May move family from EA to the City! (Buffalo, Aurora: sales, foreclosures)

[MASC]

I think this a fabulous forum. I really enjoy reading the various ideas, opinions, and experiences that folks have had living here, visiting here, and unfortunately leaving Buffalo.

I have lived in the Buffalo area nearly my entire life, with the exception of the requisite but very brief North Carolina stint in the mid-90s.

I grew up in EA, and currently live in EA. It's a wonderful community!! No complaints about my hometown here. I lived in the Elmwood/BuffState area during my college days, but we are now considering moving our three children and one kitty to the Parkside/North Park area.

My husband lived in NYC for 10ish years. I spent a couple of years enjoying NYC weekend living before his big move to Bflo. We bought a lovely home with a bunch of acreage in EA, but we miss urban living. We didn't have the kids in our city living days, so we are just looking for some practical and positive insight as to raising a family in the city! Just doing some homework at this phase.......

What are your favorite family activities in the area? Any school recommendations? $6-$8K/yr tuition per child is not practical for this family with two school-agers and one toddler to go to school yet. Summer camps? Play groups? After school programs? Community/private sport programs? Any positive suggestions are welcome!! TIA

[CAugust]

North Buffalo is a wonderful area if you like the city, make sure you check out Business First school rankings, that being said, there are some smaller private catholic schools in north buffalo if you want private schooling without a huge cost.

there are a lot of parks in the area - of course the zoo and you are still a short distance away from great restaraunts and clubs........that area of north buffalo is my favorite, lots of older homes with great hardwood and woodwork throughout

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by CAugust

North Buffalo is a wonderful area if you like the city, make sure you check out Business First school rankings, that being said, there are some smaller private catholic schools in north buffalo if you want private schooling without a huge cost.

there are a lot of parks in the area - of course the zoo and you are still a short distance away from great restaraunts and clubs........that area of north buffalo is my favorite, lots of older homes with great hardwood and woodwork throughout

MLS listed houses show property tax at present -based on what the current owner pays or recent assessment? How soon before the tax reflects the sales price? Is that always a given?
Thanks..

[MASC]

Originally Posted by 12buttons

MLS listed houses show property tax at present -based on what the current owner pays or recent assessment? How soon before the tax reflects the sales price? Is that always a given?
Thanks..

Hi there 12 Buttons!! Not all municipalities are 100% valuation, i.e. East Aurora is at appx 45% valaution, so if your house is worth $100,000 (fair market value) it will likely be assessed at appx $45,000 this will also be reflected in the MLS. There are often discrepencies though between assessment and sale/asking price even in full valuation municipalities. Assessments are simply not the best way to determine value.

The City of Buffalo is at 100% valuation for assessment; however, in NYS we have a welcome stranger law that prohibits a municipality from reassessing a property because of a sale alone, so the assessment after a sale will not likely reflect exactly the recent sale price, especially if a property has been recently reassessed. If there is a gross deviation between sale price and assessment, I imagine it will invite the tax assessor's attention though. HTH

[MASC]

Originally Posted by CAugust

North Buffalo is a wonderful area if you like the city, make sure you check out Business First school rankings, that being said, there are some smaller private catholic schools in north buffalo if you want private schooling without a huge cost.

there are a lot of parks in the area - of course the zoo and you are still a short distance away from great restaraunts and clubs........that area of north buffalo is my favorite, lots of older homes with great hardwood and woodwork throughout

Thanks for the response! I am hoping that there are some folks that lurk around this forum that could share with me their personal experiences with some of those Catholic schools that you are referring to. I am excited about the availabilty of such great green space nearby for the kids to play, but also wondering what kind of activities are the local kids involved in.

[Buffalonian4life]

Originally Posted by MASC

I think this a fabulous forum. I really enjoy reading the various ideas, opinions, and experiences that folks have had living here, visiting here, and unfortunately leaving Buffalo.

I have lived in the Buffalo area nearly my entire life, with the exception of the requisite but very brief North Carolina stint in the mid-90s.

I grew up in EA, and currently live in EA. It's a wonderful community!! No complaints about my hometown here. I lived in the Elmwood/BuffState area during my college days, but we are now considering moving our three children and one kitty to the Parkside/North Park area.

My husband lived in NYC for 10ish years. I spent a couple of years enjoying NYC weekend living before his big move to Bflo. We bought a lovely home with a bunch of acreage in EA, but we miss urban living. We didn't have the kids in our city living days, so we are just looking for some practical and positive insight as to raising a family in the city! Just doing some homework at this phase.......

What are your favorite family activities in the area? Any school recommendations? $6-$8K/yr tuition per child is not practical for this family with two school-agers and one toddler to go to school yet. Summer camps? Play groups? After school programs? Community/private sport programs? Any positive suggestions are welcome!! TIA

Now, did you mean you "may" move to the city? or that you will move in "May" (the month)???

[MASC]

Originally Posted by Buffalonian4life

Now, did you mean you "may" move to the city? or that you will move in "May" (the month)???

I should have said we are considering moving to the city. No particular time frame in mind. Do/Did you have children and raise them in city?

[Buffalonian4life]

Originally Posted by MASC

I should have said we are considering moving to the city. No particular time frame in mind. Do/Did you have children and raise them in city?

No children yet, but when we do, we will probably move to the Delaware Park area - that seems to be the best place to raise a family in the city.

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by MASC

Hi there 12 Buttons!! Not all municipalities are 100% valuation, i.e. East Aurora is at appx 45% valaution, so if your house is worth $100,000 (fair market value) it will likely be assessed at appx $45,000 this will also be reflected in the MLS. There are often discrepencies though between assessment and sale/asking price even in full valuation municipalities. Assessments are simply not the best way to determine value.

The City of Buffalo is at 100% valuation for assessment; however, in NYS we have a welcome stranger law that prohibits a municipality from reassessing a property because of a sale alone, so the assessment after a sale will not likely reflect exactly the recent sale price, especially if a property has been recently reassessed. If there is a gross deviation between sale price and assessment, I imagine it will invite the tax assessor's attention though. HTH

Thanks . I always get the assessed versus appraised mixed up....my questions have to do with mitigating any surprises after purchase ie new tax assessment and the commensurate price increase....as we know taxes in WNY are the achilles hell, and with so many foreclosures and de-population , Iwould expect that to only increase..I hope not.....so Buffalo taxes are higher than East Aurora ie 100 versus 45? Is this property only and the school tax falls under another category? and does a house get assessed right after purchase in Buffalo? Someone I think said one of the areas doens't wait for the ink to dry at the closing!

[CAugust]

Originally Posted by Buffalonian4life

No children yet, but when we do, we will probably move to the Delaware Park area - that seems to be the best place to raise a family in the city.

ita with you, if you are moving to north buffalo, that area is the best for families and its always in demand...