Mason, OH area... (Cincinnati, Dayton, Hamilton: real estate, houses, school district)

[ShadowCaver]

If a person is looking at working in Mason [Heritage Oak Park area], where would be best place to have a house for four, with a boy currently in 7th grade plays percussion and football, with a few (3-10) acres [prefer rural / country area], very good school for the 7th grader, and be <45 minutes from work? There is also a 18 yo boy a freshman in college [interests in engineering, optics, physics, medical, computer] so would need a good school for him.

[motorman]

^ (calling kjbrill...NOW!)

[kjbrill]

The fact you desire 3-10 acres of land and a country/rural atmosphere leaves most of Mason out, as it is no longer country/rural. If you could find a 10 acre parcel the land alone would be worth between $500,000 and $1,000,000 as it can easily be subdivided.

Heritage Oak Park is on Route 42 on the north side of Mason. It is a straight shot north up Route 42 to Lebanon, 8 miles, probably a 15 minute drive.

Very close to Heritage Oak is Route 741 which runs in a almost due north direction, up to Route 63 (and past all the way to Dayton) which runs east/west between Monroe and Lebanon. Off of Route 741 are east/west roads like Hamilton Rd which becomes Kyles Station in Butler Co.

North and West are going to be your best bets as far as a country/rural atmosphere since we are talking township. All of it is well within a 45 minute commute to Mason, more like 30. If you can find something in northern Liberty Township (Butler Co.) you will be in Lakota Schools. That is a plus. Directly north of Mason, in Turtlecreek township, you are talking Lebanon schools.

I would love to see you in the highly rated Mason schools, but am very doubtful about the 3-10 acre parcel being affordable or even available anywhere within the district.

For the older freshman son in college, commuting may be a stretch due to distance. So living on campus is likely the most doable. In-state tuition may make a big difference, so schools like University Of Cincinnati or Ohio State may come into play. University of Dayton is a good school, but as a private Catholic university tuition is on the high side just like Xavier in Cincinnati.

[kjbrill]

The area around Mason has filled in extremely rapidly due to subdivision development. Prior to that the various country roads were springled with homes on nice parcels of ground. These are becoming increasingly rare. Today, north and west of Mason are still true working farms, but not many of what I would call attractive country homes. Most of them developers have come in and purchased multiple side by side properties, leveled the houses, and laid out a subdivision.

I suggest contacting a local independent realtor in Mason, preferably one who grew up here. Tell them your parameters for property, land size, style, size, and age of house, etc. Those who are from the area will know what is available between Mason, Lebanon, Monroe, Hamilton, etc. because they will have grown up here while it was still country and be able to identify the names of the families who owned farms in the area. Question them first, how long have you lived in the area? How long have you been selling real estate in the area?

It can be difficult identifying a true independent realtor, Anytime you Google anything involving real estate you are inundated with responses, usually tons of responses from large firms who are Google sponsors. Even trying to go through an association may be a real bust. I will PM you with the identification of a local independent realtor I suggest you contact.

[Wilson513]

The City of Mason is the most difficult in teh area to find any lot, much less a 3-10 acre lot. If it exists, it will be divided into 1/2 acre lots snd $400,000 houses built on them. The housing market is not dead in Mason.

So forget about 3-10 acres in Mason.

Sorry, KJ. I see you already said this.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

The City of Mason is the most difficult in teh area to find any lot, much less a 3-10 acre lot. If it exists, it will be divided into 1/2 acre lots snd $400,000 houses built on them. The housing market is not dead in Mason.

So forget about 3-10 acres in Mason.

Sorry, KJ. I see you already said this.

Wilson... Glad to see we are not totally off base. If someone wants 3-10 acres of ground I am not about to advise Mason, and Liberty Township in Butler Co. is rapidly becoming the same. Those who have 10 acres in Liberty Township are just waiting for the development to come their way, and in most cases it is close.

I did DM the OP and give the name of a local realtor I feel can either advise him on what is available in the area within his <45 minute commute, or say revise your parameters and start over.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Wilson... Glad to see we are not totally off base. If someone wants 3-10 acres of ground I am not about to advise Mason, and Liberty Township in Butler Co. is rapidly becoming the same. Those who have 10 acres in Liberty Township are just waiting for the development to come their way, and in most cases it is close.

I did DM the OP and give the name of a local realtor I feel can either advise him on what is available in the area within his <45 minute commute, or say revise your parameters and start over.

I was looking for a Mason schools boundary map but didn't find it easily. Do you know where Lebanon begins and Mason ends? There might be some biig places up in Turtlecreek Tswp.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

I was looking for a Mason schools boundary map but didn't find it easily. Do you know where Lebanon begins and Mason ends? There might be some biig places up in Turtlecreek Tswp.

My map is not the best to decipher. But actually Mason City Schools does not extend very far north. To the East, Kings Mills Schools actually goes a little futher north. To the best I can tell, the original Deerfield township boundaries are the limits of Mason City Schools. Mason only extends to Brewer Rd to the north. Once you hit Turtlecreek township it is Lebanon.

[unusualfire]

Im not sure if she was looking in Mason, but that her husband will be working there. Somewhere around Morrow might be where she might find what she's looking for. Sprawl from Hamilton Twp ship is reaching it though so thing my change in a few short years. Morrow is about 20 mins from Mason. It's NE of Mason.

[WeeMadArthur]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

Im not sure if she was looking in Mason, but that her husband will be working there. Somewhere around Morrow might be where she might find what she's looking for. Sprawl from Hamilton Twp ship is reaching it though so thing my change in a few short years. Morrow is about 20 mins from Mason. It's NE of Mason.

The problem with looking around Morrow is that you may end up in the Little Miami School district. Since the OP wanted "very good schools", I would recommend avoiding the Morrow area.