How bad is Madisonville? (Cincinnati, Amelia: rental, houses, neighborhood)

[Zandoz]

While looking at web sites for homes in the Amelia area, we somehow stumbled across a home in Madisonville...and my wife immediately fell in love with it....she says it speaks to her

We've checked the place out, the immediate neighborhood seems quiet with other well maintained homes on the street...but it seems to be kind of "the eye of the storm" situation. The surrounding areas near by look a bit scary. My question is are things getting better or worse in the Madisonville area? If things have stabilized or are looking up, it might not be a bad house for us...otherwise

[unusualfire]

Things there has improved over the years. even though there was a shooting today. that's the first i've heard of anything there for many months. Heck steve horsemeyer lives there. He's a channel 12 meteorologist.

[Ohiogirl81]

Where is it in Madisonville? Overall, Madisonville is reasonably safe, but it's a big neighborhood, with some areas more dicey than others. I might even be able to give you details about a specific street.

I lived on Hurd Avenue for 13 years and, other than a drug-dealing neighbor in the rental house across the street who was promptly evicted, felt pretty confident even on days when I neglected to close the back door before leaving for work.

[Zandoz]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Where is it in Madisonville? Overall, Madisonville is reasonably safe, but it's a big neighborhood, with some areas more dicey than others. I might even be able to give you details about a specific street.

I lived on Hurd Avenue for 13 years and, other than a drug-dealing neighbor in the rental house across the street who was promptly evicted, felt pretty confident even on days when I neglected to close the back door before leaving for work.

It's a little side street, but it's between Erie & Bramble Avs.

My wife worked up in the Duck Creek area for several years, up until about 2 years ago, and she's basing her opinion of the whole Madisonville area on that. I've pointed out the same thing you said...it's a big area and her area of experience does not necessarily apply to the whole area.

[goyguy]

Whetsel Ave and vicinity is the only real "hot spot" thereabouts lately. The neighborhood is starting to coalesce more in terms of putting heat on the dealers and loiterers. Were I in your shoes I'd proceed, but with caution.

Experienced readers of goyguy posts can skip this part.
My advice to prospective home buyers, particularly in urban communities, is always to take the Saturday/Sunday test. Drive or walk around the neighborhood on a Saturday at around 11 PM, then again on a Sunday in mid-afternoon. Do you experience a general sense of security? Are a lot of people outside, and what are they doing? At night, are most of the houses dark or is there party noise? During the afternoon, are folks working in their yards or on their cars or is no one around? Are they "conversating," or speaking as they pass, or keeping to themselves? What's the overall reaction to you, strangers on their block?

Also, Madisonville - like many post-2001 Cincinnati areas - has a "mixed" demographic composition a la College Hill, Roselawn, Kennedy Hts, Westwood, etc etc. It's a fairly safe presumption that anybody house hunting in Amelia is "of the Caucasian persuasion." Are you familiar with aspects of AA culture which differ from the mainstream (i.e. religious customs, musical genres, soul food, et al) or would everything be new? Would you feel out of place as part of a minority population, perhaps the "tokens" on your street? Have you ever been given an icy glare, or been treated too nicely, based only on your skin tone? These are questions that non-Whites grapple with as a matter of routine when contemplating a new job or housing relocation, but now that shoe is on your foot. Pondering them would be wise before you move toward purchasing a house. If you can honestly say you'd be comfortable given those circumstances, and the Saturday/Sunday test goes well, AND if you don't have school-aged kids, go ahead.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Zandoz

It's a little side street, but it's between Erie & Bramble Avs.

In that little pocket of houses including Adelphi, Whitney, etc.? There are some lovely houses there, and generally it seems well-kept, people seemed to be friendly, etc.

My first-hand history of that area is about six or seven years old, but a former Hurd Avenue neighbor moved over to a larger house on Lucerne Avenue for a couple of years. She hated it and moved, but because soon afterward she dropped off the face of the earth I don't know why she moved. She did have some issues with her immediate neighbors and with kids hanging out at the corner of Roe and Lucerne.

But I'd walk from my house to her house a couple of times a week, and never saw anything that alarmed me.

Another friend, several years before that, lived at the corner of Roe and Whetsel and loved it.

Madisonville has always been a mixed neighborhood, since it was founded in 1809; some pockets of Madisonville aren't as mixed as others, but everyone I met while living there for 13 years seemed to be comfortable with the others' cultures, so don't worry about that.

[Hartwell Girl]

Home: Welcome to Madisonville just a good link for current news. Hope it helps!

[Zandoz]

Originally Posted by goyguy

Whetsel Ave and vicinity is the only real "hot spot" thereabouts lately. The neighborhood is starting to coalesce more in terms of putting heat on the dealers and loiterers. Were I in your shoes I'd proceed, but with caution.

Experienced readers of goyguy posts can skip this part.
My advice to prospective home buyers, particularly in urban communities, is always to take the Saturday/Sunday test. Drive or walk around the neighborhood on a Saturday at around 11 PM, then again on a Sunday in mid-afternoon. Do you experience a general sense of security? Are a lot of people outside, and what are they doing? At night, are most of the houses dark or is there party noise? During the afternoon, are folks working in their yards or on their cars or is no one around? Are they "conversating," or speaking as they pass, or keeping to themselves? What's the overall reaction to you, strangers on their block?

Also, Madisonville - like many post-2001 Cincinnati areas - has a "mixed" demographic composition a la College Hill, Roselawn, Kennedy Hts, Westwood, etc etc. It's a fairly safe presumption that anybody house hunting in Amelia is "of the Caucasian persuasion." Are you familiar with aspects of AA culture which differ from the mainstream (i.e. religious customs, musical genres, soul food, et al) or would everything be new? Would you feel out of place as part of a minority population, perhaps the "tokens" on your street? Have you ever been given an icy glare, or been treated too nicely, based only on your skin tone? These are questions that non-Whites grapple with as a matter of routine when contemplating a new job or housing relocation, but now that shoe is on your foot. Pondering them would be wise before you move toward purchasing a house. If you can honestly say you'd be comfortable given those circumstances, and the Saturday/Sunday test goes well, AND if you don't have school-aged kids, go ahead.

As far as the Sunday part of the test, been there, done that...at about 4 in the afternoon did not see a soul within a block of the place, for a span of about 15 minutes. Good idea on the Saturday night part of the test.

Coming out of the west end of Newport, we're not totally unfamiliar with the issues you mention. We have no problem dealing with the demographic issues...other than how we would be received. The schools are not an issue..the daughter still in the nest is 28. The reason for looking at Amelia was strictly a commute issue...both wife and daughter work in that area.

[Zandoz]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

In that little pocket of houses including Adelphi, Whitney, etc.? There are some lovely houses there, and generally it seems well-kept, people seemed to be friendly, etc.

My first-hand history of that area is about six or seven years old, but a former Hurd Avenue neighbor moved over to a larger house on Lucerne Avenue for a couple of years. She hated it and moved, but because soon afterward she dropped off the face of the earth I don't know why she moved. She did have some issues with her immediate neighbors and with kids hanging out at the corner of Roe and Lucerne.

But I'd walk from my house to her house a couple of times a week, and never saw anything that alarmed me.

Another friend, several years before that, lived at the corner of Roe and Whetsel and loved it.

Madisonville has always been a mixed neighborhood, since it was founded in 1809; some pockets of Madisonville aren't as mixed as others, but everyone I met while living there for 13 years seemed to be comfortable with the others' cultures, so don't worry about that.

That is exactly the neighborhood.

[Zandoz]

Originally Posted by Hartwell Girl

Home: Welcome to Madisonville just a good link for current news. Hope it helps!

Thanks. We'll check it out.