Looking at options: Marietta, OH (Columbus, Cleveland: real estate, apartments, rentals)

[tammay]

I'm looking at several different towns in several different states, so if you see me posting similar questions in other forums, that's why :-)

I'm looking to move next year from West Texas, as the place no longer suits me. I'm exploring options and have done a lot of research. Marietta, OH is on my list so I wanted to know more about it from people who know the town.

My situation: I'm in my 50s and single and looking to move to a small-medium town. I'm very introverted and definitely not looking for a place that has a lot of activities and swinger-type stuff. I live very modestly and quietly. I also work from home, so employment isn't going to be an issue.

My criteria:
Crime: Since I'm an older woman living alone (and will stay that way), I'm looking for a place where I can feel safe walking around. I don't go out at night, so that's not an issue, but I need to feel safe doing errands during the daytime. Reading some posts in the CD forums, I did see that people have commented on a drug issue in Ohio, and Marietta has that too. Is this confined to one or a few areas that I could stay away from? Is there a safety issue with this (i.e., theft, break-ins, etc)? I am used to seeing people on the street who are homeless and/or drug addicts as I lived in San Francisco for a time. It's not pretty, so if I can avoid it by avoiding certain areas, that would work for me. Also, are there certain areas of the city I should stay away from when looking for housing (I'll be renting for now, not buying)?

Weather: Yes, I know, Ohio has a lot of snow. Despite living in Texas, I'm not a total newbie when it comes to snow (spent part of my childhood in the Midwest and several years in South Dakota as an adult). My main concern is that I don't have a car (hate cars, hate driving, and don't plan on buying one :-D) so I do my errands, including groceries, on foot. I usually have very few errands, so the only big one is weekly grocery shopping. So during the winter went there is heavy snow, would I be able to do grocery delivery? I did check a few addresses from Zillow in Instacart and it looks like there are deliveries through them but I wanted to make sure. I don't want to be slogging through inches of snow to do my shopping (a few inches, fine, but 7 or 8, nope).

Also, my lease in Texas ends in mid-January. I know that's not a great time to move (dead of winter) and I could probably stay on for another month but beyond that, the cost would be prohibitive for me. Checking out the average weather, it seems like there isn't much difference in terms of snowfall and temperatures (on average) between January and February, but maybe people who are more local would know if it would make a difference moving in February as opposed to January?

Natural Disasters: One of the reasons I'm getting out of West Texas is the frequency of tornado watches and warnings has increased over the years. I do not have the stomach to be on edge all the time when tornado season rolls around. I did do research on Marietta and it seems there aren't too many issues with natural disasters (tornados or otherwise) but just wanted to verify this.

Internet connection: Since I work from home, I do need a pretty strong internet connection (50GB is what I have now). Might there be issues with internet speed and connection because it's a small town?

Critter situation: I'm fine with harmless critters like flies, ants, spiders, etc., but what is the situation in Marietta with less harmless critters (like snakes, scorpions, bears, etc)? I know it sounds like a dumb question, but living alone, I would rather not deal with critters who might be harmful. In South Dakota, there were sometimes rattlesnakes (though none got into my apartment - I just saw one cruising down the street during a walk) so I just want to make sure.

Transportation: I'd probably need to fly to the airport in Columbus and get transportation from there to Marietta. Does anyone know if there might be an airport shuttle of some kind or even just taking a taxi (I know, it's going to cost a bundle)?

If I chose Marietta, I would try to go visit there for a few days, but probably not until November.

I know it's a lot of very specific questions, so thank you to everyone for your help!

[tammay]

The system won't let me edit the post for some reason, so just wanted to add that the internet speed I have now is 50Mbps, not 50GB :-D.

[ferraris]

I am not seeing the draw to Marietta in your situation. Are you picking it because it is southern and you want warmer weather?

My main concern is that I don't have a car (hate cars, hate driving, and don't plan on buying one :-D)

You can probably find a place within walking distance of day-to-day necessities, but you will definitely be hampered by not driving in a place like Marietta. You already mentioned the airport, but even stuff like medical care or buying clothes will be limited.

I'm in my 50s and single and looking to move to a small-medium town. I'm very introverted and definitely not looking for a place that has a lot of activities and swinger-type stuff. I live very modestly and quietly.

I really think I would consider a larger city. Washington County's public transit seems to consist of just three bus lines and a dial-a-ride service.

And I realize you are introverted, but a town of 13,000 people can be socially hard for newcomers too.

Cleveland has the best transit in the state for sure, including a train to the airport. You don't have to live in some hopping nightlife area. I wonder if the Shaker Square neighborhood would suit you? It has rail access and its own laid back, not-flashy "town square" style business district for groceries, banking, etc. What nightlife there is is just quiet dining, no rowdy bars or clubs. There are a number of condos and apartments within a block or two of the square.

[WRnative]

See posts 67-70 in this thread. I should have posted 70 in this thread, but I'm too lazy to move it now, plus that thread otherwise should interest you if you're considering relocating to Ohio.


https://www.city-data.com/forum/ohio/...l#post63788040

[tammay]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful response! I'm looking at Marietta because I liked the feeling of a small, quaint town I got when researching it, plus I've heard it has a lot of historical architecture which I love. I'm really not too concerned about public transportation, as I'm a total homebody and really prefer to stick close to home and only go out when necessary (like grocery shopping). As long as I can find a place that has basic amenities within walking distance, I'm good to go. And the 13,000 population doesn't concern me either. When I lived in South Dakota, the town had 10,000 people and that included the students from the university in town. When summer hit, there were a lot fewer. It didn't bother me at all :-D. I get what you're saying about living in a small area in a big city like Cleveland, but I'm honestly not interested in living in a big city, small area or not. I did that in San Francisco and it just wasn't my thing.

Originally Posted by ferraris

I am not seeing the draw to Marietta in your situation. Are you picking it because it is southern and you want warmer weather?



You can probably find a place within walking distance of day-to-day necessities, but you will definitely be hampered by not driving in a place like Marietta. You already mentioned the airport, but even stuff like medical care or buying clothes will be limited.




I really think I would consider a larger city. Washington County's public transit seems to consist of just three bus lines and a dial-a-ride service.

And I realize you are introverted, but a town of 13,000 people can be socially hard for newcomers too.

Cleveland has the best transit in the state for sure, including a train to the airport. You don't have to live in some hopping nightlife area. I wonder if the Shaker Square neighborhood would suit you? It has rail access and its own laid back, not-flashy "town square" style business district for groceries, banking, etc. What nightlife there is is just quiet dining, no rowdy bars or clubs. There are a number of condos and apartments within a block or two of the square.

[ferraris]

It sounds like you know what you're getting yourself into, so that is good. I think it CAN work out, but it's definitely not a good choice for a lot of people.

One problem with small towns is that it can be hard to find recommendations and information like you are looking for. I wonder if an in-person trip to a hotel or B&B might be the best way to investigate.

[chevere33]

Did you decide on Marietta? How do you like it? What are rents like there (for, say, a 1BR apartment)?

[tammay]

Originally Posted by chevere33

Did you decide on Marietta? How do you like it? What are rents like there (for, say, a 1BR apartment)?

Yes, I did decide to move to Marietta and I'm moving in February! I actually just came back from visiting the place and finding an apartment, so your question couldn't be timed better.

I loved it when I was there! It's s beautiful with the rivers and the historical houses in the neighborhoods. The people I met and talked to were very helpful and nice and seemed open to a newcomer coming in (I lived in a small town in South Dakota several years ago and they were NOT like that at all). It is a very small town, so if you're coming from a big town, that might take some getting used to, but for me, that's exactly what I wanted.

The rentals I looked at (1BR and 2BR apartments) really depended in terms of price. There were some on the higher side (for me), like $800-$900 and some that were more around $700-$600 (which is the range I was looking at). That's about what they are in the area I'm living in now, so that, to me, is reasonably priced.

I highly recommend following the advice I followed in these forums, which was to take time to visit the place first and see if you can do some apartment hunting while you're there. I went through a real estate/property management company which was the best decision for me and there are several in Marietta (they're all online so you can search for them).

Hope that helps!
Tam