Pickerington to OSU? (Columbus, Dayton, Kettering: middle-class, crime, houses)

[Fletchman]

Hilliard would be at the top of my list if I was working at OSU but wanted to live outside 270. Much closer to OSU than Marysville or Pickerington. If you take Fishinger Rd. east from Hilliard it takes you basically to OSU campus.

You could also consider the Galloway area or Grove City. Don't let people scare you away. There are some very good housing options there and the traffic isn't too bad. I drive that west side frequently.

[Newheregirl]

Originally Posted by Fletchman

Hilliard would be at the top of my list if I was working at OSU but wanted to live outside 270. Much closer to OSU than Marysville or Pickerington. If you take Fishinger Rd. east from Hilliard it takes you basically to OSU campus.

You could also consider the Galloway area or Grove City. Don't let people scare you away. There are some very good housing options there and the traffic isn't too bad. I drive that west side frequently.

I really disliked Hilliard as a whole. We really like smaller towns, less traffic and crime. I'm not really finding that near Columbus as easily as I can find that in the Dayton area. Unless I'm looking in the wrong areas?

[Clever nickname here]

Originally Posted by Newheregirl

I feel like the housing prices are insanely high in all of the areas I'm looking. I've read a few things where people feel the crime in Pickerington is increasing because they are busing in kids from Renyoldsburg? The Tussing Rd area looks rather scary. I'm not so sure my kids would adjust to the schools there. Powell is nice but the traffic is a nightmare. Plain City has absolutely nothing in our price range. I'm at a loss. Marysville is the next place I will make the drive to check out. I don't have high hopes though. Is there anywhere there like Kettering, Centerville, or Bellbrook that isn't insanely overcrowded? Seeing what 200,000 can buy here vs there is shocking. Sorry if I sound like I don't like Columbus, I'm just feeling pretty disappointed right now

If you think that real estate prices are crazy in Columbus you haven't been to many sunbelt or western urban areas. Columbus area real estate is cheaper than most major metro area.

[Buckeye614]

Originally Posted by Newheregirl

I feel like the housing prices are insanely high in all of the areas I'm looking. I've read a few things where people feel the crime in Pickerington is increasing because they are busing in kids from Renyoldsburg? The Tussing Rd area looks rather scary. I'm not so sure my kids would adjust to the schools there. Powell is nice but the traffic is a nightmare. Plain City has absolutely nothing in our price range. I'm at a loss. Marysville is the next place I will make the drive to check out. I don't have high hopes though. Is there anywhere there like Kettering, Centerville, or Bellbrook that isn't insanely overcrowded? Seeing what 200,000 can buy here vs there is shocking. Sorry if I sound like I don't like Columbus, I'm just feeling pretty disappointed right now

Originally Posted by Newheregirl

I really disliked Hilliard as a whole. We really like smaller towns, less traffic and crime. I'm not really finding that near Columbus as easily as I can find that in the Dayton area. Unless I'm looking in the wrong areas?

Whitehall and Reynoldsburg are the only suburbs that I can think of in the Columbus area that I would be weary of in terms of crime. I'm not really familiar with the Dayton suburbs so maybe if you gave brief descriptions that would be more helpful in terms of us identifying Columbus equivalents.

Also Columbus and Dayton are not equivalent cities. Prices, traffic, demand and the amount of large/busy suburbs areas are going to be a lot higher here, so you should keep that into consideration.

[Newheregirl]

Originally Posted by Buckeye614

Whitehall and Reynoldsburg are the only suburbs that I can think of in the Columbus area that I would be weary of in terms of crime. I'm not really familiar with the Dayton suburbs so maybe if you gave brief descriptions that would be more helpful in terms of us identifying Columbus equivalents.

Also Columbus and Dayton are not equivalent cities. Prices, traffic, demand and the amount of large/busy suburbs areas are going to be a lot higher here, so you should keep that into consideration.

Bellbrook and Centerville are very very safe areas with fantastic schools. Half acre lots, 4 bedrooms, 2 bath runs around 200,000. Both have small historic downtowns but also big box stores. Not diverse aside from some Asians.

Kettering is where I am now. It's pretty safe. One shooting in the last year. Good schools. Starting to see more section 8 housing coming up and it's running housing values down. All the shopping and dining you could want. The area is becoming more diverse but the crime rate is rising as well. 200,000 can go a long way here.

I just need a safe neighborhood, good schools, and a decent size backyard. I'd really like 4 bedrooms and 2 baths and a basement but all of those are just wants.

[PerryMason614]

I've read a few things where people feel the crime in Pickerington is increasing because they are busing in kids from Renyoldsburg?

No, they are not bussing people in from Reynoldsburg. There is nothing wrong with Pickerington, absoultely nothing.

The Tussing Rd area looks rather scary. I'm not so sure my kids would adjust to the schools there. Powell is nice but the traffic is a nightmare.

Tussing Road is primarily in Groveport-Madison schools. Take it from a Groveport graduate, stay away!!! I'm not sure I have a lot more confidence in Canal Winchester, either. There is a little there in Pickerington Schools, but most of Tussing falls within Groveport Schools. Night and day.

Plain City has absolutely nothing in our price range. I'm at a loss. Marysville is the next place I will make the drive to check out. I don't have high hopes though. Is there anywhere there like Kettering, Centerville, or Bellbrook that isn't insanely overcrowded? Seeing what 200,000 can buy here vs there is shocking. Sorry if I sound like I don't like Columbus, I'm just feeling pretty disappointed right now

Worthington, Gahanna or Westerville are probably most analogous to Kettering. Maybe they developed later, but my impression of Kettering is that it was considered a nicer suburb before and maybe still has that reputation, but it's a little long in the tooth.

Centerville is probably the Dayton area's best suburb after Oakwood. I always thought it was on par with Dublin, but it sounds like it might be more of a Westerville-ish or Worthington-ish kind of place maybe.

Hilliard would be at the top of my list if I was working at OSU but wanted to live outside 270. Much closer to OSU than Marysville or Pickerington. If you take Fishinger Rd. east from Hilliard it takes you basically to OSU campus.

You could also consider the Galloway area or Grove City. Don't let people scare you away. There are some very good housing options there and the traffic isn't too bad. I drive that west side frequently.

Grovetucky might be in your price range, but Southwestern Schools suck. Well, the schools don't suck, the people do and the kind of student you have there determines whether the schools suck or not. Hilliards (its original name) is light years better in terms of the schools. Again, I am a Groveport grad so I know this from first hand experience. And I graduated at a time when Groveport wasn't ghetto.

I really disliked Hilliard as a whole. We really like smaller towns, less traffic and crime. I'm not really finding that near Columbus as easily as I can find that in the Dayton area. Unless I'm looking in the wrong areas?

Then let me suggest these areas; Pataskala, Sunbury, Bloom-Carroll, Pickerington, Teays Valley Schools (Ashville), Commercial Point, Westfall Schools. Hebron is also okay but you're getting a little far out.

Good schools and affordable price point also sounds a lot like Grandview to me.

Whitehall and Reynoldsburg are the only suburbs that I can think of in the Columbus area that I would be weary of in terms of crime. I'm not really familiar with the Dayton suburbs so maybe if you gave brief descriptions that would be more helpful in terms of us identifying Columbus equivalents.

Everything north of Livingston and along Ohio 256 and going east is just fine in Reynoldsburg. You only have to watch the area south of Livingston and West of Blacklick Woods park.

Whitehall's below your budget. But if that's you're budget, Whitehall isn't a bad place to be. It all depends on how deep your pockets are.

Also Columbus and Dayton are not equivalent cities. Prices, traffic, demand and the amount of large/busy suburbs areas are going to be a lot higher here, so you should keep that into consideration.

The Dayton suburbs are like the Cincinnati suburbs. They are basically interchangeable with the Columbus suburbs.

[Rosebush1]

Grandview is not affordable at all, very high prices per square foot. Great location.
I would never consider Teays Valley, Marysville type places as these are outside the metro area. Not sure about Canal Winchester. All of Reynoldsburg should be avoided along with Whitehall, Groveport , Grove city.
Pickerington is fine. If you are unsure about the commute your husband should stay overnight on a workday and drive rush hour to OSU from various locations.

[PerryMason614]

Originally Posted by Rosebush1

Grandview is not affordable at all, very high prices per square foot. Great location.
I would never consider Teays Valley, Marysville type places as these are outside the metro area. Not sure about Canal Winchester. All of Reynoldsburg should be avoided along with Whitehall, Groveport , Grove city.
Pickerington is fine. If you are unsure about the commute your husband should stay overnight on a workday and drive rush hour to OSU from various locations.

I can't say I disagree except about Reynoldsburg. I live right next to it and bike through there. Reynoldsburg is just fine. Again, it depends on what you're looking for and how deep your pockets are.

Don't overlook Blacklick. Most of my extended family lives there and I can't say enough about it. What Blacklick has going for it is the fact that it has not been incorporated. It is all township and they have done a good job maintaining the suburban character over there.

I grew up off of Winchester Pike and driving downtown or to OSU from there was always an easy commute. For that matter, commuting from the East side to Downtown/OSU is very easy, depending on the time of day. If you are okay with an older home, the southern part of Bexley "might" be within your range. I'm not a fan of old houses, though.

[Jbeechuk]

Originally Posted by Clever nickname here

If you think that real estate prices are crazy in Columbus you haven't been to many sunbelt or western urban areas. Columbus area real estate is cheaper than most major metro area.

Exactly. $200k is cheap here now.

[Newheregirl]

Originally Posted by Jbeechuk

Exactly. $200k is cheap here now.

I am seeing that now. The area that I live, 200k will buy you a very nice house in a great school district. I was just hoping for that in Columbus as well.