Cobblestone Lake (Apple Valley, Rosemount: low income, crime rate, townhouse) - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota (MN) -Twin Cities - City-Data Forum

newbuyer2010 · 06-02-2010, 09:58 AM

wife and i are first-time homebuyers. one of our options is a 3BR single family home at Cobblestone Lake in Apple Valley for ~300k. any comments on this community/area? also, is the amount comparable to houses in the area? we've also heard of a senior housing community being built in Cobblestone - not sure how this impacts the location.

golfgal · 06-02-2010, 01:42 PM

Cobblestone is a pretty new development where the houses are VERY close together, very small yards with large houses built on them. The main part of the development started right before the market crash and the builder has since sold off a lot of lots to Centex who is trying to make the houses look nice but isn't succeeding. If the house you are looking at is with the original builders/developers and you don't mind a postage stamp sized lot, $300K is a good price for most of those homes. The senior housing is at the very far end of the development and is very nice looking. There is also a Target and some smaller shops (nail place, hair place and a couple others) at the end of the development.

The schools are excellent. The Cobblestone kids go to Rosemount High School-not sure about elementary but I 'think" it is Shannon Parkway. I think they also go to Scott Highlands Middle School (maybe Highland Elementary too??) You can do an address search on the district website and it will tell you exactly which schools your kids would attend.

It is a convenient area to shopping, commuting routes, the transit station is right across the road from Target.

The biggest concern the residents of this neighborhood have is that they are building low income housing adjacent to this high end development.

Evermoor in Rosemount has similar style houses, larger lots and I think it is a nicer area. It was developed by the city, it has a lot of green space, walking trails, more trees, etc. Cobblestone is built on an old rock quarry so no mature tress to start with there (I know some people that live there also have water problems because it sits in a bowl-where as Evermoor is built on a hillside).

newbuyer2010 · 06-03-2010, 12:13 AM

thanks for the honest feedback golfgal! im curious about the low income housing that's being built tho. would u know if that's still a plan (and if it's still possible that the govt doesn't push through with that) or is construction already ongoing?

golfgal · 06-03-2010, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbuyer2010

thanks for the honest feedback golfgal! im curious about the low income housing that's being built tho. would u know if that's still a plan (and if it's still possible that the govt doesn't push through with that) or is construction already ongoing?

They are prepping the site now--just started about a week ago.

newbuyer2010 · 06-03-2010, 03:49 PM

i've tried searching for other forums/sites that discuss the low-cost housing at cobblestone, coz this is what concerns us the most, and found mixed reviews. some say this may increase crime rates and lower home values in the area, while some say it's not really a "threat" since the housing mgt screens its tenants and that homes at cobblestone shouldn't really cost that much (overpriced?). comments, anyone?

also, if anyone knows of other new construction homes, priced $300k and below, that are in a good location (safe, excellent schools, close to establishments, less than 20miles from MSP), please let us know.

golfgal, we did like the new construction homes at rosemount, with the big houses and spacious backyards, but i guess we found the area too "quiet" and a bit far from establishments. thanks for suggesting tho. if you know of any other nice locations, feel free to share.

golfgal · 06-03-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbuyer2010

i've tried searching for other forums/sites that discuss the low-cost housing at cobblestone, coz this is what concerns us the most, and found mixed reviews. some say this may increase crime rates and lower home values in the area, while some say it's not really a "threat" since the housing mgt screens its tenants and that homes at cobblestone shouldn't really cost that much (overpriced?). comments, anyone?

also, if anyone knows of other new construction homes, priced $300k and below, that are in a good location (safe, excellent schools, close to establishments, less than 20miles from MSP), please let us know.

golfgal, we did like the new construction homes at rosemount, with the big houses and spacious backyards, but i guess we found the area too "quiet" and a bit far from establishments. thanks for suggesting tho. if you know of any other nice locations, feel free to share.

Rosemount is across the street from Cobblestone--it really isn't that far away from anything-it is only 3 miles to everything in Apple Valley-which keeps it quite, less traffic, etc.

uptown_urbanist · 06-03-2010, 07:57 PM

I'm skeptical of those who argue that having a range of income levels in an area will lead to higher crime; it sounds like classic NIMBY-ism and fear of the "other" to me. From the little I've read about this development, it sounds like other Apple Valley CDA developments have NOT experienced an increase in crime, and yes, the tenants are screened, so it's not like it's a bunch of criminals moving into the neighborhood (or absentee slumlords). The police chief said he didn't anticipate a crime problem, and I'd take his and the city's word over nervous neighbors who are basing their opinions on what sound like unfounded "what ifs" more than anything concrete.

vetcon · 06-03-2010, 09:33 PM

We live in Evermoor in Rosemount and there is a CDA townhouse development right next to our development. And honestly, I never even knew that that is what it was until one day I saw something or read something about it and researched further to find out what it was. It looks as nice or nicer than alot of other townhomes in the area. I never once have seen or heard anything remotely out of the ordinary going on over that way. In the morning there are just regular families waiting with their kids for the school bus. I don't think I have ever seen a police car going over that way in the two years we have lived in Evermoor outside of their normal routine patrols they do in all the neighborhoods. Now, if we had lived here first and someone came along and said, "look, this is what we are going to build down the road" I won't pretend that I might have been concerned a bit. But since they were here first and I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE that they existed, it makes those concerns sound pretty silly. So, at least from our experience here, they would raise no concerns from me (and I can be a pretty picky person when I want to be!)

golfgal · 06-04-2010, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I'm skeptical of those who argue that having a range of income levels in an area will lead to higher crime; it sounds like classic NIMBY-ism and fear of the "other" to me. From the little I've read about this development, it sounds like other Apple Valley CDA developments have NOT experienced an increase in crime, and yes, the tenants are screened, so it's not like it's a bunch of criminals moving into the neighborhood (or absentee slumlords). The police chief said he didn't anticipate a crime problem, and I'd take his and the city's word over nervous neighbors who are basing their opinions on what sound like unfounded "what ifs" more than anything concrete.

Right--what are they going to say, yes, we know we are putting in low income housing and it will increase the crime rate 30% and drop your property values 32% but, it will be ok?? How about if they build a low income housing development across the street from your house, would you like that?

uptown_urbanist · 06-04-2010, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfgal

Right--what are they going to say, yes, we know we are putting in low income housing and it will increase the crime rate 30% and drop your property values 32% but, it will be ok?? How about if they build a low income housing development across the street from your house, would you like that?

Well, since you ask, actually YES, I do personally put a high value on living in a community with a range of housing at different price points. It leads to economic diversity. Some of the most active, nicest, strongest contributors to my neighborhood have been those who have been lower income. I think it leads to a stronger, more "real" community. This development is targeted at working families who just want to live somewhere safe and nice and within their price range; what's wrong with that?

I would NOT want low income housing run by a landlord who didn't screen tenants, put up substandard housing, was a slumlord, or who otherwise acted as a bad neighbor. It's owners like that who give lower income housing a bad name. Since from the accounts I've read about this development, that is NOT what is going to happen in this instance. Have you read elsewhere (from people who know what they're talking about, I mean, not just fearful neighbors) that suggests that there's any valid reason to assume that crime levels are expected to rise and property values fall? The accounts I read stated quite clearly that the Apple Valley police do not expect that to be the case. I can see why neighbors would ask questions and expect answers, but some people are simply afraid of poor to moderate income people and are engaging in stereotyping without looking at the big picture.