moving to Buffalo and in need of help (Amherst, Hamburg: best neighborhoods, apartment complex)

[wenann]

I will be moving to the Buffalo area very soon and I have seen a lot of posts here, but they are hard to sift through. I was wondering if I could get some info on what areas have cheap rent but also are safe. I have also read a few posts about which areas get more snow then others, could someone please tell me what would be a good area with a combination of cheap rent, safe neighborhood and least snowfall.
My daughter and I would really love to live in the city, we figure why live in Buffalo and not live in the city. This may sound like a dumb question, but do I have to worry about roaches? We have been to Buffalo a couple of times and fell in love with it, I have already given notice at the apartment I am in now, but have yet to find a place to move into. I think I may be crazy…lol. Any advice would be great, Thanks

[BuffaloTransplant]

Define cheap.
My one daughter has a great apt. ( half a house) in S. Buffalo (nice area) for $450 plus her heat and elec. You can get an apt w/heat for less.
What neighborhood?
North Buffalo (toward Kenmore) and far south Buffalo (by W. Seneca) are safest; stay away from east and lower west sides ( musch is going trashy).
How old is your daughter?
If you need public schools, the city is not the place for you.
What type of environment? Village or susburban?
Lancaster, Alden, Kenmore all have villages. Williamsville does as well and it is more expensive. Most othe towns here are strip malls ( I live in both lancaster and Alden -= property in both towns) You are out from the city, but in the villages, there are apts. in homes that are reasonable. Kenmore is cheaper. It also has more buses.

[SteveT]

Originally Posted by wenann

I will be moving to the Buffalo area very soon and I have seen a lot of posts here, but they are hard to sift through. I was wondering if I could get some info on what areas have cheap rent but also are safe. I have also read a few posts about which areas get more snow then others, could someone please tell me what would be a good area with a combination of cheap rent, safe neighborhood and least snowfall.
My daughter and I would really love to live in the city, we figure why live in Buffalo and not live in the city. This may sound like a dumb question, but do I have to worry about roaches? We have been to Buffalo a couple of times and fell in love with it, I have already given notice at the apartment I am in now, but have yet to find a place to move into. I think I may be crazy…lol. Any advice would be great, Thanks

the further north you go the less snowfall you will receive. i would recommend looking at the elmwood village or north buffalo/kenmore. both are affordable and extremely walkable.

[amylynn83]

My husband and I have lived in the city for 2 years because like you, we'd rather live within the city than in the suburbs. We feel that the city has a character all its own and we like the walkability of the neighborhoods.

That being said, the best neighborhoods to live in are Elmwood Village and North Buffalo. Elmwood is trendy, has tons of boutiques, and is safe. North Buffalo is a working-class neighborhood - probably the safest in Buffalo. Both areas are affordable and the best in terms of resources like shops and cafes.

Right now, my husband and I live in Allentown, which is also a nice neighborhood, but a little on the grungy side. When our lease expires in May, we plan to live in either Elmwood Village or North Buffalo.

Good resources for apartments in Buffalo:

aptspotlight.com
Buffalo Apartments .com(SM) - Find Buffalo Apartments, NY Apartments, Niagara Falls Apartments, Erie Apartments, WNY Apartments, Lockport Apartments, Amherst Apartments, Lancaster Apartments, Orchard Park Apartments, Hamburg Apartments
Artvoice: We've got issues.

If you want a decent sized place, I'd recommend renting part of a house instead of an apartment complex. We live in an apartment complex now and find that it's extremely cramped. So far, I haven't been able to find a large apartment in a complex.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by BuffaloTransplant

Define cheap.
( I live in both lancaster and Alden -= property in both towns)

Are you on Townline Road? My sister lives over there!

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by wenann

I will be moving to the Buffalo area very soon and I have seen a lot of posts here, but they are hard to sift through. I was wondering if I could get some info on what areas have cheap rent but also are safe. I have also read a few posts about which areas get more snow then others, could someone please tell me what would be a good area with a combination of cheap rent, safe neighborhood and least snowfall.
My daughter and I would really love to live in the city, we figure why live in Buffalo and not live in the city. This may sound like a dumb question, but do I have to worry about roaches? We have been to Buffalo a couple of times and fell in love with it, I have already given notice at the apartment I am in now, but have yet to find a place to move into. I think I may be crazy…lol. Any advice would be great, Thanks

I don't think roaches are a problem in Buffalo -- it's probably too cold here! :-D

The areas South of the city get the most snowfall. Living in the city or North of it, you'll get snow, sure, but not like they do in the Southtowns.

Cheap rent, safe neighborhood and decent schools? Go for Kenmore, the suburb JUST North of the city. North Buffalo is getting dodgy, and you won't find good public schools in the city anyway. If you can send your kid to private school, or if you want to go thru the magnet school system, you could live in the city... but rents are cheaper in Kenmore, you'll be near the city and public transportation, and it's still a fairly nice little community. I'm not sure where you're from, but around here, apartments are often in converted homes, not big apartment buildings or communities. You could probably find a nice 2-bedroom apartment in Kenmore for about $500 a month.