Cincinnati is filled with both up-and-coming, newer communities and historic, established neighborhoods, which means that when it comes time to build your custom home, you’ve got lots of choices.

If you’re leaning towards building a home in areas in Cincinnati with lots of history, like Hyde Park, Mount Lookout, Blue Ash, Indian Hill or Montgomery, you’re in great company. Many new homeowners are choosing to call these long-standing neighborhoods home for a multitude of reasons.

Did you know that it’s often more cost effective to tear down an existing property in these areas and build a new home than it is to renovate and remodel the one original one?

Not only does it make better financial sense to build, rather than remodel, in most of Cincinnati’s oldest neighborhoods, but there’s also plenty of other reasons to choose a custom built home in one of these great neighborhoods that are steeped in tradition.

Here are six reasons to build a new home in one of our favorite established communities: Hyde Park/Mount Lookout, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Blue Ash and Anderson Township.

Location, location, location – When it comes to being central to downtown Cincinnati and all of the cultural offerings the city has to offer, you can’t beat neighborhoods like Mount Lookout and Hyde Park. The city center and Over-the-Rhine are extremely easy to reach from Indian Hill, Montgomery and Blue Ash as well. These neighborhoods are all in close proximity to major highways, so your daily commute to anywhere in tristate area would be a breeze.

Tax Abatements – The Cincinnati Residential Tax Abatement program minimizes property owners’ taxes by allowing them to pay taxes on the pre-improvement value of their property for 10-15 years. Property tax abatement is available for any increased valuation that results from improvements to the property for new construction and renovation. The goals of this program are: 1) stimulate community revitalization, 2) retain City residents, 3) attract homeowners, and 4) reduce development costs of home-ownership and rental projects. Learn more about this program.

You’re near major city parks – Cincinnati is known for its gorgeous, expansive city parks. There’s Ault Park in Hyde Park, Eden Park, and plenty of smaller gems like  Withrow Nature Preserve, tucked away in Anderson Township. When you live in any of the long-standing Cincinnati communities where we build, you’ll likely in walking distance of one or a few great city parks.

And if you love the idea of more green space where you live, an established neighborhood is ideal for you, thanks to their abundance of mature trees and large lawns that often boast some pretty spectacular landscaping.   

Great architecture – Your custom built home will be in good company amid other houses in neighborhoods like Indian Hill, Montgomery and other Cincinnati neighborhoods where there’s lots of history. While we build homes tailored to our client’s unique style and needs, we also design homes that emulate the amazing architecture that’s already found in these great communities.

Walkability – When you live in a neighborhood like Hyde Park or Mount Lookout, it’s easy to take an evening stroll after a long day at work with your dog. You could walk to the neighborhood Greater’s, or to the local coffeeshop or brew pub. And communities like Blue Ash and Montgomery are known for their quiet, tree-lined streets that are perfect for walking.

Sense of community – If you love great farmer’s markets, art festivals and community weekend events, you’ll be very happy you chose to build a custom home in an established Cincinnati neighborhood. In fact, although it’s easy to get to downtown and Over-the-Rhine from places like Hyde Park, Mount Lookout, Indian Hill and Montgomery, you can also find great dining, shopping, and events right in these neighborhoods, too.       

Well-established schools – Some of Cincinnati’s highest ranking schools are located in the long-standing communities where we build custom homes. The Summit Country Day School, The Cincinnati Country Day School, St. Ursula Academy and Moeller High School are just a few great schools you could consider. And Cincinnati Public magnet schools like Walnut Hills and the School for Creative and Performing Arts are ideal for students who live in central Cincinnati, too.

Building a custom home in an established, older Cincinnati neighborhood offers you both the luxury of living in a home designed with every modern comfort imaginable and all the wonderful benefits of living in a part of the city that’s filled with history, tradition, and community pride.