$750k price range - where to buy in Cincy? (Cincinnati: rental, waterpark)
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my wife and I are eyeing a potential relocation from Chicago to Cincinatti. While we love Chicago, the city, we are not enamored with the suburbs here. They're crowded, expensive, and flat. So, we decided a move back to her home state made the most sense. We'd love a nice sized home (3-4k sq ft), in a great community. Ideally with activities, country club, etc. We love the thought of owning a home with some views of either the hills, downtown or both. We would prefer a nice walkable area, but still want some space. I'm sure that is conflicting, LOL. I know places like Blue Ash, Mt. Adams, etc. are nice areas, but afraid the lot sizes are too big. We'd love something that resembles downtown Naperville, IL, or Birmingham, MI. Anything comparable in the Cincinnatti area?
She will be home with the kids and I office out of my home doing outside sales. We don't need to be near downtown, but would like to be near the highways as I am constantly traveling for work.
In summary:
fun, active area, clean/safe, good schools. 3-4k sq. ft, modest lot size, walkable neighborhood, young families...
I'm a bit rambled but trying to get my arms around this metro, seems like there are many options!
My brother-in-law and his family used to live in Naperville. They visited us in Mason over the summer. They said that Mason reminded them of Naperville. 750K would buy you a lot of home here. Mason is north of Cinci in Warren County.
My family moved from Chicago to Cincinnati years ago and settled in Hyde Park. It was then as it is now, the best place to relocate. All of your criteria are met by Hyde Park. It cannot be recommended highly enough.
Start with some background info and then come down to visit. DM me and I'll give you a Hyde Park itinerary for your visit.
Hyde Park, and then I'd include Mt Lookout as well. Other areas include Mariemont (a little far from the highway), Loveland (more subdued suburban, but nice w/ cute downtown), and Glendale (historic but little bit of an island feel). 750K will buy a dream house more than likely in the Cincy metro (minus Indian Hill). Take some money and apply it towards either renovations of the home you buy, private school, etc. There's no reason, unless you buy in a place like Mason's Long Cove neighborhood (or Indian Hill), to spend that much.
we are not enamored with the suburbs here. They're crowded, expensive, and flat... I'm sure that is conflicting, LOL. I know places like Blue Ash, Mt. Adams, etc. are nice areas, but afraid the lot sizes are too big.
I'm afraid I do find your criteria hard to reconcile!
By "crowded" I would have thought you meant the lot sizes were too small.
Mt Adams has VERY small lots. Often just postage stamp sized. They are classic city lots. Very different from Blue Ash. My Adams lots will often be 25x75 or thereabouts.
Hyde Park has a "standard" lot size of 50x150. Maybe, as Wilson said, this is what you want. These lots give you a little yard but not a huge acreage to manage. (Note: an acre is roughly 200x200 to give you a reference point).
750K will get you a decent house in Hyde Park but not usually a nice view eg on upper Grandin. Most of those are closer to 1 million. On the other hand, a lot of them have been sitting on the market for quite some time.
In upper Mt Lookout (eg Chardonnay ridge etc) there are some houses around 700k with moderate lots and nice views. Maybe that would fit your bill.
Wolden... I think you missed the point. The OP was talking about Chicago suburbs being too crowded, expensive, and flat, which they definitely are. From his expression of Cincy's suburbs the lots are too big, must not like cutting grass. Of course if you are going to spend $750,000 on a house, why are you cutting the grass anyway?
I suggest to the OP they look in some of the areas of the closer in suburbs where tear-downs have occured. There are a number like in Madeira where a small ranch on a two acre lot has been demolished and 8 large homes built on .25 acre lots. I know of several right next to Kenwood Country Club so you don't have far to drive. Even sections of Indian Hill were smaller homes on large lots were taken down for new large ones on much smaller lots where the zoning would permit it.
Others have commented you can find some of these within the City itself, though it make take a lot of looking. And even if you do find them, the expresed desire for a clean/safe neighborhood and good schools may not fit. A 3-4K sq. ft. modest lot size house for $750K, better start looking in Mason and West Chester.
Hyde Park has a "standard" lot size of 50x150. Maybe, as Wilson said, this is what you want. These lots give you a little yard but not a huge acreage to manage. (Note: an acre is roughly 200x200 to give you a reference point).
Really, My lot is 85x321. My neighbor is 130x321. I would doubt a third of the lots in HP are 50x150. I have 5 bedrooms 4 1/2 baths, inground pool, and in walking distance to teh Country Club and the Park and well under the budget.
You say you work out of the home and don't have to worry about a commute other than a lot of road sales. You may try looking in the South Lebanon area around the TPC at Rivers Bend golf club. Situated along the Little Miami National Scenic River, it is right off of I-71, and if you luck out you might even get a river view. Regardless you will be in scenic hilly country along the river. The homes I am talking about are in the Kings Mills School District, a very well ranked one. You will have the Little Miami Bike Trail plus several other attractions such as the Zipline, Kings Island, and the Beach Waterpark very close. Also close is Morgan Canoe rental to boat down the Little Miami all the way to the Ohio in Eastern Cincy if you want to go that far, plus the Fort Ancient State Memorial featuring the mound works of the Native Americans of Ohio overlooking the Little Miami.
You will be able to find the size home you desire at the price you want to pay. You can interconnect across through Lebanon to I-75 for access up north other than I-71.
If you look it up on a map, it looks like the boonies, and to a degree it is. But it is about at mile marker 30. That makes it about 30 minutes from downtown Cincy at the river since you are starting out in the country where the traffic flows fast.
One thing is for sure, you won't be pre-occupied with looking up the local area crime statistics. Yes, there is crime, where is there not?
Really, My lot is 85x321. My neighbor is 130x321. I would doubt a third of the lots in HP are 50x150. I have 5 bedrooms 4 1/2 baths, inground pool, and in walking distance to teh Country Club and the Park and well under the budget.
You must not have looked at many lot sizes. Look in the "flats" of Hyde Park and you will see, like cookie cutter had made them, 50x150 on roads like Zumstein, Mooney, Burch.
Concerning your lot, you live in Mt Lookout. Unless there really are two Wilsons on this message board. The Wilson who previously posted showed a video of his drive to work and it started up near Alms park.
I live in Hyde Park and have a lot that is about 1/2 acre also but I do not think it is a typical lot size.
Wolden... I think you missed the point. The OP was talking about Chicago suburbs being too crowded, expensive, and flat, which they definitely are. From his expression of Cincy's suburbs the lots are too big,
Now you are doing the same thing. Can you explain to me how a suburb can be "too crowded" if you don't want a larger lot size?
Are you trying to say that they were "crowded" eg a lot size of, maybe, 25x75, whereas "200x200" is too big?
That is exactly how I interpreted it. That is why I thought many Hyde park lots ~50x150 would work. "Crowded" means the houses are too close together and all packed in, right? By definition that means the lot size is too small.
Indian Hill, for example, is not crowded because many lots are 3 acres.
Much easier to have this discussion if the OP would specify how big a lot he wants
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