Perrysburg, Ottawa Hills, Maumee for a family (Cleveland, Toledo: real estate, houses)

[GoBrowns]

Hi all:
Have browsed the forum extensively, and want some additional info. My DH and I and our 4 young kids currently live east of Cleveland. We are considering a move to the Toledo area (my husband will be working in Perrysburg). Since schools are one of my top concern, I am looking at Perrysburg, Ottawa Hills and Maumee, which are all top-ranked.

My question has more to do with the feel of these suburbs - the kind of stuff I can't determine just by reading the size and makeup of the communities. If you had to use some adjectives to describe them, what would you say? I am looking for stuff like, "City A is very family friendly, while City B is a bit stuffy and older". So, no flaming responders, because I am actually asking for people's *opinions* of these cities, which may disagree with the adjectives you might pick

I have looked online at the real estate available as well, so I do know that Ottawa Hills homes tend to be older in general, and Perrysburg has a lot of newer developements.

Thanks in advance!

[arod0331]

I'd go with Perrysburg. Nice developments, good schools, good location overall.
Ottawa Hills does have some older, some newer homes. Bit of a ritzy area but close to the univ. of Toledo and surrounded by not so great areas.
Maumee isn't too bad, better than most metro Toledo areas but not quite as nice as Perrysburg.

[KoalaQT]

I live in a beautiful neighborhood in Maumee. I'm a college student, and not from here originally, but since I've lived here (3 years) it seems as though the streets are always filled with children and parents taking youngsters on walks. Also, it's a very animal-friendly environment. The houses are kept up in good condition and allowed to have character. I have been to the house of a coworker who lives in Perrysburg, and feel that it's an older, stuffier neighborhood. Most of her neighbors are babyboomers whose kids have flown the coop. If you are looking for somewhere you can make a profit from in a decade, it might be considerable. I can walk on foot to most places in Maumee unless we're in the midst of a blizzard.

[KoalaQT]

How can I forget? UT frat houses are all over the Ottawa Hills area. You might not want to deal with that kind of thing.

[tenaciousJk]

Admittedly, I can't give you great detail on Perrysburg. It's nice from the times I've been there, but I can on Maumee or Sylvania.

Schools in both are good. I think taxes are /slightly/ higher in Sylvania, but I appreciate the above average police, fire, snow and trash services that come along with it.

My girlfriend is from Maumee and loves it still. Great neighborhoods, and close to anything you need. However we currently live in Sylvania and can't complain. If my daughter lived with me, we would definitely want her in the Sylvania schools.

Ottawa Hills is nice, but a bit expensive. The school is great, and yes, parts of it are close to UT campus. Nothing to be concerned with though...

Hope I helped a little...

[NeedAVacation]

I don't know as much about Ottawa Hills as Maumee & Perrysburg, but it seems more like a big neighborhood to me than a suburb. The houses are older but well cared for. They're more likely not to have air conditioning though. Prices seem to have dropped quite a bit over the past year, but that's true of the entire area. Real estate taxes are very high in Ottawa Hills. It is surrounded by Toledo but the location is pretty good. The mall is close as is Wildwood Metropark (Wildwood Preserve -Metroparks of the Toledo Area). If your husband will be working in Perrysburg, he'd probably have a 20 minute drive to work each day.

Perrysburg and Maumee are distinct communities that are across the river from each other. Both have a main street but Perrysburg's has more shops and a nice Farmer's Market once a week in the summer. Each has a nice library branch and they share a 4th of July fireworks display. Perrysburg seems a little more 'artsy' than Maumee. It has the 577 Foundation (http://www.577foundation.org/_http:/...oundation.org/) and historic Fort Meigs (Fort Meigs - War of 1812 Battlefield). Maumee has Side Cut Metropark Side Cut -Metroparks of the Toledo Area and The Andersons grocery store.

If you visit, I'm sure you'll know pretty quickly which area you prefer.

[GoBrowns]

These remarks are very helpful, so thank you for taking the time to answer me. Please feel free to keep commenting, because the more I hear, the better.

Thanks again

[mrspink]

I can't give you much information on the areas...but if schools are a concern, check out the Ohio Department of Eduction website.... ode.com and find the schools in the area. The website will tell you test score and where the school stands as far as "rankings" like continuous improvement or excellent.

Just a suggestion.

[seekinghome]

I grew up in Maumee, lived for a brief time in Perrysburg when my children started school (mid 1980s), lived away for many years and then back in the area in the fairly newly developed area west of old Maumee. (We were still in a Maumee mailing address but were part of Anthony Wayne school district in 2005 and 2006)
You need to drive around and explore Maumee and Perrysburg to see what feels right for you. My guess is you would like Perrysburg best-close for work for your husband and a more vibrant downtown. Both towns will provide a great educations for your children. Maumee I think has an older population overall than Perrysburg. The most amazing thing about Maumee these days is that there is not an actual grocery store right in town! Anderson's is great for produce and meat, and you could go to Meijer for the basics but no Kroger etc. in town. That is just amazing to me. Perrysburg has Kroger, Giant Eagle, Kaizmerier's IGA etc. Levis Commons is a nice new shopping/entertainment area in Perrysburg also. Maumee has a new shopping center-Fallen Timbers but it is out of town a bit towards Waterville. Both towns are good places full of good people. For a young family I would think Pburg would be more appealing but both would be nice places to raise children and housing should be affordable with good deals to be had in both. I would not move to Ottawa Hills if I were you-too much of what you want is right in Perrysburg and Maumee. Why add time and stress to your husband's commute when Pbrg or Maumee offer what your family needs? I think you would have to be very careful exactly what part of Ottawa Hills you bought in also-parts are near to undesirable areas-most is lovely but you'd have to be very careful and trust your real estate agent to guide you well. Good luck to you!