Are people actually moving INTO Buffalo? (Florida, Lincoln: relocation, real estate, property taxes)

[I'minformed2]

You're right leaving nys....its MUCH better to have a negative attitude about the place where you live than a possitive one.... (incase you aren't too quick; that was sarcasm)

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by Cyrus221

Yes and no. Buffalo has its areas, and while EVERY SINGLE CITY in the United States has its bad parts and good parts, I think buffalo is right with it too. Of course, you wouldn't want to recommend moving to the inner city, William St \ Clinton area, because thats a bad area. However, Lovejoy, South Buffalo, North Buffalo, Elmwood, are DECENT areas. While they aren't exactly PRISTINE, I've lived in every single one of them and enjoyed it thoroughly. Right now I'm 22 and I moved out of town, but I plan on moving back because I LOVE the buffalo culture.



Well, this 22 yr old is moving back to buffalo! I love buffalo, its my heart and soul. Its funny because Erie County has what, a million people almost? Currently I live in a town of 30,000, and the cost of living is HIGHER than it is in buffalo!! I pay 700 \ mo for an apartment, and it includes water and garbage, and thats the norm here. Most are actually much higher, which is rediculous. Cost of living in Buffalo is dirt cheap, and its one of the reasons I want to move back.



True, but merciless bashing doesn't help either. The websites name isn't buffalosucks.com. What BuffaloTransplant was trying to say, if YOU had a brain, was that bashing buffalo by just TROLLING the forum is pointless -- if you have an OPINION then state it, ie Buffalo sucks _FOR THIS AND THIS AND THIS REASON_, not ZOMG LEAVE BUFFALO CUZ I SAID SO ITS TEH HORRIBLEST CITY EVARRRRRRR. Having an opinion is one thing, explaining it is another; randomly stating you hate something helps nobody.

Cyrus, thanks. I was getting fed up with people like itsmellsbad dumping on the city. [genghis took me wrong]. I have lived in the City, Kenmore, Lancaster, Alden. I was into the city as a younger person. I worked there. I wanted more room and left for acreage with a family. My husband is a 100% Buffalo born and bred boy until moving here.

The first thing I fell in love with was the architecture. If I was younger, and not considering kids,I'd look for an arts and crafts bungalow over in N. Buffalo or a colonial from the 1920s. ( Too much work on older homes, but if I could do it, the "painted ladies" on Elmwood and nearby are fabulous.) I have friends whose homes are pre-central heat -- with 4 or 5 chimneys and all knds of leaded glass and fireplaces --- OTOH, one of the most beautiful was in a really poor area of the lower west side; He sold it for about half what it was worth when he moved. In the city, you need to pick and choose. Some areas are gorgeous only the area is changing radically. Some were rotten apples when I moved here 40 years ago ( like the lower Elmwood area and Chippewa -- it was replete with winos and prostitutes then). Things change. You have to find a place here that is on the rise and rise with it. You get older, have kids, the city life isn't as important as the family life and activities which are day to day; you can still go to the city all the time.. Our house is older, we live on acreage, the kids never wanted for things to do and the town has a fine recreation program and many other things... also schools. You also don't get rental transients like in the city. Some areas have such a high turnover... w/kids, you never know who is around and safe for your kid to play with.

Anyone who is a city person, go for it. Old homes, go for it. However, there are beautiful places with older homes outside the city and people need to know that as well. My taxes are significantly lower than a city home of the same value as our home is on one parcel on which we are taxed residential and the acreage is taxed agriculture. Makes a huge difference.[One daughter lives in the city 1/2 mile from the Botanical Gardens, the other in the burbs. Different tasts, same age. So it is w/ all]

[Leaving NYS]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

You're right leaving nys....its MUCH better to have a negative attitude about the place where you live than a possitive one.... (incase you aren't too quick; that was sarcasm)

LOL! You're too funny (not) and such a (t)wit! Catch the local news tonight, read the help wanted ads tomorrow, take a drive through the hood and a good look all around you this weekend...then maybe you'll "get" my "attitude," POSITIVELY GETTING OUTTA HERE!!!!

[Leaving NYS]

Can Buffalo Ever Come Back? by Edward L. Glaeser, City Journal Autumn 2007

[warm heatherette]

That was a very interesting, informative article. Thanks for posting the link.

I know 'Leaving NYS' expresses much bitterness toward Buffalo, which is somewheat understandable when you read about the history of the city and its sad decline. However, I chose to interpret the article as cautiously optimistic concerning the city's fate, provided that financial assistance is channeled in the right direction. Glaeser made the point that as Buffalo was declining, government funding and tax-payer dollars went into attempting to revitalize the city as a 'geographical place', which failed miserably. The money would have better used had it gone toward helping it's disadvantaged citizens - creating tax breaks, incentives, jobs and educational opportunities for the poor.

It's probably true that Buffalo will never reclaim its former glory, but Glaeser's idea of working toward a "smaller but more vibrant community" is intriguing, and perhaps achievable.

I'm rooting for you Buffalo.

[Leaving NYS]

Originally Posted by warm heatherette

...cautiously optimistic concerning the city's fate, provided that financial assistance is channeled in the right direction. Glaeser made the point that as Buffalo was declining, government funding and tax-payer dollars went into attempting to revitalize the city as a 'geographical place', which failed miserably. The money would have better used had it gone toward helping it's disadvantaged citizens - creating tax breaks, incentives, jobs and educational opportunities for the poor.

With all due respect, Buffalo's only fate was doom and ALAS! here it is. Unfortunately, the suburbs are declining in its aftermath.

Its "disadvantaged citizens" have had all kinds of help for decades upon decades (i.e. Buffalo Urban League, United Way, City Mission, Salvation Army, Friends of the Night People, Hispanics United, various civic associations, social services, etc.), to no avail!!

Perhaps so many of "the poor" are in such situations because individual drive and discipline, self-motivation and determination is lacking. (BTW: "The poor" have great educational opportunities...FREE COLLEGE!)

[oktaren]

Originally Posted by Leaving NYS

With all due respect, Buffalo's only fate was doom and ALAS! here it is. Unfortunately, the suburbs are declining in its aftermath.

Its "disadvantaged citizens" have had all kinds of help for decades upon decades (i.e. Buffalo Urban League, United Way, City Mission, Salvation Army, Friends of the Night People, Hispanics United, various civic associations, social services, etc.), to no avail!!

Perhaps so many of "the poor" are in such situations because individual drive and discipline, self-motivation and determination is lacking. (BTW: "The poor" have great educational opportunities...FREE COLLEGE!)

I don't know what you are talking about. The buffalo area is great. plenty of jobs, very cheap to live and very beautiful. the suburbs and surrounding hinterlands are great. have fun elsewhere. i didn't.

[tinypliny]

If this has not been posted before, people are indeed moving to Buffalo. Buffalo rocks and here is why: The Degentrification of Red Hook -- New York Magazine

[afeist]

There was a mid six figure job open for a year, right here for the taking just a few miles outside the city limits. My employer had to move me across half the country to fill it. Are there tons of such jobs? Probably not, as is the case in all but the hugest (and hugest cost of living) cities, although I see plenty of very nice cars on my refreshingly light commutes - they are all going to some kind of profitable employment and I know for a fact precious few government jobs would pay for them! Surely some qualified local could have saved the company the relocation costs though?

Because they did not, I get to save $100K on my house cost for an equivalent property, even though I moved from Lincoln NE which is hardly San Francisco-like in its housing market. I get to pay an extra $2K a year in property taxes sure, but hey I just saved $6K a year on my mortgage so who cares? I've lived in bigger metropolitan areas, equivalent metropolitan areas and smaller metropolitan areas. All have strengths and weaknesses. Buffalo has much less traffic than St Louis for example, is not as cold or pricey as Minneapolis, and has more entertainment and amenities than Lincoln. It's more filled with character than Dallas, and avoids the crushing humidity and traffic of Houston. All of those places I've lived in or been offered jobs in - all at equivalent remuneration levels. I came here instead.

I am not so emotional and naive to judge a city as having friendly or unfriendly people based on meeting a few of them - there isn't a burg over 10 souls that doesn't have both of course, but so far I've been welcomed and treated well here. There is plenty to do for a thirtysomething type like me - ranging from dive bars full of characters to a nice little theater company with the coolest intimate stage setting I've ever seen - and I enjoy both those and plenty in between. I can see plenty of trails and parks to explore when the mood takes me, and plenty of varied dining options, entertainment venues and cultural/arts sites. I haven't even made it up to the falls yet, despite working just a few miles away. A quick trip to one of my favorite world class cities - Toronto - is on the cards for next week. No more $400 5 hour flights to take on the trivia powerhouses at Scotland Yard for me!

Now sure I see slums and shuttered housing - how can an economy built on rust belt jobs not suffer over the last 25+ years? But I see them in specific areas, and unless you live there how do they affect your life really? If every house in Buffalo were maintained impeccably and filled with gainfully employed folks that would be truly great, but personally it would change little for me. I'm not being selfish here, as I truly hope that all cities move towards that ideal, Buffalo very much included. However poverty and griminess exist in all cities, as do wealthy excess and middle class orthodoxy. How should we expect Buffalo to be any different? The ratio is only greater here towards the former option because of the economy dependent on heavy manufacturing collapsed. As more varied economic options grow, that will shift. In which direction depends on the people of the city far more than the government or historical precedent.

[roger9552]

No one has mentioned that the biggest state university in the Northeast the University of Buffalo. The university offers an affordable education and should be a major player in the redevelopment of WNY.