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Sorry for your troubles. The Heights (CH, SH, or UH) is perfect for you, based on everything I’ve read from your posts, current and prior.
The reality check is that $7K is typical, if not low, tax wise…and you will almost certainly need to bid above asking price to land a home in the Heights.
It’s been 1.5 years now, but I recall bidding nearly 20% above asking price to land our place in CH. It was probably slight overkill, but we wanted to insure we scored the home, as there was strong competition. In any event, I don’t know how much the market has shifted since then, but your local realtor should be guiding you.
If the numbers simply don’t work for the Heights, you’ll need to make some compromises from your ideal spot, and that’s perfectly fine. I’d start separating your “must haves” from your “nice to haves”, and continuing to test potential landing spots with folks in this forum.
IMO, Lake County is not your cup of tea, for reasons I recall posting previously. It’s OK if others disagree with me. I personally like it, but that’s not what matters.
Good luck and hang in there!
It's funny, I come from a place where a house that is $7000, in good condition, on an attractive boulevard would be thought of as a steal.
Taxes are all over the place. This is honestly the highest we have encountered. And one correction - it's not in the Heights. It's in South Euclid, on Belvoir. We lost a beautiful contemporary, not because of our bid, but someone beat us to it.
I don't understand a house with no added amenities in South Euclid having $7000 taxes, when the one we really wanted - which had an addition, a deck and a few other changes that generally hike up the rent, has lower taxes than a house that hasn't been touched since it was built in 1971 or whatever.
We have added to our list already. At first we only wanted SH, UH and CH. I think we have at least 4 or 5 other municipalities. One or two are really not our favorites.
We have made many concessions. We are not the brats you see on HGTV. We don't run out of a house because it's missing an updated kitchen or it has paneled walls.
We already live 6-7 miles away from our best friends and children. We didn't move South because THEY don't like people like us. They have bad food and they're still fighting the Civil War.
They aren't crazy about Ohioans, but they HATE New Yorkers. We tried PA and found it to be provincial, unfriendly, and mean. Their only activities were hunting and fishing.
Do we miss our home state? Pretty much every day. We think the areas that we have chosen are the closest to the NYC metro area. There is an electrifying "buzz" in NYC. And we feel that, at least to some degree, in Cleveland.
And, from someone who has roots going back almost 300 years in New York, that is a compliment.
Just a thought, but are you also considering condos? That market may not be so tight and fast moving (just guessing).
The Heights area is rife with condos, and it really does sound like the best fit for you two. Be sure to include the Cleveland portions of Ludlow, Shaker Square, and Larchmere in your search.
A duplex may be worth considering too.
I'll also echo the others that N. Collinwood/Euclid is a solid alternative to consider.
You might even consider Lee-Miles, Highland Hills, and Warrensville Heights if you can nab a place not far from Shaker.
My advice comes mostly from our two friends who live and are from Cleveland. One lives in Beachwood. The other in Lakewood.
A couple we know think we will feel that the cities on the shore are "far". I should also mention that I can't drive at night. Not legally, but I see too many reflections. We admit that we do like being close to things. Anything. gas stations - my husband is on the road a lot, department stores, discount stores, Whole Foods - (I've been without that for almost a decade, and I hate it - WF I mean - drugstores, hairdressers, cafes gyms, interesting boutiques etc.
There are some expensive places that I don't like because they are inconvenient.
My husband is afraid if having to drive more than 40 minutes to buy a good bagel. I'm not exaggerating. We haven't had any issue with good pizza in Ohio. We don't like it delivered, though.
I am a Christian and I'd like to attend church not only on Sunday but there are sometimes classes and other events during the week. I am not an Evangelical Christian. Some of the outlying areas have mainly Fundamentalist churches.
My husband is Jewish. He hasn't set foot in a Temple in over 15 years. However, he likes to know a Reform Temple is there.
Like others, he wants a Jewish Presence.
I fully understand that and he is hardly the first non-Religious Jew I've heard that from. Especially in today's climate.
A friend of mine lives in Kirtland. She's someone I have known since boarding school. She thinks my list is "generous" and includes places that are very "unlike me".
Kirtland is very pretty and historic, but I don't really think it would be a great fit. For many reasons.
I'm going to check out a few places that you've both mentioned. I am afraid prices will continue to go out of control along with interest rates. Other than that, we are in no hurry. It's just so frustrating.
I found out this morning that our offer on a house that we both loved wasn't accepted.
There is a house on S.Belvior that is a possibility, but the Taxes are close to $7000! There are others very similar that are more in the 300s and 4000s.
We are NOT SNOBS. We are just NOT really from Ohio. In as much as I've said that NE Ohio is a lot more like the NYC area, including parts of the tristate area, we KNOW that area, If any of you were moving there, I'd have to say that not all places that you can afford, are for you.
My first house was a small cape cod - probably called a "bungalow" here. We loved it's proximity to the ocean beach - you could walk there - but it was known as a "rough" area. Not crime ridden, but crude, racist, tribal, and very bigoted.
Many people warned us not to live there. This was in the Mid 90s. As much as I loved the ocean and still do, I grew tired of having to keep my thoughts to myself, the constant sound of Rush Limbaugh's voice coming from car radios, the vulgar comments, and the racism.
Google Sirley NY. We did not fit in and at least my husband, who has a heavy Brooklyn accent and spent half of his childhood in East New York Brooklyn, felt uncomfortable.
People love that place! They want to be with others like themselves. They even stay there and buy $850,000 on homes in a horrible school district. We doubled our money and left. We never looked back.
We just want to feel at home in our home.
It sounds like Beachwood could be your ticket. I'm not saying this just because your hubby is Jewish and there are a lot of Jews and temples, temple schools, and Jewish museums in Beachwood -- the Maltz is particularly extensive and interesting -- but more so because Beachwood is diverse (Trump/MAGA is VERY unpopular in these parts) and close to a lot of shopping, restaurants and even mass transit -- the 2 ends of the Blue and Green Rapid rail lines are within walking distance of parts of western Beachwood.
And again for shopping, there are TONS of it within a 5-10 min drive, including Beachwood Place Mall (still the most upscale mall in the region), the Eton Collection, The Village (strip shopping) and new spots like Pinecrest and the compact, yet uber-hot Van Aken District just across the Beachwood border in SE Shaker Hts... Beachwood also puts you a comfortable drive to great natural areas such as the Shaker Lakes, Chagrin Valley (esp Chagrin River Rd which, sometimes, seems right out of a dream), quaint New England-y Chagrin Falls and, ... back the other way (West) toward Cleveland, the University Circle museums/culture/culinary, Shaker Square/Larchmere and all the hip, cool, walkable old-style (and booming) Cleveland Heights mixed-use walking "Main Street" districts.
Beachwood, which is more of a Middle Ring burb, sits directly on 1-271, the eastern leg of Cleveland's perimeter freeway network.
And while Beachwood is far from cheap -- it's a middle/upper-middle-class suburb, I think if you guys snoop around you can find something reasonable there -- hit Zillow hard, if you haven't already done so.
A couple we know think we will feel that the cities on the shore are "far". I should also mention that I can't drive at night. Not legally, but I see too many reflections. We admit that we do like being close to things. Anything. gas stations - my husband is on the road a lot, department stores, discount stores, Whole Foods - (I've been without that for almost a decade, and I hate it - WF I mean - drugstores, hairdressers, cafes gyms, interesting boutiques etc.
Mentor residents certainly are very close to "things," especially recreational amenities (including Mentor Headlands Beach State Park, Holden Arboretum, and excellent Lake Metroparks), and massive retail offerings.
My husband is afraid if having to drive more than 40 minutes to buy a good bagel. I'm not exaggerating. We haven't had any issue with good pizza in Ohio. We don't like it delivered, though.
There are bagels and delis in Mentor. I can't attest to their relative quality. I doubt if there is a deli as good as Jack's, or Corky & Lenny's. There was a Slyman's in Mentor, but it closed during the pandemic and I don't know if it will reopen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheena12
I am a Christian and I'd like to attend church not only on Sunday, but there are sometimes classes and other events during the week. I am not an Evangelical Christian. Some of the outlying areas have mainly Fundamentalist churches.
There are many mainline Protestant congregations in Lake County. E.g., Painesville's square has two century-old churches, including the very beautiful United Methodist Church. I know there's a Methodist Church on Lakeshore in Euclid, just across from Sims Park.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheena12
My husband is Jewish. He hasn't set foot in a Temple in over 15 years. However, he likes to know a Reform Temple is there.
Like others, he wants a Jewish Presence.
Mentor reportedly has Lake County's only Jewish congregation. Perhaps visit or contact to discuss what it's like to be Jewish in Lake County. Admittedly, the Jewish presence pales versus Beachwood and nearby suburbs. Mentor is about 20 miles and 21 minutes from Beachwood, according to Google.
A friend of mine lives in Kirtland. She's someone I have known since boarding school. She thinks my list is "generous" and includes places that are very "unlike me".
Kirtland is very pretty and historic, but I don't really think it would be a great fit. For many reasons.
Can't address this concern without much more granularity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheena12
As much as I loved the ocean and still do, I grew tired of having to keep my thoughts to myself, the constant sound of Rush Limbaugh's voice coming from car radios, the vulgar comments, and the racism.
Have you ever visited Mentor Headlands Beach, let alone the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve?
Again, I really don't believe that Lake County is a hotbed of radical Republican politics, but I may be much more insensitive to it than you. Western Lake County has a Democratic state senator. I'm certainly relatively outspoken, but have never been in a political argument or fight with anyone in Lake County, but I don't seek them out. Political signs on my street were split 50/50 in 2020, and I don't post signs.
I really don't know how a heavy Brooklyn accent plays anywhere, but I suspect personality also plays a part in how it's perceived. E.g., a gregarious person probably has little problem with any accent.
I certainly understand how you would enjoy greatly living in an eastern suburb if you can find a house that fits your budget. I would consider it, but I more greatly value the relative ease of living and the superior parks and nature preserves available to central Lake County residents. I don't swim in Lake Erie, but I enjoy visits to the beach.
There may be organizations in Lake County that would greatly enhance your enjoyment of the area, such as the Willoughby Fine Arts Association and senior centers. Perhaps check out meet-up.com for any area you're considering.
What perplexes me is why you're considering Richmond Heights, but not Euclid or Lake County.
I found out this morning that our offer on a house that we both loved wasn't accepted.
There is a house on S.Belvior that is a possibility, but the Taxes are close to $7000! There are others very similar that are more in the 300s and 4000s.
How much is the house that has $7k in taxes? I'm just curious. That's about what we pay in taxes and our house is assessed at just under $700k.
Edit: For context, I ask because I am retiring from full-time work at the end of June and my wife has a few more years to go. Preliminarily we have discussed whether we will stay put in northern VA or if we might want to make a move. Cleveland is one of the cities we've discussed (I'm originally from the Youngstown area and she is from NW PA). If we made a move, an area with high walkability to shopping and restaurants would be ideal. We've talked about even renting downtown for a few summer months if possible.
Waiting for the next market crash, '07 style! Wasn't ready then but I will be........whenever it happens. Might be a month from now or 40 years, I'm ready! (Dives into room full of coins like Scrooge McDuck)
There is a decidedly east side bent to this and other. threads on this forum. The Westside suburbs are not full of bigots, MAGA zealots, and racists. Far from it. The inner and mid ring suburbs are decidedly more ethnic and progressive. With that you get higher housing prices, higher taxes, higher utility costs and most importantly more snow.
To address some of your concerns: newsfash, there are Jewish temples within 20 minutes of where I live in Avon Lake. 2 bagel shops within 12 minute. World lass health care with a newer Cleveland Clinic hospital and outpatient center within 10 minutes. Grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants galore including a small Italian and Greek restaurant. That is shocking to some of my east side friends. Schools are great. My neighborhood is surrounded by 2 parks. An award winning children’s library is in walking distance through the park. Lake Erie is a 1/2 mile away 25min away from the airport, East access to Lake Road and I-90. Downside is no Kosher Deli nearby. Plenty of churches including a Unitarian one within 15 min. The tax s on a 320k home will set you back $3800/yr. Utilities like water/sewer are $84/qtr. Crime rate is one of lowest in Ohio. Hidden taxes like car insurance and homeowners insurance 40% less. My financial guy moved here from University Heights and got his first car insurance bill. He was shocked to find it was the annual bill not the semi-annual one. The city services are excellent here. When it snows your residential street is plowed within hours. I must be crazy not to live in the higher crime, higher taxes eastern suburbs where it is hotter in the summer with more snow in the winter. I so much love to shovel snow. Oh yeah, we also don’t have a bunch ordinances like some of Heights communities which regulate what color or what type of siding you can have on your house. You might want to broaden your search to Bay Village, Westlake, Avon, and Avon Lake
It's legal to decide who you want to sell your home to. For example, I can imagine that some sellers would, for sentimental reasons, reject the offer of a buyer who plans to tear the house down and rebuild, even if that buyer offered a higher purchase price than another buyer.
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