I'm looking to buy a house in Cleveland.  Here's a bit about me, now tell me (and be opinionated) where I should live:

 

--I'm looking in the 150K-175K range

--I'm female, single, 32 y.o., professional

--I really like urban areas (NYC native).  Ideally, I'd live somewhere where I could walk to bars and cafes and restaurants. 

--Actually, more generally, I just want an area where I can walk (jog) around and see interesting things and not worry about my safety. 

--I'm working on the west side but am willing to commute to wherever

--I also like there to be some diversity

--I like older houses--ideally something well-maintained and interesting.  I don't like cheaply rehabbed homes and I am not a fan of new construction. 

--I'm not sure how long I'll stay in Cleveland, so something with a reasonable resale value (I don't want to have a house sit on the market forever)

 

Thank you so much in advance for your opinions.  I'm already considering Cleveland Heights (esp. Coventry or Cedar-Fairmount), Tremont & Ohio City, but if there are other neighborhoods I should look at, that would be great.  Also, if you have preferences between those neighborhoods, I want to hear what those are.  Seriously, be as opinionated as you want to be and tell me where to move. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

To me, it sounds like you should be looking in Lakewood.  I don't know where on the W side you're looking but commuting to/from Cleveland Heights from just about anywhere but downtown is a big PITA. 

 

I would suggest looking in areas west of Warren Road which is W. 150th street.  There are a ton of houses for sale, also half doubles if you want to rent for awhile until you're ready to buy.  It's a very diverse population with an emphasis on families, elderly and a plentiful gay & lesbian community.  Depending on where you live, there are little neighborhoods and pockets with stores and shops in walking distance.  If I knew you personally, I would suggest looking close to Detroit road or Madison road anywhere from W. 150th and westward, all the way to the Rocky River border (the next suburb west).  I lived all over Lakewood and it's very safe to walk, jog, etc., even at night.  On Detroit there are tons of little businesses as well as a large grocery store at Bunts/W. 140th and Detroit.  Lakewood has a lot of character and it's easy to get around, unlike Cleveland Heights, which has a lot of character but is a) not close to any highways and b) not easy to navigate unless you are a native Clevelander.

 

The houses in Lakewood are largely very old and charming, though that sometimes means very small and antiquated.  There's a high rental population just like in CleHts/a lot of apartments, but it's mostly not partying college kids, it's more twenty- and thirty-somethings and young couples.  I lived in 5 different apartments in Lakewood and my mother owns a house there now, near the high school.  It's very quiet and safe.  The further you go east of 150th the more the crime rises, though most of it is non-violent, such as car break-ins and bikes getting stolen.  Cleveland starts at W. 117th - that area isn't where I'd recommend; I have a friend who is a police officer in Lakewood and that east end is just not as nice/safe as it used to be.  But it's not what I'd call a bad neighborhood or anything, just not where I'd buy a house.

 

I know a lot of others on the site will disagree (respectfully, I hope) but as you are a single female, I wouldn't recommend Tremont or Ohio City.  I know several people who own homes in both places.  The men, single and married, love it and think it's great.  The women I know see and sense more of the danger and hear more about the break-ins and robberies.  Tremont has a lot more of what many consider gang activity these days but is probably just increased "nuisance" noise - kids driving around blasting their rap music and just circling the blocks for hours looking for trouble.  A friend of mine lived in Ohio City very near Dave's market for several years (they just left Cleveland) and in that time their were robbed twice and both her and her husband's cars were broken into at least once each. 

 

Lastly, my strongest recommendation is that if you think there is even a speck of a chance you will leave Cleveland within 15 years, do NOT buy a house.  Rent one, or rent an apartment or whatever.  The Real estate market all over the country is tanking but it's worse here than almost anywhere.  Drive around any neighborhood/city in Cleveland you will see dozens of houses on every block for sale; they are not moving, nobody is buying them and people can't get rid of them.  Banks have foreclosed on so many homes here it makes the national news and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making it more and more difficult for people to buy a home due to all those who defaulted. What with short sales and foreclosures, you could end up throwing a ton of money into a house and never seeing it appreciate/getting your money back by the time you leave.  I have spent the last few months looking at houses and we finally decided it's actually not a good time to buy despite the prices because we don't want to stay here forever.  You'll see a lot of houses that once you research them you'll find that the seller is having to sell it for less than what they paid for it and make up the difference in what they owe to the bank; it's just a terrible, terrible market.  If you still want to look, I can refer you to a very good and conscientious, knowledgeable realtor who is not out to bilk you or force you into something you don't want; he's very patient and kind and not "salesy" at all.  I'd refer him to my own sister.

 

I do think it will turn around but it's going to take longer here to bounce back than a lot of other places, and if you were my personal friend, I wouldn't recommend buying here in ANY city unless you plan to stay a minimum of 10, and preferably 15 years.

 

Hope these thoughts help.

Welcome to Cleveland! Have you thought about living downtown? I bought a condo downtown 2 years and so far it has been a great experience. There are certainly plenty of restaurants and bars to walk to and in my opinion it is a safe place to live. Check out the Pointe at Gateway, The Grand Arcade and the Waterstreet Condos. I also work on the west side and the reverse commute isn't bad at all.

 

If you're set on buying a home take a look at Lakewood. If you like Cleveland Heights you should like Lakewood as well since they are very similar. It's a west side suburb and it's a very safe and pedestrian friendly community.  Also, Lakewood has a lot of options in your price range.

 

Also, please don't listen to the comments of your suburban coworkers regarding Cleveland's neighborhoods. When you mention that you're looking at Ohio City, Tremont, etc., they will probably try and discourage you. Although I love Cleveland, people in this community often have a negative, cynical view of the city.

 

Welcome, Gilgi! I would definitely recommend giving Ohio City a thorough look, as it seems to be meet all of your criteria. The neighborhood is on the west side but lies adjacent to downtown. There are a lot of great restaurants, etc. & the neighborhood is pretty bike/train friendly, so it's fairly easy to get to other locations throughout town. As far as historic preservation-type housing goes, it doesn't get better than Ohio City; the neighborhood was recently featured in Cottage Living's 10 best cottage communities for 2007 and described as having a "gracious street layout and fine 19th century homes" (http://www.cottageliving.com/cottage/travel/article/0,21135,1632876,00.html). The neighborhood is certainly diverse as well, both economically and racially, and most of the moderate to higher income residents choose to live there for that very reason. As far as your two concerns, safety and resale value, I think both problems were overstated above. Cleveland crime rates have dropped from last year, and Ohio City benefits from having a lot of "eyes on the street" and active neighborhood groups. Housing values have been steadily increasing in the neighborhood, and you won't see as many for-sale signs here as you might elsewhere. The foreclosure crisis that is very real nationwide and certainly in Cleveland tends to affect lower-cost housing more adversely than higher-cost housing (as lower income residents have been victims of predatory lending tactics). That being said, while resale values haven't dipped as considerably as many would believe, houses are sitting on the market citywide longer than they had been, so definitely bear that in mind.

 

OC definitely seems a great choice, but Cleveland is home to a lot of distinct neighborhoods, so I would definitely explore thoroughly before making a commitment to purchase in a particular place; whatever your personality, we have a neighborhood you'll love if you spend a little time looking. On the west side, I would also take a look at Detroit Shoreway (especially the W. 65th area south and north of Detroit and the early W. 70s north of Detroit; substantial efforts to open up accessibility to the Lake and to invest a great deal of money into the burgeoning arts district at W. 65th & Detroit means that housing values will likely increase over the next few years), Edgewater (particularly on and just off of Clifton in the W. 100s to W. 117th) & possibly Old Brooklyn. On the east side, both Little Italy and Shaker Square are very nice and very walkable to conveniences, but as has been noted, this would be a much longer commute for you. I would anticipate that Little Italy housing prices, already relatively high for our market, will escalate over the next few years, as civic leaders work to create an arts and retail district adjacent to the neighborhood.

 

My chief advice would be to get out and explore before making a commitment. You might also seek out the Living in Cleveland Center (http://livingincleveland.nhlink.net/) for additional advice, brochures, etc.  And as has been noted, I would consider rental opportunities as well as ownership. Really, barring possibly NYC, Boston and San Fran, I think it would be inadvisable to buy a house anywhere in the country unless you're expecting to live there at least 3-4 years, so that you can recoup the costs of the closing, putting it back on the market, etc.

 

 

These are from 2004 but I thought you might want to see these crime stats as they are broken down by suburb:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/crime/index.ssf?/crimestats/more/index.html

^ Those are definitely helpful as a point of comparison, although I think it's important to make a couple of notes. First, it is certainly not unusual to have higher crime rates in central cities than in surrounding suburbs; if someone is interested in urban living, they almost by default have to be willing to live with at least slightly higher crime rates, no matter what American metropolitan area they're in.

 

Second, the numbers from the PD report can be a little misleading because the suburbs have much smaller populations than does the city of Cleveland. A better measure of how safe a neighborhood is, and one available through Census information, is crimes per 100,000 population.

 

As an example, take a look at larceny/theft in 2004. With 13,080 larceny/thefts in Cleveland in 2004, 779 in Lakewood and a scant 237 in Solon, Cleveland looks far more dangerous. But if you look at rates per 100,000 residents, the crime rates are much closer together. In Cleveland, there were 2,585 larceny/theft cases in 2004 for every 100,000 residents in the city; in Lakewood, the rate was 1,375, and in Solon, it was 1,087. So the likelihood that you will be a victim of larceny or theft in Cleveland, at least as of 2004 is a little more than twice the likelihood that you'll be a victim in Solon, a far suburb that has a reputation for being both safe and upper-class. With a rate of 3,342 larceny/thefts per 100,000 residents in Cuyahoga Heights, you would actually be more likely to be a victim there than in Cleveland.

 

Safety also varies significantly from neighborhood to neighborhood. The theft/larceny rate in Old Brooklyn was 1,482 in 2004, nearly the same as it was in Lakewood; meanwhile, with a rate of 5,632 in Ohio City, you would be substantially more likely to be a victim of theft there.

 

You can get a lot more detailed information regarding crime statistics and other indicators (population trends, housing values, educational outcomes, etc.) for neighborhoods and cities at http://neocando.case.edu/cando/index.jsp.

^ Those are definitely helpful as a point of comparison, although I think it's important to make a couple of notes. First, it is certainly not unusual to have higher crime rates in central cities than in surrounding suburbs; if someone is interested in urban living, they almost by default have to be willing to live with at least slightly higher crime rates, no matter what American metropolitan area they're in.

 

Second, the numbers from the PD report can be a little misleading because the suburbs have much smaller populations than does the city of Cleveland. A better measure of how safe a neighborhood is, and one available through Census information, is crimes per 100,000 population.

 

As an example, take a look at larceny/theft in 2004. With 13,080 larceny/thefts in Cleveland in 2004, 779 in Lakewood and a scant 237 in Solon, Cleveland looks far more dangerous. But if you look at rates per 100,000 residents, the crime rates are much closer together. In Cleveland, there were 2,585 larceny/theft cases in 2004 for every 100,000 residents in the city; in Lakewood, the rate was 1,375, and in Solon, it was 1,087. So the likelihood that you will be a victim of larceny or theft in Cleveland, at least as of 2004 is a little more than twice the likelihood that you'll be a victim in Solon, a far suburb that has a reputation for being both safe and upper-class. With a rate of 3,342 larceny/thefts per 100,000 residents in Cuyahoga Heights, you would actually be more likely to be a victim there than in Cleveland.

 

Safety also varies significantly from neighborhood to neighborhood. The theft/larceny rate in Old Brooklyn was 1,482 in 2004, nearly the same as it was in Lakewood; meanwhile, with a rate of 5,632 in Ohio City, you would be substantially more likely to be a victim of theft there.

 

You can get a lot more detailed information regarding crime statistics and other indicators (population trends, housing values, educational outcomes, etc.) for neighborhoods and cities at http://neocando.case.edu/cando/index.jsp.

 

Great information and good food for thought, thanks.

Thanks to all of you for your advice.

 

I am now definitely considering Lakewood after reading both the glowing recommendations here (thanks rockandroller and jmc8651! and elsewhere on the forums.  I even drove around it earlier today and it is a cute neighborhood, even though I didn't see a huge amount of stuff to do (probably I wasn't on the right streets). 

 

jmc8651, you mentioned downtown and I have considered that.  The thing is, when I looked, I only saw luxury condos that were way too pricey for me.  On the other hand, maybe I'm just not looking in the right places.  Where should I be looking? 

 

I have been to Ohio City a few times (I have friends, all male now that I think about it) and I think it is really cute for all the reasons you mention, 8ShadesofGray.  On the one hand, I love the old architecture and the fact that it is mid-gentrification is kindof cool.  On the other hand, the fact that I was seeing really nice houses next to dumps with broken windows was a little scary.

 

Good point re: the crime statistics (thanks too for the link!).  I grew up in a supposedly dangerous part of NYC during the "bad old days" so I know to take crime stats with a grain of salt--it all depends on where you are, etc. 

 

I really appreciate all of your candor re: buying vs. renting.  I think it is a pretty good bet I'll be here for 3 or 4 years at least, and it seems like I could recoup the closing costs.  Whether I would actually make money on the place, probably not, but that's less of a concern for me.  I think I'm just getting sick of living in apartments and dealing with crappy landlords.  (So I guess I figured I could be my own crappy landlord.)  I think I'll buy if I find the "perfect" place, but if not, I'll just rent for a while. 

 

In any event, I've started looking at houses (so rockandroller, do pm me the name and contact info of the realtor you know) and I've been doing a lot of driving around.  I realize all I'm looking for is a place with a nearby cafe (or multiple cafes) that I can walk to.  Why does that seem so hard...

 

Anyway, please don't let my intervention keep you from offering more advice.  I'll take all the opinions and ideas I can get. 

Welcome gilgi,

 

Lakewood, Downtown, Tremont, Ohio City, and Detroit Shoreway all make sense due to your work location, but depending on how far west your work will be, you might want to at least test the Cleveland Heights commute to see if it would be tolerable.  The proximity to University Circle is a big plus for recreation and the projected boom in employment growth at the University Circle insitutions may help with the property values.  Cleve heights also has an incredible park system and lots of leafy parkways which make for some of the best biking and jogging in the county.  As I'm sure you've noticed, you'll have lots of affordable options in any of these communities.  Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

 

 

I PM'd you the realtor's info.

I forgot to mention the metroparks system, the previous poster prompted my memory; if you haven't discovered that yet, that's great.  The entrance to the Rocky River reservation, which is my favorite of all of them, is in Lakewood at the Lakewood/RR border, you should check it out.  It's on Detroit just east of the bridge that takes you over into Rocky River.  www.clemetparks.com/

 

A drive up and down Detroit and Madison roads can give you an overview of businesses/what's happening in Lakewood.  If you want some specific suggestions of businesses or restaurants to check out, let me know.  One of my fave restaurants there is Melt - www.meltbarandgrilled.com, not that you move somewhere because of a restaurant, just throwing it out there as I'm craving grilled cheese.

I'm glad you liked Lakewood. In regards to where you should look downtown, go to progressiveurban.com. Their site lets you search for homes by neighborhood.

 

The Warehouse District and the Gateway Neighborhood are both parts of downtown. I did a quick search for condos in the Warehouse District and saw about 15 in your price range.       

 

Gawd .... Cleveland's population must be skyrocketing!

I don't know about that, but there a lot of jobs available here that locals don't know about. Probably because of the negative press has most locals believing there are no jobs.

 

Anyway, I'm a Lakewood resident and have been living here for 11 years. I own a condo in a very densely populated area called the Gold Coast -- about 20,000 people in the one-square-mile area roughly bounded by West 117th, Nicholson and Clifton. There are a number of cafes and restaurants in the high rises along the lake. There are also several 24-hour restaurants along West 117th south to Detroit Avenue, plus a couple of 24-hour drug stores. Along Detroit Avenue west of West 117th, there are a number of nightclubs, bars and concert clubs (Phantasy Theater www.phantasyconcertclub.net and Hi-Fi Club http://www.uttertrash.net/hificlub.htm ). If you can't find the houses (or historic apartment-style condos) you're looking for in Lakewood, check just over West 117th Street and north of Detroit Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood of Cleveland. It's a very stable neighborhood with lots of historic homes, many of which were recently renovated. Ask also about first-time homebuyer benefits and other incentives from area lenders or your real estate agent.

 

You'll find the area is very pedestrian friendly, has frequent bus and rail transit service to downtown and the airport (see www.riderta.com) and is close to two large parks (Lakewood Park to the west along Lake Avenue and Edgewater Park to the east just off Clifton, Lake and the Shoreway). Jogging and biking to Edgewater Park is easy from West 117th along Edgewater Drive. Enjoy watching a sunset or sunrise from Cliff Drive. There also is a bike/jogging path from Edgewater, under the shoreway and the railroad tracks to the emerging arts district at Gordon Square (Detroit Avenue at West 65th -- http://www.cndc2.org/gordon_square.htm).

 

If there's anything you want to know about the area, just let me know. Like I said, I moved here 11 years ago when I was 29 years old, so I have some idea what appeals to people in their 30s. This neighborhood did for me, and still does.

According to the crime stats posted, East Cleveland is one of Cleveland's safest suburbs.  Who'da thunk it?

^ Interestingly, East Cleveland is listed among the cities that didn't respond with data ... I wonder if those are just the numbers from stories the PD covered in 2004.

I lived in Ohio City for a year and adored it. If you're coming from a bigger metro area with a stronger tradition of urban living, Ohio City makes for a very soft landing. Prior to living there, I was in NYC and Ohio City was the perfect transition. It's transit-rich (the Rapid and lots of buses), has wonderful food-shopping options (West Side Market, Dave's) and enough cute cafes and restaurants to keep you from dining at home as much as you should. There's also a branch of the public library (one of the best in the nation), a fantastic used bookstore and beautiful old homes.

 

Keep looking in Tremont, too. That neighborhood keeps becoming more complete, though it may not be as cute as Ohio City.

 

I know the crime stats for OC may raise an eyebrow, but the likelihood of something happening varies a lot street to street. I lived on Jay Avenue and had no problems whatsoever. I parked my car outside every day (albeit on an alley, not the main street) and never had a scratch. I would second an earlier poster: Be very wary of people who tell you the city is dangerous without ever having lived there (or without having lived there for years). Unfortunately, there are a lot of folks like that in Northeast Ohio.

RockandRoller,

 

Your descriptions of Ohio City and Tremont are a bit extreme. You make Tremont out to be some sort of gang war zone. I've never heard or seen such behavior over there. And in Ohio City, I have a quite a few single female friends who are home owners and feel quite safe. Lastly, I think your 15-year threshold for buying house is laughable. Do you have a crystal ball telling you this stuff?

 

Lastly, Lakewood's bar scene aint all that. I think someone from NYC would find Ohio City/downtown, Little Italy etc to be much more appealing.

 

 

Thank you for saying that 3231! I also was put off by his descriptions of Ohio City and Tremont. I think the poor guy has been reading the PD too much.

Thank you for saying that 3231! I also was put off by his descriptions of Ohio City and Tremont. I think the poor guy has been reading the PD too much.

 

Well, the fact that he puts Lakewood up on such a pedestal sort of suggests that the guy is a bit sensitive about other parts of Cleveland appearing more desireable than Lakewood. Lakewood is a great place, but its definitely not all things for all people.

Don't forget about Detroit-Shoreway / Battery Park / Gordon Square!

 

There is a host of new galleries, restaurants, new housing and lakefront park access.

With her price range, I do think that she'll find more of what she wants (housing) in Lakewood. Ohio City and Tremont are a bit more expensive, unless you want a fixer-upper.

RockandRoller,

 

Your descriptions of Ohio City and Tremont are a bit extreme. You make Tremont out to be some sort of gang war zone. I've never heard or seen such behavior over there. And in Ohio City, I have a quite a few single female friends who are home owners and feel quite safe. Lastly, I think your 15-year threshold for buying house is laughable. Do you have a crystal ball telling you this stuff?

 

Lastly, Lakewood's bar scene aint all that. I think someone from NYC would find Ohio City/downtown, Little Italy etc to be much more appealing.

 

 

 

I didn't mean to offend anyone.  I am in tremont every week around the same time, sometimes for an entire afternoon.  I also eat dinner there about once every two weeks, and I'm just sharing my impressions as a frequent visitor there and what I've observed, as well as what I know from my friends who live there and in OC.

 

Contrary to what was suggested, I don't mean to put Lakewood on a pedestal but instead, offer it as my personal opinion of her best bet for what she wants given the parameters she specified.  While I lived there years ago, I would not want to live there now for a variety of reasons, it's just not for me. 

 

I agree the bar scene is definitely more trendy and hopping/happening in OC and Tremont.  But if you're looking for friendly, unassuming, neighborhood watering holes that serve decent food, I feel Lakewood just has so many choices it trumps OC and Tremont in sheer numbers.  There's also more little stores there, everything from Geiger's sporting goods to Lion & Blue jewelry and Daystar boutique.  I just thought it would be a better fit for what she's looking for.

And in the interest of full disclosure and the hopes that we'll all get to know each other better now that I'm posting here, I am a female.  I stand by my opinion that it feels differently to be a single/solitary female at night in the OC or Tremont than it does if you're a male, and would feel different living there as well.  Again, it's just my opinion.  I love the OC and Tremont and visit them regularly, but I wouldn't live there as a single female.  She asked for opinions and that's mine.

 

Just to get a feel of your situation rockandroller, where are you living these days?

I live in Middleburg Heights.  I work downtown.

Wow, I had no idea that I was stepping into such a minefield in the lakewood vs. ohio city/tremont wars.  I have been to visit friends in OC but never really past the dinner hour, and my one time in lakewood was driving around the other day.  To be honest, I liked the atmosphere of OC better (although since I didn't know what I was looking for in lakewood, I can't say for sure), but I also could see it being sketch late night. 

 

...Meanwhile, I saw the cutest house in Cleveland Heights (Coventry-ish) today that is exactly in my price range, so who knows?  Next week, I'll look a little in Lakewood and Ohio City to try to get a feel for both areas.  I'll continue to try to get a sense of the ratio between cool/hip/urban (yeah, I'm a poser) and safe/secure.   

 

As for the person surprised about people moving to Cleveland.  You're telling me.  Still, I work in a very small field that isn't exactly a part of the normal job market.  My move, at least, is no harbinger of any larger trend. 

 

I really do appreciate all of the advice and I will definitely keep you all posted.  And will pretty soon want even more advice about living in cleveland (or some inner ring suburb thereof)...

Ok I am going to vent here. It bothers me when anyone who talks about crime on here is dismissed as either ignorant or suburban. While that is sometimes the case, the truth is OC DOES have crime issues (I am less up on tremont). We do a disservice to others and ourselves by pretending like there is not an issue. OC had armed robberies, a few a month as it happens. That said I feel(a female) much safer here -I live on the fringes of OC and work in OC- than in the suburbs. I love the area I live in and would find it hard to concider any other area. frankly I am more likely to die early from all the pollution suburbanites pump into the atmoshere with their treks to the strip mall to buy cheap walmart products or get plowed into on the highway, than to be a victim of crime in OC. I like that I can get to work in 5-10 minutes depending if I walk or drive.  I would not live here if I thought it were terribly unsafe. If I were living alone though, I would prefer some measure of security (as I have now, albeit not alone). Many downtown building have security/secure parking and for instance at Stonebridge apartments you call call security for an escort from your car if you are so inclined. My gut is I would feel safer in tremont or downtown, than OC-just a little quieter and less poverty related crime. 

 

I agree, don't buy unless you are ready to stay awhile. Like everywhere,the market is really slow here. I know so many people that have had their place on the market for more than a year. renting is the way to go for now and if Cleveland snatches you in it clutches like so many who thought they were passing through, then buy. welcome and good luck!

Gilgi, the person who was surprised at how many people seem to be moving here is a Cincinnati resident.

 

And we just like a spirited debate here. A few of us have come to know each other and befriend each other through this web site. But we're also not afraid of speaking our minds.

 

Please keep us posted on your search. We'll be happy to answer any questions that will help you find your new home, whether you rent or buy. By the way, there is a real estate agent who occasionally visits this site and her specialty is selling historic housing in the city and inner-ring suburbs. If you want to avoid a real estate agent, I can understand why ($$!). But if you're willing to give her a try, let me know and I can put you in touch with her. Click on the "My Messages" button at the top of this page and send a personal message to me "KJP".

Hi Gilgi,

 

I am also a single female in my 30s, I live in the same neighborhood as KJP and I can recommend it.  I rent though, don't know much about the housing costs, but there seem to be plenty of homes available.  Tremont and Ohio City are a bit more "happening", eclectic and diverse and I like to go out in those neighborhoods a lot.  Lakewood has mostly casual neighborhood corner bars that I don't generally frequent, but convenient access to everyday amenities (I can walk to get my groceries, pharmacy, hair salons, several coffee shops, dry cleaning, restaurants, etc) and transportation and all the amenities KJP mentioned.   

 

I walk and bike a lot and feel very comfortable in my neighborhood, and there is plenty to see.  I come home late alot from work and never feel unsafe walking back to my apartment even at 2:00 am.  None of the neighborhoods mentioned here are what I would call unsafe, but I do feel a bit more comfortable walking around my neighborhhod than I sometimes do in parts of OC or Tremont or Detroit Shoreway.  I realize it's subjective and I don't mean to disparage any neighborhood because I love OC, Tremont and Detroit Shoreway, but I agree with rockandroller, it's a different experience as a female, every time you get harassed and/or stared down by some weirdo, it's more than just annoying, it's scary.  You have to listen to your instincts and live somewhere you feel comfortable walking around on a daily basis.  And you have to weigh what amenities are most important to you. 

 

Anyway, I am happy with my choice, it was a good fit for me, but truly all the places mentioned are great neighborhoods and good places can be found in all of them.  Best of luck to you!

 

 

My daughter (mid 20's) lived in my apartment building on 69th, north of Detroit.  I didn't sleep well the entire year she lived there!  Not that it was a bad neighborhood, but coming home alone late at night, I can see where it could be a problem.  The neighbors looked out for her, but not everyone is around all the time. 

 

She has since moved to Stonebridge, and I feel a little more comfortable, but she walks to work sometimes in the warehouse district, or she drives and parks in the lot under the bridge.  She is also a professional, so her hours are never fixed and she doesn't know what time she may get out at night.  That makes me more nervous than if she lived in Lakewood, although unless you are never alone, you can never be perfectly safe!

 

Good luck with your decision.  I would recommend living on the west side and renting for a while!

Next week, I'll look a little in Lakewood and Ohio City to try to get a feel for both areas.  I'll continue to try to get a sense of the ratio between cool/hip/urban (yeah, I'm a poser) and safe/secure.   

 

Don't forget Tremont, though!  If you're into walking or jogging, I think you'll like the neighborhood a lot.  It's more tranquil than Ohio City (and has a lower crime rate,) but it has a lovely park (Lincoln Park) and some very nice cafés and art galleries (especially on Professor Ave.)  There's also a library branch on Jefferson Ave., although I haven't been inside.

 

You might be interested in this website:  http://restoretremont.com/

 

Good luck with your search!  Although everyone here has their own favorite neighborhoods, all the suggestions have been good.  In my opinion, you should definitely rent before buying and spend time in the areas that interest you, and the best way to find out what living in a given neighborhood is like is to ask the neighbors!

 

Oh, and welcome!  :wave: