Anesthesia Grad Student Moving to Cincinnati! (Columbus, Washington: best neighborhood, for sale, apartments)

[rmeeker]

Hello All!

I am new to the forum, I have been searching properties day and night now online and ready I am ready for everyone's advice, suggestions, and information. Also, any personal recommendations on realtors are more then welcome!

Before answering the noobie questions let me give everyone my background story. I am a 25yr old male, and I am moving here to attending the university of Cincinnati's anesthesia program. So let's consider the UC medical campus to be ground zero. I am interested in purchasing a property with and ideal price around 150k (200k is fully maxed out). I must maintain an Ohio address as "in state" tuition costs are much cheaper.

Let's answer those questions!


. 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?
I have found bits and pieces but looking for specific answers to my situation and hoping to establish connections with people local to Cincinnati.

. Where is you current location and environment?
Current environment is a middle class suburb in Columbus, Ohio.

. Are you looking for similar in Cincinnati or a change?
Yes most definitely!! I love the areas such as Hyde Park, Oakley, Mt. Adams, etc. The proximity to the UC campus is very nice, I also love the fact it's becoming more populated with young professionals, has nice restaurants/shops, and night lift. However, I am worried my budget will be a hinderance.

. Where will your work location be?
UC medical campus is ground zero

. Maximum commute time desired?
Maximum of 20-25mins...ideally much shorter.

. What is you budget for housing?
Too is 200k, goal is around 150k

. Rent or buy?
Buy

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

. Size (Approx. Sq. Ft., # Bedrooms & Baths)
Anything around 1200-1300 or greater. Preferably 2-3 bed and 2 full bath.

. Other specifics?
Garage is pretty important or at least off the street driveway parking, very interested in a property for entertaining. Older rehabbed homes seem to catch my eye, open/modern floor plans are what I like the most.


. Neighborhood environment?
Obviously as safe as possible is most important, plus would be areas I can walk to.

. Urban, young professional, nightlife
^^Thisnis exactly what I'm looking for.

. Mid-urban, close in neighborhood or suburb, stable investment
Second choice
. Suburban, low maintenance, quiet streets, soccer mom atmosphere
. Family oriented
Okay with the above two, but prefer areas appealing to young single professionals.
. Lots of same age kids, activitiesN/A
. Great schoolsN/A

. Older, distinctive architecture, individual character
Certainly a draw but I like the ones that come with modern renovations/feel.

. Modern, 15 yrs old or less, move-in ready
Move in ready is a big plus

. Diversity of income, race, housing?
. Yard - none, small, large (1/2 acre or more)
No yard is needed, decks for entertaining are more desirable, and garages.

. Very safe, low crime area?
Low crime/safe is obviously a plus!

. Can tolerate some degree of crime potential? How Much?
If the property/location is nice then I can tolerate some

. Private neighborhood association, swimming & fitness facilities
N/A

. Community amenities? The idea of being close to Oakley Square or something similar, or within walking distance of say Mt Adams night life areas are very attractive!
. Daily needs within walking distance, shopping, restaurants, parks, etc.
. Town/city community center for adults & kids
. Swimming, fitness center, running track, adult activities
. Nearby fitness centers & clubs
. Close promity to public transportation?
. Lots of parks & youth athletic leagues
. Jogging & biking trails
. Other?

. Specific wants/desires?
. Please identify any specific wants/desires not mentioned above.

I have a specific questions about Madisonville, I have read several 4-5 years old threads about the area and was wondering what it's like now? I have found a very nice and reasonably priced house on Roe Street off of Homer Ave. Can anyone give me specifics on the area?

Thank you all in advance for taking the time to read this and help me out in this search!

[Wilson513]

I'd get a condo in the Regency, Grassmoor or Madison House at Madison and Dana. You don't need to own a lawnmower, right?


Regency has high condo fees but lots of amenities. Many old folks. So what? You can walk to Hyde Park Square, the best neighborhood, food, park, nightlife location in Cincinnati.

Don't even think about living in Clifton.

[rmeeker]

Alright I will take a look there! Haha exactly, not owning a lawn mower is a plus!

Old folks make the best neighbors...so that's a plus in my book. But those are definitely all things I want!

Yeah, no desire to live there really.

Any opinions on Madisonville area?

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by rmeeker

Alright I will take a look there! Haha exactly, not owning a lawn mower is a plus!

Old folks make the best neighbors...so that's a plus in my book. But those are definitely all things I want!

Yeah, no desire to live there really.

Any opinions on Madisonville area?

OK, I can be a little overconfident.

But, unless you are planning to be a house flipper in your "spare" time, and have a lot of dependents to warehouse while you are here (what is that CRNA Program? 3 years?), you want to limit your attachments. Make it easy on yourself. Get a condo with easy resale potential, walkable to all the cool stuff. Madison and Dana is ground zero for that. You can't get a nice, safe, well located, free standing house with a garage in Cincinnati for $150,000. And, you are gonna move anyway as soon as you are done and if it is not out of Cinti you will still be located somewhere else. and, Madisonville is a dump anyway.

PS, I am assuming CRNA because you shouldn't even be considering such folly if you were in residency here. If you are in the UC Med School Anesthesia residency program, my apologies for the assumption, but you won't have time for a fixer upper anyway.

[rmeeker]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

OK, I can be a little overconfident.

But, unless you are planning to be a house flipper in your "spare" time, and have a lot of dependents to warehouse while you are here (what is that CRNA Program? 3 years?), you want to limit your attachments. Make it easy on yourself. Get a condo with easy resale potential, walkable to all the cool stuff. Madison and Dana is ground zero for that. You can't get a nice, safe, well located, free standing house with a garage in Cincinnati for $150,000. And, you are gonna move anyway as soon as you are done and if it is not out of Cinti you will still be located somewhere else. and, Madisonville is a dump anyway.

PS, I am assuming CRNA because you shouldn't even be considering such folly if you were in residency here. If you are in the UC Med School Anesthesia residency program, my apologies for the assumption, but you won't have time for a fixer upper anyway.

Overconfidence is helpful in this situation!

No dependents to house, and no house flipping in my near future, so it does make the condo option attractive. And good point, my hopes were probably a bit lofty unfortunately. Being in a safe area and within walking distance of those areas is very attractive to me. More so then just extra space a house brings.

Yes you are correct though, it's for their 3 year CRNA program! So no fixer uppers are wanted.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by rmeeker

Overconfidence is helpful in this situation!

No dependents to house, and no house flipping in my near future, so it does make the condo option attractive. And good point, my hopes were probably a bit lofty unfortunately. Being in a safe area and within walking distance of those areas is very attractive to me. More so then just extra space a house brings.

Yes you are correct though, it's for their 3 year CRNA program! So no fixer uppers are wanted.

Great program. Very smart of you. And, if I mentioned the average salary of the CRNA grads here you would probably be inundated with proposals of all kinds.

I have lived my entire long life within a mile or two of Dana and Madison. Everything is better in Hyde Park. It is just that detached residences are too expensive for most folks to stomach.

We counted 62 restaurants that you could walk to and actually get a decent meal. Safe nightspots abound. When you move over here I'll list them for you.

And, there is an endless parade of public transportation on Madison Road in case you want to join the bus riding crowd. Getting to UC on the bus takes a little doing though.

I will also tell you that there are a number of rental units in the three buildings I described. And I may downsize myself to the Regency someday.

[rmeeker]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

Great program. Very smart of you. And, if I mentioned the average salary of the CRNA grads here you would probably be inundated with proposals of all kinds.

I have lived my entire long life within a mile or two of Dana and Madison. Everything is better in Hyde Park. It is just that detached residences are too expensive for most folks to stomach.

We counted 62 restaurants that you could walk to and actually get a decent meal. Safe nightspots abound. When you move over here I'll list them for you.

And, there is an endless parade of public transportation on Madison Road in case you want to join the bus riding crowd. Getting to UC on the bus takes a little doing though.

I will also tell you that there are a number of rental units in the three buildings I described. And I may downsize myself to the Regency someday.

Thank you very much, it sure is a wonderful program. I am extremely excited to have made it in! Yeah the salary certainly is a nice bonus to an already awesome profession!

Exactly, detached residence in Hyde park is way out of my price range. But the shear volume of places you can walk to and safety of the area makes it very attractive!

That would be great, I would really appreciate the list of places! Ya never know I guess, the bus may be an option!

I plan to come down mid week to go look at several places, any other areas I should drive around to check out? I plan to go all over the east side of Cincy, any parts of downtown or the west side I should check out?

[Wilson513]

Others should toss their $.02 in but they will probably be wrong.

Go to Hyde Park Square when you get here and walk around. Take a look at Rookwood shopping center. See the 3 buildings i like on Madison.

Cincinnati has a very hip housing boom in what is called OTR. Look it up. It famous. Since it is a straight shot 2 miles south of the Nursing school and even closer to most of your likely clinical sites, you should see it.

Go to Washington Park and park in the underground garage at 13th and Race. Walk around the park and then walk east on 13rth to Vine. See all of the development there. Check out all of the restaurants and night spots. Since you are new to Cincinnati, skip a late night visit. Its safe . . . sort of. I know of some units in a project at 28 East 13th. Condos in the 250k range. Everything is expensive in OTR. Its too cool. There will be for sale and for rent signs all over the place down there.

Go over and look around in Pendleton. Very cool. Ground zero is Alumni Lofts Apartments at 1310 Sycamore. I work 300 feet from there. 142 upscale renovated rental units in an old school. Very cool. 1000 feet from the Casino if that is interesting to you. Rentals and condos all over Pendleton. Everything there will be renovated eventually. Go to "the Banks" (new development on the riverfront. I find it boring.

No point in even seeing the west side although a lot of med school and clinical staff have lived in "Machine Flats" at 3301 Colerain surrounded by nothing in the middle of nowhere. But it is 2 miles west of the Nursing school as the crow flies, very well done and very affordable.