Safety of East Walnut Hills? (Madison, Amelia: sales, apartment, renting)

[donticemebro]

Hello!

I am going to be moving into cincinnati soon and am wondering how safe East Walnut Hills is, especially near Cleinview?

I viewed a really nice place on Cleinview, but don't know what to make of the area... I love the price and proximity to o'bryonville/hyde park, but it seems to be somewhat of a transition zone... will i have to worry about drugs and break ins.... or worse?!

Thanks in advance! this site is great for info!

-Young Professional

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by donticemebro

I am going to be moving into cincinnati soon and am wondering how safe East Walnut Hills is, especially near Cleinview?

I viewed a really nice place on Cleinview, but don't know what to make of the area... I love the price and proximity to o'bryonville/hyde park, but it seems to be somewhat of a transition zone... will i have to worry about drugs and break ins.... or worse?!

============================

Transition zone is a pretty good way to describe it. North of Madison, I would call the area in transition and describe is as an AA working class neighborhood. You will probably not have any problems on personal crimes but I would have an alarm system on the house AND keep valuables out of the car.

South, there are a lot of great old mansions and large homes on Johnstone Place, a block east. Hackberry is also OK but more working class.

Personally, I recommend two things. Park you car in several places in a four block radius from 8 pm-2am some Saturday night and see how you feel about the area. Second, walk around and talk to the neighbors. Most people will be more than willing to tell you the pluses and the minuses.

I will give you one positive. The people at St. Francis de Sales Church (Madison and Washburn) and the Archdiocese have sone a lot of work to stabilize the neighborhood.

And I would look at a few more areas before falling in love with that neighborhood.

[wolden]

Originally Posted by donticemebro

Hello!


... will i have to worry about drugs and break ins.... or worse?!

-Young Professional

Yes, you probably would worry about it.

If you have nice stuff, someone indeed might break in and steal it.

Are you buying or renting? If buying, lets put it this way: The market isn't dumb. There is a reason the houses in East Walnut Hills are priced the way they are. Your equity is at risk there.

[t45209]

Check out the current Walnut Hills thread further down the page.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by donticemebro

Hello!

I am going to be moving into cincinnati soon and am wondering how safe East Walnut Hills is, especially near Cleinview?

I viewed a really nice place on Cleinview, but don't know what to make of the area... I love the price and proximity to o'bryonville/hyde park, but it seems to be somewhat of a transition zone... will i have to worry about drugs and break ins.... or worse?!

Thanks in advance! this site is great for info!

-Young Professional

Where on Cleinview? North of Taft is transitional, south of Taft is stable and established. Both areas are safe, EWH folks are very protective of their neighborhood. Still, car break-ins will be an issue if you leave your ipod on your seat.

[EWH_Cincy123]

I've lived in EWH a few blocks from Cleinview (just off of DeSales Corner) for six years now. The area is in transition, but has improved by leaps and bounds since I first moved here. DeSales Corner has really cleaned up and is now home to some stable businesses that have been there for years. Many houses and apartment buildings in the area have been renovated or are currently in the process.

As a single female living alone, I've never felt unsafe or scared in my neighborhood. I do have an alarm system and try not to make my house/car look enticing (don't leave valuables in plain sight). However, I've never had any trouble and haven't heard about neighbors having break-ins either. All of the people on my street are friendly and look out for each other. Many people in EWH have grown up in the area and really want and work hard to get the neighborhood back on track.

[cincitransplant2]

My recollections of the neighborhood are from 1995-2000 when we lived in a townhouse off Grandview, and I don't know if the neighborhood has changed much since we left 11 years ago...

We lived near the Unity Church. When we first moved there, it was an interesting mix of people, and the homes around that area were gorgeous. I didn't walk around the neighborhood much after dark, but never felt unsafe.

Our condo had a security system which I never activated. I would turn it on for its own internal alarm, and in the 5 years we were there, it never went off. We had heard of several of our neighbors having break ins, but they were few and far between.

The first thought of leaving planted when our neighbor's BMW was put on blocks in broad daylight and his tires stolen. No one said anything during the robbery because everyone assumed that he was just having work done on his car by a company that came to you. The decision to move was cemented when we would start getting routinely panhandled in the parking lot.

One of my former professors lives there and loves it, and a couple of my friends lived near Taft on McMillan for a while with absolutely no complaints. The access to downtown is phenomenal, and it looks like businesses are moving into the area.

It's a tough call.

[progmac]

solid area, but this guy has already made his choice by now - old thread.

[t45209]

Originally Posted by cincitransplant2

The first thought of leaving planted when our neighbor's BMW was put on blocks in broad daylight and his tires stolen. No one said anything during the robbery because everyone assumed that he was just having work done on his car by a company that came to you. The decision to move was cemented when we would start getting routinely panhandled in the parking lot.

.

Old thread indeed, but a couple of comments jumped out at me that I had to respond to.

I have friends who live in a tidy landominium complex on a lake in Maineville. It borders on retirement community. Their neighbors had their car broken into and their front seats stolen! Should they be thinking of moving?

I have another friend who lives on a quiet private lane out near Amelia, and their neighbor's house was burglarized by what the police think is a ring of country meth addicts. Should they be thinking of moving? (by the way, anybody who breaks into my friend's house has a death wish...seriously)

Obviously, that type of crime in Mainville or Amelia is the exception, but the point is it can happen anywhere. I think sometimes overreaction causes perception to become reality.

[t45209]

Originally Posted by wolden

Are you buying or renting? If buying, lets put it this way: The market isn't dumb. There is a reason the houses in East Walnut Hills are priced the way they are. Your equity is at risk there.

I don't think the market is as rational as you give it credit. There are too many examples of people from Indian Hill to West Chester who have bought homes and couldn't sell them for anywhere near what they paid. Just because something has a big price tag (and I wouldn't say they are exactily giving away houses in EWH), doesn't mean it's a good value.