Between Cincy and Dayton (Cincinnati, Middletown: real estate, budget, for sale)

[Toxic]

Hello everyone, I see you've been busy while I was gone!

Thanks for the input. Our trip went relatively well. I'll try to be as detailed as I can, for Rebecca's sake!

We decided to spend the night camping in Caesar Creek State Park. Absolutely beautiful! If you love camping, it's a wonderful place! And since we went on a Tuesday we virtually had the park to ourselves! We actually went swimming in the lake completely by ourselves! It was wonderful.

Until the racoons showed up. But hey...that's part of the experience, right?

We did not actually travel through Waynesville, because it took long enough to get to Caesar Creek from Lebanon; it just seemed a little too far from Cincinnati for us.

Lebanon was...not what I remembered. Perhaps I wasn't looking in the right areas, but we scoured the town and was unable to find any major stores, such as Meijer, Walmart, etc. Is there one there that we missed? The buildings are beautiful and historic, but the ones that are back on side streets off the main drag seem a little run down. Perhaps that's because I find houses with small or no yard unappealing, though. Over all, I was not impressed with Lebanon.

We also visited Loveland. My first experience was a bad experience, so we didn't stay long. But, like I said, it was a first impression only, and so I'm guilty of not giving it much of a chance. The three people my experience centered around were very snotty, elitist apartment managers that left me waiting in a lobby for a half hour while they took other couples, dressed more like them, through the apartments. They spoke to me when I came in, my family and I had a seat, and they never spoke to us again. We were the only ones in the office when we arrived, but we were never taken around the apartments. Again, this is one experience, and I am guilty of not giving it a chance. But I was furious at the time, and decided that instead of bothering with it any further we would just move on. Loveland wasn't one of my top choices anyway.

Landen and King's Mills we just drove through. We didn't make it to Morrow this trip.

We spent a majority of our time looking around Mason. It was really what I was looking for! We stopped several groups of people out walking and just asked a random bunch of questions: ETC. what do you think of the schools? What are real estate prices around here? Everyone we questioned was very nice, very helpful, and gave good advice. No one had anything bad to say at all about their neighborhoods, the schools, even the government! The school "campus" is pretty darn impressive! If you decide to check out Mason, you really have to see the schools, down by the government center! All I can say is WOW!

There was even a children's acting theatre and dance center! There are many small shops and businesses as well as a large outdoor mall and a Walmart Supercenter.

I fell in love with Mason. As I said, we're going again this weekend (my younger brother has drill in Cincy and we volunteered to drop him off at his unit just so we can check things out again!) We're going to look around the area some more.

Thanks everyone!

[dayton_ohio]

Oakwood is really nice, but you won't find one acre lots. It's more of a "small town in the middle of the city" with homes on .20 to .25 acre lots and a lot of interaction with neighbors. It's also relatively expensive for Dayton: you can find homes in Oakwood for $200,000 or less, but they are in the so-so locations or need a lot of work.

[wrightflyer]

If you love historic, older homes, then Oakwood would be the place for you. dayton ohio has it right about the prices and the lots. Unless you buy an $500,000+ home on the West (more $$$) side of the city, you'll be confined to a smaller plot. This does not mean there is no green space. The local parks and green spaces are probably the best in the area with the exception of maybe Kettering (which is just south of Oakwood).

The community is one where you have to love to walk. There are two main shopping districts in Oakwood with many of the stores being locally owned. Many people love the local grocery, Dorthy Lane Market, but IMHO I found the store to be too small. Still, I was there on a Sunday afternoon, thus in may have been the crowds. When I've biked through the city, I have found the east side (E of 48/Far Hills Ave) to be more level and laid out in a grid. Homes here typically range from $200,000 to around $500,000 and were built sometime from 1920's to the 50's. The west side (as I said, more $$$) has more hills, more woods, and larger homes. This can range in price from $500,000+ and can include some historic estates. Otherwise, the schools are some of the best in the state, and possibly the region. If you go by state numbers, I think for SW Ohio, only Indian Hills beats them in the rankings. Also, be prepared to pay a killing in property taxes.

[wrightflyer]

Also, I have found very few "so-so" locations. Even some of the neighborhoods that border Dayton can be nice. These parts of Dayton are quiet and would be lovely except for the DPS systems problems. Personally, I would buy new in Centerville, Beavercreek, or Springboro. Part of that is my health and the rest is from the age of some of the homes in Oakwood (pretty but some probably need updating, ie. plumbing, electrical).

[dayton_ohio]

Oakwood's so-so locations are the areas near UD (Irving Avenue) and the Shroyer corridor. They're not unsafe... just less desirable, probably due to traffic, noise, and proximity to cheaper multi-family housing. Homes seem to sell 10-20% less in those areas.

[Crew Chief]

Wrightflyer. we LOVE Dorothy Lane Market and buy all our food there. (paper products and stuff like that are cheaper at Kroger, though) Have to agree with you about the crowds. But we shop at the Washigton Square store every Saturday morning right after we eat breakfast out with our neighbors. If you don't mind shopping early, the store is not crowded and the folks on the other side of the counter have an even easier time providing their awesome service!

[wrightflyer]

I figured that was the case. Lofinos in Beavercreek is the same way. A little more expensive but it has those quirky items, is local, and really friendly. All of the area markets tend to get crowded in the afternoons and weekends, whether its a Supercenter or DLM. Other places I love (sorry they are in Beavercreek so they're probably too far) include, Jill's Deli-icious (can get crowded at lunch times, Kava House, and Cinema DeLux. I know the last one isn't local, but it sure blows Regal away in terms of cleanliness.

[Crew Chief]

Thanks for the tips, Wrightflyer! We haven't gotten up to Beavercreek much since we've been here. But really should. The Green has captured our interest (not that we're big shoppers) But a few of the restaurants have been pretty good. And a few of my wife's favorite retailers are there.

[wrightflyer]

I haven't been down to Washington Twp. much either. It's been awhile since I've been to Sips, or the rec center (which blows me away), and some of the restaurants closer to the Dayton Mall that we don't have up here. Btw, I was wondering if you know why Centerville High School has such a strange layout. What were they thinking when they built some of the rooms with collapsable walls and no doors? I'm just curious as to the reasoning. Was it some concept that was big when the school was built? Oh, and the new additions look HUGE!

[JefferyT]

The collapsable walls was probably for open classrooms or for larger classes and team teaching (this was a 1960s/early 70s concept).