Living in Landen and Kings Mills, Ohio: homes, prices and straight answers

What is Landen?

A planned community of about 2,400 homes built around a lake, in Deerfield Township next to Mason. It was laid out in the late 1970s as one large planned development and hosted Homearama in 1977 and 1981. Today it is 28 separate neighborhoods, each with its own association, plus the shared trails, pools and lake that tie them together. That usually means more than one HOA per house, so ask for every association's dues, rules and reserves; HOA horror stories shows why.

When we first moved here, Landen Lake was where I wanted to be. I found out quickly that it is hard to find something there, because people stay. We do not have lakes just everywhere around Cincinnati, so a whole community built around one is something special.

What can I do on Landen Lake?

Boat, paddle and fish, within the association's rules. The lake is about 60 acres. Boats up to 20 feet are allowed, such as small pontoons, electric boats and sailboats, along with anything you paddle or pedal, and fishing is catch and release. The community holds events through the year; I have seen a lighted boat parade with food trucks and fireworks.

Lake access, boat rules and fees are set by the associations, so ask for the current rules and dues for the exact house before you write an offer.

What are the houses like in Landen?

Mostly homes from the late 1970s through the 1990s, many with a contemporary design, at a median of about $405,000 this summer. Around the lake I don't think I have ever seen two houses exactly alike. Farther from the lake you will find bi-level, tri-level and quad-level homes, ranches and two-stories, plus townhomes, patio homes, condos and apartments.

I will be honest: a lot of these homes are a little cut up compared with a newer open floor plan, and many need updating. Landen can be a labor of love. If you want the location and the lake and are willing to make a house your own, it is worth it. Budget for the updates and read New construction vs. resale before you compare it with a brand-new house.

The median jumped about 21% from a year earlier, but only about 30 homes sell here in a month, so a few big sales move it a lot. Text me and I will send you what actually sold on the streets you like.

What is Kings Mills?

The neighborhoods along the Little Miami River around Kings High School, next door to Landen and in the same school district. Kings Mills began as a mill and factory town; the old Peters Cartridge Company factory still stands on the river, and Kings Island takes its name from the area. A river and a highway run through the district, and many neighborhoods sit close to the river and the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

A few I show often:

• Riverwalk, still one of my favorites: it started as custom homes, sits across from the high school and the stadium, and you can hear the Kings Island fireworks.
• Rivercrest, the site of the 2017 Homearama, with custom homes, a clubhouse and pool, and the river and bike path seconds away.
• Elliot Farm, a Drees community built on an old farm that kept the barn as a gathering place, with walking trails, a pool, a fishing pond and community garden plots.

Across the river, TPC River's Bend is also in the Kings district; it is on my Maineville and Hamilton Township page.

Which school district is a Landen or Kings Mills address in?

Landen and Kings Mills are in Kings Local Schools, but Deerfield Township is split between Kings and Mason City Schools, so check every address. Kings is a smaller district than Mason or Lakota. A Maineville 45039 or Mason 45040 mailing address does not tell you the district on its own, so look up the exact house with the Warren County Auditor.

To compare districts, use the state's own numbers on the Ohio School Report Card.

What is there to do around Landen?

• More than 15 miles of walking trails inside Landen, plus community pools and tennis and basketball courts run by the associations.
• Landen-Deerfield Park, a 95-acre Warren County park with ball fields, courts, a skate area, an amphitheater, a summer splash pad and wooded mountain bike trails.
• The Little Miami Scenic Trail and the river for walking, running, biking and kayaking, a few minutes away in Kings Mills.
• Kings Island a few minutes north, and everything in Mason and Deerfield Towne Center a short drive west.

How is the commute from Landen?

About 35 minutes to downtown Cincinnati on I-71 without traffic, longer at rush hour. Landen sits just off I-71, so the jobs in Mason and along the I-71 corridor are close. Dayton is about 55 minutes by way of Tylersville Road and I-75. If Landen is more than you want to spend, compare Lebanon to the north; I walk through the trade-offs in Priced out of Mason?