Cleveland seriously interests me now (Lakewood, Cleveland Heights: apartment, rentals, countertops)

[nep321]

Originally Posted by WRnative

I-271 has become the jobs corridor in Greater Cleveland. Perhaps check out Chesterland, Willoughby or Chardon given your preferred community vibes. Richfield also is nice, but perhaps more expensive. Highland Heights and Mayfield Heights are more urban.

Euclid, a more diverse community, offers some bargain housing in a lakefront community. check out Sims Park and properties north of Lakeshore Blvd. It is well located for job options with decent mass transit connections to downtown. It would be a good starter community, especially if you decide to rent for a while to gain familiarity with Greater Cleveland.

Thanks for the suggestions. A lakefront community sounds exciting. I would like to be within a 30 minute commute to my job, wherever that may be.

Personally, I hope the Cleveland metro is not infested with tons of white collar yuppies and pretentious people. Right now I live in Fairfield County, CT and it's loaded with yuppies, finance bros, and snooty, pretentious people with nice cars, high expectations and I want to get away from it!

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by nep321

My only hope is that the metro area doesn't feel fast paced and overwhelming like some other cities in this country.

Trust me, it isn't.

In fact, depending on where you live in Cleveland, it might feel more like an overgrown small town than a major city.

And while there may be some college students and yuppies and "bro" types, their presence isn't anywhere near as overwhelming as it might be in a number of other cities.

Based on what you've written in this thread, I think Cleveland would be a good fit for you.

I don't really want to give advice on where to live if you don't know where you'll be working yet, but my suggestion to you would be to try out Lakewood, to start with. It's an inner-ring suburb on the lakefront that's dense and urban and walkable, with things to do (variety of restaurants, etc.) but quieter and not as "happening" as some of the neighborhoods nearer to downtown (Warehouse District, Ohio City, Tremont, etc.). Lots of quiet, leafy, residential streets, beautiful older homes and apartments, unpretentious people, and very affordable.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Trust me, it isn't.

In fact, depending on where you live in Cleveland, it might feel more like an overgrown small town than a major city.

And while there may be some college students and yuppies and "bro" types, their presence isn't anywhere near as overwhelming as it might be in a number of other cities.

Based on what you've written in this thread, I think Cleveland would be a good fit for you.

I don't really want to give advice on where to live if you don't know where you'll be working yet, but my suggestion to you would be to try out Lakewood, to start with. It's an inner-ring suburb on the lakefront that's dense and urban and walkable, with things to do (variety of restaurants, etc.) but quieter and not as "happening" as some of the neighborhoods nearer to downtown (Warehouse District, Ohio City, Tremont, etc.). Lots of quiet, leafy, residential streets, beautiful older homes and apartments, unpretentious people, and very affordable.

Nice...I just checked out Lakewood on Google Street View and it looks very much like something that would interest me.

As I've mentioned, I would be moving with no job secured, so I'm open to living wherever. I will offer to pay the landlord the entire 12-month lease term up front, or show him proof of savings. Once I'm settled in, then I will start my job search. Hopefully I can find something in the $700-800 range. Or maybe that's wishful thinking? I just want a small 1 bd unit (600 sq ft or so) in a safe, clean, quite area. I can't handle any noise pollution at all (traffic, highways, people, etc.).

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by nep321

Hopefully I can find something in the $700-800 range. Or maybe that's wishful thinking? I just want a small 1 bd unit (600 sq ft or so) in a safe, clean, quite area. I can't handle any noise pollution at all (traffic, highways, people, etc.).

In Cleveland and Lakewood and most inner-ring suburbs, your price range should be very doable. Your apartment will most likely be of an older vintage (1920s-1960s). Hope that's OK with you.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by andrew61

In Cleveland and Lakewood and most inner-ring suburbs, your price range should be very doable. Your apartment will most likely be of an older vintage (1920s-1960s). Hope that's OK with you.

That's fine as long as it's in good shape and has decent soundproofing between units. And as long as it's updated on the inside. I could probably stretch my budget to $900, if I need to.

Right now I'm paying $1,750 a month. It's a 600 sq ft 1 bd unit built in the 50's, but updated in 2013, on a very busy noisy road. I can also literally hear everything from the girl who lives above me, including her iPhone vibrating, and full conversations. It's horrific. The day I move out of here will be the best day of my life.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Trust me, it isn't.

In fact, depending on where you live in Cleveland, it might feel more like an overgrown small town than a major city.

And while there may be some college students and yuppies and "bro" types, their presence isn't anywhere near as overwhelming as it might be in a number of other cities.

Based on what you've written in this thread, I think Cleveland would be a good fit for you.

I don't really want to give advice on where to live if you don't know where you'll be working yet, but my suggestion to you would be to try out Lakewood, to start with. It's an inner-ring suburb on the lakefront that's dense and urban and walkable, with things to do (variety of restaurants, etc.) but quieter and not as "happening" as some of the neighborhoods nearer to downtown (Warehouse District, Ohio City, Tremont, etc.). Lots of quiet, leafy, residential streets, beautiful older homes and apartments, unpretentious people, and very affordable.

The problem with Lakewood is that it's more than 30 minutes from most jobs in the I-271 corridor. It would be good for downtown and the west side suburbs. Otherwise, it's great.

Perhaps check Craig's List and rent a room somewhere until you find a job if you move to Cleveland without a job.

Read through recent threads. Several discuss Lakewood and other suburbs.

[216facts]

Also consider Cleveland Heights near coventry: Coventry Village | Cleveland Heights Ohio
This area would allow you to hit downtown in under 30 minutes, even take the train or bus if you desire. It is also within 30 minutes of much of the I-271 area. The other area where you might find employment would be the Rockside road area in Independence south of downtown. This area would be about 40 minutes from Coventry, but less than 30 minutes if you were in Lakewood.
Good luck in your new-home search.

[nep321]

I am curious to know if Cleveland metro is a transplant-friendly area? I hear stories about some places in the Midwest being very provincial/insular and making outsiders feel uncomfortable, particularly St. Louis and Minneapolis, to name a few. Is Cleveland like that as well? When I move to my next area, I want to feel at least somewhat welcomed and to fit in. Do you think I would have a problem? I hear many stories about people who moved to STL and Minneapolis and they had to leave after a few years because they felt extremely out of place and unwelcomed, due to insular attitudes. But then again, who knows how much of a big deal those people are making out of that, even.

[jprice15]

I haven't seen any xenophobia. Cleveland is open, it isn't a backward place. I always laugh, when the news papers on the East Coast talk about Cleveland as this place full of rubes. WHen they talk about the orchestra or museums, it is with an air of condescension, but back to my point, it's fine. I've heard of this down south, people wanting to preserve the way it used to be, they don't want a bunch of outsiders, etc. If that is true for the midwest too, it isn't of Cleveland.

Cleveland has a lot of foreign immigrants as well, particularly at universities and hospitals.
Cleveland's immigrant advantage: The huddled masses are brilliant | cleveland.com

[nep321]

Originally Posted by jprice15

I haven't seen any xenophobia. Cleveland is open, it isn't a backward place. I always laugh, when the news papers on the East Coast talk about Cleveland as this place full of rubes. WHen they talk about the orchestra or museums, it is with an air of condescension, but back to my point, it's fine. I've heard of this down south, people wanting to preserve the way it used to be, they don't want a bunch of outsiders, etc. If that is true for the midwest too, it isn't of Cleveland.

Cleveland has a lot of foreign immigrants as well, particularly at universities and hospitals.
Cleveland's immigrant advantage: The huddled masses are brilliant | cleveland.com

That is good to hear. I want to feel assimilated, welcomed and comfortable.