Is Columbus for me?? (Dayton, Dublin: environment, condo, rental)

[TheBeesKnees]

[SIZE=3]Hi! I am currently living in Liberty Township (in between Cincy and Dayton) but looking to move. I would like to live somewhere with a little more history, mature trees, and cultural diversity. Somewhere you can feel safe to walk around the block or possibly to the store or local tavern/restaurant (ethnic restaurants). Somewhere relatively close to parks/recreation opportunities would also be a plus. Where I live now is Chain heaven! I would love to find someplace with more locally owned businesses. Does this place exist in the Columbus area and how much should I expect to spend to get a 3-4 bedroom home? I don't know much about the areas surrounding Columbus so any info would help!! [/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Thanks![/SIZE]

[NewToCA]

Grandview, the Short North and Victorian Village might meet your objectives. Expect to pay anywhere from the upper $200 to mid $300s on average.

[fmpitw]

I ditto the Short North and would add Clintonville. The 200's and 300's would be about right on price there as well. Good Luck.

[streetcreed]

For what you are looking for I recommend staying away from the suburbs and living in these sections of Columbus...
(the only suburb that could really fit your askings would be Grandview Heights)

All of these neighborhoods are also near the rivers and High St, you can hop on a bike trail or take a walk in nature and be in the city at the same time. And mass transit is more easily accessible in these areas.

I agree, Victorian/Italian Village/Short North, all just north of downtown, would be right on target for you. 200,000's and up would be right for home/condo prices, and for rentals there's a wider range. You can find more "bohemain" rentals for around $600, or more expensive for around $800-1,000.

Also, Clintonville has a lot of etnic restaurants, especially the section of south Clintonville that blends into the OSU university north campus. The "north campus/south clintonville" area has more rentals, and the further north you get the more ownership options there are.

Also, Merion Village (south of downtown) may be a good option. It doesn't have quite as many walking options as the previous areas mentioned but, there are a lot of relatively cheap rentals (a nice redone rental for 550 and up.) Also, there's a lot of redone homes for moderate prices in Merion Village, under 200,000. I would recommend being in Merion Village only if your closer to High St. That is where there would be some things to walk to, and you would want to be in the northern section of Merion Village closer to downtown and German Village where there's coffe shops, markets, and restaurants.

[mapcat]

Victorian Village, Clintonville, and all the other areas mentioned so far are good ideas. I'd add Worthington too...even though it's not as close to the city center it's definitely not "Chain heaven"! But if you need chains, they're fairly easy to get to in Dublin or Polaris.

I used to live near the OP's current address and agree that the area has little character. Anything old has been torn down and replaced by strip malls.

[TheBeesKnees]

Thanks everyone!! At least I have somewhere to start looking! Are all of these places "Safe" I have heard Bexley isn't the best place to move because the areas surrounding it are a little scary.. How's Grandview, Victorian, Clintonville, and Short North on safety?

[LancasterNative]

Howdy BeesKnees!

As far as safety goes, your best bets are Clintonville and Grandview.

As mapcat posted above, Worthington might also be a good fit for you—it's definitely safe, albeit more suburban than any of the others.

Not that there's anything wrong with the other neighborhoods per se, but the closer you get in towards Downtown, the more proximity you have to seedy/dangerous places. That's just the urban environment, I guess...

Best of luck to you!

Lanc