West Side (Bridgetown/Green Township) safe? (Cincinnati, Lexington: first time home buyer, neighborhood, buyers)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am sorry but being a former Green Township resident who was VERY HAPPY to leave the area... I would definitely look someplace else.
Green Township is one of those areas in Greater Cincinnati which is an inner ring suburb, so within the next 10 years it is either going to get much better or go downhill, the second possibility is what is happening.
But don't get me wrong, there are some very stable areas near Visitation and St. Ignatius, but near St. James across the street, there is an apartment complex that is literally just bringing house values in the area TUMBLING down due to constant crime. My friend who built his house in 2001 on Hubble Road had his house go from $375,000 to $265,000 or somewhere within that range during the recession, which is understandable. But after a huge amount of crime which has been blighting the apartments near St. James his house value went down to the low $200,000 area, if that doesn't say something I don't know what to tell you.
Crime seems to be closing in from Colerain and Mt. Airy, so the area where you picked is safe from that.
But I would try and find something further down Werk Road as there are better more stable areas, this is coming from a longtime resident of the township, you can't deny that the crime on the Westside is definitely more noticeable than on the Eastside.
I am sorry but being a former Green Township resident who was VERY HAPPY to leave the area... I would definitely look someplace else.
Green Township is one of those areas in Greater Cincinnati which is an inner ring suburb, so within the next 10 years it is either going to get much better or go downhill, the second possibility is what is happening.
But don't get me wrong, there are some very stable areas near Visitation and St. Ignatius, but near St. James across the street, there is an apartment complex that is literally just bringing house values in the area TUMBLING down due to constant crime. My friend who built his house in 2001 on Hubble Road had his house go from $375,000 to $265,000 or somewhere within that range during the recession, which is understandable. But after a huge amount of crime which has been blighting the apartments near St. James his house value went down to the low $200,000 area, if that doesn't say something I don't know what to tell you.
Crime seems to be closing in from Colerain and Mt. Airy, so the area where you picked is safe from that.
But I would try and find something further down Werk Road as there are better more stable areas, this is coming from a longtime resident of the township, you can't deny that the crime on the Westside is definitely more noticeable than on the Eastside.
Not sure what "more noticeable" means, given the actual crime stats in east side places like Avondale, Mt. Auburn, Walnut Hills, Evanston, etc. But to the OP, I suppose I shouldn't have generalized about Green Township. I agree there are areas that are less desirable than others, but to characterize the entire township as undesirable just doesn't fit with my personal observations.
Maintain the advice to walk that street and just talk with your prospective neighbors.
Again, definitely appreciate everyone's comments. From everything I've seen driving around the area(s) it does not seem too bad at all. I obviously realize that crime is going to happen everywhere, it just is what it is.
However, my point with the safety is that we want to be somewhere that it would not be somewhere where we would ever not feel safe being able to go for a walk with our dog in the neighborhood in the evenings without fearing that someone would try to jump us or try to break into our house in the time we are gone, etc...
Bhiggins, when you say further down Werk road, in which direction do you mean? I would assume you are meaning more to the west and not the east, but just want to make sure I understand you correctly.
Again, definitely appreciate everyone's comments. From everything I've seen driving around the area(s) it does not seem too bad at all. I obviously realize that crime is going to happen everywhere, it just is what it is.
However, my point with the safety is that we want to be somewhere that it would not be somewhere where we would ever not feel safe being able to go for a walk with our dog in the neighborhood in the evenings without fearing that someone would try to jump us or try to break into our house in the time we are gone, etc...
Bhiggins, when you say further down Werk road, in which direction do you mean? I would assume you are meaning more to the west and not the east, but just want to make sure I understand you correctly.
Sorry, I don't think SarahPerry read my post correctly, I didn't say the whole township was bad, but to be more specific meant the areas near St. James and if you want to be debatable near Sidney Road area definitely not boding well and really don't look like they are solid communities for the future.
I did mean west down Werk Road, I am sure there is something that way that will suit your needs, it would add a little to commute time but you are DEFINITELY exchanging small 5-10 minute chunks of commute time to move deeper in the township into more stable and safe areas.
Thanks Bhiggins. I understand what you are saying about certain part of the township being better than others and more stable. Definitely that way in most cities/towns/suburbs that people live in.
We are actually checking out a house tonight on Ebenezer road just north of Lawrence Road so it's not too far from Oak Hills high school. Appears to be a motivated seller as the price for the house seems to be lower than what places like Zillow are estimating it should go for. Not sure if that means the area isn't what they want or what, but we shall find out.
I like the inside of the other house better, but we'll see what happens.
Thanks Bhiggins. I understand what you are saying about certain part of the township being better than others and more stable. Definitely that way in most cities/towns/suburbs that people live in.
We are actually checking out a house tonight on Ebenezer road just north of Lawrence Road so it's not too far from Oak Hills high school. Appears to be a motivated seller as the price for the house seems to be lower than what places like Zillow are estimating it should go for. Not sure if that means the area isn't what they want or what, but we shall find out.
I like the inside of the other house better, but we'll see what happens.
Thanks again everyone!
Just don't forget that location, location, location is still the primary criteria for a house. If you can trade an extra 5-10 minutes of commute for a location which gives evidence of more stability over time, then consider it. You have to evaulate the overall house and how you fit to it. A perfect fit house in an area which is tumbling will be a short lived endeavor. You do not need to purchase a house which in two years you cannot sell for what you bought it for.
There are many houses where I live I am sure you would go Whew! at the price. And that I can understand. But there are sill literally thousands of people making the decision to move here. Why? Number 1 is schools, Number 2 is the safety of the environment and how they anticpate interacting with their neighbors.
Pursue your direction and I hope you find a property you are both comfortable with and believe the local community will survive.
Just don't forget that location, location, location is still the primary criteria for a house. If you can trade an extra 5-10 minutes of commute for a location which gives evidence of more stability over time, then consider it. You have to evaulate the overall house and how you fit to it. A perfect fit house in an area which is tumbling will be a short lived endeavor. You do not need to purchase a house which in two years you cannot sell for what you bought it for.
There are many houses where I live I am sure you would go Whew! at the price. And that I can understand. But there are sill literally thousands of people making the decision to move here. Why? Number 1 is schools, Number 2 is the safety of the environment and how they anticpate interacting with their neighbors.
Pursue your direction and I hope you find a property you are both comfortable with and believe the local community will survive.
I definitely agree that location is the biggest criteria for a home. If we could afford to purchase in Mason, West Chester, Blue Ash, Montgomery, etc..., we definitely would do so and deal with the commute as I know the value of houses in those areas are more than likely to stay stable than other areas will.
Hopefully in the end we will find everything we want/need.
That is the house. It started at around $140k I believe and is now down to $124k. It is a double lot so you get both the lot the house is on plus the lot next to it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $53,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
