Moving...where to? Not sure yet...

[SirFelixCat]

So the gf and I have decided that we miss the rain and we miss seasons, so we plan on leaving Las Vegas w/i the next 3-9 months. Now, being a professional poker player, we can, literally, move ANYWHERE in the country (the world, for that matter, but we really want to stay in the US). I predominantly play online poker, so living near a casino would be a plus, but not a mandatory thing.

That said, we went to Find your spot! (http://www.findyourspot.com/) and the main cities that fit what we want were (in no particular):

-Cincy
-St. Louis
-Portland, Ore
-Seattle, Wa
- Denver, CO
-SLC, Utah
-Colorado Springs, CO
-Pittsburgh, PA
-Columbus, OH
-Cleveland, OH
-Erie, PA
-Indianapolis, IN
-Mansfield, OH


Now, we've already eliminated some of them due to weather, which is one of main reasons we've decided to move. We miss the rain (love it) and we miss the seasons. Looking at the annual rainfall etc. the Cincy/St. Louis longitude seems to fit what we want the most. But that doesn't mean that those cities would suit us...

Some things that we want/are important to us:

-Reasonable housing prices (we're looking to rent prob. for the first 6mos-1 yr, then we'll see about buying), so rent-wise, $800-$1200/mo for a 2-3 BR, 2 bath, nice house.

-Obv, weather, as mentioned

-Cost of living, in general, on the lower end (at least not more than Vegas, which is surprisingly not THAT high)

-Great 'neighborhood' feel w/ local, mom and pop places in general.

-Must be near a big city (big = not Erie ;) ), ie. not in the boonies.

-Places to run/bike as well as suitable for a greyhound (we'll be adopting one after we move)

-Ideally, have pro sports teams, most importantly, beisbol. Not nec. MLB, but at least minor league (but hey, Cincy is great for that, no?)

-Obviously, a safe, nice area, but that's common sense.

-Job market is a non-issue, but the gf will probably get a smaller job so she doesn't get bored staying at home.

Also, while we're talking about it, how do the blackout rules affect you guys in the Cincy area etc? Are they mostly blacked out or are you watching most of the games (with the Extra Innings package...or would we not even need it anymore?)


So, out of the above list, the areas that seem to suit us the most are (again, in no particular order):

-Cincy/Covington/Newport (and I have no idea what other places around that area)
-St. Louis
-Pittsburgh
-Denver/Colo Springs

I guess I should also mention that I'm originally from Portland, Ore and the gf is from Amarillo, Tx...Portland has most of what we're looking for, but I'm not sure I want to move back there. And Seattle is pretty spendy, from what we've seen online.


So, what say you? Halp? ;)

[SirFelixCat]

Imma assume since the game is on y'all are perusing now, posting later, I hope? ;)

[redsmetz]

I'm not familiar with the area, and you mentioned being near the casinos wasn't a requirement, but you may want to check out southeastern Indiana. There are folks moving out there from the Western Hills area. And it's close enough to the I-275 loop that you can get into the city when you want.

[SirFelixCat]

I'm not familiar with the area, and you mentioned being near the casinos wasn't a requirement, but you may want to check out southeastern Indiana. There are folks moving out there from the Western Hills area. And it's close enough to the I-275 loop that you can get into the city when you want.

Sounds good, we'll do that. It looks pretty close...like w/i 30 mins of Cincy.




And no one else has any input here? Really? :sadkitty:

[redsfanmia]

Indy is nice, its a big city with a small city appeal. There are great suburbs all around the city and the traffic is not bad at all.

[reds1869]

My wife and I are both in love with Pittsburgh. A really underrated city that is very close to the West Virginia casinos. We were just there for a concert and could not believe the bustle in the downtown business district. It also has a pretty reasonable cost of living and extremely friendly people. And it's one of the few cities where you can wear your Reds gear to lord over the natives. :)

[Stephenk29]

My wife and I are both in love with Pittsburgh. A really underrated city that is very close to the West Virginia casinos. We were just there for a concert and could not believe the bustle in the downtown business district. It also has a pretty reasonable cost of living and extremely friendly people. And it's one of the few cities where you can wear your Reds gear to lord over the natives. :)

Maybe its just me, but I thought Pittsburg was a pretty ugly, and boring place. I've been there four times, and I'm not even including those crappy sports teams they have as well:D

Although I've never been there, I hear Portland is flat out awesome.

[GIK]

Portland is a great city. Housing is a bit more than the Midwest, but you'll love it. I recommend visiting as many as you can before making the jump. Good luck!

[SirFelixCat]

Portland is a great city. Housing is a bit more than the Midwest, but you'll love it. I recommend visiting as many as you can before making the jump. Good luck!

That's the problem, right there. We're not going to be able to do much of the visiting before deciding, tbh.


Does anyone want to recommend areas @ the Cincy area that would suit our wants/need? Also, does anyone want to takle my blackout question too?

[klw]

I would suggest Burlington Vermont and somewhere in the Portland Maine area. Freeport and Brunswick Maine may fit the bill. Both Burlington and Portland have minor league ball and Boston is an easy reach from Portland. Montreal is an hour or so from Burlington. Both have regional airports and Logan fits the need for international flights.

You may want to consider somewhere on the Rhode Island coast. Close to Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods, real estate has really come down, and easy access to minor league and pro sports. Kingston RI is home to URI, is a nice small town and is a stop on the Boston-NYC Amtrak line.

[reds1869]

Maybe its just me, but I thought Pittsburg was a pretty ugly, and boring place. I've been there four times, and I'm not even including those crappy sports teams they have as well:D

Although I've never been there, I hear Portland is flat out awesome.

No doubt it's ugly. We're both sort of charmed by that being that one of us is from Cincinnati and the other from an industrial part of West Virginia. :)

In all seriousness, there is a ton more to do in Pittsburgh than in most cities of it's size, especially near downtown. We were absolutely blown away...I can only hope Cincinnati can match it some day.

[Scrap Irony]

Northern Kentucky is nice, though very... soccer-mom-ish. Lots of suburbs, not very much character. Good value, generally, in homes, though.

Same with Indianapolis. Soccer moms, suburbs, and cheap housing.

If you go further south, Louisville is a great town. Generally clean, great character in houses and condos. Cheap, too. (Relatively speaking.) Awesome people. Cost of living is among the lowest in America as well. The allergens in the Ohio Valley are horrid though.

[Reds Freak]

Cincinnati neighborhoods that I would check out if I were you based on your preferences:

Hyde Park
Oakley
East Walnut Hills
Columbia Tusculum
Mt. Lookout
Mt. Adams
Northside
Mt. Washington.

I'm not a suburban guy so I'm not familiar with the far-flung burbs but those are the urban neighborhoods I would take a look at in Cincy...

[DTCromer]

Check out Indy. Places like Zionsville, Carmel, Noblesville, and Westfield are all great northern suburbs of Indy. Plus, you have a newly opened casino about an hour north in Anderson and hour south around SHelbyville. Not to mention, you're 2 hour drive from the Reds and 4-5 hour drive from Chicago.

[DTCromer]

That's the problem, right there. We're not going to be able to do much of the visiting before deciding, tbh.


Does anyone want to recommend areas @ the Cincy area that would suit our wants/need? Also, does anyone want to takle my blackout question too?

Don't forget, the state of Oregon has the 2nd highest tax rate in the world behind Denmark!

[GIK]

Yeah, the state income tax is 9% IIRC. No sales tax, though. You could live across the river in Vancouver (no income tax in Washington state). :)

[cincinnati chili]

That said, we went to Find your spot! (http://www.findyourspot.com/) and the main cities that fit what we want were (in no particular):

-Cincy
-St. Louis
-Portland, Ore
-Seattle, Wa
- Denver, CO
-SLC, Utah
-Colorado Springs, CO
-Pittsburgh, PA
-Columbus, OH
-Cleveland, OH
-Erie, PA
-Indianapolis, IN
-Mansfield, OH


Now, we've already eliminated some of them due to weather, which is one of main reasons we've decided to move. We miss the rain (love it)



We moved back to Colorado from the East Coast largely because we hate the rain (we also hate humidity and relentless winters). While you'll get more rain than Vegas, I presume, we have 300+ days of sunshine here. When it rains, it's a big deal. People at my office go to the windows and watch every major rainstorm, because unlike in say Boston, it's kind of a special occasion.

If you're looking at total rainfall in inches, keep in mind that rain is not frequent in either Denver or Colorado Springs. When it rains, it does sometimes rain hard.

[pedro]

We moved back to Colorado from the East Coast largely because we hate the rain (we also hate humidity and relentless winters). While you'll get more rain than Vegas, I presume, we have 300+ days of sunshine here. When it rains, it's a big deal. People at my office go to the windows and watch every major rainstorm, because unlike in say Boston, it's kind of a special occasion.

If you're looking at total rainfall in inches, keep in mind that rain is not frequent in either Denver or Colorado Springs. When it rains, it does sometimes rain hard.

Thats' for sure chili. I was there over the 4th of July weekend and it rained crazy hard.

[acredsfan]

Cincinnati neighborhoods that I would check out if I were you based on your preferences:

Hyde Park
Oakley
East Walnut Hills
Columbia Tusculum
Mt. Lookout
Mt. Adams
Northside
Mt. Washington.

I'm not a suburban guy so I'm not familiar with the far-flung burbs but those are the urban neighborhoods I would take a look at in Cincy...Definitely would not include Mt. Washington in places to check out. I lived there renting an apartment just off Sutton and it was going downhill fast. I just moved a couple of years ago because it was turning into a dump. I'd definitely recommend Hyde Park and Oakley. Anderson has a lot of parks and other things to offer if you are OK with more of a family type of area. I've been living here for two years and have some relatives who live in a rich part of Anderson and love what it has to offer. Mercy Healthplex is very good, and the newly completed 5 Mile trail is used by tons of people to walk and bike. They are building a new movie theater in the town center with plans of adding high end condos. Sorry to ramble on, but this is the one area I know well, so I'm trying to give you as much info as possible. It's right off of 275 and a 10 minute drive to downtown Cincinnati from most places. I lived there and worked by UC until I was let go (health reasons). Good luck with your move!

[Ltlabner]

That's the problem, right there. We're not going to be able to do much of the visiting before deciding, tbh.

So you're going to move to an entirely new part of the country solely based on the advice from strangers on the internet?

If that works for you more power to you brotha.

[Ltlabner]

While totally biased, you may want to check out the Milford area of Cincy. There's an "old town" section, which while not very large (4 or 5 blocks) has restaurants, bars, shops, etc. The housing around the old-Milford area is full of sidewalks and walking areas. It also provides easy access to the Loveland bike trail which is miles and miles and miles of walking/biking trails.

All of Milford is 35-40 minutes from downtown and the AAA baseball it provides.

Milford also has plenty of faceless sub-divisions (yech) but also some divisions that actually have charm and appeal. There's a boatload of for-sale signs up so you can likely find that house to rent, or even one you can afford to own easier than you think. There's a multitude of very good parks (esp in Miami Township) with Miami Meadows being the best with a huge walking path, lake, ball fields, open spaces, playgrounds, etc.

[SirFelixCat]

So you're going to move to an entirely new part of the country solely based on the advice from strangers on the internet?

If that works for you more power to you brotha.

That, coupled w/ our own legwork on the new fangled innernetz, yup.

We be brave like that, yo! ;)


And again, thanks for all the info, folks. The two things that are a REAL big deal to us is the rain (thanks for the heads up about Denver/CS!!!) and we really want to be able to frequent mom 'n pop type places, not just strip mall chains (although supermarkets, obviously are a good thing :) ). For those that watch Food Network, we're talking the types of places on Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives, to try and give you a better picture of what type of stuff we're looking for, neighborhood-wise. Vegas just doesn't have either of those things (didn't know we'd miss that stuff!).

So thanks and keep'em coming. Definitely expect PM's in the coming days/weeks if we're interested in the areas you guys know about!:thumbup:

[SirFelixCat]

And local folk...are Reds games blacked out (mercifully, this season at least)? And do you need Extra Innings to watch the games?

[bucksfan2]

Love the Colorado area. Never stayed in Denver but it is close to the mountains and there are some Indian casinos within an hour.

San Diego is a great town, a little pricey though.

[Ltlabner]

And local folk...are Reds games blacked out (mercifully, this season at least)? And do you need Extra Innings to watch the games?

I'm not sure if I'm answering your exact question, but FSN-Ohio televises the Reds games locally. There is no blackout except on very rare occasions. This year they're broadcasting a large percentage of the games. All you need for that is Time Warner Cable service (I'd assume FSN can be had on Dish but don't hold me to that).

If you go the mlb.tv route you will be blacked out, screwed and barbecued unless you have a friend with a CC outside of the blackout area who's willing to buy the service for you but that's an ethical thing you have to decide on your own. I'm certainly not advocating you break the law.

Lastly, this years games make me want to drink until I blackout.

[Hoosier Red]

That, coupled w/ our own legwork on the new fangled innernetz, yup.

We be brave like that, yo! ;)


And again, thanks for all the info, folks. The two things that are a REAL big deal to us is the rain (thanks for the heads up about Denver/CS!!!) and we really want to be able to frequent mom 'n pop type places, not just strip mall chains (although supermarkets, obviously are a good thing :) ). For those that watch Food Network, we're talking the types of places on Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives, to try and give you a better picture of what type of stuff we're looking for, neighborhood-wise. Vegas just doesn't have either of those things (didn't know we'd miss that stuff!).

So thanks and keep'em coming. Definitely expect PM's in the coming days/weeks if we're interested in the areas you guys know about!:thumbup:

Indy definately has a reputation for being chain city which may be a turn off. There are some cool neighborhoods like Broad Ripple and Fletcher Point and housing is really cheap there now.

[15fan]

Hawaii.

[nate]

I'm not sure if I'm answering your exact question, but FSN-Ohio televises the Reds games locally. There is no blackout except on very rare occasions. This year they're broadcasting a large percentage of the games. All you need for that is Time Warner Cable service (I'd assume FSN can be had on Dish but don't hold me to that).

If you go the mlb.tv route you will be blacked out, screwed and barbecued unless you have a friend with a CC outside of the blackout area who's willing to buy the service for you but that's an ethical thing you have to decide on your own. I'm certainly not advocating you break the law.

Lastly, this years games make me want to drink until I blackout.

I get FSN on DirecTV. I don't think it's available on Dish.

Blackout on MLB.TV is via IP, not purchasing address so you'd not be seeing the Reds inside the blackout area with that.

[nate]

BTW, I highly recommend Nashville.

I also highly recommend picking your three favorite candidates and spending a week in each before you decide to move. Hook up with a local realtor and have them show you around. That's what the wife and I did when we moved from LA.

[TRF]

Have you considered Santa Fe? It's near casinos, you have skiing in the winter, decent moisture, definite seasonal changes and an absolutely beautiful mountain backdrop.

[Hoosier Red]

Oh and on the Reds, FS Indiana televises about 110 games or so each year. You have to watch out for Pacers games in April, and an occassional Fever game(though probably not next year.) But there have only been a few times this year where a game hasn't been televised and I was taken aback. Probably 2 out of 3 in each series are televised at least.

[acredsfan]

FSN can be had on Time Warner and is included in the most basic packages. Dish and DirecTV both offer it as well, but you usually have to purchase sports packages. Although that rain you crave could cause occasional problems with satellite reception.

As far as the mom and pop things you are looking for, Cincinnati and the surrounding areas has their fair share of all of that if you know where to find it. I grew up and hour outside of Cincinnati in Adams county where there is more of those places, but also an Amish community and things like that. Eastgate and Milford are close to Anderson, which also offer some of those things.

[cincinnati chili]

Thats' for sure chili. I was there over the 4th of July weekend and it rained crazy hard.

pm me with a heads up next time

[pedro]

pm me with a heads up next time

will do.

[cincinnati chili]

he two things that are a REAL big deal to us is the rain (thanks for the heads up about Denver/CS!!!) and we really want to be able to frequent mom 'n pop type places, not just strip mall chains (although supermarkets, obviously are a good thing :) ). For those that watch Food Network, we're talking the types of places on Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives, to try and give you a better picture of what type of stuff we're looking for, neighborhood-wise. Vegas just doesn't have either of those things (didn't know we'd miss that stuff!).


Since I'm unofficially part of the stathead contingent on this board, I might as well give you data to give you some perspective.

Las Vegas only gets 26 days of precipitation per year; Denver gets 89; Columbus, Ohio gets 137; Portland, OR 155; Seattle 155; Cleveland 155; Buffalo 169.

My point being, just about ANY city in the US is going to seem Noah's ark worthy compared to Vegas.

[Download this file for data: http://finder.geocommons.com/overlays/12545]

On the plus side, the Casinos in Central City and Blackhawk (half hour drive from Denver's western suburbs such as Golden) have increased their poker betting limit to $100:

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/01/25/news/region/doc497c08f1cec4f557280762.txt

Also, while it's certainly not NYC or New Orleans, there are plenty of mom and pop restaurants in most parts of metro Denver. Some communities more than others. Not so much in metro Colorado springs, as the people there are more straight arrows and thus are suckers for chain establishments.

I watch the Reds on Comcast's extra innings package, and obviously you could do that if you got satellite instead of cable. Plenty of great live sports. Coors Field is an ideal place to watch a game, and tickets are always available. What I consider to be good seats are about $25, although day-of-game lousy seats (Rockpile) are only $4. Tickets usually available for Nuggets and Avalanche or C.U. Buffaloes. The Broncos usually require scalpers through Craigslist or a friend.

If you're into the outdoors, this metro area rivals any in the world.

If you're into the arts/museums, again Denver is no NYC or Chicago, I've found the offerings here to be far more than adequate.

[pedro]

BTW chili, my buddy and his wife used to work at the Fox in boulder and they remember rhino 2 rhino.(sp?)

[reds1869]

I get FSN on DirecTV. I don't think it's available on Dish.

Blackout on MLB.TV is via IP, not purchasing address so you'd not be seeing the Reds inside the blackout area with that.

FSN is available on Dish (My dad gets three regional RSNs) though my past experience with Echostar makes me want to warn everyone to avoid them like the plague. To put it in perspective, I'm stuck with Time Warner and feel like they have stellar customer service compared to Dish.

[cincinnati chili]

BTW chili, my buddy and his wife used to work at the Fox in boulder and they remember rhino 2 rhino.(sp?)

They (1) must be old and (2) must have not had a lot of pull with Donnie back in the day, because we never were asked to play the Fox. Great venue.

[SirFelixCat]

Since I'm unofficially part of the stathead contingent on this board, I might as well give you data to give you some perspective.

Las Vegas only gets 26 days of precipitation per year; Denver gets 89; Columbus, Ohio gets 137; Portland, OR 155; Seattle 155; Cleveland 155; Buffalo 169.

My point being, just about ANY city in the US is going to seem Noah's ark worthy compared to Vegas.

[Download this file for data: http://finder.geocommons.com/overlays/12545]

On the plus side, the Casinos in Central City and Blackhawk (half hour drive from Denver's western suburbs such as Golden) have increased their poker betting limit to $100:

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/01/25/news/region/doc497c08f1cec4f557280762.txt

Also, while it's certainly not NYC or New Orleans, there are plenty of mom and pop restaurants in most parts of metro Denver. Some communities more than others. Not so much in metro Colorado springs, as the people there are more straight arrows and thus are suckers for chain establishments.

I watch the Reds on Comcast's extra innings package, and obviously you could do that if you got satellite instead of cable. Plenty of great live sports. Coors Field is an ideal place to watch a game, and tickets are always available. What I consider to be good seats are about $25, although day-of-game lousy seats (Rockpile) are only $4. Tickets usually available for Nuggets and Avalanche or C.U. Buffaloes. The Broncos usually require scalpers through Craigslist or a friend.

If you're into the outdoors, this metro area rivals any in the world.

If you're into the arts/museums, again Denver is no NYC or Chicago, I've found the offerings here to be far more than adequate.

Heh, good stuff.

Now, a few things to keep in mind: We've only been in Vegas a little less than 2 years. The gf is from Amarillo, Tx, and me Portland, Or, so we do have some reference points other than the desert regarding Noah-ish rain ;)

Also, we have Direct TV guys, have had for years, and will continue to have. I just wanted to know if, locally, if we'd need to spend the extra money on Extra Innings, that's all. :)

Also, the more that we discuss the move, the more we realize that we don't want an entire concrete jumgle (ala IN the city of Pittsburgh, etc). Colorado certainly is tempting and something we def. plan on looking for into. Plan on getting some PM's :)


Thanks again everyone and keep the info coming, the more we have, the better, obviously. We'll update this daily/weekly as we read up more etc.

[pedro]

They (1) must be old and (2) must have not had a lot of pull with Donnie back in the day, because we never were asked to play the Fox. Great venue.

Yes, they are old :)

My friend was one of the managers, his brother Bill (the psycho) was one of the original owners...

He grew up in Boulder and now lives in Laffayette.

[SirFelixCat]

Denver is really getting us kinda excited. Sent a PM to chili...will report back later!

[Jpup]

Denver is really getting us kinda excited. Sent a PM to chili...will report back later!

Nash Vegas or Lexington

[cincyinco]

Wish I had seen this earlier. I may be biased, but..

Come to Denver. It has most of what you're looking for, although cost of living can be high compared to other places.

We have major sports teams of all sports.. Nhl, mlb, NFL, NBA, mls, lacross, etc. Great music venues such as red rocks. The mountains are your back yard, in the winter and summer. Skiing, boarding, biking and hiking. Cherry creek trails and Colorado rivers. Minor league ball an hour away in Colorado springs. Casino's up in the mountains, only 30 mins or so from Denver. Recently upped the betting limits.

As a native of 30 years, I can tell you we get all 4 seasons. Despite that, I believe we have the 2nd most sunny days on avg in the US. Winter, fall, spring and summer. Rain, snow, hail..

I used to have comcast and the EI package, and I got most reds games.

Any questions, PM me. Be happy to help as well if your thinking about Denver. Its a pretty laid back and fun city. Its a major city on a smaller scale with the mountains as your backyard. Lived here all my life.. Been to a lot of places.. Don't think I could ever move away.

Best wishes

[Raisor]

I'm waiting for Oct 20th to come around so I can put in for a transfer out of Atlanta. I think we've settled on trying to get back to Seattle. I love everything about Seattle. My wife has never been but the weather would be perfect for her.

She would also like to move to Denver.

If we do, guess weums could start RedszoneDenver.com

[Heath]

Wish I had seen this earlier. I may be biased, but..

Come to Denver. It has most of what you're looking for, although cost of living can be high compared to other places.

We have major sports teams of all sports.. Nhl, mlb, NFL, NBA, mls, lacross, etc. Great music venues such as red rocks. The mountains are your back yard, in the winter and summer. Skiing, boarding, biking and hiking. Cherry creek trails and Colorado rivers. Minor league ball an hour away in Colorado springs. Casino's up in the mountains, only 30 mins or so from Denver. Recently upped the betting limits.

As a native of 30 years, I can tell you we get all 4 seasons. Despite that, I believe we have the 2nd most sunny days on avg in the US. Winter, fall, spring and summer. Rain, snow, hail..

I used to have comcast and the EI package, and I got most reds games.

Any questions, PM me. Be happy to help as well if your thinking about Denver. Its a pretty laid back and fun city. Its a major city on a smaller scale with the mountains as your backyard. Lived here all my life.. Been to a lot of places.. Don't think I could ever move away.

Best wishes

If my wife and I did not have kids and grandparents around, I would be in Denver yesterday.

[RFS62]

Yeah, I love Denver and Boulder.

Hard to beat that area.

[cincinnati chili]

I'm waiting for Oct 20th to come around so I can put in for a transfer out of Atlanta. I think we've settled on trying to get back to Seattle. I love everything about Seattle. My wife has never been but the weather would be perfect for her.

She would also like to move to Denver.

If we do, guess weums could start RedszoneDenver.com

If your wife wins this discussion, pls. look me up.

[DTCromer]

I will second Nashville. I absolutely LOVE that city. Their suburbs are very nice too. . .especially to the south. Brentwood, I think, is the ritzy one. Other places like Hendersonville to the N-NE are great. You'll get a taste of winter in Nashville, but nothing like Cincy.

[GoReds33]

While totally biased, you may want to check out the Milford area of Cincy. There's an "old town" section, which while not very large (4 or 5 blocks) has restaurants, bars, shops, etc. The housing around the old-Milford area is full of sidewalks and walking areas. It also provides easy access to the Loveland bike trail which is miles and miles and miles of walking/biking trails.

All of Milford is 35-40 minutes from downtown and the AAA baseball it provides.

Milford also has plenty of faceless sub-divisions (yech) but also some divisions that actually have charm and appeal. There's a boatload of for-sale signs up so you can likely find that house to rent, or even one you can afford to own easier than you think. There's a multitude of very good parks (esp in Miami Township) with Miami Meadows being the best with a huge walking path, lake, ball fields, open spaces, playgrounds, etc.I really have to agree. Milford is one of the nicest towns in the area. The housing is great. The Milford school system is well funded. I live about 5-10 minutes from Miami Meadows and it is a great place to take the family. There is a large lake, four full baseball fields, two football fields, and a long walk/bike path.

If you look in that area, try to stay away from Goshen. It's a nice place and is probably much cheaper than Milford. However, it comes with some neighbors that may not be of the highest stature.

Please PM me with any questions regarding this area, or the East side in general.

[pedro]

Don't forget, the state of Oregon has the 2nd highest tax rate in the world behind Denmark!

Oregon doesn't even have the highest income tax rate in the US.

[RichRed]

Yeah, I love Denver and Boulder.

Hard to beat that area.

Agreed. My wife and I would live in either Boulder, Asheville, NC (again), north San Diego County or Portland in a heartbeat, if the awesome job fairy would let us.

[reds1869]

I'll toss in a thumbs up for Denver/Boulder as well. An all-around vibrant area with so much to do. Just take your sunscreen and an extra set of lungs!

[klw]

The topic reminded me of the recent movie, Away We Go, in which a couple travel around the country trying to decide where to live. I did not see it so I can not tell you if it is worth seeing.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1176740/

[TRF]

Never move back to Amarillo. Never even drive through if it can be avoided. Somehow you escaped Hell and you count your blessings when you do.

God I hate this place.

[SirFelixCat]

We've been talking, looking, reading...


The more we do, the more we like staying out West. Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City...


-Seattle is STUPID expensive though, so we might not be able to afford to live there, tbh.
-Salt Lake City might be too secluded and not sure how we feel about this.
-A whole lot to like about Denver, although finding a place to live w/i our budget that isn't an OLD house, might be a challenge.

Choices, choices.

And TRF, trust us, we know. :hug:

[TRF]

We've been talking, looking, reading...


The more we do, the more we like staying out West. Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City...


-Seattle is STUPID expensive though, so we might not be able to afford to live there, tbh.
-Salt Lake City might be too secluded and not sure how we feel about this.
-A whole lot to like about Denver, although finding a place to live w/i our budget that isn't an OLD house, might be a challenge.

Choices, choices.

And TRF, trust us, we know. :hug:

Just never forget. Seriously, take a look at Santa Fe. You might be pleasantly surprised.

[RBA]

Agreed. My wife and I would live in either Boulder, Asheville, NC (again), north San Diego County or Portland in a heartbeat, if the awesome job fairy would let us.


If I can swing it, I'm going to stay in San Diego area, and probably North County. I will know more in a few months. Resumes going out.

[RichRed]

If I can swing it, I'm going to stay in San Diego area, and probably North County. I will know more in a few months. Resumes going out.

I got as close as being flown out for a third interview in Carlsbad but it didn't happen. Back to the drawing board.

[pedro]

I've been to San Diego twice this year. There's a lot to like about it.

[Ltlabner]

Yeah, I love Denver and Boulder.

Hard to beat that area.

I've been to Denver a couple times and spent a couple days in Golden. That was one neat little town.

I'd move there in a flash if it weren't for all that pesky white stuff that falls in the winter time. That's a deal breaker.

[reds1869]

I've been to Denver a couple times and spent a couple days in Golden. That was one neat little town.

I'd move there in a flash if it weren't for all that pesky white stuff that falls in the winter time. That's a deal breaker.

Actually, Denver itself gets very little snowfall compared to the areas around it. So if you are in the city proper you don't have to deal with it too much.

[Roy Tucker]

I've spent a lot of time in Colorado Springs and would consider moving there. Nice burg.

[reds1869]

I've spent a lot of time in Colorado Springs and would consider moving there. Nice burg.

A friend of mine attended the Air Force Academy...I agree complletely. It is a very cool town and absolutely beautiful.

[Ltlabner]

Actually, Denver itself gets very little snowfall compared to the areas around it. So if you are in the city proper you don't have to deal with it too much.

If it's more that .005" every 5 years it's too much.

[BRM]

If it's more that .005" every 5 years it's too much.

Doesn't it snow in Cincinnati?

[Ltlabner]

Doesn't it snow in Cincinnati?

Yes.

Ergo plans in motion to change zip codes.

[BRM]

I've spent a lot of time in Colorado Springs and would consider moving there. Nice burg.

I lived there for over 12 years. I liked it. Still live nearby, about 40 miles away.

[BRM]

Yes.

Ergo plans in motion to change zip codes.

Moving south I take it?

[Ltlabner]

Moving south I take it?

I plan to embrace my inner redneck along the gulf shores of Mississippi at some point.

[REDblooded]

Gotta throw Indianapolis out there again... City is great, you're close to the Reds, and also have the Indianapolis Indians (pirates AAA affiliate, so great for catching future Reds players). Fox Sports Indiana shows about 66-75% of the Reds games. Great sports town...

[vaticanplum]

Definitely would not include Mt. Washington in places to check out. I lived there renting an apartment just off Sutton and it was going downhill fast. I just moved a couple of years ago because it was turning into a dump. I'd definitely recommend Hyde Park and Oakley. Anderson has a lot of parks and other things to offer if you are OK with more of a family type of area. I've been living here for two years and have some relatives who live in a rich part of Anderson and love what it has to offer. Mercy Healthplex is very good, and the newly completed 5 Mile trail is used by tons of people to walk and bike. They are building a new movie theater in the town center with plans of adding high end condos. Sorry to ramble on, but this is the one area I know well, so I'm trying to give you as much info as possible. It's right off of 275 and a 10 minute drive to downtown Cincinnati from most places. I lived there and worked by UC until I was let go (health reasons). Good luck with your move!

I live in Mount Washington and I can't say enough good about it. There are a couple of apartment complexes that are lower-income and can border on dumpy, but they're few and far between and in my opinion are a real plus for the hood in general as it keeps the cost of living reasonable (really reasonable. Like, ridiculously reasonable.) The location is perfect, within city limits but still close to a lot of suburban conveniences (Biggs!) And it's very family oriented and safe, a good city feel but still very green...I really cannot say enough about it. I am firmly convinced that you cannot find a better place to live for your money anywhere in Cincinnati. The major drawback is that although I can walk (and do) to the grocery, the library, a few bars etc., you generally have to get in your car and drive for a lot of other things. But that's true for most of Cincinnati, to a degree, and it's never a long drive.

This is of course to some degree a matter of taste. Anderson is too suburban for my taste, Oakley and Hyde Park a little too expensive and trendy. But to say flat-out that Mt. Washington is a dump is just incorrect. The neighborhood is very unique...unlike most, it did not build up all at once, so there is a real variety in architecture, often on the same street, and a real diversity of people too. I've actually chronicled this in a blog and can send anyone the link if you like.

I have lived in many cities and have just finished apartment hunting in yet another one. I speak from experience when I say I will be hard-pressed to find this nice and accessible a neighborhood for the price in any city ever again. I understand there are currently coyotes running around the neighborhood so that is one drawback. But overall I'm overwhelmingly sorry to leave it.

[vaticanplum]

PS I see some dumping on Pittsburgh on this thread as well. This is actually where I'm moving, so I have spent a crapton of time there getting to know the city the last few months. I'm kind of in love with it. Can't give a resident's perspective on it yet, but if you're interested in all the "I'm moving here!" research I've done recently, let me know. It's actually done very well for itself lately and is quite charming. The weather blows though.

[Deepred05]

Seattle area is gorgeous. Lots of casinos and rain.

[SirFelixCat]

Just to update, although it's hardly "rain central", we are seriously focusing on Denver right now. We're scheduling a trip there for some time in Sept to take a look, first hand. Will update as things progress.

And keep in mind we're still 6+ months away from moving too.

[cincyinco]

I've been to Denver a couple times and spent a couple days in Golden. That was one neat little town.

I'd move there in a flash if it weren't for all that pesky white stuff that falls in the winter time. That's a deal breaker.

The snow is fantastic! That's part of what makes it so great here. The snow is one of the best parts about Colorado.

[Ltlabner]

The snow is fantastic! That's part of what makes it so great here. The snow is one of the best parts about Colorado.

More power to you my friend. Seems like every year that goes by I'm less and less interested in snow, cold and ice. I was never a big winter activities fan anyway and now I really have no reason to go out and get cold wet and miserable playing in the snow.

Actually, white water rafting near Golden was what made me snap regarding the snow. It was June but the water was around 35F or so. While the rafting was exhilarating I vowed that being cold pretty much sucked.

[RBA]

Just to update, although it's hardly "rain central", we are seriously focusing on Denver right now. We're scheduling a trip there for some time in Sept to take a look, first hand. Will update as things progress.

And keep in mind we're still 6+ months away from moving too.

Colorado Springs is headquarters to some big Mega Churches. Just saying if you are into them or want to stay away from them. Or maybe you're indifferent.

[SirFelixCat]

Colorado Springs is headquarters to some big Mega Churches. Just saying if you are into them or want to stay away from them. Or maybe you're indifferent.

We've read that CS is one of the more conservative towns in the entire US. Yeah, we're gonna stay away from there ;)

[paintmered]

A friend of mine attended the Air Force Academy...I agree complletely. It is a very cool town and absolutely beautiful.

I have quite a few co-workers who attended the academy. All of them have nice things to say about Colorado. I'm still waiting to hear them say something nice about the Academy...

[cincinnati chili]

The snow is fantastic! That's part of what makes it so great here. The snow is one of the best parts about Colorado.

The snow melts very quickly in the dry climate of Denver and the non-mountain suburbs. We bought our house in late January, and I think we shoveled the sidewalk only about 3 times. When my mom visited in February, every day made it up into the 50's that week.

The cold is much more repressive in Cincinnati and Boston, where I've spent a considerable amount of time. Especially in Boston, when you get a big snowstorm, it tends to remain on the streets, sidewalks, and generally in the way, for several weeks. Not the case here.

And as for the summers, there is no contest here. 90 degree days here feel like 75 degree days in humid climates.

[Stephenk29]

Northern Kentucky is nice, though very... soccer-mom-ish. Lots of suburbs, not very much character. Good value, generally, in homes, though.

Pretty spot on. I'm about 15 minutes from downtown though, so the drive isn't horrible or anything.

[toledodan]

i love overland park, kansas. 20 minutes from downtown kansas city. plenty of casinos around KC. if you have kids the blue valley school district is in the top 20 in the nation for education. plenty of entertainment in the area.

[SirFelixCat]

Just to update, although it's hardly "rain central", we are seriously focusing on Denver right now. We're scheduling a trip there for some time in Sept to take a look, first hand. Will update as things progress.

And keep in mind we're still 6+ months away from moving too.

Another update...yeah, 6 months was wrong...we're seriously considering being moved out there by Sept 15 now. Seriously considering driving out next week to take a look. Will update as things change, heh.

[cincinnati chili]

We've read that CS is one of the more conservative towns in the entire US. Yeah, we're gonna stay away from there ;)

I typically vote Democrat and am fairly liberal by this country's standards. Having said that, I spent some time in Colo. Springs and could be happy there if the right job came around. It's cheaper and less crowded than Denver. Less to do in terms of concerts/sports, but just as much to do outdoors. There are also some great towns in the nearby foothills such as Manitou Springs (which is not particularly cheap). The Cripple Creek Casino is in the mountains down there for your poker game. Pike's Peak is right there. There are some nice restaurants, esp. Mexican, but it's certainly true that chain-y is the norm rather than the exception

Personally, I think it would be easier to be an ultra-liberal in Colo. Springs than an ultra-conservative in Boulder. However, there are niche groups in both places. I've lived in both and they both have their advantages. Once you decide to buy, you'll get a lot more house for your money in the Springs.

[BRM]

Personally, I think it would be easier to be an ultra-liberal in Colo. Springs than an ultra-conservative in Boulder. However, there are niche groups in both places. I've lived in both and they both have their advantages. Once you decide to buy, you'll get a lot more house for your money in the Springs.

I agree completely with you. Your housing dollar will certainly go farther in Colorado Springs than it will in Boulder. Both are really nice places though.