West Cincy vs East Cincy (Columbus, Cincinnati: section 8, to rent, selling a house)

[celtikwatch]

Ok, another newcomer looking for moving advice. My wife and our two kids (3yo and 8mo) moving to Cincy. She has a job in UC hospital district. We are from Nebraska and Iowa (Omaha and small town north of Quad Cities). Are looking in Blue Ash, Madeira, and Montgomery on the East side as these seem nice with good schools and "relatively" good commutes to hospital (Mariemont, Indian Hill out of our price range)? Madeira is probably first since it seems like if we had to move again, the houses in Madeira are able to be sold fast (currently)??

However, started to think about the West side when for one noticed it has an express bus to the hospital district (seems like all the east side ones go downtown). Anybody have any experience with express bus from W.Cincy to hospital district (standing room only? nice?, etc). We already know the traffic/parking garage jam can be ugly around UC hospital district but if anybody has any tips or shortcuts in that respect..we are all ears (eyes that is)!

I don't think we would buy on West side, more likely to rent. We would also consider private school if on the west side (most likely Catholic....usually more affordable but not always?). Private elementary school recomendations from West side?

Between Cheviot, Bridgetown, Westwood, or others I don't see on the map, what is nicer, convenient, walk friendly, family friendly, close to fitness centers with babysitting and good kids pool? I have already seen other posts about section 8 coming to some of these areas, and while I agree not all section 8 is bad, I grew up taking care of property with my parents and after a while we just stopped taking section 8 b/c of all the damages, so I'll be honest, I don't want to be that near or in the middle of it.

Are there bike trails on W Side like Little Miami on E Side?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[jlawrence01]

Anderson Township might be another area to check out that is a short drive to the hospital.

[unusualfire]

Sold quickly? I think you need to have a license in Ohio to flip a home unless you lived(owned?)in it for more than 2 years.

[cali3448893]

East side.

[celtikwatch]

Usualfire,

Sorry, meant that if we did have to move again in 2-3 years....I'm told the houses in Madeira go quickly/don't sit on market long if reasonably priced

Thanks

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

Sold quickly? I think you need to have a license in Ohio to flip a home unless you lived(owned?)in it for more than 2 years.

I don't believe there would be any problem selling a house used as your principle residence, even if you sold it 6 months after purchasing, particularly if it involved another job transfer. It is the same as selling a car from your home, OK unless it is frequent enough you are classified as a dealer.

If you keep flipping houses that is when they will contend you are a dealer not just a home owner.

[jmecklenborg]

That west side express bus to the Hospitals just started last year. The problem is that it will be the first to be cut if there are funding issues. It leaves from the transit center in Glenway Crossings shopping center and might have a few other stops in the area but I'm not sure where before heading down the hill and directly across to the Uptown area. Depending on which hospital it is it could take awhile to get there as the bus runs a circuitous route connecting each of them. If your hospital happens to be at the end of the loop, driving to work will be significantly faster.

The west side has zero paved bike trails and is culturally hostile to bicycling. The Little Miami trail on the east side is always a nice ride and runs almost the entire 100 mile length between Cincinnati and Columbus. My only criticism of the trail is that there are long stretches where there are no shelters so if you get caught out in a storm it's going to be miserable. Also, very few places to stop and get food or snacks if you do a 50-100 mile ride.

[kjbrill]

My only comment is the Little Miami Historic Scenic river was intended to be just that - historic and scenic. The Little Miami Scenic Trail was intended to complement it. It was not designed as a tourist trap destination, but a point where people could commune with nature. If there is not a McDonalds every 150 yards down the trail, I think that is a good thing. If you can get out there on a section of the trail, get caught in a downpour, and get drenched, I also think that is a good thing. Hopefully it can become short of the farce Gatlinburg, TN has become to the Smokeys.

Because I am so old, I can remember going to the Smokeys as a kid. Staying just inside the park boundary, camping out in tents, and catching trout in the streams leading in to Gatlinburg and likely the Little Pigeon River which flows through Pigeon Forge. I don't believe you can do that today and that is a loss. May the friends and organizations supporting the Little Miami River basin prevent that from happening.

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

My only comment is the Little Miami Historic Scenic river was intended to be just that - historic and scenic. The Little Miami Scenic Trail was intended to complement it. It was not designed as a tourist trap destination, but a point where people could commune with nature. If there is not a McDonalds every 150 yards down the trail, I think that is a good thing. If you can get out there on a section of the trail, get caught in a downpour, and get drenched, I also think that is a good thing. Hopefully it can become short of the farce Gatlinburg, TN has become to the Smokeys.

What a weird comparison.

Absolutely not likely, ever.... We visit Gatlinburg every year... comparing the Little Miami to what has happened in the Smokies is like comparing two extremes.

Being a long time user of the LM trail (20+ years) it appears to me that a *lot* of small trail side businesses get established, and then fail quickly. They're like mayflies. It looked like a power outage in Warren County this last summer almost put the Corwin Peddler (next to the trail and relatively successful) out of business for good due to losses of the their entire ice cream and food inventory. That's the main problem, these places don't last, which solves the problem of over commercialism. Also, the LM trail is highly seasonal - Gatlinburg is all year long.

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

My only criticism of the trail is that there are long stretches where there are no shelters so if you get caught out in a storm it's going to be miserable. Also, very few places to stop and get food or snacks if you do a 50-100 mile ride.

No, the main reason that the LM trail is not friendly for eating/food is because it runs through or past very few small towns that can support restaurants. And the trail itself is not active enough by half to support restaurants entirely on its own.

That's the thing about old railroad lines - nobody wanted to live near them, so often the nearby areas are little developed.

The best food options on or near the trail are in downtown Loveland. Secondarily, in Milford, and in Waynesville. A couple of places in Morrow are near the trail. In South Lebanon, about 1/2 mile off the trail. PM me directly for tips if you have questions about specific locales.

Unless you can arrange your rides to end or have meal time stops in these towns, the best thing to do is to carry food and water.

Actually, the LM trail is fairly accessible for food and basic services as many such long haul biking trails go. The North Bend trail in West Virginia is VERY desolate in that regard.

[celtikwatch]

Thanks for all info so far! Has there been talk of cutting some of the bus routes?