Looking for One Level Ranch in Diverse Area (Columbus, Cleveland: rentals, homes)

[XFedgal0216]

I am retired and plan to move from the Mid-Atlantic region to the Dayton area this year. I prefer to be closer to Columbus than Cincinnati, OH. My primary requirements are safety, diversity, peacefulness and walkability. My price limit is around $275,000. I am a native of NE Ohio, but do not want to deal with all that snow. Do you think Huber Heights is suitable?

[wrightflyer]

You could certainly do Huber with that budget. Another place to consider is Fairborn. Not as diverse as Huber Heights but puts you just south of I-70 via I-675. Newer construction as well in Fairborn, especially along the I-675 corridor on Trebein and Black Lane areas. Huber tends to have newer construction in the Carriage Hills area, which is actually part of Bethel Local Schools as opposed to Wayne Local.

Englewood and Clayton can also be other options, but it is further from Columbus as it is on I-70 but west of the I-75 corridor. Again, budget will do well here. Schools in Englewood/Clayton are Northmont Local, which includes Englewood, Clayton and Union, and would be the best ranked schools between the districts here. So you will see better home valuation and probably fewer rentals in better school districts, versus lower performing districts. Just a thought.

Xenia and Xenia Township would be another option. Beavercreek would be just to the west with all its shopping options. Xenia does have places such as Walmart, Kroger, Lowes. They also have some chain restaurants and local places. It would be the smallest town feel among the places mentioned as it sits the further out from Dayton's core. It puts you on US-42 which runs directly to I-70's London exit. It is an easy route and avoids the I-70 congestion around Springfield exits as they finish widening of the interstate there.

But since you are retired, they may not be as big of a deal. Tax burden may be a bigger concern there instead, and better performing schools tend to pass levies more frequently. I would google local property tax rates or averages, usually found in valuations of homes per 100K of value.

But if you want data compiled, here is the Dayton Daily News page (no date that I can find) with data by regional county groupings: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news...ty-tax-tables/

Clayton

$118,395

$2,932.28

2.48%

Englewood

$111,940

$2,530.74

2.26%

Huber Heights

$89,655

$2,068.10

2.31%

Fairborn City

$99,756.23

$1,807.43

1.81%

Bath Twp. (Fairborn Schools)

$141,390.00

$2,461.76

1.74%

Xenia City

$86,720.00

$1,394.59

1.61%

Xenia Twp. (Xenia Schools)

$140,102.73

$2,444.08

1.74%

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by XFedgal0216

I am retired and plan to move from the Mid-Atlantic region to the Dayton area this year. I prefer to be closer to Columbus than Cincinnati, OH. My primary requirements are safety, diversity, peacefulness and walkability. My price limit is around $275,000. I am a native of NE Ohio, but do not want to deal with all that snow. Do you think Huber Heights is suitable?

Safety is attainable in nearly any suburb of Dayton, and in large swaths of Dayton itself. Walkability is much harder, and rules out most suburbs, including Huber Heights. Peacefulness is in the beholder's eye; my own eye recommends an unincorporated township, far from town... but that would have a walkability score of 0.

Diversity is going to be hardest to attain. Maybe within Columbus itself, but not in the Dayton region.

As for snow, yes, it's less intense than in Cleveland. But this is still the Midwest!

[wrightflyer]

Maybe the OP can look towards South Park or parts of Oakwood or Kettering near the Oakwood border? It depends on what is more important or two most important. Diverse areas, Safety or Walkability. South Park will offer more central diversity and walkability but safety may be more at play. Though South Park, especially parts near UD and Miami Valley Hospital probably have more patrols. And you can bike downtown and to The Oregon District, Water Street/Fifth Third Field, etc.

Oakwood and Kettering near the southern border of Oakwood will give you more safety and some walkability, but diversity will begin taking a shot the further south you go. Also, walkability outside the Central Far Hills blocks around Dorothy Lane Market (high marks) and Shops of Oakwood begins to lessen the further out you go. Good news is most streets are sidewalk lined.

Outer suburbs will be harder to find walkability in. All the ones mentioned will offer similar diversity to Huber with slight variances in safety. But walkability, as Ohio Peasant noted, will be zero. I do agree Columbus has a few more dense or larger neighborhoods that would fit this bill. Clintonville or Old North Columbus (which begins to encounter safety concerns dependent on where you are) come to mind. But Clintonville can feel very hipster yuppie in flavor and prices will likely be outside 275K unless you can find a small duplex or home that may need some work. If the OP goes back to considering Columbus, anything around Short North, Victorian Village, Italian Village and German Village are out of the price bracket.

[wrightflyer]

Also, when considering a one level ranch or bungalow, Kettering and Oakwood will have some around the DLM blocks as well as smaller cape cod style homes. South Park will be more bungalow style and older, remodeled two-stories. You'll find more ranches in the suburbs in a traditional 1950's - 1970's sense of style, though many have been bought up and flipped with updates and renovations. You should find those in the aforementioned communities around or inside your budget.