Relocating back to Cincy/NKY - Now with Kids! (Cincinnati: for sale, day care)

[KatPsych]

I'm a new forum member, but not new to Cincinnati. About 4 years ago my husband and I relocated for his job and we're now being relocated back. Before the relocation, we lived downtown and walked to work. Now we have two young children and I have a new job. My DH will still be commuting downtown, but I have a taken a job in southern IN (on the river). Crazy, I know -- but it's a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity and the commute won't be every day.

Prior to my job transition, we were planning on living north of the river. However, due to my commute, moving the house search to NKY seems to be the best option. Since we now have kids, school districts are a big concern to us. We know that Ft. Mitchell is excellent, but it has limited stock (particularly in our price range). Ft. Thomas would likely extend my commute too far. Ideally, we would like to spend no more than $300,000 and we've been looking in the Union/Florence area.

Can anyone provide perspective on other good schools in NKY (particularly elementary schools)? We've found the ratings sites, etc. but I would really appreciate some insights from people familiar with the area.

Also, an alternative would be for us to live on the westside of Cincinnati, which neither of us is familiar with. Are there any good school systems out toward the IN line? And if anyone has an idea of what the commute through Lawrenceburg on 50 is like, that would also be helpful. My guess is that it is awful, but it's been a while since I was out that way.

[American Luxury]

Don't discount the westside of Cincinnati. The commute would be about the same as if you were living in NKY.

How about something like this?

http://hoeting.com/displaylist.asw?l...1692&mls=cincy

[goyguy]

Originally Posted by American Luxury

Don't discount the westside of Cincinnati. The commute would be about the same as if you were living in NKY.

How about something like this?

Full Listing Display :: Hoeting REALTORS®

This house's school district (Three Rivers) could probably be classified as "strong second-tier." Just this year a new high school (Taylor) and middle school have made their debut. The Ohio River (and US 50) mark the southern boundary of that district. Miami Township is part of Cincinnati's westward suburban sprawl, where some wooded areas and farms still remain among the sprouting subdivisions. What this means is, "old timers" to the area are scarce if they exist at all. Everyone living there started out someplace else - no small number of them in "changing" city neighborhoods. To my way of thinking that makes for a nice, level social playing field. You won't get the snobbishness of people who have "been there forever." But homogeneity has its minuses too.

The Oak Hills schools are somewhat better regarded, though that district is closer to the city and thus farther from Lawrenceburg. Comparable to Three Rivers would be Harrison, where similar sprawl around the village of that name is going on. Proximity to 275 means a quick hop down to Lawrenceburg.

OP, you might want to also make inquiry in an Indiana forum - people there would be more informed in terms of school systems, "rising" and "declining" communities, etc. To me and most Cincinnatians all of Southeast IN is a blur of farms + woods + hick towns + riverside casinos.

[KatPsych]

Thanks for the information so far! To be clear, we're definitely not going to live in Indiana -- 50 through Lawrenceburg would just be the route down to my job if we lived on the westside vs. taking 71S and then branching back up to southern IN if we lived in NKY.

We're primarily interested in NKY because I think having some commute on an interstate would be better than backroad highways the entire 60+ miles. But the Three Rivers schools district is one I had questions about, so thank you for that information!

[kjbrill]

I don't know what you have against Indiana, but that is your business. An Ohio town like Harrison would certainly be in close proximity to US-50 down through Lawrenceburg.

Another choice would be Hebron KY where you jump across the bridge and onto US-50. I would probably prefer that as a good route into Indiana. Hebron is a nice town, I think you could do a lot worse.

[SWOH]

All the others who have commented so far have made really good suggestions. In fact, probably what they suggested are among your best options.

I will add Delhi to the mix, just because it is right off US 50 and has some decent housing stock for $300k, especially in the western stretches on the hills above Sayler Park. Here's some options:

6799 Rapid Run Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45233 is For Sale - Zillow
6799 Rapid Run Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45233 is For Sale - Zillow
6509 Mapleton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45233 is For Sale - Zillow
6474 Mapleton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45233 is For Sale - Zillow


Besides there, Blue Ash / Montgomery or Wyoming might not be terrible options either just because you could take advantage of the Cross County highway to get to 275 and Indiana. Good luck!

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by OHKID

Besides there, Blue Ash / Montgomery or Wyoming might not be terrible options either just because you could take advantage of the Cross County highway to get to 275 and Indiana. Good luck!

Actually, I think Blue Ash/Mongomery and Wyoming are terrible options. If the Dear Husband is still going to be working downtown, his commute should be the most sacrosanct. She even stated her commute may not be a 5-day a week requirement. An unusual job say the least, but she should know.
She also said when they moved away 4 years ago they were childless. Now they are coming back with two kids, so I interpret this as meaning young kids.

So go where there are tons of other young kids. Hebron is such a place. You are going to need day care for your young kids for whatever days you work. Hebron is such a place.

My advice is settle down in a place where you feel comfortable and feel you can live for several years. I just feel Hebron is such as place for you.

[goyguy]

The ONLY thing giving Hebron (pronounced "Hee-brun" with emphasis on the first syllable) an advantage over the Ohio sprawl suburbs is its closeness to the airport. And that closeness could prove to be a huge liability depending on what flight path(s) a prospective home might be near. Family friends who didn't do their homework bought a place on the Ohio side of the river, roughly due north of there, and rue their decision every time a plane screams overhead. Whenever I fly in from the East Coast I can look out the left window and say to myself, "There's LaSalle...and there's Mt St Joe...the anchors of the west side" as the aircraft descends.
Do yourself a big favor and check flight paths as you house hunt.

[SWOH]

Good point about flight paths. It's never fun to live under airplanes flying overhead. That may be a good reason to disregard the houses in Delhi I posted above (because goyguy seemed to describe the exact spot where those houses are located) but still would be worth checking the flight paths regardless of where you live.

Kjbrill, I guess I don't understand why Sycamore or Wyoming schools would be terrible for this family. There should be plenty of young kids in both. And overall the commute to downtown Cincy shouldbe equivalent to what it would be from Hebron

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by OHKID

Good point about flight paths. It's never fun to live under airplanes flying overhead. That may be a good reason to disregard the houses in Delhi I posted above (because goyguy seemed to describe the exact spot where those houses are located) but still would be worth checking the flight paths regardless of where you live.

Kjbrill, I guess I don't understand why Sycamore or Wyoming schools would be terrible for this family. There should be plenty of young kids in both. And overall the commute to downtown Cincy shouldbe equivalent to what it would be from Hebron

I am thinking more of the wife's commute to Indiana. While she indicates it is not necessarily a 5 day a week requirement, I think making it unnecessarily long is not smart. Blue Ash and Montgomery are fine locations relative to downtown, but not to Indiana. I suggested Hebron as a compromise. It is still quick to downtown, much better than Florence or Union, and after jumping on I-275 and dropping over the hill the wife is across the river and in Indiana. Depending on exact location, US-50 out of Lawrenceburg may be a plausible route, she said the job was on the river.

The wife also commented Ft Thomas would likely make her commute too far. If Ft Thomas is too far, Cincy eastern suburbs should be worse.

Flight paths are a concern, but less than before. With the fewer number of flights and the elimination of that flying sewer pipe, the CRJ which required full engine power to maintain stability in landing, I suspect the noise ratio is less than a few years ago.