Cincinnati Housing

amother

Violet

Tue, May 26 2020, 9:57 pm

a lot of the houses I know of including my own are 3 bedrooms on the main floor. You might get a guest room in the basement so I guess that would make it four bedrooms....

If you look on zillow look at from losantiville and Elbrook to Elbrook and twigwood in one direction and then go from section and Elbrook down to fair oaks... area.

There are houses outside that area as well but I think it's safe to say that's the "main area".

housing has really gone up.

the last house in this list is 4 bedrooms but it's already sale pending
https://www.sibcycline.com/city/oh/amberley/
It's $334,900.

Housing is often hard to come by. I would suggest reaching out to a realtor. They may know of a house that isn't officially listed yet.

amother

Silver

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:06 pm

PP gave good advice. There are quite a few frum families living slightly outside the area she outlined, but I think it was a good description of the "main" area. You could go down a bit more south to Elbrook and Bremont (instead of stopping at Losantiville) to find cheaper homes, but they are also mostly smaller and definitely less convenient. There are also people who live further east than Fair Oaks, but the houses are less convenient and also get quite expensive.

What I think is really nice about the frum neighborhood here, is there is a tremendous range of housing prices, with run-down two-bedroom homes on tiny lots for $80K and large homes costing ten times that, especially if you don't mind a 20-25 minute walk to shul. But it's true that homes in the "main" area are becoming harder to come by. You should definitely get someone here to keep an eye out for you.

amother

Silver

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:35 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

If you feel comfortable answering... what makes cincinnati a nice place to live (assuming you like it Smile

) I thought that it was a cheap slow pace kinda place, but it seems like housing is really not that cheap... wondering what are the other pulling factors.

Just speaking for myself, here are a few things, by no means everything.

It's small enough that it's easy to get to know most people, if you make that a priority. We have yeshivish, MO, JPF, and Chabad, but most people do not confine themselves or their children to their own hashkafic circle when it comes to socializing and friendships, play dates, or attending shul events.

It's big enough to have some amenities. You can't get kosher takeout here at 2am, but you have a few places to choose from during regular hours.

In terms of the general surrounding culture, Cincinnatians (Jewish and non) and Northern Kentuckians are friendly and easy-going. I like the vast majority of my neighbors and co-workers. Cashiers and other service people are usually friendly and helpful. Even the people at the bureau of motor vehicles are nice. I grew up on the East Coast, so I have some basis for comparison.

amother

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:42 pm

amother [ Violet ] wrote:

it's beautiful Smile

and the the main elementary and girls highschool are in the community. the second school moved out this year. used to be inside the community as well.

and the housing used to be a lot cheaper Wink

Thank you both for the replies. just curious... what do you mean by beautiful? its a pretty neighborhood? its beautiful weather?

amother

Silver

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:51 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

also- what is driving up the housing prices? is the frum community growing, or it is a trend across the whole Cincinnati

I think it's mainly the frum community growing. The number of families is increasing, and also the size of existing families is increasing. A young couple might move to town with a baby or two and live in an apartment or a starter home on the edges of the community. Then, when they are earning more money, and have more kids and their older kids want to be able to easily walk to friends, the couple will move to the main area or into a larger home.

amother

Cerise

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:52 pm

amother [ Silver ] wrote:

Just speaking for myself, here are a few things, by no means everything.

It's small enough that it's easy to get to know most people, if you make that a priority. We have yeshivish, MO, JPF, and Chabad, but most people do not confine themselves or their children to their own hashkafic circle pwhen it comes to socializing and friendships, play dates, or attending shul events.

It's big enough to have some amenities. You can't get kosher takeout here at 2am, but you have a few places to choose from during regular hours.

In terms of the general surrounding culture, Cincinnatians (Jewish and non) and Northern Kentuckians are friendly and easy-going. I like the vast majority of my neighbors and co-workers. Cashiers and other service people are usually friendly and helpful. Even the people at the bureau of motor vehicles are nice. I grew up on the East Coast, so I have some basis for comparison.

Would you say that it's a warm family-friendly community where on warm days you might find kids going back and forth between neighbors houses and moms shmoozing, etc?

amother

Silver

Tue, May 26 2020, 10:55 pm

amother [ Cerise ] wrote:

Would you say that it's a warm family-friendly community where on warm days you might find kids going back and forth between neighbors houses and moms shmoozing, etc?

That's definitely been my experience. COVID has put a damper on it, but we still do some social-distanced schmoozing outside and I hope we will get back to our regular routine one day.

amother

Silver

Tue, May 26 2020, 11:20 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

what are the winters like? is it feasible to have a 20-25 min walk to shul?

Winters are mild compared to New England where I grew up. Not many significant snowfalls. One annoying thing is that our community lacks sidewalks on many key streets. So while a 20-25 minute winter walk is no big deal for an unencumbered adult, it can be more of a pain with a stroller or younger children involved if there is ice or wet snow on the ground.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, May 26 2020, 11:27 pm

Feel free to reach out to me.

Prices are still way cheaper than the east coast and you get nice lots with the houses in the 300s. You can sometimes find in the 2s still but they're usually sold before being listed officially.

I don't know anyone who walks 25 minutes to shul.

My husband jokes that he has the farthest walk he ever had, and it takes him 7 minutes to go.

My parents live in a different neighborhood and they don't walk more than 15 minutes.

You can be brave and convert apartment buildings into a house as a few people have done, or a duplex into a single family... But it requires the personality to handle that. That's usually in the Golf Manor area as Amberley only has single family homes in the frum area.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, May 26 2020, 11:31 pm

In terms of being beautiful, imagine greenery, tree lined streets (just don't ask us after a storm ;-) )...deer prancing in yards, birds chirping everywhere. Amberley in particular is very strict that the grass can't be too long, yard can't be a mess, etc
Many people have nice landscaping going on.
Flowers growing.
My view of the sunset is stunning.
Parks, many, many parks within 15-20 minutes drive or less.

amother

Violet

Wed, May 27 2020, 7:42 am

I was told that pleasent ridge houses ( a community that's edge is in walking distance from the "main community") is selling like hot cakes. not frum people. Golf manor's ( edge is in the frum community prices) has also gone up, again often with non frum people so it's not just because the frum community is growing but that definitely is playing a role as well.

HY described the beauty well. I look out some windows and feel like I'm in the middle of a forrest. Of course thats not everyone's house but that's a big deal for me. Hard to find a community that you can have that and still walk to school Wink

Really we've thought of moving but couldn't think of anywhere to move to. Besides for my dh's chavrusah there isn't really anything for him here. jobs aren't really a deciding factor of location for us but we've decided to stay until kids no longer need schooling....which will be awhile.

It's faily "convenient". the school being local is huge. if your older kids can walk home themselves that cuts don on carpooling and when driving takes 3 minutes its less of a big deal.

theres a top notch children's hospital.

It's centrally located in terms of other frum communities.

of course there's also "vouchers" and if you earn under a certain amount you don't have to pay any tuition besides for "fees" so that helps with affordability.

In terms of HY's comment about after storm. some houses including mine do lose power more then I would like... but not all houses. If you don't have trees around you then less likely. I know people here who almost never lose power.

amother

Pewter

Wed, May 27 2020, 7:49 am

Curious, how is the crime in general in Cincinnati? And is there any anti-Semitism?
Are the local non-Jews friendly and accepting towards Jews or is there animosity, even undercurrents of animosity?

Also are there local insurance companies that take people who have kids with pre-existing conditions?

What fields are in demand there?