Amherst, NY (Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Niagara Falls: apartment, to rent, crime)

[Natashae]

Hello everyone!
We are thinking about moving to Amherst, NY. Are schools good there? Is it safe? Are there sidewalks in neighborhoods? Parks? recreational areas? How bad are blizzards? What is the deal with the sinking houses and foundation problems? What areas is this not affecting? What do you like and don't like about this town?
Thank you so much,
Natalia

[Check123]

I don't know much about the schools, but it is probably the safest place in the U.S.

Originally Posted by Natashae

Hello everyone!
We are thinking about moving to Amherst, NY. Are schools good there? Is it safe? Are there sidewalks in neighborhoods? Parks? recreational areas? How bad are blizzards? What is the deal with the sinking houses and foundation problems? What areas is this not affecting? What do you like and don't like about this town?
Thank you so much,
Natalia

[homeward bound]

It's been a long time since I lived there, but I've kept in touch with old friends who still do.

GREAT schools. I was extremely well-prepared for college at SUNY-Buffalo, which in turn prepared me very well for grad school & a career in college teaching. Went to Amherst/Williamsville schools from 4th grade through highschool.

Fine parks, recreational fields and facilities, youth programs, etc. Very much a family-minded place.

Very safe. Relatively little real crime, mostly bored teenagers committing vandalism, relatively minor drug use among the sometimes-pampered teenage kids, etc. Crime does happen--a woman was recently murdered while biking on a trail in Clarence, which is close by. But it is an unusually safe area. Quite far from any true high-crime areas, too.

Good hospital, doctors, shopping, easy access to Buffalo, not far from Toronto, etc.

Most neighborhoods DO have sidewalks, and most of these are sidewalks on both sides of the street. A lot of people stroll around in good weather.

The village of Williamsville, which is essentially inside Amherst, is a very quaint part of town--well worth walking around or even settling in if you want an old-fashioned type of home within a larger, more recently built-up suburb.

A lot of housing choices, from modest 3 bedroom 1960s types of suburban homes (ranches, split levels, etc.) to recently built mansions. Very affordable by today's newer suburbs standards.

And the weather ISN'T all that bad. Yes, they're enduring a freak early-season storm now, but most winters aren't very punishing, just long, and people handle the winters well. The streets are cleaned well and fast, schools generally stay open, and most people know how to drive just fine in the snow. If your kids are young enough, they'll get taken in by the area's love of hockey. I never even saw it before I moved up there, but was playing, on ice, that first winter. If you like to cook or read or play music or are just busy with your family anyway, the winter passes by just fine. Great sledding and hiking around in the snow, too--your dog will love it, if you've got one (get one!).

GREAT summer weather. Almost always a lovely breeze, very rarely a drought or long-lasting heat-wave. And Lake Erie is much cleaner than it used to be, so families can enjoy that again. And great, pristine lakes with fine cottages on them are within three hours' drive in Ontario--your kids will love the summer ritual of going to the cottage if you start it once you get there. Lots of fine state parks with campgrounds, waterfalls, rivers, etc., just to your east and southeast. Lake Ontario has been cleaned up pretty well too, and has some beautiful old towns on it to your northeast. You'll feel like you're in New England in some of these.

Some of the homes are built on wet land, so some homes do have sinking foundation and wet basement problems. Just search carefully and tell your realtor you're aware of this problem and to insist on full disclosure from the current homeowner and you don't have to worry about this. The home we lived in had a flooded basement just one time, and that was after a very rare four-day period of constant thunderstorms. No one I knew had any real problem with this.

Lots of great food, too, especially if you like Greek and Italian food. Quite an ethnically mixed place for a suburb.

High property taxes, as people will rightly say, but you do get unusually good schools and services for this.

I like other areas of NY state much more than Amherst, but that's only because I like rolling hills over flat, country/small old town over newer suburb, etc. But if you like suburban life, this is among the best suburb I've seen anywhere in the country. Very balanced, sane pace, for a suburban area, with an unusually strong sense of community.

Best of luck on your move!

[Natashae]

Thank you so much for such a comprehensive reply. It helps me a lot to know the opinion of those who know the area very well.
Thank you!
Natasha

[Wisteria]

I'm from Buffalo, but lived in Cheektowaga, got my degrees from SUNY/Buffalo (Amherst) and my sister lives in Amherst. It is a very safe suburb -- not a city. It looks and acts surburban. My sister and her family love it there. They moved there from Cheektowaga for the school system (one of the tops in the nation).

The weather is NOT that bad. Buffalo (Amherst), unlike other places I have lived that get occasional snow, is prepared! In fact, because they constantly plow the roads and put salt on the roads, usually, unless it's actually snowing at the moment, the roads are down to pavement! And snow is actually quite beautiful and so quiet to walk in at night! I always loved that part of living in the Buffalo area!

Lots of ethnic variety there. And Buffalo chicken wings -- YUM! Great pizza -- great food, in general! You can easily get to Canada (Toronto is a favorite weekend getaway place), Niagara Falls, and Alleghany State Park.

My sister loves it there, although I'm not a suburban person, so I live in California now in the middle of the redwoods -- she'd hate it here! Each to their own. But for a suburb, it's got nice houses, much cheaper than the rest of the country (although high property taxes), great food, accessible to Canada and the City of Buffalo, and the university is right there. It's safe, clean, and great for kids.

Good luck!

[Natashae]

How often do people have to shovel snow off the driveway? What are the alternatives to shoveling? What do old people do when their health doesn't let them get up early in the morning to do that? Or, say, single moms who can't leave their children home by themselves, or in any other similar situation?

I am originally from Russia and love snow, but in my country the city takes care of the snow, even driveways. Right now I am living in TN, and miss snow very much, but because I don't have any experience shoveling snow, I don't know if I can permanently live somewhere where it is done on a regular basis for several months. Any solutions?

[WNYerinSOCAL]

You can hire some one to plow. I am from West Seneca/ OP area originally and my mom lives by herself there and has a plow guy.

Amherst is a very nice area. It goes to a number of school districts, Amherst Central and some to Williamsville. Both district are very good. Just be careful fo the sinking houses in Amherst.

[WNYerinSOCAL]

Oh just wanted to add Sweethome is the other district that services part of Amherst. I couldn't remember last night the 3rd district for the life of me. Or type correctly either after rereading my above post. LOL

[shedelman]

Originally Posted by Natashae

Hello everyone!
We are thinking about moving to Amherst, NY. Are schools good there? Is it safe? Are there sidewalks in neighborhoods? Parks? recreational areas? How bad are blizzards? What is the deal with the sinking houses and foundation problems? What areas is this not affecting? What do you like and don't like about this town?
Thank you so much,
Natalia

We just moved south from that area. We bought in Clarence because too many of the homes in Amherst have foundation problems. After the recent snow, almost all of the basements are flooded. What I liked was the ease of driving. Everything is a grid and there are numerous traffic lights. The schools are great. What I didn't like about Clarence is that the people are not used to people from other areas of the country and were most unfriendly. We chose to leave because of the cold personalities along with the unreasonably high property taxes.

[NNYGIRL]

Hi there,
I currently live in Amherst, and have lived here since the summer of 2003. My husband is in medical school at UB. We don't have kids and we rent. BUT, Amherst is absolutely a safe place to live. When we moved here it was ranked as the #1 most safest place to live (for cities its size...) and this year it is #3. There HAVE been 2 murders, and 1 murder-suicide this year though!! 1 woman from Clarence went missing from a bike path she was running on, and was found murdered there. Another murder was kinda weird...a kid (who was being molested by this guy...a dentist who worked in W. Seneca I think) was at the dentist's house--and stabbed the dude and then the dentist died. Then the murder suicide happened right on the corner where I live. A man killed his girlfriend, then himself.

BUT like I say, thats 3 murders since we've been here, all happening in 1 year. Aside from those freaky things, I have never ever had any problems. I feel safe to walk around my block at night and being at home alone when my husband is on call.

I will say one thing though...if you go past the UB South Campus which is where the line for the city of Buffalo is, it isn't that great. And I have noticed that "riff-raff" has been slowly working its way closer and closer to Amherst. By this I mean a couple muggings and some other robberies right next to campus.

And one other thing about Amherst, which depending on what traffic is like where you currently live...you may be bothered by that here. It is very spread out and there is a LOT LOT LOT of traffic. Especially on weekends!! Beware of Niagara Falls Blvd and Transit Road on a Sat. or Sunday afternoon. But like I say, I come from the sticks originally so maybe it isn't that bad for other people.

But overall:
1. VERY nice safe, clean place to live (well, since the nasty storm last weekend it is mess due to all the trees that have fallen)
2. I don't know about the schooling because I don't have kids, but I have heard that Sweethome and Williamsville are great school districts.
3. Our apartment is cheap to rent, but I would imagine that buying a house would be not too bad. I think that the Buffalo area is probably below housing costs of many other areas.
4. Beware of traffic, it gets bad!! And one other thing to note and be very aware of: drivers in Amherst make up their own traffic rules. No kidding. I am still baffeled by some stuff that EVERYONE does. You'll see what I mean.

Hope I could help.