Considering a move...advice wanted (Albany, Colonie: apartment, renting, house)

[dogcrazy]

Hey i've been on these boards for awhile and am currently living in Suffolk county NY(Long Island).I absolutely hate this place with a passion and would love to move within three years.I've only been "upstate"ONCE!I went up for a weekend to Mayfield(Fulton County) and i can honestly say i've never believed there was any "country" places in NY until going upstate.I do not know much about Albany and have heard mixed things.The only things that really kept me from researching anywhere upstate is that i've always heard there has never been much of an economy up there and that taxes are just as high as LI.I wanted to get some opinions from people who live there to help me in my search.Im in search of some acreage.I want a little farmhouse with neighbors down the road,not right on top of me like i have here.I also want to be able to purchase a home for under $200K.I know there are a ton of homes in that price range but i worry about finding employment.I have been involved with animals all my life and would love to stay in the field.I don't mind rural but i also would like to be close to a hospital god forbid anything ever happen.

Is there any hope of finding a job after this recession is over and done with?
Are people friendlier up there then they are down here?(People are SO rude!)
Can i have "country living"?


I hope to get some advice.Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!

[Sally29]

Hi - I also live in Suffolk county and hate it. The beach is the only thing going for it. I am moving to Saratoga Springs in the spring. Saratoga and surrounding areas are beautiful and the property taxes are nowhere near that of Suffolk. I dont know what line of work you are in but I was able to find a job in higher education. Why don't you take some weekend trips upstate and check out some areas? Good luck!

[Rumblebelly]

Not to dash away your dreams but I think it might be a good idea to visit Upstate several more times before you go dogcrazy and make a move. Spend more time up here, find a job, then move.

[janklass]

I live in Saratoga Springs and love it here! This is my favorite amongst many moves. you can find acerage out in the country, but not sure it will be that cheap. And if you are willing to drive to Albany, it is just like any other city, chances are better for finding a job.

[Pat_Jennings]

I agre with RumbleBelly. You ought to visit another time or two before deciding anything. What price range are you looking for. Moderator cut: realtor soliciting I have lived her my whole life and I love it. Everything is close, and yet, there is room all around. As for our economy, due to Albany being the center of gov't for the state, the economy has been a bit insulated from a huge downturn. Yes, it has gone down, but not much.

[dogcrazy]

Well im really looking for a "country"feel.As many of you know LI is definately NOT that at all.If anything it will look like Queens in a few years.I definately don't want to be totally isolated but i want atleast a few acres.I also am afraid of the taxes.I hear from some people theyre just as high while others say theyre very cheap.Obviously different counties have different taxes.But i definately am not going to move somewhere where i'll pay the same amount i do here.I want to keep the price range under $200k.If i cant get what im looking for in that range then i will leave NY.But if i can find what i want than ill stay.Ive been researching many other states but a lot of them have different taxes so im wondering if it will just even itself out in the end.Many places tax you on your car every year,or boat,etc.Im also definately holding out for awhile because im not ready to move right now and obviously because of the economy.Im hoping within two years.I just want to have some kind of idea as to where to go.Somewhere ill be very happy.Definately NOT south though,HATE the humidity!Thank you all for the responses so far.

[Rumblebelly]

Would renting be an option? Just to make sure you like the area first? We recently moved here from Colorado. I still wish we didn't buy a home so soon in the Saratoga area because I didn't realize that a commute south into the Albany metro area would be such a pain. Also, our jobs aren't panning out and we are looking into finding work in other metro areas. For us to leave, we'd obviously have to sell our house.

Leasing just makes relocating easier if you decide a new area isn't working out for you. It's possible you'd love living in a more rural area or it might be too much of a change for you.

[riley131]

I've lived in Albany for 2 1/2 years now. Just remember that there is a big difference between Albany and the country. Albany is a college town. You have SUNY Albany, Siena, St. Rose, and a multitude of other colleges in the same town, all within a few miles of each other. So, on any given night during the school year, all you see is a bunch of drunk college kids wandering aimlessly through the streets and breaking bottles all over the place and just generally being annoying. And this is coming from a 22 year old college student. (I'd just rather not blow all my money on one night of drinking)

So with that said, yes there are some nice areas of Albany, especially around Washington Park. Albany Medical Center is right there, and Albany Law and Medical Colleges are also very close, so you get a lot of professionals or pre-professionals living in that area. When you get closer to the real downtown, there are beautiful historic areas with beautiful buildings.

Now, if you want land, you need to get out of Albany and go into Colonie, Slingerlands, Delmar, Gilderland, etc. Googlemap Albany and pick a town surrounding it. It will be more country than Albany, that's for sure.

However, if I were you, I would really visit much more than once. It's a lot different visiting than when you live here... I used to live in Poughkeepsie and I did live in a very nice house with a big backyard. Very safe, suburban area that didn't skimp on amenities. You just needed a car to get around anywhere.

I don't know why you'd want to live up here though.. the winters are terrible. There's ice storms every other day and then one day it'll be 55 degrees, and the next 23. Literally, that's what happened on Friday and Saturday. Plus, there's so much violence... a SUNY student was shot across the street from my apartment building last October, not to mention all the robberies and stabbings going on. Move outside of Albany.

[jfkIII]

Consider Columbia County...Kinderhook, Valatie, Chatham...they would all meet your needs of country, while only about a half-hour easy drive to Albany.

I left LI in 1988, feeling exactly as you do...and have never regretted living Upstate.

[dogcrazy]

Rumble--I have many many pets and therefore cannot rent,i will not give any of them up

JFK--thanks for the suggestions.Ill def check those areas out.