate market)

[NDinND]

Greetings -
Looking to move to Indiana - CA native, currently living in a VERY rural North Dakota town, pop 150, and we are 10 miles away to boot! Just me and the Missus, along with our 'furkids' - 2 dogs/2 cats. Spoiled on the country life, but need to be closer to a town with amenities. We're semi-retired, and looking for a 'small town feel', but not like where we are now - more cows than people. Would like neighbors, but not the 'tract house' vibe. Need space, but still a sense of community. That is what I am looking for feedback on.

We are looking in either the Noblesville area/Montgomery County, Martinsville Area or near Bloomington. One of the factors will be some form of public transportation, or disability van service. Seems Montgomery Co. has decent service, and Bloomington has a rural bus service and a decent city bus service. I've been looking at the crime rate stats and such, and it seems these areas aren't too bad. Looking for various styles of restaurants, farmers markets and hopefully even a good Asian market. We are both avid cooks and like to able to get a wide range of ingredients. Can't find that here in ND. I don't mind having to drive a bit to access these amenities - right now any major shopping, doctor visits, or 'nightlife' is about an hour away!

We have started to work with a RE agent, and mortgage broker - so I don't need to be spammed. Most likely our move would be in the spring. With winter coming on, I don't feel like moving in sub-zero ND weather - but, if a place becomes available we'll work it out.

Thanks in advance -
NoDonutz -- aka NDinND

[masters1]

I can only speak for the north side of Indy, check out the outer areas of Westfield where you will have a country feel but be only minutes from shopping, restaurants, ect in Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, ect.

[rrah]

None of the places you mentioned are the western suburbs of Indianapolis as your subject states. Just an fyi. Western suburbs would include Brownsburg, Plainfield, Avon, (anything in Hendricks county).

Bloomington has all of those wants--three or four different farmer's markets, Asian groceries, a large number of small, independent restaurants with a variety of cuisines, etc. The city bus service is good I suppose. I live in the county so don't use the bus. I would suggest you do more research on the rural bus service. I think you have to call ahead for it. I've never used it so am unsure. All of that said, Bloomington is one of the more expensive real estate markets in the state.

[NDinND]

Thanks for the replies!
I guess calling it the burbs was a stretch. But, you kinda get the idea of where I'm looking. Have looked into the bus services and that has been a factor in why I've focused on the areas mentioned. Currently live on 240 acres, closest neighbors are a mile away - great folks. A traffic jam here is if I have to go around some guy stopped to shoot a pheasant in the ditch, and there's another car in a 5 mile radius.Like to hunt and do some fishing. Have gotten spoiled here - I can do all that out in our backyard. Seeing the tract housing pushes me a bit farther out. Trying to find a balance of country/city living.

Figure we we get a couple acres that will ease the 'return to culture' shock. Also - I do woodworking and want to try my hand at homebrewing. Also, I do a lot of grilling/BBQ/smoking, so tight quarters are not conducive to those activities. Input from 'locals' as to personality of a community will be most helpful. Even in rural communities, each has a 'rep' as to the townsfolk.

Looking for an area where folks are more conservative, laid back, and friendly. Don't want to live in the hustle/bustle of the college crowd, but like that there is usually more diverse entertainment/food options associated with a 'younger' crowd. Good to hear Bloomington has the food choices. Having grown up in the SF Bay Area I was spoiled with the myriad of available foods. Miss fresh seafood and real SF sourdough bread! In Sacramento could go to the Asian markets and pick out live crab/lobster/fish/frogs right out of the tanks. But, I digress.

Just don't want to move into an area with methheads, banjo players, or gangs/criminals. Have enjoyed not seeing graffiti all over the place, and folks wear their pants up and w/ a belt. I put up with all that back in CA and don't miss it.

Anyway - I'll keep checking back, and again, I appreciate the input folks!

NDinND

[NDinND]

How's the Crawfordsville area?

[Serious Conversation]

Not much banjo playing around here.

I live in Carmel, which is way too busy for me. I think even Fishers has a quieter vibe with less traffic than Carmel, and things get quieter still as you head toward Noblesville and Cicero. Those aren't western burbs, but may have a lot of what you want.

[NDinND]

Thanks Emigration - Looking for something between hectic Cali and uber-slow NoDak. Hopefully, not much accordion playing, either, out in the stix of Indy. I'm a stones throw from Lawrence Welk's hometown...

[kwk337]

Originally Posted by NDinND

Greetings -
Looking to move to Indiana - CA native, currently living in a VERY rural North Dakota town, pop 150, and we are 10 miles away to boot! Just me and the Missus, along with our 'furkids' - 2 dogs/2 cats. Spoiled on the country life, but need to be closer to a town with amenities. We're semi-retired, and looking for a 'small town feel', but not like where we are now - more cows than people. Would like neighbors, but not the 'tract house' vibe. Need space, but still a sense of community. That is what I am looking for feedback on.

We are looking in either the Noblesville area/Montgomery County, Martinsville Area or near Bloomington. One of the factors will be some form of public transportation, or disability van service. Seems Montgomery Co. has decent service, and Bloomington has a rural bus service and a decent city bus service. I've been looking at the crime rate stats and such, and it seems these areas aren't too bad. Looking for various styles of restaurants, farmers markets and hopefully even a good Asian market. We are both avid cooks and like to able to get a wide range of ingredients. Can't find that here in ND. I don't mind having to drive a bit to access these amenities - right now any major shopping, doctor visits, or 'nightlife' is about an hour away!

We have started to work with a RE agent, and mortgage broker - so I don't need to be spammed. Most likely our move would be in the spring. With winter coming on, I don't feel like moving in sub-zero ND weather - but, if a place becomes available we'll work it out.

Thanks in advance -
NoDonutz -- aka NDinND

Bloomington has all of that. I don't think you'd want to mess with Indianapolis public transportation just for the sake of getting some fancy herbs. Last I checked, the Indy Metro system was kind of scary, but I've never actually ridden it.

"Just don't want to move into an area with methheads, banjo players, or gangs/criminals. Have enjoyed not seeing graffiti all over the place, and folks wear their pants up and w/ a belt. I put up with all that back in CA and don't miss it."

I hear you, brother, but you might be shocked what you find around Indy and a lot of rural Indiana. Have you been here? Minus the banjo players, who I think would be pretty damn cool, those methheads, white trash, and people wearing their pants around their knees are EXTREMELY common sights around probably 3/4's of the city of Indianapolis and way out as far as Mooresville. When I moved to North Carolina 7 years ago (eventually came back), I met people at a rest area who were moving to NC from Mooresville for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

Gets better on the Northside. I like it here overall. But ain't no Mayberry.

Bloomington's pretty white-bred in its own way, and no utopia either. Going to be super-liberal politically. Otherwise, it sounds like it'd be a better fit for you than the western burbs of Indy. It's all about personality. To me, Carmel/Fishers/Noblesville/Brownsburg all seem pretty cookie-cutter and bland. Not 100% "tract house vibe," but borderline. It's getting there.

Just visit and see what you think.

Look at Southwestern Wisconsin. That's where I'd go if I wanted to get away from it all. Southwest Wisconsin Driftless area is the second-largest organic farming area in the country after California. Good mix of progressive/conservative people, solid values meet reality and the future. Stop in Viroqua, WI, on your way down to Indy and check it out. That's civilization, to me.

[NDinND]

kwk337 - Thanks for the input. WI is too far north - wanting to get away from the really crappy cold weather. We have friends that live in WI. Even So. Indiana is a bit more north than we'd like, but the Missus is a Canuck and we want to be within driving distance for visits with friends & family. This would cut drive time to about 6-7 hours, as opposed to 20+ At first she suggested MI, and I put the kibosh on that right away. Indiana was the 'compromise' state.

Public transportation is only for occasional use, and B-town is more our 'style', other than the 'super-liberal' part, but I can sneak in, get my supplies, and be outta there before they know it! I am not a fan of 'big cities' - though it was nice to visit SF, I wouldn't want to live there.

Planning a visit in the near future to scout it out. Heck moved to ND w/o ever being here. BIG culture shock from sunny Sacramento!! But, we've adapted. It's been nearly 5 years, so it is time to find 'our' place.

Again - thanks folks for the input. It is appreciated.
NDinND

[indy771]

Good public Transportation, Asian restaurants/markets, small town feel with big city amenities, various ethnic restaurants, and a good farmers market?

Bloomington is literally the right fit for your needs, check it out, you won't be disappointed.