Cheap housing in dayton (Youngstown, Vandalia: apartment, violent crime, houses)

[gam3rchic]

Hey all,

My husband and I moved to the dayton area and are looking for a home. He's originally from the Vandalia area and I'm from Youngstown so I don't know the area well at all.

Anyways, we've been looking in the huber heights area, but honestly, to get something that fits our needs that's big enough (seems like most of those houses are tiny! Hell, my apartment in youngstown was bigger!) is too much for our budget. We are lower middle class and it would be tight, financial-wise. I've heard a lot of bad things about living inside the dayton area, but the houses are waaaay cheaper and would fit our budget nicely. What neighborhoods are quiet where I don't have to worry about getting shot??? If the crime isn't violent crime, then I'm not worried about it too much (I grew up in Youngstown for goodness sakes, a little crime doesn't scare me, I just don't wanna end up raped and murdered, that's all )

How's the east side and old north dayton? I know the west side is bad, but if the east and north are good areas, what neighborhoods in particular so I can narrow my search? Thank you very much!!!

[penelopelp]

Old North Dayton has been going downhill for awhile now. There are still nice families there, but some of the residents are a little on the shady side. The east side has some nice pockets of homes. I think that Belmont is still nice. We have friends there. I'd feel safe enough there. In terms of the rest of the east side, you'd have to just drive around and see what you thought. There are still decent neighborhoods over there, but there are some really messy areas. I would go to an area and see if you feel comfortable walking around! Definitely check it out at night first.

South Park is very nice and has a strong neighborhood association. There is also a good neighborhood off of N. Main near Catalpa. I'm not sure what the neighborhood is called. There are some nice areas near Triangle Park behind the museum. We have friends who live out there and really like it.

I don't think that you need to avoid Dayton--just certain parts of it. Most of our friends live in the city and are happy with it.

[JefferyT]

Belmont, Patterson Park, and Hearthstone are nice. Hearthstone looks like it has some smaller, but quaint, older homes.

There is a nice little pocket of houses on Huffman Hill, off of Smithville, to the west of Smithville, between Huffman and I-35 that look OK (areas between Wright middle school and Smithville).

Another pocket would be Linden Heights, more the blocks right around St Anthony church. Some of these blocks look very well kept.

Ohmer Park might be OK, still, but I wouldn't move west of there.

[gam3rchic]

Originally Posted by JefferyT

Belmont, Patterson Park, and Hearthstone are nice. Hearthstone looks like it has some smaller, but quaint, older homes.

There is a nice little pocket of houses on Huffman Hill, off of Smithville, to the west of Smithville, between Huffman and I-35 that look OK (areas between Wright middle school and Smithville).

Another pocket would be Linden Heights, more the blocks right around St Anthony church. Some of these blocks look very well kept.

Ohmer Park might be OK, still, but I wouldn't move west of there.

Today we went to some open houses around St. Anthony Church...very impressed with how well up-kept these neighborhoods were and how nice the houses were! The neighborhood was quiet, people walking their dog and walking with strollers, children playing the back yards...seemed like a very nice neighborhood. And the price is right for these houses too! I think we might've found our new neighborhood to call home