safe, lively, convenient areas of Cle that have single family homes. (Cleveland: real estate, condo)

[sheena12]

Do they exist?

We are well acquainted with the inner ring Eastern suburbs, such as Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Beachwood, S. Euclid, Lyndhust, Euclid etc. We are attracted to several of them. We are not actively looking for a home now, but we have narrowed our move to that area.

We like to be close to shopping, museums, health care, restaurants, entertainment etc. We have dogs and we need a yard. For this reason and others, Condo live does not attract us.

Schools don't matter either, as our children are grown.

We want to downsize to a three bedroom house with a finished basement and small yard that can be fenced. We'd like a house that has at least one bedroom on the first floor. The other bedrooms could up stairs.

Are there any areas like this in Cleveland propper? We do not want a fixer upper, and we like urban living, but not urban blight or crime filled areas. Realtor, for some reason; took down their crime maps, which were quite helpful.

Are there areas we would like IN Cleveland? Or should we limit ourselves to the inner ring burbs?

Thank you.

[bjimmy24]

Well, that house you describe is exactly what I have, and many others near me have, around 185th in Collinwood, north of Lakeshore. Around here, you are near a lot of centers of activity, such as 185th itself (which is getting a nice face lift this year), the arts at Waterloo, then also E 200 and 222nd. Downtown Euclid at E 222 and lakeshore has a lot of shopping and the lakefront development has been great. However, since there are single family homes around, that cuts down on the urbanity and activity that you would have for example in Little Italy or Ohio City, Tremont ,downtown etc. So it's definitely not that level. But it does have what you want, home-wise.

The other place that comes to mind is West Park, especially around Kamms Corners.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Well, that house you describe is exactly what I have, and many others near me have, around 185th in Collinwood, north of Lakeshore. Around here, you are near a lot of centers of activity, such as 185th itself (which is getting a nice face lift this year), the arts at Waterloo, then also E 200 and 222nd. Downtown Euclid at E 222 and lakeshore has a lot of shopping and the lakefront development has been great. However, since there are single family homes around, that cuts down on the urbanity and activity that you would have for example in Little Italy or Ohio City, Tremont ,downtown etc. So it's definitely not that level. But it does have what you want, home-wise.

The other place that comes to mind is West Park, especially around Kamms Corners.

Thanks. We will check out those areas! Plus one.

[ferraris]

I would check out the Cleveland portions of Larchmere and Ludlow (technically Buckeye-Shaker on some maps).

I agree with the West Park recommendation, and also would add Old Brooklyn.

Not wanting a fixer upper, and not wanting urban blight can be kind of a tall order in Cleveland. Oddly, some suburban neighborhoods actually feel more urban than some city neighborhoods. Cleveland Heights and Lakewood in particular.

[WRnative]

Sheena,

Did you ever follow SlideRules99's epic investigation of relocation destinations in Greater Cleveland?

https://www.city-data.com/forum/clev...veland-13.html

SlideRules and his wife ended up purchasing a home near the Euclid Golf Historic District in Cleveland Heights (last posts in the above thread), which I had never heard of before his post announcing the purchase (see post 125 in the above thread). Depending upon your budget, the Cleveland Heights neighborhoods adjoining Little Italy are very attractive IMO.

SlideRules99 would be a great person to private message for advice. Note that he used Cleverfield, this forum's Cleveland real estate pro, as his real estate agent to assist in his search.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/sear...rchid=44455986

These compendium threads have much of interest for those researching a relocation to Greater Cleveland.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/clev...cleveland.html

https://www.city-data.com/forum/clev...mmunities.html

North of Lakeshore Blvd. in Euclid and in Collinwood has many attractions, but I would prefer the convenience of living as close as possible to University Circle cultural and medical amenities and Red Line rail rapid and even Healthline bus rapid stops for easy access downtown and to Playhouse Square. Having lived on Lake Erie for many years, shore living isn't a big appeal to me.

Bjimmy notes how he likes shopping in Willoughby and Mentor even though he lives in North Collinwood.

From Cleveland Hts., an immense amount of retail is similarly convenient including the upscale northern Ohio shopping mecca of Beachwood Mall/Legacy Village, University Square (Macy's, Target) and other retail outlets in University Heights, and Costco and the Eastgate and Southgate shopping centers in Mayfield Hts. Cleveland Hts. is less than a half hour from the immense amount of retail outlets in Mentor and Willoughby.

https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=sho...ts%2C+OH+44118

I believe there are posts in the first-linked thread discussing the Cleveland neighborhoods immediately adjacent and north of University Circle's cultural district. The paucity of shopping is a major drawback of living inside Cleveland. Certainly Edgewater on the west side is an attractive neighborhood inside Cleveland, but further from University Circle.

Good luck!

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by ferraris

I would check out the Cleveland portions of Larchmere and Ludlow (technically Buckeye-Shaker on some maps).

I agree with the West Park recommendation, and also would add Old Brooklyn.

Not wanting a fixer upper, and not wanting urban blight can be kind of a tall order in Cleveland. Oddly, some suburban neighborhoods actually feel more urban than some city neighborhoods. Cleveland Heights and Lakewood in particular.

OK I need to ask this. What is "Buckeye-Shaker"? Is it two municipality? Or part of Cleveland? When we go on Realtor.com and search there, the homes can be listed in other cities but they come under the umbrella of "Buckeye Shaker". it's confusing.

And yes, avoiding urban bright inside of Cleveland it difficult.

WRnative, I also agree about the the paucity of the type of supermarkets I prefer. (Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and or even a good Giant Eagle) Cities can be "food deserts".

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by sheena12

OK I need to ask this. What is "Buckeye-Shaker"? Is it two municipality? Or part of Cleveland? When we go on Realtor.com and search there, the homes can be listed in other cities but they come under the umbrella of "Buckeye Shaker". it's confusing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckeye%E2%80%93Shaker

https://case.edu/ech/articles/b/buckeye-shaker-square

https://planning.clevelandohio.gov/c...=dist5&dn=bskr

https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/12/...building-mode/

https://www.communitysolutions.com/r...ods-and-wards/

https://neighborupcle.org/locations/...t-corporation/

https://shad.org/

Originally Posted by sheena12

, I also agree about the the paucity of the type of supermarkets I prefer. (Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and or even a good Giant Eagle) Cities can be "food deserts".

Whole Foods, Giant Eagle and Heinen's are located convenient to Cleveland Heights (search for locations). The nearest Trader Joe's is Woodmere, just east of I-271 on Chagrin Blvd., near the Eton mall, about 20-25 minutes from Cleveland Hts.

https://etonchagrinblvd.com/

[bjimmy24]

I am not sure there are any single family homes, or definitely not many, at shaker square/larchmere area.

[WRnative]

Unless you plan to avail yourself of University Circle institutions daily or more frequently than weekly or semi-monthly, you should carefully evaluate Mentor and Willoughby. Excellent retail. Excellent Lake County Metroparks, Holden Arboretum, Mentor Headlands, Mentor's Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve, Laketran "Dial-a-Ride" service inclusive of door-to-door service to Greater University Circle medical institutions, convenient freeway access both east, west, and south (I-90, Route 2, I-271). Those two communities would meet your housing requirements (although check with local zoning/building departments for fencing rules, permits in any community). Willoughby offers a charming, but small downtown area. There are charming Mentor walkable neighborhoods near Garfield Park and the Mentor Mall shopping complex, albeit with the heavy traffic of Mentor Ave. (check out crosswalks).

https://cityofmentor.com/departments...garfield-park/

Check out the Willoughby Fine Arts Center and Lakeland Community College and Mentor Library adult education offerings.

University Hospitals has taken over the LakeHealth hospitals (West and Tripoint) and the Cleveland Clinic is building a new hospital with emergency room services in Mentor. Mentor has among Greater Cleveland's best community recreation facilities and programs, including Lake Erie activities (boating, kayaking, beaches, nature areas), especially after the city's purchase of the Heisley Racquet and Fitness Club to serve as the city's recreational center.

<<The 128,297 square foot complex is one of the largest facilities of its kind in Northeast Ohio and includes an indoor soccer field, basketball, tennis, racquetball, and pickleball courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, cardiovascular and weight training areas, group exercise rooms, a childcare room, and other amenities. MHRFC was an innovator in Lake County by developing one of the first successful lifestyle center that has offered a broad range of health and fitness options to its members for nearly fifty years.>>

https://cityofmentor.com/city-purcha...-fitness-club/

LakeHealth/University Hospitals also operates a wellness center in Mentor.

https://lakehealth.org/service/liveh...nter-programs/

Mentor already has a modern ice rink.

Mentor's development over the past half century has been heavily influenced by Euclid and arguably is a more modern, upscale and larger version of Euclid, including industrial areas flanking Route 2 to the south with Tyler Blvd. providing local access. So a great tax base and lower property taxes, despite very superior city services.

With both I-90 and Route 2, Mentor also has better freeway access than Euclid.

[SlideRules99]

As mentioned I did run this drill pretty extensively in spring 2021. Everyone is different, but here are some of my thoughts.

In CLE proper, +1 on Kamms Corners, Collinwood, and Old Brooklyn. Worth exploring IMO. I like them all even though we settled in Cleveland Heights ultimately.

I would also highly recommend reaching out to Cleverfield. You will find nobody with better credentials…neighborhood insights, expertise, and outstanding comms and professionalism.

I recommend using SpotCrime app to research actual crime incidents and test your own level of comfort given what you see on the crime maps. One person’s “perfectly safe” is another person’s “war zone”.

Given your comments on proximity to entertainment, shopping, museums, health care, restaurants, etc…I would not be surprised if Cleveland Hts ultimately came out on top. It really does fit the bill well IMO. And plenty of housing options that fit your desires.

Best of luck!