Is This a Good Area? (Cincinnati, Wyoming: cul-de-sac, best neighborhood, rent to own)

[boringscreenname]

My husband, two kids and I are thinking about renting a house on West McMicken. It's about half a mile from Deaconess and UC. Is this a safe area or should we look elsewhere?

[Chemistry_Guy]

While safe is a relative term, I would estimate that that area is less safe than 95% of Cincinnati. It would really depend on the block, and the most dangerous part is closer to downtown, but as a whole, I would look higher up on the hill if you want to stay close to the hospitals.

[Wilson513]

Elsewhere.

[Ohiogirl81]

I know some spots on West McMicken have been or are in the process of being rehabbed, but it's still too dicey for me.

[goyguy]

Ditto to all of the above, it's Sketchville along there from start (Over-the-Rhine) to finish (west fringe of Clifton at a no-tell motel! ) Name your price point and we can offer some "elsewhere" ideas.

[Love-Cinci]

Lots of prostitution and drug dealing along West McMicken. I shopped houses in the area myself not too long ago. I looked elsewhere.

[boringscreenname]

The house is in the 2500 block. We've talked to one property owner, whose son lives a few houses down from the one we're looking at. He said his son has lived there for 5 years without incident, and that the area has improved since they took the bus stop out.

We're currently living in Golf Manor, but the house is becoming too small for us. We're looking for preferably a 3 bedroom house, that is close to the hospitals, since I work in that area. But the catch is we don't make a lot of money so finding one in our price range ($700 and under) is proving to be somewhat of a challenge.

My husband is wanting to jump on this house because it's a rent to own and in our price range, but I'm just not sure. We've driven up and down the street in the morning and evening, and it seems to be pretty quiet. Also there are only houses along one side of the street, and the other side is just trees, so I don't really know what to think.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by boringscreenname

The house is in the 2500 block. We've talked to one property owner, whose son lives a few houses down from the one we're looking at. He said his son has lived there for 5 years without incident, and that the area has improved since they took the bus stop out.

We're currently living in Golf Manor, but the house is becoming too small for us. We're looking for preferably a 3 bedroom house, that is close to the hospitals, since I work in that area. But the catch is we don't make a lot of money so finding one in our price range ($700 and under) is proving to be somewhat of a challenge.

My husband is wanting to jump on this house because it's a rent to own and in our price range, but I'm just not sure. We've driven up and down the street in the morning and evening, and it seems to be pretty quiet. Also there are only houses along one side of the street, and the other side is just trees, so I don't really know what to think.

I didn't speak up before because I actually thought your first posting might be one that shouldn't even be taken seriously.

I can't imagine anyone's husband wanting his family to live in this neighborhood, but if he insists on it make sure you have a secure way to get from your car into the house at night, and that the house itself is VERY secure, i.e. a security system, barred windows, dead bolt locks, etc.

[goyguy]

It's good to see that some "windshield inspections" have happened. But a better way to get the feel for an area is to park and walk around. Spend some real time there. Pick a day when (at this time of year) people will be outside shoveling out their cars and clearing walkways. Strike up conversations with the folks you see who are clearly living there and not just passing by. It doesn't put my mind at ease to hear that the prospective landlord's son has been on the block "for five years without incident." There could be any number of reasons for that, including his being the kingpin for unsavory stuff that goes on. (Seriously!)

Eons ago, when I spent a short time experiencing the thrills and agonies of convenience-store work, the company had me do on-the-job training at their location on West McMicken. It's been literally decades since this took place, so I can't recall its exact address, but it was in the upper 20's and the store was south of where Marshall Ave crosses. So that would place it near the 2500 block. Assuming it's still there (probably is, in some form) you could do worse than to stop in and chat with the clerk on duty. As someone whose job calls for him/her to be in the community regularly, that person could be a useful resource. You can also visit the district police station and ask for a printed report of calls to the area. That'd be the most reliable clue as to how "good" the neighborhood really is.

A lot of streets and neighborhoods get negative reputations that may not be entirely deserved. Many locations have a justifiably bad rep but contain exceptions to the rule - a block where longtime residents and thick-skinned "urban pioneers" have carved out a quiet and crime-free niche, a single problem house that was raided with all its criminal tenants put in jail, etc. That's why doing some intensive gumshoe work ends up paying off. You (OP) are aware, I'm sure, of what the "popular" perception of Golf Manor is. My own take on it is that it's long past its heyday and looking pretty shabby, but still has some random parts that are as tidy and peaceful as they were a half-century ago. And you report that your only issue is that you're outgrowing the house. The same principle might well hold true for this place on McMicken. None of us who've posted in this thread have whiled away an afternoon there, we're just going on brief observations and - in my case - those of persons we know who have homes nearby. (I have "peeps" on Fairview Ave and on Warner St.)

As for "elsewheres" that would have inexpensive dwellings containing adequate space for a growing family, right off the bat I can think of five communities which are often shunned entirely but have nice enclaves within them: Mt Airy, Carthage, Price Hill, Corryville, and even your adjoining city neighborhood Roselawn. Right now on the market in "Woes Lawn" is a lovely house on the cul-de-sac of a "garden district" street, one of those blocks which could just as easily be in Pleasant Ridge or Wyoming. The ad mentions that there's a "lease/purchase option;" this means that the current owner is either flexible or desperate...hmmm...1439 Robinwood Ave (http://www.comey.com/displaylist.asw?listnum=1252448&mls=cincy - broken link)
There's no question that I'd live in this place before anything on McMicken! But that's easy for me to say because I don't have kids, who'd have to either attend one of the atrocious neighborhood schools or board a mustard-yellow bus.

[boringscreenname]

Thanks for the info guys.The only reasons my husband can give for wanting to move is that it's close to my job, is fairly cheap, big enough and it'd be paid off in 15 years. But in my opinion the cons outweigh the pros, it's an old house (146 years), not worth much, isn't likely to increase in value, owner has it priced too high (overall price, not monthly), no off street parking, terrible schools, and sketchy at best neighborhood. I'm pretty sure we'll be passing on this house.

We're actually looking to move for 2 reasons. One is that we are outgrowing this house (700-800 square feet), and that our current landlord is looking to move out of the country sometime this year and wants to use our current place as a crashpad when he's back in town for he and his wife.