Moving to Toledo, Ohio??? (Columbus, Cleveland: best city, real estate, 2009)

[Rdiamond]

My husband received a job offer in Toledo. We currently live in Seattle and are sick of the weather. From what I hear, Ohio is even worse...?

I'm wondering what your thoughts are in regards to nice suburbs to live in. We would be renting to begin with (house?) then possibly buying if we are staying.

Are there a lot of fun things to do?

We're trying to figure out if it would be worth moving my husband, myself and our dog to a new town on the otherside of the County.

Any advice would be very helpful.

Thanks!!

[amandak]

Well, my husband and I are moving OUT of Toledo, but, it's not horrible! Downtown is not great, contrary to what the websites may have you believe! As far as weather goes, yuck! We have very little spring and very little fall. It's snowing, then it's 90 degrees, then it's snowing. It snows in April and some Christmas days the grass is still green! Jobs are hard to come by, so if he has a position already, you should be okay. But with The University of Toledo, Lourdes College, Bowling Green State U, and Owens Community College, there are lots of job applicants. What I have found is they are younger and cheaper!
I would not recommend living in the city. Sylvania is nice. As is Maumee and Perrysburg. Oregon is not a place I would recommend. We live close to Oregon. Oh, you can try Rossford as well.
Good luck!

[823fd34g4]

I do not suggest moving to Toledo, OH. It is one of the worst cities in the state of Ohio. The cities that I would suggest for anyone planning on moving to the Buckeye State would be Columbus and its suburbs, Cincinnaiti, and Delaware. I do not suggest Cleveland because of the poverty levels; population is also decreasing here as well as in Cincinnati. The only "major" city in Ohio that is growing very rapidly is Columbus. Let me just tell you, Toledo is not the place to go, especially with the person they have in office now.

Oh and don't let me forget about the wicked weather! You know you are living in northwest Ohio (Toledo) when you see a major blizzard one day and massive heat wave the next week! It is awful here and the weather is absolutley horrible!

[amandak]

i agree!

[LiptonGuy]

I am ALSO on my way out of Toledo.

Should you really move here ? It depends..

If he already has a solid job offer, maybe you will be okay. The housing market here, is much better than Seattle. I talked to somebody in Seattle last week. He says real estate is expensive in Seattle and traffic is getting much worse. He said the average house was $350K in his market.


Myself, I was talking to him, because I was thinking about visiting Seattle and then taking a drive to Portland. I wanted to check out Portland, as a possible place to live. What are your thoughts on Portland ?

More about Toledo. Just today on ToledoBlade.com a story talked about a local Chrysler manufacturing plant in Perrysburg. Perrysburg is a suburb, just south of Toledo. The factory has about 1,400 employees. The UAW (United Auto Workers) who make an average of $26 at the plant, were hoping to get new work, to help build a new line of Phoenix-motors. Apparently, some of it will be built in Mexico. Some in Wisconsin. But not here. They didn't get the news they were hoping for.

The plant will be LOSING more work, over the next few years. The place could be DONE by 2012. Some of its contracts expire in 2009.....another a couple years later. Last in 2012. Another 1,200 UAW workers, looking for work...isn't good for the local economy.

Seems like every 2 or 3 weeks, a small blurb appears in the paper, about another small shop or manufacturing facility, that is closing it's doors. Not just in Toledo, but also in the most outlying areas (small communities)....some distance to Toledo. Those closings have to be real difficult, for the people who live in some of these smaller towns. Ie....Findley, Defiance, Fostoria, etc.

I like Toledo. Toledo has a rich history. Toledo was a thriving community, many years ago. This was a part of the country, where people just completed high school and got good manufacturing jobs, that were available all over the Toledo area. Times have changed. I don't see things improving. I'm leaving because I think it's easier to leave NOW, than 15 or 20 years from now. I still have 30+ years before I will retire.

However, if your husband can land a good job, you might do well in 1 of the suburbs. The cost of living will definately be MUCH cheaper, which might allow you to save money for retirement, children's schooling, etc

You will have to pay state income tax in Ohio (unlike Washington).

You could always visit Toledo (Northwest Ohio) and see what you think.

[LiptonGuy]

You said you were sick of the weather in Seattle. Is it the rain ? Overcast weather ? How much does it rain there ?

Someone in Portland (not too far away from you), also mentioned the rain. He described the winter months as a 4-month-long shower, in the dark.

How does that description compare to Seattle ?

And by the way, Toledo has to have some of the most overcast weather in the country.

What part of the country are you originally from ?

A note about housing costs: Last week, my friend in Seattle, said that an apartment there would run about $1,200 a month. For that kind of money, you could (buy) a nice house in a Toledo suburb.

[Rdiamond]

Thank you for your comments.

I just learned that he will be working from home and we have the opportunity to move anywhere in the state of Ohio. What would you suggest as the best city in Ohio?

Thanks!!

[awakenthesun22]

Some of the bigger OH cities I've been to include Cincy, Dayton, Toledo, Cleveland, Akron, Columbus. Of those, I think Columbus and some of it's surrounding area (Delaware is really nice) blows away the rest of them without question.

[amandak]

Aurora Ohio is about 30 miles east of Cleveland and very nice. North Olmstead is nice too. The weather will still be crappy though!

[vader]

Id say youngstown it has the most thriving downtown and 3 major sports teams..Dont live in the suburbs, you must live right in the heart of youngstown to get the full thrill..It certainly puts columbus to shame...