Just south of the Michigan-Indiana border, Granger is a sought-after suburb with roots in the agriculture industry. “Granger has continued to improve as long as I’ve lived here,” says Realtor Jennifer Lillie, a lifelong resident who sells homes with Century 21 Real Estate. “There’s more accessibility to restaurants and stores, more walking paths, more public spaces, improvements to the library and so much else.”
Although it’s often referred to as a city, Granger is a census-designated place of 30,000 people in the Clay and Harris townships. Residents have access to the big city’s best perks, such as athletic events at the University of Notre Dame, and most commute to work in South Bend, where healthcare and manufacturing are major industries. Top employers include the Memorial Hospital of Beacon Health System, Honeywell Aerospace, AM General and Curtis Products of South Bend.
A highly rated public school district
“The school system is Granger’s single biggest pull,” says Realtor Abram Christianson, who sells homes with Howard Hanna South Bend Real Estate. Students attend schools based on where they live. Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation serves the majority of Granger. Niche gives the school district an A rating and notes that it is the best school district in the South Bend area. It has higher reading proficiency and graduation rates than state and national rates. South Bend School Corporation serves Clay Township on the city’s western end and is rated B-minus. Elkhart Community Schools serves the city’s eastern end and received a C-Plus rating. South Bend and Elkhart’s reading proficiencies and graduation rates are lower than state averages.
Based in South Bend, the University of Notre Dame has roughly 9,000 undergraduates and 4,200 postgraduates. “A lot of residents work at the university,” Christianson says.
Pricier homes than the surrounding area
Granger’s median single-family home price is roughly $390,000, well above Indiana and Michigan’s median but below the national median of about $400,000. Suburbs developed in the 1970s and ‘80s have a mix of contemporaries, split-levels and ranch styles that sell from $300,000 to $500,000. The pricier neighborhoods were developed in the 1990s and are filled with New Traditional-style homes on two- to three-acre lots. These houses are priced from $800,000 to $1.5 million. Christianson notes that Granger’s property taxes tend to be higher than in South Bend, something homebuyers will want to keep in mind.
Direct access to shopping and dining
Dining options are plentiful, and while chains are dominant, there are several local options along Adams Road. Several clusters of grocery stores and sit-down chain restaurants are south of the city, just off Interstate 90 and Cleveland Road. “It’s an in-demand place, so it’s more expensive,” Christianson says. “Your dollar for retail and dining just doesn’t go as far here.”
Public greenspaces and a strong library
Several amenity-filled greenspaces are available throughout the city. Harris Township Park on Brummitt has a playground, a pavilion and several fields that the ECHO Soccer Club maintains. There is a sister park off Elm Road that has similar amenities with the addition of pickleball courts, basketball courts, a baseball diamond and a cricket pitch. The area also has both public and private golf courses.
Locals are also extremely proud of their public library, which hosts weekly events such as game nights, book clubs and author visits.
Plenty to do in South Bend
Entertainment options are available in South Bend. The 2,564-seat Morris Performing Arts Center started as a Vaudeville house in the 1920s and is now home to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra.
On college football gamedays, Notre Dame Stadium fills with over 77,000 “fighting Irish” fans.
Getting around the area
South Bend’s downtown is 2 miles southwest of the city via Indiana State Road 23. South Bend International Airport is 17 miles west of Granger via interstates 80 and 90.
Granger’s Beacon Hospital offers emergency services and, Memorial Hospital of South Bend is available for all types of care.
Crime
Granger's violent and property crime scores are below the national average. The city’s violent crime rate is also well below that of South Bend.
Nikki has her Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation, Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) designation, Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification, At Home with Diversity®, e-PRO®, and Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) certifications with the National Association of REALTORS®. She is also a 2022 Indiana Association of Realtors Leadership Academy graduate and has completed the NAR REALTORS® Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) certification!
Nikki and her business partner with River Valley Publishing, best friend, and member of her team now JoElle, were previously co-editors of both Engaged River Valley and HOME River Valley magazines, and Nikki was the 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year Evansville Athena recipient for her work on the Engaged publication. Nikki has been in the wedding industry and promoting the growth of local small businesses for now over two decades. Nikki is also proud mom to Mia and Cooper, and in her free time she and her husband run a small homestead including 5 rescue dogs, over 30 chickens, 5 goats and a small flower farm.
Nikki's combined experience in the community, as a businesswoman, along with the full backing of the entire F.C. Tucker Emge REALTORS® team are just what you need for all of your property needs! Talk To Nikki email her at nikkidavis@fcte.com today!
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
