The Real Buffalo For People Considering Moving Here (Amherst, Cheektowaga: fit in, real estate)

[UniversalMan]

I'm doing this thread to help those who are considering locating here. Hopefully it will answer some of your questions.

Population..a declining 260k people in the city. Over 1.2 million in the Buffalo metro.

I'm a 28 year old man who has been a Buffalo born and bred resident and lived here all my life. I will try to be as unbiased and helpful as possible. The food/restaurant selection and restaurant quality is really second to none in the entire country, (except maybe Chicago). The architecture here is phenomenal. Want to live in a palatial mansion for around 500,000? You can do it here in one of our distinct Delaware or Elmwood districts. But for a far shorter price, say around 75k, you can get a solid home in very good shape in a nice neighborhood. Far, far less depending on the area as well. Some homes around our UB south Campus sell in the 40-50k range and with that of course comes a drunken college crowd but houses that are in good shape.

The seasons are as follows. Hot summers for around 80 days. Cold winters with little sunshine, (except for 2012, unseasonably warm). Global warming perhaps?? Bring your Vitamin D for December through March to not fall into the winter blues. Short Spring and Fall but nonetheless, four seasons.

Plenty of things to do related to performing arts within the city. Cross into Canada within 5 minutes of downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls 30 minutes of downtown and Toronto within an 1.5hr. If you want an easy escape to half the country's population within a day of driving, Buffalo is a gateway city.

Great education with colleges and universities here. Good museums, very walkable, though I walk everywhere so I'm used to it. Easy to get to suburbs and pricier, but worth it in areas such as Williamsville, Clarence, Amherst.

Beloved Buffalo Bills are a constant disappointment but entertaining enough. Sabres are a good hockey team to cheer on with a nice cold beer and chicken wings. Minor league baseball, college hoops and the like.

Violent crime can be rampant. If you already come from a pretty tough place, you should be okay if you mind your business in certain parts of town and be wise after 9, mostly on the eastside which is where I live, and the lower west side.

The "Chippewa Strip" consists of a dozen or so clubs that represent Buffalo's safest night scene. About half dozen or so strip clubs if that's your thing, none of which are extremely impressive but decent enough for a Friday night.

Buffalo is roughly around 40% black 50%white and the rest is a good mix of Latino, Asian, Arabic community.

Diverse city for sure but some racial tension can be felt and the city is basically divided into 4 parts. East Side 90% black, South Buffalo, 90% white, North Buffalo, an Italian area but very diverse with all races, the West Side, mostly Hispanic but a ton of foreigners and refugees live there as well. Riverside could be considered a fifth side of town but is basically a "sub-district" encompassing part of N Buffalo, the westside and the back yard of Kenmore, ( a small village essentially still connected to Buffalo and not always distinguished as separate from the city). Elmwood Village is our trendy, artsy, cool scene. Dog walkers, hooka smokers, eclectic types, cafe lovers, vegans you'll like Elmwood. Delaware Park is a great places to stay fit in the summer. Buy a house outside the city such as in West Seneca or perhaps Cheektowaga for a little better quality of a home and safety.

The dating scene is what you make it. Diverse age groups and you can always find singles partying at the very least. Our downtown is a snore. Not much to do AT ALL down there except eat at select places or watch the ugly people at the Greyhound station. Public transportation is decent, you don't need a car but would likely want to have one, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER, but you can get around. Light rail that just travels up Main St., mostly underground for about 7 miles from downtown. Not complex at all like in other major cities. Big waste of money for the city. Often called, "The train that goes nowhere." We're close to Niagara Falls, which I call Pothole City. Niagara Falls is a wasteland essentially and the only reason to go there is to look at the Canadian side of the Falls with visitors. You cannot compare NF to Buffalo at all, there just close to each other, that's all.

Overall, I'd say for cheap housing, great food, consistent theater and concerts, festivals of all types year round and easy access to a lot of the country by hopping on the interstate 90, Buffalo is a great choice. I've been considering moving to the northwest, (Portland), but I like the fact that I can live here for as long as I want while traveling all over and knowing I have a place that I'm renting for 650/mo everything included in a good neighborhood, 2 bdrm.

If you fear crime that is above average, looking for a thriving business community or jobs galore, want to be surrounded by in your face entertainment all day, this may not be the place for you. Democratic city for sure, especially in the last couple of decades, conservative people but not a bible belt by any means though there is a church on every corner of the eastside. Liberal people here too. We had a decent Occupy movement for a few months in downtown Buffalo.

The jobs do suck as with the rest of the country, but if you're single without a ton of debt and have a small home based business that brings you in around 2k-3k a month you can live fine. Even with making 3k-4k a month after tax with family you will be fine. I'd encourage home based biz as a means of being flexible to do what you want in Buffalo like go to the gym, socialize, party, take classes, explore the city and travel, etc., instead of fighting to get a job, you can do what you want at will and for not that much money.

Education Healthcare and Transportation are the biggest fields here.

If you're young and want to save up, it's a good middle of the road area. If your're nearing retirement, I honestly don't see anything for you here unless you like easy access to lakes. Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Buffalo can be a charming city where most people are willing to help you out. Some neighbors will still shovel snow for you or walk down the block with a snowblower to clear the sidewalks. For kids under 18, it can be a decent place to raise them. Gives them a very realistic view of life. So much opportunity for the city, so many empty promises. I look forward to what the next decade brings, likely the same as the last decade but it's my city.
P.S., We don't take well to outsiders talking disrespectfully about our city, or for Buffaloninas to talk trash to outsiders and give us a bad name. You have to be from here or have lived here at least 20 years to be overly critical.

[BuffaloTransplant]

I think you are reasonably accurate. My husband is Buffalo Born and Bred; I have been here over 43 years. We are in our 60s and have no intent on moving. Why on earth would anyone want to live in a hot and humid (southeast) or hot and dry -- or cold at times (southwest) area? Without 4 seasons? -- many friends have retired, moved away and have come back. What this place offers people over 55 is the fact that it is cheap living: with some common sense and budgeting, you have probably paid off your mortgage and can probably afford to use the money you have put away (Buffalonians are thrifty) to travel if you choose. The cost of living is such that if you are frugal, you probably can even buy a better home than what you bought as a poor young working stiff and enjoy no repair ( we still live in the house we got in the early 1970s and we aren't leaving). Our 2 daughters are here;' one bought her home in about 2000 and has paid it off: like you said, housing is cheap and you can get a good bargain. And our girls? We had them live home for college and get a used car. It was cheap.

I do take issue that everyone "should" live in the city... while my hubby was born in the city, we chose the far out burbs as we wanted our kids to grow up in a nice, open setting (we have acreage). This made them both incredibly independent and resourceful; you had home and you had friends and you got between them walking or by bikes.If the city suits you, live there. If the burbs or rural suits you, live there.

However, I think we have the best of all here and wouldn't trade it -- except maybe for more rural areas -- and with the closeness of Buffalo, it still would not be far.

[energygrrl]

Universal Man may I ask what home based business you are referring too ?
I have researched and Google till I am blue in the face and still have not found anything resembling what you suggest: 2-3K per month, home based business.
I lived in Raleigh, NC. Returned because my Mom was elderly and ill and last year passed away, leaving me the house. I paid up the house and here I am.
I do travel a lot for my job but if I found a home based business I would definitely stay put. It is cheaper to live here. I agree with you. And although i do admittedly find some things frustrating the fact is (the crime within Buffalo) overall the living is easier.
Thanks for your post.

[UniversalMan]

Originally Posted by BuffaloTransplant

I think you are reasonably accurate. My husband is Buffalo Born and Bred; I have been here over 43 years. We are in our 60s and have no intent on moving. Why on earth would anyone want to live in a hot and humid (southeast) or hot and dry -- or cold at times (southwest) area? Without 4 seasons? -- many friends have retired, moved away and have come back. What this place offers people over 55 is the fact that it is cheap living: with some common sense and budgeting, you have probably paid off your mortgage and can probably afford to use the money you have put away (Buffalonians are thrifty) to travel if you choose. The cost of living is such that if you are frugal, you probably can even buy a better home than what you bought as a poor young working stiff and enjoy no repair ( we still live in the house we got in the early 1970s and we aren't leaving). Our 2 daughters are here;' one bought her home in about 2000 and has paid it off: like you said, housing is cheap and you can get a good bargain. And our girls? We had them live home for college and get a used car. It was cheap.

I do take issue that everyone "should" live in the city... while my hubby was born in the city, we chose the far out burbs as we wanted our kids to grow up in a nice, open setting (we have acreage). This made them both incredibly independent and resourceful; you had home and you had friends and you got between them walking or by bikes.If the city suits you, live there. If the burbs or rural suits you, live there.

However, I think we have the best of all here and wouldn't trade it -- except maybe for more rural areas -- and with the closeness of Buffalo, it still would not be far.

Hello and thank you for your response. In my review, I actually suggested to get a place outside the city such as in Cheektowaga in order to have a better quality of a home and overall living as well as checking out places that are pricier but worth it such as Williamsville or Clarence. I do live in the city, but would actually rather the burbs, somewhere off of Transit Rd perhaps near the airport. Anywhere would actually be fine in comparison to where I have been living which is within 2-3 miles of downtown my entire life. The only places truly worth paying more then what I pay for now is the waterfront condo for $1200+ a month if you can find one, Bidwell Parkway or maybe Parkside at Delaware Park. I'm just now in a good neighborhood during the past year and I live on Richmond/Bryant which is a huge step up for me coming from the Broadway Market area. I appreciate your addition to this post as well and yes you can live very cheap, in fact, if you squeeze, you can get by on a grand a month if you want to barely survive. Once, I lost my job for 3 months and had no income at all, not from unemployment or anything and had less then $100 in savings. Between getting my utilities paid through HEAP, working with my gracious landlord and selling my car, I managed. I love it here only because it's home, but sorely would like to experience a different side of the U.S., but it's hard to walk away from cheap living, however, as I travel, the quality of living of the northwest and perhaps VA beach area, will call me eventually and I can afford it for sure and know it will be worth it. I have been trying to get my grandparents to the south at least for the winter, because there is nothing here but sickness in the winter and bleak surroundings for geriatrics. This is the last winter I want to be here even as a younger man. Thanks again for adding and I appreciate your thoughts.

[genoobie]

I'm presently raising my three young boys in the city and would not trade it for any suburban living. We usually drive to go for hikes on the weekends in rural areas and I find that my kids can navigate a variety of environments with ease and are as independent as any other child. I don't waste my time mowing acres of lawns or raking bushels of leaves and my kids can bike to the library or the store or wooded areas not too far from here. I've made my peace with winter and I've found the key is just getting good gear. Can't skimp or you'll end up cold and damp. Either way I have no grudge against where anyone chooses to live and what works for me may not work for someone else. I will say that I have graded a variety of papers from around the state and find the quality of work that students do in the select schools in Buffalo comparable to anything that you'd find in suburban WNY.

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by genoobie

I'm presently raising my three young boys in the city and would not trade it for any suburban living. We usually drive to go for hikes on the weekends in rural areas and I find that my kids can navigate a variety of environments with ease and are as independent as any other child. I don't waste my time mowing acres of lawns or raking bushels of leaves and my kids can bike to the library or the store or wooded areas not too far from here. I've made my peace with winter and I've found the key is just getting good gear. Can't skimp or you'll end up cold and damp. Either way I have no grudge against where anyone chooses to live and what works for me may not work for someone else. I will say that I have graded a variety of papers from around the state and find the quality of work that students do in the select schools in Buffalo comparable to anything that you'd find in suburban WNY.

I grew up in a very congested burb downstate and my hubby on the east side of Buffalo. We didn't want that for kids. Our girls are more independent for having lived in a somewhat rural area than you'd believe. We had very little to worry about when they were younger -- most neighbors had kids their ages (one reason we liked the place). They'd tell us where they were going and we never "couldn't find them". And yes, even though things were several miles away, once they hit their teens, they biked to town and the library, etc.. by themselves. We had little to worry about because mostly they went with friends...They now (in their 30s) really know the city as both work there. Neither like the city, simply for the crowdedness , so they live outside of it.... BTW, we don't rake the leaves here, we mulch them. It is not a waste of time. It becomes compost. You also don't need to put down pesticides to keep up with neighbors. We also mulch the grass and compost it and for many years, grew most of our produce (in a 50 x 50 ft. garden). By choice, not need. ... And winter? Storms? Chore boots; I still have mine from the Agway. Appropriate clothes. It is also having and knowing how to use a generator. [And a woodstove or fireplace if you choose.] Lots of people have natural gas generators in the past few years; ours is gasoline. You stay warm and dry (even thru over a week of the Oct. Surprise). You know, those papers you grade? We graded them for a combined teaching time over 64 years between us. I would say that the smaller system we have here and to which we sent our 2 daughters was highly superior for kids in that they were not shunted from school to school by administrative decision and classes were more stable and families were usually the same year after year. Quality of curriculum? I found it much nicer seeing the district have only ONE set of books as opposed to Buffalo where each school could have different ones (whatever a principal or supervisor wanted) -- and teachers stayed put, not got shunted to where the student population got larger ; and having kids on grade level or above was the norm ... even in the late 1960s/early 1970s, when my husband and I started to teach, it was chaotic in some schools n in Buffalo; if you think not, you are naive.

You do it your wAY; we did it ours. I hope at our age, you find as much satisfaction in your choices as we did.

[genoobie]

Interesting. I don't really worry too much about my kids as they are aware of their surroundings and I know all my neighbors on the street and in the area who also have similarly aged children. The nice thing is that within a several mile radius there are a variety of different cultures, languages, and people that they can interact with. We can bike to the river, or a pool, or a library, or wooded trails, fine dining, etc., you name it, it's here. I have neighbors who raise chickens, I have neighbors who eat chickens. My kids do just fine in Buffalo and in BPS and while the larger system has some disadvantages these are outweighed by various advantages. Yes, some schools in Buffalo are more chaotic than others, I am not naive. However, to suggest that raising the same independent-minded, well-educated, thoughtful young adults in Buffalo and within BPS is somehow more difficult than surrounding suburbs is incorrect. Anyhow, you did what you thought best for you children. Of course, I would respect this. Your approach is not necessarily the one that everyone ought to take.

There are many forces at work that prey upon the fears of suburban residents to keep real-estate prices high to the point of being exclusive as well as establishing tax rates that are also high *and* exclusive. How could the various towns justify this if they didn't prey on the fear of their residents?

The papers I graded were from all different schools from around the state. I was simply pointing out that the differences between "good" schools and "bad" schools were smaller than people realize. I can say so first hand having seen a variety papers from around the state.

[gwgirl80]

I wanted to add that Buffalo has some of the finest sport fishing locations in the North East region of America. We rank high for prize winning bass fishing and walleye. Boating is a luxury that is VERY affordable for the average income group. You can find all kinds of used boat deals, great deals on slip and there are numerous launches. State Parks offer nice campgrounds for those interested in escaping from their home and normal life. Campgrounds in this area are probably the safest place I have ever been in my whole life. We never lock our camper and leave for the day to fish or swim in the lake. Swimming, there are several public pools throughout the city and there are beaches that are fun for kids.

[Jonnno]

UniversalMan - I think you nailed the essence of life in Buffalo. The only thing you missed was the high taxes we pay. It adds to the cost of living and makes housing not as much of a bargain but I agree living here is stiil a lot cheaper than many other cities and yet you have all the advantages those other cities offer. Plus as you say, it is home and that means a lot. As the ads say that is "priceless"

[UniversalMan]

Originally Posted by Jonnno

UniversalMan - I think you nailed the essence of life in Buffalo. The only thing you missed was the high taxes we pay. It adds to the cost of living and makes housing not as much of a bargain but I agree living here is stiil a lot cheaper than many other cities and yet you have all the advantages those other cities offer. Plus as you say, it is home and that means a lot. As the ads say that is "priceless"

Thanks. I tried to be as unbiased for potential prospects as possible but yes I did forget to include the mention of our taxes. Almost 9 % and likely climbing on all sales. Property taxes within the city are also fairly high considering some of the neighborhoods. I did forget to mention as well that Buffalo does have a "decent" option for potential home buyers to purchase a home within the city of Buffalo in one of it's restoration areas which primarily include the east and west sides and include some commercial real estate. You can get a house for literally one dollar as long as you show you have between 5-10k in the bank to restore the house up to code and that you will work with licensed electricians and plumbers for any of that kind of needed work. You also must "live" in the house for a minimum of three years. Though I've talked to some guys downtown at city hall who told me that they of course can't keep track of your permanent residence being there, but the whole point of the program is to stop slumlords from taking over property. Most of these properties will also likely need more then 5-10k to get it where you would like it and be careful of faulty foundations. However, it is an option. I think it would be a great way to attract students going to UB to actually stay here for some years as the city hopefully turns around. Buffalo could benefit from gentrification and this would be a good idea perhaps for them to consider. Practically give these sharp students houses and they may stay awhile. Even granting them with the 5-10k to stay in some of these properties.

Thanks again.