Moving to McMinnville. Help!

[LuLosmama]

Hi McMinnville Mamas,

My family is moving to Mac this summer (mid-August) for a job at Linfield.  We're mainly wondering about places to live (rent).  We really want to find the right neighborhood.  Every ad on Craigslist claims the house is in the best (or "very nice") neighborhood in McMinnville, but they are all over the city!

About us: We are pretty crunchy (bf, co-sleeping, veggie-growers), walkers/bikers/tree climbers and like older neighborhoods/homes instead of new ones.  We want to be in a neighborhood where the neighbors know each other and hang out in their front yards, the kids play in the street, etc.  We'd like to be central to Duniway, Linfield, and downtown.  

Can you recommend any streets/areas to avoid?

Also, we have a 1 yr old, 4 year old, and 13 year old.  Anything else I should know?

[rhombus]

um, hi!

We've been in downtown McMinnville for four years now. We walk/bike all over and grow veggies in our front yard! Sadly, we don't have any simpatico neighbors, but we still enjoy our little spot quite a bit. I think it's pretty hit or miss. The housing market was such when we bought that we did not have a great slew of choices within the very downtown area. I wanted to be within small-child walking distance of park, library, store, etc., and we are! It *is* nice being able to walk to lots of things. (if only Mac had more of the things I wanted to walk to!)

Good Luck with your relocation!

[CCJWGM]

Edit.

Edited by CCJWGM - 6/1/11 at 10:06pm

[LuLosmama]

What does "Edit." mean?

[LuLosmama]

Rhombus,  does your daughter go to Duniway? Any thoughts on Duniway vs. Pattison?

Also, do you notice any  "FOR RENT" signs out in yards?  Craigslist seems to be pretty barren, the same dozen rentals (all near the golf course, or further west) over and over.  Is there another way I should be looking for rentals?

[rhombus]

I'm afraid I can't offer any firsthand information about the local middle schools, as we've only homeschooled since living here. Through the grapevine, though, I have heard more favorable murmurings about Duniway than the other. The small-townish-ness of McMinnville is never so apparent to me as when considering schooling options. As in, there really are very few choices. This is a current hot topic in our house, for sure.

I do notice For Rent signs around town, in yards. Here is one local property management company:  http://www.wild-haven.com/ I can't vouch for them personally, but they seem to always have a handful of houses in various locations around town.

If you have any other specific questions, I'd be glad to try and answer them.

[GuavaGirl]

I live McMinnville.  We moved here last summer.  

You'll find more rental listings in the newspaper.  NewsRegister.com

Generally, the west side of town is the nicer side of town.  However, a lot of it is new development.  Not all though.  We live in a brand new townhouse on the west side of town.  Anything around the golf course is pretty nice.  Close to downtown and linfield is not as nice, but you have the older homes that you like. 

The town is pretty compact, so anywhere you live is not going to be very far from Linfield. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll do my best to answer.  I'm no expert though, since I've only been here for 11 months.