60,000 where to live? (Buffalo, Amherst, Cheektowaga: rental, condo, low crime)

[NedFlanders]

If you had 60,000 to spend on a home/condo and you had to live in this region where would you live? The only real goal is low crime. I am not willing to live in a place where I would be regularly worried about being broken into, or where I would not be very, very safe riding my bike or walking. It would also be great if the chance at a fairly rapid resale or rental would be easy.

I am viewing a two places right now. One on Maple in Amherst, one on Southcreek Ct, Amherst by the Glen Oak gold course and one on Wayne Terrace off of Harlem. I have looked at houses too, but as one would expect with so little cash, the houses are in areas that don't seem to suit my wants. Lockport houses might fit the bill, but it is too far of a drive unless it is nearest the end headed back towards UB.

[donbuy]

As long as you stay out of the City Limits of Buffalo, N. Falls or Lackawanna you will be fine. Amherst has routinely been atop the list of safest communities in the USA with a population in excess of 100,000.. The other suburbs are very safe as well. A quick rule of thumb for inner ring suburbs would be that the farther you are from the city line the safer you are. Remember too that the safest sections within the City of Buffalo still less safe than anywhere in the suburbs.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by donbuy

As long as you stay out of the City Limits of Buffalo, N. Falls or Lackawanna you will be fine. Amherst has routinely been atop the list of safest communities in the USA with a population in excess of 100,000.. The other suburbs are very safe as well. A quick rule of thumb for inner ring suburbs would be that the farther you are from the city line the safer you are. Remember too that the safest sections within the City of Buffalo still less safe than anywhere in the suburbs.

Is that necessarily true? I know the city of Buffalo has a rough reputation that is deserved in some parts more than others, but are you saying that a neighborhood like Parkside isn't as safe as many of the suburbs?

[cheese9988]

You would probably have to take out a little bit more to buy a house in a good area. It looks like you want to be close to UB south. If you can get something with decent access to the 33, you may be in good shape. Lancaster or Depew may not be bad, the highway access is what you need.

[sabredrew]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Is that necessarily true? I know the city of Buffalo has a rough reputation that is deserved in some parts more than others, but are you saying that a neighborhood like Parkside isn't as safe as many of the suburbs?

I'd say that his statement is true, for the most part, but with exceptions. Using the Buffalo neighborhood you cited-Parkside- as an example, I'd say Parkside is safer than some Cheektowaga neighborhoods, specifically those that border Buffalo's East Side.

There was another statement Donbuy made, which I believe to be true for the most part, but might be a little misleading though to those unfamiliar with the area. He said (I'm paraphrasing) the closer you are to the City of Buffalo, the less safe the suburb is. Again, I find this true for the most part, but then, I live in the Village of Kenmore, and my street is pretty close to the city line. Though my neighborhood isn't what it once was, it's still very safe despite it's proximity to Buffalo.

I just realized that none of this is helping the OP, so I'll address that now. Of the three addresses you mentioned, and using safety as a criteria (since you mentioned that that was important to you) I'd say the one on Southcreek Ct. would be the safest, followed by the one on Maple (you didn't say where on Maple, but in any case, I think traffic congestion may be your biggest problem there), and then the one on Wayne Terrace, which is actually Cheektowaga. That part of Cheektowaga is ok; it borders a good neighborhood on one side (Snyder) butif you head west a bit from there, things go down hill fast.

[sabredrew]

Originally Posted by cheese9988

You would probably have to take out a little bit more to buy a house in a good area. It looks like you want to be close to UB south. If you can get something with decent access to the 33, you may be in good shape. Lancaster or Depew may not be bad, the highway access is what you need.

Good point. The condo he mentioned in Cheektowaga will give him easy access to UB South, the other two have pretty good proximity to UB North.

[donbuy]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Is that necessarily true? I know the city of Buffalo has a rough reputation that is deserved in some parts more than others, but are you saying that a neighborhood like Parkside isn't as safe as many of the suburbs?

Yes, I am saying that because like it or not it is the truth. The only area in Erie County that has a higher crime rate than even the best part of Buffalo is Lackawanna.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by donbuy

Yes, I am saying that because like it or not it is the truth. The only area in Erie County that has a higher crime rate than even the best part of Buffalo is Lackawanna.

Doesn't it vary even in Lackawanna too?

[donbuy]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Doesn't it vary even in Lackawanna too?

I suppose if you were to parse it down to a block or two that would be the case.

[gonetoelpaso]

South Buffalo would be my pick