Looking to Buy a House - No clue what part of town :( (Cincinnati: apartment complexes, condos)

[NowACincinnatian]

Hi Everybody,

I have enjoyed reading lots of the discussions on here about Walnut Hills, Prospect Hill, people's take on downtown and Clifton residences, etc. I now seek the advice of all the knowledgable people here to point me to a part of town.

My wife and I are in our late 20s and have lived in Anderson township and are currently on the Loveland/Mason border. We are both working professionals, and haven't been able to meet that many young WP couples like us (we're not into hardcore drinking/partying anymore) - I think partly due to where we have been living.

I work off of Duck Creed Rd currently in the Madison area & my wife is in Milford. Although that may be subject to change if better opportunities come by, doesn't look like we'll switch any time soon.

I have been looking at:
- Mount Auburn: Online we've seen some really nice condos, but the area reviews seem a little sketchy, as though its going through gentrification but not so successfully (not very far from the Dorchester/Sycamore intersection)
- Downtown: Seems like good investments and swanky places (plus point!) but not sure what kind of a horrendous commute that will present to us
- Hyde Park: Seems super congested. While I'd like for us to be around Young WPs, don't want to feel like my whole neighborhood is claustrophobic?
- Avondale: Seems like some stellar values there, in terms of home you get for your money. Not sure if the area is going to be boring like Loveland/anderson?

Should we really be looking in these neighborhoods if feeling safe/being proud of our area is impt? Should we be focusing on more Blue Ash/Mason area living?

Thanks for the help, there's a lot of things that we are considering so it makes the decision hard, especially when we are maybe over-cautious or indecisive

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by NowACincinnatian

- Mount Auburn: Online we've seen some really nice condos, but the area reviews seem a little sketchy, as though its going through gentrification but not so successfully (not very far from the Dorchester/Sycamore intersection)

Mount Auburn is fine along Auburn Ave and generally east of Auburn Ave. West of Auburn Ave to Vine Street is very rough and I would advise against it. Mount Auburn east of Auburn Ave tends to be more family oriented with long time residents and families, though there is a smattering of college kids. Some of the apartment complexes in the area may be loud and also some drug activity. Overall, I like Mount Auburn and spent quite a bit of time shopping homes there.

Originally Posted by NowACincinnatian

- Downtown: Seems like good investments and swanky places (plus point!) but not sure what kind of a horrendous commute that will present to us

Sounds like you would be ideal for downtown, either OTR of the CBD. Whether you live uptown or downtown you will have a sketchy commute at times due to where you guys work.

Originally Posted by NowACincinnatian

- Hyde Park: Seems super congested. While I'd like for us to be around Young WPs, don't want to feel like my whole neighborhood is claustrophobic?

Can't really say. HP isn't my cup of tea.

Originally Posted by NowACincinnatian

- Avondale: Seems like some stellar values there, in terms of home you get for your money. Not sure if the area is going to be boring like Loveland/anderson?

Avondale is in bad shape at the moment. Lots of murders and crime in general. I don't think I you would like it there. I am in the area often enough as I have a friend on Rockdale Ave. It's a rough area with some really cool old houses.

Originally Posted by NowACincinnatian

Should we really be looking in these neighborhoods if feeling safe/being proud of our area is impt? Should we be focusing on more Blue Ash/Mason area living?

Thanks for the help, there's a lot of things that we are considering so it makes the decision hard, especially when we are maybe over-cautious or indecisive

Well, Mason / Blue Ash. If you like quiet suburban living then I would say stick with the burbs. If you want more action with lots of amenities and things to do then move downtown/uptown neighborhoods. It's really what floats your boat in this category.

[progmac]

I think it is worth taking some time to explore different city neighborhoods. Like one day, check out the outer east side neighborhoods like Pleasant Ridge, Oakley, Norwood, and Hyde Park, Mt Lookout, Columbia Tusculum and Walnut Hills / Obryanville. Then another day, check out Northside, Clifton, and CUF, then OTR and downtown. Then another day check out the west side - Westwood, Price Hill, Covedale.

It is worth spending some time, at the very least driving but hopefully also walking to get a sense of what you like. I say not just driving because driving in some places can be stressful and that might color your perception of the whole neighborhood, which is perhaps awesome from a pedestrian standpoint (looking at you, CUF & Northside).

Also, how much do you want to spend and do you want a yard?

Re Avondale: North Avondale is very nice. South Avondale is mostly a ghetto.

[Chemistry_Guy]

Depending on what you want to spend, I would look in Mariemont and Fairfax, as it sits right in between you and your wife's employers. As far as meeting other younger couples, I don't think it matters where you live, it matters how and where you socialize.

My wife and I are from Cincinnati and we don't have trouble making social connections here, but some of her coworkers have had success participating in some service organizations (Give back Cincinnati, Habitat for Humanity) as well as Cincinnati rec league sports.

[BasinDweller]

I completely agree with progmac's suggestion. I would probably rule out Pleasant Ridge and all of the westside neighborhoods if you are looking for walkable neighborhoods with plenty of young couples without kids. I don't really know how Hyde Park would be any more "claustrophobic" than living in Prospect Hill, OTR or Downtown as it is a residential neighborhood where most homes have yards, driveways and garages. Commutes from any of those neighborhoods will be a breeze. My preference is for urban living, but would highly recommend HP/Oakley/Mt. Lookout/Columbia Tusculum to any young couple.

As others have said, NORTH Avondale is a solid neighborhood with many large, older homes that you can get at a decent price. It is going to be quiet though, and not within walking distance of many places at which you are going to want to hang out and socialize.

Edit: I would include East Walnut Hills and Obryonville in my recommended neighborhood continuum. However, you have to be careful in that area as certain blocks are preferable to others.

[t45209]

There are a lot of good suggestions here, but I'll share a couple of thoughts.

I wouldn't characterize Hyde Park as claustrophobic at all. It's no more dense than any of the neighborhoods you are looking at, maybe even less so. The one nice thing about Oakley and Hyde Park is that people seem to be out and about more than many other areas of town, so from an outward perspective it could seem like there are more people. I'd say that's in part due to the demographics of these neighborhoods, plus a perception of safety, and the fact that there is actually something to walk to.

I think it's great that you are also considering Walnut Hills, but don't be so close minded as restrict your search to only east of DeSales Corner. The area abutting Eden Park, largely south of McMillan is really coming along. If you want something urban, yet not downtown, and decidedly more stable than Mt. Auburn, Walnut Hills could be a good fit. You'd be amazed how many people matching your demographic live there, and they network very well. The area is quiet, has great architecture, and is seconds from downtown and I-71.

One interesting thing about Walnut Hills that is not well-known is that the neighborhood is one of four in the city to be part of the pilot for the adoption of form-based zoning codes. What this basically does is throw out the old use based zoning code, which allows developers to build anything on a site so long as it meets a set of quantitative requirements. The result over the years has been the fragmentation of our neighborhoods by things being built which don't look like they belong together. Form based code would, for example, tell a McDonalds that yes you can locate here, but your building has to look like others around it, the parking has to be in back, and your sign has to conform to certain requirements. Form-based code has been successfully applied in many other US cities, and is now coming here.

The Walnut Hills business district along McMillan and Taft appears to be one of the next areas of focus for the city for revitalization, and form-based code will provide the framework for this. People I have spoken to in the city are a little dismayed by the Walnut Hills Urban Redevelopment Corp's willingness to tear down historic structures, but there is still a decent amount to work with to restore a distinctive and historically significant urban landscape. The long and the short of this is that Walnut Hills could present an interesting opportunity to get in now, and in a few years you could be very happy with your decision.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by t45209

The Walnut Hills business district along McMillan and Taft appears to be one of the next areas of focus for the city for revitalization, and form-based code will provide the framework for this. People I have spoken to in the city are a little dismayed by the Walnut Hills Urban Redevelopment Corp's willingness to tear down historic structures, but there is still a decent amount to work with to restore a distinctive and historically significant urban landscape. The long and the short of this is that Walnut Hills could present an interesting opportunity to get in now, and in a few years you could be very happy with your decision.

I appreciate the insight on Walnut Hills. I was dismayed to a block or two of buildings razed along McMillan recently. Peeble's Corner has come along ways as well. The police have been working hard to crack down on the drug activity that used to plague the area. Walnut Hills has some excellent housing stock.

[RussianNameX]

I'd def say the Hyde Park, Montgomery, Maderia, Blueash Sycamore Areas as opposed to Avondale, Downtown and Walnut Hills, they are pretty close to dangerous areas

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by RussianNameX

as opposed to Avondale, Downtown and Walnut Hills, they are pretty close to dangerous areas

Really? Guess you don't come around here too often.

[Ohiogirl81]

Everywhere in Cincinnati is close to a "dangerous" area. Parachute down, walk five minutes in any direction, and you'll be in a completely different place than the one you started out in.

That's part of Cincinnati's charm.