You can argue till you’re blue in yer face about how Toledo became holy (or never was), but the fact of the matter is that you’re here. In Toledo. Not Perrysburg. Not Holland. Not Oregon (the town) or Michigan (the state). (Well, okay, maybe Oregon. The town, not the state. See below.) Anyway— You’re in Toledo. It’s in Ohio. Are we on the same page? Great. If you want to live in the suburbs, go use AOL’s apartment hunting guide. If, on the other hand, you dig the scene and want to find a pad in Toledo proper, then keep reading, friend. We got yo’ back.
Every city is different
You can argue till you’re blue in yer face about how Toledo became holy (or never was), but the fact of the matter is that you’re here. In Toledo. Not Perrysburg. Not Holland. Not Oregon (the town) or Michigan (the state). (Well, okay, maybe Oregon. The town, not the state. See below.) Anyway— You’re in Toledo. It’s in Ohio. Are we on the same page? Great. If you want to live in the suburbs, go use AOL’s apartment hunting guide. If, on the other hand, you dig the scene and want to find a pad in Toledo proper, then keep reading, friend. We got yo’ back.
Every city is different. Brooklyn brownstones don’t exist in Miami. And you won’t find Cleveland market leasing options in Toledo. Here are a few other (relevant) tips to keep you at the top of your game.
Leasing. Similar to other aching Rust Belt cities, leasing in Toledo is a bargaining man’s heyday. Regard with suspicion ads that promise a deposit as low as $100 and first month’s rent free; but honestly, you’ll see legitimate options with similar figures. Downtown in particular boasts a load of empty lofts, their brokers hoping and praying for you (yes, you!) to walk through their door. Other miscellaneous expectations to bear in mind:
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Minimum lease length is usually six months with $500 deposit;
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Tenant usually pays all utilities (two exceptions here are the luxury condos Downtown and student flats near UT);
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Pets are generally accepted with little or no restrictions/fees;
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Parking is never a problem—Downtown has garages and other areas of town seem to have been designed by parking lot Nazis.
While memorizing that Google Map in front of you, take a gander at a few up-and-coming neighborhood gems (and one or two came-and-stayed ones to boot).
Old West End. The eclectic, artsy enclave close to downtown, where you’re more likely than anywhere else in town to have gay neighbors, rivals Downtown for the dues to the label “up-and-coming.” It gets quieter as you distance yourself from the freeway and the art museum, so check there if you have a tendency to bang on walls with broom handles.
Harvard Terrace, Beverly, etc. Follow River Road to find quality neighborhood after quality neighborhood. A couple more names to memorize are Westmoreland and Crossgates. These areas are a touch less picture-perfect on the north side of the zoo, when River turns into Broadway.
Old Orchard and Ottawa Hills. These expansive, tree-lined, old wealth neighborhoods are dominated by UT profs and administrators. But that doesn’t mean you have to be associated with the university to gain membership in the local homeowners’ association. Ottawa Hills is the fancier pick.
Oh, and don’t fret when some big fella hollers from the street corner that he wants to “make you his Mud Hen.” He’s (probably) just inviting you to a baseball game! Happy hunting!
