Author Topic: Relocation: Columbus OH area...  (Read 2432 times)

Holyoak

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Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« on: February 26, 2019, 07:38:03 PM »
Didn't see a relocation guide for this area, so I'm asking here.  I'm thinking north of the city as close to the city as you can be, yet be in a rural environment if that makes sense.  Could also consider anywhere near the city that offers a rural location, but I thought it might be nice to be closer to Lake Erie.

From what I have seen the area is doing well, and the housing market rather strong, with a lot of folks moving in.  What can you folks who are from the area tell me, help guide me toward a potential move?  What do you like/dislike about the area, the vibe of the area, hobbies and activities that make living there great, and what areas could you steer me to from what I have mentioned?  I would probably rent at first, and know it can be very challenging finding a free-standing rental home, but that is what I want.  Maybe a lead for a local person who specializes in rentals, would be great if you know of any.

Thanks for your help.


Better Change

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2019, 10:38:47 AM »
How close to the city do you want to be?  Lake Erie is probably a little over 2 hours from Columbus, so.....not close.  Do you need to commute into the city every day?

I'm a native of Medina (90 miles north on I-71), but my family lives in Dublin/Worthington/Powell.  Dublin is quite nice, and yes, the area is growing.  Lots of shopping (if you're into that), good schools, and newer developments with large tracts of land, especially in Powell.  Big, new libraries, lots of parks, and just far enough out of the primary and secondary snow belts that you don't get nearly the snow that Cleveland does.  Incomes are high, so you get the nice perks of a large-ish suburban area, like Trader Joe's.  ;)

I used to show horses in Delaware, which is probably out in the sticks of the northern Columbus area.  It has a Buehler's, though (ah, fond memories), so it can't be all that bad.  Ha.

I suppose one drawback is that the public transportation may not be that great.  I can't say I've ever tried to bus around downtown, but that's probably your only option.

Papa bear

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2019, 10:49:17 AM »
We need to know more about what kind of neighborhood, schools, commute, walkability, etc. 

If you want to be rural and north of the city, and work in the city? You probably need to stay close to 71, 23, or 315 to get to town easily.  That puts you mostly in Delaware county, which is quickly turning into suburban sprawl hell. 

You can also pm us with any specifics, or I can refer some help/local realtors, or even see if any of the rental network has any sfh north of the city. 


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Holyoak

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2019, 02:15:39 PM »
Thank you both. 

I'm FIRE'd so no need for work, but I would like to continue my volunteer efforts.  It's just me, so no need to focus on a particular school.

I had looked around Delaware Co. via Gmaps awhile back, and saw a lot of what looks like a TON of new tract homes...  AKA suburban hell to me too.  I mentioned rural, and to me that means *nice* farmland kinda areas, w/o the rundown, depressing look, to include the insular people type I have seen all over the US...  A nicely sized lot (couple acres) without close neighbors, with a wooded lot (I know, hard in this area), and a very modest home that is not a run-down heap checks the blocks.  I'm past the days of doing major rehab/fixing structural issues...  So solidly built and maintained, that is modest and dated is fine.  Septic issues I know can be an issue, as can getting a well with good water.  Another big concern is HS internet availability.  I also like that I may be out of the vehicle EM testing Co, as a perk too.

This may be pie in the sky, just the same it's what I'm looking for.

I guess I could also be open to being in a neighborhood, but it would have to be very low traffic, not on top of each other, and most importantly quiet.  Continuing to have sidewalks would be very nice, as would being able to walk to various shops, etc.  I'd like to keep my home cost budget to say around $150k-$225k, but being such a growing area it is, I know this may be tough.  Dublin OH...  I think I recall a Frigidaire freezer I owned, was made there?  I have read up on the area, it does seem very nice indeed, but pricey; and I assume RE taxes are a real treat?

Keep an eye out Papa bear, I may drop you a PM, thanks for the offer. 

Papa bear

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2019, 07:10:53 AM »
If I wanted to have some rural land type feel in the Columbus metro area, a cool vibe, some walkability/bikability, I would look at Granville, just outside of Newark.  Dennison University is there, has a small town feel, you can get some land, etc. 

If you had to be north of Columbus, maybe look at the sunbury area. It’s not as suburb hell yet, still close to highways, relatively reasonably priced.

If you really want to be close to Lake Erie? Don’t look at central Ohio.  There’s a ton of rural small town type places on the lake. 


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MayDay

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2019, 04:54:19 PM »
We lived in Granville for five years, it would be a good fit.

If you have specific questions, let me know.

albabewick

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2019, 12:50:00 PM »
I'd agree that Columbus would be an odd place to be near Lake Erie. There are many small rural communities closer to the Lake. If you love the lake and plan many recreational trips, it might be better to search closer to that region.

Columbus is a busy place with ever-rising housing costs. Overall more companies are adding jobs here, so between Ohio State University and business, more people are moving here all the time. While our only mass transit option COTA has been experimenting with new bus routes, free routes, etc., it is limiting and does not serve all areas equally. I'm a recreational cyclist, and have seen some attempts to make parts of the city more bike friendly. There are a number of decent bike paths that can be busy with commuters and families. I prefer to get out of the city for cycling longer distances with fewer cars.

If you like a somewhat rural environment, I would advise to looks on the outskirts of Franklin County for a few pockets of lesser developed areas (disappearing every day). Even better would be the surrounding counties. Madison, Licking, Fairfield and Pickaway counties would all have the semi-rural areas you describe and possibly lower housing costs. Delaware County is the most affluent county in the state and is losing its rural areas to luxury housing developments.

It sounded like you were hoping for a semi-rural area that is not blighted with poverty and may have a more progressive atmosphere. You might check out Yellow Springs, Athens, and Granville. These are all university towns. The first two have a bit of a hippie element - you'll find yoga studios, natural foods stores and restaurants, farmers markets, etc. Granville is an affluent small town near rural areas. I went to school at Denison University back in the 90s. More luxury housing, gastro-pubs etc. since I lived there, but it is still a nice area and closer to the countryside, lovely hills, state parks, etc. It's not a far drive to the amenities of Columbus for medical care, shopping, etc.

Central Ohio lacks certain geographical elements like mountains and oceans, but on the other hand, natural disasters are few (occasional tornadoes) and it's not a crazy distance or flight to Chicago/NYC/Carolinas if you're craving a getaway. Southeast Ohio has many lovely rural areas with state parks, hills, etc. but many of the small towns are blighted by job losses and the opioid epidemic.

Good luck in your search!


MayDay

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2019, 01:01:05 PM »
Just to add on about Granville: it has strict zoning to maintain it's rural feel. It's getting more and more fake rural though- you have to build on 5 acres in the township, so you have huge mansion yards but not actual farms. To be fair many of the 5 acre yards are wooded or mow hay.

But that does keep it from turning into another New Albany.

The yoga studio is great, and there is great hiking at the Denison bioreserve and Spring Valley park (great for the Midwest, lol). There is a long bike path through licking county but the biking culture overall is crappy (at least compared to Mpls) as it is country roads and people want to drive their cars fast, not pass bikes.

COL in Granville is fairly high, it's pretty white and wealthy. Moving out of the district and into one with ~20% free and reduced lunch was a breath of fresh air because Granville is not set up for poor people. (We weren't poor but it still annoyed the shit out of me). It is basically assumed that you are well off and can feel pretty shitty to live there if you are truly middle class let alone below that. It is very homogeneous.

Overall a nice place to live. For me it was annoying to be a 29 minute drive from the edge of Columbus but that sounds like a plus for you :)

Holyoak

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2019, 04:59:57 AM »
Thanks everyone.

As for my mentioning of being closer to Lake Erie, I meant being closer by virtue of living on the N. side of town when I want to visit, not be on the lake/living very near it...  I'm about 30 miles south of Lake Erie now, and that's plenty too close to get the heavy lake effect snow I don't want to deal with anymore.

Yes, a rural area not blighted with poverty describes it well, but IME is so hard to find.  I have always imagined what I want is like the English countryside, what I experienced living in Germany, or how it was in this country long ago.  For me, I have found this issue to be near the top of difficulties, to finding what I want.  I'll find a decent place to look into, and nearly w/o fail upon arrival it will be near/right next to places that are extremely run down with junk cars/trucks, tons of barking dogs, trash everywhere, and stares of unwelcoming, unfriendly faces.  Sometimes a pre-visit google map search will reveal, and weed out a potential place, other times it won't.  It's frustrating as hell.

Thanks for the mention of Athens; My brother attended OU, and when I visited I found the place lovely...  But I don't know if the summer heat and humidity would be welcomed.  Perhaps I'm miss-remembering how bad it was?

Thanks again for the help, please keep the ideas flowing.

MayDay

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2019, 06:40:48 AM »
Granville would fit what you are looking for perfectly.

des999

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2019, 06:02:57 PM »
agree with most on here, granville is really nice, but if you like Athens, there is a lot of opportunity to get land and be around tons of hiking, rolling hills, etc.. down in the hocking hills area.

we currently live in a lake community about 40 minutes south of Columbus, before you get to hocking hills (look up old mans caves in hocking hills).

While it's not lake erie, it's still got lakes, a lodge/brewery, golf course, horse stables, etc.. and all for 150/moth assessments.  houses are any where from 100k to 750k depending on size and proximity to the lake.

good luck

Aelias

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2019, 10:00:18 AM »
Lol -- amazing how many people honed in on Granville.

I grew up there and moved away when I went to college.  Haven't spent much time there since (so take that into account in considering my perspective), but I can confirm that the village is really lovely and walkable, having Denison there is a huge asset, and the surrounding rolling hills are beautiful.  There were a number of annual festivals that were nice (4th of July and Candlelight Walking Tour at the holidays). It is definitely more expensive that the surrounding area, and there's a perspective that people in Granville think they're better than people from other towns in the area (they kinda do).  It's very white, lots of educated professional types, somewhat more politically liberal than the surrounding area but not dramatically so.  You can get 5 acres out in the township, which has less restrictive zoning, but run away if there's a HOA involved.  If you get a historic house in the village, you have to consult the town about evvvvvverything.

The downsides I remember are that it can feel exclusionary--my parents lived there for like 20 years and never really felt like they were "from" there--and  provincial.  A big part of social life revolves around church and the really great public school, so if you're not religious and don't have kids in school, it can be harder to integrate into the community. I also remember it being very Keeping Up with the Joneses.

Anyway . . . PM me if you have specific questions.  I feel like it was a very privileged, safe place to grow up, but in my heart, I am and always have been a city kid. 


Holyoak

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2019, 04:57:49 PM »
Nice to read of what seem a line of high confidence for Granville.  I looked around, and it is nice...  BUT WHOA, the price of housing!  I'm guessing the taxes are another whoa?  Maybe I'm just unrealistic with regard to housing prices, or just can't spend what the current crazy expensive market dictates.  Heck, I just want a small 2 BR home on some land with a garage.  Noting fancy, just soundly built and maintained...  Heck, I'd go modular/mobile too, but even with these prices seem really steep.  *SIGH*, I'll get there eventually.

Thanks again for the help folks, much appreciated.


Papa bear

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2019, 05:58:09 PM »
They entire Columbus market is expensive right now (comparatively to other Ohio locations and other Midwest cities, not east/west coast prices)


You could always move to a small town north of Delaware - you will get very good prices and land, but will be 40-60 minutes outside of downtown Columbus.  Cardington, richwood, sunbury, ostrander, etc.  take a look out that way. 


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MayDay

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Re: Relocation: Columbus OH area...
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2019, 07:53:00 AM »
Nice to read of what seem a line of high confidence for Granville.  I looked around, and it is nice...  BUT WHOA, the price of housing!  I'm guessing the taxes are another whoa?  Maybe I'm just unrealistic with regard to housing prices, or just can't spend what the current crazy expensive market dictates.  Heck, I just want a small 2 BR home on some land with a garage.  Noting fancy, just soundly built and maintained...  Heck, I'd go modular/mobile too, but even with these prices seem really steep.  *SIGH*, I'll get there eventually.

Thanks again for the help folks, much appreciated.

Yes, Granville is expensive and has high taxes.  If you want a fancy rural area, you are going to pay for it. 

I believe if you go down towards Athens it will be much less expensive.  Even the rest of Licking County is a lot cheaper.  But you will have more poverty, more run down yards, etc. 

Aelias, I moved away 1.5 years ago and confirm that much of what you said is the case.  I do think the whole "you only moved here 20 years ago" thing is true of most small towns.  Granville is a little better than some because of the university.  But it is still a small town where everybody knows everybody.  My boss and I had kids in the same class at school.  It was awkward when my school party game resulted in his kid getting stitches!   

I do think the church thing is waning (SOME, it certainly isn't an oasis of atheists.  Well, atheists who admit it.  Lots of atheists go to the most liberal church in town just because they like to hang out there :)  )


 

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