Best Cincy neighborhoods/towns for a bi-racial family? (Cincinnati, Hamilton: crime, homes)

[Sarah Perry]

This has to have turned into one of the more absurd threads I've ever seen on this forum. If the OP finds the link to the Ft. Thomas house interesting, they can check it out. If they were to think seriously about buying it or another home in that area, as opposed to the gazillion rational choices close to Hamilton, and didn't make the round trip drive a couple times to Hamilton during the hours he would be driving it, they would deserve whatever reduced quality of life they'd get. Personally I think it's an hour each way, plus the cost of gas and mileage on the car, and it's the last thing I'd personally want to do. But some people don't seem to mind.

Adding to the absurdity is this lack of definition about what the OP meant by "modern" - architectural style, or just age of house. But I hope all the discussion has helped clarify some things for them--beyond the impression that people around here love to argue about trivialities.

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

Adding to the absurdity is this lack of definition about what the OP meant by "modern" - architectural style, or just age of house. But I hope all the discussion has helped clarify some things for them--beyond the impression that people around here love to argue about trivialities.

The OP gave a very clear definition in post #5. Follow their links.

Anyways, the OP might have ditched earlier because of our bickering, I don't know.
The OP gave very specific requirements on house style. No requirements on commutes. But yet I'm having to bicker with all of you about commutes. Why?

Sometimes personal opinions shouldn't matter. Sometimes it should just be about helping the OP find the best possible options, like Mimi and I have done. Or we can sit on our hands and demoralize the OPs desires until they leave. (Not directed at you specifically Sarah, there's another commenter or two on this thread whom this is directed to). Both ways get a result.

The question I ask is, which one would you want people to do for you?

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by SWOH

The OP gave a very clear definition in post #5. Follow their links.

Anyways, the OP might have ditched earlier because of our bickering, I don't know.
The OP gave very specific requirements on house style. No requirements on commutes. But yet I'm having to bicker with all of you about commutes. Why?

Sometimes personal opinions shouldn't matter. Sometimes it should just be about helping the OP find the best possible options, like Mimi and I have done. Or we can sit on our hands and demoralize the OPs desires until they leave. (Not directed at you specifically Sarah, there's another commenter or two on this thread whom this is directed to). Both ways get a result.

The question I ask is, which one would you want people to do for you?

Good point--I had not followed the thread closely enough to see that the OP put up a photo of an International Style house. As I believe Wilson mentioned, houses of that style are few and far between--off the top of my head, it probably represents well less than 5% of houses in the Cincinnati area. If that's what they're set on, they won't get much in the way of useful advice from a forum like this, other than people finding listings they could find themselves. They really need a professional to network, watch the listings, and find the closest thing of that style to Hamilton that they can.

From the relatively small numbers, they're going to have to weed out houses that are too large, too small, or that have the maintenance and structural issues that occur not infrequently with structures of that style and age. It's a tall order.

OP, some time ago there was a thread on this forum that turned up the name of a realtor who specializes in the type of house you want. I think it was the folks at www.cincinnatimodern.com

[SWOH]

^That's a great resource, Sarah! I had no clue there were that many modern houses in the Cincinnati area...

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by SWOH

^That's a great resource, Sarah! I had no clue there were that many modern houses in the Cincinnati area...

Honestly, I don't think there ARE very many. A lot of those houses listed are the ones they've sold. Ironically, there was a real beauty right in Hamilton. I wondered if it would be worth checking out the street it's on.

[tymeout2u]

I suggest you look in the Colerain twp area. Excellent school, diverse residential population. Nice houses within a good price range. I am not a native of Cincinnati, I came here to attend my alma mater, the University of Cincinnati which is near the Clifton Gaslite area) and I was totally floored when that area was suggested. I would not live in that area if a house was given to me for free. HIGH crime rate, a lot of closed up boarded homes (though I do have to say they are making progress in reversing this) and you can reach out and touch your neighbor. Area is sitting on top of a hill, when it snows you are sliding home, also there is a lot of traffic due to a lot of business in that area such as, hospitals, clinics, zoo and of course the university. Look north, it's your best option.

[Sarah Perry]

I'd be surprised if they could find the style of house they want in Colerain Township. There are still some nice neighborhoods in the northwest part of the township and the commute to Hamilton is reasonably quick and pleasant. But the overall trajectory of the township is downward, and the southern parts are turning pure ghetto at a surprisingly rapid rate. Yes, you can do worse in the greater Cincinnati area in terms of the school systems, but Northwest wouldn't be near the top of my list.

If the OP's going to move into a white-bread, far-out suburb, they'd be better off looking in Ross Township, both in terms of proximity to Hamilton and quality of schools.

[SWOH]

Agreed. Colerain is one of the few communities I refuse to recommend. It's not going good places. Although the one big, positive counter to everything negative happening there is Northgate Mall. It has been quite successful recently with its renovations.


And it's not just the dismal schools and high/increasing crime in Colerain Twp that keeps me from recommending it. It's also the fact that it is bounded to the north by both the largest garbage dump and the largest superfund site within 100 miles. Honestly, I wouldn't trust the water there. Especially not everyday use of it.

So trymeout2u, I'm sorry to be blunt but your perspective IMO is entirely off base. Not even worth debate.... In the meantime you would be well advised to move the heck out of Colerain.

[kjbrill]

OP ... You need to decide what exactly you want in Cincinnati. Your preferences are sort of a hodgepodge utopia. Coming from NYC you have little to no knowledge of Cincinnati or are looking for some pie-in-the-sky. Somewhat hard to determine just what you are looking for. Don't fault the people of Cincinnati. If you still want to move here, then pay a little more attention to what Cincinnati actually is. If not your cup of wax then look elsewhere.

[Bhiggins]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

I'd be surprised if they could find the style of house they want in Colerain Township. There are still some nice neighborhoods in the northwest part of the township and the commute to Hamilton is reasonably quick and pleasant. But the overall trajectory of the township is downward, and the southern parts are turning pure ghetto at a surprisingly rapid rate. Yes, you can do worse in the greater Cincinnati area in terms of the school systems, but Northwest wouldn't be near the top of my list.

If the OP's going to move into a white-bread, far-out suburb, they'd be better off looking in Ross Township, both in terms of proximity to Hamilton and quality of schools.

I personally think virtually all areas East of Cheviot Rd, East of Colerain Avenue past Poole (Where Cheviot ends) within Colerain are the only areas someone should do more research before considering a move. These are the areas that seemed to start going downhill very noticeably as my family made the move to Orlando back in 2013.

Green Township on the other hand I personally think still is a great place to raise a family: Good schools, VERY convenient to downtown and any large hubs of employment, Okay-Very Safe neighborhoods within (no collective area of blight at least from when I lived there), etc.

Most of the crime within Green Township is property crime, and violent crime is very low. Crime is bound to happen within largely populated areas, and Colerain and Green are not excluded from this. Colerain just unfortunately has a noticeable amount of violent crime when comparing other suburbs of Cincinnati.

As for the style of home you'd like, I'd have to agree that it would be pretty tough finding that anywhere on the Westside of town. I'd have a look at the site Sarah Perry provided and cross-analyze the areas that these houses reappear in.