Likely move to Cleveland - East Side - Need Advice (Cincinnati: rental, buying a house)

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by deskjockey

City of Solon and Solon Schools are no better or worse than many other communities in NEO. The exception being Chagrin Falls. Think for yourself and do what is good for you and your family, long term.

So you're saying that Chagrin Falls schools are better than Solon schools based on what exactly? I think I've made my stance on Ohio's educational rating system very clear, but if anything Chagrin Falls itself is a much smaller and slightly whiter version of Solon, which is reflected in the school system. The same can really be said of Kirtland (mentioned upthread). All of these communities have a demographic profile that would almost certainly mask any serious issues with the schools that serve them. One thing to keep an eye on is that the Chagrin Falls school district seems like it could be on the verge of a messy and divisive labor war on par with what occurred in Strongsville.

[Marty711]

Originally Posted by reretarff

Solon has nice smaller houses that are for rent for a reasonable price, along with very nice apartments.

I'm curious, where are these houses and apartments you speak of? There's two large apartment complexes in Solon. Liberty Hill which doesn't have the best reputation while being on the edge of the OP's price range. The other is Solon Park which is woefully outdated which is why it's priced so low. As far as pricing goes, it would be very hard to find any houses going cheaper than $1300 per month in Solon. That's not to say they don't exist but the pickings would be pretty slim at below $1000. Solon is a fine community but it doesn't work well for the OP for many reasons including price.

[Marty711]

I think the OP is looking in the right area for their needs. The Hillcrest/Beachwood areas have tremendous accessibility. We moved to the area under similar circumstances as the OP and picked that area because it's easy to get to the entire region. All the access and assets you need are nearby and In a very comfortable neighborhood. The issue is others like it for those same reasons. There's a large demand for rentals but a very small market so prices are inflated. Not to mention, they are fairly desirable suburbs. Mayfield Heights is an underrated burb because of its schools and location. If you are looking for a best bargain, it's hard to beat it. The house and street may not have a ton of curb appeal compared to more upscale cities but the location and stability of the area makes up for it. I do think you can find rentals in your range there but the neighborhood probably won't be comparable to a Beachwood.


I think finding anything under $1200 won't be easy unless you expand your market or change your criteria a little. Ruling out Cleveland Hts, University Hts, South Euclid and Shaker really limits yourself since much of the local mid priced rental market is in those cities. Willoughby wouldn't be a bad compromise (I'd pick there over Eastlake) and while it doesn't have the upscale rep of Beachwood, it's a safe city and both downtown and the 271 corridors are a short jaunt.

[akltj22]

Thanks for all of the info guys. And I apologize for neglecting the thread. I was traveling most of the day yesterday. I was happy to return to find such useful posts though.

I think at this point I will start focusing on looking for properties in the Mayfield/Highland Heights, Beachwood, and Willoughby areas and see where I can find the best value. I think all of these areas would likely provide the living environment we are looking for. While we could increase our budget for a rental, I'd like to keep the cost down as saving would be the primary goal for an eventual purchase (probably 6 to 12 months out). Thanks again!

[akltj22]

I forgot to list it, but what's the opinion of Chesterland? Is that an area we should consider?

[ehfp]

I'm not sure how big the rental market is there, and if your wife's at main campus, she'd be looking at a 45 minute commute at a minimum.

[akltj22]

I was curious if anyone had any experience or knowledge of the Tamarac apartment complex in Willoughby?

[maxmodder]

Originally Posted by akltj22

I was curious if anyone had any experience or knowledge of the Tamarac apartment complex in Willoughby?

Some say the west side is the best side but the east side is the sweet side.

Tamarac is very good, better than fox run across the street. If the jobs are Cleveland clinic and in kirtand, you should also seriously check out Stone Pointe on 5050 Som Center Road. This gives quick access to 90 and also route 2. Better than taking Hodgson to 306 and dealing with Mentor traffic on your way to kirtland.

Eastlake...no. I was just there this past weekend and was not impressed. Eastlake will become the next Euclid before long.

I would rent at Stone Pointe or around there (check out craigslist for homes to rent) until you can find yourself a nice home in Willoughby Hills. Is your wife's work the location on E. 100th? If so, it's a 16 mile trip 20-30 minutes depending on traffic.

[akltj22]

Well we had some difficulty with Tamarac. They never could consistently tell us what they had available and when (about three different versions) so we gave up with them as they couldn't confidently accommodate our timeline for moving across the country. I looked into Stone Point but never could get in touch with anyone so we moved on.

I finally found what appears to be a clean, decent complex: Windsor Place in Mentor-On-The-Lake. They had a decent rate, the space and amenities we were looking for, and could work with our move-in schedule. So far they have been very pleasant to work with. I hope that continues. I know this puts my wife a bit further from downtown/Cleveland Clinic but it seemed to be the best fit for us for now (or the next 12 months at least). If anyone knows anything about this area that we should be aware of before moving please let us know.

Thanks again for all of the replies!

[maxmodder]

Windsor is a pretty nice place also. You will be right around the corner from the best barbers in the state of Ohio. Place is called My Ol Time Barber Shop. Check out the Mentor Civic center and Bellflower park for outdoor park walking, as both are very close to Windsor.