Best area for young professional gay male (Cincinnati, Ada: apartment complexes, rentals)

[razorhog]

Hi all,

I am a thirty something young professional who is very excited to be relocating to the Queen City in the near future for a new position. I have heard so many great things about Cincinnati for a while now and am thrilled to be able to soon call it home.

I will be working at the UC medical campus and am hoping you all can give me some recommendations on where to live. I am a single gay man who is not particularly interested in the gay scene (if there is even one in the city) but am definitely looking for a vibrant, young and walkable neighborhood that boasts cafes, pubs, restaurants, grocery stores and other city amenities. I will have a car to commute to work and hope to live somewhere with a no more than 20 min drive to the medical campus in normal traffic condition.

I've done some research online and it appears Mt Adams is often regarded as the best area for young professionals. I am curious what your favorite areas are taking into account the above criteria. I am thinking of renting in the beginning to figure out where I would prefer to live first before eventually buying a place. I own a house now in the NE and am not all that crazy about all the responsibilities and upkeep that come with homeownership to be honest. If I do buy again I believe it will be a modern condo this time rather than a single family home. What are prices on a 2-3 bedroom condo/house like in your favorite neighborhoods? Also, does anyone recommend any website/resource for rentals?

Thank you kindly for your assistance!

[wrightflyer]

Mt. Adams is a good place to start. I would also, especially if considering a modern condo (or even townhome), the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood immediately north of downtown. There are also some really awesome townhomes up the hill in Pendleton and Mt. Auburn, but these are more residential in nature vs. OTR and Mt. Adams. The streets can also be hit-or-miss depending on the block. I see it similar to parts of Houston with these huge new builds next to what are essentially small shacks. But the new builds with views of downtown Cincinnati are quite nice and their is new development pretty consistently. The further north you go, the less desirable the area.

Other areas within an easy 20 minute drive to UC Health would include Hyde Park and Oakley, but condos are not as frequent out here. Rentals along Madison Avenue may be something to look into and maybe I am not aware of some of those buildings being condos anyways.

Downtown may also be something to consider, especially near The Banks and Stadiums on the south side or near OTR on the north. Depending on the neighborhoods, a new condo will likely run you cheaper than a comparable place in the NE. I'd say OTR is the hotter market for condos now. Mt. Adams doesn't have as many condos and has more small lot single family and townhomes. Prices there will likely be in the mid-to-high six figures depending on age, condition and view. OTR will be a little cheaper but new build will likely be 400K/500K and higher for 2-3 bedrooms. Here, condos are king and single-family is a rarity. Condos downtown will be cheaper than OTR, but still command a decent price.

I would recommend finding a good realtor agency. I prefer Sibcy Cline. Disclosure: I am working with a realtor from that firm now but like the service I am receiving.

[cincydave8]

Mt Adams is going through changes from college bar party area to a more laid back atmosphere. It's still a great area and probably better off now that the big party scene has moved to Vine St in OTR and the Banks. It does not ave a grocery store that you could walk to though, most Cincinnati neighborhoods do not. WrigthFlyer explained OTR pretty well.

Others ones I think you should look are Oakley, Hyde Park, Northside and Clifton-Gaslight. Clifton-Gaslight is right next to UC and has good mix of graduate students and young professionals. Boasts a great business district along Ludlow Ave that even has a new co-op grocery store. Oakley is popular with young professionals with a massive business district along Madison Road that includes a Fresh Market. Hyde Park is more laid back than Oakley with no real bars to speak of other than C.ock N Bull and more expensive restaurants. Depending on where you'd live in HP or Oakley you'd be able to walk to several grocery stores. Northside is rapidly gentrifying and has a lot going for it. I'd would check it out.

Beyond those it doesn't hurt to check out Mt Lookout, Columbia-Tusculuum, East Walnut Hills, Pleasant Ridge and College Hill. But I'd start with the above mention neighborhoods.

As far as renting goes the best option is probably still searching craigslist. There are some larger chains that websites like https://www.Uptownrents.com and some of the bigger apartment complexes will have their own sites like https://heritageatoakleysquare.com.

As far as buying I'd look to get a realtor and maybe one that specializes in city purchases. We used the Comey and Shepard City Office at the corner of Liberty and Main.

welcome and good luck.

[Galaxy_]

try for rentals.

[bostonguy1960]

Originally Posted by cincydave8

Mt Adams is going through changes from college bar party area to a more laid back atmosphere. It's still a great area and probably better off now that the big party scene has moved to Vine St in OTR and the Banks. It does not ave a grocery store that you could walk to though, most Cincinnati neighborhoods do not. WrigthFlyer explained OTR pretty well.

Others ones I think you should look are Oakley, Hyde Park, Northside and Clifton-Gaslight. Clifton-Gaslight is right next to UC and has good mix of graduate students and young professionals. Boasts a great business district along Ludlow Ave that even has a new co-op grocery store. Oakley is popular with young professionals with a massive business district along Madison Road that includes a Fresh Market. Hyde Park is more laid back than Oakley with no real bars to speak of other than C.ock N Bull and more expensive restaurants. Depending on where you'd live in HP or Oakley you'd be able to walk to several grocery stores. Northside is rapidly gentrifying and has a lot going for it. I'd would check it out.

Beyond those it doesn't hurt to check out Mt Lookout, Columbia-Tusculuum, East Walnut Hills, Pleasant Ridge and College Hill. But I'd start with the above mention neighborhoods.

As far as renting goes the best option is probably still searching craigslist. There are some larger chains that websites like https://www.Uptownrents.com and some of the bigger apartment complexes will have their own sites like https://heritageatoakleysquare.com.

As far as buying I'd look to get a realtor and maybe one that specializes in city purchases. We used the Comey and Shepard City Office at the corner of Liberty and Main.

welcome and good luck.

Good info!

And what happened to the OP?

[portmad]

I appreciate wrightflyer's and cincydave's many suggestions! A friend of a friend had also mentioned HP and Oakley. I will definitely check out these areas.

[bockal]

OTR has really transformed over the past year with the new FC Stadium, dozens of top-notch restaurants, and accessible coworking spaces like Cintrifuse and[URL="http://1628ltd.com"] 1628[/URL]. Very liveable without children and no crazy daily traffic.

[austiNati]

Downtown (The Banks, CBD)
N Ky (Mainstraisse Covington, Covington Riverfront near George Rogers Clark park, Newport on the levie, Newport Monmouth stretch)
OTR
Mt. Adams
East Walnut Hills
Hyde park
Northside
Pleasant Ridge

I'm in Kennedy Heights, and it was no problem for my ex and I to hold hands while walking to the corner store.