Moving back to Columbus after 46 years (Upper Arlington, Dublin: apartment complexes, rental, condos)

[bresdo]

I was born in Columbus and my family moved to California when
I was almost 6 year old. To this day I have been a huge Buckeye
fan and it was not easy growing up with all those UCLA & USC
fans giving me crap as a kid. Right now I am living in Hawaii with
my 2 girls ages 12 & 14. Been here 6 years now and it is great but
cost of living is getting too much to handle. This will be a move
next summer so my girls will not miss any school. I have no idea
where to live and need some help in that regard. For me education
is the utmost importance and both my girls are A+ students and
high achievers. As well they are both athletically gifted in soccer
and running. I would like to rent a house in the $2000 a month area
in a good school district. So I look forward to your guidance and
assistance in helping me find our new home.

[robertfoshizzle]

There are many school districts that should meet your standards. Do you prefer to be close to downtown? Or are you okay with being 20-25 minutes away?

[bresdo]

Originally Posted by robertfoshizzle

There are many school districts that should meet your standards. Do you prefer to be close to downtown? Or are you okay with being 20-25 minutes away?

Right now I have no preference at all. Just number one a great school to attend. Being 20 minutes for the city is not a big deal. After all I did grow up in LA and dealt with traffic my entire life.

[robertfoshizzle]

Okay, I think I have some very good ideas of what you are looking for. There are about 8 school districts I think you should consider. I will have to give you the rundown tomorrow when I have more time, but hopefully I can be of assistance.

[bresdo]

Originally Posted by robertfoshizzle

Okay, I think I have some very good ideas of what you are looking for. There are about 8 school districts I think you should consider. I will have to give you the rundown tomorrow when I have more time, but hopefully I can be of assistance.

Appreciate the help at least one person is coming forward.

[jbcmh81]

The top school districts are: Suburban- Dublin, New Albany, Worthington... Urban- Upper Arlington, Bexley, Grandview Heights. All are excellent.

[Supergrrl7]

Because there are quite a few very good school districts, it might be helpful if you described your ideal house and neighborhood. Do you plan to rent long-term or just until you get established and then buy a house? Needing to rent makes things a little more tricky in selecting a school district. If you plan to buy eventually, what is your price range? I assume you wouldn't want to switch districts or schools once your kids get settled?

[bresdo]

Originally Posted by Supergrrl7

Because there are quite a few very good school districts, it might be helpful if you described your ideal house and neighborhood. Do you plan to rent long-term or just until you get established and then buy a house? Needing to rent makes things a little more tricky in selecting a school district. If you plan to buy eventually, what is your price range? I assume you wouldn't want to switch districts or schools once your kids get settled?

I am looking to rent long term.....6 more years and both my girls are off to college so not sure where I will want to be once that happens.

[Supergrrl7]

If you are renting for 6 years, it is likely just as cost effective in Ohio to own a smaller house or a condo which you could sell once your kids are in college. You can buy a condo for $200,000 and pay less than $2,000 a month. I point this out because you may not consider buying if you are moving from such a high cost of living area. I also wonder about finding a rental property that you could continue to rent for 6 years. Of course, there are other expenses involved in home ownership, but it is still something to think about.

If you are committed to renting, I would say Dublin or Worthington are most likely to have rental houses and also very good schools. New Albany has some apartment complexes and condos as rental properties. Finding a rental in Grandview schools, Upper Arlington or Bexley might be challenging, but not impossible given your price range.

Another thing to consider if your girls are very into sports is that soccer is very competitive here. I know our district has both an A and B team for Junior Varsity and there are still some girls that are cut. A lot of girls have been playing travel and club soccer for many years, so tryouts are very tough. Voluntary practices start early in the summer, so I would plan to move as early as possible so the coaches can get familiar with your daughters before tryouts. I wouldn't be afraid to reach out to your daughter's potential coaches in the spring to see what you can do to help them prepare.

The low cost of living here is going to be a bit of a shock, I suspect. I would also prepare yourself for some pretty serious culture shock. There is a big cultural difference between Hawaii and the midwest. I would also expect your first few winters to feel very bleak if you aren't used to them.

Good luck in your move!

[bresdo]

Originally Posted by Supergrrl7

If you are renting for 6 years, it is likely just as cost effective in Ohio to own a smaller house or a condo which you could sell once your kids are in college. You can buy a condo for $200,000 and pay less than $2,000 a month. I point this out because you may not consider buying if you are moving from such a high cost of living area. I also wonder about finding a rental property that you could continue to rent for 6 years. Of course, there are other expenses involved in home ownership, but it is still something to think about.

If you are committed to renting, I would say Dublin or Worthington are most likely to have rental houses and also very good schools. New Albany has some apartment complexes and condos as rental properties. Finding a rental in Grandview schools, Upper Arlington or Bexley might be challenging, but not impossible given your price range.

Another thing to consider if your girls are very into sports is that soccer is very competitive here. I know our district has both an A and B team for Junior Varsity and there are still some girls that are cut. A lot of girls have been playing travel and club soccer for many years, so tryouts are very tough. Voluntary practices start early in the summer, so I would plan to move as early as possible so the coaches can get familiar with your daughters before tryouts. I wouldn't be afraid to reach out to your daughter's potential coaches in the spring to see what you can do to help them prepare.

The low cost of living here is going to be a bit of a shock, I suspect. I would also prepare yourself for some pretty serious culture shock. There is a big cultural difference between Hawaii and the midwest. I would also expect your first few winters to feel very bleak if you aren't used to them.

Good luck in your move!

Thanks for the advice...my oldest daughter has been playing club soccer the past 6 years and
doing the ODP thing the past 2 years. She is very competitive and sure she will do fine in Ohio.

I will start researching your suggestions and try and find a suitable place to live. We spent a year in
South Korea so have experienced the changing of the seasons as well as a very cold winter.

We are very easy going and like to be part of our community so think the Mid-West value system
should do us nicely.