North Avondale - nice on the prime streets or still too dangerous? (Cincinnati: fit in, sex offender)

[Investor001]

Originally Posted by SalamanderSmile

Why not just buy this house and call it a safe(r) excellent school-ed day. Settle for being a little further from work.

https://www.sibcycline.com/Listing/C...oming-OH-45215

not my house or listing or anything, it just popped up today and I love that street.

Not really interested in Wyoming. Further from work and all the nice things in Downtown, Mount Adams, etc. Lovely home but I'm not interested in Wyoming.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by Investor001

Wilson, I'd love to understand more of your point of view. I always like to hear both sides of an issue. I'm not hearing this same thing about North Avondale from everyone else on this thread.

To me, a neighborhood has a number of amenities. It will have the basics: grocery, restaurant, bar, convenience store, gas station, light shopping. It will have a school or schools. A park suitable for children to bike or walk to and play unattended at a proper age. It will have community organization (not necessarily a community council, but along that order) so the adults can be heard about neighborhood concerns.

North Avondale has almost none of the requisites on my list. If found nearby, they belong to other neighborhoods like Avondale, St. Bernard and Norwood.

[mimi in cinci]

FYI,North Avondale has a community council/ organization:
North Avondale Neighborhood Association

OP, I would suggest contacting them directly to ask some of your questions. I think you'll get current information from people who actually live in the neighborhood.

[Sarah Perry]

I don't think I have much more to add to this discussion which might be helpful, just two additional comments. First, there's probably a reason why you're seeing comparable properties to N. Avondale at a considerably higher price in Clifton. Possibly that's a GOOD reason, and I personally think it may have something to do with stability of individual property values. Second comment is that crime stats are available for areas you're looking at. I don't have links handy, perhaps someone else will help.

[zach_33]

Cool thread - my opinion doesn't count because its been 25 years since I lived in Cincy and even then I was in the burbs (Kenwood)... but we used to hang out when I was a teen down along Ludlow just west of Clifton Ave - what a gem of a neighborhood that is. We'd explore burnett woods, eat some skyline (or some funky blue plate diner special at a place I think may be closed now), hit the Esquire for a movie or the Cove coffee house for some ambience. Now that I am middle aged with kids I would be thrilled to have a community like that at my doorstep. Beautiful tree lined residential streets anchored by a unique shopping and entertainment district. North Avondale was not on my radar back then, but it sounds like a lovely neighborhood and clearly has some beautiful homes.

[Investor001]

Originally Posted by zach_33

Cool thread - my opinion doesn't count because its been 25 years since I lived in Cincy and even then I was in the burbs (Kenwood)... but we used to hang out when I was a teen down along Ludlow just west of Clifton Ave - what a gem of a neighborhood that is. We'd explore burnett woods, eat some skyline (or some funky blue plate diner special at a place I think may be closed now), hit the Esquire for a movie or the Cove coffee house for some ambience. Now that I am middle aged with kids I would be thrilled to have a community like that at my doorstep. Beautiful tree lined residential streets anchored by a unique shopping and entertainment district. North Avondale was not on my radar back then, but it sounds like a lovely neighborhood and clearly has some beautiful homes.

Thanks for weighing in! Love hearing about these areas. My impression is Clifton area around there is about the same as you remember it. People I'm going to work with say good things about it. I wish I could find something there that's big and nice under $400k but most are $500k+++ BTW, There's a diner there called The Rooster or something like that. Looks old and still around.

[Investor001]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

To me, a neighborhood has a number of amenities. It will have the basics: grocery, restaurant, bar, convenience store, gas station, light shopping. It will have a school or schools. A park suitable for children to bike or walk to and play unattended at a proper age. It will have community organization (not necessarily a community council, but along that order) so the adults can be heard about neighborhood concerns.

North Avondale has almost none of the requisites on my list. If found nearby, they belong to other neighborhoods like Avondale, St. Bernard and Norwood.

Thanks Wilson513. If my work were not close, I wouldn't consider NA. The main areas I'm looking at that are close to work and downtown are East Walnut Hills, Clifton, and North Avondale in that order. I haven't found anything big in size & nice under $400k in EWH. Some borderline in Clifton, although the homes don't seem as grand as NA.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by Investor001

Thanks Wilson513. If my work were not close, I wouldn't consider NA. The main areas I'm looking at that are close to work and downtown are East Walnut Hills, Clifton, and North Avondale in that order. I haven't found anything big in size & nice under $400k in EWH. Some borderline in Clifton, although the homes don't seem as grand as NA.

Agree that finer houses cannot be found for the price than those in NA. But, the price relflects the absence of a neighborhood. That is the reason these houses are $350k instead of $650k. Trust the market. If they were bargains, the price would rise. But they aren't and it hasn't.

You may have to take a less than elegant house to get a really great lifestyle. That is why HP and ML are 30-50% higher than similar houses elsewhere. Bite the bullet. Living in HP or ML is worth every sacrifice you have to make in architectural detail from NA or EWH. Even Clifton, excellent as it is, cannot compare with HP and ML for comfortable lifestyle.

I live pretty close to Ault Park, across from Kilgour school and in walking distance to more than 50 decent restaurants. The kids used to bike into the park, wife walks the trails, we watch the fireworks from our pool deck and I can fall asleep on a bench in the middle of HP Square without worrying about my wallet. There is nothing anyone could possibly need that is not within walkng distance. And, all of the decent bus service is directed to HP. I can get to work downtown by car in 10 minutes at rush hour.

[Investor001]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

Agree that finer houses cannot be found for the price than those in NA. But, the price relflects the absence of a neighborhood. That is the reason these houses are $350k instead of $650k. Trust the market. If they were bargains, the price would rise. But they aren't and it hasn't.

You may have to take a less than elegant house to get a really great lifestyle. That is why HP and ML are 30-50% higher than similar houses elsewhere. Bite the bullet. Living in HP or ML is worth every sacrifice you have to make in architectural detail from NA or EWH. Even Clifton, excellent as it is, cannot compare with HP and ML for comfortable lifestyle.

I live pretty close to Ault Park, across from Kilgour school and in walking distance to more than 50 decent restaurants. The kids used to bike into the park, wife walks the trails, we watch the fireworks from our pool deck and I can fall asleep on a bench in the middle of HP Square without worrying about my wallet. There is nothing anyone could possibly need that is not within walkng distance. And, all of the decent bus service is directed to HP. I can get to work downtown by car in 10 minutes at rush hour.

Thanks again, Wilson. This really helps me better understand the area. Definitely worth considering. I wish I could find something in Hyde Park but the homes under $400k are usually pretty small. Very few larger fixer uppers even. So, I continue to look. If anyone finds anything nice please send my way. I'll be in town staying at a temporary rental next week so I'll do some exploring and driving around the neighborhoods to see how rough they are.

[Investor001]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

I don't think I have much more to add to this discussion which might be helpful, just two additional comments. First, there's probably a reason why you're seeing comparable properties to N. Avondale at a considerably higher price in Clifton. Possibly that's a GOOD reason, and I personally think it may have something to do with stability of individual property values. Second comment is that crime stats are available for areas you're looking at. I don't have links handy, perhaps someone else will help.

Sarah, thank you. I decided to do the sex offender search from the links on this website and here's what I found. One on Mitchell near the entrance to Red Bud. Also a few on/near Reading Road.

Also there was one on Terrace south of Ludlow. I know someone mentioned Clifton being a safer area but they also have one there. A bunch near East Walnut Hills but not on the streets I'm looking at. None in Wyoming.

Not sure how big a deal having sex offenders so close to your home but they are close by.