Executive homes on a wooded hillside
Fairlawn Heights was laid out in the 1910s with large homes for executives of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and Akron annexed it in 1932. Despite the name, it isn’t part of the City of Fairlawn.
Wikipedia’s neighborhood article sets the boundaries between I-77 to the southwest and West Market Street to the northeast, from Miller Road to Frank Boulevard Park. The houses went up in two waves, the late 1920s to early 1930s and again from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s, and most run from about 3,000 to 10,000 square feet on large wooded lots.
| Style | How common |
|---|---|
| Tudor Revival | The main choice |
| Georgian Revival and Colonial | A close second |
| French Norman, French Chateau | Present |
| Bauhaus, mid-century modern, 1960s ranches | Mixed in |
Wikipedia notes the neighborhood was once home to the Quaker Oats heiress, among other prominent families, and its wooded lots give it a country feel minutes from downtown. One resident said you can drive down from Ridgewood Road and watch the houses get newer and more modern as you go.
A “sleeper community” where owners stay
People who live here describe very low turnover. A baker who runs Akron Cookie Company out of her nearly 100-year-old Tudor, built by Krumroy Construction, said her neighbors had just moved after 40 years in their house. A family who bought a 1968 colonial out of foreclosure in 2011 said they were the young family on the street for years, surrounded by owners who had been there for decades.
Small details matter to buyers here. Ridgewood Road has no sidewalks. Fairlawn Boulevard’s south end is split by a wide green used for Fourth of July parades and an Easter egg hunt, with a butterfly garden the neighborhood association planted in 2023. Downtown and I-77 are minutes away.
What long ownership means when it’s time to sell
Low turnover means many Fairlawn Heights sales start with an estate, a move to assisted living, or a couple downsizing after 30 or 40 years. Those houses are often sound but dated, and they’re big, so every system costs more to replace.
Here is the honest split:
- List it if the house is in good repair and nobody is under a deadline. Buyers drawn to these styles will pay for original character, and an agent can reach them.
- Consider a direct sale if the estate needs to close quickly, the heirs live far away, or the roof, wiring or mechanicals need serious money first.
If you’re handling a parent’s house, start with selling an inherited house or selling when moving to assisted living. For a side-by-side of the two routes, see our selling options.