Is Shaker Heights our best option?? (Cleveland, Parma: real estate, 2015, foreclosure)

[jvalentine1981]

Hello,

I have been studying up on the Cleveland area as my husband just accepted a new position within his current company....he would be working in Seven Hills. We have four kids ages: 15, 11, 5 and 3. So schools and neighborhoods are a big concern for me as a mom. My oldest is currently a student at a local Vocational High School here where we live now, we are concerned about finding a similar school when we move. He is interested in Computers especially IT or CAD programs. We will also need a good public school system for our other children.

I so far am really in love with Shaker Heights, I love the quaint, storybook type feel of the area. I love that homes are all historic, the tree lined streets, the overall feel. Since we will be moving away from our family the neighborhood will be a huge factor, we are looking for a community that is somewhat close knit. We also want a place with community style ammenities like a library, nice parks, etc. where we can hopefully meet other families and entertain our children.

We do not have alot to spend on our next home, I would be looking in the modest $75-150k range....we are looking for a 3-4 bedroom home with flexible space like a finished attic or basement where we could make an extra bedroom or play area as needed. Our dollars seem to stretch the farthest in Shaker Heights, I also liked the homes in University Heights but their schools do not seem to be as good there....not sure about the area.

So my main question would be is Shaker Heights our best option? Any similar towns that have modest home prices, quaint neighborhoods, good schools? What about vocational high schools--any recommendations?

[L2DB]

That might be a tight budget for SH and what you're looking for. Keep in mind that SH taxes are pretty high as well. That said, from a community aspect, it seems to have a lot of what you're looking for, though most cities are going to have a nearby library and parks. The only other potential option might be Mayfield/Mayfield Heights. I think you lose a bit of the quaintness, but it might be more affordable. I'll leave it to someone else to say whether there are any good options on westside or south of the city.

[1watertiger]

Look into Brecksville/Broadview Hts and Seven Hills.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

Look into Brecksville/Broadview Hts and Seven Hills.

I don't think either is realistic on that budget, but I could be wrong.

I would suggest maybe the Berea area?

[dr_j_planning]

Originally Posted by jvalentine1981

Hello,

I have been studying up on the Cleveland area as my husband just accepted a new position within his current company....he would be working in Seven Hills. We have four kids ages: 15, 11, 5 and 3. So schools and neighborhoods are a big concern for me as a mom. My oldest is currently a student at a local Vocational High School here where we live now, we are concerned about finding a similar school when we move. He is interested in Computers especially IT or CAD programs. We will also need a good public school system for our other children.

I so far am really in love with Shaker Heights, I love the quaint, storybook type feel of the area. I love that homes are all historic, the tree lined streets, the overall feel. Since we will be moving away from our family the neighborhood will be a huge factor, we are looking for a community that is somewhat close knit. We also want a place with community style ammenities like a library, nice parks, etc. where we can hopefully meet other families and entertain our children.

We do not have alot to spend on our next home, I would be looking in the modest $75-150k range....we are looking for a 3-4 bedroom home with flexible space like a finished attic or basement where we could make an extra bedroom or play area as needed. Our dollars seem to stretch the farthest in Shaker Heights, I also liked the homes in University Heights but their schools do not seem to be as good there....not sure about the area.

So my main question would be is Shaker Heights our best option? Any similar towns that have modest home prices, quaint neighborhoods, good schools? What about vocational high schools--any recommendations?

I am a resident of Shaker Heights; purchased my home in the Thornton Park neighborhood in January, 2014. However, I am single and cannot offer you a first-hand account of the Shaker Heights Public School District. I can tell you that the school district is incredibly well-resourced; it benefits from the highest property tax rates in the State of Ohio. The school district is extremely diverse (currently 47% black, 39% white, 7% mixed, 4% asian, 2% latino). This diversity is exhibited in the socioeconomic characteristics of the students as well (from families both wealthy and poor). Both the racial and socioeconomic diversity is due in part to Shaker Schools including a portion of the City of Cleveland in addition to the entire City of Shaker Heights. Demographic information on the school district, including historical data to help you establish trends, is available through the Ohio Department of Education (Enrollment Data | Ohio Department of Education). I can certainly share more detailed information about individual schools within the district if you wish to message me directly, as well as detailed information about nearby districts.

Based on your price range, you might consider the Lomond or Sussex neighborhoods if you are interested in Shaker Heights. Lomond Elementary School (K-4) currently serves both the Lomond and Sussex neighborhoods. After 4th grade, all Shaker students attend Woodbury (Grades 5-6), the Middle School (Grades 7-8) and the High School (Grades 9-12). The Lomond and Sussex neighborhoods are adjacent to one another, both south of Chagrin Boulevard, east of Lee Road, north of Scottsdale Boulevard and west of Warrensville Center Road. Lomond is generally the western half of this area (west of Glencairn Road) and Sussex is generally the eastern half of this area (east of Glencairn Road). Lomond is characterized by more two-family units and rentals, with some single-family homes, and Sussex is characterized by more single-family homes, with some two-family units and rentals. Both neighborhoods were essentially built pre-1960, with some newer townhouses constructed on the north end of Sussex near Chagrin Boulevard and Farnsleigh Road. Future redevelopment of the Van Aken District will be within walking distance of the Sussex neighborhood (The Van Aken District | Shaker Heights Ohio), whereas residents of Lomond can easily walk to Shaker Towne Centre at Chagrin Boulevard between Avalon and Lee Roads. The closest rapid transit service for both neighborhoods is the Blue Line, which runs along Van Aken Boulevard with stops at Warrensville Center, Farnsleigh, Lynnfield, Kenmore, Avalon and Lee (Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority | Public transit provider for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, Ohio).

There are a few other houses in Shaker within your price range, including a foreclosure in my neighborhood on Halburton Road. If you wish to learn more about real estate trends and the broader picture of development, property valuation change and demographic dynamics across Greater Cleveland, please message me directly. I would also encourage you to contact the planning director in any community you wish to consider. They can share trends in their communities and anticipated capital infrastructure improvements and development changes that may directly affect your investment.

Welcome to Cleveland!

[Enrico_Fermi]

Hey I know quite a bit about real estate values in the area. I sent you a private message. It may be tough on that budget, but Parma Heights might be a good option for you as well as a few other cities.

[hvtgeorgia]

We just moved to Shaker Heights from Central Georgia in June and LOVE IT! Our home is in Lomond and cost 140K. For that price we will be updating over the next few years, but the home is very livable now, just hasn't been updated since the late 80s/early 90s. We were fortunate enough to find a home that had a large den that had been added on with an open concept kitchen/den area. Most of the homes in the less than 150k price range did not have that. It has an attic that our 11 year old uses as his room and our 18 year old has the entire basement. Taxes are high, but for those you get great schools and good city services. Our taxes in Georgia were about 1/6 as much as they are here for a higher valued home. However, the schools were horrible and getting the local government to do anything was next to impossible.

Woodbury (5th & 6th) is fantastic, as is the high school. Every parent in the neighborhood has glowing reviews about Lomond Elem. as well. There are always families out walking and children outside playing. Our 11 year old made neighborhood friends very quickly. During the summer there were multiple family activities such as ice cream socials and movie night. I hear during the winter when it snows the hill behind Lomond Elem. is the place to be for children and adults alike for sledding. We have felt very welcome from the time we moved in.

I fell in love with the tree lined streets, the diversity and liberal mindset of the area, the history, the investment in education (Shaker was recently named the 17th most educated city in America), the proximity to museums and other downtown activities while still having a strong neighborhood feel. It really has felt like we moved into a storybook! Any other questions feel free to PM me. Headed out for our first Halloween here :-)

[missyFIONA]

I'll say consider Parma

[bjimmy24]

^ OP last signed in 12/17/2015.

[TheProf]

^... yeah, its old so never mind...