Relocating and looking for family-oriented area with nice downtown (Columbus: homes, to buy)

[jrddad15]

I have a large family (wife & 4 kids) who will be joining me in the Columbus area after school ends in June. I work in Easton. We are avidly looking for a nice area for our family. Schools and a community-feel dowtown area are most important to us, as are Rec Programs and a nice Library. We like our first foray into Westerville and Sunbury/Galena. We would like to buy a home for $175,000 to $215,000, and a decent yard (none of these .21 acre yards, please) is important for our kids to play in! I would appreciate your thoughts and ideas of where we should consider. I have looked in Pickerington/Pataskala too, and liked the larger lots there, but I keep hearing the commute from Pickerington is awful and Pataskala has zero downtown feel. HELP!

[macsports2]

Originally Posted by jrddad15

I have a large family (wife & 4 kids) who will be joining me in the Columbus area after school ends in June. I work in Easton. We are avidly looking for a nice area for our family. Schools and a community-feel dowtown area are most important to us, as are Rec Programs and a nice Library. We like our first foray into Westerville and Sunbury/Galena. We would like to buy a home for $175,000 to $215,000, and a decent yard (none of these .21 acre yards, please) is important for our kids to play in! I would appreciate your thoughts and ideas of where we should consider. I have looked in Pickerington/Pataskala too, and liked the larger lots there, but I keep hearing the commute from Pickerington is awful and Pataskala has zero downtown feel. HELP!

I am planning on moving to the Columbus area also from PA and I also have 4 children. We have been looking in Grove City and Galloway area. They have very decent sized properties and with the price range you are looking for you could probably find something the size that you are looking for. I also saw homes in Westerville with an acre or more.

[macsports2]

Originally Posted by macsports2

I am planning on moving to the Columbus area also from PA and I also have 4 children. We have been looking in Grove City and Galloway area. They have very decent sized properties and with the price range you are looking for you could probably find something the size that you are looking for. I also saw homes in Westerville with an acre or more.

Either place looks like a bit of a distance though to Easton.

[reece0322]

You might want to look at Gahanna. They just redid their entire downtown area. It is very nice now. Also close to Easton and it has decent schools.

I used to live in Pickerington and one of the reasons that I moved was traffic. Rt 256 is a mess, Brice Rd is a mess, the 70/270 interchange is a mess.

[NewToCA]

I'd probably go with Westerville, given your priorities.