Mason or Westchester? (Cincinnati, Oxford, Lebanon: 2009, house, buying)

[HWilliams77]

My family and I just moved to Cincinnati area 6 months ago. Yesterday we finally ventured into Mason for the first time. We were going down Tylersville Rd. so we got a taste of Westchester too. I thought those areas were very nice compared to what I've seen in the Cincinnati city limits. But I'd like to know...as far as home buying, which would people suggest - Mason or Westchester?

[Briolat21]

First - welcome to the Cincinnati Metropolitan area.

Second, Mason and Westchester are pretty similar from many standpoints. Mason has an EXCELLENT school district (Mason) as does Westchester (Lakota). Mason city proper has an income tax whereas Westchester (a township) does not.

Currently your home-buying (if you plan to buy) dollar will go further in WestChester as costs in Mason are pretty high due to the growth and demand to live there.

WestChester is growing quite a bit right now, there's a new mixed use development that just got approved just North of there in Liberty Township - plus the "union center" corridor that continues to grow. I don't know as much about current expansion in Mason, because I work in WestChester, so I see that every day.

Communities around WestChester/Mason that you might also want to explore:

Liberty Township abuts WestChester and has slightly cheaper housing costs. Also no income taxes.

Lebanon area (Lebanon, South Lebanon and Turtle Creek Township) are just North of Mason. A lot of expansion from Mason is going up into these areas. But they are still considerably more rural than Mason proper.

Of course if you go South towards the city from Mason there is Deerfield Township, Montgomery, etc.. which are very nice.

I moved to the area last May, and decided to build in Turtle Creek Twp (just outside of Lebanon). We shop in Mason (about 10 mins away) and work in Westchester (about 25 mintues away).

Good luck in your decisions!!

[Mike Dunn]

I agree with much of the previous post. Typically you get more for your money in W. Chester than Mason. Both have good schools. Mason taxes are probably higher than W. Chester. Here is a good link for school information.

GreatSchools.net

[Mike Dunn]

You may want to consider Loveland and S. Lebanon. Lots of new construction in S. Lebanon makes for a competitve housing market.

[driftwoodpoint]

There are a lot of bedroom communites around Cinci. We live in Oxford which is a small college town. We still have brick streets uptown. I shop in Cinci all the time, go to the zoo, etc. I like the small town living and having no traffic.

[HWilliams77]

Thank you everyone for your responses!

[your_gdoc]

I think there is a lots of construction going on in West chester.There is still land available in West chester to build.Mason is small compared to West chester and city is not giving building permits.Mason is better school district.We bought house in West Chester but I think becuase of new construction eventually West Chester prices will go down.This has happened earlier in 2006 when we bought house in West Chester.Anyways personally I feel Mason is better than West Chester.Well I forgot to mention begining from 2009 there are no income(city)tax in Mason.

[jkratze1]

Originally Posted by your_gdoc

...Well I forgot to mention begining from 2009 there are no income(city)tax in Mason.

Huh! No income tax in Mason in 2009?

[wilson1010]

With all due respect to West Chester which is one of the best areas, I would have to say Mason because it has more of a small town feel to it.

[Beavercreek33]

I also am looking into moving into Cincinnati. I am looking more into the downtown area or Over-The-Rhine. Now, I also checked the suburbs, Mason, Lebanon and West Chester... I found that Mason has less development and less "craziness" than West Chester. Both are very attractive areas to live in, its just with all the new development going on in West Chester, I found Mason a better place to live.