hi, this is my first post. i'm looking for some general advice and talk about different neighborhoods. i grew up in mentor, moved to new york city in 2000 (where i've lived ever since). my boyfriend, who's a native new yorker, and i are planning on moving to cleveland next spring. we are sick of the craziness, the grind and expense of nyc. we're eager to have a house and a yard and a more laid-back pace of life, not to mention my family & many friends still live there. i appreciate cleveland so much more than i did when i was younger

anyway, i'm basically wondering about the neighborhoods. we were looking into buying a house in lakewood. we'd like to be near the lake if possible. but, i'd like to have a yard and from what i've seen, lakewood houses are crammed in. any exceptions to this? what are the best places to live in lakewood?

ideally, we'd also like to live among younger people (we're 29).

i'm also curious about ohio city and tremont. but aren't these 2 a bit sketchy in certain areas? i want to live in a stable area and not have to worry about what's going on 2 blocks over.

this is just a start, really. thank you for any advice/discussion!

 

Hell, it sounds like you want Cleveland Heights.

Make sure you don't forget the East side!  This website has a West side bias ;)

 

I'm very fond of Shaker Heights, Coventry, and parts of Cleveland Heights and University Heights.  You have easy access to the rapid transit from all these locations, close proximity to lots of restaurants and shopping, and a safe living environment.  You can get a pretty nice size house for a goods price in these areas, and a nice yard as well.

 

Make sure you check it out! :)

ColDay... you read my mind...  :-o

You don't read my avatar often, do you?

Make sure you don't forget the East side!  This website has a West side bias ;)

 

I'm very fond of Shaker Heights, Coventry, and parts of Cleveland Heights and University Heights.  You have easy access to the rapid transit from all these locations, close proximity to lots of restaurants and shopping, and a safe living environment.  You can get a pretty nice size house for a goods price in these areas, and a nice yard as well.

 

Make sure you check it out! :)

 

thank you. i used to go to coventry all the time in high school so i'm pretty familiar with it and i do like it. we also have found a lot of houses we like online in cleveland heights, though i don't know that area. i know it's near john carroll.

my mom lives in bay village and her husband is always discouraging us from moving to the east side, because he says it's inconvenient. i think he's exaggerating, but on the other hand, i know places in the west side i.e. lakewood, ARE more accessible to cleveland. but i don't necessarily need to live near downtown, anyway. we don't know where we'll be working yet.

You can get a home with a yard in Lakewood, but be prepared to spend only a little bit more. You can buy a decent house with very little yard for about $125,000, but if you want a yard, you're probably going to spend upwards of $150,000 and probably closer to $200,000.

 

Search Lakewood homes at http://www.progressiveurban.com/homepage_frameset.htm and click "search ALL listings" to get access to the Multiple Listings Service. You may be surprised at what you can get -- especially after experiencing East Coast prices of things.

 

Exceptions to the crammed-in yards in Lakewood are found along Clifton (moderate prices) and Lake (higher prices), but more affordable homes with yards may be found on Manor Park, Lakewood Heights Boulevard and streets in the western part of the city (ie: Overbrook, Riverside, Concord, Daleview etc).

 

You can also find some affordable homes in the Clifton-Baltic-Edgewater neighborhood of Cleveland (between Lakewood and Edgewater Park). It's a very nice, stable area. Look for homes on Clifton, Lake, Edgewater and some of the cross streets NORTH of Clifton, like West 115th, 112th, 110th and 104th). These and other cross streets south of Clifton don't have much yard. When you closer to Detroit Avenue in Cleveland, then its starts to get dicey. In the Edgewater neighborhood, you'll be close to the restaurants, cafes and shops along Clifton, have frequent transit service to downtown, and be an easy walk or bike ride to Edgewater Park.

 

When you use the Multiple Listings Service at the web link I gave, and you're in doubt of where a particular home is, just click on the map feature to see.

Welcome to the forum!

 

When you ask about a yard, I guess it would help to know what size of yard you're looking for. If you're looking for a half-acre lot, you may have trouble finding that in Lakewood. Then again, you're coming from New York - the typical Lakewood home site might be just right. I'm not a realtor, but I used to live in Lakewood and I can give you some of the basics. Lakewood's really an area that you need to see in person, street by street to get a feel for. The most desirable (and expensive, but again coming from NYC you might have a different idea of "expensive") areas tend to be towards the lake - generally, anything north of Detroit Rd. Clifton Boulevard has a lot of rentals and multi-family structures. Lake Avenue and Edgewater Drive are the upscale streets. Keep in mind that realtor.com currently has a listing on Cliffdale which is north of Lake Avenue (one block from the Lake, and close to Lakewood Park) for $264K.

 

Areas in Lakewood that I would avoid - and it's not that they're awful but they seem to be in need of polish: Madison Avenue west of Bunts/140th; north-south streets  south of Clifton near West 117th (though they're improving near Detroit); and the area near Lakewood Hospital (a lot of vehicular traffic/commercial activity).

 

As far as a west-side bias, when people ask me - I simply reply "I live in Cleveland".  I live on the west side but I love everything on the east side as well. I'll tell you why I would prefer to live on the west side (I'm in the city proper):

 

1. Property tax rates on the east side tend to be significantly higher (Lakewood's are high as well, but generally, east-side 'burbs are the highest).

 

2. Snow. I live about 2 miles west of downtown and there have been plenty of times when my area gets a dusting of snow, and the Heights and east side will have 3-4 inches.

 

3. Lake breeze. The areas adjacent to the lake benefit from the micro-climate of having the cooler lake air - nice, especially in the summer.

 

As far as Ohio City and Tremont - yes, they are both areas "in transition", and they are indeed inner-city neighborhoods. Thus, you'll have a higher incidence of property crimes, even in the gentrified areas but that can be said about ANY urban area. That said, the green areas represent the more cleaned-up areas of both Ohio City (left) and Tremont (right):

 

 

 

wow, thanks very much KJP and mayday! helpful map, too. i'll be printing out your posts and keeping them handy.

is the train convenient for all of these areas: ohio city, tremont, cleveland heights & shaker square?

my boyfriend has driven only a few times in his life, since he's from manhattan, so he'll have to get a license and get used to driving. the more walkable/train-accessible an area we live in, the better. but most important is that it's a good, safe, stable area.

 

Shaker Square-- its as convenient as you could imagine.

 

Ohio City-depending on where you live, it can either be very close or a little bit of a hike.

 

Tremont--not very convenient

 

Cleveland Hts--its very convenient if you live on the western edge of CHeights. Very convenient from Little Italy.

 

I live in Ohio City, but very close to Detroit and W.38th. When I take RTA to work, I take the bus.

^To go along with wimwar's post - for Ohio City, look at my map, and find the "10" next to Lorain Ave. That's the location of the West Side Market, and a Rapid stop is just across the street. While Tremont isn't as close to the Rapid stop, they have Community Circulator buses that make stops there, as well as a busline (the #81). Also, I know that there might be a sense of dread when you hear "bus". However, when you live in a close-in area, it's not like you're on the bus for a horrendously long time. I also take the bus to work, and it's only about 5 minutes from my stop to downtown.

 

You might also be interested in City Wheels, Cleveland's car-sharing program. It's much like ZipCar and others around the country. For more info, check out their site: http://www.citywheelscleveland.com/

mayday, i hear you. and any bus commute in cleveland will be a breeze compared to the commute we're used to - 35-40 mins - even though we're only a few miles from our workplaces - which is standard if you live in nyc.

i'll probably end up driving because i like it, but not sure if he'll prefer to take the bus or train. i think we'll definitely be expanding our search area to tremont-ohio city-shaker sq.-cleveland heights. this is going to be tough!

There are a lot of people here who can give you some great advice if you tell us more about your lifestyle:

 

active nightlife or casual bars?

kids?

how much backyard space is sufficient?

 

And - in what fields do you hope to find employment? That can play into your choice of residence as well - for example, health care is clustered around University Circle (Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, VA Hospital, etc.), finance and law are mostly in downtown, IT is all over the place, etc.

^ we do like to go out maybe 1 or 2 times a week, casual bars, and we like to eat out often. no kids.

backyard space...for our first house in an urban place like tremont/ohio city or lakewood or shaker sq., maybe somewhere between .25-.5 acre. anything more i realize would be pushing it.

something like this looks great (not much of a yard but cool space w/hottub)

http://www.progressiveurban.com/homepage_frameset.htm

 

 

oh well, looks like you can't link to individual listings.

oh well, looks like you can't link to individual listings.

 

find the listing you want, put your mouse in some white space (ie above the address) and "right click" and choose "properties".  this will list the specific page address, which you can cut and paste. 

FYI

 

All new construction within the city of Cleveland receives a 15yr property tax abatement.  This can really bring some expensive properties within reach. Before buying in Ohio City, I had considered a property that was about $30,000 above my price range.  With the abatement, the monthly mortgage payment would be about $300 less than it would have been without tax abatement. Its something to consider.

At this point, I'd say the hip part of Tremont is pretty safe -- about as safe as an inner-ring burb. I have friends who live there and never hear them complain of anything untoward happening. It's also got the hippest restaurants and bars anywhere in the metro area. As for Ohio City, I lived on Jay for a year and loved it; nothing sketchy ever happened to me, though you can expect to be panhandled occasionally. For me, the mild nuisance was well worth living in one of Cleveland's most diverse and urban neighborhoods.

 

If you're passionate about Cleveland, I'd encourage you to try to live in the city proper, as it needs you most. Finally, congrats on your decision to move back! I'm a returned New Yorker myself... came back about a year ago. :)

very good to know, wimwar. i don't know too much about this stuff but am starting my research.

that web address of that property is http://pure.progressiveurban.com/propview.php?view=1624

realistically we probably want a *bit* more of a backyard though.

is there any tax abatement on older homes in cleveland or only new construction?

is there any tax abatement on older homes in cleveland or only new construction?

 

If the older home has been significantly renovated, it can receive a significant tax abatement. I don't remember exactly, but it might be about 50% for 10 years.

 

I kind of like this one:  http://pure.progressiveurban.com/propview.php?view=1604

That's about an average size lot for Cleveland's older neighborhoods.  It's maybe a bit longer and narrower than usual.

Oh, we're very happy to have you back! Two of my closest friends in Cleveland moved back to Cleveland from NYC last year. I myself also moved back from the south after 10 years in exile.

That's about an average size lot for Cleveland's older neighborhoods.  It's maybe a bit longer and narrower than usual.

 

Then there are situations like mine. I've got a decent sized backyard and a huge sideyard in Ohio City.

Gotta say that's a great location in Tremont and a neat house. I see what you mean about the yard, but as with any home purchase, there are tradeoffs.

 

Here's a list of the places that are literally within a 5-minute walk of there:

 

Coffee shop:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/422+civilization.html

 

Bar/Pizza shop:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/602+edisons+pub.html

 

Bistro/Martini lounge:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/640+fahrenheit.html

 

Old school neighborhood bar:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/863+hotz+cafe.html

 

New school neighborhood bar (with good food):

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1061+lava+lounge.html

 

Central/South American restaurant:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1045+la+tortilla+feliz.html

 

Coffee shop w/light meals:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1117+luckys+cafe.html

 

Upscale bistro (specializing in seafood):

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1420+parallax.html

 

Moderate-price bistro:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1678+sage+bistro.html

 

Bar:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/676+the+flying+monkey+pub.html

 

Bar with great patio, food, and 3 Great Lakes Brewing Beers on tap at all times:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1959+the+south+side.html

 

Bar with an Irish twist:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/1967+the+treehouse.html

 

Thai Restaurant:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/restaurants/2378+ty+fun+thai+bistro.html

 

That doesn't include the galleries, and I've left off probably a dozen more places to eat. Basically - if you enjoy casual bars and dining out, Tremont has a LOT to offer :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cool,thanks. i've been to a few of those places you linked to-this helps me put it in perspective. i really need to plan a trip back to concentrate on the neighborhoods.

And - in what fields do you hope to find employment? That can play into your choice of residence as well - for example, health care is clustered around University Circle (Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, VA Hospital, etc.), finance and law are mostly in downtown, IT is all over the place, etc.

 

not sure about this yet. i work in journalism for a worldwide news service and my boyfriend works in advertising production. i may find a job in an entirely different field. still up in the air.

I see - I work for a publishing company as an art director.

 

In your case, I would recommend taking a peek at careerboard.com (check media as well as journalism). It's locally owned and seems to offer better listings, at least in my experience. http://www.careerboard.com/

 

As for your boyfriend, I recommend careerboard.com as well as Aquent (formerly MacTemps) www.aquent.com. They specialize in placing designers and are pretty well connected in Cleveland. Even though they're a placement agency, they do offer benefits for talent who work over 30ish hours a week. Hope that helps.

not sure about this yet. i work in journalism for a worldwide news service and my boyfriend works in advertising production. i may find a job in an entirely different field. still up in the air.

 

whoa, crazy... I worked for AP in New York before moving back to start grad school. I'm in a different field now, so I can't give you much advice on getting journalism jobs here, but you might check the magazine Inside Business -- they seem to hire from time to time -- as well as Crain's Cleveland, Cleveland magazine, Northern Ohio Live and of course the PeeDee and the "alternative" weeklies.

 

btw, you won't believe how easy and cheap cleveland is after NYC! and there's still plenty to do.

Welcome to Cleveland! Everyone's provided some great advice, but I would definitely check out Shaker Square. Tremont is an absolutely great neighborhood, but among the neighborhoods you cited, it has by far the worst public transportation options, in my opinion. Meanwhile, Shaker Square is well-positioned for employment downtown, in University Circle or the eastern suburbs. Everything in the neighborhood is incredibly walkable, and while there's not a ton of nightlife options, there are a slew of restaurants. You'll also have no problem finding housing within 5 minutes of the train - on E. 128th, E. 130th or the quaint antique strip on Larchmere. The one downside is that is not a lot of public lake access on the near east side.

 

For lake-adjacent housing in Cleveland, your best bets are probably The Edge, North Colllinwood and Detroit Shoreway ... The Edge is probably the most well-established and has the best public transportation of those three neighborhoods.

 

Again, welcome back to Cleveland, and hope your move goes well!

Thank you x100 for the job board links.

We haven't seriously started looking for work yet, but will have to fairly soon. Hoping it will go smoothly.

Blinker, that's really funny. I work for Reuters, btw. I'm hoping to get out of journalism, though probably not til after we've already settled in Cleveland for a while.

 

 

While I can understand wanting to get that driver's license upon your return, if you live in the city you can function pretty well without a car. As MayDay mentioned, if you need a car for running some errands, City Wheels is a good option. Speaking of MayDay, he is car-free, as are others on this forum. While I need a car for my job (I am also a journalist), I seldom use it when work isn't involved. I live at the northeast corner of Lakewood, just off the Gold Coast along Edgewater Drive. If I worked downtown, I would not need a car. There's just a ton of stuff within a 15-minute walk of my condo.

 

At this message (which I posted a while ago) is a list of what's in the area of the Lakewood Gold Coast/Cleveland Edgewater:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=2178.msg19994#msg19994

Welcome home, littlecloudysky.  I too would vote for Shaker Square, my neck of the woods, for many of the advantages mentioned, especially the direct rail transit.  It's a pretty trendy area, yet it's got more of a neighborhood feel than, say, a Coventry or an Ohio City, which attract, routinely, more people from around the region,... even tourists (you'll see Lolly the Trolley rolling through those hoods, often) than does Shaker Square/Larchmere (the latter being the premiere antiques strip in Cleveland).  We're more laid back, yet still vital, in Shaker Sq.  Another aspect it is incredibly diverse.  You'll find wealthy dowagers rubbing shoulders with teen mall rat types to homies to home-less to Asians to Africans; all income levels and sexual orientations; from Shaker Hts/Shaker-like mansions to Sec. 8 tenements and ramshackle wood-frames (much more of the former and less of the latter, though), all w/in a 5-10 min walk of the Square. 

 

A couple comments on comments:

 

8shadesofGray - The one downside is that is not a lot of public lake access on the near east side.

 

Excuse me?  You ever heard of the Shaker Lakes? -- which are very much open to the public, along with picnic areas, biking and jogging trails all astride some of the most gorgeous old mansions in the region.  Lower Shaker Lakes, is a 10-15 min walk from Shaker Square.  The other Shaker Lakes, like Horeshoe Lake, are a little further out the Shaker Blvd (you can drive walk or even take the Rapid a few stops) and the faboulous Shaker Nature Center is just north of Shaker Blvd along South Park Drive... The S. Lakes may not be as extensive and campsite/picnic-y as the Metroparks, but they're pretty damn strong in their own right and probably just as (if not more, counting the mansions) beautiful.

 

Also note, that residents in southern Cleveland Heights and Univ Hts as well as much of Beachwood are, too, w/in walking distance of Rapid Transit stations.  I wouldn't recommend living in Beachwood, as much -- it's nice, but of the Heights burbs, its much more sprawlish/cul-de-sac-y/modern like Strongsville, Solon, Westlake and the other more distant burbs -- it's weird that its so near the classic older Heights areas.

 

One other Heights note, because the eastern Appalachian plateau that forms the heights area drops off just beyond the I-271 perimeter into the sumptuous, woodsy/rural (and very wealthy) Chagrin Valley, the Heights is more compact with less sprawl than burbs to the West/South west part of town.  And there's absolutely no industrial areas in the Heights; no freight rail main tracks or sidings of any kind... Overall, I think the (University) Circle-Heights area is pound for pound the most beautiful section of Ohio, period.  We've also kept freeways to a minimum, too, which is how we like it...

 

You should strongly consider Shaker Square.  I've found easterners, esp from New York, really take to this area.

"Excuse me?  You ever heard of the Shaker Lakes?"

 

They're lovely and all - certainly not a "two bit duck pond", but when someone is talking about "lake access" north of I-480, there is only ONE Lake worth mentioning ;)

They're lovely and all - certainly not a "two bit duck pond", but when someone is talking about "lake access" north of I-480, there is only ONE Lake worth mentioning.

 

Granted, we're not talking Edgewater Park or the Metor Headlands, which is where she's from.  But if littlecloudysky + friend want to get their lake thing on, the Shaker Lakes more than fill the bill... "two bit duck pond"?  wasn't that a quote from the infamous, wacko subway killer Albert S. Porter who wanted to put the Clark Freeway dead through the lakes?  ... may he not rest in peace.

two bit duck pond never gets old.

Excuse me?  You ever heard of the Shaker Lakes?

 

I actually used to work for the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, so yes  :wink: And I should have mentioned the natural beauty of the Shaker Square area ... it is pretty stunning. I was only speaking about access to our friend Lake Erie. Shaker Lake and Horseshoe Lake are both beautiful and lie under one the most important migratory bird patterns in North America; more than 200 species of birds migrate on an annual basis. And Shaker Lake is also home to a rare breed of goldfish that is only found one other place in the world (I believe a similar lake in China). But I digress ...

I'm from Mentor and I live on the west bank of the flats and love it...but based on your criteria, sounds like you would like a neighborhood like Tremont or Edgewater.  :-)

The Clifton area of Cleveland is pretty much a replica of Lakewood. The only difference is that the schools are worse and you get more for your money for the exact same housing stock. Additionally, you are closer to Edgewater Park.

Welcome to Cleveland! Everyone's provided some great advice, but I would definitely check out Shaker Square. Tremont is an absolutely great neighborhood, but among the neighborhoods you cited, it has by far the worst public transportation options, in my opinion. Meanwhile, Shaker Square is well-positioned for employment downtown, in University Circle or the eastern suburbs. Everything in the neighborhood is incredibly walkable, and while there's not a ton of nightlife options, there are a slew of restaurants. You'll also have no problem finding housing within 5 minutes of the train - on E. 128th, E. 130th or the quaint antique strip on Larchmere. The one downside is that is not a lot of public lake access on the near east side.

 

For lake-adjacent housing in Cleveland, your best bets are probably The Edge, North Colllinwood and Detroit Shoreway ... The Edge is probably the most well-established and has the best public transportation of those three neighborhoods.

 

Again, welcome back to Cleveland, and hope your move goes well!

 

"the edge" = edgewater?

 

and thank you for the tips and the good wishes!

Yeah, Edgewater is the official neighborhood name, but there's been an unsuccessful branding campaign as "The Edge" ... I think I'm the only person in the world who actually calls it that. Edgewater, The Edge, The Gayborhood ... it's a very nice neighborhood, regardless.

 

I would also check out the Living in Cleveland Center (http://livingincleveland.nhlink.net). They offer brochures and online "neighborhood tours", as well as information on renting, new housing opportunities and buying a house. Also, as always, I recommend that you schedule a couple of days for touring several neighborhoods before making a decision. Every Cleveland neighborhood has a different vibe; if you put a little time into exploring, you're sure to find the perfect fit for your particular situation and preferences.

^Or you could use this network of dorks to give you a tour.

oh, i appreciate the abundance of advice! i am glad i came here.

i was actually just looking at that neighborhood tour site. i can't wait to be able to check out all the areas in person and MOVE. :)

tremont vs. ohio city

which?

^I'm an Ohio City guy. But you really have to hit the pavement, check out the available housing stock and see what's best for you.  There are amenities that go with each location. I prefer living near a supermarket, and GLBC. But its an individual thing.

Just a small note on this map:

I always thought the southern boundary for Ohio City went a few blocks south of Lorain to Monroe Ave.  In that vein, I sure wish planners would give this area more attention for it seems everyone looks north from Lorain and the West Side Mkt despite the fact that some nice buildings and homes are to the south.  This area seems like the forgotten Ohio City.

Isn't that the part of Ohio City that was branded by a developer as "SoLo" for being SOuth of LOrain Ave?  Sounds trendy like calling Ohio City the OC.  Unfortunately that leaves Clark-Fulton as being the CF (ClusterF***?) 

 

What neighborhood does Ameri-Con Homes Ashbury Towers development belong in?  One of my friends was looking to buy there and was calling it Ohio City, but I thought that was Clark-Fulton or Stockyards south of 90?

Just a small note on this map:

I always thought the southern boundary for Ohio City went a few blocks south of Lorain to Monroe Ave.

 

Ohio City does extend south of Lorain. MayDay said "the green areas represent the more cleaned-up areas of both Ohio City (left) and Tremont (right)"

 

tremont vs. ohio city

which?

 

Again, I think this a personal choice, but I would favor Ohio City. While both neighborhoods have great vibes, it is a much less desirable location when it comes to public transportation, and while neither neighborhood is directly accessible to the lake, Ohio City does have better access via the Shoreway.