Need advise - Moving from Marietta,GA to Buffalo, NY area (Amherst: apartments, for rent)

[piscesavis]

Hello,

I have got a job offer from a company located in Tonawanda, NY. I am currently living in Marietta, GA. Has anyone recently moved from GA/FL/AL/TN to Buffalo, NY area? What will be the pros and cons?

I did some search online. Housing and weather will be a major factor. I do not have immediate plans to own a home. I don't enjoy the current hot and humid weather of Atlanta either. Is there anyone factors worth considering before making the move? I am single and drawing a salary of $ 80 K plus. There is no major change in salary in the new job. Please advise.

Thank in Advance!

[genoobie]

If you decide to live near your workplace in Tonawanda, pick your property carefully. Tonawanda, Kenmore and some surrounding burbs have seen some fluctuation in market values. If you are insisting on suburban living, you may want farther north, like Niagara County that seems to be stable + growing. There's always Buffalo proper that is stable + growing (although certain areas are a bit overvalued lately in my opinion). Amherst is seeing some fluctuation in prices along border areas, but the town as a whole appears stable. The traffic in Amherst is nightmarish, but coming from GA it probably doesn't seem bad. Good luck on your search!

[newred5]

Tonawanda is a great place to live. Where is your work located

[ckhthankgod]

What kind of community/neighborhood would you prefer? To add on to what genoobie said, a town like Wheatfield in Niagara County has been growing and is close enough to Tonawanda, for example.

[genoobie]

Incidentally, I never said any of those places weren't great places to live. I'm sure Tonawanda is fine, just be wary of real-estate valuation.

[newred5]

Genoobie I understand what you are saying ... There are areas of Tonawanda that are nicer than others and areas of Tonawanda that have kind of declined over the years . I grew up in Tonawnada and still have relatives who live there ....

[piscesavis]

Thanks everyone for the replies. My work locations are Niagara Falls, NY and Tonawanda.

I am also looking for an apartment around Tonawanda/Amherst area which seems to be closer to shopping places and restaurants. Will I be able to find a 2-BR apt for the price of $700 - 900 per month around Amherst/Tonawanda (or any other nice place within 15-20 miles of commutable distance from Niagara Falls, NY)?

Thanks again.

[ckhthankgod]

I would definitely look in the Niagara-Wheatfield(including Sanborn) area too. Here is a great apartment guide: Amherst Apartments for Rent | Amherst NY Apartment Finder

North Tonawanda may be another place to look into.

[newred5]

EMBASSY SQUARE or Crestmont apt
http://www.embassyapts.com/

Address: Embassy Square Apartments, LLC.
95 Embassy Square
Town of Tonawanda, NY 14150
(716) 833-5200
Monthly Rent: One Bedroom: $650 - $750
Two Bedroom: $750 - $850
Details:
Our friendly professional staff, excellent location and ideal 1 and 2 bedroom floor plans are all the right reasons to make C ...

[BuffaloTransplant]

piscesavis:

If you want to rent, ther are many places in Tonawanda and also on the way to Niagara Falls. If you are splitting the time between the two areas, and consider traveling across Grand Island, you should consider there are many apts there as well -- it'd be midway. If you plan on driving up through Wheatfield on River Road or Niagara Falls Blvd, the housing stock is a bit older.

As to the towns:Most of Tonawanda was build 1950s-1980s. (That is the Town.) The City of Tonawanda is substantially older and has a really eclectic housing stock; so is North Tonawanda ( are on 2 sides of a county line). Wheatfield is north of that is built up in the 1980s to now; new homes are still going up. Niagara Falls, while beautiful some places are incredibly beautiful homes, I don't know of apt. complexes. Plus, it is the sketchiest of the areas. You might consider Amherst on the east side of Niagara Falls Blvd. Since Univ. of Buffalo is over that way, consider apts. over toward the campus.

It all comes down to what you want out of this - most of this area is easy for commute; lots of expressway access for easy commute : Tonawanda has the 190 and 290 expressways. Amherst gets the 990 over by Univ. Buffalo and it goes into the 290 and goes out to Lockport. The 190 goes across Grand island. All "90" designations on expressways are loops of the 90 (the NY Thruway.) which go around or link to other parts: from Tonawanda you could take the 290 to the 190 across Grand Island to the Falls, or drive on roads and not cross Grand Island. Roads mean stoplights and signs and are slower.

The location you are working is relevant to where you want to be; some areas of the Tonawandas have high industrial sections (toward the river) and so does a good part of Niagara Falls. Depending on the industry, it'd be an area to avoid for noise and/or odor.