Suburb areas of Buffalo/Niagara Falls (New York, Amherst: apartment, renting, hotel)

[seo24]

My husband and I are relocating to the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area in August and we need help! Neither of us have ever been to the area but we are moving due to an opportunity for my husband in Toronto, but we don't want to live outside of the U.S.

Our first problem is that neither of us have been to this area before so we are 100% in the dark as far as the different areas go... We do not want to live in a city setting, we are looking for something more like a suburb. Relatively small and quiet but approx 20-40 minutes from the city. We also are looking to stay in a 2 bedroom apartment that allows cats. I've tried looking online at some different websites but it seems like there is only 2 or 3 options available? I'm sure there are more but where to find them? The only neighborhoods that I could find any info on was Grand Island, Williamsville, Amherst, the Tonawandas (but that was confusing to me), Lockport...

Second problem is that while my husband will not be traveling to Toronto everyday, when he does go we would like no more than a 1 hour 45 minute to 2 hour commute (at most). So in that case would it be better to just decide to move to Canada instead?

Also my brother-in-law will be staying with us at first and would like to attend college, I haven't really started to look into the different colleges in the area but maybe someone here could lend some advice?

I appreciate any help that you can give, if you need to know any more info please let me know! Also we do both have our own cars so walking distance to anything isn't a big issue.

[seo24]

Also does anyone recommend just going and staying in a hotel until we decide on an apartment? Or having an apartment ready for us when we get there? Thanks.

[UpstaterInBklyn]

Just about any of the suburban areas are safe, although the hotel stay is a better idea than just renting something sight-unseen.

I wouldn't recommend commuting to Toronto, however. Traffic is usually delayed on the Niagara River bridges. Delays of one hour or more are not uncommon, especially in the Summer. You can get pre-screened and get a special ID card that speeds up the process... a little.

And, the traffic on the QEW, 400 and 401 into and through Toronto is usually horrific as well. If your husband's job is East of downtown Toronto, the commute would be significantly longer than if he is on West side, closer to Buffalo.

There are several good colleges in Buffalo, and each has its specialties. The State Schools (SUNY Buffalo and SUNY College at Buffalo) have higher tuition for non residents of New York State (I believe). If you could provide more information about what kind of major he is interested in, others could provide more focused advice

[Dockwalliper]

Depending on the time of day a daily trip to Toronto would be a killer. You can get a special pass to reduce your time at the boarder (Whirlpool bridge) but the QEW between Hamilton and Toronto can be bumper to bumper for miles.

[aka_mouse]

I dont see the big deal between living in the U.S. or outside of it. There really isn't going to be that much a difference between living on one side of the bridge or the other (IOW.. no real culture shock). Hamilton is basically the 'Buffalo' of Canada anyway

[ndawg8686]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

Just about any of the suburban areas are safe, although the hotel stay is a better idea than just renting something sight-unseen.

I wouldn't recommend commuting to Toronto, however. Traffic is usually delayed on the Niagara River bridges. Delays of one hour or more are not uncommon, especially in the Summer. You can get pre-screened and get a special ID card that speeds up the process... a little.

And, the traffic on the QEW, 400 and 401 into and through Toronto is usually horrific as well. If your husband's job is East of downtown Toronto, the commute would be significantly longer than if he is on West side, closer to Buffalo.

There are several good colleges in Buffalo, and each has its specialties. The State Schools (SUNY Buffalo and SUNY College at Buffalo) have higher tuition for non residents of New York State (I believe). If you could provide more information about what kind of major he is interested in, others could provide more focused advice

Few months late on this comment, but if you're going to be doing that, I'd highly recommend a NEXUS membership as well as a toll transceiver for the 407. The 407 is the only toll road in the GTA, and it's all electronic; you'll save a fair bit of money if you have that transceiver. It's by far the least congested road in the GTA. Take the QEW right to the 407 and go to Toronto that way; if you take the 403/QEW all the way to Toronto, you'll basically spend a shift of work in traffic once you get past Burlington.

I live about an hour and a half northwest of Toronto at the moment. It takes me exactly 2 hours and 45 minutes to get to Niagara Falls, and almost exactly 3 hours to get to the Peace Bridge; and that's without any speedYou really have to know your roads in this part of Canada to get where you need to go! You haven't seen traffic until you've been on the 401 at the 400 interchange.

[ocean2026]

I sort of like Tonawanda - it has some old style character and very reasonable. Many don't like it.

If you want to be brave - there are 4 beautiful buildings on 11th and South St in Niagara Falls- a church, a school and two rectory/convent buildings that are super steals, however everyone Ive talked to would agree that is a bad area of a bad town.

Go look at them though a 7000 sq ft solid rock home that would cost $1.5 million in Denver, or Dallas, I thought of buying one of em but they want to sell them as a package.

Other posters feel free to tell them they would have to be crazy to live in this area lol

Ok the best idea was to get a hotel for a month. There was a very friendly one on Main st near the airport my kids and I have stayed at 3 times. Its nice.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by aka_mouse

I dont see the big deal between living in the U.S. or outside of it. There really isn't going to be that much a difference between living on one side of the bridge or the other (IOW.. no real culture shock). Hamilton is basically the 'Buffalo' of Canada anyway

Actually, Hamilton is more like the Pittsburgh of Canada due to being their major steel producer.