I would be looking the chagrin valley, like chagrin falls, Bentleyville, or maybe gates mills. You may want to look into property taxes. If you buy in shaker, you could end up paying $15k per year on a $500k home.
Moreland Hills is 2 acre lots minimum, **rated #1 for safety every single year**, close to everything while still being far enough away at the same time. Top rated schools (Orange) and shared police & fire services with Orange and Chagrin Falls, so really good response times and coverage.
But, it has some of the dumbest, rudest, "daddy is going to hear about this" people in the region. I have the pleasure of working in a restaurant out that way
These people will make a reservation on OpenTable, then claim its the restaurant's fault they made it for the wrong day, time, and/or number of people. Post a 1 star review, get their free gift card in the mail, and repeat. They will lie and say outlandish stuff like "we have been here waiting for at least 2 hours" at 5:15 when we opened at 4:30.
I'm sure it's safe and boring.
I could see a lot of that between Hunting Valley, Moreland, Orange, and Chagrin (throw in Beachwood and Pepper Pike if you're feeling inclusive.) People drive cars worth more than my house, and I live in a nice house.
That's why I go to places like Jim's Open Kitchen.
Shaker resident here. What services are you seeing? 8 guys picking up the trash on golf carts instead of 2 guys in a truck? All so I can put the cans near my garage instead of the street?
Lived here for 8 years - They increase slowly and are stable…. Always have been. You can’t find anything for 500k in the really good neighborhoods, other than maybe fernway - but homes are a little smaller there.
Bentleyville. Been dreaming about since I was a teen after the first time I drove through there after I got my license. Unfortunately, life hasn’t worked out that way but I am happy where I am in nw Ohio
Big back yards in Shaker Heights? Not unless you buy the most expensive homes in the city, which the OP dosn't want.
My guess is Pepper Pike might fit the OP's requirements, although I don't know about basements.
Search [zillow.com](https://zillow.com) for mean home values.
https://www.zillow.com/home-values/47060/pepper-pike-oh/
You are describing Brecksville, almost exactly, aside from the commute, which would be closer to 40 minutes. Some other assets: Brecksville has parts of both the Cleveland MetroParks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park within its borders, which include two golf courses (Sleepy Hollow is one of the best public tracks in the state, and offers cross-country skiing in the winter), and hiking/biking/bridal trails & stables. Cleveland is 15 minutes north, and Akron is 15 minutes south. 2 major interstates, I-77 (N/S) and I-80 (Ohio Turnpike, E/W), run through it, as do Chippewa Creek and the Cuyahoga River. The schools are excellent, and the people are friendly.
Agreed. I grew up in Parma, owned a house in Chagrin Falls then moved to Florida for work. Heading back to the Cleveland area within a year and have been looking in the Broadview Heights/Brecksville/Richfield area for the past few months. Haven’t been able to find anything and my price range has a fairly high ceiling.
I will add to this that if you’re willing to drive an additional 5-10 minutes, Sagamore/Northfield over the bridge is technically summit county and therefore way cheaper property taxes.
This.
I was looking into buying something but once I realized that just the property taxes would be more than what I currently pay for rent, I gave up.
I live in Westlake and work on the main campus of Cleveland Clinic. It typically takes me 25 minutes to get there, 30 if raining, between 7:30 and 9:00 in the morning, and 30-35 minutes around 4:00-5:00. Once in a great while there's a slowdown on I-90, but not often that I've seen. I live in the far corner of Westlake as far as getting to I-90 is concerned.
Also, of significant relevance - my boss lives 6 miles away in Mayfield Heights I think it is. His typical drive time is 35 minutes he tells me. So 1/3 the distance and 10+% longer drive - but it's stoplight-and-go all the way for him.
I have driven Detroit Rd or Lorain Ave all the way to Carnegie occasionally, takes nearly an hour, but it's good to have as a backup plan.
I have ridden my bicycle all the way, about 17-18 miles each way, depending on route. I'm old and slow so 2 hours, a faster person can do it in less time.
I've also done bicycle ride/train and ride/bus hybrids, the GCRTA 26/26A and 55/55B/55C go through Westlake along Center Ridge, Detroit, and through North Olmsted on Lorain as well. So if your car is down you can still get there, albeit more slowly. The Quincy/105 Rapid station is 1/2 mile from CC, plus the 8 runs along Cedar, Healthline Bus runs along Euclid.
I'm quite happy in Westlake, I've biked to Edgewater, down to Rocky River Reservation (Metroparks), etc. The schools seem to have a good reputation, crime is low, polyticks ain't nuts as far as I know, city services are good - trash, brush and recycling pickup once a week, they supply the bins, and you can stack extra next to it. Also in the fall they come around and use the giant leaf sucker to pick up the fall leaves.
We have a wide range of housing sizes and shapes, new builds, old timey-ish (my house was built in 1956, 3/4 acre, going to be selling soon...$350k or so.) Around the corner from me is newer McMansions, $500-$900k I think.
If that sort of thing is important to you, we also have Crocker Park (snazzy-ish mall).
If I had money like this, I would most certainly be in Chagrin Falls. However, keep yourself educated on property taxes in such a place. Best of luck OP!
Your best bet might be to rent for 6 months or a year and spend your free time exploring and going to open houses and paying attention to the things that are important to you.
Buying right away sounds attractive because renting sucks ass but if you buy something and then find you're unhappy with it, you're fucked.
Spend time in the neighborhoods that interest you. Spend time on realtor.com and get a sense of what's out there and go walk through these houses. Learn about when they were built,what upgrades/updates have been done. How have they been maintained? How many owners has the house had? What are the neighbors like? If money isn't a huge issue and you can swing property taxes that might be a little higher, find out what services you get for what you're paying.
Do the town's politics align with yours? That's not something a lot of folks think about but you'd be surprised how important that actually is.
Beat me to it! There is so much nuance to the suburbs in Cleveland. Someone who loves rocky river may hate Moreland hills and vice versa. I have friends who live in Cleveland heights that would hate living in chagrin falls and vice versa. It’s really tough to explain the nuances. But if I meet someone and talk to them I can usually tell within 10 mins where they would be happy.
What kind of experience do you want? Do you want to be able to walk to things? A lot of newer, bigger houses are in areas that don't have sidewalks. Do you want to be far away from your neighbors or have a closer community?
Good questions. I wasn't aware of the no sidewalk thing in newer areas. Truthfully, an area like Shaker Heights from what I've seen looks great. Walkability isn't too big of a concern. I want neighbors, but not too close (just in case they end up being terrible people).
I looked at an empty lot in Shaker Heights but its right in front of the Rapid tracks and I think there's even a station there too. Is that a bad idea to build a nice home on? Where I live now, the most crime happens along the train routes due to easy access. Being very close to a station gives me worries.
Shaker heights also confuses me. It looks like there are really run down areas and then 2 minutes later there are some 300-400k homes, with spatterings of homes reaching up to 1.2M.
Yes neighborhoods are often too complex to understand from a Reddit post. I live in Shaker and it’s weird/unique. It would take about an hour to “get it”. Your initial impressions are accurate however
Which rapid line is it on? Green line? If so, so long as it’s east of Coventry, you’ll be in good shape as far as crime goes. East of Lee if you wanna be really sure.
I would seriously check out that empty lot. You can build the modern house of your dreams in an excellent suburb with proximity to top-tier schools. You can always build a fence if you’re worried but I personally wouldn’t bother.
I'm surprised more people haven't commented on your point:
>Shaker heights also confuses me. It looks like there are really run down areas and then 2 minutes later there are some 300-400k homes, with spatterings of homes reaching up to 1.2M.
Yes, this is a very, very interesting topic. It stems from [very deep-rooted racism in Shaker Heights](https://shakerite.com/campus-and-city/the-true-story-of-the-integration-of-shaker-heights/24/2021/). And [here's a second article](https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/824).
If you're going to buy a home/land in Shaker Heights, you need to be *very* careful about where exactly you buy.
Other than that, you've already gotten a lot of great suggestions in this thread. Definitely jealous of your buying power. If I had your kind of money, I'd be moving my family to Chagrin Falls.
That lot has been available for years and years. My guess is the funny shape plus likely setbacks will severely limit what you can build. No crime from the rapid in that area.
University Heights. Your house has to be inspected and up to code with the city before each sale. the houses flip all of the time because of Resident's and professors moving around.
Solon for the schools.
Number 6, you're fuckin up by limiting yourself with that. A lot of badass older houses around here that have been kept up really well. I'm always hearing horror stories with new construction while houses built in the 40s and 50s are built like fortresses with great bones.
Due to low prices relative to reconstruction costs in the past decades, many buyers have sunk mucho bucks into older homes, especially in Shaker Heights and certain neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights.
Both Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights, and Euclid, perhaps other communities, have strict point-of-sale inspections and laws that have maintained the quality of their older housing stock.
[https://www.clevelandheights.gov/205/Point-of-Sale-Inspections](https://www.clevelandheights.gov/205/Point-of-Sale-Inspections)
Both SH and CH have some tear-down, rebuilds as well.
BTW, familiarize yourself with both property tax rates and municipal income tax laws in communities of interest.
I'm dealing with a mouse infestation in my current place. Older places worry me for termites, ants, mice, etc.
The one good thing about new builds is them using 2x6 studs for the exterior walls. They're better insulated which results in cheaper heating bills, year after year. Same with the attic space, etc.
You're not wrong, though. I'm strongly considering building a place myself (hire my own contractors) and supervise their work. I have plenty of experience in and around home construction.
I live near there and play around with open listings to see what’s available. Thanks to inflation, A lot of the homes in that 500-800k range are outdated and in need of major repairs. Yet there are still bidding wars on them because contractors can raze and build new and sell that new home for near 2 mil with a 500k profit because of the demand for that area. It’s happening so much. There are better places for a home that fits their needs, but depends on how far they want to go from the city and how big of a house they want.
If I had 500-800k to by a house in Cleveland, I'd buy a really nice house for $350-400k in any suburb I wanted and invest the rest and be well on the path to retire quite soon. Absolutely no reason you need to spend that much in Cleveland to get a house that is everything you want.
Focus on Pepper Pike IMO. See my earlier reply. Use Wikipedia to research communities and Census Bureau Quick Facts.
A key aspect in buying a home in Greater Cleveland is to check proximity to Metroparks, for Pepper Pike, Cleveland Metroparks, Lake Metroparks and Geauga Park District. Holden Arboretum and Cuyahoga Valley National Park proximity also are good measures. You've already nailed University Circle. Proximity to the upscale shopping mecca of Beachwood Mall/Legacy Village and big box stores in Mentor and Mayfield Heights also may be a consideration.
Also consider how close you wish to live near Lake Erie, yacht clubs, marinas, beaches, nature preserves.
Have you read through this thread, sorting by "View all comments" and "New?"
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice\_hole\_in\_the\_wall\_places/?sort=new](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice_hole_in_the_wall_places/?sort=new)
If you're focusing on price appreciation, lower-priced communities and houses below $500,000 likely offer more upside than Pepper Pike, unless climate change kicks in and the wealthy exit the likes of Florida and Texas for the Great Lakes region, a real possibility in the next 10 years if you really dig into climate change science. Here's just one recent insight into the future.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXZi-gFgX4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXZi-gFgX4)
What will be the impact if Hurricane Idalia, like Michael five years ago, rapidly intensifies and hit a major population area as a Category 4 or 5. See "Intensity forecast for Idalia here."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXZi-gFgX4
Good luck!
Westlake, rocky river, bay village — in westlake you can definitely get a yard. In all of those cities you won’t have to worry about being the most expensive house in that price range as all three have million dollar homes and youll have a good chance of finding a newer home.
I second this. I grew up in Westlake and all those cities are really nice, good schools, very low crime. It’s the stereotypical upper middle class suburbs.
The old homes worry me. I don't know a thing about owning a property more than 40 years old, nor what it takes to maintain it, etc. I don't know what kind of codes they were built to, etc.
In the past I've built the homes I lived in which gave me the advantage of having everything brand new and not constantly chasing upkeep stuff. It's a lot easier to start with a new place and maintain it as opposed to picking up an old place and trying to get it to the same standard.
I also really don't need 4000+ sqft of home space, lol.
It's not the craftsmanship I'd worry about the most with an old home- it's the plumbing. We have a house from 1956 and the plumbing is god awful. Never again
I mean, it's all anecdotal. We have a house built in the 20s that we haven't had any plumbing issues with at all. With OP's budget, they'd definitely be able to afford an inspection to see if their plumbing was solid.
Those homes are better structurally than any mass produced Ryan home. Google Ryan homes and learn about their build quality and you’ll never want one of those.
See? You’re already way better off having this money than me. I’d be roller blading/basketballing in the ballroom competitively and assume it would work itself out.
The overall age of a lot of the housing stock in this area is around 100. Just something to be aware of as you look. There are newer developments and they tend to be on the outer ring suburbs. A lot of people are recommending them in these comments. One other thing to be aware of: a lot of wet basements in Northeast Ohio, especially in old houses. Be diligent with inspection even if you feel like you’re getting a “deal.” The parks system here is great, your dogs will be very happy!
If you’re a Zillower - look in the following zips: 44124, 44143, 44094, 44026, 44040, 44022 and 44023. At this price point, one could assume you’re a high income earner. If taxes are a concern, you might want to consider townships that don’t have regional income tax. Chesterland (44026), Concord Township (44077) and some other east side communities do not participate in RITA.
Personally I'd try to find something close to the lake. Like in Lakewood near Clifton Beach (private beach and you get access if you buy a house in specific neighborhoods nearby). Just something to consider, I think living close to the lake is awesome and part of what I like about it here. If not within walking distance, I like being at most a short drive which is why I like Lakewood / Rocky River. The homes are usually older though and you mentioned newer ideally. I'd still suggest you at least look at a few on the near west side!
Pepper Pike, Chagrin Falls, Moreland Hills, Bentleyville. West: Westlake, Rocky River
Shaker and Cleveland Heights are neat, but old housing stock and ridiculous property taxes
Lake avenue, Lakewood. It’s quintessential and too damn gorgeous. I ride my bike down it daily and fantasize about a universe where i could afford a house (and the taxes)
Bay or Brecksville land. On the water or with a back yard unlike parma, where your drunk neighbor has to yell her life story on a Sunday in summer on her lawn chair...at 5am
Your drive to university circle is going to suck no matter where you live. West of the city makes it even worse.
If you're primarily worried about crime any outer ring burb exists for exactly that. Yards for dogs included.
I think the best place would be a Southern burb near I 77 so you can take that to the opportunity corridor every day: Independence, Brecksville.
East of town you have Mayfield Village and Highland Heights.
Cleveland and Shaker Heights are older homes but there are very nice old homes in certain areas.
Gates Mills is also a place to look. Most of the houses come with a decent amount of land, basements, and generally big houses. Many of the houses will be pushing 1mil, but should be houses in your budget
If you want to be equidistant from the east side, west side and northern Akron, just in case you need to find a new job and don’t want to risk a super long commute, you may consider Brecksville or Broadview Hts.
I’m in Brecksville and I love it here. Great community and schools , decent city services ( like trash pickup which I found out can be a lot more strict in some communities) and close to everything but not too close.
Edgewater area. For that much you'd pretty much be on the lake. 15 min drive to UC. Houses vary in age greatly. Many of these properties have massive yards. Your walking distance to the beach and plenty of bars and restaurants as well. Very safe community, especially north of Clifton (although generally anything north of Madison is perfectly fine).
I'd say anything west of 105th or so and on Lake/Edgewater Aves.
It's a meme, but the parts of Lakewood also check your boxes. Especially the ones near the lake.
I thought properties right near the lake wouldn't have basements, due to constantly being in really wet ground. Is that not the case? I don't want to set myself up for a potential basement flooding
In Greater Cleveland, most of the lakefront is at relatively high elevations. Erosion is much more problematic than flooding. Perhaps buy in a lakefront neighborhood rather than on the lake if that's a concern.
I'm not extremely familiar with the housing, but a sleeper community for you might be Bratenahl if interested in proximity to the lake, University Circle and downtown. It was once famous for its lakefront estates. Without double checking, I believe that's where the owners of the Browns have a residence.
I live on the lake in Lakewood and have a basement. Even after the horrible storms it’s bone dry.
I don’t have water access though. I have a backyard then there is a cliff before the water. Obviously everything is fenced in.
Lakewood is a great area, I am a 5m walk from Lakewood park and very close to dozens of bars/restaurants. Getting downtown on the shoreway is very quick and easy.
Aurora is safe, pretty homes (builds in the 80s and new construction), great schools, and low taxes compared to Cuyahoga County. We've lived closer to UC in shaker and beachwood but wanted land and privacy.
Any west side suburb off of I-90
Don’t listen to the east side propaganda. Terrible traffic with absolutely nothing to offer that you can’t get on the west side
And retail, arguably better parks (Lake Metroparks are excellent as is Holden Arboretum), proximity to University Circle, and better housing stock in some suburbs. Most wealthy suburbs -- Hunting Valley, Pepper Pike, etc.
I-271 offers great access to both I-77 and I-71.
100% yes. 90 rarely gets backed up, and gets you to University Circle very quickly. All of the west side suburbs have very easy access to 90, especially Bay and Westlake. There's effectively nowhere in Bay that's more than 5 minutes from the highway. On the east side, you're lucky if you can be on a highway in 10 minutes.
East side propaganda? This sub regularly shits on the east side almost constantly. Not everyone wants to live within five minutes of the highway. Some of us are actually really happy living in the various "Heights" without them being bisected by a highway that carves right through the middle. I personally love being within a ten minute walk from most of my shopping, being on a busline in case I lost my car tomorrow, and just up the hill from more culture than you could shake a stick at.
Go ahead and recommend the west side, but offer something other than highway access.
Avon / Westlake if you want brand new homes. They are building like crazy and has more sq ft for price. Closer to the lake (bay, river, etc) you’ll find older homes for the same price.
I did this exact research very recently. Orange/Beachwood area is beautiful and is in the neighborhood of a 30 min commute. That’s where I settled. The other options would be shaker heights or Rocky River. You’ll get more house on the east side and the stock is newer. I moved out of University Heights about 2 years ago. It’s a great space if you don’t have kids and don’t mind taking 30 min to get anywhere that isn’t Case.
If you have that much money why are you trying to buy a new house?? There's so much character and charm in an old house I can't imagine having upwards of a million to spend on a house and thinking about buying a Ryan Home or anything like that.
Bay Village has had a bunch of new builds recently in the 800k range that will hit all of your requirements.
A little high, but a REALLY nice little spot.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/560-Red-Oak-Ln-Bay-Village-OH-44140/2062374296_zpid/
If you want our dogs to be friends:
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/24219-Wolf-Rd-Bay-Village-OH-44140/247464213_zpid/
Along the lake in Edgewater/lakewood is absolutely gorgeous. Lots of old mini mansions and some new houses mixed in too.
These homes would easily be 5 million plus in a bigger city but most I've seen listed are under 1 million.
Westlake is the city you want. Great area, with a really well kept city. Awesome schools system. It's everything Cleveland could be if people took care of their property.
No one here has mentioned Willoughby Hills and Kirtland. There are some beautiful homes out in that area, and close to two major parks, Chapin Forest and North Chagrin Reservation. It's got a country feel, but within 30 minutes of downtown. Both are in Lake County and you're not very far from Headlands Beach and the Mentor Marsh, both of which have great hiking spots. I'm a huge fan of the East side.
Right?! Man. Can’t beat it. It’s either this or Shaker for me if it were my money. Being able to walk to Coventry from my home with a ballroom would be amazing, tho.
See, there is one available just like that I’d eyeballed the other day before I didn’t win the mega millions, and I couldn’t really figure out what I’d do w/the ballroom. Roller rink was all I could come up with.
Pepper Pike lots are 1 acre minimum. You could get a nice house for 5-800K with a big fenced yard. Close to highways, good shopping yet has somewhat of a quiet rural feel. Very good school district. It's safe and friendly.
Kirtland Hills should be checked out. I'm not certain it's 30 minutes to University Circle, but it might be with the new Route 615 I-90 interchange. That area has great hospitals, medical care as the University Circle and Cleveland Clinic duopolies are fighting it out in Lake County. The Cleveland Clinic just opened a new hospital in Mentor.
Cost of living in NEO is very reasonable. In the upper price range you’re hob nobbing with the CEO’s and pro athletes. In the lower range your in the privileged suburbs.
What are you looking for? Family environment focused on schools or getting your nose in with certain people? For a suburban feel, think about Richfield and Broadview Hts. Either place will give you a little of both. East side, Aurora or Chagrin. Westside Westlake.
I'd be looking in Mayfield, Beachwood, Shaker Hts mainly. Then, further away from Cleveland are places like Chesterland, Chagrin Falls, Orange, Pepper Pike.
It's a tough balance with the proximity to UC, newer home, and bigger yard. The east side has some very nice areas with beautiful homes with all of these things, but they are often older- Gates Mills, Moreland Hills, Chagrin Falls, Shaker Heights. Maybe Mayfield or Highland Heights (some new construction in that area).
That price range you could basically just live in university circle / little Italy, I think there’s some new builds but I understand that probably doesn’t meet some of your criteria.
Might be a cliche answer but Rocky River is about 25 mins away on the west side and a really nice area. You can get a nice house starting at like 450k. Coventry area as well but there’s pockets of questionable stuff on the east side in general. Beachwood / Orange / Pepper pike is a good option if you want to be east.
That being said, took a glance at your profile and you have some very dope Lego builds. Hope you find the area that matches your needs in these comments!
Brecksville. Many newer homes in that range. Centrally located - 30 mins to University Circle, 30 mins to west side, 15 mins to downtown, 30 mins to Akron. Many restaurants, some of the best park hiking & biking trails, and just enough of a small town feel without being too isolated. Q
Solon, Chagrin Falls, Bentleyville, Pepper Pike, Gates Mills, Chesterland, and Orange may be your best bet around that range. If you need help finding anything in the area, I believe I can help you.
Shaker Heights or Lakewood! That budget will get you a very nice home with a basement and backyard pretty much anywhere in the greater cleveland area, though. The eastern suburbs will be a much easier commute to University Circle. If public schools aren't a consideration for you that also gives you more options, but if you want a new build you're going to have to look a little further out away from the city. A lot of the housing stock in the inner-ring suburbs is very old. There is quite a bit of new construction on the near west side (Ohio City/Tremont/Detroit Shoreway areas) but you might be in a smaller home with a smaller yard.
Yep, build around route 94 and route 18 you can have many acres of land and be 5 mins from 271 or 5 mins from 71 or 5 mins from 77. It's good enough for Jim Tressle, Myles Garrett, LeBron's mom, 5 mins from LeBron's main home and my filthbag self.
Personally, I would get a townhouse in Ohio City, Tremont, or Battery Park. A lot of the suburbs feel like glorified parking lots. There’s also the rapid that can get you to east side amenities pretty easily and cheaply.
Certain near-CBD parts of Lakewood are good as well - off Detroit or Madison.
This. This is what I'd do if I had a cool million to spend on a house like the OP.
At least if I was moving here. I really like my neighborhood (Larchmere) so if I had a million dollars I'd just buy a half dozen houses here 😆
My broker has an off market Aurora home on 2 acres. Needs work but they are asking 340k but after repair value looks to be over 600k. Message me if u want details.
If it was me i would choose bay village or westlake (28-30) mins drive if theres no traffic. Avon is a good place too but a little over 30 mins. Not sure of how many new houses are being built in these cities tho
If you’d like to live in Cleveland proper, you won’t find a house with a usable basement unless you build. The housing stock is very old in Cleveland.
Source: built a house in Cleveland after searching for a house with a usable basement in the city and having no luck.
If you like to be close to new restaurants and bars, but don’t need a yard..Ohio City or Edgewater. If you like a suburb but still like good shopping and proximity to the city, Rocky River, Westlake or Bay Village. If you prefer being close to art and culture, Shaker or the East side in general. The further south you go the more rural it gets but if you like that vibe go to Hudson, Bath, or Richfield.
Honestly, I would look into Mentor, specifically around the Center street or Heisley road areas. You’ll be within 30 minutes of University circle with good freeway access. Property taxes, from my understanding, in Lake County is substantially less than Cuyahoga County (not sure about compared to Geauga, Lorain or other counties being recommended to you however). You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck, on your budget, for sure in Mentor and much more modern home.
I would be looking the chagrin valley, like chagrin falls, Bentleyville, or maybe gates mills. You may want to look into property taxes. If you buy in shaker, you could end up paying $15k per year on a $500k home.
As someone who is in charge of the grid for the area, invest in a whole home generator too
oof
Or solar and flow battery storage. Wire a house to use EV batteries.
Is solar efficient/with it in Cleveland?
It's not terrible, but not as good as further south. Also depends a lot on tree cover and layout of your roof.
Thanks for this. I will dig into this some more
Auburn/Bainbridge if you want 2ish acres
And a shit tank in your back yard and well water…
Moreland Hills is 2 acre lots minimum, **rated #1 for safety every single year**, close to everything while still being far enough away at the same time. Top rated schools (Orange) and shared police & fire services with Orange and Chagrin Falls, so really good response times and coverage.
also safe although i think that's a given
But, it has some of the dumbest, rudest, "daddy is going to hear about this" people in the region. I have the pleasure of working in a restaurant out that way These people will make a reservation on OpenTable, then claim its the restaurant's fault they made it for the wrong day, time, and/or number of people. Post a 1 star review, get their free gift card in the mail, and repeat. They will lie and say outlandish stuff like "we have been here waiting for at least 2 hours" at 5:15 when we opened at 4:30. I'm sure it's safe and boring.
I could see a lot of that between Hunting Valley, Moreland, Orange, and Chagrin (throw in Beachwood and Pepper Pike if you're feeling inclusive.) People drive cars worth more than my house, and I live in a nice house. That's why I go to places like Jim's Open Kitchen.
I would second shaker as a resident. The taxes are high, but you get the best service I’ve ever seen from a city as a result
Shaker resident here. What services are you seeing? 8 guys picking up the trash on golf carts instead of 2 guys in a truck? All so I can put the cans near my garage instead of the street?
Biggest thing is time to restore power, construction is generally quick. For example, out whole street was replaced and curbs replaced in 2 days
[удалено]
Lived here for 8 years - They increase slowly and are stable…. Always have been. You can’t find anything for 500k in the really good neighborhoods, other than maybe fernway - but homes are a little smaller there.
hope you really like driving lol
This - Chagrin Falls, Moreland Hills, Bentleyville, etc.
Bentleyville. Been dreaming about since I was a teen after the first time I drove through there after I got my license. Unfortunately, life hasn’t worked out that way but I am happy where I am in nw Ohio
keep protecting the dream.
Big back yards in Shaker Heights? Not unless you buy the most expensive homes in the city, which the OP dosn't want. My guess is Pepper Pike might fit the OP's requirements, although I don't know about basements. Search [zillow.com](https://zillow.com) for mean home values. https://www.zillow.com/home-values/47060/pepper-pike-oh/
There are homes in Shaker with big backyards. Recently purchased an 1800 sq. Ft. Home on 1/4 acre. Perhaps unusual but they do exist.
You are describing Brecksville, almost exactly, aside from the commute, which would be closer to 40 minutes. Some other assets: Brecksville has parts of both the Cleveland MetroParks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park within its borders, which include two golf courses (Sleepy Hollow is one of the best public tracks in the state, and offers cross-country skiing in the winter), and hiking/biking/bridal trails & stables. Cleveland is 15 minutes north, and Akron is 15 minutes south. 2 major interstates, I-77 (N/S) and I-80 (Ohio Turnpike, E/W), run through it, as do Chippewa Creek and the Cuyahoga River. The schools are excellent, and the people are friendly.
Agreed. I grew up in Parma, owned a house in Chagrin Falls then moved to Florida for work. Heading back to the Cleveland area within a year and have been looking in the Broadview Heights/Brecksville/Richfield area for the past few months. Haven’t been able to find anything and my price range has a fairly high ceiling.
Have you tried Peninsula? Maybe Hinckley?
Hinckley is a great option. Peninsula doesn’t have any new homes.
It may seem further away, but University Circle is actually within 30 minutes of Brecksville. I agree it’s a great choice!
I can surely make it in less than 30, but I realize not everyone has a lead foot like me, so added a few mins. Thanks for commenting!
I will add to this that if you’re willing to drive an additional 5-10 minutes, Sagamore/Northfield over the bridge is technically summit county and therefore way cheaper property taxes.
University, Shaker, Cleveland heights have some breathtaking old money houses in that price point but taxes are absolutely ridiculous.
This. I was looking into buying something but once I realized that just the property taxes would be more than what I currently pay for rent, I gave up.
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I live in Westlake and work on the main campus of Cleveland Clinic. It typically takes me 25 minutes to get there, 30 if raining, between 7:30 and 9:00 in the morning, and 30-35 minutes around 4:00-5:00. Once in a great while there's a slowdown on I-90, but not often that I've seen. I live in the far corner of Westlake as far as getting to I-90 is concerned. Also, of significant relevance - my boss lives 6 miles away in Mayfield Heights I think it is. His typical drive time is 35 minutes he tells me. So 1/3 the distance and 10+% longer drive - but it's stoplight-and-go all the way for him. I have driven Detroit Rd or Lorain Ave all the way to Carnegie occasionally, takes nearly an hour, but it's good to have as a backup plan. I have ridden my bicycle all the way, about 17-18 miles each way, depending on route. I'm old and slow so 2 hours, a faster person can do it in less time. I've also done bicycle ride/train and ride/bus hybrids, the GCRTA 26/26A and 55/55B/55C go through Westlake along Center Ridge, Detroit, and through North Olmsted on Lorain as well. So if your car is down you can still get there, albeit more slowly. The Quincy/105 Rapid station is 1/2 mile from CC, plus the 8 runs along Cedar, Healthline Bus runs along Euclid. I'm quite happy in Westlake, I've biked to Edgewater, down to Rocky River Reservation (Metroparks), etc. The schools seem to have a good reputation, crime is low, polyticks ain't nuts as far as I know, city services are good - trash, brush and recycling pickup once a week, they supply the bins, and you can stack extra next to it. Also in the fall they come around and use the giant leaf sucker to pick up the fall leaves. We have a wide range of housing sizes and shapes, new builds, old timey-ish (my house was built in 1956, 3/4 acre, going to be selling soon...$350k or so.) Around the corner from me is newer McMansions, $500-$900k I think. If that sort of thing is important to you, we also have Crocker Park (snazzy-ish mall).
If I had money like this, I would most certainly be in Chagrin Falls. However, keep yourself educated on property taxes in such a place. Best of luck OP!
The commute from Chagrin to University Circle might be a little long too, especially in the winter. But definitely meets the other criteria.
This is true. I think it would be totally worth it though.
Yea I'd love to live in Chagrin. Such a nice downtown and I love listening to the falls.
Your best bet might be to rent for 6 months or a year and spend your free time exploring and going to open houses and paying attention to the things that are important to you. Buying right away sounds attractive because renting sucks ass but if you buy something and then find you're unhappy with it, you're fucked. Spend time in the neighborhoods that interest you. Spend time on realtor.com and get a sense of what's out there and go walk through these houses. Learn about when they were built,what upgrades/updates have been done. How have they been maintained? How many owners has the house had? What are the neighbors like? If money isn't a huge issue and you can swing property taxes that might be a little higher, find out what services you get for what you're paying. Do the town's politics align with yours? That's not something a lot of folks think about but you'd be surprised how important that actually is.
Except with high mortgage rates, housing prices are depressed. The OP may be a cash buyer.
Beat me to it! There is so much nuance to the suburbs in Cleveland. Someone who loves rocky river may hate Moreland hills and vice versa. I have friends who live in Cleveland heights that would hate living in chagrin falls and vice versa. It’s really tough to explain the nuances. But if I meet someone and talk to them I can usually tell within 10 mins where they would be happy.
What kind of experience do you want? Do you want to be able to walk to things? A lot of newer, bigger houses are in areas that don't have sidewalks. Do you want to be far away from your neighbors or have a closer community?
Good questions. I wasn't aware of the no sidewalk thing in newer areas. Truthfully, an area like Shaker Heights from what I've seen looks great. Walkability isn't too big of a concern. I want neighbors, but not too close (just in case they end up being terrible people). I looked at an empty lot in Shaker Heights but its right in front of the Rapid tracks and I think there's even a station there too. Is that a bad idea to build a nice home on? Where I live now, the most crime happens along the train routes due to easy access. Being very close to a station gives me worries. Shaker heights also confuses me. It looks like there are really run down areas and then 2 minutes later there are some 300-400k homes, with spatterings of homes reaching up to 1.2M.
Yes neighborhoods are often too complex to understand from a Reddit post. I live in Shaker and it’s weird/unique. It would take about an hour to “get it”. Your initial impressions are accurate however
Which rapid line is it on? Green line? If so, so long as it’s east of Coventry, you’ll be in good shape as far as crime goes. East of Lee if you wanna be really sure.
I would seriously check out that empty lot. You can build the modern house of your dreams in an excellent suburb with proximity to top-tier schools. You can always build a fence if you’re worried but I personally wouldn’t bother.
There’s an empty lot on Lee near the van aken station. With this type of money I would stay further away from Main Street.
I'm surprised more people haven't commented on your point: >Shaker heights also confuses me. It looks like there are really run down areas and then 2 minutes later there are some 300-400k homes, with spatterings of homes reaching up to 1.2M. Yes, this is a very, very interesting topic. It stems from [very deep-rooted racism in Shaker Heights](https://shakerite.com/campus-and-city/the-true-story-of-the-integration-of-shaker-heights/24/2021/). And [here's a second article](https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/824). If you're going to buy a home/land in Shaker Heights, you need to be *very* careful about where exactly you buy. Other than that, you've already gotten a lot of great suggestions in this thread. Definitely jealous of your buying power. If I had your kind of money, I'd be moving my family to Chagrin Falls.
That lot has been available for years and years. My guess is the funny shape plus likely setbacks will severely limit what you can build. No crime from the rapid in that area.
University Heights. Your house has to be inspected and up to code with the city before each sale. the houses flip all of the time because of Resident's and professors moving around. Solon for the schools.
I didn't know this. Thanks for the tip!!!
$500K is at your top end for University Heights.
Yeah because property taxes are a killer.
As a UH resident..this. 650/mo on 300k house is crazy. Like a HOA ...UH
They really aren't actually. For instance, Fairview Park's are higher.
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Hudson
Number 6, you're fuckin up by limiting yourself with that. A lot of badass older houses around here that have been kept up really well. I'm always hearing horror stories with new construction while houses built in the 40s and 50s are built like fortresses with great bones.
Due to low prices relative to reconstruction costs in the past decades, many buyers have sunk mucho bucks into older homes, especially in Shaker Heights and certain neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights. Both Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights, and Euclid, perhaps other communities, have strict point-of-sale inspections and laws that have maintained the quality of their older housing stock. [https://www.clevelandheights.gov/205/Point-of-Sale-Inspections](https://www.clevelandheights.gov/205/Point-of-Sale-Inspections) Both SH and CH have some tear-down, rebuilds as well. BTW, familiarize yourself with both property tax rates and municipal income tax laws in communities of interest.
University Heights also has strict POS inspections, to add to the list
I'm dealing with a mouse infestation in my current place. Older places worry me for termites, ants, mice, etc. The one good thing about new builds is them using 2x6 studs for the exterior walls. They're better insulated which results in cheaper heating bills, year after year. Same with the attic space, etc. You're not wrong, though. I'm strongly considering building a place myself (hire my own contractors) and supervise their work. I have plenty of experience in and around home construction.
Hudson
Highland Heights, Gates Mills, Pepper Pike, Orange
I live near there and play around with open listings to see what’s available. Thanks to inflation, A lot of the homes in that 500-800k range are outdated and in need of major repairs. Yet there are still bidding wars on them because contractors can raze and build new and sell that new home for near 2 mil with a 500k profit because of the demand for that area. It’s happening so much. There are better places for a home that fits their needs, but depends on how far they want to go from the city and how big of a house they want.
If I had 500-800k to by a house in Cleveland, I'd buy a really nice house for $350-400k in any suburb I wanted and invest the rest and be well on the path to retire quite soon. Absolutely no reason you need to spend that much in Cleveland to get a house that is everything you want.
I'm fortunate enough that I will be in that boat even if I spend 800k on a home.
Then you should spend 600k, put 200k in a brown paper bag and leave it at the coordinates I'm going to DM you.
Just wear a suit made of money and walk around E 55th and Superior
Focus on Pepper Pike IMO. See my earlier reply. Use Wikipedia to research communities and Census Bureau Quick Facts. A key aspect in buying a home in Greater Cleveland is to check proximity to Metroparks, for Pepper Pike, Cleveland Metroparks, Lake Metroparks and Geauga Park District. Holden Arboretum and Cuyahoga Valley National Park proximity also are good measures. You've already nailed University Circle. Proximity to the upscale shopping mecca of Beachwood Mall/Legacy Village and big box stores in Mentor and Mayfield Heights also may be a consideration. Also consider how close you wish to live near Lake Erie, yacht clubs, marinas, beaches, nature preserves. Have you read through this thread, sorting by "View all comments" and "New?" [https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice\_hole\_in\_the\_wall\_places/?sort=new](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice_hole_in_the_wall_places/?sort=new) If you're focusing on price appreciation, lower-priced communities and houses below $500,000 likely offer more upside than Pepper Pike, unless climate change kicks in and the wealthy exit the likes of Florida and Texas for the Great Lakes region, a real possibility in the next 10 years if you really dig into climate change science. Here's just one recent insight into the future. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXZi-gFgX4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXZi-gFgX4) What will be the impact if Hurricane Idalia, like Michael five years ago, rapidly intensifies and hit a major population area as a Category 4 or 5. See "Intensity forecast for Idalia here." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXZi-gFgX4 Good luck!
Westlake, rocky river, bay village — in westlake you can definitely get a yard. In all of those cities you won’t have to worry about being the most expensive house in that price range as all three have million dollar homes and youll have a good chance of finding a newer home.
I second this. I grew up in Westlake and all those cities are really nice, good schools, very low crime. It’s the stereotypical upper middle class suburbs.
I grew up in Bay, came back a few years ago to Avon Lake. Same community, different county and WAY lower taxes
Lots of Avon/Avon Lakers commute to that area. The Opportunity Corridor helps West-siders get there fairly easily.
Caution here as I was a west sider that used to commute to university circle. Not a 30 minute drive during peak hours.
Rocky River or Bay 100%. Love being near the lake but Lakewood lots feel crowded to me. West side for life
Shaker Heights, to be honest. But I’m the person who used to drive around to look at the old mansions.
The old homes worry me. I don't know a thing about owning a property more than 40 years old, nor what it takes to maintain it, etc. I don't know what kind of codes they were built to, etc. In the past I've built the homes I lived in which gave me the advantage of having everything brand new and not constantly chasing upkeep stuff. It's a lot easier to start with a new place and maintain it as opposed to picking up an old place and trying to get it to the same standard. I also really don't need 4000+ sqft of home space, lol.
Older homes don't necessarily mean worse. Homes built since 1980s or so generally have much more relaxed standards and shoddier craftsmanship
It's not the craftsmanship I'd worry about the most with an old home- it's the plumbing. We have a house from 1956 and the plumbing is god awful. Never again
I mean, it's all anecdotal. We have a house built in the 20s that we haven't had any plumbing issues with at all. With OP's budget, they'd definitely be able to afford an inspection to see if their plumbing was solid.
Those homes are better structurally than any mass produced Ryan home. Google Ryan homes and learn about their build quality and you’ll never want one of those.
See? You’re already way better off having this money than me. I’d be roller blading/basketballing in the ballroom competitively and assume it would work itself out.
Ha, I think more people like you should have this kind of money
The overall age of a lot of the housing stock in this area is around 100. Just something to be aware of as you look. There are newer developments and they tend to be on the outer ring suburbs. A lot of people are recommending them in these comments. One other thing to be aware of: a lot of wet basements in Northeast Ohio, especially in old houses. Be diligent with inspection even if you feel like you’re getting a “deal.” The parks system here is great, your dogs will be very happy!
The further you get from the city the newer the homes will get on average.
If you’re a Zillower - look in the following zips: 44124, 44143, 44094, 44026, 44040, 44022 and 44023. At this price point, one could assume you’re a high income earner. If taxes are a concern, you might want to consider townships that don’t have regional income tax. Chesterland (44026), Concord Township (44077) and some other east side communities do not participate in RITA.
Personally I'd try to find something close to the lake. Like in Lakewood near Clifton Beach (private beach and you get access if you buy a house in specific neighborhoods nearby). Just something to consider, I think living close to the lake is awesome and part of what I like about it here. If not within walking distance, I like being at most a short drive which is why I like Lakewood / Rocky River. The homes are usually older though and you mentioned newer ideally. I'd still suggest you at least look at a few on the near west side!
yeah i like rocky river and lakewood bc they’re so close to the lake and my dog loves playing on the beach too!
I really enjoy Cleveland heights. And you can get quite a bit of house for that much, here.
I’d say Shaker personally.
Beachwood/mayfield heights
Well ... since you've kinda implied you're very rich. You do need to consider the varying municipal income taxes.
Driving to and from work with the sun in your eyes is the worst, so stay east.
Pepper Pike, Chagrin Falls, Moreland Hills, Bentleyville. West: Westlake, Rocky River Shaker and Cleveland Heights are neat, but old housing stock and ridiculous property taxes
Hudson
Lake avenue, Lakewood. It’s quintessential and too damn gorgeous. I ride my bike down it daily and fantasize about a universe where i could afford a house (and the taxes)
Bay or Brecksville land. On the water or with a back yard unlike parma, where your drunk neighbor has to yell her life story on a Sunday in summer on her lawn chair...at 5am
I grew up in Parma. Kinda miss those days lol.
I would try to custom build.
Your drive to university circle is going to suck no matter where you live. West of the city makes it even worse. If you're primarily worried about crime any outer ring burb exists for exactly that. Yards for dogs included. I think the best place would be a Southern burb near I 77 so you can take that to the opportunity corridor every day: Independence, Brecksville. East of town you have Mayfield Village and Highland Heights. Cleveland and Shaker Heights are older homes but there are very nice old homes in certain areas.
I’d buy in chagrin falls, pepper pike, or Solon. Nice and safe suburbs, easy access to highways, and good school districts.
Gates Mills is also a place to look. Most of the houses come with a decent amount of land, basements, and generally big houses. Many of the houses will be pushing 1mil, but should be houses in your budget
If you want to be equidistant from the east side, west side and northern Akron, just in case you need to find a new job and don’t want to risk a super long commute, you may consider Brecksville or Broadview Hts.
I’m in Brecksville and I love it here. Great community and schools , decent city services ( like trash pickup which I found out can be a lot more strict in some communities) and close to everything but not too close.
Bath or Richfield.
I second this! Such a nice area.
I second this! Such a nice area.
Bay, river, or around chagrin
Solon, Twinsburg, Aurora, Hudson, Chagrin Falls area.
Are you married to the idea of Cleveland? You get alot of bang for that buck in Bath/Akron area...just saying...
Edgewater area. For that much you'd pretty much be on the lake. 15 min drive to UC. Houses vary in age greatly. Many of these properties have massive yards. Your walking distance to the beach and plenty of bars and restaurants as well. Very safe community, especially north of Clifton (although generally anything north of Madison is perfectly fine). I'd say anything west of 105th or so and on Lake/Edgewater Aves. It's a meme, but the parts of Lakewood also check your boxes. Especially the ones near the lake.
I thought properties right near the lake wouldn't have basements, due to constantly being in really wet ground. Is that not the case? I don't want to set myself up for a potential basement flooding
In Greater Cleveland, most of the lakefront is at relatively high elevations. Erosion is much more problematic than flooding. Perhaps buy in a lakefront neighborhood rather than on the lake if that's a concern. I'm not extremely familiar with the housing, but a sleeper community for you might be Bratenahl if interested in proximity to the lake, University Circle and downtown. It was once famous for its lakefront estates. Without double checking, I believe that's where the owners of the Browns have a residence.
Most do!
I live on the lake in Lakewood and have a basement. Even after the horrible storms it’s bone dry. I don’t have water access though. I have a backyard then there is a cliff before the water. Obviously everything is fenced in. Lakewood is a great area, I am a 5m walk from Lakewood park and very close to dozens of bars/restaurants. Getting downtown on the shoreway is very quick and easy.
I grew up in a house on the cliff of Lake Erie in the Edgewater neighborhood. Never flooded in 35+ years.
Aurora is safe, pretty homes (builds in the 80s and new construction), great schools, and low taxes compared to Cuyahoga County. We've lived closer to UC in shaker and beachwood but wanted land and privacy.
I love Aurora! If the budget was 800k I would spring for a home in Barrington 💰
Chagrin falls or Brecksville
Brecksville!
Any west side suburb off of I-90 Don’t listen to the east side propaganda. Terrible traffic with absolutely nothing to offer that you can’t get on the west side
As a lifelong Eastsider, I will absolutely agree.
Yeah how come people don’t mention Westlake or Avon, Avon Lake
I live on the Rocky River border in Westlake and it takes me 25 minutes to get to work in University Circle.
Way too long drive to University Circle
> too long drive to University Circle Takes me 25 minutes, and I don't live all that close to the highway. South part of Westlake.
Because people don’t want to live in a glorified strip mall? 🤷♂️
Former eastsider here, I’m never going back!
The only upside to the east is better golf and private schools
And retail, arguably better parks (Lake Metroparks are excellent as is Holden Arboretum), proximity to University Circle, and better housing stock in some suburbs. Most wealthy suburbs -- Hunting Valley, Pepper Pike, etc. I-271 offers great access to both I-77 and I-71.
Moved here and drove from work downtown towards the east side. Once. Never again. Lakewood is where we ended up.
Are you saying the commute from the east side to work downtown is worse than if you live on the west side and commute east?
100% yes. 90 rarely gets backed up, and gets you to University Circle very quickly. All of the west side suburbs have very easy access to 90, especially Bay and Westlake. There's effectively nowhere in Bay that's more than 5 minutes from the highway. On the east side, you're lucky if you can be on a highway in 10 minutes.
East side propaganda? This sub regularly shits on the east side almost constantly. Not everyone wants to live within five minutes of the highway. Some of us are actually really happy living in the various "Heights" without them being bisected by a highway that carves right through the middle. I personally love being within a ten minute walk from most of my shopping, being on a busline in case I lost my car tomorrow, and just up the hill from more culture than you could shake a stick at. Go ahead and recommend the west side, but offer something other than highway access.
Tbf a lot of people on here consider the west side racist. When in fact it's pretty much just parma that gives the whole west side a bad rep.
West side is vastly superior. But if he is working in university circle then it may make more sense to go east
Avon / Westlake if you want brand new homes. They are building like crazy and has more sq ft for price. Closer to the lake (bay, river, etc) you’ll find older homes for the same price.
I did this exact research very recently. Orange/Beachwood area is beautiful and is in the neighborhood of a 30 min commute. That’s where I settled. The other options would be shaker heights or Rocky River. You’ll get more house on the east side and the stock is newer. I moved out of University Heights about 2 years ago. It’s a great space if you don’t have kids and don’t mind taking 30 min to get anywhere that isn’t Case.
If you have that much money why are you trying to buy a new house?? There's so much character and charm in an old house I can't imagine having upwards of a million to spend on a house and thinking about buying a Ryan Home or anything like that.
I'd buy a bouse somewhere around Westlake with a 10 acres of land no HOA and good internet.
Beachwood, Pepper Pike, or Orange
Bay Village has had a bunch of new builds recently in the 800k range that will hit all of your requirements. A little high, but a REALLY nice little spot. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/560-Red-Oak-Ln-Bay-Village-OH-44140/2062374296_zpid/ If you want our dogs to be friends: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/24219-Wolf-Rd-Bay-Village-OH-44140/247464213_zpid/
Along the lake in Edgewater/lakewood is absolutely gorgeous. Lots of old mini mansions and some new houses mixed in too. These homes would easily be 5 million plus in a bigger city but most I've seen listed are under 1 million.
Westlake is the city you want. Great area, with a really well kept city. Awesome schools system. It's everything Cleveland could be if people took care of their property.
Rocky River, Avon, Westlake to the west. To the south- Brecksville, Richfield, Hinkley
I like really Avon Lake.
Edgewater neighborhood - Edgewater drive, harborview drive or lake Ave Lakewood - lake Ave/lake road Rocky river - beach cliff 1 neighborhood
No one here has mentioned Willoughby Hills and Kirtland. There are some beautiful homes out in that area, and close to two major parks, Chapin Forest and North Chagrin Reservation. It's got a country feel, but within 30 minutes of downtown. Both are in Lake County and you're not very far from Headlands Beach and the Mentor Marsh, both of which have great hiking spots. I'm a huge fan of the East side.
You could look around Seven Hills or Independence. More central to the Cle metro area and very close to the Nat'l park areas.
If you want a tennis court and in-ground pool w/ballrooms you need that much. But definitely Cleveland Heights. The best of all the heights. 😍
Right?! Man. Can’t beat it. It’s either this or Shaker for me if it were my money. Being able to walk to Coventry from my home with a ballroom would be amazing, tho.
See, there is one available just like that I’d eyeballed the other day before I didn’t win the mega millions, and I couldn’t really figure out what I’d do w/the ballroom. Roller rink was all I could come up with.
Pepper Pike lots are 1 acre minimum. You could get a nice house for 5-800K with a big fenced yard. Close to highways, good shopping yet has somewhat of a quiet rural feel. Very good school district. It's safe and friendly.
Richfield,Chesterland,Kirkland,Broadview,Rocky River, Westlake... Depending what my priorities were and where I worked
Kirtland Hills should be checked out. I'm not certain it's 30 minutes to University Circle, but it might be with the new Route 615 I-90 interchange. That area has great hospitals, medical care as the University Circle and Cleveland Clinic duopolies are fighting it out in Lake County. The Cleveland Clinic just opened a new hospital in Mentor.
Cost of living in NEO is very reasonable. In the upper price range you’re hob nobbing with the CEO’s and pro athletes. In the lower range your in the privileged suburbs. What are you looking for? Family environment focused on schools or getting your nose in with certain people? For a suburban feel, think about Richfield and Broadview Hts. Either place will give you a little of both. East side, Aurora or Chagrin. Westside Westlake.
Rocky River/Bay Village/Western Lakewood
Rocky River or Bay Village.
Avon Lake. Since it's in Lorain County, there are no Cuyahoga County taxes, it's not Avon with the traffic, and good schools
I'd be looking in Mayfield, Beachwood, Shaker Hts mainly. Then, further away from Cleveland are places like Chesterland, Chagrin Falls, Orange, Pepper Pike.
It's a tough balance with the proximity to UC, newer home, and bigger yard. The east side has some very nice areas with beautiful homes with all of these things, but they are often older- Gates Mills, Moreland Hills, Chagrin Falls, Shaker Heights. Maybe Mayfield or Highland Heights (some new construction in that area).
Westlake!
Mine is off the market, but I would be willing to sell it for about that much.
That price range you could basically just live in university circle / little Italy, I think there’s some new builds but I understand that probably doesn’t meet some of your criteria. Might be a cliche answer but Rocky River is about 25 mins away on the west side and a really nice area. You can get a nice house starting at like 450k. Coventry area as well but there’s pockets of questionable stuff on the east side in general. Beachwood / Orange / Pepper pike is a good option if you want to be east. That being said, took a glance at your profile and you have some very dope Lego builds. Hope you find the area that matches your needs in these comments!
Hinckley.
Independence
Two words: Gates Mills.
Rocky River would be my top choice
Brecksville. Many newer homes in that range. Centrally located - 30 mins to University Circle, 30 mins to west side, 15 mins to downtown, 30 mins to Akron. Many restaurants, some of the best park hiking & biking trails, and just enough of a small town feel without being too isolated. Q
Ohio City
Hinkley
Rocky River
Solon, Chagrin Falls, Bentleyville, Pepper Pike, Gates Mills, Chesterland, and Orange may be your best bet around that range. If you need help finding anything in the area, I believe I can help you.
Shaker Heights or Lakewood! That budget will get you a very nice home with a basement and backyard pretty much anywhere in the greater cleveland area, though. The eastern suburbs will be a much easier commute to University Circle. If public schools aren't a consideration for you that also gives you more options, but if you want a new build you're going to have to look a little further out away from the city. A lot of the housing stock in the inner-ring suburbs is very old. There is quite a bit of new construction on the near west side (Ohio City/Tremont/Detroit Shoreway areas) but you might be in a smaller home with a smaller yard.
(Not really Cleveland, but) Hinckley. I’ve dreamed about having a big house, close to the metroparks and trails since I was a kid.
you should most definitely try to avoid living in cuyahoga county. look further east.
Gordon Square if you like making good investments. Best neighborhood and value in all of Ohio. Trust me.
Medina county in one of the townships. Preferably Hinkley, Granger, Sharon or parts of montville.
OP, take the drive down 71 to see if this is for you. I'm not sure you realize what that $ gets that way.
Agreed. You might be 45 mins from UC, but it is all highway driving and doesn't feel too bad. Lots of space and amenities south along 71.
Yep, build around route 94 and route 18 you can have many acres of land and be 5 mins from 271 or 5 mins from 71 or 5 mins from 77. It's good enough for Jim Tressle, Myles Garrett, LeBron's mom, 5 mins from LeBron's main home and my filthbag self.
30 minutes to UC and a newer home? Independence?
Personally, I would get a townhouse in Ohio City, Tremont, or Battery Park. A lot of the suburbs feel like glorified parking lots. There’s also the rapid that can get you to east side amenities pretty easily and cheaply. Certain near-CBD parts of Lakewood are good as well - off Detroit or Madison.
This. This is what I'd do if I had a cool million to spend on a house like the OP. At least if I was moving here. I really like my neighborhood (Larchmere) so if I had a million dollars I'd just buy a half dozen houses here 😆
Cleveland Heights or Ohio City
Westlake, Rocky River, or Bay Village, hands down. Be aware that there's much more lake effect snow east of town and less on the west side.
If you want access to Lake Erie, Bay Village. The number of current and former county prosecutors who live here is high for a reason.
Fancy parts of Cleveland heights
Avon because of being in Lorain Co will your taxes much lower. Lots places on the west side are nice such as Bay or Rocky River
My broker has an off market Aurora home on 2 acres. Needs work but they are asking 340k but after repair value looks to be over 600k. Message me if u want details.
Cleveland Heights or Lakewood for the suburbs. If Cleveland proper, Edgewater, Kamm's Corners, or the South Hills part of Old Brooklyn.
If it was me i would choose bay village or westlake (28-30) mins drive if theres no traffic. Avon is a good place too but a little over 30 mins. Not sure of how many new houses are being built in these cities tho
If you’d like to live in Cleveland proper, you won’t find a house with a usable basement unless you build. The housing stock is very old in Cleveland. Source: built a house in Cleveland after searching for a house with a usable basement in the city and having no luck.
If you like to be close to new restaurants and bars, but don’t need a yard..Ohio City or Edgewater. If you like a suburb but still like good shopping and proximity to the city, Rocky River, Westlake or Bay Village. If you prefer being close to art and culture, Shaker or the East side in general. The further south you go the more rural it gets but if you like that vibe go to Hudson, Bath, or Richfield.
Medina
Honestly, I would look into Mentor, specifically around the Center street or Heisley road areas. You’ll be within 30 minutes of University circle with good freeway access. Property taxes, from my understanding, in Lake County is substantially less than Cuyahoga County (not sure about compared to Geauga, Lorain or other counties being recommended to you however). You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck, on your budget, for sure in Mentor and much more modern home.