Advice or Counseling Request (Buffalo, Amherst: ski resorts, to rent, crime)

[ahat31]

So, I just came back from my second trip from Buffalo this weekend. My family will be relocating at the end of the summer, and we were looking for a place to live. My husband received a great job in the area, so we are making a leap of faith. We did find a place to rent until we figure out which area to purchase a house. I have been reading these posts for months since we decided to move, some have been positive while others have been negative so I'm not sure what to think. I am from a small, small New England town so this is quite frankly a huge move for me. Your city seems huge to me! There were some very cute neighborhoods, No. Buffalo, Elmwood Village, Williamsville not sure the names of all of the areas...and I was getting excited about the move. Then we drove through I think it was the east side of town and, well, lets just say I'm wondering if we are making a mistake. I now have a huge pit in my stomach, so I'm looking for some help from you experts. What is your favorite part of Buffalo? What do you like best about living in the area? Can you give me and my family some advice on how to ease this transition? I really, really hope that I am not offending any Buffalonians by mentioning that the eastside was well, lets just say less than appealing.

Thank you for all your help!! Getting very, very nervous that we are making a big mistake.

[Checkered24]

If it makes it feel any better, it sounds like you have already seen the best and worst of the area. Don't let your impressions of some of the east side neighborhoods color your idea of the whole metro area.

The East Side of Buffalo certainly has some problems with crime, gang activity, etc. It wouldn't be the first place I recommend someone move to. I also know someone who lives on the east side and gives me a lot of stories of the happenings. Most of the daily problems she experiences is small level crime, mostly by kids and teens, stealing things, etc. Although, there have been a couple shootings near her place too. However, this area is the exception to the rule for the area, and not out of the ordinary for a larger city.

Other areas of the city you mention, North Buffalo, the Elmwood/Allentown area, are very nice areas. I grew up in Kenmore, which borders North Buffalo. It's a nice area, plenty of shopping, etc. Elmwood/Allentown is a lively cultural area with a lot going on.

For the burbs, Williamsville is a very nice village in Amherst. Somewhat upscale, with some beautiful old houses, lots of small shop places on Main St, fairly centrally located in the area. Probably the total opposite of the east side of Buffalo. Most of the suburbs are rather nice, very safe, and I do not think you could go wrong with any of them.

I think you will be happy with your move. Buffalo is a fairly large metro area, but has more of a small town feel to it. All summer, there are countless festivals around the area that have terrific attendance, and are fun. They certainly add some personality to the WNY area.

First, where are you renting while you look for permanent residence? Also, when looking for a permanent community to purchase in, what are your priorities? If you want to be a little farther out of the metro area we have some nice communities that are a little more small town and rural and might be closer to what you are used to. Places like Lockport, Clarence, Lancaster, to some degree Orchard Park. They also have a mix of older homes, and some fairly new ones. All are maybe 15-20 minute drive to downtown Buffalo (at most). The inner suburbs are more urban, but also very nice. The Tonawandas range from close to the city of Buffalo, and are typically 50's/60's era suburbia. The City of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda border the erie canal and NIagara river, are older in their centers, but offer a nice quality of living too with the different activities, live music, etc around the river. The southtowns (Elma, West Seneca, Hamburg) are also popular. Nearly all the suburbs have good to terrific school districts (the Buffalo city schools are not so good on the other hand).

Guess it really just depends on what your likes and priorities are, but I am sure that you would find plenty of very suitable locations.

Good luck!!

[ahat31]

Thank you for your response...I have to say driving through East Buffalo through me for a loop! We are renting a place by Delaware Park. We checked with a realtor to be sure that the area was safe. We will live there for a year and determine if we want to stay in the city or check out the burbs. I'm use to living in an area with lots of land, so at this point, we are leaning towards the burbs. It's great to hear that the drive to the downtown area is only 15 - 20 minutes. I am also happy to hear you name so many towns that offer a good quality living. My children are not school-aged yet, so I have some time before moving to a city with a good school system. I have heard that the Buffalo city schools are not very good. I have looked online at homes in Clarence, Orchard Park, Williamsville, East Amherst and was not sure how these areas rate. Great to hear that they are good areas. Again, not sure if we will stay close to the city or not. Time and our experience will tell. Are there some great beaches on small lakes in the area? In Canada? If so, how far of a drive? Thank you again!!

[UpstaterInBklyn]

Every city in America has a high-crime ghetto area and the East Side happens to be Buffalo's. It is just a fact of life if you are going to live in any metro area of 1 million+ people.

You are correct about the quality of city schools and all of the areas you mentioned, Clarence, Orchard Park, Williamsville and East Amherst all have excellent schools. You can't go wrong with any of them. These areas offer generally suburban living with a village component. The villages of Clarence Center, Williamsville and Orchard Park are former rural small towns that have been encircled by suburban growth. If you want a more rural or more genuine small-town experience, you can look into some of the farther-out, but very commutable communities like East Aurora, Eden, Akron or Elma.

As for your question about beaches: You'll find several beaches on the shores of Lake Erie in Hamburg and Evans. There are county and town parks with public access. There is even quite a bit of beachfront property but it is more expensive. Except from the northern burbs, the drive is less than 1/2 hour. Lots of beaches on the Lake Erie shore in Canada too. I really don't know about any "small lake" beaches. The Erie beaches resemble ocean beaches - but the waves are smaller and the water isn't salty.

[jblake78728]

We relocated here from a small town in NNY (near Plattsburgh) in the not too distant past because my wife was offered a position with a significant raise. Though I was somewhat familiar with Buffalo already as I grew up not too far from here just across the PA border & had been to Buffalo many times, I am by no means an expert on the area.

Parts of Buffalo are in bad shape & some neighborhoods seem like they can be pretty rough & crime infested, this seems to be what the national media tends to focus on when talking about Buffalo unfortunately (along with the unemployment). One thing you never really hear about is that Buffalo also has some of the nicest, crime free suburbs in the country. The schools in suburban areas mostly seem to rate very high as well. Hamburg, Orchard Park, East Aurora & most of Amherst are some of the nicest suburban towns you will find in the country (thats not to say the others are bad). I find that the natives are pretty much very welcoming, friendly & helpful. It seems like the crime for the most part stays in the crime infested areas (which isn't always true in comparable size cities). I would say that as long as you stay away from the bad areas that you really don't have much to be concerned with. Personally, I like being in the Southtowns but only because I like being closer to the ski resorts, lakeshore & it is just easier for me when we visit family in PA.

Living in one part of the metro area & working in another really doesn't seem to be much of an issue either. Buffalo really doesn't seem to have a traffic problem so working 20-30 miles away from work isn't as big of a deal as it is in another cities. My wife works in Amherst & we live in Hamburg, most days she is home within 30 minutes.

IMO, if you like the outdoors the Buffalo/WNY area is right up there with Denver & Portland,OR for things to do (at a much lower cost of living). Within a short drive from wherever you are you can find quality city/town parks, Lake Erie (and other lakes), state parks, mountains/ski resorts, etc. We have 2 young children so I haven't really had much chance to experience the nightlife yet but I hear it also is at least on par with similar size cities.

The job opportunities are said to be limited. I can't really speak too much regarding this as my wife was offered a job to come here (medical field) & I found a position within a few weeks (business).

I believe that if you move here with an open mind, learn what areas to stay away from & don't have a problem with cold & snow (being from NE I would assume that you don't) that you will find that the area is a very enjoyable place to live & a nice place to raise a family. The cost of living in this area is unbelievably low (at least compared to what I'm use to) so if you make a decent living in your field your quality of living should only get better.


Good luck to you & I hope you decide to relocate to the area. I believe that attracting quality people to the area will only make the economy stronger which in the end will benefit us all & help Buffalo rebound.

[ahat31]

Thank you for sharing your recent experience with me. It sounds like your family just went through the same experiences mine will soon. It is annoying that the media only focuses on the negative. I have to say, I was shocked, I mean SHOCKED to see how high the taxes are in the state. We traveled through an area of Buffalo that was by the water, not sure the exact area, and was shocked to see how unclean it was. With such high taxes and the beauty of the water, I was surprised that the area was so rundown. Where does all this tax money go? I thought we would be able to purchase a house of the same quality, but with outrageous taxes, I'm not sure we can. It shocks me to pay $500 + per month for taxes, but I guess that is part of it and hopefully we will have much, much more to do at a lower cost. I do agree that caring and responsible families moving to the area can only be a good thing.

[jblake78728]

What part of New England are you from? Property taxes in NY are higher than the national average but I've found that the average for this area is very similar to much of New England (and in most case lower than Boston, RI, NH & Connecticut).
One thing I've noticed is that property taxes can vary greatly in this area from town to town so be sure to pay close attention to that when looking for a house.

[JustinH]

Originally Posted by ahat31

Thank you for sharing your recent experience with me. It sounds like your family just went through the same experiences mine will soon. It is annoying that the media only focuses on the negative. I have to say, I was shocked, I mean SHOCKED to see how high the taxes are in the state. We traveled through an area of Buffalo that was by the water, not sure the exact area, and was shocked to see how unclean it was. With such high taxes and the beauty of the water, I was surprised that the area was so rundown. Where does all this tax money go? I thought we would be able to purchase a house of the same quality, but with outrageous taxes, I'm not sure we can. It shocks me to pay $500 + per month for taxes, but I guess that is part of it and hopefully we will have much, much more to do at a lower cost. I do agree that caring and responsible families moving to the area can only be a good thing.

If you are looking in the city of buffalo, the taxes are much cheaper than ANY of the surrounding suburbs.

Our tax payment to West Seneca is nearly equal to our monthly mortgage payment.

Its insane.

The only area of Buffalo that I would recommend even looking at is North Buffalo, if you don't find something there then go to the suburbs.

[jblake78728]

Originally Posted by JustinH

The only area of Buffalo that I would recommend even looking at is North Buffalo, if you don't find something there then go to the suburbs.

What about the Caz Park & Abbott McKinley areas of South Buffalo? Taxes there seem pretty affordable, the area looks nice & seems well maintained. Is there some kind of dirty secret I don't know?

[JustinH]

Originally Posted by jblake78728

What about the Caz Park & Abbott McKinley areas of South Buffalo? Taxes there seem pretty affordable, the area looks nice & seems well maintained. Is there some kind of dirty secret I don't know?

You are right, I forgot that area of buffalo, and I live within walking distance of it.

Right near the park is very nice, well upkept homes.

If you go on the other side of Seneca street, you are looking at some very rundown homes.