Looking to leave Cleveland, any suggestions (Parma, Maple Heights: real estate, rent, crime)

[dboldware]

Im a married 27 year old who grew up in east cleveland and escaped for bedford. so i experienced inner city life and suburban life. I love progression and me and my wife have concluded that this is not where we want to raise our two daughters. Love this city, please believe, but it is not working. I want to get different opinions on where you all have been or experienced. We all grew up here so im looking for the opposite of ohio, or what we lack here, like weather and sites. i want some ideas. thank for the help and details are recommended

[PeterRabbit]

Pittsburgh.

[dboldware]

damn, fa real. me writing this thread wasn't for kicks. if you can help me write back, if not, don't reply with pittsburgh.

[ivanabacowboy]

I grew up in Maple Heights. Lived in Garfield Hts, Northfield, Broadview Hts, Parma Hts ( a lot of hts lol!). I left last year for Phoenix. About as 180' in weather as you can get...

[kaydub]

As tempting as it may seem, DON'T move to Florida.

[NewToCA]

It would help if you spelled out a bit what you don't like about Cleveland, or want to find in a new city.

I live in Sacramento, and have lived in multiple other cities (including Cleveland). All have differences, and it is difficult to advise you as to what to consider if we don't know what you would prefer.

[txartcgal]

I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio...and will ALWAYS love Cleveland. However...we moved from Cleveland to Fort Worth, Texas back in 1996...and, it was the BEST decision of our lives. Last year we purchased and moved into a brand-new, beautiful home in a brand-new, family-friendly neighborhood (it only took a few weeks to sell our old home). The schools here are great (we have had experience with both Keller ISD and Eagle-Mountain Saginaw ISD...not FTW ISD), and the crime is low. Our daughter was just 5 yo when we moved here...this year she will be graduating from high school and then attending a local college here in Texas in the fall. There are plenty of local colleges to choose from in the Fort Worth/Metroplex area...Texas Christian University, Univ of North Texas. Texas Woman's University, Texas Wesleyan University, University of Texas at Arlington, Dallas Baptist University, and SMU. Also, the community college here, Tarrant County College, is the BEST!!

Fort Worth is widespread...and, has some GREAT cities just outside the town. Such cities as Keller, Haslet, Southlake, Grapevine, North Richland Hills, Hurst and Colleyville (there are plenty more; too many to name)...depending on what kind of environment you are looking for. We live in the "Lake Country" area of Fort Worth near Eagle Mountain Lake, Lake Worth and Marine Creek Lake. Obviously, we're close to all the water sports!

Some people think Texas is all brown and flat...well, Fort Worth, Dallas, and the metroplex definitely have hills and lakes! Sure, the lakes here aren't the size of Lake Erie...but, you definitely can go boating, fishing, skiing, and sailing on them...and you don't have to worry about lake-effect snow! Also, Fort Worth is just beautiful. I LOVE downtown Fort Worth...and, I love all of the choices for entertainment and shopping. (My only complaint is I want a Whole Foods or Central Market closer to home! LOL!)

The culture and museums are great here as well! Some of the best in the nation! Not to mention the wonderful zoo, Botanic Gardens, and the wonderful art galleries.

With this said, you can take the gal out of Cleveland, but you can't take Cleveland out of the gal! Therefore...I am ALWAYS going to be an Indians fan...as well as a Browns fan!

If interested, check out the Fort Worth, Texas forum here on city-data.com. You can tell that residents of Fort Worth take great pride in this beautiful city.

[ottomobeale]

Real estate in DFW is so cheap it borders on stealing a house. McMansions start at 175K. 200K gets you a nice one.

A friend and I both got laid off Mar 2007. He ended up in DFW. He BOUGHT a Mcmansion for 210K, granite kitchen, 3200 SF etc etc etc. I ended up in NJ. I RENT a crapshack. His Mortgage is a hair less than my rent.

I still have both jobs tho so I am grateful for that. Tho, I do have a SEVERE case of house envy tho. We move AGAIN next year as the landlord sold the house as a teardown.

[newmex]

Check out their forum. I lived there, best if you stay anywhere above I-40, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas. Arizona is great, Sedona is $$$ but outside of it you can live nicely cheaper...a definite culture change out there. Remote as you like it. You will find more common courtesy out west....yes, and the posts before me about Texas....true, very true. And you will find their economy more stable than BLOhio. Ohio has an interesting history, not much future for a young Family, but a move with kids has to be the most cautious one. Texas, a country in itself...nice weather, folks. G-Dubs retirement house in Crawford is more "green" than Al Gores.

The Southwest is a different palette of colors, if you don't mind the lacking of change of seasons...

[WeSoHood]

I've lived in NYC, Cleveland Washington DC, and a few cities on the west coast. If I had to chose one particular area to live and raise a family, it would be Northern Virginia.. only downside is the expensive realty.. houses cost 5x more than here in Cleveland. Look into Arlington, Great Falls, Alexandria, McLean, etc.. diverse areas with great schools and some of the best food ever.