Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband and I relocated here a few weeks ago. We're looking to buy an older house with a few acres. We love the country but I need to be close to a village/town. I'm a massage therapist who would prefer to have my own small office within a short drive from home. My husband works near the albany airport, some work from home and is willing to drive 45-50 mins for the "right" house. He will travel overnight for work so really want a safe, friendly community.
My concern is that many of these cute little towns look like they may have been glorious in their day but are now depressed. Have I missed the perfect town for us? Do you have any to suggest?
Thank you. We are looking in those areas but my husband has heard horror stories about traffic on the North Way, not sure how much truth there is to it but I was hoping for other suggestions. Are there any village that are starting to grow? What are your thought on altamont and Chatham?
Thank you. We are looking in those areas but my husband has heard horror stories about traffic on the North Way, not sure how much truth there is to it but I was hoping for other suggestions. Are there any village that are starting to grow? What are your thought on altamont and Chatham?
During evening rush hour, if you're heading north from Albany, it will be kind of slow until the Twin Bridges. But after that you can go 75 all the way pretty much.
During evening rush hour, if you're heading north from Albany, it will be kind of slow until the Twin Bridges. But after that you can go 75 all the way pretty much.
This. The troopers are pretty lenient with speed on that road. When able, 75 is basically the norm. But during the work week and before/after holidays, it seems like one side will always be more crowded than the other. It comes to a stop in/near Albany at least once a day during the work week. And on Saturdays during track season. And if he works at the airport, he won't even really have to go into Albany.
I would say that Saratoga is your ideal thriving main street. And it really is thriving during the summer, it can almost feel as crowded as a NYC sidewalk at times. There is plenty of country nearby, too. But you'll definitely want something with easy access to the Northway for his commute, since backroads aren't plowed as pristinely as the Northway is during snowstorms.
Some "country" locations near Saratoga you could look for a house are Milton, Saratoga Lake (pricey), Schuylerville, and North Ballston Spa. The rule of thumb is the closer you get to Saratoga, the more expensive your house will be.
I can chime in on Altamont. I would not describe it as vibrant. It is a suburban community that has a few local businesses, but those are not enough to sustain it as a walkable community like Saratoga Springs. It's walkable in terms of, yes there are sidewalks that residents take walks on, but for the most part, you're getting in your car and driving to get groceries, and go to work, and most of the daily things you rely on.
The local businesses amount to three take-out restaurants, two sit-down restaurants (one with diner-type fare, the other a pseudo high-end wine bar, which seems out-of-place). Beyond that you have a liquor store, flower shop, two hair salons, an auto parts store, and two gas-station/convenience stores. The main thing with most of these places is that they're not destinations for people, I'd say for the most part, they're served by Altamontonians and the neighboring hill towns. Whereas Saratoga is a destination for a lot of capital region residents.
The summer months are a little more interesting with a weekly summer concert series, and farmer's market. But those both sound better on paper than in reality. The farmer's market is just a single vendor selling produce, and the concert series draws primarily village residents to local talent.
But drive through Altamont from November through April and the last word you'd use to describe it is vibrant.
I can chime in on Altamont. I would not describe it as vibrant. It is a suburban community that has a few local businesses, but those are not enough to sustain it as a walkable community like Saratoga Springs. It's walkable in terms of, yes there are sidewalks that residents take walks on, but for the most part, you're getting in your car and driving to get groceries, and go to work, and most of the daily things you rely on.
The local businesses amount to three take-out restaurants, two sit-down restaurants (one with diner-type fare, the other a pseudo high-end wine bar, which seems out-of-place). Beyond that you have a liquor store, flower shop, two hair salons, an auto parts store, and two gas-station/convenience stores. The main thing with most of these places is that they're not destinations for people, I'd say for the most part, they're served by Altamontonians and the neighboring hill towns. Whereas Saratoga is a destination for a lot of capital region residents.
The summer months are a little more interesting with a weekly summer concert series, and farmer's market. But those both sound better on paper than in reality. The farmer's market is just a single vendor selling produce, and the concert series draws primarily village residents to local talent.
But drive through Altamont from November through April and the last word you'd use to describe it is vibrant.
Right. I don't think people know what "walkable downtown" means. It doesn't mean you can walk to 2-3 corner restaurants, it means a high concentration of restaurants, bars and shopping, usually within mixed-use buildings (AKA buildings with businesses on the ground floor and apartments on top).
I have to admit the reason I'm not in love with Saratoga Springs is that its that crowded. My practice in NC was mainly locals near a military base, a cross-fit and many 45+ women who are self-employed. I'm a medical massage therapist, not relaxation massage therapist so people came to me to feel better in the long run not necessarily for today.
I'm originally from Long Island and Ballston Spa kinda reminded me of the Hampton, a great place to visit but not necessarily somewhere I want to live.
But these may have been some rash thoughts based on a drive by just in the past few weeks. We're looking up that way. If anyone thinks of any other smaller but still middle to upper-middle class areas I'm all for checking them out!
Perhaps Delmar or Scotia are real possibilities as well.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I like Locals
