Coming from Texas (New York, Buffalo, Hamburg: property taxes, housing, rent)

[Seesko]

Hello!
My husband and I are originally from Erie, PA. My Husband is border patrol and has been trying to get to the northeren border since moving to Texas in 1999. The Buffalo station is hiring and he has put in for a position. We are praying he gets it. We want our children to grow up in with snow and the other things we had as children. Plus Grandma and Grandpa are in Erie.
I am a teacher and am wondering about the schools in the area. Also, our son will be starting kindergarten next year. Any recommendation on where to look for homes? What areas would be good for our family? Any areas we should stay away from?
I am premature in asking all these questions since he hasn't even gotten the job, but I am praying for a white christmas.

Hope to be there soon! Thanks!

[homeward bound]

Sadly, I'd be careful about moving to the city itself. Some areas (Elmwood, the North Side) remain very livable, but apparently crime has worsened recently, spilling into previously safe neighborhoods. And the school system is struggling, with a huge round of teacher layoffs in the last few years and lagging funding and quality. The city's finances are pretty bad, too. Buffalo as a city is probably not a good place for a young family right now.

But you've got a lot of other choices. If your husband wouldn't mind a bit of a drive, East Aurora and Hamburg are nice family-friendly towns to the south with very good schools.

To the east, Williamsville, Clarence, and Lancaster are very livable places with fine schools.

Northward, Newfane and Niagara-on-the-Lake are very nice.

And there are a lot of nice farmhouses or small villages to the north, east, and south within a moderate drive to Buffalo. The school systems even in these rural areas is generally very good, because the state has very high standards and does a pretty good job funding them.

The cautions you'll read here about high property taxes are very apt, though. It can be shocking coming from a low-tax state like Texas (though I know that Texas can have high property taxes where a community truly wants good services and thus must compensate for the state not having a state income tax to spread around to localties).

Best of luck on your move! I'm sure you'll love it, but then again, I'm very biased. I'd take NY state over Texas any day. When the winter gets long, remind your kids that renting a cottage on a Great Lake or a smaller inland lake WILL happen, and that the summers are perfect!

[jblake78728]

Im also origionally from PA, lived in Austin,Texas for about 6 years & recently moved to Northern New York. If your property taxes down on the border were similar to ours in Austin youll be pleasantly surprised by the property taxes in Upstate NY. However, having a state income tax again will take a little getting use to ...... but to me it was woth it. Good luck to ya & I hope you get to have that white christmas this year.

[Lan,NY]

Originally Posted by Seesko

Hello!
My husband and I are originally from Erie, PA. My Husband is border patrol and has been trying to get to the northeren border since moving to Texas in 1999. The Buffalo station is hiring and he has put in for a position. We are praying he gets it. We want our children to grow up in with snow and the other things we had as children. Plus Grandma and Grandpa are in Erie.
I am a teacher and am wondering about the schools in the area. Also, our son will be starting kindergarten next year. Any recommendation on where to look for homes? What areas would be good for our family? Any areas we should stay away from?
I am premature in asking all these questions since he hasn't even gotten the job, but I am praying for a white christmas.

Hope to be there soon! Thanks!

Hi,

I've lived in WNY all of my life and I feel that you really can't go wrong with any of the Buffalo suburbs. I was a teacher for the better part of thirty years and it's my opinion that all of the suburban school districts are excellent because they draw from the same pool of talent. Different districts have their strengths though. For instance Sweet Home Central is know for sports, Lancaster Central is known for theater.

You'll find that the competition for teaching jobs will be strong. Our colleges turn out quite a few teachers each year, all competing for the same jobs. You may have to start with subbing, and then long term subbing, to get your foot in the door.

Housing here is very affordable compared to many parts of the country. For instance you can buy a very nice existing home in the suburbs for about the same amount that people in other parts of the country pay for a kitchen remodeling. All of the suburbs are nice places to live and work.

Regarding crime, I consider Sarasota, FL, for example, to be a very nice city, and yet crime in the WNY suburbs is 1000% LESS than Sarasota and 500% LESS than the national average, according to a website I visited that keeps track of these things.

And of course WNY is surrounded with interesting places. Skiing, hiking, and camping in the Southern Tier. Boating and fishing on the Niagara River. Theater and dining in Buffalo, Niagara on the Lake, and Toronto. And of course there's Niagara Falls right next door.

In all, it's a very nice place to live.

Good luck, MM