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Similar situation here, only we actually rented the place! Thankfully our unit was unharmed and we were vacating within the week.

Thanks so much, Living in Gin.

Thanks, Living in Gin, that would be great. I was thinking of hooking up with a real estate agency so that they could tour us around the prospective neighborhoods. Ultimately, we'd be buying, so I wouldn't feel too bad about it!

Sorry to be late responding, I didn't realize that there had been additional replies. Thanks so much for all the information to consider. Ram23, I appreciate your perspective and can see how closed minded my postings may seem. Truth is, I've never really lived anywhere that wasn't uber liberal, so it's good to hear from you that unless we live somewhere rural, the difference won't be so pronounced as to make us feel unwelcome. Certainly good schools trump anything, and a little political diversity might just prove enlightening. Okay, so we're *definitely* moving to Cincinnati. . .and soon. Caseyc, if your wife is interested in assisting us with a rental, let me know via PM. I'm making the rounds leaving messages with the agencies today.

Thanks.

Thanks for the first-hand perspective on the school. I was a pretty good student but horrible at standardized tests because I would get so nervous I'd be puking. Hopefully my child won't inherit those test nerves! I'll have a gander at Mt. Washington, too. So, how did you like the high school?

Jskinner, thanks for the insights on the education front, and for bringing your great blog to my attention. I'll definitely be perusing it with great interest. Thanks also, oakiehigh, for representing the West side. All options are on the table!

Especially since that's a NY'er type of thing thing. ;) Well, naturally I assumed that people in Cincinnati conduct their lives from their automobiles, only getting off the highway when absolutely necessary, like. . .say to visit a strip mall. :evil:

Ha! I'll keep that in mind. It's very easy to romanticize "The" City (how narcissistic are NYers?!) once you're out of the grind. But yeah, I remember how tiresome it could be.

Looks like we've got lots of thinking to do, and even more research. Thanks for all your help. I reserve the right to further pick your brains once we narrow our now-hypothetical-but-possibly-very-real-in-the-near-future search.

I'd love to live downtown, but we'd like to avoid private school if we can.

How did you know that a Kentucky address would scare me? Well, just a little bit. Actually, you're not the first to suggest it, and I'm definitely willing to consider. I wonder, though, if there are also going to be troublesome tax implications for working in a different state that the one in which you live. A small hassle in the scheme of things if it's the right fit, I suppose.

Thanks for the Oakley recommendation, we'll check that out. I was very intrigued by the Montessori schools, but have yet to find a good source of information on its successfulness (my husband feels most comfortable with test score data). I'm also trying to learn more about how the magnet schools work.

Thanks, JoeL, there's an interesting East/West divide on that map.

Thanks for the quick responses. We're going to take a closer look at Clifton, Hyde Park, Mt. Lookout, Wyoming and Mariemont because of school systems. The only thing that makes me nervous about the first three is that--from what I'm understanding--the elementary schools are great, but you're kind of doomed for high school unless you test into Walnut Hills. The thing that makes me nervous about Mariemont is that I've heard it's very stuffy and heavily Republican. I know nothing about Wyoming. It's such a balancing act with a kid--we want to be somewhere that feels comfortable to us, where we're not outsiders. . .but we also want the best education for our child. I'm sure there's a happy medium somewhere!