REAL authentic characterizations of Cleveland's affluent suburbs? (Akron, Cleveland Heights: best city, big house)

[syeNorthwestern]

Originally Posted by dr_j_planning_shaker

There are multiple communities in Greater Cleveland where affluent families reside, so you have options from which to choose depending on the type of affluent neighborhood where you feel most comfortable settling your family. Good luck to you!

Thank you. This forum is helpful because you're going to get unfiltered opinions. That's what I'm after. Nobody calls their baby ugly. Nobody with a mortgage on a home or a club membership is going to tell you their neighborhood is taking a turn.

-Solon
-Shaker Heights
-Orange
-Chagrin Falls
-Hunting Valley
-Pepper Pike
-Gates Mills
-Brecksville
-Westlake
-Avon Lake
-Twinsburg
-Strongsville
-Moreland Hills
-...did I miss any?

What are the differences in these communities? Who chooses one or the other and why? I think we've covered Shaker Heights.

[syeNorthwestern]

I did notice we're focused on the eastern suburbs, is this because it goes without saying they're better than anything the west side offers? Why choose west over east, or vice verse?

[L2DB]

Originally Posted by WRnative

You have no evidence that any of these factors are at play in the SH schools. It's just a figment of your apparently biased imagination. E.g., are the AP teachers at SH High School burdened by disruptive students? Clearly, somebody at SH is very good at teaching, or the students are remarkably proficient at self-learning.

Again, as adjusted for the social economic background of its student body, the SH schools seem remarkably proficient at turning out a disproportionately large number of exceptional students.

Yet, you inexcusably belittle the school system. You imply there are more fights and bullying at SH High School than in the Beachwood schools. What is your evidence?

You simply are stringing together an argument founded on your biased conjecture.

It's basic math for the most part. What's the evidence for your position?

Or are the poor of Shaker Heights the smartest and most well-behaved around? Or is the entire school's worth of teachers/administrators enacting one of those feel-good exceptional teacher in the inner-city school movies?

[L2DB]

Originally Posted by syeNorthwestern

I did notice we're focused on the eastern suburbs, is this because it goes without saying they're better than anything the west side offers? Why choose west over east, or vice verse?

If you're working on the eastside, it makes sense not to commute longer...

That's the main reason, I'd assume.

Edit: And apologies for the SH discussion. It just tends to flare up on here every so often.

2nd Edit: Pro-SH people can be touchy, IMO.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by L2DB

If you're working on the eastside, it makes sense not to commute longer...

That's the main reason, I'd assume.

Edit: And apologies for the SH discussion. It just tends to flare up on here every so often.

2nd Edit: Pro-SH people can be touchy, IMO.

I'm just appalled by obviously biased individuals who belittle a well-respected community and school system with nothing but conjecture.

[L2DB]

Originally Posted by WRnative

I'm just appalled by obviously biased individuals who belittle a well-respected community and school system with nothing but conjecture.

I'd hardly call "SH is good, but Beachwood/Orange/Solon are better" belittling, despite your poor logic regarding my "not saying they're total ****" comment.

Edit: You do see how "Don't judge our schools test scores because we have more poor people - though they're really a plus!" is a hard sell, right?

[L2DB]

Originally Posted by syeNorthwestern

-Hunting Valley
-Chagrin Falls
-Pepper Pike
-Gates Mills

I don't know anything about Moreland Hills, but of the rest, only these (and Avon Lake, but that commute would be insane) are what I'd truly consider affluent though, if you're going private, there are portions of SH, CH, and Beachwood that would probably qualify as well.

And you missed Rocky River on the West Side.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by syeNorthwestern

Thank you. This forum is helpful because you're going to get unfiltered opinions. That's what I'm after. Nobody calls their baby ugly. Nobody with a mortgage on a home or a club membership is going to tell you their neighborhood is taking a turn.

-Solon
-Shaker Heights
-Orange
-Chagrin Falls
-Hunting Valley
-Pepper Pike
-Gates Mills
-Brecksville
-Westlake
-Avon Lake
-Twinsburg
-Strongsville
-Moreland Hills
-...did I miss any?

What are the differences in these communities? Who chooses one or the other and why? I think we've covered Shaker Heights.

A lot of it is a function of house prices and quality, acreage, quality of public schools, distance of commutes, and proximity to Lake Erie for those interested in boating or who want the lake views or proximity as a recreational resource.

Some persons are interested in a walkable community, some want excellent mass transit service.

There are many individual factors.

Again, tell us what factors are on your wish list and we can provide some suggestions.

Personally, I wouldn't even consider commuting to the Clinic from Brecksville, Westlake, Avon Lake, and Strongsville, and likely nor from Twinsburg or Solon, but I hate what are long commutes by Cleveland standards. If you test some commutes, you likely could narrow your list substantially. E.g., I would be concerned about the commute from Chagrin Falls, as well.

Local roads would be integral to the commute from many suburbs in the I-271 corridor.

I also don't like the traffic congestion that I've often experienced in Solon.

Have you eliminated Kirtland from consideration? It's the home of Kirtland Country Club, likely the most elite country club in Greater Cleveland, and it may be the most beautiful of all the areas you've listed, with the possible exception of Chagrin Falls and maybe Hunting Valley. With the exception of University Circle, there's probably no place that I would rather live within close proximity in Greater Cleveland than Holden Arboretum. However, Kirtland doesn't have a beautiful downtown area like Chagrin Falls and isn't walkable.

The commute from Kirtland likely would be dependent on MLK Blvd., which can be congested at times, but at lot of work has been done recently on 105th St. and perhaps Ansel Road is an alternative, which I've never explored.

If you're focused on living in close proximity to the top private schools, that greatly limits your options.

[dr_j_planning_shaker]

This forum is helpful because you're going to get unfiltered opinions. That's what I'm after. Nobody calls their baby ugly. Nobody with a mortgage on a home or a club membership is going to tell you their neighborhood is taking a turn.

OP, my suggestion was to target your questions to folks who may share your level of socioeconomic status. I agree that it may not be very helpful to talk with folks about their own neighborhoods, but you could certainly ask their opinions about other neighborhoods and communities (i.e where would they NOT live and why?). If you start to hear patterns about communities trending upward or downward from different, independent sources ("triangulation," a term used in social science research), then that information might help you understand which communities meet your criteria of both current and future "affluence." As for the sources of opinions I suggested, both private schools and private clubs are comprised of students whose families live in many different communities, not necessarily the community in which the school is located. For example, I know different families in Cleveland Heights who send their kids to St. Ignatius (Cleveland's near west side); Gilmour Academy (Gates Mills); Hathaway Brown (Shaker Heights) and Hawken (Lyndhurst). The same is true for families at other private schools and members of private clubs. Since these institutions are private, there is no residency requirement.

You may also wish to target local realtors who specialize in the high-end residential market. I suggest talking to different agents who list $1M+ homes and solicit their insight about market trends in communities where such listings are located.

Hope you find the right fit!

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by L2DB

I don't know anything about Moreland Hills, but of the rest, only these (and Avon Lake, but that commute would be insane) are what I'd truly consider affluent though, if you're going private, there are portions of SH, CH, and Beachwood that would probably qualify as well.

And you missed Rocky River on the West Side.

Median family incomes are higher in Solon, Shaker Heights, and Beachwood than in Chagrin Falls.