Brightdreams

To StrapHanger: Ooooo! That sounds wonderful! I am also a dog person and I am sure my dog would love a new (and bigger) park. (I'm also a cat but for some reason he doesn't like being on a leash... hehe.) On a totally different note, is it hard to meet people and make friends in Cleveland? I've found it hard here, mostly because everything social seems to be church related. I'm 29 now so I'll be 30-something when I move/live there if that helps.

To StrapHanger: I mean the thing that shows up green with ponds that is sort of long an snaky and sits above Shaker Square... so a real park? I don't know the name. 2583 Ashton and 2593 s Taylor are the street names/numbers of current listings. I will keep my eye on Lakewood. I realize things can change in the amount of time before I move. I just want to know where to check out closer when I go visit since I know I won't get to see everything (and I'll have to take time to go visit family too).

To BelievelandD1: LoL, yeah, I got it! My great aunt said that too. She suggested Marietta but I think I prefer Cleveland (she doesn't have an issue with Cleveland either). Marietta is super tiny, which doesn't appeal as much to me.

To StrapHanger: I will check it out. The first thing I always check are chicken ordinances, hehe. Followed by schools, etc. I am really looking for in-city. I am willing to make compromises though. If Mansfield were better I might even consider there... there is a GORGEOUS old school house for sale. I want it!!!!! I think it would compromise on too many of my criteria though. However, if I could somehow home school and/or change the atmosphere there it would be soooooo cool.

To BelievelandD1: Diversity is good, generally. As long as they are positive people. (I grew up in Hawaii which everyone says is melting pot but it's extremely racist there so not the greatest environment for kids.) My most of my siblings are mixed race and I'd love to somehow convince them to live near me (it's unlikely but, hey, I can dream). It looks like there are some houses in that area that are for sale now, I will keep my eye out for the next little bit for pricing/etc and maybe look at a few when we go in the spring/summer next year. To rockandroller: LoL! To MyTwoSense: "you have to pay the school taxes"... would you apply to do that? Or just send a check or...? I suppose I can worry about it if I actually buy a house there. That is cool though. Shaker Heights school and Cleveland chicken laws. It'd be almost like I was cheating somehow. Wow, it is so awesome that you've lived there so long. That's really something I'd like. We moved a lot when i was a kid and it sucked. I really want to find somewhere that I can just stick. Ohio seems doable and Cleveland seems nearly perfect. To StrapHanger: There's nothing on the market right this second in that area but I will keep my eyes peeled. Is the area north east of the park good? Or a few blocks south of the square? To jjames0408: It's probably not quite like where I live... hehe. The "city" is about 50K people but I think they're counting a few cows too. The nearest "big" city is over 4hrs away. So culture here... isn't. Errrr.... I technically don't have kids yet (maybe I should be saying "my future children?"). I am going to have kids though. This is part of my 5yr plan. Moving, kids, etc. No reason to move somewhere with bad schools only to move again. (Well, double technically, I am going to be moving from New Mexico to Ohio then going to Japan for a year to teach then going back to Ohio. That will cover my 1031 exchange as well as my wanting to go to Japan, hehe. But I won't be moving AFTER that and I'll have kids once I get back from Japan.) And yes, I am an over planner, I know, I know. Haha, actually i was looking at NYC too but it is SOOO expensive. So is California (where my siblings live). Ohio is actually just about the same as where I live now, price wise, but much better weather.

I have to agree with rockandroller regarding religious schools. I have gone to several (my grandparents are quite religious and paid for private school for me for several years). I have nothing against religious persons or people who choose to utilize those schools but I don't want there to be pressure, subtle or otherwise, on my children to conform to religious beliefs. I live in the southwest, the skirt of the bible belt so to speak, and one of the things I don't like about it is the lack of community outside of church/church functions. To Rlucky: I have read that Euclid does not have good schools... perhaps I am misinformed though? The problem with all these different Heights is a) they appear to all be their own cities and b) they appear to all disallow bees/chickens. That is sort of a sticking point for me. Good schools and chickens. (Yes you can start calling me the crazy chicken lady now, haha.) Chagrin falls doesn't seem to specifically allow or disallow chickens... they have an ordinance about getting some sort of special permit for building a coop but it's in with references to building a stable and other animal pens so may only apply to very large lots or special purpose lots. If someone knows about chickens in Chargin please chime in... I will check out Chesterland/South Russell. If it's really only 10-15mins into the city that's not too bad. I have to drive 20mins right now to do any shopping/get what little culture we have so it'd be about the same. (I live less than 5mins from work right now, which is wonderful but also something I am willing to give up.) To Whipjacka: Well... Cleveland allows chickens, it has reasonable housing prices (and cool older homes), it has cultural events and things like museums. It is also "on the lake". I hate living in a land locked state without water but buying near a big city on the either coast is pretty cost prohibitive. I've been to Milwaukee (not the same I know) and liked it and because of the size of the lake it give me the same feeling as an ocean but houses are more expensive there. I much prefer cold and overcast to hot and dry (hate it here) so the weather is "good" in my opinion. Also I have some extended family in the area (they live outside of Mansfield but according to them Mansfield has terrible schools and it's also tiny and far away from everything, which isn't ideal for finding a job or for culture, etc). UPDATE: Okay, so Shaker Square looks like it might work. How far around Shaker Square counts as safe/good? For instance, there's a house on Keswick Road that looks good but I don't know if that's too far away from Shake Square and considered a "bad area". From just looking at maps it is hard to tell where one area ends and another beings and which streets are sketchy or not. I also noticed that some of the houses listed as "Cleveland" near Shaker Square say they are in the Shaker Heights school district... does that sound right? Isn't Shaker Heights another city? Or do they let kids from other cities go if they are on the border? The school district system there is somewhat hard for me to grasp.

To BelievelandD1: Hehe. That is what I am hoping =) I love, love, love all the old houses. And they are HUGE! I'm not religious in the slightest. Can you pick what public school you want to send your child to or do you have to use the one in your area? Charter schools can be good or bad depending on the ideology and teachers. That does sound neat though. I do want an area with lots of families so that there are kids for my kids to play with and just for that general family feel. I did notice a lot of private catholic schools, while I am not against that I don't know how well it would work for me to be 100% non-religious and not interested in that sort of thing and then send my kids to a school like that. I will look some on the west side too. Any schools in particular that I should see about moving near? It would be neat if I could live close enough to bike or walk the kids to school part of the time. (I realize that may be asking for too much, but it's a thought.)

To Keith: Yeah, they generally try to take the most flattering pictures possible (though not always, I saw a house locally where they took pictures with piles of clothes on the floor and then strange angles of closet doors and ceiling corners). What's the inside of the 108th one? That's my favorite. I won't be buying it most likely (since I doubt it will last till 2014) but I love talking about houses, hehe. And I figured the one Ashbury was wrong. I looked at a street view and there wasn't anything really matching the picture, haha. Thanks for the warning! I will keep that in mind. Is that area around the park to the west any good? I saw some houses listed a tiny bit north and west on that park that looked okay (from the pictures). Are schools a concern for you or no? Do you know what schools in that area are the best? To BelievelandD1: Really? That's interesting. I know they are predicting that my area will fall into another dust bowl era in the next little bit, which is part of the reason I'd like to get the heck out (it's already 110% too hot and dry for me). I will look at the Detroit-Shoreway. Are the schools there good? If I could stay at or under $85K that would be phenomenal. I should have that amount "cash" so I could have the house totally paid off right from the get-go.

To BelievelandD1: Where would you recommend on the west side? Is there an issue with getting water in Ohio??? Like droughts? I deal with that often where I live now (New Mexico)... I realize it probably wouldn't be on the same scale but do they do limit water usage in the summer or anything like that?

To ClevelandOhio: Do the trains/etc have a parking lot near them (similar to the trams in San Diego or SF)? Could I, for instance, drive to somewhere near the train stop, park, and then ride the train the rest of the way? To Hts121: Chagrin Falls... hmmm... I will look into it! I am really in the very beginning stages of looking, comparing schools, etc. I know sort of what I want but am still figuring out all of the other piece.. areas that are good, where I might work, etc etc.

To rockandroller: That'd be great! (It's "my" thread and I don't care about off topic stuff, hehe.) I have NOT owned bees before so I need all the help I can get! I am looking forward to making/getting my own honey though. My great grandfather (deceased) used to keep bees and sell honey. Actually, due to his farm and farming ability my grandmother and her siblings suffered very little during the great depression. (And they lived in Ohio! haha, sort of returning to my roots.) What does a CSA subscription run? I did one when I lived in CA that was through the local college and really liked it. I've been spoiled here in the vegetable area as there are lots of farms/commercial ag businesses and they sell off their odd shaped or un-commercial shaped fruit and veggies for very very cheap. (Watermelons run around $1-$3 and pumpkins about the same, squash are 6/$1 tomatoes are 4-5/$1, and so on.)

Sure... keep in mind these are not places I am thinking of living in (I have owned and do own rentals and am considering these as rentals if they are somehow a monster in disguise... like need to be 100% gutted and redone or are in an area where the windows need to be replaced weekly because they are shot out or something). 3861 Kirkwood Road, Cleveland OH 1245 E 114th St, Cleveland OH 10214 Yale ave, Cleveland OH 2531 E 84th st, Cleveland OH And so on. There are TONS all over the place. Some of them obviously need a little work (like they say they need a new boiler or something) but for that price I could have that done and lots more without batting an eye. (The houses I am looking at to live in are: 12764 Cedar Rd, Cleveland Heights OH 1466 East 108th Street, Cleveland OH 44106 (this is my favorite so far) 10806 Hull Avenue, Cleveland OH 44106 10621 Ashbury Avenue, Cleveland OH 44106 Obviously I am not buying them yet, just window shopping so to speak.)

To rockandroller: I've had chickens, goats, and sheep (among other animals). Though not in a city before. Cleveland laws allow bees on normal size lots and allow 1 chicken per 800sqft of lot. If I had slightly over half an acre in the city I could have a goat. However, finding over half an acre means I probably wouldn't be in the area I would like to be in so I am going to shelve that idea and just go with a garden, chickens, and bees. I think that's about self-sufficient enough for very urban areas, haha. Although commuting isn't an issue I'd prefer not to (gas = expensive). To surfohio: Yeah, I like Lakewood but I don't want to count on them passing pro-chicken laws (you never know). Another question for everyone out there: I see a lot of very very cheap houses, like in the realm of $10K-$20K, in what appear to be "okay" areas. Is there something terribly wrong with these houses? Is that normal for the market? I mean, I live in the southwest and there IS something wrong with houses that cheap (like they need $50K in work or are in terrible areas). Is this the case in Cleveland as well?

Thank you all very much for your helpful comments! To KJP: University Circle is not its own city, correct? I am interested in sustainability issues. Thank you for the recomendations. I want to keep my own chickens and have my own garden, not go to a community garden (I did that in Hawaii and there were a lot of issues with theft and damage by the other gardeners... it was a neat garden though, it was cooled with deep sea water in little pipes under the beds but I digress...) Are Ohio City and Tremont cities or neighborhoods? I am looking at Cleveland Heights, however they do not allow as many chickens (Cleveland allows 1/800sq Cleveland Heights limits the number to 4 regardless of lot size). I intend to keep bees as well. I would love to keep a goat but finding a half acre of land seems pretty nearly impossible. I have seen some nice houses (online) in Edgewater... is that also a good place to live? (With the same criteria as before. It seems like the schools around University Circle are better but maybe my info is wrong?) To RTM: Thanks for the transportation advice and heads up. I supose a few things may change by the time I actually move. I am a planner in the extreme, sometimes that is good and sometimes not. I suppose I suppose once I get areas narrowed down then I can look up proposed changes to transit lines and such.

Well, right now I am just looking online (as I live several states away, haha) so keep that in mind. I have found two houses within University Circle which fit my price range and also "neat old house" criteria. One is on Ashbury Ave and one is on Cedar Road. As long as it is in Cleveland and not in a different city I would assume that Cleveland ordinances would apply. I am having a hard time telling what is a separate city though. Shaker Heights appears to be a different city (it is listed as such on realtor and trulia, etc) however there are some houses on the fringes that are listed as "Cleveland". Is Cleveland Heights its own city/has its own ordinances or is it part of Cleveland? Maybe it will be clearer to me once I actually go up and visit.

I hate where I live now, so I would like something different. Haha. (I moved here to take care of my dad.) I don't know yet what area I will be working in (no job yet). It doesn't really matter to me though, commuting is not an issue at all. I will be working in the education field. I like music, going to libraries, museums, zoos, I like nature, the beach and good restaurants. I also like gardening and owning chickens (though I haven't had any recently, another reason I don't like it here). I have a car, though I will probably be buying a different car before i move because I don't think mine will do well in very snowy/icy weather. I'm looking for a neighborhood where i can raise a family and also do some sustainability urban farming (Cleveland allows chickens but some of the little cities/areas around it do not). I would like to be able to walk or bike some places (as I enjoy that now). I'd like somewhere a little more liberal minded (it's SUPER conservative here). Friendly people, community feel. I want an older home, something 1900s-1930s would be idea, I prefer 2 story homes. Does that help? Can I answer anything else? I am not really sure what else you need to know. I am glad to answer anything. All of the moves I have made before were for specific reasons (school, to take care of my dad, etc) this will be a move to somewhere where I plan on living for the rest of my life.

Hi, I will probably be making a move to Cleveland sometime in 2014. I am planning a trip to Cleveland sometime next spring or summer and would like advice on what neighborhoods/areas to check out within the city. I am looking to buy, not rent. Here are some of my criteria: Neat looking older homes (to buy) Good schools Good family atmosphere Safe area Allows backyard chickens (this is important!) Things I'd like that are less important: Walkability Access to public transit Easy access to grocery stores, pharmacies, etc Close to things like museums, music, etc Right now I am looking at the University Circle area. I have searched the forum here but I haven't found anything about the family friendliness of this area (maybe I am using the wrong search terms). Is University Circle a good area for the things I am looking for? The houses (according to Trulia.com) are within my price range and some of them seem to be the neat older homes. So is it a good area? Or where should I look? I am not rich (by any means) but should be able to purchase an okay home in a reasonable area. I realize this has probably been asked a million times so I appreciate your patience in answering it again.