Moving from Atlanta to Cleveland or Akron Need Advice (Cuyahoga Falls: for sale, to rent)

[jemason21]

I just took a position with Smucker's and will be working in Orrville. My girl friend is moving up with me and is looking for a epidimeology research job. Most of those positions are in Cleveland through Case Western. I am also looking to continue my part-time MBA program at a local university. Case is a little expensive so most likely I would want to attend Akron or Kent.

With all this being said we are both 27, have two dogs, and are looking to rent for a year while getting our bearings straight. We would pefer a house. What neighborhoods or areas do you suggest we look? Want something we can walk to restaurants, park, coffee shops, etc.

Need some sage advice,
Elliott

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by jemason21

I just took a position with Smucker's and will be working in Orrville. My girl friend is moving up with me and is looking for a epidimeology research job. Most of those positions are in Cleveland through Case Western. I am also looking to continue my part-time MBA program at a local university. Case is a little expensive so most likely I would want to attend Akron or Kent.

With all this being said we are both 27, have two dogs, and are looking to rent for a year while getting our bearings straight. We would pefer a house. What neighborhoods or areas do you suggest we look? Want something we can walk to restaurants, park, coffee shops, etc.

Need some sage advice,
Elliott

I worked at Smucker's a few years back, good company.

I'd recommend Fairlawn based on your scenario, would put you about 25-30 minutes from the HQ in Orrville, and would put your g/f about the same - maybe a little longer w/rush hour traffic - to Case Western. It is just north of Akron, but I know of quite a few people who lived/moved there when I worked at Smucker, and they all had mostly good things to say about the area as far as nightlife, entertainment, etc.

As far as MBA goes, as a Kent grad, not easy for me to say, but Akron has a better reputation for their business school than Kent, plus if you do choose Fairlawn, you'd be about 10-15 minutes from campus.

What department are you working in? I worked in finance/accounting. If you have any questions about the company, you can send me a private message and I can try and help. Good luck to you.

[CityGrrl77]

I would agree that Fairlawn is a nice, safe area and close to the freeway. Its actually just west of Akron down Rt. 18.
As for the nightlife in Fairlawn....I always joke that they have a 9pm curfew (for everyone) - especially on the weekdays. No one ever seems to be out past that time. I lived there for 2 years (from 23-25, Im 28 now). I moved from there because, based on personal preference, I hate the suburbs. Lots of shopping, restaurants and one movie theater, however.
You can always drive ten minutes to downtown Akron for nightlife.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by CityGrrl77

I would agree that Fairlawn is a nice, safe area and close to the freeway. Its actually just west of Akron down Rt. 18.

You're right, it is more west than north, I guess I always just think of it as north b/c it's further up I-77 North as you head towards Cleveland - but I-77 is actually going northwest as it leaves Akron.

[CityGrrl77]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

You're right, it is more west than north, I guess I always just think of it as north b/c it's further up I-77 North as you head towards Cleveland - but I-77 is actually going northwest as it leaves Akron.

True true

[Beavercreek33]

What about Cuyahoga Falls?

Its not a bad suburb, its a larger suburb, around 50,000. Its close to the awesome Cleveland Metro parks, and close to Cleveland, even closer to Akron, but its also right in between Kent State and the University of Akron.

The other posters I will agree with also, Fairlawn is a nice choice too.

[rroboh]

I would recommend Medina. It is an easy commute to Akron, Cleveland and Orrville. There are nice homes for sale where the loan payments would be less than rent or equal to rent especially if you qualify for the first time home buyer $8,000 give a way by the federal government. I grew up with the Smuckers in Orrville and you couldn't be going to work for a finer company. If you want more information contact me.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by rroboh

I would recommend Medina. It is an easy commute to Akron, Cleveland and Orrville. There are nice homes for sale where the loan payments would be less than rent or equal to rent especially if you qualify for the first time home buyer $8,000 give a way by the federal government. I grew up with the Smuckers in Orrville and you couldn't be going to work for a finer company. If you want more information contact me.

It would probably help if we knew the setting. If you like country folk you could just as easily live in Orrville and fit the bill.

If you wanted to stay in the city, I would suggest Highland Square. Very walkable. Old school architecture. Close to the University.

If you wanted more city/suburbanish you could stay in Wallhaven. Cheaper than suburbs but still has restaurants, grocery store, gas stations, etc. More suburban sprawlish but technically you could walk it (sidewalks).

If you wanted suburbs that are still semi-towny (read: neighborhoods full of ranch houses) you could live in Fairlawn - although *technically* you could walk to restaurants, it's really not geared towards walking to any of them.

If you wanted McMansions you could live in Copley or Bath - your walking anywhere would be out the door though.

If you wanted full on exurban soccer mom-ish you could go Medina. They do have a 'cute' downtown that has been all cleaned up; kinda leans toward the antiquey cutesy stuff if that's your thing. If you're in town it's walkable, although most of the chain stores are west (or north, one of those) of town and they aren't really walkable (think suburban sprawl).

You could also do Hudson if you wanted a combo between McMansion-y sprawl but with the cutesy downtown - although theirs is more of the coffee shop and Gap type. Downtown is walkable, the rest you're driving your Escalade.

I generally suggest the west side (all of those are west excluding Hudson, but it fits the bill as well) as it seems that side of town seems to be heaviest on people with bachelors and graduate degrees (or in the process of getting them). It's fairly walkable (excluding Chapel Hill) but the main shopping drag (aside from Chapel Hill) is State Road and it seems to be leaning towards looking like crap.

East and South are more like blue collar middle class, and North is a combination (like Cuyahoga Falls - I think it skews more towards the blue collar but there are also professionals out that way).

So in summary we would really need to know more than "can walk to restaurants" to give a good suggestion.