moving to Cincy soon: HP, Oakley, Mt. Lookout, others? (Cincinnati: apartment, rent)

[coffeefan14]

Hi folks,
My wife and I (early 30s, professionals, no kids but a big dog) are suddenly going to be moving to Cincy from VA within the next 1-2 months for work. We're looking for places to live and have come up with a list so far of Hyde Park, Oakley, and Mt. Lookout. Mariemont has also popped up on our radar, but looks a little...weird/cultish? Seeking advice and/or tips

Thanks!

. Have you searched this forum for answers to your questions before posting a new inquiry? yes

. What specific topic have you not found answers to?
there are lots of “where to live” threads, but we have different requirements than most that I’ve found; if I’ve missed something, please feel free to point me toward the proper link.

. Where is your current location and environment?
Charlottesville, VA; wooded/green, but within 20 min of an artsy lively downtown

. Are you looking for similar in Cincinnati or a change?
similar would be great but, we realize, likely impossible

. Where will your work location be?
Xavier

. Maximum commute time desired?
20 min; suppose I could deal with 30 if we had to


. What is your budget for housing?
under $1K

. Rent or buy?
rent

. Type (Apt., Condo, Single Family)
any

. Size (Approx. Sq. Ft., # Bedrooms & Baths)
min 800 sf, 2BR, ideally 2BA

. Other specifics?
porch or balcony, in-unit W/D, AC, prefer gas range


. Neighborhood environment?
quiet, safe
. Urban, young professional, nightlife = not ideal, but could be interesting change
. Mid-urban, close in neighborhood or suburb, stable investment = OK
. Suburban, low maintenance, quiet streets, soccer mom atmosphere = OK
. Older, distinctive architecture, individual character = would please the wife
. Modern, 15 yrs old or less, move-in ready = fine by me...

. Diversity of income, race, housing?
Another poster put this well: we're white, educated, Christian, and don't mind diversity but don't want to feel out of place/like a minority.


. Yard - none, small, large (1/2 acre or more)
small to large, or within easy walk of a park if we move to an apt


. Very safe, low crime area?
high priority



. Schools?
. Not applicable

. Community amenities?
. Daily needs within walking distance, shopping, restaurants, parks, etc. = would be cool

. Lots of parks = ideally

. Jogging & biking trails = yes


. Specific wants/desires?
we have a large dog that must be permitted

[progmac]

i don't think that mariemont is 'cultish' - it is a nice, quiet community. it actually sounds like a good fit for what you're looking for, though $1k a month probably isn't enough to live there.

it doesn't sound too much like you are concerned about being surrounded by similar DINKs, so a few other neighborhoods / towns you might look at:

- Newtown (because you mention a bike trail, i think)
- Amberley Village (god knows if they even allow renters...jk, kind of)
- Pleasant Ridge
- Deer Park
- Silverton
- Blue Ash
- "Kenwood Area" (Sycamore township)
- Westside areas like outer westwood, parts of delhi township and green township
- Columbia Tusculum
- Maybe across the river in Northern Kentucky

[motorman]

Welcome to a good city--right now, w/o knowing more about you, just some quick thoughts from a bona fide Cincinnatian:

(1) All the communities named are worth your consideration, but distance-wise to XU Oakley's the closest while Mariemont's the farthest away; (2) Mt. Lookout, Hyde Park, and Mariemont are arguably Cincinnati's topmost city-proper neighborhoods, but in their extreme, can prove to be very pricey; (3) Don't rule out Norwood, a separate city completely, surrounded by Cincy, but so close to XU you could literally walk to the campus, if needed; (4) And, in any case, don't disregard Cincy's public-transportation between Hyde Park, Oakley, and (most of all) Norwood to XU. In the city, it's fine.

Needless to say, other comments will prove most helpful and they will follow shortly.

[coffeefan14]

Thanks, progmac and motorman! Great to have folks weighing in already. A bike trail would indeed be awesome. I had heard from a friend that Norwood was dangerous, but it sounds like that might have been bad intel?

As for more about us: we tend to keep to ourselves -- we're used to pretty private neighbors. We like good local restaurants, farmers markets, coffeeshops, breweries, etc.

Oh, it occurs to me to mention that we have two vehicles and plan on keeping both, so free and safe parking would also be awesome.

[kjbrill]

^^ Another comment. The Village of Mariemont is not a part of incorporated Cincinnati. One of the first planned communities in the US, it is unique in it's architecture. It and the adjacent community of Terrace Park are each unique in their own right. They share the same school district, but are totally different in topography. Mariemont is a planned community, has a small central business district, and is frequently said to be walkable. Terrace Park is the exact opposite, no place to walk to and few sidewalks to walk on.

It is hard to find two more dissimilar communites sharing the same school district as these two.

[JunctaJuvant]

In my opinion Mariemont is a very nice place to live, but it may not be within your price range. Just on the edge of Mariemont is Fairfax. Check that area out and you'll probably find a nice apartment or house within your price range and within walking distance to Mariemont square, parks, and a GREAT bike trail.

If you want to be a bit further North/Central, check out Pleasant Ridge. It's definitely more urban, but it also has great parks (French Park is very close) and is diverse in terms of cultures and economics, with a nice mix of housing sizes and types.

Overall, Mariemont area is much quieter, but both are safe.

Depending on where you are commuting to, Pleasant Ridge is 10 minutes to downtown and UC area (hospitals and UC) and about 5 minutes to Xavier and Kenwood area. Mariemont is about 15 minutes to all of the above.

Welcome to Cincinnati (in advance)!

[motorman]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

^^ Another comment. The Village of Mariemont is not a part of incorporated Cincinnati. One of the first planned communities in the US, it is unique in it's architecture. It and the adjacent community of Terrace Park are each unique in their own right...

My bad--you're absolutely right! (I don't know what I was thinking when I included Mariemont with Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout as part of Cincy proper.)

[SoFresh99]

Look for somethng in Oakley with a yard for the dog, you might have to park on the steet. Norwood is generally not someone's first choice, Mariemont has premium pricing due to quaintness and schools but you can find an older 2BR in your budget- but it is mostly families with kids. Mt.Lookout or Hyde Park are fine but your money gets you more in Oakley.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by coffeefan14

I had heard from a friend that Norwood was dangerous, but it sounds like that might have been bad intel?

"Dangerous" is kind of a stretch for Norwood. But parts of it may not inspire safety. Although living there may make you become more philosophical about safety.

If you look at norwood in google maps, you'll see that montgomery rd (AKA State Route 3) and the "Norwood Lateral" (AKA Route 562) sort of devide norwood into four quadrants. The lower right quadrant is generally considered the nicest, with the upper left quadrant probably second.

It's not hard to get a sense of when your boots are on the ground.

Will you have a chance to visit before moving?

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by motorman

My bad--you're absolutely right! (I don't know what I was thinking when I included Mariemont with Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout as part of Cincy proper.)

No problem! I just don't know why people want to lump Mariemont in with Cincinnati proper. Do they just wish Mariemont's charm was part of Cincinnati? I will stick by my opinion that Mariemont is overpriced. If you want bang for your money, buy a home in Norwood, which has a real walkable downtown, not just a square with an ice cream parlor and some coffee shops, but someplace you can actually shop in.