Moving to Albany from Miami (New York, Colonie: low crime, cheap house, employment)

[Jose & Marie]

We are planning to move from Miami next year, as soon the house prices get a little better. we want our kids to grow in a different environment more quiet. Can someone give me some advise about how is the living over there? Cost of living, jobs , etc....

thanks

[Alt Dach]

Capital Area is one of the nicest places in the US.Many nice areas with low crime
and excellent schools.Only bad part is NY has high property taxes,but overall far better than FL.

[Rumblebelly]

Originally Posted by Alt Dach

Capital Area is one of the nicest places in the US.Many nice areas with low crime
and excellent schools.Only bad part is NY has high property taxes,but overall far better than FL.

I think the capital area being one of the nicest places in the US is debatable. There is scenic beauty and lot's of history here. However, the area still has a long way to go. It's probably a lot better than Miami though, especially in terms of crime.

[Alt Dach]

Originally Posted by Rumblebelly

I think the capital area being one of the nicest places in the US is debatable. There is scenic beauty and lot's of history here. However, the area still has a long way to go. It's probably a lot better than Miami though, especially in terms of crime.

Well I have lived in 17 different states and been to them all in my long life,
ilived in Scotia,NY and I firmly belive that.
Drive from Albany to Mpls.-StPaul and it looks like there was a war and we lost till you hit central Wisconsu\in.

[Rumblebelly]

Originally Posted by Alt Dach

Drive from Albany to Mpls.-StPaul and it looks like there was a war and we lost till you hit central Wisconsu\in.

Interesting. That's exactly what I thought when I first saw Schenectady and Troy.

I moved here from Colorado and I have family in eastern Nebraska. I think both areas have better redeveloped urban areas than here. Also in the past year of living here, I've run into more people that have made really bad decisions in there lives than my 10 years in Colorado. Maybe I've just had a string of bad luck and met the wrong folks....

I'm not saying that it sucks here. It is pretty nice and the area has improved a lot. I'm just saying it still has a ways to go.

[HomerBrink]

Alt Dach - Your comment borders on hyperbole.

[Alt Dach]

Originally Posted by HomerBrink

Alt Dach - Your comment borders on hyperbole.

Thanks Homer. I try !

[YankeeRule]

Colorado is amazing, how can you compare it to Albany. Albany has a lot of beauty and offers some positive things but 300 days of Sunshine with 14000 foot peaks is impossible to beat. Albany compares favorably with many other places in terms of cost of living, 3 hours from NY and Boston, beautiful country within a half hour and relatively cheap houses. Yes, it's cold but it still has a four season climate. Things could be a lot worse, like having to live in Florida year round!!!

[Rumblebelly]

Originally Posted by YankeeRule

Colorado is amazing, how can you compare it to Albany. Albany has a lot of beauty and offers some positive things but 300 days of Sunshine with 14000 foot peaks is impossible to beat. Albany compares favorably with many other places in terms of cost of living, 3 hours from NY and Boston, beautiful country within a half hour and relatively cheap houses. Yes, it's cold but it still has a four season climate. Things could be a lot worse, like having to live in Florida year round!!!

I don't think anyone tried to compare the natural beauty of Colorado to Upstate NY. I was talking about the urban areas on the front range.

In terms of the landscape, you really can't compare the two since they are almost complete opposites of each other. Colorado is far more dramatic. NY is more...serene and subtle. The calm lakes and roaring streams are so common in NY but rather sparse in Colorado, unless you are deep in the Rockies.

Funny thing is that my favorite parts of Colorado, the higher and wetter subalpine areas such as "moose country", remind me a lot of the Adirondack area.

[colbean8]

Originally Posted by Jose & Marie

We are planning to move from Miami next year, as soon the house prices get a little better. we want our kids to grow in a different environment more quiet. Can someone give me some advise about how is the living over there? Cost of living, jobs , etc....

thanks

OK back to some stuff you can use. The Albany area is very diverse; and not at all what you see on TV - that's usually New York City. The Albany area, really the Capital Region is made up of different things. If you like the city there is that, but most people want access to city businesses, but do not want to live right in the downtown area. I think you would do well with some of the outskirt areas. All of them are a quick drive to Albany City proper if you need a government service.

Albany is made up of a lot of government and banking jobs. As it is the Capital; City/County and State jobs make up the bulk of the employment here.

The cost of living is not that out of the average and we don't really have much unemployment here.

I would check online regarding housing for Guilderland, Colonie/Loudonville, Delmar/Bethlehem and Niskayuna. All of these places are within 1/2 hour of Downtown Albany if you need that.

Albany has a lot of history, and have destroyed a lot of historical places too; see Empire State Plaza. Many books are written about the history of the place, and the political machine that once existed here.

Good luck in your search.