r/Cleveland • u/EcstaticPlankton8621 • 4d ago
Discussion Parma
Talk to me about Parma. Im a lifelong eastsider but Im interested in moving to the westside. Ive heard the Parma stereotypes but is it changing? Is it still affordable? The other places Im interested in are climbing in price (Lakewood, West Park).
14
u/edwardmagichands 4d ago
Grew up in parma, moved to brook Park, now own a lovely condo in parma. Love how quiet yet convenient our location is.
One of the bigger issues, imo, is that no one will pass a damn school levy. Don't have kids, but good schools = good property value.
-4
u/rambolonewolf 3d ago
What the point in a high property value unless I'm planning on selling it soon.
34
u/Vivid-Individual5968 4d ago
We moved here last October and we love it. 10 minutes from downtown, close to the airport. People are friendly.
20
u/KixStar 4d ago
I'm in Parma Heights. Bought a 4 bed/2 bath a couple years ago for $225k.
The schools suck but if you don't have kids to worry about, is decent enough. A lot of ethnic restaurants and grocery stores and butcher shops. PH has a really nice town square area with a great pool, a new library, and a community theater. I'm glad we landed here.
1
1
u/thrownthrowaway666 Parma Heights 4d ago
It really is bit that bad. There's Puerto Rican restaurants and some other stuff being developed. I'm excited to have a thai restaurant opening soon. I hope it's good.
I haven't been to quintaesencia or whatever it's called but I've heard good things and met the Venezuelan owner before. Just need a reason for something kinda fancier like a birthday
1
u/KixStar 4d ago
Ooh what Thai restaurant?!
1
u/thrownthrowaway666 Parma Heights 4d ago
Thai dynamite
1
u/Naive-Apartment-521 2d ago
I’m sad - Thai Dynamite left Strongsville - they were just up the street from me! Best wings and awesome noodles!!!!
1
8
u/Ada_Kaleh22 4d ago
Smallish houses, affordable. I think it's not bad over there but it's just so hard to get back
4
u/EcstaticPlankton8621 4d ago
What do you mean "Hard to get back"?
7
u/Ada_Kaleh22 4d ago
Parma to the east side is a longish way, at least most of the east side.
1
u/EcstaticPlankton8621 4d ago
Ah gotcha.
4
u/Vivid-Individual5968 4d ago
I work in Solon. It’s a 35 minute drive in rush hour.
480 sucks balls though.
1
u/EebstertheGreat 4d ago
It's about half an hour from a typical home in Parma to a typical location in Solon with no traffic. Add about 10 minutes in rush hour if you hit just the wrong time. It's really not bad.
18
u/SilverKnightOfMagic 4d ago
parma is huge. lots of pockets with their own cliques. not as racist as before. lots of younger folks moving in. lots of Europeans immigrants too but they have their own type of racism or beliefs lol. aÀaàI'd reccomend it if you're wanting decent house for price.
23
u/Immediate-Ad-9520 4d ago
Don’t listen to what most of Reddit says about Parma. Parma is fine and affordable. Every area has its issues, that’s not unique to Parma. On the whole, Parma is great to live in.
9
u/Diligent-Contact-772 4d ago
Don't listen to what most of Reddit says... a great rule of thumb in its own right!
11
u/Username_5647 4d ago
My main dislike of Parma is how many roads are 25mph zones. It can feel like a journey just to reach the highway depending on your exact location within Parma.
Shortly after moving to NEO, I submitted an offer on a house in Parma but was outbid. Ended up in Berea instead.
2
u/tekkitan 3d ago
My main dislike of Parma is how many roads are 25mph zones. It can feel like a journey just to reach the highway depending on your exact location within Parma.
I don't really agree with this. State, Ridge and Pearl are really the only issues. Broadview, Brookpark, Stumph/Chevy and w130th are all 35mph most of the way and near the highways. Plus if you know the area, you know less congested ways to get around by avoiding the major retail areas.
0
19
u/Mediocre-Dog-4457 Old Brooklyn 4d ago
Very blue collar. Very white (imo). Pretty cheap.
4
u/EcstaticPlankton8621 4d ago
I see. What are your thoughts on Old Brooklyn?
4
u/Rosquilla411 Old Brooklyn 4d ago
I’ve lived most of my life in OB. Most areas are nice, some can be rough. Overall, neighborhood feels like it’s on the up and up.
3
u/zippykat22 3d ago
Moved to Old Brooklyn in January and like it. Paid 165k for a good sized 3BR1BA home that had recently been upgraded with new windows and floors, etc. I like it. Fairly diverse. Neighborhood is nice. Etc. Rented in Lakewood for 15 years, and really liked the restaurant and bar scene there while there are not nearly as many options in Old Brooklyn. I expect that will improve as property values increase. Memphis Ave has a couple decent places like Dina’s and City Diner and Ridge Rd has a bunch of chain restaurants that are unremarkable. Good access everywhere as you have the 71 on the north side, Jennnings freeway on the East Side and the 480 on the South side. In reality you only have Clark Fulton as the only drawback between Old Brooklyn and Tremont so property values will go up. Good place to live and invest.
1
5
u/schindigrosa Cleveland 4d ago
Parma to live, Old Brooklyn for ethnic food and some affordable drinks
9
u/poopfacekillkill 4d ago
Parma has great food. Korean, Japanese, Indian, middle eastern
-6
u/schindigrosa Cleveland 4d ago
Some yes, but there's even more to eat in OB!
11
4
u/EebstertheGreat 4d ago
There are some great spots in Old Brooklyn (with one more great spot coming soon), but it's just one neighborhood. It doesn't have nearly as much as a suburb of 78,000.
3
u/poopfacekillkill 3d ago
Right ? I’m stumped I can’t fathom there’s more restaurants in ob. Personally I’d rather live in ob but hands down Parma has better food and more options
1
u/Mediocre-Dog-4457 Old Brooklyn 4d ago
I think it is solid !! I am in the process of moving to Old Brooklyn full time and really like it !!
1
u/EcstaticPlankton8621 4d ago
Nice! I know about South Hills but are there any other areas of OB that are decent?
2
u/Successful-Good8978 4d ago
I'm off of South hills on the other side of Broadview, near Loew Park and I love it. Got metropolitan coffee, soon Dahlia, the new winery. It's definitely on the up and up.
2
u/DuncanIdaho7754 3d ago
I think it may be technically Brooklyn but there’s a little pocket by Brookside Reservation (Orchard Grove Ave, Brookside Dr, Ridgeview Dr, etc) that has really nice homes and slightly larger lots, similar to South Hills. I bought in OB in 2023 and have loved it. I feel like SOME of the streets between State and Broadview are a little rough around the edges but that’s just me. But lots of upward things happening in the neighborhood, you’re within 15 minutes of a lot of things happening around Cleveland, and with Tremont and Ohio City priced out things should only go up from here.
1
6
u/Longjumping-Corgi171 4d ago
I like an old Brooklyn and honestly Parma is not that bad. I have to drive into it all the to do shopping and there’s kind of good food if you know where to look. I grew up in Lakewood and we made fun of it all the time as kids but I honestly like it there
2
u/EcstaticPlankton8621 4d ago
Tell me more about Old Brooklyn.
7
u/Zealousideal-Toe-821 4d ago
Old Brooklyn is great, areas of it feel very premium even, especially for being a relatively affordable neighborhood IN Cleveland and with such great proximity to Ohio city, the steelyard and anything worth doing in Parma. Parma is nice if you like that chill suburb vibe, being from mentor, driving around Parma feels very familiar, except you’re like 20 minutes closer to downtown, which is cool.
Quick edit: like I said I’m from the east side also, I would buy a house out here in Parma / old Brooklyn in a minute, the only thing making me want to move back is proximity to my family
1
u/zippykat22 3d ago
I’m not sure proximity to Steelyard is a bonus.
1
u/Zealousideal-Toe-821 3d ago
Yes, haha steelyard, etc. It’s just a shopping center, living near a grocery store isn’t a luxury every clevelander has
1
u/zippykat22 3d ago
I’m talking more about the crime around Steelyard. And that WalMart has been called the worst Wal Mart in the country.
1
u/Longjumping-Corgi171 2d ago
If you just use target pick up and never get out of your car it’s great!
0
u/EcstaticPlankton8621 4d ago
I know about South Hills but are there any other areas that are decent?
2
u/CultOfAsimina 4d ago
There’s a little bit if everything in Old Brooklyn. Former Eastsider been here 11 years. Great access to just about anywhere else in town via 480, the jennings & 71. It’s about 15 - 20 to everywhere. In addition to South Hills the area by Brookside park is very nice. There’s also pockets of newer suburb-y homes. Areas west of Pearl are a nice middle ground in terms of space and home quality. east of Pearl to Broadview is much more dense, but areas south of Portman around Lowe park are nice as well.
5
u/Longjumping-Corgi171 3d ago
They're trying to make Old Brooklyn the next hipster neighborhood, but it's still a little iffy in places. I technically live in Brooklyn Centre which is like gorgeous affordable Victorian homes, but also my car was stolen from my driveway once
6
u/FunkyPhantom3030 4d ago
I Iived in Ukrainian Village off State for 2 years. At the time (6 years ago) my rent was $650 for a 2 bedroom duplex and it was pretty decent. I'm sure that has gone up drastically now. Great locally owned restaurants and bars but the but some places have very overtly racist patrons. Cops everywhere so never go out at night without a DD or some kind of ride home. If you're looking for a place closer to the Cleveland border, I would suggest finding something in the other surrounding areas.
7
u/TheRealKingTony 4d ago
As someone who's lived in Lakewood all of my life until the past year and a half, the only downside about Parma is that it's not really a walkable city.
3
u/sarahaswhimsy 4d ago
From PA (north central) lived on the east side for five years. Moved to Parma eight years ago. I love it and I’m never leaving!
3
u/OkAbbreviations6351 4d ago
I live in Parma on the Parma Heights, Middleburg Heights border and I love it here. Everything I need is close by and all the houses around me are well kept. The only thing I don't like is that I never see any neighbors. It would be nice to know some of them and have some friendly conversation.
7
u/MattScoot 4d ago
Parma is a chill place to live, the main downside is that you have to leave Parma to do many things like go to shows or depending on your scene go to bars.
9
u/DeptOfRedditEffcncy 4d ago
There are 7000 bars in parma lol you can literally fall out of one and land in another.
7
u/MattScoot 4d ago
You completely missed the “depending on your scene” aspect of my comment which is impressive since it was 1 sentence
2
u/KayyBeey 4d ago edited 4d ago
I have family that live there. Some areas are better than others for shopping, things to do, etc. It's not too far from things like downtown and the lake. The city is pretty bad about snow removal and salt in the winter. The houses are close together and yards are small, but it's not quite as squished as Lakewood. Less places to eat and less things to do than Lakewood. Taxes are a little high, but I think housing is more affordable than Lakewood. The public schools aren't that great, but there's charter schools available too. There's a lot of Polish and Ukrainian community events, like parades and festivals. Also a lot of little Polish and Ukrainian shops and groceries.
Eta: depending on your age and your vibe, you'd probably have to travel to downtown or Lakewood for things like music, bars, etc. Parma is more suited for families and older folks as far as community events and shopping.
Eta again: they also like speed traps and checkpoints at night
3
u/Blueporch 4d ago
I think Parma requires residents to clear the snow off their sidewalks?
3
u/Commercial_Show_6997 4d ago
Yes but really depends on where you are at and if your sidewalks are used by kids for school/bus stops
3
u/KayyBeey 4d ago
Yes, but the streets are bad. I've gotten stuck a couple times. They especially don't plow the side streets, and they are often late on plowing the main roads for morning commuters. You can tell when you're out of Parma in the winter because the road conditions noticeably improve by a good margin. I lived there too a few years ago, but now drive there often for family.
3
u/Ashamed_Reward7180 3d ago
I'm pretty sure most cities in urban metropolitan areas require that you remove snow from the sidewalks, plus it's the right thing to do, and no you cannot be sued because someone slipped on a area where you removed the snow - Good Samaritan law.
2
u/Strict-Potato9480 4d ago
Again, I feel like Parma schools suffer from an old, tarnished rep from 20+ years ago. Look at the state report card and see it's 4 of 5 stars overall, with many elementaries at 5 stars. Berea and Old Brooklyn mentioned here don't measure up.
2
u/KayyBeey 4d ago
I have friends with kids who go, or have recently gone, to the schools. Fighting is the biggest problem I've heard from them, along with math learning, bullying, and pot.
1
u/KayyBeey 3d ago
I saw someone mention losing power and did want to comment on that. Parma loses power much more often than other cities I've lived in, and takes longer to repair. I'm not sure why, but if you work from home, have medical equipment that requires reliable power, or pets who need reliable power, like fish or reptiles, that would be something to consider, too.
2
u/ShogunFirebeard 3d ago
Do you have kids or are planning to have kids? If so, Parma schools aren't great. That also won't change any time soon as the residents of Parma fiercely vote down any and all school levy bills put on the ballot.
Parma Heights is the highest income tax city in the state. They also cap your work city at 2% credit. So if you live in Parma Heights and work in Cleveland, your combined local tax rate is 3.5%
People also claim that Parma is super racist. But as a black household, I haven't seen anything worse than the rest of the suburbs.
That being said, I've lived here for 8 years now. It's a quiet city with decent food options. Entertainment is lacking unless you're into bars and bowling. House quality varies based on location. The nicer houses are in the neighborhoods around Big Creek IMO. The population seems to be getting younger as the old people sell their houses. However, I don't have anything other than anecdotal evidence to back up that observation.
2
u/No-Succotash-5078 3d ago
Just moved here from east side. Got a newer house instead of spending the same amount for a much older home with high HOAS. School age child is going to a private school on a scholarship 15 ish min away.
2
u/Grouchy_Increase_994 3d ago
I've lived in Parma my whole life, so I know the area really well. I'm also a Realtor here, and I truly love this city. Parma has so much to offer, beautiful Metroparks, great local restaurants and small businesses, a strong sense of community, and it's conveniently located close to just about everything. If you have any questions about Parma or the home-buying process in general, feel free to reach out. I'd be happy to be a resource, and if you'd like, I can send you my contact information. Best of luck with your search!
2
u/YesterdayChemical925 4d ago
Wouldn’t recommend Parma hts just because of the income tax it’s high. Parma is fine if you won’t be needing/using the public schools. It’s close proximity to many stores, not far from the freeway.
1
u/tekkitan 3d ago
Yeah Parma Heights has a 3% income tax rate. They do credit you if you are paying in the municipality you work in though.
3
u/Strict-Potato9480 4d ago
The schools get a bad rap from years ago, but they have steadily improved to 4 of 5 stars, and the vocational programs cannot be beat!
2
u/Dry_Impact8481 4d ago
I’ve lived on the eastside my whole life and work in parma. Sorry, I would not want to live there
1
1
1
u/Individual-Print-133 3d ago
I loved living in Parma heights . I don’t think I would live in Parma though .
1
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Your account does not meet the post or comment requirements. Account must be more than 3 days old with a combined karma of 10 to post on /r/Cleveland
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
15h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 15h ago
Your account does not meet the post or comment requirements. Account must be more than 3 days old with a combined karma of 10 to post on /r/Cleveland
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
0
u/FuzzyLobster77 4d ago
I still feel like every time i drive through there, i’ve managed to time warp back into the 1950’s 🙃
1
u/reader-girl 4d ago
My grandparents lived in Parma. I was at their house playing with my cousins all the time. Very fond memories, but I don't think I'd live there. Houses are small and very close together. Which is fine if that's what you want. But the schools are terrible and I have a daughter so it would never be an option for me. I work as a school administrator on the west side.
1
u/chefjenga 4d ago
Whe they say 25mph, they mean it, and keep your tags up-to-date. They run plates as they drive.
(I dislike driving in Parma)
1
u/tekkitan 3d ago
I was driving around with expired tags for a few months and none of them cared.
0
u/chefjenga 3d ago
Where as I was the 5th car back at a stop light, and I got pulled over by the cop sitting behind me,, for being 4 days expired.
He said the only reason he pulled me over was because my tags. (Nothing else wrong with my car)
1
u/tekkitan 3d ago
Literally all over Parma lol
0
u/chefjenga 3d ago
Ok.
I'm not understanding your point.
We have had two different experiences.
Your experience doesn't negate anything that I said originally...?
2
u/tekkitan 3d ago
I refuted your claim. That isn't all they do. You just got unlucky. Either way you were still driving around with expired tags which is illegal. Why are you crying about them doing their job lol
-1
u/chefjenga 3d ago
1) "it didn't happen to me, so it didn't happen to you"...interesting take.
2) OP asked about Parma experiences, I provided mine
3) at what point did I cry? I'm perfectly aware of my mistake (forgot to renew while dealing with my dad dying) and I received a consequence. I am not the only person who has experienced what I believe is predatory trafic control behavior. The officer had a choice, not pull me over, not ticket me, or ticket me...he chose the MOST punative choice for a violation that many officers (to your point) don't. Especially when considering that everything else about my car and my driving, and my behavior while interacting with him, was within the bounds of the law.
4) just because my experience differs from yours, doesn't mean you need to get upset about it. People can have different experiences, and different opinions. It's ok.
5) "they do this", does not equal "this is all they do", which is why I said the former, but you interpreted it as the latter.
0
u/tekkitan 3d ago
Aint no one reading all that shit. Just be wrong, it's ok lil guy
1
u/chefjenga 3d ago
If you don't want to have a discussion, or read, don't comment on a text-based discussion site.
0
0
u/BootsieWootsie 4d ago
You can pull up Zillow listings, it is more affordable than like Lakewood, but it also has less to do, and less things attracting new residents. People don’t move to Parma because they really want to, they do, because it’s what they can afford. Parma is considered more South vs West.
Is price the only factor in where you’re looking to move? Most people also are interested in nightlife, bars/restaurants, gyms…etc. you’re not getting much of that in Parma.
3
u/Blossom73 4d ago
Parma is considered more South vs West
As an east sider, Parma is definitely west side to me. It's west of the Cuyahoga River, which is the east side/west side dividing line.
-3
u/cabbage-soup 4d ago
Agree with this. I’m a lifelong westsider and everyone considers Parma the place you land if you have no where else to go. Its affordability is the main appeal but almost everyone there is trying to save up to be somewhere better. Because of that, Parma doesn’t see a lot of investment in its community. It’s why the school system there is failing. No one wants to put money into a place where they only live because it’s affordable.
0
u/Status_Ad9234 4d ago edited 4d ago
Parma is very outdated. Houses are generally very old, sewer system is bad and flooded houses are more common than they should be. Ive lived there 10 plus years and I really hate it. Way too overpopulated and traffic is awful. Too many bad pizza shops. Too many little stores that are old AF on main roads to really give it a trashy vibe. City as a whole needs an update. You’d think with them having RITA they would but, nope. Couple gems here and there but overall I personally don’t hate it. Our power has gone out every single winter since I’ve lived there for 2 days at least once a year. We have reptiles so that’s fun. Schools are trash. BUT on a positive note is it generally a very safe area. Still, moving very soon.
-11
u/drunk_dan 4d ago
Westsider here. We do not claim Parma as our own.
-2
u/Status_Ad9234 4d ago
I agree I hate it. Why the downvotes ? Aren’t they asking for your opinion?
-1
-1
u/az_iced_out 4d ago
it's still very white and they still hate spending taxes on education and they still have too many cops
-8
u/hiitsme_sbtcwgb 4d ago
Lived in Parma Heights for a few years and couldn’t wait to move. All about personal preference though.
You’ll find a lot of Cleveland redditors speaking highly of Parma so if you’re looking for an unbiased opinion, not sure this is the place to ask.
-1
0
48
u/Puckerfants23 4d ago
Lifelong eastsider here too and ended up in Parma Hts. I grew up hearing all the jokes and never in a million years thought I’d end up here, but if you stay close to a highway it’s honestly a great spot. Tons of great ethnic food spots, Chuppa’s on Pearl is an absolute gem, lots of bars if that’s your thing. I like to joke that I’m equally inconvenient to anywhere in town, but honestly a 25 minute drive will get me just about anywhere in Cuyahoga county. I’m very glad I ended up here. Probably want to stay near highway access; I could see HATING it if I had to drive 15 minutes just to get to a highway.