Oakley? (Cincinnati, Mason, Mariemont: real estate, house, neighborhoods)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Chemistry_Guy

In one sentence:
It shares many amenities with Hyde Park and the crowd that can afford to live in Oakley is more fun than the crowd that can afford to live in Hyde Park.

I love that term amenities, about as non-commited as you can get. Look up the definition, anything which is pleasant. What is pleasant to you may be not to me. I guess if we claim to have amenities we have amenities. So are you saying Oakley with its many small band-box houses is desirable because Hyde Park is so expensive?

I know where you live, Amberley Village, is a very attractive place. But frankly there are many houses in PLeasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights which make Oakley look like a slum.

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

I love that term amenities, about as non-commited as you can get. Look up the definition, anything which is pleasant. What is pleasant to you may be not to me. I guess if we claim to have amenities we have amenities. So are you saying Oakley with its many small band-box houses is desirable because Hyde Park is so expensive?

I know where you live, Amberley Village, is a very attractive place. But frankly there are many houses in PLeasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights which make Oakley look like a slum.

This is awful. Absolutely awful. And blatantly untrue.

Give me a small band-box house with character in Oakley than one of your cheaply built, dull, 14-roomed McMansion disasters surrounded by stick trees in Mason, any damned day.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

This is awful. Absolutely awful, and untrue.

Give me a small band-box house with character in Oakley than one of your cheaply built, dull, 14-roomed McMansion disasters surrounded by stick trees in Mason, any damned day.

That is your opinion, and frankly those who keep buying the stick trees in Mason disagree. Everything I am aware of in Oakley was cheaply built. They may have done a little bit better job overall, but was it high-level construction - no damn way it was the bang it out subdivision building of its day. So please spare me the contrasts which really do not exist.

[Chemistry_Guy]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

I love that term amenities, about as non-commited as you can get. Look up the definition, anything which is pleasant. What is pleasant to you may be not to me. I guess if we claim to have amenities we have amenities. So are you saying Oakley with its many small band-box houses is desirable because Hyde Park is so expensive?

I know where you live, Amberley Village, is a very attractive place. But frankly there are many houses in PLeasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights which make Oakley look like a slum.

You are right that it is not the housing stock that makes Oakley attractive. It is the convenient location for interstate access, shopping, bars, compact walkability, grocery stores etc. All of these things make it a good place to live for twentysomethings and young families, hence the 'more fun than Hyde Park' .

I lived on Glenhurst for over a year, and for recreation and day to day shopping I didn't really have to drive and when I did it was less than five minutes. At the same time, the streets are clean and quiet, the neighbors are educated and friendly, and urban blight is nowhere to be found. It is like Hyde Park without the mansions and price tag or, if you prefer, northside without the urban edge.

I loved Oakley, but we didn't buy a house there mainly because we didn't like the value for potential resale in the current inflated market. You are right about the few beautiful streets in Kennedy Heights and P. Ridge (My old home street Davenant and Grand Vista and Orchard in P. Ridge come to mind) but there is far less to do in either neighborhood for a young professional than Oakley. Again, it comes down to excitement. There is simply more things that interest a certain brand of young professional in Oakley than in most other neighborhoods. I believe this is due to a healthy mix of owners and renters, high and low end commercial, and of course proximity to Hyde Park.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Chemistry_Guy

You are right that it is not the housing stock that makes Oakley attractive. It is the convenient location for interstate access, shopping, bars, compact walkability, grocery stores etc. All of these things make it a good place to live for twentysomethings and young families, hence the 'more fun than Hyde Park' .

I lived on Glenhurst for over a year, and for recreation and day to day shopping I didn't really have to drive and when I did it was less than five minutes. At the same time, the streets are clean and quiet, the neighbors are educated and friendly, and urban blight is nowhere to be found. It is like Hyde Park without the mansions and price tag or, if you prefer, northside without the urban edge.

I loved Oakley, but we didn't buy a house there mainly because we didn't like the value for potential resale in the current inflated market. You are right about the few beautiful streets in Kennedy Heights and P. Ridge (My old home street Davenant and Grand Vista and Orchard in P. Ridge come to mind) but there is far less to do in either neighborhood for a young professional than Oakley. Again, it comes down to excitement. There is simply more things that interest a certain brand of young professional in Oakley than in most other neighborhoods. I believe this is due to a healthy mix of owners and renters, high and low end commercial, and of course proximity to Hyde Park.

Hey, at least you have evaluated the property correctly. Young professionals and young familes are attracted to Oakley, why? - for affordability. Does that mean they will stay there forever - NO! Once they have kids they will start to doubt their location? Why? because they want the best for their kids. I do not have to suggest they move, they will decide that on their own.

It happens over and over, the families move to the siburbs for schools. If you think there is any other reason they will move out here, endure the commutes and all the rest to deal with their jobs and kids, you must have your heads in the sand. Schools, Schools, that is where it is all at. It is the largest simple reason why people more to the suburbs. If you deny that you are denying a lot.

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Hey, at least you have evaluated the property correctly. Young professionals and young familes are attracted to Oakley, why? - for affordability. Does that mean they will stay there forever - NO! Once they have kids they will start to doubt their location? Why? because they want the best for their kids. I do not have to suggest they move, they will decide that on their own.

It happens over and over, the families move to the siburbs for schools. If you think there is any other reason they will move out here, endure the commutes and all the rest to deal with their jobs and kids, you must have your heads in the sand. Schools, Schools, that is where it is all at. It is the largest simple reason why people more to the suburbs. If you deny that you are denying a lot.

Do you honestly think the only reason young people choose Oakley is because of its so-called affordability? It couldn't have anything to do with its proximity to the premiere destinations in this metro (downtown, OTR, Mount Adams, Mount Lookout, Hyde Park, even Kenwood and Oakley itself), could it?

So you're suggesting that, if everything else was equal including cost, young professionals would actually prefer to live in Mason and West Chester as opposed to the city? Do you really think that everyone's dream is to live on a cul-de-sac with three cars and a third refrigerator in the garage?

[deg1114]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Do you honestly think the only reason young people choose Oakley is because of its so-called affordability? It couldn't have anything to do with its proximity to the premiere destinations in this metro (downtown, OTR, Mount Adams, Mount Lookout, Hyde Park, even Kenwood and Oakley itself), could it?

I think affordability is one factor but in that sense you can find affordable houses in Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout. I agree with the fact that it is a central location to all of what you have mentioned but I think Oakley has a lot to do with it to. Have you seen Oakley Square lately? Great restaurants, bars, and coffee/tea shops. Oakley Square kicks butt on Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout Square. Hyde Park Square has a bunch of boutiques that are barely open past 6:00. Oakley Square has newer and cleaner looking bars than Mt. Lookout Square and there are activities around the square like Oakley After Hours. Heck, even Habits has been cleaned up and is a lot nicer than it was 10 years ago.

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by deg1114

I think affordability is one factor but in that sense you can find affordable houses in Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout. I agree with the fact that it is a central location to all of what you have mentioned but I think Oakley has a lot to do with it to. Have you seen Oakley Square lately? Great restaurants, bars, and coffee/tea shops. Oakley Square kicks butt on Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout Square. Hyde Park Square has a bunch of boutiques that are barely open past 6:00. Oakley Square has newer and cleaner looking bars than Mt. Lookout Square and there are activities around the square like Oakley After Hours. Heck, even Habits has been cleaned up and is a lot nicer than it was 10 years ago.

Exactly right. Oakley is a great neighborhood. I love Oakley Square, particularly Habits.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

So what has happened? I know most of the blue-collar jobs have disappeared. So what has happened to make Oakley desirable?

Hyde Park, NR. All the aspiring yuppies that were priced out of Hyde Park came clamoring toward next-best-thing Oakley, and now they're pricing themselves out there as well.

What ho! Could Madisonville be next?

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Give me a small band-box house with character in Oakley than one of your cheaply built, dull, 14-roomed McMansion disasters surrounded by stick trees in Mason, any damned day.

Don't be absurd. Did anyone mention Mason in this thread ... besides you?

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Don't be absurd. Did anyone mention Mason in this thread ... besides you?

Yes, read it again ... particularly kjbrill's post No. 9, where he said a nice restaurant in Oakley would be little more than a Goodwill store in Mason.

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