Dayton, Ohio- Here We Come (Update)

[QueenCat]

So dh may have a job transfer to Dayton, OH. Working on/near Wright Patterson. We are past our homeschooling years, so not looking for info on that. More interested in good areas to live in. From Realtor.com, housing looks reasonable for what we're looking for. There seems to be a lot of new housing too 🙂 So not into fixer uppers. What can you all tell me about the area. 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2021 by QueenCat
New information

[ktgrok]

A family member lived in the Queen Anne Historic district and loved it. They have had to move temporarily due to work, but plan on moving back when that contract is up. (I think I got the neighborhood right).

[QueenCat]

One other thing... when talking about areas, dh is willing to commute up to 45 minutes. 

[QueenCat]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

A family member lived in the Queen Anne Historic district and loved it. They have had to move temporarily due to work, but plan on moving back when that contract is up. (I think I got the neighborhood right).

Not seeing it in a quick Google Search. I do see a St. Anne's Historic District. Could that be it?

[ktgrok]

35 minutes ago, QueenCat said:

Not seeing it in a quick Google Search. I do see a St. Anne's Historic District. Could that be it?

Oh, that's it! Sorry! I think I was confusing a housing style with a district, lol. They actually lived in a remodeled old grocery store - it's really cool and they do a display in the window at Christmas time, participated in tours, etc. 

Edited January 19, 2021 by ktgrok

[prairiewindmomma]

My friends who have had their families at Wright have mostly chosen to live in Beavercreek. It’s an easy drive, there’s access to good shopping there, and there’s enough influx of military there that it’s easy to make friends.

[Tenaj]

Beavercreek is the closest suburb to Wright Pat.  Fairborn is nearby too.  I guess it depends on what you want 🙂  There's Yellow Springs that's well within your commute distance too if you want quirky small town and there's lots of country living in between.  I live in Springfield and even that far out, it only takes about 20 minutes to Wright Pat.  

[cintinative]

@happysmileylady@PeterPan

 

One of them might know better than I.  

Beavercreek is a nice area.  Yellow Springs has a very bohemian feel.  Cedarville is very small town, but not too far from civilization. Great hiking near Yellow Springs and Cedarville. 

 

 

[QueenCat]

1 hour ago, JanOH said:

Beavercreek is the closest suburb to Wright Pat.  Fairborn is nearby too.  I guess it depends on what you want 🙂  There's Yellow Springs that's well within your commute distance too if you want quirky small town and there's lots of country living in between.  I live in Springfield and even that far out, it only takes about 20 minutes to Wright Pat.  

Beavercreek is one my dh mentioned. We like neighborhoods but not congestion. Newer is better as we are not into remodeling, but would for the right house, if it were in the budget to pay someone to do it. Socializing is important so we're definitely into communities that promote "community" and it not just being about kids. 

We like to be outside but love museums and such, so I like that Columbus isn't too far away. Looks like it's not too far to Cincinnati either. For day trips...

Edited January 19, 2021 by QueenCat

[QueenCat]

20 minutes ago, cintinative said:

@happysmileylady@PeterPan

 

One of them might know better than I.  

Beavercreek is a nice area.  Yellow Springs has a very bohemian feel.  Cedarville is very small town, but not too far from civilization. Great hiking near Yellow Springs and Cedarville. 

 

 

I haven't heard of most of those. More to check out!

[cintinative]

@Kinsa, I didn't know you lived in Ohio! 

 Bellbrook is still nice IMO. 

Kettering has a community center (like a Y) that I thought was free as a resident. Those kind of perks are nice to have.  ETA: not free, but cheap. Thanks happysmileylady!

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by cintinative

[QueenCat]

More and more places to check out... I knew I could count on the hive. I'm noticing that property taxes are high there... 

[cintinative]

13 minutes ago, QueenCat said:

More and more places to check out... I knew I could count on the hive. I'm noticing that property taxes are high there... 

LOL. It's all relative, right? My brother pays way higher property taxes and insurance in Florida.

I am not sure how it works where you are currently, but one thing you could look out for is if the house is in a township versus a city. In some cities there is an earnings tax. Some have reciprocity so if you pay earnings tax to the city you live in, you don't pay it where you work, or something like that. Anyway, also, as you have noted, property taxes can vary based on county.  The "joke" here is that Hamilton County is still paying for the stadiums and the sewer upgrades. 

[ScoutTN]

Y'all, I am old!

I clicked on this thread because I grew up in Dayton. Though I've not lived there as an adult. 

My dad, who passed away a long time ago, but would have been 89 this year, did tons of the development and zoning law for Beavercreek when it was just beginning to be suburbia. I lived in Oakwood and Kettering and then Centerville. Centerville had a not-quite-suburbia feel then too. Lots of woods and fields with cows in them. 

 

[kbutton]

20 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

Y'all, I am old!

I clicked on this thread because I grew up in Dayton. Though I've not lived there as an adult. 

My dad, who passed away a long time ago, but would have been 89 this year, did tons of the development and zoning law for Beavercreek when it was just beginning to be suburbia. I lived in Oakwood and Kettering and then Centerville. Centerville had a not-quite-suburbia feel then too. Lots of woods and fields with cows in them. 

I don't know if you traveled I-75 much when you were growing up, but it's changed tremendously in the last twenty years between Dayton and Cincinnati, and the development is spreading out from the highway much more than it used to be. Even some places around Cedarville and Xenia look totally different than twenty years ago.

[ktgrok]

7 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

My friends who have had their families at Wright have mostly chosen to live in Beavercreek. It’s an easy drive, there’s access to good shopping there, and there’s enough influx of military there that it’s easy to make friends.

My exhusband has family in Beavercreek, and I think my husband does too, actually, lol

[PeterPan]

I think your key is going to be to find a good realtor. I know nothing about Dayton, have maybe blinked driving through it or something. If you go to church, there are probably some interesting church options out that way. Like besides the run of the mill mainline stuff, I think there are some reformed or primitive baptist, other types of things. So you might put yourself within driving distance of the things you want to be near to. It seems like sometimes people situate themselves and then realize they wish they were NEAR something ELSE. These are big places, so the wrong side of Columbus for your events is a long drive or realizing you're in Dayton when you'd rather have been more on the north side of Cincy is a drive.  

Also, I encourage you to embrace all that is Ohio. Find some place with room for chickens. 

[littlebug42]

Many WPAFB folks tend to live in Beavercreek because it doesn't have an income tax.  However, it does have high property taxes.  Its a large suburb feel and has everything from tiny little 1940s houses to huge homes.  Some parts of Beavercreek are newly renovated/rebuilt after the city was hit by a bad tornado in 2019 and there always seems to be more new homes being built there. 

Anything in a township instead of city limits also does not have an income tax.  Fairborn has an income tax and a school district tax on top of that but a lot of newer developments as well.  If I were going to live in the suburbs, I like Bellbrook and Kettering.  I think Kettering is very convenient and actually most of my go to places are in the Kettering area.  My mom also lives there and really likes it. 

I am a little more of a city girl and I live in the city limits of Dayton in a neighborhood close to the one ktgrok mentioned above.  Our home is 100 years old and there are many older nearby.  There are some gorgeous homes in the historic districts but you might be next door to a fixer upper.  A lot of people are investing money in the city and we really love it here. 

If you want to be out a little bit, Tipp City is a little north of Dayton, still in easy proximity to the base and has some really beautiful homes, more with land than you will find closer. 

Dayton is about equidistant to Columbus and Cincinnati and you can get to either easily.  Good luck with your search.   Happy to help if you have any other questions. 

[QueenCat]

15 hours ago, cintinative said:

LOL. It's all relative, right? My brother pays way higher property taxes and insurance in Florida.

I am not sure how it works where you are currently, but one thing you could look out for is if the house is in a township versus a city. In some cities there is an earnings tax. Some have reciprocity so if you pay earnings tax to the city you live in, you don't pay it where you work, or something like that. Anyway, also, as you have noted, property taxes can vary based on county.  The "joke" here is that Hamilton County is still paying for the stadiums and the sewer upgrades. 

That is definitely not something that I'm familiar with. We've never had local income taxes, only state/federal. And now to learn about townships and cities. Is it obvious in figuring out which is which?

[QueenCat]

13 hours ago, PeterPan said:

I think your key is going to be to find a good realtor. I know nothing about Dayton, have maybe blinked driving through it or something. If you go to church, there are probably some interesting church options out that way. Like besides the run of the mill mainline stuff, I think there are some reformed or primitive baptist, other types of things. So you might put yourself within driving distance of the things you want to be near to. It seems like sometimes people situate themselves and then realize they wish they were NEAR something ELSE. These are big places, so the wrong side of Columbus for your events is a long drive or realizing you're in Dayton when you'd rather have been more on the north side of Cincy is a drive.  

Also, I encourage you to embrace all that is Ohio. Find some place with room for chickens. 

I'm hoping that someone dh works with, that is already up there, will be able to help us find a good realtor. Fortunately, I've always been the kind of person to embrace new places and adventures. 

[cintinative]

18 minutes ago, QueenCat said:

That is definitely not something that I'm familiar with. We've never had local income taxes, only state/federal. And now to learn about townships and cities. Is it obvious in figuring out which is which?

This is my personal opinion, and I am not a realtor, but I think it is important. We had the choice of a smaller house in Hamilton County, in a city with earnings tax, versus one two or three miles away, in a township in Warren County, no earnings tax.  The tax difference was huge.  So even though our current house listed for 12K more,  with the property and city taxes it equalled out. Mind you, since then several county levies (school and otherwise) have passed and our county tax has gone up quite a bit.

So one way to find this out is to look at the county auditor website for the property.  When you look at the properties on MLS or whatever people use now in real estate, it should tell you what county they are located in, but it might not tell you if the property is in the City of _____________ or in a township.  So the postal address might be, for example, Loveland, Ohio, but that could be Clermont County, Hamilton County, or Warren County, and you could be in the City of Loveland, or not.  So the best way to figure this out is to look at the auditor's site. It will tell you their annual tax bill and if they are in the city of ___________ or __________________ township (basically unincorporated).  Cities might have an earnings tax. So your next step, if it is in a city, is to find out if there is an earnings tax, and if they offer reciprocity. 

You would need to know what "city" your husband will be working in (or if it is a township) and if they have an earnings tax as well. The employer should know this, or again, you could use the auditor to determine if the workplace is located within the city limits or not.  

ETA: Way back pre-kids I worked in the City of Blue Ash and lived in the City of Deer Park.  Blue Ash offered reciprocity to employees that pay tax to another city, so I only paid the 2.5% earnings tax in Deer Park.  

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by cintinative

[QueenCat]

10 hours ago, littlebug42 said:

I am a little more of a city girl and I live in the city limits of Dayton in a neighborhood close to the one ktgrok mentioned above.  Our home is 100 years old and there are many older nearby.  There are some gorgeous homes in the historic districts but you might be next door to a fixer upper.  A lot of people are investing money in the city and we really love it here. 

 

I'm not opposed to this type of living, although it would be different. I love neighborhoods that aren't all the same. I just don't want to be the one in the fixer upper. Some cosmetic changes are fine.

[QueenCat]

10 minutes ago, cintinative said:

This is my personal opinion, and I am not a realtor, but I think it is important. We had the choice of a smaller house in Hamilton County, in a city with earnings tax, versus one two or three miles away, in a township in Warren County, no earnings tax.  The tax difference was huge.  So even though our current house listed for 12K more,  with the property and city taxes it equalled out. Mind you, since then several county levies (school and otherwise) have passed and our county tax has gone up quite a bit.

So one way to find this out is to look at the county auditor website for the property.  When you look at the properties on MLS or whatever people use now in real estate, it should tell you what county they are located in, but it might not tell you if the property is in the City of _____________ or in a township.  So the postal address might be, for example, Loveland, Ohio, but that could be Clermont County, Hamilton County, or Warren County, and you could be in the City of Loveland, or not.  So the best way to figure this out is to look at the auditor's site. It will tell you their annual tax bill and if they are in the city of ___________ or __________________ township (basically unincorporated).  Cities might have an earnings tax. So your next step, if it is in a city, is to find out if there is an earnings tax, and if they offer reciprocity. 

You would need to know what "city" your husband will be working in (or if it is a township) and if they have an earnings tax as well. The employer should know this, or again, you could use the auditor to determine if the workplace is located within the city limits or not.  

ETA: Way back pre-kids I worked in the City of Blue Ash and lived in the City of Deer Park.  Blue Ash offered reciprocity to employees that pay tax to another city, so I only paid the 2.5% earnings tax in Deer Park.  

 

So much to learn! I appreciate all of this help. The job is with his current employer so he already has some contacts up there. He's been helping with this project for a while. I know it's on or near Wright Patterson. Just not sure if the company has a building off of the base or they are on the base. Here, they have offices both on and off... 

[QueenCat]

One other thing I need to explore is services for adults with mild disabilities. He was too mild in TN but qualifies for some in VA. 

[QueenCat]

Another ? We'll probably be visiting soon. What is it like as far mask wearing in the area? Not looking at discussing what should or shouldn't be happening, just want to know what "is."

Edited January 20, 2021 by QueenCat

[Tenaj]

2 hours ago, QueenCat said:

Another ? We'll probably be visiting soon. What is it like as far mask wearing in the area? Not looking at discussing what should or shouldn't be happening, just want to know what "is."

Ohio is under a mask mandate.  I've seen good compliance recently in retail but I haven't been to a lot of places.  The only place mask compliance is a problem for me is at my son's school and basketball games and that's a specific situation that you won't encounter.  

 

[kbutton]

10 hours ago, QueenCat said:

One other thing I need to explore is services for adults with mild disabilities. He was too mild in TN but qualifies for some in VA. 

Is this for an adult child? Services and waiting lists vary dramatically from one county to the next with transportation being a big deal. We know people who moved counties to move up the waiting list, though the system has been somewhat revamped. The state sets guidelines, but each county board of developmental disabilities reviews documentation, etc. OOD, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities also comes into play, but it’s different/overlapping with the board of DD stuff. 

7 hours ago, QueenCat said:

Another ? We'll probably be visiting soon. What is it like as far mask wearing in the area? Not looking at discussing what should or shouldn't be happening, just want to know what "is."

I would say it depends on where you are. Numbers are improving in the state, but SW Ohio is still a hot spot. 

[littlebug42]

I do know a couple of great realtors in the area if you are interested.  Most people are compliant with masks the closer to the city that you are and in the main suburbs.  The more rural the area gets, the less compliant people are, in my experience.  The Dayton area does still have fairly high COVID numbers.  I work at the largest hospital in the region and though our numbers are coming down a little, our COVID census is still pretty high. 

[QueenCat]

15 hours ago, kbutton said:

Is this for an adult child? Services and waiting lists vary dramatically from one county to the next with transportation being a big deal. We know people who moved counties to move up the waiting list, though the system has been somewhat revamped. The state sets guidelines, but each county board of developmental disabilities reviews documentation, etc. OOD, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities also comes into play, but it’s different/overlapping with the board of DD stuff. 

 

Adult child. The only services he gets are VocRehab. He doesn't have/need waivers/respite/transportation, etc. In VA & TN, VocRehab was separate from the other things. He gets interview/social skills/executive functioning help. He's done two internship programs that they've set up. One in his degree field, the other at the library. He is very academic (college grad) but doesn't have the ability to navigate the social nuances of a job without beginning support. He's considered to have moderate Aspergers.

[QueenCat]

13 hours ago, littlebug42 said:

I do know a couple of great realtors in the area if you are interested.  Most people are compliant with masks the closer to the city that you are and in the main suburbs.  The more rural the area gets, the less compliant people are, in my experience.  The Dayton area does still have fairly high COVID numbers.  I work at the largest hospital in the region and though our numbers are coming down a little, our COVID census is still pretty high. 

That is good to hear on masking. Just found out dh will have a work trip up there in the next few weeks. I'll definitely ask about the realtor recs once we have firm confirmation. 

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, QueenCat said:

Adult child. The only services he gets are VocRehab. He doesn't have/need waivers/respite/transportation, etc. In VA & TN, VocRehab was separate from the other things. He gets interview/social skills/executive functioning help. He's done two internship programs that they've set up. One in his degree field, the other at the library. He is very academic (college grad) but doesn't have the ability to navigate the social nuances of a job without beginning support. He's considered to have moderate Aspergers.

That is called OOD in Ohio. Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Best of luck to him. I have a 2e teen with ASD. 

[QueenCat]

58 minutes ago, kbutton said:

That is called OOD in Ohio. Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Best of luck to him. I have a 2e teen with ASD. 

Thank you!!! Ds is 2e as well. Makes it so hard for people to understand his weaknesses.

[Hilltopmom]

I have fond memories of 3 years in Beavercreek when I was in elementary school and my dad was stationed at Wright Pat. It’s busier there now but lots of nice family neighborhoods. Sadly the woods we all played in behind the neighborhood  are gone now for more homes.

[QueenCat]

Update: It looks like we will need to be in Dayton in October. We are going area hunting at the end of next week. And then we'll go back & house hunt later in the summer. I know we're looking south of the city (Beavercreek, Kettering, Centerville, Springboro, etc.).

I would like to do something fun while we're area hunting, so if anyone has any suggestions, please share. No kids, just adults. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by QueenCat

[lmrich]

My cousins have lived in Beavercreek since the 70's. Nice town. My uncle worked at Wright Pat for 40 years and my aunt at Wright Pat University! Always loved visiting them! 

[MEmama]

Oops—wrong city! Lol.

nevermind! 

Edited June 16, 2021 by MEmama

[QueenCat]

4 hours ago, MEmama said:

Oops—wrong city! Lol.

nevermind! 

Lol.... I get places mixed up sometimes too. 

[Acorn]

My first trip to Dayton was three hours to sign an apartment and 3 straight DAYS at the USAF Museum. I hope you enjoy your first trip more than I did. I will say that after years of bringing guests to the museum, I bring a book and find a chair. It’s a great museum but I rather walk through instead of standing to read every sign.

Summer could be a great time for hiking. I like Germantown and Twin Creek MetroPark south west of Dayton. 
Downtown Dayton usually has some fun outdoor concerts but most are cancelled this year.

i like Carillon History Museum, a series of historical buildings spread along an area that has a bald eagle nest.

El Meson restaurant is good but expensive, so we go for a birthday. 
 

If these fit into your dates: there is a Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra outdoor concert Sunday June 27. Also the city of Centerville goes all out for 4th of July. The parade and fireworks will be July 5th this year.

[Tenaj]

25 minutes ago, Acorn said:

My first trip to Dayton was three hours to sign an apartment and 3 straight DAYS at the USAF Museum. I hope you enjoy your first trip more than I did. I will say that after years of bringing guests to the museum, I bring a book and find a chair. It’s a great museum but I rather walk through instead of standing to read every sign.

Me, too!  My dh takes the kids, his family, my family . . .I cannot stand and read those signs one more time!  My favorite trip there was this year when I ran in to pick up my kid from a class he was taking there!  I stopped and looked at two new exhibits and then left.  Perfect trip for me!

[kbutton]

Carillon Park museum

Air Force museum

Packard museum (on our list; haven’t been yet)

Young’s Dairy—two restaurants, ice cream of all kinds, mini golf, batting cages

Hiking or bike trails 

Sunwatch Village (paleo site) and/or Fort Ancient (Ft. Ancient is off the beaten path, but Sunwatch is right off the highway). I think both are world heritage sites.

Dayton Dragons game

Dorothy Lane Market has yummy food if you want to grab something to eat but are tired of restaurants.

Ohio history connection will have other sites worth visiting

[kbutton]

If you do the Air Force museum, I highly recommend the docent led tours. 

[PeterPan]

9 hours ago, QueenCat said:

No kids, just adults. 

La Rosa's pizza and kayak or walk trails in a state park. Make sure you get the BLT salad at LaRosa's, so good. If you're staying close to Cincy, also look at their metro parks. But any of the state parks will do. And they'll usually have a restaurant in the state park for your lunch. 

Edited June 16, 2021 by PeterPan

[cintinative]

If you like hiking, Clifton Gorge followed by ice cream at Young's Dairy is a favorite trip for me.  😃

Yellow Springs (very close by there) is a very bohemian little village.  Lots of quirky shops. 

The last I heard there is a Giordano's (like the one that is Chicago) in Beavercreek. We still haven't made it up there though.  

[cintinative]

3 hours ago, Acorn said:

My first trip to Dayton was three hours to sign an apartment and 3 straight DAYS at the USAF Museum. I hope you enjoy your first trip more than I did. I will say that after years of bringing guests to the museum, I bring a book and find a chair. It’s a great museum but I rather walk through instead of standing to read every sign.

 

LOL. I remember spending hours there once with a bunch of aerospace engineering students.  Mistake. Big mistake.

[cintinative]

BTW, the housing market is insane here in NE Cincinnati. Not sure about SE Dayton. 

Houses here are selling within two days of going on the market for $30-$40K over asking sometimes.  It depends on the area, obviously, but it is nuts.

[PeterPan]

59 minutes ago, cintinative said:

Clifton Gorge

How have I never been there?? Must do. I'm pretty sure we did the dairy once when we were in the area with some people. Long lines, a little crazy, but fine. There was this really eccentric place where you walked around the house looking at stone houses, concrete features. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/ohio/weirdest-places-in-oh/  Woo look, #12 on the list.

[QueenCat]

On 6/16/2021 at 4:54 PM, Acorn said:

If these fit into your dates: there is a Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra outdoor concert Sunday June 27. 

 

We will be in town on that date! Is this a bring your own chairs kind of thing? Flying in but we have someone we could borrow from. Will talk into dh and find out about tickets, possibly. 

[QueenCat]

20 hours ago, cintinative said:

BTW, the housing market is insane here in NE Cincinnati. Not sure about SE Dayton. 

Houses here are selling within two days of going on the market for $30-$40K over asking sometimes.  It depends on the area, obviously, but it is nuts.

It's like that in the area we're look in, but it is also like that here, so at least we'll benefit on one end. The upcoming trip isn't for house hunting but to get familiar with the area and decide what towns/areas we would like to try to find a house in. 

[QueenCat]

You all have given me some great ideas. Most of them will be great for after moving but we'll do one or two while we're there. I would LOVE more restaurant suggestions in the Kettering/Centerville & areas around it. We're staying in Kettering, close to where the two interstates meet.

[littlebug42]

In the Kettering/Centerville area, these are my favorite local restaurants: 

Christopher's

Mamma DiSalvo's 

Meadowlark

Old Scratch Pizza (also a location in Dayton)

The Paragon club has excellent steaks, etc but is on the pricier side

Graeter's ice cream or Ritter's Frozen Custard

Also for drive-thru/quick service, In and Out Java/Salad Sage open until 6 during week and 3 on weekends.  Great coffee and salads (also my kid works there)

I've heard very good things about Thai Table but 

A little outside Kettering/Centerville: 

Blueberry Cafe in Bellbrook (breakfast and lunch only)

El Meson in West Carrollton

All of the restaurants in the Oregon District in Dayton: 

Thai 9

Lily's Bistro

Trolley Stop

Dublin Pub

Blind Bob's 

416 Diner

Lucky's (especially for vegan/vegetarian fare)

Wheat Penny

Downtown but outside of Oregon District:
Mudlick Tap House

Local coffee from Boston Stoker (in Centerville and in all Dorothy Lane Market locations), Ghostlight or Wholly Grounds (in Dayton), Warehouse 4 (Kettering)

Hope that's helpful.