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[Flynn]

My wife just got accepted into the University of Minnesota school of Veterinary Medicine.

We're pulling up our So. Cal stakes at the end of the summer and moving to St. Paul for the next four years.

I'd love to hear from MN residents about the area.

I'm completely realistic about the differences between Los Angeles and St. Paul and am excited to experience a new town.

I'm particulary intrigued by home pricing. I might actually be able to buy a house. The average home in So. Cal goes for around 450k.

Any opinions from MN residents would be much appreciated.

 

[NLB2]

Man, you are gonna love the winter!

 

[Argyle]

My sister and her husband just bought a small house there for a little over 100K...

Same house would probably be 350-450K here

 

[Iceman]

I moved from San Diego to Madison, WI a few years back for school. I suffered from depression my first winter (it has to do with the constant cloud cover instead of just the constant cold). It got a lot better in my second winter as I was aware of the depression that the winter could cause and as I got more involved/plugged in to the community (It also helped that it was a really mild winter). And I'm basically having zero problems this winter even though it's been insanely cold. BTW, don't believe the lies.. the winters go on for about 6 months starting in November.. there will be snow on the ground in May. And not only that, but the sun sets at around 4-4:30pm during the dead of winter. It's friggen bleak.

In terms of real estate, Madison is getting more expensive but if you look for a place 15-20 minutes away from downtown they get real cheap. I don't know about Minneapolis/St. Paul but Madison absolutely rapes its homeowners with property taxes each year. Find out about the rates in Minneapolis.

 

[advancegrant]

The minneapolis/st. paul home rates have been going through the roof for the last couple of years - they are now starting to level off - if you are looking for an average home built in the last few years in one of the 1st layer suburbs it will run around 250k - you can find older smaller homes directly in the city for less.

The area is great - we finally have one sort of mass transit option - A light rail line that goes from the Mall of America to downtown Minneapolis - I think you will like it, but its very different - and that first winter day where you have to drive to work with 6 inches of snow on the ground will make you question why you live here.

 

[scorcho]

rejoice, you're moving to an area that has one of the finest public radio institutions in the country. The Current (89.3) has an awesome webstream online that caters to underground purists.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/thecurrent/

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Minneapolis is a wonderful city. Very metropolitan. It's no L.A., but it's not the wasteland that some would make it out to be.

On the other hand, the winters are long, cold, and depressing. I recommend you invest in some very good warm clothes, look into some outdoor hobbies, and be prepared. That first winter is going to be a rude awakening. Oh yeah, and buy a 4x4 for the snow. If you're not use to driving in it, it'll get you too. :lol

Edit: Don't forget that the state bird is the Mosquito!

 

[cloudwalking]

first off, congratulations to your wife. i've only heard great things about U of M, and i myself am looking to attend in the fall.

i really love living in minneapolis. i'll try to break it down for you:

pros
- it's a nice sized city. last time i checked there were about 3 million people in the entire minneapolis-st. paul metro areas. i'm sure that estimate includes surrounding cities too. so it's not like being in LA or new york, but you still feel like you're in a large city.
- it's very cultured. it's one of the most literate cities in the US, and also holds the highest attendance to arts and drama events per capita, right after new york city.
- it's a beautiful-looking city. this goes for st. paul, too. but i love driving into minneapolis and seeing the skyline from far off. very pretty. the downtown is just gorgeous, especially down near the walker arts center.
- it's easy to navigate. the highway system around this city is GREAT. it takes pretty much no time at all to learn it, and then you can zip effortlessly from suburb to surrounding cities.
- the entertainment and nightlife is great. a lot of awesome shows come to town. we have some okay sports teams (i guess... i don't really watch sports except for hockey, twins games are fun though) that play in beautiful stadiums. there are a million awesome bars, clubs, and restaurants. the shopping is endless.
- minnesota as a whole is a beautiful state. there are lots of gorgeous lakes, forests, state parks, etc. scattered around the cities. in the summer, a day at the lake to swim or have a picnic is really fun.
- we have the mall of america! and ikea is right across the street!

cons
- it's expensive to live right in the city. as mentioned, houses in the city aren't cheap. you can get 10x the house for your money if you live, like, 25 minutes out of town. so if you don't mind commuting, you could take a look at that.
- yes, it gets cold, and yes, driving in the snow really sucks. it's not so bad if you have a garage, though. and get ready to shovel. on the upside, the summer, spring, and fall are really nice.

that's all i can think of right now... but i just woke up. i'll edit this post if i think of more!

hope this helps.

 

[Outcast2004]

Enjoy the snow.... lots and lots of snow...

I'm sure it beats the problems of left coast living... fires, earthquakes, mudslides, riots, high as hell pollution, etc..etc.

 

[Slo]

So we traded Randy Moss for this guy? BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[demon]

the winters go on for about 6 months starting in November.. there will be snow on the ground in May.

Wha? That's not necessarily true. It's usually pretty nice weather in Madison by April, certainly May. I know I'm always in jacketless t-shirts by May.

The winters in the northern midwest really do blow ass, though. What I wouldn't give to have a good reason to move to somewhere with year-round 50+ temperature.

 

[Iceman]

Heck, I can go jacketless now.. but i'ts about 31 degrees outside. After so many months in the teens and low twenties, 30 degrees is nice. But let's not kid ourselves.. for someone from southern california, where 50 degrees is too cold, it IS winter even into May.

 

[demon]

Well if you're going to call 50s "winter", that's a whole different story. But it's still usually pretty warm in by May. May thru October is pretty nice here. Then again, my ideal weather is low-mid 60s with a slight breeze and a few clouds. I'm from Chicago, btw.

 

[Manabanana]

rejoice, you're moving to an area that has one of the finest public radio institutions in the country. The Current (89.3) has an awesome webstream online that caters to underground purists.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/thecurrent/

HELL yes. I love that station. Just a reminder to everyone out here: Free bus and train rides today starting at 6PM and ending at 3AM.

I've only ever been to LA's airport, so I don't know what changes you should expect. I can tell you that Minneapolis/St. Paul are great cities and I imagine I'll be sticking around for a few years (I just moved here in August).

 

[Flynn]

Thanks for all the impressions.

I've been doing a tiny bit of research online already.

Culturally, a glance at the City Pages assuaged a few of my doubts. Looks like plenty of great movies and bands play in Minneapolis.

I'm leaning toward older, city house rather than suburbs/commute. I'm in a craftsman-style home now and would probably look for the same. Though my wife might be more into a brand-new.

We'll probably live very close to campus for at least the first semester.

As far as the weather, I'm beginning to get a little scared. I've always lived in tropical/temperate climates. I guess the thing that makes me the most nervous is crashing a car on the ice or doing something stupid with our house and freezing the pipes or something.

 

[Manabanana]

Thanks for all the impressions.

I've been doing a tiny bit of research online already.

Culturally, a glance at the City Pages assuaged a few of my doubts. Looks like plenty of great movies and bands play in Minneapolis.

I'm leaning toward older, city house rather than suburbs/commute. I'm in a craftsman-style home now and would probably look for the same. Though my wife might be more into a brand-new.

We'll probably live very close to campus for at least the first semester.

As far as the weather, I'm beginning to get a little scared. I've always lived in tropical/temperate climates. I guess the thing that makes me the most nervous is crashing a car on the ice or doing something stupid with our house and freezing the pipes or something.

Well, you shouldn't worry about ice on the roads too much. They're extremely efficient about getting snow and ice off the roads ASAP. The streets stay completely clean most of the time. They have trucks that take care of the leaves in fall and some that just brush up garbage in the gutters, too.

 

[cloudwalking]

^ Manabanana's right.

as for pipes freezing, i wouldn't worry too much about that. i think that only happens in really really old houses nowadays. just keep the heat on in your home and you should be fine

 

[Piecake]

If you want a close off-campus housing you should check out the area by between Como and Hennepin. Although im currently renting in that area, im sure you could buy housing around this area, or rent as well. Im living with 5 roommates in a 5 bedroom and 2 bath house and i am paying about 500 a month, including utilities. I dont think thats too bad.

The winters have been pretty mild recently. In fact, there has only been 2 snow plow warnings this winter. Driving isnt all that bad, just go slow and youll be fine.

 

[TristenCanSing]

Wow,
I did the complete opposite... I moved from the Twin Cities to the Bay Area. It's quite different in minnesota than california.. yeah the winters suck, shoveling the driveway and scraping the ice off your windsheilds (if you dont have a garage), and the summers are hot and humid (mosquitos suck!) but other than that, the state is great (but i never plan on moving back).

Dinkytown should keep you entertained, the U of M is a great school. Enjoy it.

Oh and about the whole highways being easy to use... they actually are terrible, and despite all those rumors, Minnesota drivers are worse drivers than here in California

 

[Flynn]

That's a relief about the road re: ice.

What neigborhoods are the supposedly "hip" areas. You know, the places with coffee shops, small bookstores, etc.

Also, anybody know if there's a good comic book store in town?

 

[Piecake]

That's a relief about the road re: ice.

What neigborhoods are the supposedly "hip" areas. You know, the places with coffee shops, small bookstores, etc.

Also, anybody know if there's a good comic book store in town?

Probably Dinkytown or Uptown? Have no idea about the comic book store though.

 

[Manabanana]

That's a relief about the road re: ice.

What neigborhoods are the supposedly "hip" areas. You know, the places with coffee shops, small bookstores, etc.

Also, anybody know if there's a good comic book store in town?

Most of the city is pretty "hip", I think. Dinkytown (The area around the U) is full of those places, as is uptown. There's a great comic book store on Bryant and Lake(?). Everyone is really nice and personable and they carry a shit ton. I'm sure they'd order something of they didn't have it. I forget the name...I'll go by tonight to make sure of the location and name. It's hard to miss, as it's fairly large and has a big purple awning.

Tristen is right about the highways. They're set up pretty horribly, but it's only really a problem during rush hours.

 

[AntoneM]

Dinkytown and uptown, as said above, are the hip areas of Mineapolis. However if you are planning to live in St. Paul, I would suggest looking into the Summit area (it's a steet with a bunch of old mansions and stuff) I've got a brother that lives in that part of St. Paul

 

[btrboyev]

congrats! I think you will enjoy the area. Outstanding music scene if your into underground/indie/punk.

 

[pho_sho]

I second the bad drivers comment. I've been in most of the western half of the US and only in MN do I see semi drivers go 70+MPH on the freeway when the limit is 55. And then you get the other drivers that zip past you in the winter on stupid narrow roads. Fun stuff.

 

[Groder Mullet]

My two cents: I just moved to Minneapolis from Ohio in January for a new job. I live and work right downtown. The bar scene downtown is pretty good and I've heard plenty of bands come through here. Uptown isn't all that its cracked up to be. The winter hasn't been too bad this year. I think its only gone below zero a couple of times since I've been here. Snow isn't a problem as I have seen a lot more when I lived in Denver (of course it is supposed to douche here tonight, 6-12 inches). From what people tell me, summer is a fun time.

 

[Iceman]

Oh, I forgot the first thing that totally knocked me out when I first came to Wisconsin from San Diego: FLAT FLAT FLAT.

I never thought much about socal's terrain but coming here made me realize how hilly San Diego really was. I mean, I used to be able to see mountains. You get nothing here. NUH-THING. I remember during recruiting week they took us up to the top of the highest building on campus to be "treated" to a little buffet and a panoramic view of Madison and the outlying area. I'm sure some people thought the two lakes forming the isthmus were neato, etc. but I about passed out when all around me in 360 degrees I could not find a single blip on the horizon. Whenever I go back to California I relish in the unevenness of it all and the mountain views.. you'll never know how much take that kind of stuff for granted until it's literally gone.

Well that and the perpetually perfect days. When you have to look forward to summer 9-10 months out of the year you're talking about a huge change for someone from Southern California. 90% of our days are pristine. Clear skies, sunny, warm. Here you wear sunglasses because the snow on the ground is reflecting the sun intensely into your eyes.. not because the sun is too bright on its own. Think about that, anyone from SoCal. Think about that.

Oh, and the other thing. Notice how in LA and SD you're typically surrounded by hotties? I mean, you can't look in any random direction without your eyes coming across some gorgeous blonde (taken or not). Not so much anymore in the midwest. No offense, middle America.

 

[demon]

Oh, I forgot the first thing that totally knocked me out when I first came to Wisconsin from San Diego: FLAT FLAT FLAT.

I never thought much about socal's terrain but coming here made me realize how hilly San Diego really was. I mean, I used to be able to see mountains. You get nothing here. NUH-THING. I remember during recruiting week they took us up to the top of the highest building on campus to be "treated" to a little buffet and a panoramic view of Madison and the outlying area. I'm sure some people thought the two lakes forming the isthmus were neato, etc. but I about passed out when all around me in 360 degrees I could not find a single blip on the horizon. Whenever I go back to California I relish in the unevenness of it all and the mountain views.. you'll never know how much take that kind of stuff for granted until it's literally gone.

Madison's fairly average in terms of topographical diversity. It gets quite a bit more hilly in other areas of Wisconsin. I don't know what the west coast is like in general, but the parts of California I've been to (Yosemite area and SF) are a hell of a lot "hillier" than most of the rest of the country.

As for the weather, I have a lot of nice clothes (especially a awesome jackets) that are meant for cooler weather, so I wouldn't want to live around SoCo anyway.... ... ......yes I would.

 

[Flynn]

Oh, I forgot the first thing that totally knocked me out when I first came to Wisconsin from San Diego: FLAT FLAT FLAT.

I lived in Florida for quite awhile, so I know how flat feels.

I think I will miss the mountains.

Thanks, again for all the neighborhood shout outs.

I'm looking forward to checking out the music scene -- I'm particularly into underground hip-hop, electronic, etc. so being in close proximity to the Anticon people won't hurt much.

 

[Manabanana]

In uptown there's a record store called Cheapo. Best I've ever been to. There's a big local section there and there are always tons of flier and stuff in the doorway if you're interested. That comic book store I was talking about is called Dream Haven Books. It's on Lake, just north of Bryant.

 

[btrboyev]

I'm looking forward to checking out the music scene -- I'm particularly into underground hip-hop, electronic, etc. so being in close proximity to the Anticon people won't hurt much.

I think you will be happy...huge underground hip-hop scene.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Minneapolis isn't that flat. It's on the Mississippi so you have the river bluffs around to break things up. Not at all like Madison. In fact, it's not even worthwhile to compare the Twin Cities to Madison, IMHO. The Cities are much better in all respects. Much more metropolitan and fun, more hip, more to do, etc.

 

[Flynn]

In uptown there's a record store called Cheapo. Best I've ever been to. There's a big local section there and there are always tons of flier and stuff in the doorway if you're interested. That comic book store I was talking about is called Dream Haven Books. It's on Lake, just north of Bryant.

Those will be two of the first places I check out.

 

[Slo]

Today I spent 2 hours shoveling 24" of snow off my driveway thanks to the snowplow and some great drifts. Less than 4 hours later I have 6-8" inch drifts all over my driveway, and we're supposed to get 6-10 more over night.

WISH YOU WERE HERE!

 

[Flynn]

Today I spent 2 hours shoveling 24" of snow off my driveway thanks to the snowplow and some great drifts. Less than 4 hours later I have 6-8" inch drifts all over my driveway, and we're supposed to get 6-10 more over night.

WISH YOU WERE HERE!

It's raining very lightly here and my friends are bitching about the weather. I'm going to bitch-slap them and say, "That one was for Slo."