Taxes on the West Side (Cuyahoga County) (Cleveland, Lorain: foreclosures, city hall)

[brocdc]

Looking to move to the west side of Cleveland and want to know about the tax situation. I hear it is extremely high. Coming from FL where the taxes are through the roof and insurance kicks your butt, I am looking to make a move to an area that has good schools, good outdoor activities, sporting centers and where people care about their health. I here Lorain county is a good place to move, but I heard about that cancer scare that the county is supposed to be investigating. I here good things about the west side of cleveland. My family and I are deciding between the Charlotte area, or Cleveland area. We are looking for a change of season also which we know we will get in the two areas. I am a Long Islander and being in FL for 6 years I am ready to get back into the Long Island feel. Nice green grass, leaves and colorful trees and land with your property. FL's grass can scratch your back, the trees all look the same and I am tired of living in air conditioning. Would love to here what you think. Thanks, B.

[clevelandgrrl]

I lived in Florida for 20 years and hated that St. Augustine grass! I moved back because I wanted to be close to old friends and family. People are REAL here -- my neighbors are always helping me with the lawn, letting me borrow their ladder, hanging out on my porch, shooting the breeze.

I just bought a house in Old Brooklyn (Cleveland) last year and love it. I am 15 minutes from downtown, I can walk to the community pool, and I ride my bike everywhere. The nightlife in Tremont and Ohio City is a lot of fun and there are festivals everywhere. Not sure what your line of work is, but recruiters are having a hard time FILLING jobs here in Cleveland -- not enough techies and medical folks to fill all the vacancies.

Good things are happening in Cleveland, despite all you're hearing about taxes and foreclosures. (Taxes in Cleveland are lower than many of the 'burbs, so make sure you do your homework.)

[stlcle]

Not sure as far as Florida goes , but we just bought a house in Strongsville . We lived in Missouri before . Taxes are twice as high in Cleveland Area compared to what we are use to . BUT not property tax on vehicles , lower retail and grocery tax . The insurance cost were cut in half compared to MO . We were shocked how cheap it was to insure a home and car . Maybe it will all balance out .

[ottomobeale]

>Good things are happening in Cleveland, despite all you're hearing about taxes and foreclosures.<

Ugh City of Cleveland. Dont do it. I did it for 15 years when I lived in Westpark. The police are worthless and will do little unless there is a chainsaw fight in the middle of the street. The schools are abominable. City hall was full of loafers the day I had to go down there... etc.

Bright spots? uh my councilman Sweeney always at least tried to comply with my reqests and i do appreciate that.

Taxes run about 1.5 to 2% of the real value of the home. Rate wise not all that different from Lakeland FL where I used to live. Insurance is a pittance compared to FL. No hurricanes. Tornadoes can happen but the probability of actually being hit are very very low.

I did find insurance companies were funny about wanting all new electric in older homes. All my outlets were new all wiring but some of the overhead lights (about 4?) were the knob and tube. A couple companies declined.

>and hated that St. Augustine grass!< ROFLMAO! YES! We couldnt believe anyone would deliberately cultivate and grow crabgrass. We also missed real trees. Floridas deciduous trees are mostly sorry excuses for trees. A 60' Maple tree is a real tree compared to the sparsely leaved trees we seemed to see at every home. I do miss Publix and Zaxbys now that I am gone from FL

[Chef Boyardee]

You can get a list of the property taxes by city from the county auditors office, here's a link to the chart: http://www.treasurer.cuyahogacounty....eRateChart.pdf

As far as the best to live, you didn't say where you would be working and commuting time is a big part of any budget. Many people coming here are gonna work at The Cleveland Clinic. I tell them Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Seven Hills, Independence are all low tax, relatively safe, relatively low cost of living and close to downtown. Personally, I don't like public school system anywhere. So, I recommend private school or home school. lol

You have Metro Park system on Westside. It is relatively safe. You can find place to fish, golf, baseball, football, volleyball, hike, bike, whatever you like. Beach is on far westside; called Huntington. Rocky River is nice place, but tax is higher. A lot of folks are going far South, but the commute in seems ridiculous and home cost is relatively high. Although, tax is usually low. At least, until they develop. lol

Shopping is better further South/West, also crime is lower, but property taxes go up and so do home prices. I use "Tax as a percentage of Market" to compare tax rates.

I don't know what policing is like in Florida, but in Cuyahoga County you should know local criminal code, take it seriously and be aware of penalties. If your town doesn't have it online, just compare local areas; they are virtually the same. Do not except "common sense" from law enforcement. That is no longer realistic. However, I wouldn't let that scare you off. This crap appears to be a National Trend and the police here are generally civil and try to be understanding. Although, sometimes the criminal code "ties their hands." Within the city of Cleveland, response times can vary wildly; they are understaffed. So, you should be prepared to provide your own protection in town.