Country areas east of 271 (Chesterland, Chardon, Newbury, Russell, etc) (Cleveland: fit in, sales)

[HouseKid]

Hello,

I posted a similar message awhile ago asking about Newbury or South Russell. Now I am curious about Chesterland and Chardon. Which of these areas would you say is the best? Would you consider West Geauga or Chardon schools to be better? I know Chardon had the tragedy a few months ago but that could happen anywhere; I don't think it made the school bad. I also wouldn't mind Newbury or Russell Township. There doesn't seem to be much information about these areas. Good houses seem to sell quick so it must be a fairly popular area. Any opinions of the area or schools would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[LuvOrlando]

If you decide to move to a more rural area, remember that it is more rural. You may hear and even see coyotes. The occasional small bear appears. Ugly turkey vultures abound. People drive quickly down country roads.

Pizza delivery may be goog...it may be bad.

Not all the townships have their own police. Don't need them. You rely on the Sheriff for that sort of thing. Most people are totally fine with it. Some people have guns. Some people find it shocking. You make the call.

There is a lot of snow. It isn't like the west side. It isnt even like Solon. There is a LOT of snow. In fact, if you're coming from 480 down the 422 extension very early on a Sunday morning, you may find that they haven't even plowed yet sometime after you pass Solon. Seriously. If you don't have one, consider an SUV with 4 wheel drive.

Chardon is not super country, but it's close. I'd take Chardon High over West G.

It is a really nice area. Taxes beat Cuyahoga, that's for sure. I'd never suggest that you avoid it because it is so country-like.

Just be ready. A lot of people move out there and then complain about the animals and the snow.

[Peregrine]

Good post, Luv.

I would also take Chardon over all your choices. Rural yet suburban-ish enough. None of them are a bad choice if that's what you are "in to".

[Cleveland_Collector]

There's no information about them because they're essentially boring, semi rural areas. If you like that sort of thing, well water and septic systems, and (unless you live near downtown Chardon) driving a fair distance to get even the most basic of essentials, it's the place for you. It's not for me, but some really do love it. If you do move there, just please be sure to spare everyone at work the "gas price" diatribe. You and you alone are the one who chose to live 30+ miles away from the job.

Aside from the sales tax being 1% lower (and, you'll likely wind up doing most of your shopping in Cuyahoga County anyway), everything else is comparable. I haven't noticed a difference. For example, in Chesterland (44026), the median property tax paid in 2010 was $4,326. In my area (44131), the median for nearly the same year (2009) was $2,973. Accounting for everything from local tax to property values, it's close to being a wash.

[Marty711]

Of the two, I'd pick Chesterland. As much as I like Chardon and its little square, I prefer Chesterland for its easier access to more shopping and restaurants. Chesterland is only 10-15 minutes from I-271 and Mayfield Heights. That alone seals the deal for me. Chesterland has everything you need for daily essentials (a large grocery store, drug store, etc.) and the Mayfield area has everything else you would need. While Chardon has a Wal-Mart and Home Depot, you have to drive a good 30 minutes before you find any areas with a good variety of stores and food.

[Cleveland_Collector]

I have family who moved to Chesterland. They complain about how far they have to drive to get anywhere (My typical response: "Well, you did move there.") This includes the Giant Eagle at West G Square. They moved there from Wickliffe. Just something to keep in mind.

[HouseKid]

Thanks for the posts everyone! I just like the idea of having 5x the land for the same price as Wickliffe or Mayfield. It also seems like good houses in these areas sell much quicker than more populated areas (because you have a lot less competition). My issue with buying a house there is the septic system. Surprisingly enough a lot of people want to sell their homes "AS IS." I'd never accept a home without knowing the septic and well are good!

[LuvOrlando]

Originally Posted by HouseKid

Thanks for the posts everyone! I just like the idea of having 5x the land for the same price as Wickliffe or Mayfield. It also seems like good houses in these areas sell much quicker than more populated areas (because you have a lot less competition). My issue with buying a house there is the septic system. Surprisingly enough a lot of people want to sell their homes "AS IS." I'd never accept a home without knowing the septic and well are good!

That is what inspectors are for. you shouldn't buy anything without having it all inspected by someone you trust.

If well water and septic systems frighten you, you'll be much happier in a city with those things. The downside is rust color. You have to position your sprinkler heads so they aren't sprinkling the house and driveway. If you clean your own toilets, find out what works to keep them shiny white. You have to set it to re-do its thing in the middle of the night so that your laundry doesnt turn orange...but they set it and once it is set, thats it.

The upside is that you don't pay water/sewer. You can trickle your faucet all day long for the cat to drink from and it costs nothing.

We got a good generator after that big outage about ten years ago because you need electricity to run water. It's great. Power never out. Water never undrinkable. They could shut down all the power and water and you'd still be chugging along fine.

But if it scares you, it is likely that other things will, too. You might want to think hard about living elsewhere. Seriously. Living in more rural areas is not for everyone.

[LongTrail23]

Despite the Collector's contempt for places like Russell, Chardon and Chesterland, they can be an excellent choice if you understand and enjoy the small town lifestyle.

Again, it depends on what you like. I know my wife and I both love going into DT Cleveland, Tremont, OC and Uni. Circle just about every weekend, even though we live out in Geauga County. Yes the drive can feel like a haul, but it is all about expectations. We knew what we were getting into and, for us(!), the positives outweighed the negatives.

Our biggest negative in living out here is the lack of diversity. You will see great economic diversity in a place like Chardon (vs. Russell IMO), but not much from a race/religion/lifestyle standpoint. Now I know some people actually want that and see it as a positive, but for us it was and always will be a knock to living out here.

We love the parks, space, scenery and serenity of living out here. If you live near Chardon’s town center, you never have to drive very far to get anything. Wal-Mart, Home Depot, many grocery stores and other “necessity” type places are all in town. One thing that is great about Chardon is the square and it’s independent stores/shops. There have been some recent additions with Noche Pizza (BYOB/W!), Chardon BrewWorks & Eatery, Morgan’s Place and of course Beans Coffee shop. I think downtown Chagrin Falls (closer to Russell) is “nicer” and has much more foot traffic/activity, but the square is a nice asset to the Chardon community.

I think the best thing to do, if you can, is to get out and drive around the different places you are considering and see how they fit into your lifestyle and what you are looking for in a community. If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me and I’ll do my best to help. Good luck!

Oh yeah – winters are not for the faint of heart.