Relo from NJ: Looking for top schools, swim, and lacrosse teams

[kjbrill]

OP ...

I was the one who said test the mechanicals in an older home. I was curious myself concerning the Mitsubishi ductless system. So I put my zip code in and got over a half dozen of their recommended sellers/installers in my area. I recognize several of the names as I see their trucks in the neighborhood frequently. If you decide on an older home, particular one without ducts and central air, consider replacing everything with a ductless system.

[SoFresh99]

Keep in mind that when you are talking about Cincinnati it is block by block street by street whether a given street is Paterson or Montclair.

The well regarded suburban areas are:

Wyoming (think a tiny Princeton, NJ with light industrial to the north, suburbs to the west and downmarket to the south and east, new awesome community rec center, near a YMCA, has library)

Indian Hill (think Upper Saddle River with no commerce, no sidewalks, swim club and country club)

Mariemont ( tiny 1920s planned tudor-ey community, sidewalks, commerce. Greenspace to the east, north and south and downmarket to the west, tiny community pool, library)

Terrace Park (think Princeton houses with no commerce or center of town, mariemont schools, sidewalks, swim club and country club)

Madeira (mix of tiny 1940s homes and new McMansions, still mostly 40s, cute town center with commerce, sidewalks, near the mall but tucked away, library)

Sycamore (huge district encompassing many distinct neighborhoods, Old Montgomery has alot of cute commerce and sidewalks, big McMansions and flat walkability, good commute options, both Montgomery and Blue Ash have great rec. centers and are close to the YMCA and library)

Forest Hills (huge district, from McMansions in the woods to 1950s "Sherwood Forest" suburbs, bisected by strip-mall sprawl on Beechmont Ave, library somehwere)

The more desireable urban areas will have property crime at a rate you are not used to but they are not unsafe. Hyde Park is urban and Mt.Lookout is more suburban. Clifton Gaslight is lovely but has a big passing-through population in the form of student-age renters which makes it both more vibrant and more anonymous.

You can land comfortably in Cincinnati on half of your budget should you so choose. Everywhere mentioned save Indian Hill and Terrace Park will be within 20/30 min to downtown.

[laurajo212]

SoFresh99!! You know Jersey!!!! :-) We lived in Maplewood (Essex Co.) for 5 years then relocated to Moorestown (by Cherry Hill and Philly) for the last 5 years. I think what we would like to find in Cincinnati is something between the two - nice lot sizes and strong community services and schools like Moorestown, and funky-coolness of Maplewood.
Thank you so much for the frank and detailed descriptions - very very helpful. We are currently of the mindset that Wyoming may be for us and we're going to target a much lower budget - why stretch unnecessarily?
Thank you all for the wealth of information!!!

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by laurajo212

SoFresh99!! You know Jersey!!!! :-) We lived in Maplewood (Essex Co.) for 5 years then relocated to Moorestown (by Cherry Hill and Philly) for the last 5 years. I think what we would like to find in Cincinnati is something between the two - nice lot sizes and strong community services and schools like Moorestown, and funky-coolness of Maplewood.
Thank you so much for the frank and detailed descriptions - very very helpful. We are currently of the mindset that Wyoming may be for us and we're going to target a much lower budget - why stretch unnecessarily?
Thank you all for the wealth of information!!!

Wyoming is a very nice place with tremendous schools. But recognize it is a small area and so may not at a given time have the type of housing you are looking for available. Also recognize the areas surrounding Wyoming do not come up to its level. So you are kind of living on an island. A nice island but still an island. If you can find a home there at well below your envisioned budget consider it a windfall.

[SoFresh99]

Originally Posted by laurajo212

SoFresh99!! You know Jersey!!!! :-) We lived in Maplewood (Essex Co.) for 5 years then relocated to Moorestown (by Cherry Hill and Philly) for the last 5 years. I think what we would like to find in Cincinnati is something between the two - nice lot sizes and strong community services and schools like Moorestown, and funky-coolness of Maplewood.
Thank you so much for the frank and detailed descriptions - very very helpful. We are currently of the mindset that Wyoming may be for us and we're going to target a much lower budget - why stretch unnecessarily?
Thank you all for the wealth of information!!!

I think you will find lots to like in Cincinnati. Unlike most midwestern cities there are many areas with little funky town centers surrounded by decent old-stock housing. It is not all garrison colonials and strip-mall sprawl.

Take a google streetview tour of Mt.lookout Square, Hyde Park Square, Oakley Square, the center of Wyoming ("drive" down Wyoming Ave starting at Springfield Pike), the center of Mariemont (Wooster Pike and Plainville Rd.), the center of Madeira (Miami Ave at Laurel), and Old Montgomery (Montgomery rd, at Cooper).

[progmac]

Originally Posted by laurajo212

We are currently of the mindset that Wyoming may be for us and we're going to target a much lower budget - why stretch unnecessarily?

Something tells me you are going to like it here Welcome!!