I’ve had the privilege of providing housing for several traveling medical professionals since converting my four apartments in Cleveland to mid-term rentals (MTRs). They have been ideal guests, who also happen to provide a vital service to the community at large. It feels great knowing that I’m helping in a small way to facilitate their assignments, and I take their needs very seriously.
I recently contacted a prospective tenant on Furnished Finder who said he was in a tough situation. By his account, he had made a mistake and moved into housing that, while close to his work location, was not in a great area. He told me that he felt uncomfortable venturing out and that he thought the neighborhood was “sketchy.”
Now, I understand that people’s comfort levels in different environments are completely subjective, and I would never make blanket statements about an area being totally good or bad. But the reality is that some areas have more crime than others, and some areas offer amenities not found in other areas. So when prospective guests ask me about the neighborhood where my properties are located, I like to just highlight the amenities and tell them about the vibe I’ve personally felt while being there. I also point them to guest reviews to get a sense of how other travelers felt about staying in the area.
Another source I use myself when researching new cities is Niche.com. They rank neighborhoods in cities across the country and give letter grades based on available statistics for categories such as public schools, crime & safety, housing, and diversity. Then they provide an overall grade.
To provide some starting point recommendations for traveling medical professionals coming to the area, I looked into which neighborhoods in Cleveland received the highest grades and cross referenced that with commute times (driving) to the largest area hospitals: Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and MetroHealth main campuses.
Here are the top 7 highest graded neighborhoods in Cleveland according to Niche.com:
- Ohio City – A-
- Tremont – A-
- Downtown – A-
- Kamm’s Corners – A-
- Detroit-Shoreway – B+
- Edgewater – B+
- University Circle – B+
I am not originally from Cleveland (although I did live in Shaker Heights for a short period many years ago), and do not currently live there. So I am not an expert on any particular neighborhoods. I have, however, talked with several realtors, property managers, contractors, and locals while purchasing and furnishing my properties. Plus I stayed in all four units for multiple days while getting them set up, and explored the surrounding areas.
I would agree that these are good options to start exploring where you might want to stay during your Cleveland assignment. I would also consider commute times and balance that with affordability to find your ideal neighborhood.
All of our units are located in Detroit-Shoreway, and I personally recommend this area due to its central location and proximity to Edgewater Park, Gordon Square Arts District, Downtown, and other highly rated neighborhoods.
The prospective guest that I mentioned earlier ended up moving into one of our available units and was extremely thankful to be in an area and apartment where he felt comfortable. I was happy to help him out of a difficult situation.
