What Do You Want From Your House? (Youngstown, Norwood: cul-de-sac, real estate)

[kjbrill]

I have started a couple of threads here which have been reasonably successful in terms of responses. So let's see where this one goes.

What is it you want from your house? Examples of old-world architecture and craftsmanship? What? To kick this off, these are my criteria:

• Comfort. To me this is foremost an air conditioning and furnace system which overcomes our nasty climate here. Has to be efficient enough my utility bills are not out of sight. This includes the vinly replacement windows (the dreadful vinyl) I installed to increase the efficiency. Kicking myself in the a** for not doing it sooner.
• Pleasant surroundings. To me this equates to my 1 acre lot and the tranquility it brings. My neighbors are pleasant people, but our separation is such we are not in each other's faces. There are a few who have moved in more recently, whom frankly I have not met personally. But this does not seem to be a problem. I am the old fart and they are younger. The spacing allows everyone to do their own thing.
• My house is definitely suburban shoddy. Architecture - a box. Workmanship - non existent. Materials - railroad salvage. But you know what, if I can maintain it for our needs I have no desire to move.

So let's hear it from the rest of you. Why do you live where you do, and what do you expect of it?

[progmac]

good thread.

- amenities within walking distance. my favorite place to see my car is parked. i like to be able to walk to the grocery store, some type of general goods store, and also be able to walk to public transportation. i want my kids to walk to school.
- nearby neighbors. where i live now i have a 37.5 foot wide lot and there are five adjacent houses with the same lot size on our block. impromptu neighborhood chats are a common occurrence, and when i am outside gardening or similar, neighborhood kids will come and ask to help out. we just have a good time and trust each other. this is invaluable to me.
- a house with lots of light and air circulation and without vinyl siding

[JR_C]

I know I'm from the wrong corner of the state, but I liked this thread and felt compelled to reply.

I also like living in an urban environment, with amenities in walking distance, and neighbors to talk to.

I don't mind living adjacent to a park or wooded area, though. My current house backs into Mill Creek Park on Youngstown's west side, so I have views of the woods. I'm in the process of buying another house that happens to be across the street from Wick Park, a 34 acre urban park on Youngstown's north side that is more manicured.

As far as the house itself is concerned, I like an old house, preferably as original as possible. My current house was built in 1915. While it has some nice details, and original unpainted woodwork, it has also been hacked up over the years. (vinyl siding, vinyl windows, glass sliding door punched into back wall of dining room, etc.) The house I'm trying to buy on the north side is in a historic district, was designed by an architect in 1902, and is almost completely original. (except for the bathroom and kitchen, which will need redone)

[Sarah Perry]

It IS a good idea for a thread. I want a low-crime neighborhood and privacy first and foremost. That could mean either a low-traffic street or on a cul-de-sac, despite the issues involving land use and sprawl. Don't necessarily need a lot of space in the house, but need space that can be organized in an efficient, useable manner. I love the small lawn area we have right now surrounding the house, although the lot is close to an acre and mostly heavily wooded. The walkable neighborhood is also a big plus, which contributes to the feeling of community and the neighbors knowing each other.

[Ohiogirl81]

Both houses I've purchased -- in Madisonville and outside Philadelphia -- were chosen based first on affordablility, and second on location. After looking at dozens of houses in Hyde Park, Oakley and Norwood, I discovered I'd get more house for my money in Madisonville. At the time, I was working in Batavia, so the location was ideal, allowing me to live in the city but a reasonable distance from work.

My cute little Cape Cod in Madisonville, which I sold for $95,000 in 2005, would have cost me about $250,000 here. I had to compromise, and the compromises were location (the 'burb I live in now was not my first choice because of the high price of real estate in this area) and style of home (semi-detached instead of detached). Oh, well. It's a pleasant enough home, and the immediate neighborhood and my neighbors do remind me of my old 'hood.

[kjbrill]

Keep it coming on. Some of the respondents I would expect. While divergent in many aspects, I keep pulling out the same attributes, safe, quiet and friendly neighborhood, affordability, etc. While we may disagree as to the best method of achiving these, the common desires to me outweigh the differences. As long as good people desire a good place to live, there is hope for the future.

[progmac]

kjbrill - yes. i think any good metro area should offer both suburban quiet large lot living and quality urban and compact neighborhood living. place like indy and louisville have done this. cincinnati seems to be well on its way.

[Wilson513]

1. Location
2. Charm

[Cincy Rider]

A house with good bones and updated mechanicals, i.e. solid foundation, solid roof, newer and efficient furnace, hot water heater. Drains all clear and no galvanized plumbing. Clean basement, usuable for a workshop or storage.

Original (or close) charm, no hacked-up wood and brick work. Enough liveable square footage to support lifestyle and family.

Driveway and garage, these are a must, to me!!

Enough space for a lawn, landscaping and garden.

Mature tree-lined street.

Just the basics.

[progmac]

mature tree-line street. that is a good one. with the brand new subdivisions, the houses look like they sprouted from the earth...i think if i were looking in the suburbs, that reason alone would keep me from any new construction. even 20 years can do a lot for the trees on a street. a lot of places these days are requiring developers to keep trees of a certain diameter. of course, if you're subdividing farmland, this wouldn't be an issue.