$171,501Average Value$268Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Filling in gaps and waiting on opportunity
Filling in the gaps between Pinhook, Keller Park, Council Oak and Far Northwest neighborhoods, Portage Crossing offers a tranquil environment beyond South Bend's downtown sphere. The area is split vertically by Portage Avenue — hence its name — and consists almost entirely of homes that appeal to investors and first-time homebuyers. The area is within a few miles of the city center and the Indiana Toll Road, connecting residents to what South Bend and surrounding cities have to offer in under 30 minutes. Although the established neighborhood is unlikely to see significant change, there are big plans for the city's western side, says Jennifer Lillie, a Realtor at Century 21 Circle Broker who lives in the area. A billion-dollar Amazon data center will be built in New Carlisle, a town only 15 miles from South Bend, creating job opportunities. "There's probably two to four more years before construction is complete, but it's definitely a future pull for the area," Lillie says. "Our community is pretty excited about it. It's definitely going to revitalize the west side of town, which hasn't seen development in many years."
Portage Crossings has a large number of homes with brick builds and accents.
Dog Days of South Bend brings out the dog lovers from surrounding neighborhoods.
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Diverse housing for $200,000 and under
Redemption City Church is the only non-residential element in Portage Crossing. Homes come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and styles. Minimalist, vinyl-sided bungalows sit beside ranches, Cape Cods, two-story Colonial-inspired houses and custom builds with diverse aesthetics. Some of these quirks include steeply sloping roofs and dark color palettes. "You can get a lot of house for the dollar," Lillie says. Houses typically cost between $160,000 and $200,000 for 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. Investment properties, usually with less than 1,000 square feet, can run between $50,000 and $130,000. Neighborhood streets are leafy, lined with towering trees, lush grass lawns and the occasional front garden, porch or side patio. On many streets, it's not uncommon for yards to slope a few feet or more above the sidewalk.
Portage Crossing is only a few minutes from downtown South Bend, making commutes simple.
The Portage Crossing neighborhood is seeing a boost in the number of home renovations.
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Two school pathways and access to higher education
School zoning depends on where students live, although all school pathways are under the South Bend Community School Corporation. As a rule of thumb, students living east of Portage Avenue start at Muessel Elementary School, which has a C-minus Niche rating and a tutoring program for military families. Next is Jefferson Traditional School and its magnet program, which earns a C score. The A-minus-rated Adams High School is No. 3 on Niche's list of best public schools in South Bend. Students west of Portage Avenue attend Coquillard Elementary School and Navarre Middle School. Both of these C-minus-rated schools are South Bench Empowerment Zones — schools dedicated to eliminating academic and social-emotional opportunity gaps. Students graduate from Washington High School, an AdvancEd accredited school with a medical and allied health science magnet program. The school earns a B-minus from Niche. Portage Crossing also puts residents within 3 miles of the B-minus-rated Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame, which earns an A-plus.
Muessel Elementary School has a C- overall rating on Niche.com.
Jefferson Intermediate School has a C rating overall on Niche.com.
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20 miles in 20 minutes or less
Although bike paths and bus stops can be found along main roads like Portage Avenue, residents mainly rely on cars to get around. "A joke we have is whether it's 20 miles or 5 miles away, you can get there in 20 minutes," Lillie says. "Parking is super prevalent, and the commute times are super short because we have great bypasses and shortcuts." The Indiana Toll Road, or Interstate 90, is 3 miles north. South Bend International Airport is 3 miles to the west. "I do forget how spoiled we are with an airport so close," Lillie says. "We're only 7 minutes away, while some people have to drive two to three hours to get to not even a major airport."
The Transpo Bus System runs all throughout the Portage Crossing neighborhood.
The South Bend International Airport is just a few minutes from Portage Crossing and downtown.
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Woodlawn Park cushions from St. Joseph flooding
The neighborhood's eastern border runs along Woodlawn Park, which separates the homes from the St. Joseph River without denying access. The park acts as a barrier against flooding — a feature neighboring areas like Keller Park, Pinhook and Council Oak do not have. People often visit Woodlawn Park to walk or bike the Riverside Trail. Known locally as the river walk, the trail stretches for miles and connects Indiana to Michigan. About half a mile south is Muessel Grove Park, which has a playground, a picnic shelter, sports courts and many mature trees. Pinhook Park, 1 mile north, has similar amenities but features a sizable U-shaped lake for kayaking and fishing. Many people also like to spend their days off out on the water of Lake Michigan, which is only a 40-mile drive.
A walking path encircles Pinhook Park and connect to Riverside Trail along the St Joe river.
Local soccer meetups and practices happen regularly at Muessel Grove Park.
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Dining along Portage Avenue
The closest retail center is 2 miles north of Portage Crossing. Major brands, like Meijer, Aldi, Walgreens and Walmart, line Portage Avenue. The area also has fast-food restaurants and local chains like Wings Etc. and Hacienda Mexican Restaurants. Heading south on Portage Avenue leads to smaller dives. For instance, Bob's Pub is a popular spot for happy hour just 1 mile away, although it's open from morning to midnight seven days a week. Fat Boy's Creamery next door might look like just an ice cream shop curbing late-night cravings, but its staff also serves up savory tacos. Driving another mile down the road offers small businesses like Brain Lair Books and a local farmer's market before giving way to Downtown South Bend's dining and entertainment options.
Bob's Pub has been serving drinks and bar fare for decades in Portage Crossing.
Portage Crossings residents know to head to the Volcano for authentic Italian cuisine and pizza.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Abram Christianson,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Muessel Grove Park
Pinhook Park
Woodlawn Park
Transit
Airport
South Bend International
18 min drive
Portage Crossing Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Portage Crossing, South Bend sell after 67 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Portage Crossing, South Bend over the last 12 months is $460,250, up 12% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Investor Alert! Income producing property in turnkey condition. Home currently has a month to month lease in place for $700/month. Plenty of room for a rent increase based on market conditions. Pictures are current. Please give 24-48 hr for showings, property manager will be present for showings.
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Abram Christianson,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,712
Median Age
36
Population under 18
28.6%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
14.3%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$56,376
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$66,775
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
87.6%
College Graduates
27.1%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
12.3%
% Population in Labor Force
69.4%
On par with the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
40''
Average Winter Low Temperature
17°F
Average Summer High Temperature
82°F
Annual Snowfall
28''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
65/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
31/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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.
