Upstate NY to Mason? (Cincinnati, Lebanon: real estate, insurance, houses)

[MichelleH]

Hello...I was hoping someone could give me some info on the Mason area..schools, weather, crime, etc. We are considering a move to the area soon from upstate NY. From what I understand the weather in the Mason area is similar to NY, except we don't have tornadoes! Are they a big problem in the Cincinnatti area or are they rare? I have heard lots of good things about Mason and am looking forward to being in a nice family neighborhood where the houses are affordable. Any information would be helpful.Thanks!

[wastina]

Welcome south! I went to university in upstate New York and laughed to think that Mason compares! Our winters here are nothing like upstate! Yeah, we get some snow, but nothing like the cold and wind you get up there. Tornados do come through, but if you stay out of trailer parks and stick to the burbs with trees and basements, they tend to skip over you. You'll learn to recognize weather, but will likely not ever experience one first hand (knock wood).

Mason is one of what I'll call "bedroom communities," as it has largely expanded in recent years, with lots of new subdivisions to feed the companies located throughout greater Cincinnati. Mason has been caught up in a large wave of development, and traffic can be a real problem getting to/through the malls to the residential areas.

That said, houses are nice and fairly well priced, if but of a cookie-cutter appearance. It's suburbia, so you don't need to worry much about criminal elements. If you're looking for more of a community feel, you might want to look at Glendale or Wyoming, which are also north of the city, but are historic communities set out in large lots.

Good luck!

[Corinth]

I too am a upstate NY transplant to Cinci and we are glad we made the move. You get a lot for your real estate dollar in Cincinnati. We relocated in Loveland, a northeast suburb of Cinci. Loveland is a charming, vibrant town with easy access to the 275 interstate. The public schools are good and the village has a quaint feel with casual unique restaurants but minimal shopping. (Lots of shopping 15 minutes away) There is also a great bike trail that attracts others to the town on the weekend. Great family town!

[dayton_ohio]

Don't worry about the weather... except the humidity in summer (which is bad).

Mason is nice, but very cookie-cutter. You'll find some of the best schools in Cincinnati and a lot of nice, new amenities, plus the location is great.

It won't be your cup of tea if you are living in a Saratoga Springs or other quaint small town. For that atmosphere, you'd want to be in Wyoming, Hyde Park/Mount Lookout (if private schools are an option), parts of Loveland/Milford, and maybe even Lebanon (if you want an older home in a semi-rural area).

[cincylifer]

Previous posters were all right..I would only add that the traffic in Mason is HORRIBLE...also,as someone mentioned earlier, it is growing like crazy, therefore, while the schools are top rated, they tend to come to the voters for more money frequently, because they cant keep up with the new developments....for a less traffic comparable/better schools, I would come a bit south to Sycamore School district...It encompasses, Montgomery, Blue Ash, and Symmes Township...Loveland is also a good choice, which is a bit southeast of mason.....also check out the Dept of Education website...
http://dnet01.ode.state.oh.us/DistrictRatings/Districts.aspx (broken link)

[unc45040]

Originally Posted by cincylifer

Previous posters were all right..I would only add that the traffic in Mason is HORRIBLE...also,as someone mentioned earlier, it is growing like crazy, therefore, while the schools are top rated, they tend to come to the voters for more money frequently, because they cant keep up with the new developments....for a less traffic comparable/better schools, I would come a bit south to Sycamore School district...It encompasses, Montgomery, Blue Ash, and Symmes Township...Loveland is also a good choice, which is a bit southeast of mason.....also check out the Dept of Education website...
http://dnet01.ode.state.oh.us/DistrictRatings/Districts.aspx (broken link)

We just relocated to Mason about 9 months ago from Detroit, and I have to say that the traffic isn't that bad at all. When it comes to traffic, guess it is all relative as I have lived all over the US and don't think Mason is horrible traffic wise at all. Just like any growing surbuban city, the traffic is what it is, but it isn't anything out of the ordinary for a city of its size that is booming like it is, but again, guess it is all relative. Best of luck in your move!

[MichelleH]

Thank you all for your responses...they have been helpful! We will be taking a trip to Mason in May to do some more looking. We are also considering the Maineville area. Does anyone know how the schools there compare with Mason's?

[RockyMtnr]

Mason is a tiny little burg - but more urban than Maineville. There is a lot of new money going into the Maineville area but it still has that "farm-town" sprawl. Mason also actually has stores in town. Maineville has a gas-station convenience store and an insurance office.
Although I know some of the "bond" problems each has had, I would only be guessing to say that Mason has better schools - but that's my vote.

[ImissCA]

I live in Maineville, but wished we would have checked out the school district more before buying our home. Mason schools are top notch, Little Miami Schools (Maineville) and their buildings are outdated but are starting to catch up. You will find that in Maineville, you will be able to buy more home for your money than in Mason. Average price of a home in Mason in a nice neighborhood, 2000 square feet will run you approximately 250-300K.

[DIATON]

We'll be moving to Cincinnati ina couple of months. We were there this past weeked and really liked Mason and all it has to offer. What has your experience been since you moved?

Originally Posted by unc45040

We just relocated to Mason about 9 months ago from Detroit, and I have to say that the traffic isn't that bad at all. When it comes to traffic, guess it is all relative as I have lived all over the US and don't think Mason is horrible traffic wise at all. Just like any growing surbuban city, the traffic is what it is, but it isn't anything out of the ordinary for a city of its size that is booming like it is, but again, guess it is all relative. Best of luck in your move!