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My wife and I are giving serious consideration to moving into the Lewiston-Youngstown area and I'd like some opinions please on those who are from the area (or were from the area) as to the pros and cons of each location. We will be moving to that area from Kenosha, WI and we'd like to be able to agree upon a town as a 'target' for our move, which meets our preferred lifestyle and comfort zone.
To help you better contribute to fulfilling our needs, we're an early 40's white couple, church-going, non-partying type of folks (we could care less about proximity to any nightclubs), no children (school districts mean nothing to us), university-educated, quiet, looking for (1) low crime and (2) good value for the money (home and property ideally). We both dislike the traffic and stress that come from living in a large city so smaller is definitely our preference. Commuting isn't an issue for us as my wife works primarily from home and I will be choosing a potential employer based upon where we end up moving, since where we live is more important to us than where I work. I am a born/raised Canadian who moved to the US in 2001 (my wife is a born/raised American) and I've have had to learn the hard way that some areas of the US are significantly more crime-filled than what I'm accustomed to, so low-crime is far and away our first priority. We'd also like to stay as close to the Canadian border as possible though we would be willing to move a bit further east of the Niagara region if there was an amazing area with unbelievable housing deals to be had. Since my wife does travel from time to time for her job, we'd ideally like to be less than an hour's drive from the Buffalo airport. Oh and lastly, while I love snow, my wife hates it, so an area known for lesser lake-effect snow in the area would make her all the happier.
When browsing some home values on zillow.com I was quite surprised to see how low the housing prices were in Lewiston and Youngstown (at least much lower than in my region). Are there any reasons why property values are so low in these areas? What are the websites truly not telling me that only the locals would know?
Thank you very much in advance for your time and input.
Take a look at the taxes, and consider the entire picture. Niagara county has some of the highest taxes in the nation. The local news station was doing some funny math this past year, and with the numbers that they crunched, it was the highest taxed county in the nation. Add that into your calculation, and you might be surprised.
Then take a look at what the income tax is here, the sales tax, gas prices (highest in the nation). The list goes on and on. Although it is very nice, the tax man will nickel and dime you to death.
Lewiston is a very nice area, very scenic, very suburban, very quiet for the most part. Their "main drag" is filled with little festivals during the summer, and shops/restaurants/bed and breakfasts. Its a very quiet town, quite a bit of boating goes on there.
You are a few miles north of Niagara Falls, and Lewiston is one of the last exits in the US before you hit the Canadian border.
I can't think of any jobs being out in that area, so I hope that you folks are retired and independently wealthy.
Most of Niagara Falls is in poverty, some of it is very dangerous. Most of the tourist areas are being built up now, it actually looks halfway decent. The state park is there, it is pretty nice.
I have always thought of Lewiston as being a richer area than Youngstown. I have been to Youngstown several times, and can't say that there is anything remarkable to do there, and there is very little commerce.
Both areas are pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It would be a very long ride to the Buffalo Airport, over two bridges. It would be even longer in the dead of winter.
Niagara Falls just remodeled part of its airport. Right now they have 1 airline flying out of there, so unless you are going to Myrtle Beach, or Florida, then you will have to drive to the BUF airport in Cheektowaga.
Come out here, and spend a week looking around. Talk to a local realtor and get the whole picture. It may be for you, it may not. I would not come out without a job. The unemployment rate is very high right now.
Also consider what your new salary would be moving to Buffalo. The corporation I work for pays its employees in Buffalo far less than any other site, and this is pretty much true across the board.
Unemployment is high everywhere not just WNY ........ Buffalo metro unemployment rate is 8.4%, national average is 9.5%. Not saying anyone should mover here without a job but in reality they shouldn't move anywhere without a job right now though it sounds like your wife is going to keep her job & being that you are a Canadian you will at least have the option of working across the border (without too much hassle) if need be.
Taxes are high but by Niagara County standards they are about average in Lewiston & Youngstown. In Youngstown you can expect to pay around $3500 per $100K assessed value, in Lewiston it is between $3100 - $3500 (within the City of Niagara Falls it can be as high as $4500/$100K). Taxes are a hit but if you are saving enough on the cost of the house then it all evens out (or you may even come out ahead).
Neither area has much if any crime. I would say Lewiston may get a little more because its bigger than Youngstown & next door to Niagara Falls. Both are across the river from Ontario, Lewiston has a bridge across the river & Youngstown does not (you would have to drive to Lewiston to cross). Neither get hit hard by lake effect snow, too far north to get Lake Erie snow & not in the path for much of Lake Ontario's. Both towns only get about half the snowfall metro Buffalo gets ....... that being said they still get 40-45 inches. Youngstown is a good 45 minutes from Buffalo airport, Lewiston is only a few minutes less. Both are relatively quiet, small towns though Youngstown is smaller & quieter because Lewiston is very close to Niagara Falls.
Unemployment is high everywhere not just WNY ........ Buffalo metro unemployment rate is 8.4%, national average is 9.5%. Not saying anyone should mover here without a job but in reality they shouldn't move anywhere without a job right now though it sounds like your wife is going to keep her job & being that you are a Canadian you will at least have the option of working across the border (without too much hassle) if need be.
Taxes are high but by Niagara County standards they are about average in Lewiston & Youngstown. In Youngstown you can expect to pay around $3500 per $100K assessed value, in Lewiston it is between $3100 - $3500 (within the City of Niagara Falls it can be as high as $4500/$100K). Taxes are a hit but if you are saving enough on the cost of the house then it all evens out (or you may even come out ahead).
Neither area has much if any crime. I would say Lewiston may get a little more because its bigger than Youngstown & next door to Niagara Falls. Both are across the river from Ontario, Lewiston has a bridge across the river & Youngstown does not (you would have to drive to Lewiston to cross). Neither get hit hard by lake effect snow, too far north to get Lake Erie snow & not in the path for much of Lake Ontario's. Both towns only get about half the snowfall metro Buffalo gets ....... that being said they still get 40-45 inches. Youngstown is a good 45 minutes from Buffalo airport, Lewiston is only a few minutes less. Both are relatively quiet, small towns though Youngstown is smaller & quieter because Lewiston is very close to Niagara Falls.
Thanks for the tax info (numbers) that does help to give me a better picture. You're right about the possibility of working in Canada too, in fact that's one of the main reasons I'm hoping to stay close to the border so that such an option remains feasible.
Part of the reason we're looking to move is due to the lack of jobs in my current area so I can relate to the general unemployment issue. What my wife and I would do is 1) me find a job (2) me move to an apt in the area for the job (3) me commute back to Wisconsin to help us close up loose ends on selling our home here (4) wife to move over to WNY area once home in Wisconsin sells (5) look at buying a place after our one year apt lease is done. Complicated enough, but this way there's less risk involved and she and I tend to be overly cautious about financial matters so we'd rather do things that way as opposed to just up and moving with no job in the first place.
As a young boy I was actually raised in the wine regions of southern Ontario (Winona specifically) so I have had opportunity to go to the Buffalo area many times (big Sabres fan here). But for whatever reason I never visited Lewiston or Youngstown so my knowledge about each of them is zippo. I do need some 3-D time there though, obviously, and that will happen as part of my attending any job interviews in the area. Thanks again for your input!
People always complain about the high property taxes as a percentage of market value. But I would much rather buy a house for 150K with $4,500 taxes than the same house in another part of the country for 300K with $4,500 taxes. Makes sense?
People always complain about the high property taxes as a percentage of market value. But I would much rather buy a house for 150K with $4,500 taxes than the same house in another part of the country for 300K with $4,500 taxes. Makes sense?
In a school district that is very good and with things to do close by too(Niagara Falls, Lake Ontario, etc.).
"People always complain about the high property taxes as a percentage of market value. But I would much rather buy a house for 150K with $4,500 taxes than the same house in another part of the country for 300K with $4,500 taxes. Makes sense?"
Why would anyone be okay with paying $400 a month in taxes on just your home? The better question is why does the government need your $400/month? What are they offering the residents that's worth that much that other areas do not offer?
"People always complain about the high property taxes as a percentage of market value. But I would much rather buy a house for 150K with $4,500 taxes than the same house in another part of the country for 300K with $4,500 taxes. Makes sense?"
Why would anyone be okay with paying $400 a month in taxes on just your home? The better question is why does the government need your $400/month? What are they offering the residents that's worth that much that other areas do not offer?
It's actually the property too. I guess for services such as garbage pickup, school services, roads, law enforcement, etc. Now, I think you can consolidate some of these things and that could bring the taxes down some, but you still are going to pay something for any kind of services and fees vary by state.
"People always complain about the high property taxes as a percentage of market value. But I would much rather buy a house for 150K with $4,500 taxes than the same house in another part of the country for 300K with $4,500 taxes. Makes sense?"
Why would anyone be okay with paying $400 a month in taxes on just your home? The better question is why does the government need your $400/month? What are they offering the residents that's worth that much that other areas do not offer?
For $400 a month you could argue that you are getting the same services (police, fire, schools, sanitation, etc.) whether you paid 150K for your house in Buffalo or 300K for the same house in Chicago. In Buffalo, you are saving something like $900 a month in mortgage payments over Chicago.
Well, our taxes are too high period. But, here in Buffalo we do have extensive road work that needs to be done due to the winter weather. Not to mention plowing, salting, leaf pickup.
Areas of the south or the desert have sweet sweepers, but don't have to deal with the heavy equipment.
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