Relocating to NE Ohio...need guidance (Columbus, Cleveland: new home, purchasing, school districts)

[OPSMAN]

Boardmanite....can you elaborate on specific towns in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland?

OPSMAN

[Traveler87]

Painesville is a very nice town. Close to the lake, and lots of nice beaches. Also, not a far drive from downtown Cleveland.

Welcome to the City of Painesville

[boardmanite]

Here is a thread that was started not too long ago that discusses some of the Eastern Suburbs. http://www.city-data.com/forum/cleve...beachwood.html Some may be too far away (like Solon), but I would say that most would not be a terrible commute to Painesville. Here's a broad list of good Eastern Suburbs that wouldn't be too far away:

Beachwood
Mayfield
Lyndhurst
South Euclid
Eastlake
Willoughby
Willowick
Wickliffe
Richmond Heights
Pepper Pike
Gates Mills

Price ranges vary in the Eastern Suburbs. Beachwood and Pepper Pike will be more expensive. Some are closer to the lake than others, such as Eastlake and Willowick.

For a more small-town atmosphere, but not far away like Jefferson/Ashtabula, check out Chagrin Falls or Chardon.

[OPSMAN]

Thanks....very helpful information. That gives me some good stuff to research.

OPSMAN

[no2sno]

You can look in Mentor/Mentor-on-the-lake or Geneva/Geneva-on-the-lake. Both of these suburbs of Cleveland will give you an easy and short commute to Painesville and are both family friendly!

Mark

[ryanek9freak]

OMFG, whatever you do, stay away from Ashtabula, unless you want your children around run down meth houses, a school board that will ultimatley fail them. There is NOTHING here for you, and you will absolutley hate it here. I suggest looking for a house in Mentor, Concord, or Painesville township. Those are VERY nice places to live, and Mentor is a decent sized city with little crime, and plenty to do, and also has a lot f good manufacturing jobs to be had. Now jefferson, although it is a nice little town (and also the county seat of ashtabula county) I hope you enjoy ATV's and snowmobiles going up and down your street at all hours of the day and night, cause in the village, they are permitted to ride them on any street. I hear alot of complaints from residents about this. Plus there really isn't much to do in Jefferson, and it's still to close to ashtabula for comfort.

[Meg-oh]

Hey, this is actually Meg-oh's husband speaking (Meg is from Akron, which is 30 miles south of there). I've lived very close to Painesville all my life, i was born and raised in Eastlake, and have lived in Willoughby Hills ever since (all these cities i mention are no more than 14 miles from Painesville.

There's probably not as much social life in NE Ohio as in chicago, but you can find just about anything in Cleveland within a 30 minute drive. Great ethnic restaurants all over, a few decent nightclubs, parks, whatever.

As far as kids, we have 4 ourselves and it's a fine place for kids, the best school system and place to live are both probably Mentor, OH. It is 8 miles from Paineville...yes, that's not a typo...8 miles. If you settle in Mentor, your worst winter snow storm commute will be 30-40 minutes, otherwise you are looking at a 20 minute drive to work, max.

Plus, the cost of living in NE Ohio, in my opinion, is very affordable (way more so than chicago). Rent is cheap, houses are being practically given away due to the many sellers, and very few buyers around here. Groceries and the like are also very high quality and very cheap. I suggest shopping at Giant Eagle, they are all over the place.

I think that's about it, feel free to ask any specific questions.....otherwise, if you don't mind some snow and a slower pace, i think you'll like it here.

[Butterfly Works]

Ashtabula is having some civil and civility issues right now . Actually anywhere here in this county is suffering financially and so there are issues, particularly schools Just about every District in the county has or is building new schools and as a rule educaters are pretty darn good, but money woes are crimping their style. Lake Erie and Pymatuning Lake offer excellent fishing and lots of summer resorts. Historically one of the first areas of Ohio settled as part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. I think the count on covered bridges is now 18, 12-15 or so wineries a couple of which have intenational reputations. Property tax is moderate (Lowest in the area) utilities on the high side but affordable, schools will be much better as the growing pains diminish. Geneva tends to be more progresive than either Conneaut or Ashtabula and due to it's proximity to Lake County is a tad more expensve. You may want to plan on a 4 wheel drive for your winter transportation, About 35 or 40 minutes to Painesville from the Geneva/Saybrook area (25 miles) Crime is an issue everywhere but probably isn't too large a thing here, petty crime and drugs being the major problems major crime is occasional heard of. Local paper is Ashtabula Star Beacon on the net as starbeacon.com the local posts in it are mainly for the entertainment of the locals , if you follow a thread or two you'll see what I mean Mixed politically but leans pretty much republican. Harpersfield and Saybrook Twps. seem to be the fastest growing areas in the county (They adjoin Geneva) and have decent sized lots. OBTW I left the area a year or so ago for warmer climes in N. Carolina Maybe you can contact Marcy Raleigh at backyardpatch.mysite.com she lives in the Chicago area and was originally from Ashtabula

[Butterfly Works]

Astabula county is a great place to live but you can be a long way from anything due to it's size about 33 by 29 miles fastest growng areas of the county are Geneva City and Twp. and Harpersfield and Saybrook townships Freeway East to Erie PA (40 min) and West to Cleveland (55 min) and South to Youngstown/Pittsburg 1 hr and 1.75 hr respectivly. close to lake and several state parks, lots of things to do in summer, can be fairly snowy in the winter, Spring and Fall are very pretty

[Butterfly Works]

I wouldn't go any closer to Cleveland for. economical reasons. than Painesville, Perry is a quiet typical small town with good schools . Madison again a small town with a kind of, I guess the best word is, isolationist attitude, residents will seem kind of aloof until you get to know them and vice versa but will be very helpful A little further east and across the county line is Geneva famous for it's wineries and nearby lakeside resort community of Geneva on the Lake. Best housing in the area would be probably be Harpersfield, a rapidly growing rural township adjacent to Geneva. Living east of your job is a good thing because you won't have the sun in your eyes during commute time