Coming to Cincinnati (Dayton, Fairfield, Kent: for sale, apartment complex, leasing agent)

[perre]

Hi all!

My name is Pierre and I'm a French 27 years old guy.
I'm going to move in Cincinnati next August. I will be working for GE (close to Springdale) and I start to look for a place to live.
I've heard about MountAdams, it seems a bit far from work but I don't mind.
I'm looking for a place with a night life and some art, theatre, sport activities... Not easy!
Do you have some tip or ideas for me?
Thank you

Pierre

[Pathwalker]

How much are you wanting to spend for housing? Basically, you're right on target with Mt. Adams, but it is VERY expensive up there because of the magnificent views of the Ohio river, downtown Cincinnati, and Northern Kentucky.

Downtown Cincinnati itself would be a bit cheaper for housing, but also a bit more dangerous. Parking downtown is a real hassle (unless you pay for a parking space in a garage, which is expensive as well). But there are a lot of new condos, lofts and apartments being rehabbed or built downtown, as well as along the riverfront in Northern Kentucky - Bellevue, Newport, Covington. Being in Northern Kentucky is VERY popular right now, and you have easy access to all the amenities you're looking for, and you might not have the parking hassles that come with living in Mt. Adams or downtown. However, there are also places at the foot of Mt. Adams, right along the river's edge, which would still keep you close to what you're looking for.

The truth is, there are other places in the area that might have nightlife, or arts, or theater, or sports - but they don't usually have them ALL, the way they do in areas immediately around downtown.

Here are some links you can look at to get a better idea for what is out there....

Mt Adams Today

Mt. Adams (broken link)

Cincinnati Nightlife :: The Online Guide to Cincinnati, The Cincinnati Atlas is your complete city guide to entertainment, hotels, restaurants, events, businesses, nightlife, arts, music, movies and sports in Cincinnati ::

Cincinnati USA

Northern Kentucky: The Southern Side of Cincinnati --

[perre]

Thanks a lot for all the information!!!
This is usefull for sure.
To answer you, I can pay around 1000 to 1200$. Maybe more if it is really worth it. Iwill be pretty well paid as an expatriate. I would prefer a 2 bedroom appartment though.
I've also heard about hyde park and Oakley. Is it also nice there?
One question again, how long is it to drive to Springdale from Mount Adams in the morning? Is there a lot of traffic around Cincinnati?
Thanks again for all. I will look at the websites.

Pierre

[Pathwalker]

Originally Posted by perre

Thanks a lot for all the information!!!
This is usefull for sure.
To answer you, I can pay around 1000 to 1200$. Maybe more if it is really worth it. Iwill be pretty well paid as an expatriate. I would prefer a 2 bedroom appartment though.
I've also heard about hyde park and Oakley. Is it also nice there?
One question again, how long is it to drive to Springdale from Mount Adams in the morning? Is there a lot of traffic around Cincinnati?
Thanks again for all. I will look at the websites.

Pierre

You will have no problem finding an apartment in that price range - even for a 2 bedroom. You could look anywhere downtown, Mt. Adams, or Northern Kentucky and find something in that price range.

Oakley is okay for the most part. There are some good areas in Oakley, and some not-so-good areas there. Oakley and Hyde Park are basically one big contiguous area, with Hyde Park being MUCH nicer than Oakley. Oakley is changing though - becoming nicer with many rehabs, and there are some neat shops and bars in the area. Hyde Park is a lot of older, large homes. Pretty classy, but the apartments there are a lot more expensive. However, you would be able to find something in your price range with no problems.

As for the drive from Mt. Adams, this may not be what you want to hear, but the traffic in Cincinnati can be a mess, especially during rush hour - but usually only in certain areas. You'll want to avoid I-75 completely, from West Chester all the way down to Florence Kentucky. Avoid I-71 between Fields-Ertel Road and the Norwood Lateral (SR 562). Avoid I-275 between I-75 on the north side, all the way east and south around the city to SR 125 (Beechmont Avenue).

Those are the major headaches. Cincinnati has various other thoroughfares that obviously get more traffic during rush hour, but they are too numerous to list all of them. Main ones I would avoid would be:

• Colerain Avenue (US 27)
• Cross County Highway
• Norwood Lateral (SR 562)
• Montgomery Road
• Mason-Montgomery Road
• SR 32 between Newtown and Batavia
• Beechmont Avenue from Five Mile Road all the way out to Amelia in Clermont County
• Tylersville Road in West Chester
• Dixie Highway in Fairfield
• I-471 south from downtown to Highland Heights and on down to Alexandria (no longer an interstate past Highland Heights, but still busy)
• I-275 from the airport over to I-471.

It would probably be wise to give yourself at least 30-40 minutes to get to work from Mt. Adams or the riverfront area.

Keep in mind there are many other places to live in the area where the commute time would not be so bad, and you could still get to the arts, nightclubs, restaurants, theaters and sports venues within 30 minutes. The apartments would be cheaper, so you could actually get a lot more for your money.....fireplace, jacuzzi, swimming pool, balcony, lakeside locations, etc... I can tell you more about them if you'd like.

[perre]

thanks again!
I don't mind too much if it takes 40 minutes, I leave in Paris and I need an hour or more to go to work...
Do you have an idea of the best way to look for an apartment from abroad?
I'm coming in 2 weeks, but it would be nice to already have some appointments.

Pierre

[Pathwalker]

Your best bet would be to look at Apartments.com or Find Apartments For Rent, Rentals, Roommates, Moving Companies and More - ForRent.com. That way you can get an idea about what the buildings look like, as well as floor plans.

Another thing you can do is go to craigslist: cincinnati, OH classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events, and do a search for the apartments that are advertised there. You'll find them in the "Housing" category, under "Apts/Housing". Many of them have pictures available.

For now, those really would be the best thing to do, unless you consult a leasing agent in the area.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

[1914BU]

I've done my share of apartment searches over the years and I always check out this site. Cincinnati Apartments for Rent with Ratings & Reviews by Cincinnati Renters at ApartmentRatings.com.

I have a lot of experience reading that site, and I would suggest you not pay much attention to the numbers, but it is worth reading what people post. I tend to ignore a lot of the posts from those who complain about the apartment staffs (figure they just didn't get along) but I certainly pay attention to any concerns about safety or other common in apartment concerns.

Edit: One other thing to look for in those reviews. The more expensive the apartments, the much harsher the reviews. This makes sense because the more you pay the more you expect. So often times you'll see an apartment that costs half as much get better ratings than the more expensive apartments. But usually it has to do with expectations of the renters. So beware of the inexperience apartments that get good ratings - read what people post - if there is a lot of "not bad for the money type post", I would stay away from those.

[Crew Chief]

Pierre, the good news is that if you'll be at the Jet Engine facility in Springdale, there is PLENTY of parking at the facility. And you'll be able to see it from I-75 as you sit in traffic... Seriously, Cincinnati traffic is about like any other medium-sized American city. And sometimes Americans drive as crazy as Parisians. So you will be right at home, in that regard. I do think you'll like the Cincinnati area; there is a lot to do in the Metro area. I'll defer to those who live down there for housing advice (I live up in the Dayton area. Welcome!

[Pathwalker]

Pierre, regarding the ratings at apartmentratings.com, all I can say is keep an open mind when you read the comments from people. I used to live in an apartment complex in Fairfield that was one of the highest rated complexes in the area when I moved in. After I moved in, I found it to be a really nice place. But when new management took over, the rating suddenly went downhill fast - and the only thing that had really changed was the landscaping wasn't being taken care of the same way it had been previously. Most of the people who complained were just whining. It was still a decent complex, but the whiners made the rating drop. Even some of the really nice complexes have complaints, and I've personally thought they were extremely nice places to live.

Unless it is a really new and maticulously landscaped complex, you're going to need to see the places for yourself, in person. Near where I live in West Chester, there are some fantastic apartments that overlook a lake, and they are really nice. Very new and clean. It's not close to arts or the theater and nightlife that you want, but most people in Cincinnati live in the suburbs and they still drive to all the cultural spots and sports arenas. It's just what people do when they want to go out. It actually GIVES them a feeling of doing something, because they're GOING somewhere outside the area where they live. Just something to keep in mind.

If you want my humble advice, you might want to consider renting an apartment in a private home, or duplex. In Hyde Park and Mt. Adams, you will find a LOT of places like that, and they have SO MUCH more charm than a bland apartment in an apartment complex. You'd be much more likely to find something with character....a fireplace, brick wall, modern kitchen, skylights, jacuzzi, private deck, etc....

Good luck and keep us informed about how things are going!

[perre]

thanks for all your posts,
I will come next week in Cincinnati to see around (and work) and try to make a final idea.
I will tell you what will happen...

Pierre