I couldn't find another post about this, but my girlfriend and I are relocating from Chicago to Cincinnati in several months and we're looking to rent a 1 bedroom apartment (or buy a one bedroom condo, if the deal is good enough). I'm originally from Cincinnati but have been away for college and professional school. I try to come back when possible, because I'm a massive homer, but I still don't know that much about day-to-day living.

 

I follow OTR and downtown-area developments a ton, and I love both areas. I'll be working downtown. I don't want to sink an INSANE amount into rent, but I'll be making enough money to spend maybe $1200/mo on housing (that's flexible depending on what I would be getting, I suppose).

 

So if you were in my shoes, where would you want to live in urban Cincinnati (or I guess Covington/Newport, as well)? What should I know? Are there any sites that you think are way better than others for figuring this stuff out? It seems kind of overwhelming, because this is the first time I'll be out "in the real world," so to speak. Anyone who lives in any of these areas and has any views about the pros/cons of particular neighborhoods is welcome.

 

For OTR, for instance, I know that crime is down, but I wonder how it subjectively FEELS. My girlfriend isn't from Cincinnati, and I don't want her to FEEL unsafe (even if violent crime is unusual). What's the vibe, on a day-to-day basis. And for people who live downtown, where do you go grocery shopping? Where do you park (if you have a car)? How often do you need to use your car?

 

Sorry to ask n00b questions. I'm an aspiring Cincinnati city-dweller, and I want to know what has (and hasn't) been good for you guys.

 

Thanks!

As an OTR resident, I can tell you that feeling unsafe has not been an issue. As with any urban area, you simply must be aware of your surroundings. And if you aren't buying/selling drugs, your risks are really low of being victimized.

 

Most of our (girlfriend and I live together) grocery shopping is done at Findlay or the Newport Kroger (a 5 minute drive). We park our car in our lot, and we could probably get away with driving the car maybe twice a month, but she drives to work at the Zoo. I walk.

 

I may be biased, but I'd say OTR is where its at. :-)

 

I don't live downtown, but I spend a fair amount of time in downtown and Over-the-Rhine. I've never felt unsafe, but one time I walked to my parked car in Mt. Auburn in the middle of the day and found the window smashed, and that has always made me uneasy about leaving my car parked. I never had another problem, though.

 

Please let us know how it goes. I was thinking about moving there myself.

 

 

I just moved to OTR from Clifton (the area around UC). You'll find Cincinnati quite affordable compared to the Chi, so I would think you could get something quite decent for $1200 a month. The 1 bedroom unit I have is $775 (with parking) and it would go for probably twice that if it were in Wicker Park or Boystown.

 

You need a car here. We're just not there yet with public transit. The good news is that parking is generally affordable and accessible. Even if your building has no parking, on-street is usually easy and requires no permit, etc.

 

IMO (and some may disagree with me) the parts of OTR that have seen new investment are just fine. No different than similar areas in Chicago, etc. HOWEVER, some of the northern and western parts of OTR with less new investment are not much to look at and do have some safety issues if you plan on walking around at night, walking alone, etc. Downtown is completely safe but can feel like of dead after 6pm on weekdays because it's a business hub, pure and simple.

 

Be advised that OTR and downtown is kind of slim pickings right now but your larger budget will help you I think. People aren't moving much due to the whole mortgage debacle and there is far more demand for rentals downtown/OTR than supply. OTR really is the "hot" hood in Cincinnati right now and theres a whole new wave of people that would never have even considered the area even a year ago. I can't speak to purchasing anything but I know there are some awesome new projects you should be looking at if you are considering buying.

 

When you're ready to start looking at units for rent in OTR be sure to call Urban Sites (http://www.urbansites.net/) AND Jim Moll (513-623-2001)...between the two of them you'll be able to see some good properties in OTR. Jim is a nice, no B/S guy that represents some neat properties. He is very easy to get in touch with also which is a plus.