OTR advice (Cincinnati, Findlay, Ada: apartment complexes, leasing agent, lofts)

[jolene407]

Hi, all:

People in this forum helped me before, when I was trying to get a sense of where in Cincy I wanted to live, so I thought I'd try again.

I came to visit this weekend, mainly to look at neighborhoods. (I'm not moving until July or August, and there didn't seem to be properties I could view that were advertising availabilities that far out.) I liked OTR, as I thought I would based on where I've lived in DC and Philly in the past and what folks in this forum told me. I'm looking to rent a 2-bedroom(ish) place until I figure out when/if I want to buy.

However, the (suburb-based) realtor I was recommended hasn't seemed very excited about OTR. The realtor has referred me to a couple of big apartment complexes downtown, like Sycamore Lofts, and in other big complexes in places the realtor thinks seem to fit my urban inclinations, like Walnut Hills. However, the realtor recommended I shy away from the few listings on craigslist that I've found for apartments that are 1-2 floors in some of those many, many old OTR rowhouses I saw when driving around the neighborhood. Yet I would much rather live in an old rowhouse than a big sterile apartment complex. Sooooo . . . I'm trying to understand a few things about this puzzle and I'm hoping you all can help me:

1) The realtor says that parking is awful in OTR/Downtown, and any place that doesn't advertise parking along with the property they are advertising is not a good bet. What I want to know is -- how bad is parking, really? Are you SOL if you don't have a parking space assigned to you? Or if you're willing to spend a bit of time driving around and you know how to parallel park, can you find one within a few blocks of your place? (I've fought parking battles in Philly -- spent a year in MidCity without a neighborhood permit -- but in an ideal world I wouldn't *have* to spend 45 minutes scavenging for a spot.)

2) On craigslist I am not finding a lot of apartments advertised in OTR. I realize that condo development is a big thing there. Is the sparseness in the listings on craigslist reflective of the sparseness of available apartments? Or where else should I be looking for listings? (I'm keeping an eye on https://urbansitespm.appfolio.com/listings/listings, but a lot of listings there right now are available in April and, again, I'm not moving till July or August. I'm just trying to get a general sense of things here.)

3) Is the realtor perhaps not referring me to places in OTR because I have a 70-lb dog? I've heard that some historical properties don't want dogs, and I know that places in general are wary of larger ones. (He's not one of the breeds people worry about -- though I think that kind of profiling sucks, btw -- he's just a big labradoodle.)

4) Or . . . is the realtor perhaps not referring me to places in OTR because I'm a single white female who looks young and will be living alone? I'm not trying to trash my realtor here, and I'm certainly not going to give the name of the person, but I'm trying to figure out whether I might be better off striking out on my own if I think I really want to find a place in OTR. (Or maybe answers to the above questions will tell me that the realtor is right and OTR perhaps is not for me.)
Any help or advice you can give would be great. I really appreciate it.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by jolene407

1) The realtor says that parking is awful in OTR/Downtown, and any place that doesn't advertise parking along with the property they are advertising is not a good bet. What I want to know is -- how bad is parking, really? Are you SOL if you don't have a parking space assigned to you? Or if you're willing to spend a bit of time driving around and you know how to parallel park, can you find one within a few blocks of your place? (I've fought parking battles in Philly -- spent a year in MidCity without a neighborhood permit -- but in an ideal world I wouldn't *have* to spend 45 minutes scavenging for a spot.)

Parking a car on the street near Gateway and most parts of central and western OTR is not safe. It will be broken into once a year. 14th and Sycamore is the first OTR neighborhood to have "residents only" on street parking. And, parking is safe there because its not on the way to or from any thug hangouts.

2) On craigslist I am not finding a lot of apartments advertised in OTR. I realize that condo development is a big thing there. Is the sparseness in the listings on craigslist reflective of the sparseness of available apartments? Or where else should I be looking for listings? (I'm keeping an eye on https://urbansitespm.appfolio.com/listings/listings, but a lot of listings there right now are available in April and, again, I'm not moving till July or August. I'm just trying to get a general sense of things here.)

You have to walk around to see the listings here.

3) Is the realtor perhaps not referring me to places in OTR because I have a 70-lb dog? I've heard that some historical properties don't want dogs, and I know that places in general are wary of larger ones. (He's not one of the breeds people worry about -- though I think that kind of profiling sucks, btw -- he's just a big labradoodle.)

No, he is not referring you because he won't get a commission.

4) Or . . . is the realtor perhaps not referring me to places in OTR because I'm a single white female who looks young and will be living alone? I'm not trying to trash my realtor here, and I'm certainly not going to give the name of the person, but I'm trying to figure out whether I might be better off striking out on my own if I think I really want to find a place in OTR. (Or maybe answers to the above questions will tell me that the realtor is right and OTR perhaps is not for me.)

There are plenty of single women here. But, most of OTR is not safe for a single female to walk around at night time alone, but people who live here cope with this.

[abr7rmj]

I wouldn't hesitate at all to look at places on the Vine Street corridor in OTR - it's one of the hottest addresses in the city and this part of the country. When the streetcar is operational starting late next year, it'll be hard to find anywhere to live there. Actually, it already is - apartments and condos routinely sell out before construction is finished.

[t45209]

I think the dog is going to limit your options. If you do find a place that will allow dogs, and is nice, don't be surprised if you are asked to pay several hundred dollars in a non-refundable pet deposit.

Parking on the street will be a challenge, and it would be easy for you to find yourself parking in a not so safe location farther away from your apartment than you would like. There several buildings in OTR that do have nice, secure lots. Look for those.

I agree with Wilson, there are a lot of single women who live in OTR, but they don't travel alone.

I've heard it said that Cincinnati hasn't quite caught on to Craigslist, so it's not a a very good indicator of what is actually available.

[BasinDweller]

I live on vine st. in OTR with my fiance. She uses our assigned spot so I have a monthly space in a surface lot a few blocks away. I often park on the street closer to our place. The one drawback is that most street parking spaces are metered, so you need to move your car or feed the meter by 8am. Usually not a problem for me but definitely something to keep in mind. Car break-ins have not been an issue for me yet (knock on wood) but it definitely does happen. As long as you don't have anything of value in your car then you shouldn't sweat it. I'm sure coming from Philly or DC you know the drill. You should hit up Urban Sites | and ask them what they have available. They will give you the scoop on the neighborhood and clue you into all the issues. My brother used them and he found a great place in prospect hill.

[TomJones123]

Car break ins happen all over the place, particularly in the CBD, so it's not like it's isolated to OTR. I'm in CUF and it's such an issue here the police actually evaluate cars and leave a pass or fail notice on the windshield. Anywho, for what it's worth.

Leave nothing valuable or enticing to a thief in the car and it's not likely anyone will bother it.

[jmecklenborg]

Jolene you aren't seeing apartment listings for Over-the-Rhine because the neighborhood is nearly 100% rented. There is not a lot of new product coming online this year (banks are still not lending to developers despite these projects selling out almost instantly) so if you're interested in a place in OTR you should be speaking to realtors right now to see when leases are coming up in or around August.

The parking situation is nothing like what exists on the east coast. The only Cincinnati neighborhood where on-street parking is truly a hassle is Mt. Adams. Otherwise, you will not have to circle the neighborhood for a half hour looking for a spot, do not have to move your car every 24 hours, or any of that.

[Joeytraveler]

I'd check out prospect hill as well if you haven't allready. It's more residential than OtR but right next door and more established. It's kind of a hidden and tucked away so not as many people are aware of it. Take a walk up Milton st and you likely find a to rent sign or two.

[progmac]

unlike the east coast, very few realtors know anything about apartments. nobody uses apartment services or anything like that. it is mostly DIY.

general advice in OTR is the farther south, the better. all the activity is south of liberty, and the hottest spots are just a block or two north of central.

this all will be an exercise in futility until closer to your move date. scope things out 2-4 weeks before moving and you'll have a better idea of what's available.

as others have said, parking isn't the issue so much as security. an aftermarket radio will get stolen, an ipod on the seat will get stolen, etc.

[restorationconsultant]

Suburban realtors probably have no clue about OTR and may be largely limited to an occaisional excursion to Findlay Market.

If you are used to an urban environment ITR will likely suit you, but you should be safety concious. I would talk to some of the leasing agents on some of the full buildings and see if they have leases coming up around the time you are ready.

I'd try to find a realtor who is 'plugged in' to OTR, someone like Cathy Frank at Coney and Sheperd. There are a few independents who are doing over-the-storefront type projects right now that may eb coming on line, she might be able to help.

You didn't say what your price range is? That may be a deciding factor. You also may want to check out Newport and Covington too.