Question about neighborhoods near Niskayuna/Schenectady (Rochester, Syracuse: real estate, apartment complex, rentals)

[jf2737]

Hello all. I just had a good job interview for a job in Schenectady on Balltown Rd and want to start looking at apartments. I only had a chance to look at one apartment complex, Sheridan Village.

Was looking on craigslist for apartment possibilities and was wondering if anyone can tell me if these are considered "decent" neighborhoods to rent an apartment:

8th Ave
Hawk St.
Porter Ave.
Mount Pleasant area
Van Antwerp Rd.

Appreciate any thoughts and advice....

[piperspal]

Van Antwerp Rd. is safe. Parts of Mount Pleasant are safe; parts are scummy but I wouldn't say "unsafe"; & the very edge of the Mount Pleasant neighborhood gets scary. Hawk & Porter - sorry, I don't know. 8th Ave I would stay away from.

Are you looking to stay in Schenectady due to cost or due to proximity to your job? Because Niskayuna, parts of Rexford off 146, & parts of South Colonie are all better options than Schenectady. Very sad to say that. Schenectady has got some beautiful architecture & quaint neighborhoods; esp. off Union Street & in the Stockade area. But the city just can't seem to get it's act together. I wanted to invest & start a business there, but the crime rate is horrible & the good cops are being lumped with the past corrupt cops' reputaion. I think Schenectady will one day pull out of the slump, but I don't think it will be within the next 10 years.

The problem with renting in Schenectady is that, while you get a LOT of space for the money, you can't walk 2 blocks in any direction without worry. There are some good areas like I said, but I'd check out places like Rotterdam, Guilderland, Rexford, Niskayuna & South Colonie. Parts of all those communities are very easy commute to Balltown Rd.

On a side note, the Gold's Gym on Balltown Rd. is one of the nicest gyms around. It used to be privately owned & most of the same staff is still there. A very friendly gym, not pretentious (sp?), & you'd probably get a lot of good leads on apartments if you stopped in the gym for a tour & asked about apartments. I'm not trying to sell Gold's - they get enough of my money as it is! I just think you'd get some great advice there about where to live. Most are Schen natives &/or live in the above communities.

Best of luck to you!

[piperspal]

Oh and I should also mention parts of Scotia & Glenville are close to Balltown & very nice, safe, affordable....

[pompeyhollow]

Van Antwerp seems safe. I wouldn't live in Schenectady itself. Finding an apartment in a decent area around Schenectady in general is just very hard. I just spent a month doing it, but luckily went back to Syracuse/Rochester and didn't have to after all.

Van Antwerp apartments look alright, but I've never seen the inside. I honestly don't think there is a "decent" neighborhood in Schenectady aside from the upper part of Union Street/the closer you get to the rose garden + park.

Tall Oaks apartments are very close by off route 7 in Niskayuna, but I never looked into those too deeply so I wouldn't know what the complex is like, really. Seems like a fairly safe area though.

[Homeseeker4u]

I am a Real Estate broker in the area and own many rentals . I don't own any in Schenectady for a reason

Originally Posted by jf2737

Hello all. I just had a good job interview for a job in Schenectady on Balltown Rd and want to start looking at apartments. I only had a chance to look at one apartment complex, Sheridan Village.

Was looking on craigslist for apartment possibilities and was wondering if anyone can tell me if these are considered "decent" neighborhoods to rent an apartment:
.

8th Ave
Hawk St.
Porter Ave.
Mount Pleasant area
Van Antwerp Rd.

Appreciate any thoughts and advice....