Leaving Buffalo due to local job market...anyone else? (Amherst: foreclosures, rent)

[Beastly24]

My fiancee and I grew up in Bufalo and lived here all our lives. We're both in college but not going to be done with our degrees anytime soon. My fiancee has been laid off four times in four years...we are constantly struggling to make ends meet with just one income (plus the tiny amount of money unempolyment offers...) This is getting way too hard to do, and we are so tired of it. We're got next to nothing due to the contstant layoffs and feel that we're just spinning our wheels in the mud here. We are seriously considering moving out of state to a place where the cost of living is comparable to Buffalo, but that has a better job market.

I realize unemployment is high everywhere in the US right now, but in Buffalo especially things seem absolutely dismal, even for hard workers with good resumes like my fiancee.

We were thinking about VA (Richmond or Roanoke), PA, MA or maybe NC. Does anyone have any similar stories or suggestions?

[VRE332]

I'm an ex-Buffalonian, and you need to look into Northern Virginia. Forget Roanoke or Richmond. PA is rough too. NC (especially Durham). House prices in Northern Virginia are high (starting in the 400k+ range) but there are $100k jobs and you will have job security. This one school district near me has 137 teaching positions open and cannot find people. So finish up your degree, and hunker down, say goodbye to your friends in Buffalo. Rent a truck, and never look back

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by Beastly24

wheels in the mud here. We are seriously considering moving out of state to a place where the cost of living is comparable to Buffalo, but that has a better job market.

I realize unemployment is high everywhere in the US right now, but in Buffalo especially things seem absolutely dismal, even for hard workers with good resumes like my fiancee.

We were thinking about VA (Richmond or Roanoke), PA, MA or maybe NC. Does anyone have any similar stories or suggestions?

I don't know of anywhere for sure that the cost of living is comparable. The South seems so much cheaper in terms of property taxes, gas prices, food prices, etc., but housing can be high.

I used to live in Northern VA, and the job market might be good, but housing prices are steep -- they're more than double now what they were 10 years ago. Back then, (late 90s), I heard a mix of good and bad about Richmond. Don't know anything about Roanoke.

Massachusetts, at least in the Boston area, is VERY pricey for housing. Pennsylvania is a big state... where are you looking?

Seems like a lot of people from up here love it in NC, and I've thought about going down there, but I don't know what the job market is like there, either.

What field(s) are you in? Could you find a school with the programs you're in now?

[XNYgirl]

I left 9 years ago because I couldn't get a up there with my Canisius degree. I worked in corporate banking when I moved to Charlotte.

I don't regret leaving because my life is much happier. Now, I do miss going for the holidays. We do not travel back up there because Airfare is too high.

I will always be a yankee girl from South Buffalo. Even though I'm Charlotte now.

[JustinH]

We are looking at Nevada, Arizona, and Florida.

Nevada and Florida have no state income tax.

[Roadrunner69]

Justin, do your homework because Florida right now may not be a good decision. I have lived in Fort Myers for 30+ years after leaving Buffalo (age 20) and have seen this place go from the heydays to the desperate days. I fortunately have a pretty secure job but alot of people have lost their's and their homes, foreclosures are at record numbers and no jobs to be had. Even if you have a job lined up who knows how long it will last ie. low man on the totum pole. Do your research, maybe wait for the economy to show some sign of a recovery it's no fun being stuck in an unfamiliar town with no money. Good Luck with your search but be very careful don't rush, I was lucky when I moved down here you could leave a job and have one an hour later but those days are long gone.

[JustinH]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner69

Justin, do your homework because Florida right now may not be a good decision. I have lived in Fort Myers for 30+ years after leaving Buffalo (age 20) and have seen this place go from the heydays to the desperate days. I fortunately have a pretty secure job but alot of people have lost their's and their homes, foreclosures are at record numbers and no jobs to be had. Even if you have a job lined up who knows how long it will last ie. low man on the totum pole. Do your research, maybe wait for the economy to show some sign of a recovery it's no fun being stuck in an unfamiliar town with no money. Good Luck with your search but be very careful don't rush, I was lucky when I moved down here you could leave a job and have one an hour later but those days are long gone.

Thanks,

Florida is #3 on our list out of the 3 other states. I understand it is a mess out there, and the job market does not pay as much as the other homes. Plus insane insurance, and hurricanes.

Arizona and Nevada are our top choices.

[12buttons]

nashville TN - jobs are great, houses cheap, no tax on income, property taxes are cheap...not "southern" like you think - hip music scene, lots of out of towners...weather is mild

The NEW South...

[iloveupstateny]

Actually roanoke, va is probably the best bet on your list. real nice town.

[panda]

I am also a former Buffalonian who never wanted to leave even though things were bad in the early 80's when I looked for a job after graduating from Buf State in 1983 - no jobs. I ended up having to leave for other reasons, and ended up in Northern VA. I never missed home and never went back to visit until this past summer (24 yrs later). I found the prices of things to be quite expensive in Buffalo now (groceries, gas etc) and only the housing is reasonable (not taxes though) Also, there was a lot more traffic than there ever was when I was there (Williamsville/East Amherst/Tonawanda). Anyway, we have a good economy here and they are always looking to hire people. Never a problem with jobs here. We feel kind of insulated from the hard times here to a degree. Only things I miss about Buffalo is Andersons, and The Mighty Taco. And teh people are pretty nice there - here they are colder. Also, at least where I used to live in the Maple/Sheridan area of Wmsvl, it is still very safe and you can take walks at night and not have to worry. I wouldn't do that here, not that you couldn't, but somehow it just doesn't feel the same - no street lights where we live and lots of woods. I also don't miss the snow.