Need some input on these areas please (Buffalo, Amherst: real estate, rental)

[LauraB]

This may be a duplicate and i've tried to search could be I missed a whole lot.

Here's the rundown, i'm a single mother looking for something I can afford to buy. I'm not sure the good vs bad sides of town.
I need a decent school district because I have a special needs child and also an area that has good healthcare for cancer. I'm not a bad person, I just am trying to make it on my own with my kids and a single income. I also would like to know if Buffalo and Amherst are "liberal" towns? I noticed a lot of gals had tattoos and wild hair colors.. i'm hoping I may have found a liberal hot spot? or just a few rebels fighting for a cause?

Anyways the areas:
The areas I was looking at were the Peace Bridge area, Bennett village, Lackawana?, Buffalo State college area and University Heights?.

Again i'm looking for safety and I was reading on the snow.. someone said they plow in Amherst before Buffalo? I was talking to a apt rental agent and they claim it only snows real bad once every 10 years and that the snow was comparable to Colorado... however I can't help but notice how close Buffalo is to CANADA I can only imagine the snow may be unbearable?

I'm a southern gal so i'm used to intense heat, humidity, bugs .. and no snow.
But where I live now is so un-safe very conservative besides being a melting pot and you have to speak 3 languages to make more than 7.50 an hour. I hate that I can't look left or right in fear of who might be there, gators in the lakes, un-friendly people and just all that is Mickey Mouse.
Any input or links to where I can find relative information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all!

[friedzone]

Why not keep a place down south for winter refuge? I love Florida during the cold months as an escape from the ice and snow. My only mistake was moving down south to live all year long. Being a "snow bird" is not a bad thing. If birds fly south for the winter why can't we? Summer, spring and fall are beautiful in WNY. There's nothing wrong with taking a winter break. Best thing is to spend some time in the area and get to know it. I'm on my way there right now! There are some very inexpensive places to stay if you do your homework.

[LauraB]

Since it's not snow bird season why would you be down here when the hurricanes are about to hit? I'm confused. Snow bird season is later on, I must have missed something here. Second of all snow birds are affluent senior citizens who have a lot of money and sip pina coladas in Boca Raton, the real Florida isn't like that. I bet you won't be vacationing in Pine Hills?

[ckhthankgod]

I think the Buffalo State area is the best choice for you. A very artsy part of the city, with good schools as well.

Not too sure about the other areas as much except that Lackawanna was a big time steel city. Here is some info. about some of the neigborhoods:The Neighborhoods

Buffalo Neighborhoods - Map Collectiuon - University at Buffalo Libraries

[CAugust]

I dont think Lackawanna is a place you want to be

Amherst is a good area with a decent school district

The snow is NOT as bad as people make it out to be - i assure you of that

[FedupWNY]

Originally Posted by CAugust

I dont think Lackawanna is a place you want to be

Amherst is a good area with a decent school district

The snow is NOT as bad as people make it out to be - i assure you of that

Of course Lackawanna isn't going to be a good enough place, nor would Buffalo, Amherst has expensive houses for realitors like yourself to make a great commission on.

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by LauraB

I need a decent school district because I have a special needs child and also an area that has good healthcare for cancer. I'm not a bad person, I just am trying to make it on my own with my kids and a single income. I also would like to know if Buffalo and Amherst are "liberal" towns? I noticed a lot of gals had tattoos and wild hair colors.. i'm hoping I may have found a liberal hot spot? or just a few rebels fighting for a cause?

Anyways the areas:
The areas I was looking at were the Peace Bridge area, Bennett village, Lackawana?, Buffalo State college area and University Heights?.

I don't know where Bennett Village is, and I don't know much about Lackawanna... out of these other areas, I would avoid the Peace Bridge area and University Heights if you want to feel safe.

The Buff State area would be fine if you don't mind living near college students (someone else on this forum recently discovered that's not always fun); I think they have a magnet school on the campus, and you might want to look into magnet schools rather than the public schools if you are going to be in the city. I think you'd also be comfortable in North Buffalo, but if you don't mind the suburbs, maybe look in Kenmore, which is just outside the city: family-friendly, small but cozy houses, good school district with an established program for special needs kids.

You said you need good healthcare for cancer... We have Roswell Park Cancer Institute up here. It's very well-respected in the cancer-fighting community. It's located downtown, but you can get there fairly easily and quickly from just about everywhere.

If the snow freaks you out, don't live south of the city. That's the area that gets the heaviest amount of snowfall.

HTH.

[CAugust]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

Of course Lackawanna isn't going to be a good enough place, nor would Buffalo, Amherst has expensive houses for realitors like yourself to make a great commission on.

yeah lol - funny - its not about commission its about schools and safety - i think you mean EAST AMHERST - which I was NOT implying - take your sarcasm elseware.........

You want to throw her to Lackawanna? I lived 1 mile from there growing up - not a great place to be - my friend who are teachers there tell me no parents show up for conferences - hmmmm is that the classmates you want your kids to pal up with
fyi - i sell 300k homes and 70k homes, it doesnt matter to me - why so negative?

[FedupWNY]

Originally Posted by CAugust

yeah lol - funny - its not about commission its about schools and safety - i think you mean EAST AMHERST - which I was NOT implying - take your sarcasm elseware.........

You want to throw her to Lackawanna? I lived 1 mile from there growing up - not a great place to be - my friend who are teachers there tell me no parents show up for conferences - hmmmm is that the classmates you want your kids to pal up with
fyi - i sell 300k homes and 70k homes, it doesnt matter to me - why so negative?

Your comments lately (to me) sound like you're trying to talk people out of the cities and into the suburbs where housing is more posh for real estate agents. She wrote that she's on a limited budget and your best advice was to sell Amherst first, no explanation. There are just as many "good" neighborhoods & schools in Buffalo & Lackawanna.

Having once lived a mile from an area and hearing second-hand info about parents who don't come to conferences (is that really so aweful for someone seeking residency ideas?), just for sake of the conversation, did your teacher friends happen to mention the parents are working or some other good reason, other than trying to make it sound like all the kids are bad because their parents don't meet with teachers?

If your concern was about schools & safety, why was this your first comment?

Originally Posted by CAugust

I dont think Lackawanna is a place you want to be

Amherst is a good area with a decent school district

Why wouldn't Lackawanna be a good place? Why would Amherst be a better place? Why should I have to take my sarcasm elsewhere when you're selling the first and second ring suburbs (higher-class housing) to anyone who says they're looking to relocate in the Buffalo area? I post about an area I care deeply about and you are simply "on the clock" looking for higher end commissions.

[CAugust]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

Your comments lately (to me) sound like you're trying to talk people out of the cities and into the suburbs where housing is more posh for real estate agents. She wrote that she's on a limited budget and your best advice was to sell Amherst first, no explanation. There are just as many "good" neighborhoods & schools in Buffalo & Lackawanna.

Having once lived a mile from an area and hearing second-hand info about parents who don't come to conferences (is that really so aweful for someone seeking residency ideas?), just for sake of the conversation, did your teacher friends happen to mention the parents are working or some other good reason, other than trying to make it sound like all the kids are bad because their parents don't meet with teachers?

If your concern was about schools & safety, why was this your first comment?



Why wouldn't Lackawanna be a good place? Why would Amherst be a better place? Why should I have to take my sarcasm elsewhere when you're selling the first and second ring suburbs (higher-class housing) to anyone who says they're looking to relocate in the Buffalo area? I post about an area I care deeply about and you are simply "on the clock" looking for higher end commissions.

There are currently 36 homes available in Amherst from 53k to 100k, and 13 of them are under 75k asking price.

Amherst has better schools (public) as far as rankings go than Lackawanna.

As far as my friends comments, the reason "most" do not show up to conferences is because they dont want to - teacher would say to a student, if your behavior does not get better, I will need to call your parents in for a conference and thier reply would be, "go ahead, I haven't seen my mother in three days" Obviously I am sure it does not apply to all the students, however I know the demographics of many areas, and what she was looking for I do not believe would be found in that particular city.

Its a fact Amherst, Clarence and Williamsville schools have much better rankings, that being said, Amherst would be better for the op in regard to cost is all, which is why I didnt mention the other areas.

If someone likes the city and has no concern for public schooling, then I LOVE many areas of the city - op wanted a good school district, that is why I mentioned Amherst as well as the safety option, that's all.

And as far as high end real estate agents - most of my clients are first time home buyers - yes some spend 200k, but most spend 100k or less. I enjoy working with first time home buyers because of thie excitement in buying a new property - I assure you there was no intentions of sending her to a highter priced area, my opinion was only based on her needs.