Relocating To Day July 1, 2014 (Akron, Dayton: apartment, lease, house)

[khunter324]

Hello, I am relocating to Dayton, Ohio July 1st, and I already have a job there and I am trying to find a home or apartment to live in. I am from the Akron, Ohio area and I don't know anything about Dayton. I was just there yesterday to interview for the position and we drove around a bit to see a few areas and around the UD college was very nice. The DT area was okay but I don't want to be that close to DT. I am also looking at The Woodland Hill Apartment Comm. In Trotwood, Ohio but I don't see many reviews for them at all. Can someone please tell me about this community and is it safe? Are the school systems a good system for the children? I have (2) four year olds and an eight year old and I have (2) HS students, One is a Freshman and the other a Senior. My Senior is in Special Education and I would definitely need a school that could accommodate her needs. The School system will honestly make or break my decision to relocate. My children's education is everything to me. Any suggestions would be awesome. Thank You and I am looking to pay no more than 850/mos. for a 3-4bdrm.....Preferably a 4bdrm is what i'm looking for.

[RDriesenUD]

Others can help you better, but I would look in Kettering. I am pretty sure their school system (it is where I went) is really good for Special Education. I am not 100% sure on that though.

It might be tough to find a 3 or 4 bedroom at that price though.

[Amandarthegreat]

I would not recommend Woodland Hills in Trotwood; Trotwood is like a ghost town and you'd have to drive up to Englewood just for groceries. I second RDriesenUD's recommendation for Kettering. However, if you'd reconsider the city, the first house on this page may be a good option: Three or More Bedrooms - ManCo Property Services

It's in a beautiful neighborhood and ManCo keeps their places clean and well-maintained. It's right across the street from an old seminary with beautiful walking paths and also near a library branch.

[SWOH]

If you want to sign a lease quick for a month or two at the maximum, then Woodland Hills should be fine. It's not in a good area, but it should be a fine launch point if you need something quick for July 1st.

Overall, Woodland Hills could maybe even work out ok. If you were going with Trotwood, I personally would choose living the the Old Towne area (centered at the intersection of Union Rd. and Free Pike) over anything along Salem. That area has access to a nice bike trail which leads to Sycamore State Park, an independent grocery store, Dollar General, and a variety of restaurants are within walking distance (as well as all of Trotwood's new schools). Old Towne is also probably the safest area of Trotwood as well, just keep in mind you are in a lower-cost inner ring suburb which will not bode well for property values, crime, etc. over the coming years assuming current development trends continue.

I can see Trotwood having good resources for special needs children. It would definitely be worth a look. Just keep an eye out for who your kid is hanging out with and you should be fine in Trotwood. I have worked in Trotwood in the past and have found the community to be filled with a lot of good people, there's just a few that screw it up. And a lot more pushovers that go along with the culture when it's convenient. I doubt you will run into any gang activity, organized crime, etc.

Otherwise Kettering as a suburb has very specific programs which are considered the best in the metro area for special needs children, as RdreisenUD and Amandarthegreat suggested.

Good luck!

[weatherphotographer]

Originally Posted by khunter324

Hello, I am relocating to Dayton, Ohio July 1st, and I already have a job there and I am trying to find a home or apartment to live in. I am from the Akron, Ohio area and I don't know anything about Dayton. I was just there yesterday to interview for the position and we drove around a bit to see a few areas and around the UD college was very nice. The DT area was okay but I don't want to be that close to DT. I am also looking at The Woodland Hill Apartment Comm. In Trotwood, Ohio but I don't see many reviews for them at all. Can someone please tell me about this community and is it safe? Are the school systems a good system for the children? I have (2) four year olds and an eight year old and I have (2) HS students, One is a Freshman and the other a Senior. My Senior is in Special Education and I would definitely need a school that could accommodate her needs. The School system will honestly make or break my decision to relocate. My children's education is everything to me. Any suggestions would be awesome. Thank You and I am looking to pay no more than 850/mos. for a 3-4bdrm.....Preferably a 4bdrm is what i'm looking for.

Woodland Hills, NO WAY!!!!! They were on the 22/45 news a few months ago. The residents paid their rent through the "Drop box" there. Some vandal broke into the box and stole them. The management told them they had to pay again or move. Not sure what happened with that story, but Woodland Hills is the armpit of Trotwood.

[AndyMac1407]

Originally Posted by weatherphotographer

Woodland Hills, NO WAY!!!!! They were on the 22/45 news a few months ago. The residents paid their rent through the "Drop box" there. Some vandal broke into the box and stole them. The management told them they had to pay again or move. Not sure what happened with that story, but Woodland Hills is the armpit of Trotwood.

Not saying they should or shouldn't consider Trotwood (I would not if schools are your #1 priority). But, the drop box theft was a problem in a lot of areas. I know friends who lived in Washington Township and Centerville who were instructed not to leave money in drop boxes because thieves were targeting them.

[hensleya1]

Originally Posted by khunter324

Hello, I am relocating to Dayton, Ohio July 1st, and I already have a job there and I am trying to find a home or apartment to live in. I am from the Akron, Ohio area and I don't know anything about Dayton. I was just there yesterday to interview for the position and we drove around a bit to see a few areas and around the UD college was very nice. The DT area was okay but I don't want to be that close to DT. I am also looking at The Woodland Hill Apartment Comm. In Trotwood, Ohio but I don't see many reviews for them at all. Can someone please tell me about this community and is it safe? Are the school systems a good system for the children? I have (2) four year olds and an eight year old and I have (2) HS students, One is a Freshman and the other a Senior. My Senior is in Special Education and I would definitely need a school that could accommodate her needs. The School system will honestly make or break my decision to relocate. My children's education is everything to me. Any suggestions would be awesome. Thank You and I am looking to pay no more than 850/mos. for a 3-4bdrm.....Preferably a 4bdrm is what i'm looking for.

khunter324--

With children of school age, I must advise an emphatic Hell No on anything in Trotwood. The high school just made the local news for the wrong reasons. Anything in the west or northwest quadrants - Trotwood, Fort McKinley, the Salem Mall area and most of Dayton - are collective dumps. The schools are bad and getting worse, and the neighborhoods are going down fast. As a couple other posters have indicated, you'll find yourself heading to Englewood or Vandalia to find decent shopping or things to do.

If your children's education is everything to you, please consider locating anywhere outside of I-675 to the south or east - Centerville, Bellbrook, Beavercreek.

Oakwood has good schools but you won't find a 4 bedroom for $850 a month there, at least not in my experience.

I haven't heard where you're working yet, which may influence our suggestions though?

[weatherphotographer]

Originally Posted by AndyMac1407

Not saying they should or shouldn't consider Trotwood (I would not if schools are your #1 priority). But, the drop box theft was a problem in a lot of areas. I know friends who lived in Washington Township and Centerville who were instructed not to leave money in drop boxes because thieves were targeting them.

My point was moreso towards the management's "Don't care" attitude. In that case, Woodland Hills sucks. But they have a LONG reputation of other issues. How many homicides there? Wait, they were under the name Castlebrook for many years. My aunt lived there in the early 90s between a home sale/buy and it was kind of bad THEN.

[joe from dayton]

There is no reason to live in Trotwood if you can afford to live somewhere else. The city has been in a downward spiral for years and the schools are not well regarded.

Dayton's schools are even worse than Trotwood's.

For your money, look at Miami Twp, Centerville, Bellbrook and Beavercreek.

[dxdtdemon]

Kettering does have the best Special Education in the area, and you can get in now with a much lower housing cost than it will be next year.